The past six months for Jeanne went quite…Swimingly all things compared to her captain. When it came to working with the Hunter Corps (Cores), it usually involved something very familiar to her which she learned in her Marksmen training when she was in the Marines. Landing, Scouting, Setup, Camouflage, Waiting and Observing, Lineup, and taking the shot. That was the core of being Sniper. And a hunter.
Currently, in the second year of training in March. Jeanne and Tabi were in…A Building of all things. But the Building was burnt out and destroyed. With moss and vines covering the walls. This island had a problem. And that was that many years ago, a wealthy noble who wanted to have an exotic pet, brought an immensely dangerous megafauna onto the island. And of course, within due time, it broke its containment and went rampaging. Even the marines were unable to properly handle the incident, so they barricaded off the district to allow it to continue, hoping that it would starve to death.
But now, on the fifth year of Hunter after hunter taking contracts and failing. The Hunter Corp was finally called in. Many nations despised them as they were efficient and were focused on the preservation and naturalistic aspects of the hunt rather than just kills.
It was always Ideology with Nations with Problems. They could never just concede and accept help.
"So. One more time. What have we learned about this Quarry?" Tabi said. Looking over her shoulder to Jeanne. Tabi currently acting as the Steam Womans spotter as Jeanne was prone and looking down her scope.
"Weighs about….120 tons." She whispered. Looking at the quarry in question. It looked like a wooly rhinoceros. But with a shorter snout. A sort of shell on its back. A long whip like tail that curled and furled around. Its teeth sharp. It held almost a mane like structure around its face. Every foot fall was hefty and hard. This was a predator. No doubt about it.
"At that size…About 25 feat at the shoulder. Makes sense" Tabi said. Cig bouncing between her lips as she spoke. "What else can you tell?"
Jeanne had a precision affinity in Haki. Making Observation her Specialty. Much as Zeke had explained to Leroy; there were 8 affinities. And thus the five branches of Haki all aligned with 2 of those. Observation: Precision and Augmentation. Armament: Augmentation and Modify. Conquerors: Broad and Exotic. Conduit: Ejection and Augmentation. Firmament: Singularity and Persistent
Closing her eyes. She opened them. Funneling her Haki through the Core of Observation. She utilized the Branch itself. Allowing her to see the Aura of the Beast. It was a vibrant and shaggy green. She could feel an almost scaly texture to its aura.
"This thing…Has a lot of Haki!" She said. Her eyes glowing a shade of purple across the irises. Denoting the usage of the Color.
"Yes." Tabi looked to the Sniper. Her own eyes now having a shade of pale yellow. "Its because that thing is a Haki-Beast. It feeds off the willpower of the district, the island, and the people around. Its why it hasn't starved."
"Wait- So youre saying that thing is made out of Haki?" Jeanne looked to Tabi. "Yes. It probably formed someplace far off. And was stumbled upon. Notice when you use Osu in the eyes, you cant see any reproductive organs? Or heat in more than one place?"
As asked. Jeanne focused her raw Aura into her eyes. Seeing more than normal. It wasnt thermal vision perse, more closer to having such good sight the heat radiating was more easily noticed. But this beast was equal all across. Its heat matching with the flow of its aura she saw with Observation Haki.
"Yeah…Its all…Smooth. Most animals have more heat in the core and it escapes out through the extremities like feet and hands. Even reptiles have a noticeable amount of absorbed heat in areas. But this didnt. It was even all throughout.
Focusing. Jeanne closed her eyes. And opened them again. And now she saw the thermal infrared visuals of the heat distribution. The entire beast was a medium yellow. Like it wasn't absorbing ambient heat or distributing its own onto the surroundings.
"Strange its all-"
"Even?" Tabi finished. "Because Haki Beast are made of solidified Haki and mimics biology. It may bleed, but it doesnt actually use blood. It may have 'Guts' but there are no other organs other than intestines. Its just muscle, bone, and guts. Forged from aura and walking and living. Destroying and Absorbing. Only radiating out its spiritual signature rather than anything Biological"
"Huh." Jeanne said "Makes sense I supposed. It wouldnt need anything else. And its merely mimicking life."
"Correct. Then that begs the question. How do you interact with and beat a thing made out of Spiritual Energy?"
The Inventor thought about science. Physics. But she also needed to think about spirituality. Which was not her strong suit. That was more akin to someone like Kirk or Raven. Or even Kale.
"If it can exert kinetic energy. Then that must mean that kinetic energy is being applied back. Thats just physics. Its the only way for it to apply it in the first place. So- perhaps if we had a strong enough weapon…" Jeanne sat up. And popped a hand rolled cig in her mouth. Tabi lightning it.
"Like?" She asked.
"Like an Ecellente! Or Blessed Steel! It can do more than most munitions!"
"And?" She leaned forward with a sultry look.
"And more concentrated as well meaning it could affect its body in a reliable way to bring it down!" Jeanne slammed her fist into her palm. Mimicking Leroy.
"Good girl!" Tabi said to the Chagrin and embarrassment of Jeanne as the older woman gave the sniper a rub on her head. "You figured out what it took Hunters Years to discover about Haki Beast. But to be fair. They are extraordinary rare."
Jeanne unholstered her Schofield. It was an Ecelente she'd been working on. Forging the pieces and tooling them with certain liquid baths, and all the processes she had learned.
"Ready to field test it?" Tabi cocked a brow, sitting up and then to her feet.
"Yeah…Back in the Citadel when I was facing Colt…I could sense his strength. I mustive been using a form of Haki subconsciously."
"Not unheard of. Nor Rare. Its thought that many Athletes and Exceptional ordinary people accidentally tap into Haki in extreme moments. The stronger you get, the more fights. The more likely it will happen. And it'd be a matter of time you experience your first Hyako."
"Just like I did…" Jeanne thought back to when she was on Crichton. Up against a T Rex of All things. And in the heat of the moment. She experienced Haki bloom. Similar to how Leroy had. And was able to better hear and sense the Tyrant Reptile to defeat it.
Jeanne stood. Unhooked the latch to her Revolver, and expertly poured rounds into the Cylinder and flicked it shut. 3 rounds of Normal. 3 rounds of 'Express' rounds meant for Ecellente.
A burst of steam exploded against the street. And in the next second Jeanne reformed. Next to her. Tabi had her autoshotty slung over her shoulder. Jeanne was focused. Her mood shifting to only taking down this beast.
The Beast known as The Tarasque.
In a burst of speed she shot forward! Letting her steam propel her forward from her bottom half. A technique she had perfected. Calling it her Violet Pipe.
"Hey! Big ugly lizard!" Jeanne shouted. Suddenly slinging something through the air?! It was a…Bomb?! No-! It was her Crimson King rounds, but modified to be thrown and explode on impact as throwables!
A rumbling roar suddenly exploded forward! Streaks of lightning filling the air! Is knocked Jeanne out of the sky! Causing her to harmlessly roll against the asphalt of the street. "Gah! What the hell was that?!"
"It was a burst of Conquerors! Haki beast can utilize seemingly random aspects of Haki as they are the manifestation of the concept of it. This thing being so big can unleash a burst of Supreme King. But probably nothing more…Look at the buildings! Its probably using an advanced form of Conduit to flow Positive Energy to accelerate plant growth…" Tabi said skidding to a stop as Jeanne rose to her knees.
The two watched as the Tarasque slammed his head into the side of a building! Causing it to Quake and fall into a mess of Concrete Rubble and Dust pluming up into the air! Suddenly, as tabi was focused on looking at Jeanne, her rough and calloused hands rubbing her face for any wounds. Jeanne slammed into her! Tackling her a distance away!
"LOOK OUT!" She screamed! The Tarasque had suddenly began a charge straight towards them! But Jeanne was quick on her feet. Before she and Tabi stopped moving. Both of them raised their Guns! Both parallel to one another, and pulled the trigger!
Tabi's shot gun had slugs. And they hit like cannonballs from Marine Ships! It was swifter and hit harder than Jeannes 44-40 cartridge, even if it was enhanced and empowered by the unique properties of the rifling and machining!
Both weapons literally exploded fire and force from their barrels. And both lefts a nasty looking wound in the side of the Tarasques hide. "Look" Tabi said as she hoisted Her companion to her feet, both shuffling backwards.
On the Lizard, the Wounds did not heal. But there seemed to be marking that almost resembled scars elsewhere. "Its not healing. Meaning that it doesn't align well with Persistence Affinity for Conduit…Let alone the advanced application!"
"So that means–" Tabi began.
"We can just keep pummeling it until it drops dead!" She cocked the Hammer of Her Revolver and Ran Forward!
The Tarasques tail came suddenly whipping around! It was moving with such a blur of speed it could only be comparable to what it would take to reach escape velocity! But Jeannes Observation Haki, which she had continued to since she landed. Sensed the danger!
She needed to be only a fraction as fast as it to dodge. But it was already moving! And she could sense there was Armament Haki surrounding the tip of the Tail! In that single moment. She thought about the trajectory and pathing it would have to take
And forced her body apart! Forming a hole right in her chest! The end of its tail snapped right in between her rips and pelvis, harmlessly! And then–
KWATHOOM! The City Block that sat behind her suddenly exploded and erupted into dust! Rubble and Cement shooting upwards from the sheer weight of the sonic boom! Empowered and amplified by the Armament Haki!
"Hah! Nice try!" She shouted. Raising her pistol and firing two more Shots! The 'Normal' rounds piercing through the Tarasques Tail! Chunks spewing and launching as the second shot Bisected it in two!
But- As the Lizard began to rear backwards to slam downwards on Jeanne! A volley of Slugs slammed into its side! Causing it to fall with extraordinary strength onto its side! Struggling to get back onto its legs just as a turtle would!
"Jeanne! Now!" Tabi screamed as she pulled the Charging handle back and slammed a round in and began to feed more into the tube.
This thing had to have been stronger than Colt…Stronger than even those Zombies on Hard Rock! She thought about it…Could those strange beasts in some form have been Haki-Beasts?! They were so strange after all…
"Right!" She quickly got up to her feet and spewed a massive pillar of boiling steam from her left hand! "Purple Haze!" She screamed! The Lizard roaring back in pain as the steam engulfed its senses. The heat was so much that it was being forced to absorb it. She could see that its body was getting hotter and hotter! Its aura flaring and spiking!
"Hahah…Agh!" Jeanne grunted! Stretching he back out as she lowered her pistol! "Blue…Reaper!" She screamed! Firing off the first of her Express rounds! The Explosion was mighty! Erupting dust around her and cracking the ground! The impact was like a mass detonation of TNT! Blasting a concussive wave and pushing the Lizard backwards!
Another shot! And another blast of pressure that caused even Tabi to skid backwards slightly! The sight in front of her was something awe inspiring! Watching Jeanne slowly walk towards this massive beast of aura and spiritual power, it roaring and thooming its call into the air as she cocked the hammer again and sent another blast into its tough, hardy skin!
Jeannes hand shook. Trembling from the recoil. But! Raising her hand up into the air! Barrel pointed to the sky! She slammed it back forward! Grit her teeth! Grimace forming! And fired again!
KABOOM! A Final explosive shot slammed into one of the previous wounds she had made! And caused it to explode internally with even more force! The reptiles body exploded and gibbed into glowing muscle and blood!
The Tarasque…Was left dead. And as the dust began to settle. And pain began to form in Jeannes wrist from the recoil. Her off hand gripping around it. She had forced her Logia abilities to not activate from the pain and superficial damage…
"Hah…Hah…Hah…." Her Haki suddenly was spent. Observation and Aura collapsing almost into a state of Fukai as she fell do her knees. Then slammed against the street, face first.
"Jeanne!" Tabi screamed as she ran up to the sniper. "Jeanne! You…Idiot…You used to much Haki. All that Advanced usage drained you to fast!" She said. Looking over her again. Seeing there was nothing but superficial scrapes from the rubble.
But. The hunt was done. And that was what mattered. Especially since it proved her Pistol worked as she had intended. And even better so.
She would Call it…Pink Floyd.
That was the least of their worries however. AS upon reporting back to the government of the island. They were very surprised that Tabi and Jeanne had taken down the Reptile themselves. And at that. With such minor injuries.
They were…Too surprised. They seemed even– Disappointed.
It took a few days to properly figure out. But, before they left. Jeanne and Tabi discovered that this whole thing was in a way, a scam. They let the Tarasque live and sent Political Prisoners and the like to the barricaded District. Where in the Tarasque would kill them.
They would then use the Ships that were left behind to bolster themselves, thus regaining their spent funds and then gaining more from the spoils. It had only been in recent months that the beast had begun to damage the District walls the Marines put up, who were also in on the ploy. And figured what better way to get rid of it was than to Hire the Hunter Corp, And reap the spoils when they killed it and the hunters died, or it was captured and the Corp moved on.
The disappointment mounted when on the final day. The Kingdom of Kon, launched an attack on the Hunter Corp Fleet!
Framing the Hunt as a forbidden act that they had not paid for! The Marines even launching their own! As the Hunter Corp counted as a Criminal Entity due to actions just as these!
As always. The Hunter Corp pulled through. And was on into another hunt and quarry….