The monk, the beautiful maiden, and the shinobi regarded him with expressions that oscillated between confusion and concern, but rather... he was the one with a weird expression.
Who showed disgust when beholding a sacred maiden who'd come to heal them?
'Oh... right. I need to smile. Smile!'
Ishiki forced a smile, and said in a rusty tone. "I... I am sorry, i didn't mean that."
The maiden wore ancient pink robes exquisitely woven for her petite frame, traditional craftsmanship that would've cost a fortune back on Earth. Ishiki had never seen anything quite like it. But far more surprising than her attire was her reaction.
She dramatically put the box down and prostrated herself before Ishiki as if she'd committed some unforgivable transgression.
'What... what the heck?' He instinctively took aback by the sudden reaction.
"Oh, young master... please forgive the audacity of this young maiden. If i had known, I would have sent my elder sister..."
Ishiki's brow twitched as he stared at the prostrating girl.
'Uhh... what is she talking about? Young master? Elder sister?' for some reason he was sure, there was a big misunderstanding or something.
"Eh... no problem. Just do what you came here for." he replied with an indifferent face, scratching the back of his head awkwardly.
The maiden stood up, with a brilliance burning in her eyes. She quickly retrieved the stone from the box and handed it over to Ishiki. What happened after that made Ishiki question his whole life.
As he took the cold stone in his broken arm, the glow it emitted became a little darker, the maiden raised both her hands and chanted something.
A green glow on his hand flinched Ishiki, but he became relaxed as the pain became duller by the second and soon disappeared.
The hand was back to normal... his legs were healed too and his whole body felt relived from all the pain and sufferings it had been through.
His eyes lit up. 'This is amazing!' but soon a dark expression found its way to his features. This had a price too... nothing was for free. He knew it, he knew it better than most of them.
The maiden and monk both were making a medicine currently for him. It was a viscous mixture of various dubious-looking herbs ground together into an alarmingly green liquid.
'I think i will need to look for a way to not drink it... i mean, who would want to drink that gross green swamp.'
After some time, the monk and maiden departed to search for additional rare herbs—something about herbs that only bloom under moonlight or whatever mystical nonsense.
'Phew... they creep me out.' with a sigh of relief, Ishiki looked around with a curious eye. This place was as old as... uh, don't know how old but it has to be quite ancient.
Among the various religious artifacts and ceremonial objects scattered throughout the room, one item seized his attention completely: a rectangular crate sealed with numerous paper talismans.
He looked at the shinobi who seemed to be asleep, but was meditating and then slowly walked up to the crate.
The crate was elegant despite its simplicity—well-maintained wood, ornate craftsmanship, clearly valuable. But what truly intrigued him were the paper seals covering it, inscribed with arcane symbols and the fact that it had no visible lock anywhere.
'It looks like someone tried to hid a treasure in a normal box, so no one would bat an eye... uh wait! wouldn't that make me a... thief?'
Ishiki lingered for a moment.
'Just one peek. I promise I won't steal anything. I'm just... investigating. For survival purposes. This could be important information.'
With a sly smile... that he failed to suppress, he finally touched the box and tried opening it.
Nothing happened.
The box was sealed tighter than a bank vault. The lid refused to budge even a millimeter, as though welded shut by divine intervention.
'The lid isn't even bulging... What the heck!'
After numerous failed attempts accompanied by increasingly creative curses, Ishiki glared at the stubborn container with twitching eyes, also the messages from the damn "Admins" weren't helping the matter.
[Admin 71 - Haha, can't even open a wooden box]
[Admin 81 - How can anyone be this weak?]
[Admin 292 - You have drained all my hope boy]
[Admin 92 - Ask that Shinobi of yours]
'Why can't you jackasses come here and try opening it with your own bloody hands? Oh right, you are even weaker than me i guess, that's why you can only watch, haha!'
[Admin 81 - This damned kid]
[Admin 63 - Who do you think you are human]
[Admin 292 - haha... you are one funny player]
[Admin 194 - I like your guts boy]
[Admin 194 has wagered 8,000 NC on survival]
His frustration reached critical mass. If he could physically assault the message screens, he would've punched every single Admin in their metaphorical faces. But his hand fazed through like it passed from an hologram.
"Is the young master interested in the sealed treasure?"
The old monk's voice materialized beside him like a jump-scare in a horror game.
Ishiki nearly jumped out of his skin.
'Damnation! How long has he been standing there?!'
"Uh... no... I wasn't going to... uhm... just looking at it," he mumbled unconvincingly, attempting to casually stand and distance himself from the evidence of his attempted theft.
"Wait... young master. Please, consider it yours."
The monk seemed genuinely pleased, even eager to gift away this supposedly sealed treasure.
'That's suspiciously generous. But also... what am I supposed to do with a box I can't even open? It's literally useless to me right now.'
He had no idea what it was or what it did... he was pretty sure it would just be an hinderance.
'Screw that... a treasure is a treasure. I will get him to open it for me.' He grinned, but hid it just as quickly as it surfaced. Then he bowed down in respect.
"It would very thoughtful of you... uh... Mr. Bald monk." he said with his eyes closed.
'Uh... what did i just call him? Well... fuck it.'
He quickly retrieved the wooden crate, which felt surprisingly light, possibly empty, which would be too ironic.
Ishiki returned to his spot beside the meditating shinobi and sat down with glittering eyes full of anticipation.
'Hehe... treasure box opening time!'
Minutes later, he sat with an expression of profound irritation, glaring daggers at the crate resting near his legs. That damned container refused to cooperate with his increasingly desperate attempts at entry.
'Its mine now right! So, i can even destroy this damned thing.'
He picked up the box, anger flushing his features. Accidently he chipped his finger at a corner and drew blood.
'Ahh... curse this damn b--' The curse died halfway as Ishiki's eyes widened, transfixed by the crate in his trembling hands.
The paper markings were glowing with a strange crimson radiance but it seemed too soothing to the eyes to look away.
[Unknown protocol - Recursive Anomaly has interrupted with the Trial Scenario]
'What the, again that Unknown protocol?'
But there was a matter which needed his attention more right now... after countless tries.
The box finally opened.