Kiko's bolt slams into the creature and it whirls around, presenting an opportunity that Akira does not pass up! Sadly the creature moves remarkably quickly to pull a large curved knife from its belt and parry Usagi's strike.
The effort makes it retch loudly and Usagi is covered in stinking, alcoholic vomit before the creature slashes at her. The blade cuts deep and the creature laughs derisively, but Usagi has faced bigger foes in worse positions and her resolve is unflinching!
Usagi takes 10 damage.
The armored ranger hisses in pain but stays on her feet. "You are disgusting" she snaps, before sending three attacks with her blades.
"It's a buso!" Kiko calls out. "They eat people!"
Any internal moral conflict having been resolved at the remembrance that this drunken being is cannibalistic, the oracle sends some healing energy in Usagi's direction before firing again.
As Kiko yells that revelation, Usagi spares a moment to stare at the sick the people eater just spewed on her, eyes wide. Was that... someone she had seen before that was now on her???
With a growl of utter hate, she focuses back to the creature she needs to see dead.
Then she needs a bath.
That is not something Akira wanted to know and she is now doubly glad that Usagi is the one in the creatures face. Lithe and nimble as a fox(!) Akira ducks behind the large creature and stabs at the back of its knees.
The buso staggers as Akira nearly hamstrings it and it retches loudly again before letting out a loud groan and flailing around with its curved blade.
Usagi's moment of distraction with the vomit costs her and if not for Kiko's healing the ranger would be in deep trouble. As it is she is merely covered in blood, vomit and bile. Unpleasant no doubt, but none of it immediately life threatening.
Usagi is hurt, very hurt, but all she can see is red. A deep desire to see this dead. She steadies her breathing, ignoring the pain, and studies the buso. A split second of calm before the dashes forward with three cuts of her swords.
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"Hey Ugly!" Akira yells, trying to distract the creature from Usagi who looks distinctly worse for wear. "Your mother was a hamster and your father smelled of elderberries!"
She does her best to back up words with steel!
"Your mother was a ... what?" Kiko questions in confusion as she fumbles with her crossbow attempting to reload the heavy weapon.
Usagi cuts deep into the buso's chest, leaving it vulnerable to Akira's critical sneak attack(!). The rapier strikes deep and true, piercing the creature's foul heart and laying it out dead on the stone of the bridge.
The smaller monsters squeak in fear and flee - running away towards Northridge and the center of town. Against numerous odds you have triumphed!
Usagi leans against the bridge, holding her battered body "Never good to see one's heroes disappoint" the warrior says about the fleeing little ones. "That hurt." she winces more than a little bit.
The fleeing gremlins leave the buso's crude throne behind and investigation uncovers a silver scepter studded with semi-precious stones as well as a deck of strange cards which radiate an aura of distinctly mixed magic.
The three of you now have an important decision to make. Granny Hu and Old Matsuki will both be delighted to know about the reopening of the Dawnstep Bridge but whoever you go to first will gain a distinct advantage in the back and forth that has always existed between Willowshore's factions. This advantage would likely make them indebted to you.
So... who do you go to first?
Usagi rises to her feet, pain radiating from her as she does so. She sheathes her blades, cleans off the horrid retching as best she can, adjusts her carved red rabbit mask, and then looks to the other two. "Should we split up to tell them both at the same time?" not that she cares about townsfolk squabbles.
"I think splitting up would be ... bad," Kiko suggests. "We talked to Old Matsuki first. He should know the bridge is cleared. We can tell Granny Hu after that."
Usagi nods, okay with the decision.