[Cuisses of Pluto]
World: Final Fantasy 9
Quality: Blue
Type: Pants (Light plate armor)
Required Stats: STR - 7, PHY - 7, AGI - 7
Durability: 63/70
Effect 1: Sturdy - Increased Durability and decreased durability loss
Effect 2: Increases Max HP by 20 (Flat boost, not increased by skills)
Set: Spirit of Pluto 1/5
Set Bonus 5/5: Increases SPR & CHA by 5
[Gauntlets of Pluto]
World: Final Fantasy 9
Quality: Blue
Type: Gauntlets (Light plate armor)
Required Stats: STR - 7, PHY - 7 AGI - 7
Durability: 55/60
Effect 1: Sturdy - Increased Durability and decreased durability loss
Effect 2: Increases STR by 1 (Flat boost, not increased by skills)
Set: Spirit of Pluto
Set Bonus 5/5: Increases SPR & CHA by 5
[Sabatons of Pluto]
World: Final Fantasy 9
Quality: Blue
Type: Boots (Light plate armor)
Required Stats: STR - 7, PHY - 7 AGI - 7
Durability: 53/60
Effect 1: Sturdy - Increased Durability and decreased durability loss
Effect 2: Increases AGI by 1 (Flat boost, not increased by skills)
Set: Spirit of Pluto
Set Bonus 5/5: Increases SPR & CHA by 5
[Sword of Pluto]
World: Final Fantasy 9
Quality: Deep Blue
Type: Sword (Knight sword 1 or 2 handed)
Required Stats: STR - 8, PHY - 6, AGI - 7
Durability: 68/80
Damage: 30-40
Effect 1: Sturdy - Increased Durability and decreased durability loss
Effect 2: Impact - Increases impact damage and knockback if the attack is blocked.
[Shield of Pluto]
World: Final Fantasy 9
Quality: Deep Blue
Type: Shield (Kite Shield)
Required Stats: STR - 8, PHY - 6
Durability: 81/100
Effect 1: Sturdy - Increased Durability and decreased durability loss
Effect 2: Stalwart - Decreases impact of blocked attacks and reflects a part of it.
The greed in Alex’s eyes at this moment could make even Mr. Crabs look like a philanthropist, even when he is stealing candy from crying children. “Oh my god, I need this,” he mutters to himself, immediately deciding to equip the armor and claim it as his own.
Alex straps on the gauntlets first, deciding to test if his Statistical OCD lvl MAX will affect his ability to wear equipment. To his relief, it doesn’t, and he can wear them without any issue. With his STR now at 8, he’s able to equip all the other parts, along with the sword and shield. He feels as though he’s stepped into a divine temple, his very essence renewed by the weight and presence of the gear.
After securing the last piece, Alex notices a surge in his SPR and CHA stats, each rising by 5. The extra SPR makes him feel as if he’s submerged in a tranquil mountain lake, where every distraction and problem simply fades away. He hasn’t felt this level of clarity and peace before in his life. Recalling some of the spells, powerful black mages like the three Black Waltzes are capable of, Alex feels confident that they’ll have a hard time affecting him now.
“I can’t believe my luck,” he marvels to himself. “This has to be the power of hidden quests and my high LUK. Every risk I took to get here has paid off.” Examining the armor, he can hardly contain his excitement. Each piece is incredibly well-made, and even though the set bonus focuses on CHA and SPR, each item has its own unique benefits. They’re slightly damaged, but with the set’s ‘Sturdy’ effect and the high durability, they’ll hold up better than most brand new light purple items, and he can repair them over time using Fantasy Coins in the Fantasy Realm if he manages to keep them.
His enthusiasm dims a little as he reads the identical note under each piece of the armor, sword, and shield:
Note: Can only be stored in your inventory or taken out of this world if you gain the acknowledgment of Pluto.
“Pluto…or maybe even Hades, the god of the underworld, at least in our world,” Alex muses. “Is there something deeper behind the Knights of Pluto? Maybe it wasn’t just a random name because Pluto was the ninth planet… Guess all I can do is give it my best! But for this mission, I’ll be nearly unstoppable with this gear.”
As he stands there, reveling in his new equipment, a notification flashes before his eyes:
Special Quest Offered:
Mission: Gain the recognition of Pluto by killing the following 3 enemies:
Black Waltz 1 - 0/1 Black Waltz 2 - 0/1 Black Waltz 3 - 0/1
Reward: Acknowledgment of Pluto, Unknown
Time Limit: Mission duration
Failure: Leaving this world without killing all the targets, losing or selling a piece of the Equipment, Shield, or Sword of Pluto
Penalty: Curse of Pluto (- 3 SPR permanently), permanent loss of access to the armor set, Shield and Sword of Pluto.
Note: This quest is separate from the main mission and will not impact your mission rating.
Special quest accepted
“Damn,” Alex mutters to himself. “No choice in the matter again… Well, it’s not like I wasn’t planning to face at least Black Waltz 1 and 2, but Black Waltz 3 could be tricky. In canon, he only gets hurt during the first battle with the main characters and actually reappears later. I’ll have to think about how to deal with that. Even if I somehow fail, maybe my Statistical OCD lvl MAX will help me dodge the penalty”
Alex Kerber:Lvl 1
HP: 130/130, MP: 80/80
STR: 7 (+1), AGI: 7 (+1), PHY: 7, SNS: 7 (+1), CHA: 7 (+5), MNA: 7, INT: 7 SPR: 7 (+5), LUK: 7
Available Stat Points: 0
Innate Skills: Genius Conjurer lvl 1, Statistical OCD lvl MAX
Free Skill Slots: 1/2, Free Basic Skill Slots: 0/8
Basic skills: Basic Close Combat Prowess lvl 1, Basic Footwork lvl 1, Basic Endurance lvl 1, Basic Long-Range Combat Prowess lvl 1, Basic Eloquence lvl 1, Basic Concentration lvl 1, Basic Meditation lvl 1, Basic Mana Control lvl 1
Passive Skills: Pistol Proficiency lvl 1
Active Skills: Annihilation Grenade lvl 1
Fantasy Coins: 600 Soul Crystals: Small x1 Gil: 7700
Current Weapons: Mr. 5’s Revolver (Downgraded) (Deep Blue), Sword of Pluto (Deep Blue) Barbed Dagger (Light Green)
Current Equipment: Commander Shepard’s Dog Tag (Deep Blue), Shield of Pluto (Deep Blue), Armor of Pluto (Blue), Visor of Pluto (Blue), Cuisses of Pluto (Blue), Gauntlets of Pluto (Blue), Sabatons of Pluto (Blue)
Miscellaneous Items: Navalia Wolf Jerky x4 (Gray), Healing Potion x2 (White), Freshly baked Pumpkin bread x 3 (Gray), Various cards x36 (Mix) Jack’s Spare Silvery Mask (Light Green) Navalia Fur Armor (White), Navalia Fur Boots (White), Navalia Fur Gauntlets (White) Solid Marine Saber (Light Green)
Alex glances at his new stats, practically brimming with excitement. "I need to find a way to keep these items. They’re insane! I’ve worked hard for white and green items, and now I have a full set of blue gear. No way I’m losing this! I will destroy these damn scarecrows and burn them into ashes”
Alex recalls that Breireicht is still waiting, and after making sure he hasn’t missed anything in the armory’s hidden corner, he walks out with a confident grin, feeling like he’s stepped into a powerful new role. The armor is leagues above Steiner’s rusted tank look, and Alex finds himself looking like a proper soldier of Pluto, well protected and battle-ready, with medium-to-light plates that even cover his upper arms and shoulders. The armor’s deep, dark metallic hue makes it feel like more than simple iron or steel, reminding him of dark iron he’s seen in mid-to-late game gear in his favorite RPGs. Altogether, he looks like a formidable, fully geared soldier, even a bit menacing with the dark, almost mystical look of the armor.
As he exits, Breireicht is there, waiting, wide-eyed and frozen, staring at Alex’s transformation. Unbothered by the reaction, Alex approaches him, stating confidently, “I’m taking this set of armor, plus the sword and shield. Let’s go.”
Breireicht, usually relaxed and indifferent, suddenly seems overtaken by a greedy glint. Blocking Alex’s path, he mutters, “You can’t just take that armor. It needs to stay here, I’ve got to show it to the Captain for inspection.”
Surprised, Alex instinctively draws his new [Sword of Pluto] from his back. Feeling the familiar pulse from his necklace, he locks a cold stare onto Breireicht, saying, "The queen hired me personally, and the Captain himself is training me. Do you, a lowly excuse of a knight who’s never even drawn his blade, think you can steal my rightful equipment? Can you even lift this sword? Here, let me show it to you for a closer inspection.” He thrusts the sword’s tip to hover menacingly in front of Breireicht’s right eye.
A red flash lights up from his necklace, and Breireicht nearly wets himself. His thoughts spiral: "What kind of monster did I just try to rob? Why did I even do that? This is the worst day!"
Trembling, Breireicht closes his eyes, his body shaking uncontrollably. Seeing his reaction, Alex slowly sheathes his sword, a sly smile on his face. He pats Breireicht’s shoulder, saying with a deceptively gentle tone, “Just kidding! I would never disrespect a senior knight like that. I really appreciate your patience with me… but I’m afraid I can’t give up this set of equipment. I trust you understand, Sir Breireicht."
Without waiting for an answer, Alex adds, “So, shall we head to the canteen? I’m starving!” With a firm but friendly nudge, he guides the still-trembling Breireicht out of the armory. Whispering to himself, he mutters, “And I’m curious to meet a certain head chef…”
Breireicht, wiping sweat from his brow, realizes his grave miscalculation. "No wonder the queen recruited him personally… he gives off the same terrifying energy as General Beatrix. He’s going to become a force around here. Best I keep my mouth shut and stay out of his way. If he wanted to kill me, the queen would probably pardon him, or worse, thank him for sparing the kingdom’s budget a bit.”
The two men walk in silence toward the canteen, one grinning as if he’s just scored the ultimate prize, the other looking like he’s walked into a pact with the devil.