Meet The Slayer
(Velvet)
"Hey, hey, did you see the announcement?" One student said to her friend. "I don't know what's going on, but it's gotta be big."
"Yeah, they even canceled classes." The other replied. "What do you think that'll be about?"
"I don't know, could be a new class?" She shrugged.
That… wouldn't make sense. Velvet frowned. If it is a new class, then why all the cameras? Why the broadcast?
She agrees that this announcement must be a big deal, seeing as it's about to be broadcast to the entirety of Vale, possibly the world, but what could possibly warrant this kind of attention? The only thing in mind is her boss' potions, considering how revolutionary they are, and that most people don't quite know about them yet. From what her boss has told her, he only had the store open for something like less than two weeks.
It's conceivable that people haven't even realized that the place exists yet.
Does this mean people are going to start swarming the place? She grimaced.
More business would be good of course, but more business also means more stress, and with both the debt and her school work hanging overhead, she wasn't very keen on dealing with the likely swarm of customers to come. Maybe her boss would help? Or maybe he'd hire more staff? She hopes so. She doesn't think she'd be able to keep up with what could very well be hundreds of customers at once.
She scoured the auditorium, looking for her team. Looking over the stage, she noticed two comfy looking couches a short distance from each other. Could this be some kind of introduction or an interview? It would make sense if this was about her boss, after all.
Her team had gone ahead after Ms. Goodwitch sent her on a small errand, and Coco let her know she'd save her a place. With the amount students present though, she couldn't easily pinpoint where her team was with her sense of smell, so all she ought to do it-
"Velvet, over here!" A familiar voice called out. Velvet turned around to find Yang Xiao-Long waving at her, with the rest of her team, team WLBY, and Velvet's own team together.
Velvet smiled and walked over, sitting between the blond and Coco after navigating the crowd.
"What took you so long?" Coco said, raising a brow.
"Sorry, the printer didn't have any ink, so I ended up having to get some from the storage room." Velvet smiled sheepishly. "I… didn't miss anything, did I?"
"Nope," Yang shrugged.
"Oh… good." She sighed. "I wouldn't want to miss an announcement this big."
"See, Blake, why can't you be like her?" The Heiress of the SDC scoffed, glaring at her teammate. "We had to practically force you out of bed because you wouldn't get up on your own."
Blake let out a pitiful groan.
"Leave her alone, Weiss-cream." Yang interjected. "She barely got any sleep last night."
"What do you guys think this is about?!" Nora yelled from behind them, causing the Faunus yelp in surprise. "Oh! Oh! I bet it's about those Dust Pancakes I've been hearing about!"
"That's very wishful thinking Nora." Ren deadpanned.
"Why would they broadcast Dust Pancakes to the entire world as though it were some divine achievement?" Weiss' partner wondered.
"Are you saying they aren't?" Nora glared.
"Uh, no, I mean-"
"Shh!" Weiss hushed them. "It's starting."
True to her words, the lights of the auditorium darkened, and one singular light shone over the microphone. The crowd grew quiet, the loud chatter in the air turning to quiet whispers, and, after a few seconds, the Headmaster of Beacon Academy stepped onto the stage and into the light. Ozpin gripped the microphone, a neutral look about his face.
"To the Good people of Remnant, It is with optimism that I address you today. Though, these have been, as they too often are, challenging times…"
He started the speech with a somber tone, worrying the Faunus slightly.
"Firstly, I want to assure you that our sacred mission - to protect the people from the most violent and wicked of monsters of the Grimm - is, and always will be, our utmost priority." He said. "Our methods are effective, our execution... brutal, but necessary. We Huntsmen remain committed to bringing safety to all who seek it. And it is through your diligent support that even the most savage and powerful of the Grimm may ultimately be slain, and reduced to ashes.
"Unfortunately as of late, due to the actions of thieves, elements of the White Fang and other such hubris-ridden souls, the cost of our battle against the monsters at our gates has been... practically catastrophic." He closed his eyes, shaking his head slightly. "And as a result, dust, the most precious of our commodities, is in dwindling supply. Even we, the few capable of fighting against those hell-bent beasts, have not been spared the effects of this awful drought."
Oh… Well, that would explain why Dust was getting more and more expensive lately. While she tends not to use it to the same degree as her fellow students, this is still quite worrying. Even as wealthy as Coco is, she wouldn't be able to keep buying high-quality Dust for her weapon if prices keep rising, especially with how much she uses.
A dwindling supply...
"Yes, though we still have our "old reliables," the SDC mines; to name the most obvious. One would have most likely heard about them through sources such as VNN or The Morning Valean, or oftentimes in an… enthusiastic way from their "valued personnel"." He continued. "And alas, ever since these growing troubles, the mingling despondency has become... vexatious, to say the least. Of course, not that the two might be connected, forgive the ramblings of this old man. "
Velvet smiled at the subtle and sarcastic tone evident in his voice and heard other Faunus amidst the crow snort in amusement. Weiss didn't seem to have understood the jab from her confused face… which only made it funnier.
"Yet, I fear even the weight of their industry will not be enough. This seems an even harder venture considering newly confirmed reports that the Titan, Fenrir, was spotted near our borders."
That stole away what little amusement Velvet had, threw it to the ground, shot it, then burned it to ashes as her face grew pale. A… Titan? Fenrir? Close to Vale?
Whispers and gasps could be heard throughout the auditorium, the fear and shock of the assembly were palpable. The Titan Fenrir, the worst and cruelest Grimm to have ever "lived". One that truly relished in the pain and suffering of others, savoring the fear and hatred felt towards it. It would torture children, brutalize the elderly, and even newborns, just for the sick pleasure of it.
And this Grimm- that monster was seen nearby? What… what would this mean? What will happen? Will they send a force of hunters, or the army to end it? Would they need both?
"Yes." assuaged Ozpin, "I know. Given that news in any other circumstances I would not be here giving notice instead of preparing our defenses," Then, Ozpin smiled widely. "but, fortunately, someone already has single-handedly defeated that monster. Remnant, I present to you all the Titan Slayer of our era: Reid Astera."
...What?
(Ruby)
"-but, fortunately, someone already has defeated that monster. Remnant, I present to you all the Titan Slayer of our era: Reid Astera."
...Eh? Huh? WHAT!? Hold on, Hold ON- what does he mean Reid Astera? It's not- It couldn't be the same one she knew… right?
Onto the stage, walked a boy very similar to the one she'd met not long ago. White hair, blue eyes, a cocky smirk plastered on his face- IT'S THE SAME GUY!
"Yo!" He greeted. "How's everyone's day going?"
"WAIT!" Ruby screamed as she waved her arms in front of her face, adjusting herself on the couch. She crossed her legs as she stared wide-eyed at the stationary scroll in the living room. "WAIT ONE GOSH DARN MINUTE!"
"Arf!"
"NOT NOW, ZWEI!"
"...What's up with you guys?" He chuckled slightly. "No clapping? Whistling, maybe? Any form of applause at all? Ah, you're hurting my feelings here…"
Reid Astera, the same boy with whom she ate ice cream, chatted with, and walked with, is a Titan Slayer!? An actual, capital-H, Hero, not unlike the ones told about in the fairy tales she used to read? How did this happen? She knew he could fight, but to have actually defeated a Titan, alone?! Not even the old Titan Slayers could manage that! Anastasia, Sturn, Purity- every single other hero that was recorded to have killed a Titan had entire armies backing them up!
Heck, the heroes didn't even survive then! None of them did… yet, one person who is, as he had revealed to her, sixteen years old, managed to kill a Titan single-handedly? And now he's back and completely uninjured? How?! What!?
"Oh well, I understand. I really do." He shrugged. "I'm just as shocked. You don't see a Titan Slayer every day… and you definitely don't see one emerge without great sacrifice. But, here we are-"
Then, a clap was heard. Reid stuttered in his movements, looking slightly surprised as the students began clapping one by one. Quickly, the whole auditorium had exploded into cheers and praise. Everyone was clapping, some were whistling, others were practically dancing, and- are some of them confessing?
"I love you too, random student!"
Oh Gods, they were.
Ruby rested her back on the couch, still in shock at the news.
She was happy for him- happy for everyone, even awestruck. An actual Titan Slayer, in the flesh, and she even knew him personally. And it hadn't been just any Titan that he killed, not that there was "just any" Titan if she was being honest, but the one considered the evilest and awful of them all at that. Who wouldn't be happy hearing that news?
But… what would that mean between them? What's gonna happen now? When they met, she thought she would finally have a friend - a real one. He'd been nice, and never once made fun of her for her quirks… but now he's a celebrity, practically a legendary hero already…
Could… they still be friends? Can she be friends with a Hero? Does he even see her as a friend?
She shook her head and sighed. Of course, he does, he'd invited her to his place, didn't he? If he didn't like her, he wouldn't have done that… right?
"Thank you, thank you!" He laughed, basking in the cheers. "I appreciate it, I really do."
As Zwei jumped on the couch to lay across her legs, she smiled slightly.
Yes, they're still friends. She was sure of it. His kindness still showing, even to strangers, she was sure he wouldn't leave her behind or anything like that. Even if he forgot about her… she'd still remember him, so at least there was that?
"Students, please, I'm sure you all would want to know more about Mr. Astera, but we'll come to that later." With those few words, Ozpin hushed the auditorium, he continued-" Ahem, therefore, considering we have a Titan Slayer in our midst, I have decided to propose a strategy for an... aggressive takeover, which should give us enough land to keep dust flowing to those most in need."
Aggressive takeover? Does that mean they're planning to… kill other Titans? Could that really be possible? To kill more than one Titan in an era?
Ruby scoffed to herself. Of course, it's possible! If he had managed to get rid of one, then Reid would be able to defeat more, right? And he'd even done it alone! So if he took an army with him, this would be a lot easier.
"In specific, I have enlisted the assistance of General James Ironwood and Headmaster Theodore Fyie to further supplement our acquisition of territory." The Headmaster of Beacon continued. "In this manner, we will keep our people strong and our land healthy despite the efforts of those who would use this crisis to further their own ends and against best interests of all rightful institutions and good people of our society."
Woah… Ruby thought it was incredible that three kingdoms would pool their resources to finally defeat the… wait, three?
What about Headmaster Lionheart?
"For even those with the courage of a lion, but carry with them a dark-stained heart shall soon enough meet a feast of crows and the scarecrow's scythe." Ozpin stated ominously. What does that mean? "Rest assured, we shall bring these miscreants to justice... with fairness and mercy, of course. I am, after all, nothing if not compassionate.
"My loyal supporters and people from all of Remnant, we are doing all that can be done stimulate dust production and fulfill the Huntsman's honorable purpose." He smiled. "Remain resolute and know that I will do all that can be done to lead us into a brighter future for all. Now, Headmaster Theodore will take to asking mister Astera about his exploits and experiences with Fenrir."
Ruby gasped. They're gonna… interview him?
She let out a small squeal. She's never been excited for an interview her whole life!
...Well, except maybe that one time with Mythara, but still!
This is definitely gonna be interesting.
(Winter)
To say she's shocked would be an understatement.
There she was, en route to Vale with the general on some official business with Headmaster Ozpin and the Council of Vale. Nothing unusual, really. She'd stand about as a bodyguard for the general as he went about his business, and she'd keep an eye out. Same old, same old.
Then, the General got a call from a very happy sounding Ozpin, but she wasn't allowed to hear the news. That was fine, she had grown used to it as a specialist. There are things she just doesn't have the authority to know. She'd follow the law and rules like the other specialists. She understood the necessity of it, after all.
She did know that whatever happened was big, big enough to warrant a Remnant-wide address.
Winter did her job, keeping guard in the auditorium and having an eye out for anyone suspicious. She'd be lying if she said she wasn't looking forward to hearing whatever this news was, seeing that it seemed too good, for once. Good news is good for all of Remnant, as it'll boost morale and thus lower the number of Grimm attacks.
She was not prepared for the news, however, considering she had to pick her jaw up off of the floor at the reveal of a new Titan Slayer.
It was more than a little shocking and quite disquieting that the Titan Slayer bore an appearance extremely close to a Schnee. Her mind raced when she first saw him, and when she glanced over to her sister, she spotted an equally shocked Weiss.
This could mean three things.
A: He only looks like a Schnee. Nothing more and nothing less.
B: He's from the extended family, so Schnee by blood but not in name.
C: He's a bastard child.
Winter resisted a scoff at the last option. Why would there be a bastard child? And if he is, why would he have white hair? After all, her father's hair is black, and he only dyed it white to maintain the illusion that he's a Schnee by blood. It wouldn't make sense for this Reid character to have white hair if Jacques didn't… but what if it wasn't her father?
What if… it was her mother? She wouldn't be surprised, seeing that Willow had become an alcoholic and mired in a constant state of depression. It wouldn't be surprising if she had a fling or two with other men behind her husband's back. Not like she likes him really…
Honestly, Winter would be more surprised if Willow didn't do it out of spite.
Still… that train of thought only made her more uncomfortable… if not a little hopeful.
If he was in fact, a half-brother… then Weiss might have someone she can rely on. She isn't quite sure about him yet, but he does look old, almost as old as Winter was, herself, really. She couldn't be with Weiss all the time, but with him being a Titan Slayer in Vale, then surely he'd have a place here? Weiss would be able to visit him after school or on her days off.
Though, she'd have to keep a close eye on him. Brother or not, she isn't blindly trusting anyone, no matter the reason.
If he wasn't family, then that's equally good. She isn't quite comfortable with only now realizing that she had a half-brother.
...She had to ask herself, though. Whether he is a sibling or not; how could he have done such a thing? What did he go through to gain such power? To make such an achievement?
"Before we launch into the questions," The Headmaster of Shade started, crossing his legs as he sat on the comfy couch opposite of her possible sibling. "How about you properly introduce yourself to all of us? Your name, age, where you came from, the basics really."
"Well, my name is Reid Astera, I am, well, was, a wandering traveler, my favorite food is fried salmon," He smirked. "And I'm sixteen years old."
...W-wait, what?
Sixteen? Sixteen!? He's that young?!
"Sixteen?!" Theodore blurted out in shock. "I'd have thought you were in your early twenties! You do look far older than you really are."
"Haha, yeah, I get that a lot." He laughed. "Honestly, it's more convenient than you'd think. People take you more seriously most of the time if you look older."
"...Well, you heard him!" Theodore grinned. "It seems Mr. Astera is even younger than the Beacon student body. That should show you that anything is possible if you work hard enough!"
Students started whispering to each other, shocked that someone their age, and in most cases even younger than them, had managed to do the impossible on his own. She doesn't blame them, a sixteen-year-old defeating a Titan is impossible, for not even the most fantastical of fairy tales spoke of such a thing. Winter had a hard time believing it, even if the proof of Ironwood, Ozpin, and Theodore vouching for him was right in front of her.
"Well, I believe they're thoroughly shocked now. So, how about we properly start?" Theodore asked, taking a slip of paper from his pocket.
"Ask away." He leaned back.
"Let's see... Alright." The headmaster nodded. "What did you think when you were faced with what most people consider an unbeatable monster? What did it feel like facing one of the Titans?"
"...I can't say I was fearless, or that I had planned all along to trap it…" He sighed. "In all honesty? I was scared out of my mind. I genuinely thought I was gonna die, that nothing could possibly save me."
Winter… wasn't expecting that response. She thought he was going to show bravado like he'd been acting at the start. Anyone would, really, if not for the admiration of others, then to assure them that there's nothing to worry about. To give them a bit of false hope that Titans aren't that terrifying if one person was capable of beating one.
"At first, I was overconfident. I thought I could beat it…. But oh, was I wrong. Very wrong." He continued. "It threw me around like a rag doll, and I almost lost my life too many times to count. I wanted to run away, and I know that if I did that, I'd have ensured my own life, but when that flight or fight response triggered… I chose to fight."
"Oh? Why is that?
"I… don't know how to explain it, but running away just didn't sit right with me." He answered. "I knew I might have a chance at killing it, or even at least damaging that damned armor, and I thought 'If I don't stand my ground right now, then more people are gonna be killed.' Even if I died, then I might have at least damaged it considerably enough for others to kill it later on. Grimm can't heal their armor easily. It would've taken it decades to manage that."
Such sentiment made Winter think of him a bit more highly. He would sacrifice his life so others could have an easier job to deal with the demon? Not many were willing to do something so brave, and that number surely shrank faced with Fenrir. After all, dying to Fenrir is one of the worst fates anyone could suffer.
"Spoken like a true hero!" Theodore laughed. "More people could use such courage!"
"Yeah, no." He deadpanned. "If you see a Titan, run as far away as you can. I don't recommend it, zero out of ten, never again."
Some of the students chuckled at his tone, and even Winter herself couldn't keep away a smile, however slight.
"Hahaha! I agree with you there, Mr. Astera!" Theodore laughed boisterously. "It is better to let the professionals handle threats as terrible as Fenrir… which brings us onto our next question:", the Headmaster continued, "According to the Hunter's Guild, you've never been affiliated with them, nor have any of the academies admitted to your attendance." He continued. "How did you unlock your Aura? Where exactly did you learn to fight Grimm with such skill?"
Winter smiled in pride as she spotted her sister pulling out a pen and a small notepad, her eyes focused.
"Hmm… well as I said before, I was a wandering traveler, mostly trading in what I could find, like herbs and metals." He rubbed his chin. "I guess calling me an adventurer wouldn't be inaccurate. Of course, as I was solo, I needed to learn how to fight, so I unlocked my Aura, and then I made sure to learn everything I could. Mostly self-taught, but I do ask for pointers from hunters as much as I can."
"Oh?" The headmaster leaned forward. "The life of an adventurer, you say? You don't hear that every day with the roads so dangerous, littered with Grimm and bandits."
"Well, yeah, of course, it's dangerous." He shrugged. "I was practically forced to have gotten as skilled as I am. Almost every day, I had to defend myself from Grimm of all kinds, and bandits with all types of different semblances. I even tussled with White Fang a couple of times."
That is… believable. If he'd really traveled the world and trained from a really young age, then he'll surely be far more experienced and skilled than students his age. After all, the fastest way to grow is through actual life or death battles, and adventurers like him most likely had gone through a lot.
"That sounds like a fantastic tale!" The headmaster said cheerfully. "But still, defeating a Titan is a truly legendary feat, and doing it alone is simply… unheard of."
"If I were in your place, I wouldn't believe it either." Reid shrugged. "It is pretty far-fetched, after all… but here we are."
"Here we are indeed, indeed we are." The headmaster nodded, then he grinned slightly. "Since we got half the questions answered, it's time for the students to get their share of curiosities satisfied."
"Huh?" The Titan Slayer uttered in confusion.
"Please, if anyone has a question, raise your hand."
Almost every student did so, and even some of the teachers as well. Winter wanted to raise her hand, to have a certain question answered, but it was far too unprofessional of her to do so. Especially now, in front of so many others.
The flamboyant headmaster scoured the place, then pointed at a burly student with ginger hair.
"You! Please state your name and then your question."
A man with green hair, who she recognized as professor Oobleck, moved through the seats and students to the one chosen to ask. He gave the ginger-haired boy the microphone, then whispered something to him, to which he nodded in return.
"Name's Cardin Winchester, sir." He said. "And if you really killed Fenrir, then what kind of weapon did you use? You must've had something to hit hard with, yeah?"
"Actually, this might sound surprising, but all I had at the time was a simple sword." Reid laughed, shocking Cardin and the rest of the crowd, again. "I didn't exactly expect I'd be fighting Fenrir when I went exploring, and I certainly didn't have enough money to buy or make a Mecha-shift weapon."
"Yeah, but, swords ain't exactly good against armor."
"I agree, but I managed." The white-haired hero clenched his free fist with a smirk. "So, anyone else?"
The boy sat down back, looking slightly unsatisfied with the answer as the other students raised their hands.
"The blond lady over there!"
The girl next to her Weiss grinned and took the microphone.
"I'm Yang Xiao-Long, sir." She nodded politely. "And I gotta ask: You single?"
The auditorium exploded in snickers and laughter, and, though she couldn't see her face right now, Winter shared the same deadpan look as her sister. What kind of useless question was that?
Reid didn't seem to mind as he himself laughed. "Yes, actually. Still single. Satisfied?"
"Oh, you have no idea." She said in a faux-sultry tone.
"Good. Anyone else?"
This time, he pointed at a red-haired girl, and she recognized her almost instantly.
"I'm Pyrrha Nikos, sir." She bowed politely.
"Ah, the invincible champion." He grinned, prompting her to smile back. "Ask away."
"Of course, sir. My question is this: You don't only need the skill to defeat a monster like Fenrir. You must have had the power and speed to back it up." She started. "How did you grow so powerful? What did you do to gain enough physical power to compete with and even defeat a Titan?"
That's what got Winter questioning his story. True, he could've in skill on the road, but Fenrir was able to shrug off a rocket launcher to the face with no damage whatsoever. To even damage its armor slightly is already an achievement on its own, but to slay it?
You'd need a military-grade dust mine to even dent its armor, and to do that with nothing but a sword? What kind of ludicrous physical prowess does this kid have?
"...Aside from my already absurd strength, there was one other key factor that helped me survive, and defeat Fenrir." He smirked, then pulled out a small red vial from his suit's pocket. "Without this, I wouldn't be here today, and the Titan would still be roaming the world."
"And that would be…?"
"This here, is what I like to call, a potion." He revealed. "A drink I cooked up that can instantly restore your Aura, heal fatal wounds, or even temporarily make you more powerful than you really are. With this, I managed to restore my Aura every time I was low to keep using my Semblance, heal any wounds I suffered and made me keep up with Fenrir by boosting my physical capabilities twofold!"
Winter's eyes widened, as did everyone else's in the auditorium.
That's… how is that even possible? She frowned deeply. Some kind of Aura-enhancing drug? I knew that Vacuo had those. Could he have somehow recreated it? Or did he make something similar?
Winter refused to believe that these 'potions' could be real. Nothing could increase one's power or Aura without repercussions – their bodies wouldn't allow it! After unlocking the Aura of a user, one must train the body and mind to use it to its full potential, to release the full power of the soul. A sudden increase will rip the body apart or turn them insane, which is the reason why the Vacuoin drug, "Dragonblood", had been banned throughout the world.
It brings forth all of the locked Aura in one go, empowering them to levels far beyond anyone has the right to… is what it should do. The sudden force would either blow up the user as though they were a water balloon or completely shatter their mind. On the off chance they did survive, their souls would crack, and they wouldn't be able to use Aura anymore.
Are these potions safe? No, they mustn't be. They couldn't be. What could possibly give them a power increase in an instant without suffering any drawback?
"Yes, it sounds fantastical and unbelievable, but would it really be a lie if even Ozpin himself vouches for me?" He asked, standing up and walking to the edge of the stage. "Obviously, the Headmaster of Beacon and General of Atlas would've questioned me before on this, and would they really let me say all that without checking if it's true or not? Would they really let me lie to the faces of everyone on Remnant? Of course, they wouldn't!"
That made her pause. Why… wasn't the general intervening?
She looked at him, who had a neutral look on his face as he gazed at the Titan Slayer… then her eyes widened. Does that mean… It's true?
"I say this because as of now, I'm currently working on mass-production of these potions." He grinned widely. "Crippled hunters will finally be able to work again, people in comas will wake up, our defenders can fight thrice as hard, and we will FINALLY be able to push back against the Grimm!
"Once I'm done, the first batch of healing potions will be distributed throughout the world for free." He stated, shocking even the Beacon Headmaster. "As a sign of this revolution, I'll spit on the faces of the Grimm, for all the people they crippled will live full lives again! Together, we'll fight back and win! We'll rise to the top of the food chain!"
He pumped his fist to the air, and the crowd roared with him, his admittedly strong charisma firing the students up.
"Humans and Faunus! Today marks a point in history that changes everything! From this day onward, I will dedicate my life for one sole purpose!" He shouts. "I, Reid Astera, swear on my name and honor that I won't rest until every single Grimm is wiped out! From the weakest of pests to the strongest of Titans!"
The collective roars could shake the entire auditorium. It surprised Winter because she herself almost believed him. To sway someone like her just by a speech is… honestly shocking. She's always seen herself as a pessimistic woman, and by his words alone, she almost threw away her own long-held views on the world. It was scary, especially after seeing how the students believed him on the spot.
She wondered how the civilians would be feeling right now. Were they also excited? Maybe relieved? Or are do they not believe him? Winter believes the former, since if his words had this great an effect on student hunters, some of whom already received their reality check fighting Grimm, then it surely affected the civilians even more.
Even if Winter was suspicious of him, she felt relieved that at least one of the horrors of the world was finally put to an overdue end. Finally, after so many years, humanity got some good news. A step in the right direction… and if this Reid really kept his word, then… he'd really try and usher the world into a new age.
She doesn't exactly believe in him yet… but if there was even a slight chance of him actually getting rid of the Grimm…Well, it's not bad being optimistic every now and then, right?
A gaze at her sister almost made her chuckle. She's never seen her so starstruck before…
For the sake of Remnant, she hopes that this is no farce…
(Reid)
Y'know, I just realized something.
Charisma sure is one overpowered stat.
Really, just with some words of encouragement and assurance here, a promise there, and that was enough to increase my REP with the world up to 20 and Vale to 40.
Fucking. Forty.
Not only that, but I managed to increase Oz's REP to 95, Yang's to 30, Velvet's to 70, and Ruby's to 50. Of course, every other notable person had their REP increase to 20. Weiss, Blake, Pyrrha, Ren – all of them.
This makes it easier to farm REP if they already like, or at least respect me.
And with Ozpin being almost maxed… I can probably deflect his manipulations by just farming affection. Make him see me like a close family, and he probably won't let himself do that shady shit. I knew what he was doing with this whole debacle. Try to get me indebted to him, therefore making me more willing to listen to him… unfortunately for him, I'm shameless.
After all, I think I got what I rightfully deserve. Fame, money that I split with Qrow, and a mansion.
After the whole speech about me wanting to genocide the Grimm, I answered the rest of the questions, which basically amounted to 'can we rely on you to defeat the other titans?', and then other small things, after that I went straight to home. I could've gone on to the mansion like I was offered… but I still had work to finish, so I declined.
The media was annoying when they persisted after me, but it only took a few bursts of Conqueror's to make them fuck off. I'm honestly surprised a lot of them keep trying after even one burst, they may be vultures but damn anyone who says they're not at least dedicated to their jobs.
Now the entire world expects great things of me, and I don't really mind it that much. I know I'm gonna deliver. I'll keep my promise and get rid of the Grimm, because of three things, and they are: Killing every single Grimm means a lot of EXP, Salem won't have an army to command, and I finish the new quest I got.
[Grimm Reaper]
Objective: Kill every single Grimm and destroy the Grimm Pool
Rewards: 50K Stat points, 5M Credits, 10 Gacha Tokens, 1 Legendary Skill Orb, [D?] Skill, [Grimm Reaper] Title
I don't even know what that skill might be, but question marks always mean OP.
Crouching low, I put my hand on the line of chalk that connected to the magic circle. I gaze over it one last time, seeing two healing potions, some clay, and sprinkled Dust. Taking a deep breath, I close my eyes and channel my magic, then telepathically order a Golem to shield me.
I could feel the magic emanating from the circle and humming sound echos in the room. After a few seconds, I open my eyes, then look from behind the Golem. I smirk as I see a light-brown Golem in the shape of a small fountain, red liquid coming from the top.
I finally did it.
Name: N/A
Base: Production Golem
Type: 1-Tier HP Potion
Proficiency: 1 Potion Creation per 10 seconds
It's still only the first tier, but this is a huge step forwards already. 1 potion per 10 seconds is incredible, but I know I can make it better. Hell, it should've been weaker, but the Dust I used empowered it. I even used medium-quality, so using high-quality should reduce it to around 5 seconds or less.
If I calculate this right, I should be able to make 4-Tier Golems at level 50 in Golemcrafting, and with high-quality sprinkled Dust, maybe at 60.
The progress is slow, but I'm getting there.
A few days of non-stop work and I should finally be done with this.
(Raven)
With a clean swing, Raven decapitated her opponent, tsk-ing in annoyance.
She didn't know where they came from, but a couple of easy targets were walking down the road leading to Yu village. She ordered some of her men to ambush them, but they were swiftly defeated. The men she attacked were better trained than most of the other bandits, so Raven brought Vernal and a few of the other well-trained ones to kill them.
While yes, they were strong, they still didn't stand a chance against her. How could they? She was, after all, one of the most dangerous people in Anima, if not the world.
She was willing to acknowledge her strength, however. They did land a couple of hits on her, and even almost defeated Vernal.
"Hah...hahahaha…." The last survivor laughed, blood seeping from his chest wound. "You fucked up, Bandit Queen… You-" He coughed violently. "You… really did it now…"
Ah yes, the "You'll regret this after (Insert name here) comes for you!". She heard it far too many times, and none of those names ever tried finding her. All this did was annoy her.
"You're not the first to say this." She replied. "And you will not be the last."
He grinned. "Oh, y-you really ha-have no… idea what yo-you did… It-it's hilarious…"
She frowned and made her way to him, crouching low. "Is it now?"
"B-boss… really hates it-" He gasped. "When his men… die."
"Hm? And how would this boss of yours know?" She questioned. "All of your men are dead while you're on your way to the other side."
"You… f-fucking barbarian…" He chuckled. "E-ever heard of… s-scrolls?"
She paused then scowled, her grip on her sword getting tighter. "When did you-"
"The moment I saw you…" He coughed up blood. "I knew we were fucked… And I sent… a message d-directly to him."
"I see…" She sighed, standing up. "Well, thank you for the information, I suppose." She then turned to her protege. "Vernal! Tell the others we're moving."
"Yes, miss."
"Haah…" He laughed. "You can't… hide, Branwen… Once h-he hears about this-"
Without waiting for him to finish, she swung her sword, decapitating him.
Relying on threats even while taking his dying breaths… She commends him for showing a little courage in the face of death, but in the end, it was futile.
Giving his headless corpse one last look, Raven made her way back to the camp.
They just set up where they are, and now they need to move again. She's 80% sure this 'Boss' won't give a damn about a grunt like him… but it's better to be safe than sorry.
What a pain.