A notification appeared in Nightclown's HUD...
[ITEM ACQUIRED: Wild Nunchaku]
[Melee Weapon] updated.
He quickly opened his status panel and checked the description of the new melee weapon.
[Melee Weapon: Wild Nunchaku]
[Tier Quality: ✪]
[Characteristic: Shapeshifting (1/9)]
[Description: A sturdy pair of ironwood nunchaku, linked by a durable iron chain. Simple and effective. Capable to be fused with eight different types of weapons. Each fusion will increase the tier quality.]
[Damage Type: Blunt]
[Special Ability: Toon Momentum]
A 1-Star Soulheart Gear equivalent. Not bad for a first weapon. As for the special ability... Jester quickly read the definition of [Toon Momentum].
[Toon Momentum. Each successful hit grants a temporary speed boost (stackable up to 5 times).]
He grinned. The [Toon Momentum] ability sounded useful. He quickly took out and equipped the nunchaku. It fit perfectly in his grasp. He could instantly draw the weapon from the inventory and put it back in. Very convenient.
Nightclown gripped the new [Wild Nunchaku]. Feeling the balanced weight of the ironwood in his paws. The chain linking the two clubs felt robust. Promising durability.
A grin spread wider across his grey hare face. He was eager to test its capabilities, to feel the momentum build with each swing. But where?
The Toon Forest Village felt too peaceful for a proper combat trial. Despite its chaotic charm. He needed a place where the stakes were real. Even if only within this cartoony realm.
He turned back to the gruff gorilla blacksmith, Mr. Gorhammer. Who was already back to hammering a glowing piece of metal on his anvil. Sparks flew with each forceful strike.
"Mr. Gorhammer!" Nightclown called out. Raising his voice slightly over the clang of metal. "This Nunchaku feels great! But I need a place to properly test it out. Somewhere I can push its limits, you know?"
The large gorilla stopped hammering. Lifting his head slowly. His eyes blinked at Nightclown. A grunt rumbled deep in his throat. "Practice, eh?"
"Most greenhorns go to the Village's Training Hall." He rasped in dry voice. "Safe. Got dummies, sandbags, all sorts. But it'll cost you a pretty penny for an hour. Don't get anything back either. Except sore muscles and a lighter coin pouch."
Nightclown nodded. Already dismissing the idea. Safe and expensive sounded like the opposite of what he was looking for right now. He wanted to gain something. Experience, perhaps. Or even materials for future upgrades.
"Or..." Mr. Gorhammer continued. Picking up his hammer again, but not striking. "You could head north. Northern Dungeon. Full of... trouble. But if you survive, you might find some useful bits and chunks... Materials, mostly."
He stopped. And continued. "Not safe though. But the best training is the kind that makes you grateful to stay alive, isn't it?" He punctuated this with a short, dry chuckle. One that sounded more like a cough.
Northern Dungeon. Now that sounded more like it. Risk and reward. Nightclown's ears twitched with interest.
"Northern Dungeon, you say? What kind of 'trouble' are we talking about, Mr. Gorhammer?" He asked.
The blacksmith grunted again. Giving the glowing metal a light tap. "Bowling Bouncers. Annoying little fiends. Look like bowling balls, plain black, shiny."
"But don't let that fool ya. They're hostile. Tend to roll at ya at high speeds. Hit like a ton of bricks when they're in their 'heavy' form."
He paused. Wiping a greasy hand across his brow. "And they can shift. Turn light, elastic. Bounce all over the place like a basketball. Hard to hit then, let me tell you. And they'll try to bounce off walls, ceilings, anything to get an angle on you. Good for a laugh the first time you see it. Then it gets old quick."
Nightclown processed this information. Bowling Bouncers. Shifting between heavy and light. Blunt force and erratic movement...
This sounded like a perfect challenge for a weapon focused on speed and multi-hit combos. Especially with [Toon Momentum]. He could imagine hitting them when they were heavy. Building up speed. Then using that speed to chase them down when they became light and bouncy.
"Thanks, Mr. Gorhammer!" Nightclown exclaimed. A renewed spring in his step. "The Northern Dungeon it is!"
He gave the nunchaku a quick twirl. Feeling its balance. The thought of facing such unusual monsters filled him with a mix of apprehension and excitement.
This was exactly why he had sought a weapon. Why he had chosen to come here. The real world of Sherra presented dangers. And Toonworld offered a unique training ground.
He waved goodbye to the blacksmith. Who merely grunted in response. And exited the smithy. The cartoonish yellow sun seemed to shine even brighter.
He started to move towards the northern edge of the village. Eager to find the dungeon entrance. He jogged past bustling market where various anthropomorphic animals haggled over oversized cartoonish vegetables.
And then past the general store. The bank. And a small orchard. His senses were alive. Taking in the vibrant colors, the exaggerated sounds, and the distinct smell of freshly baked bread. Mingling with the earthiness of the forest.
He was just about to leave the village limits. The path twisting into a less-trodden trail. One that promised to lead deeper into the toon wilderness.
But a sudden, weird yet familiar sensation ripped through him. It was like being yanked by an invisible string. A sudden rush of sensation that wasn't pain. But pure, disorienting dislocation.
The vivid colors of Toonworld blurred. The cheerful sounds abruptly muted. And the ground beneath his feet dissolved into nothingness.
He felt a familiar, sickening lurch in his stomach. A sensation he now recognized as the transition between worlds. He blinked. And the vibrant, animated world was gone.
Jester found himself flat on his back. Staring up in the dark. At the familiar ceiling of his own bedroom. The soft, worn blanket of his bed was beneath him. The scent of his own room, of a citrus room freshener, filled his nostrils.
The transition was always instantaneous. But the after-effects often left him feeling a little dazed. He could still almost feel the phantom weight of the nunchaku in his hands. The faint echo of Toonworld's vibrant energy.
He lay there for a moment. Letting his eyes adjust to the dim light filtering through his window. The memory of the abrupt departure from Toonworld was still fresh. He had barely made it out of the village. The Northern Dungeon would have to wait.
He realized something was off. He had laid on his back. A book was resting on his chest, when he'd activated the Toonworld Watch.
Now, the book was no longer on his chest. He felt a slight discomfort under his back. Reaching behind him, his fingers brushed against the familiar texture of the book's cover. It was now directly beneath him. Pressed flat against the mattress.
He sat up. Pushing himself into a cross-legged position. This was interesting. The book was under him. It implied his physical body had indeed not been on the bed in the same way.
It was as if his physical form had vanished when he entered the Toonworld. Leaving only the impression of a body. And then reformed, when he exited that world. With the book sliding into a different position.
Great! Toonworld travel wasn't just a mental projection. Or a dream. His entire being had been removed from Sherra.
He made a mental note to re-examine this phenomenon. He still needed to purchase and set up a camera. Or ask Vale to observe him next time. The implications, if his body truly disappeared, were profound.
He checked the Toonworld Watch on his palm. The hour was definitely up. The world-hopping mechanism stayed dormant until tomorrow.
He sighed. A mix of frustration and anticipation were bubbling within him. He was making progress, but the time limit was a constant constraint.
The next morning, Jester woke with the first rays of sunlight. Today wasn't a holiday. Today was school. And it promised to be anything but ordinary.
He did his usual morning exercises. And then he took a bath. And dressed quickly. Pulling on a simple shirt, jacket, and trousers. All black. A stark contrast to the blue T-shirt and joggers of his Toonworld avatar.
He walked down the familiar path from his home towards the Oakhaven Academy. Eating a big chunk of bread and drinking fresh mineral water while doing so.
Today, an unusual number of people greeted him. Usually, only a few neighbors would offer a polite nod. Or a brief "Morning!"
But today, it was different. People actively turned their heads. Some offered wide smiles. Others a respectful bow or a hand wave. A few even called out his name. Wishing him well.
A group of younger kids, clinging to their parents' hands, pointed at him with wide-eyed wonder.
He was awkward. He did realize that he would be a kind of a new celebrity in town.
The success of his and Vale's research. The public announcement on newspaper, radio, and local TV. And the unprecedented sight of over a dozen students awakening Soulheart Gear above six-star level...
It had turned Oakhaven attention on him. And Vale. It felt strange. Almost surreal. He did want fame. He became a content creator in the past mostly for that.
But in this world, this sudden spotlight was unnerving. However, he knew it was a necessary step... for the greater good.