The morning air tasted like the tea I was sipping: warm, crisp, and deceptively tranquil. A low, golden light spilled over the balcony of my team's dorm room.
Ren and Nora had left—Nora because she wanted to smash things, which meant training, and Ren because he wanted to improve anyway. Pyrrha had joined them. Meanwhile, I decided to stay back.
I had already done all the training I could. My Stats hadn't increased for a few days beyond wisdom and Intelligence. Limit Breaker being unable to actually help now. I guess my current Power Level of just over 6.5 million was a bit too high for it to take effect.
And I also was far more focused on getting Ki Techniques and refining them, alongside that, I focused on the Elemental Skill alongside fighting with the Sharicite Blade in general. I decided to also make an odd Ki Technique, using a Weapon as a basis, using my Semblance and Elemental Infusion skill.
"It's not like you to be so still," a voice said from behind me, soft and cool like winter itself.
I didn't need to turn to know who it was. The scent of expensive soap and winter air, the faint, almost imperceptible rustle of her pristine white uniform—it was all uniquely Weiss.
"Appreciating the stillness," I replied, the corners of my mouth tilting into a small, private smile. "It's tranquil and nice."
My gaze remained fixed on the horizon, but I felt her presence beside me, anchoring me to the moment. The low hum of a passing Bullhead was the only sound for a moment before she spoke again.
"I have to admit, I prefer the noise of the city when I am with you. Even your… peculiar observations have a certain charm to them."
I finally turned, my onyx eyes locking with her icy blue ones. "Peculiar? I am merely applying logic to my surroundings and observing them."
Weiss let out a soft laugh, shaking her head. "You are impossible, you know that?"
"Perhaps," I conceded, my thumb gently brushing against the back of her hand and pulling her closer to me. The motion was an instinct now, a new habit I had subconsciously developed since that day in Vale. Her hand was warm, and she didn't pull away. "By the way, I did some research into the recent thefts by the "White Fang"."
Of course, I already knew who was behind them, but I had to frame this in a way that makes sense. And didn't give my girlfriend existential dread for her being a character in a show in my old world.
In truth, I wanted to stop Roman Torchwick and arrest him, since he is a variable I need off the table... then I'll kill Cinder. If I get Salem's attention, I can seal her sooner. With her sealed, I could start exploring other worlds.
"Oh?" Weiss's voice took on a sharper edge. "I'm not surprised you find their criminal activities worth your time. The constant news reports are tiresome. What did your 'research' reveal?"
"Someone is using the Fang's name to commit crime. The Fang does crime openly, and in all honesty, the White Fang has never stolen Dust, unless they were going to use it within the week. And obviously, they aren't using it. Who else is stealing dust on that magnitude, has goons like that, and would use the Fang's name to get what they want? Roman Torchwick."
"Roman Torchwick?" Weiss asked, her voice tinged with a cold incredulity. "The notorious criminal? What would he want with so much Dust? And why involve the White Fang?"
I shrugged, a subtle, almost imperceptible gesture. "Resource acquisition and misdirection. He's building something. Something big. The White Fang provides a convenient scapegoat, drawing attention away from his true purpose. It's a classic strategy, one that is highly efficient for his objective."
Weiss crossed her arms, a frown deepening on her face. "But why are you so certain? This is just an educated guess."
"A guess with a 98.7% probability of being correct," I countered. "The data points align. He's a planner, a schemer. And most importantly he's silent. He isn't loud. But the White Fang? They are. If the White Fang commits a crime, you'd be aware of it, cause they don't hide their crimes."
Weiss took a moment to process my words. My logic was, as always, infuriatingly sound. "So... you believe he's planning something that requires a massive amount of Dust, and he's using the White Fang's reputation to mask his own movements?"
"Precisely," I confirmed. "The only logical next step is to find out what he's building and put a stop to it before it reaches its operational capacity. It's a matter of proactive threat neutralization."
Weiss's exasperation was palpable, but she didn't argue. She had long since learned that my plans, however blunt and unorthodox, were often the most effective. "And how do you propose we 'neutralize' this threat? I assume you have a plan that doesn't involve your usual 'demolish everything in my path' method."
A small, genuine smirk touched my lips. "Of course not, what do you take me for, princess?"
"An arrogant, destructive warrior from another dimension who happens to have memories of her past life." She replied without hesitation, her expression still.
"Then you know the answer to your own question, Weiss. I don't 'demolish' everything. I simply remove the variables."
————————
The port district of Vale wasn't exactly as I thought it was. The air smelled of salt, diesel, and something acrid—the scent of raw Dust. I flew silently looking down at the floor, whilst crossing my legs. Just waiting for the orange haired thief to appear.
It was boring if it wasn't for my own thoughts.
Weiss was a constant in them, sure, but so was Mei... and now thinking about that it, I wonder what I will do when I see Mei again. Will I end up leaving Weiss for her her or would we end up making a polygamy? Essentially a Harem.
I had told Weiss about Mei, of course. Transparency was a fundamental pillar of my chosen dynamic with her. A relationship built on lies, even lies of omission, was inefficient and prone to catastrophic failure.
Her reaction was predictable, a flicker of jealousy, quickly overridden by her understanding. She saw the logic of it, the cold, hard fact that my past life was a part of me, just as her family's name was a part of her. But the conversation had brought a new, more philosophical problem to the forefront of my mind.
The nature of love itself.
The prevailing view in my past life—and indeed, in most of the anecdotal evidence I had collected in this one—was that romantic love was a singular, monogamous phenomenon. It was an all-consuming fire, a bond that, by its very nature, excluded all others. But the data from my own life contradicted this. My feelings for both Weiss and Mei were genuine. They were distinct, yes, but they were not mutually exclusive.
I recalled snippets from books and studies on human relationships. I considered the work of psychologists like Dr. Robert Sternberg and his triangular theory of love, which posits that love is composed of three components: intimacy, passion, and commitment.
My relationship with Weiss for example had elements of all 3, intimacy was built on a foundation of brutal honesty and shared vulnerability, passion in our banter that was nascent, the commitment was a quiet, unspoken promise to always be there for each other.
With Mei, the data set was different. Intimacy wise, we played extremely well together; my piano with her violin was a sight to behold, contrasting elements working together to create a passionate symphony. The commitment? Well, I did sacrifice myself for her. Even if it was selfish.
My love for Mei was a finished work, a masterpiece preserved in the amber of my memory. It was not something I could add to or take away from. It simply was.
So, could I truly love both? The data suggested yes. My love for Mei was a historical fact, an integral part of my identity. My love for Weiss was a current, ongoing process. The two did not cancel each other out any more than the love for a parent cancels out the love for a sibling.
I considered other philosophical frameworks. The ancient Greeks, for instance, had multiple words for love: Eros (passionate, romantic love), Philia (deep friendship), and Agape (unconditional, universal love). My feelings for Weiss and Mei contained elements of all three, but in different ratios.
Initially, my draw to Weiss came in the form of our banter that was intellectually talking. A Philia that blossomed into Eros and soon, Agape. I could tell that.
My love for Mei was a profound, unconditional Agape from the moment I heard her violin. I just never knew it.
The concept of polyamory also presented itself I recalled case studies and sociological analyses of non-monogamous relationships.
The data showed that for such arrangements to be successful, they required a degree of honesty, communication, and emotional intelligence that was far beyond the average human's capacity. They were not for the weak-willed or the insecure. They were built on a foundation of trust so profound that it could withstand the jealousy and emotional volatility that were an inevitable part of the human condition.
I had already established that foundation with Weiss through my relentless transparency. She knew the truth of my past, the ghost that still lingered in my mind. She had accepted it, not with resignation, but with a quiet understanding that was a testament to her own growth.
The question wasn't if I could love both of them. The question was if I could be a partner to both of them, in a way that was honest, respectful, and emotionally efficient. And in that same thought, the answer was yes. If given the chance, I would 100% do that.
Below me, a Bullhead landed. The time for philosophical musings was over.
————————
Well that was Anti-Climitic.
The police arrested Torchwick after I knocked him out. Completely.
It was so boring. I knew being beyond anything in this world but for fucks suck, put a little more effort to at least make me raise my Power Level a little.
I even got a new outfit on for this. A navy blue outfit consisting of a sports tank tube top, gi pants and wristbands.
I flew up into the sky and made my way back to Beacon, disappointed.
But my disappointment didn't last long, for a sudden, jarring sound tore through the air. A low, thunderous roar that felt less like an engine and more like a tear in the very fabric of reality.
So is every somewhat important event in this shit-hole of a show going to be met with an Interdimensional threat now? Like a Saturday morning cartoon villain.
Either way, I pressed a button on my Scroll, before placing it inside in my inventory.
[New Quest Generated, "Defeat the Invader"
? (C- rank item)
? (D rank skill)
7500 EXP]
Ignoring the system's new quest, I did a U-turn and beelined it for them.
He was far taller than me probably likely around 6'5 with a lean, wiry build. His skin was a deep brown, a striking contrast to his long, flowing snow-white hair that billowed around him. A pair of large, jet-black feathery wings sprouted from his back, and a distinctive orangish flame burned on his lower back. His eyes were piercing, intense gold-flecked irises that glowed faintly. A thin, jagged scar traced a path from his left temple down across his cheekbone.
His uniform, a combative dark-grey bodysuit, was unlike anything I'd seen. It was seamless and durable, with strategically placed plating across his chest, shoulders, and forearms, and a strange yellow brilliant cut, palm sized emerald was in a necklace he wore.
He was a Lunarian, a race from the One Piece universe based on the flame flickering on his back.
That was all my brain could process before I hit him square in the face sending him flying away from the city and towards the spot I turned Oozaru for the first time.
Avoid collateral for this fight... meant pushing him away from everyone with an instant.
My fist connected with his face, a solid, brutal impact that sent him careening backward through the air, I trailed him, a flash of motion in the sky, preparing for the next strike.
He came to a halt in mid-air, a few miles away from the city, right above the clearing I gained so many levels from. He wiped a streak of blood from the corner of his mouth, his gold-flecked eyes glowing with a quiet, menacing fury.
"An aggressive and foolish opening," he said, his voice a low hum that vibrated with power.
"Couldn't risk innocent people getting hurt and knowing about other dimensions," I calmly stated, stopping a few meters away. "Besides, I've always preferred the direct approach."
The man's arrogance, which was so palpable just moments ago, was replaced by a cold, calculating analysis. "A Saiyan, and a powerful one at that. You've already reached a power level that directly challenges my capabilities. But your foolishness is a weakness. You fight with brute force, with instinct. I fight with order, with precision, with the very fabric of existence."
The distinctive flame on his back flared to life, casting a stark, orange glow against his white hair.
"You're a 'System User'," he stated, the words a label of contempt. "A walking contradiction. A being that must be extinguished."
He vanished. Not with the frantic, short-range bursts of Nevara's Phase Step, but with a total, instantaneous disappearance.
My senses screamed at me. I instinctively blocked, my arms raised just as a kick came down on them. The force was immense, but it was the searing pain that went beyond the surface that was odd; it had bypassed my Aura completely.
Internal Destruction can bypass Aura. And this guy is stronger than his entire verse. One Piece was not that strong of a verse... something must have been aiding him to get him this powerful. Maybe he had enough KP to get something extra, and the Organisation gave him more power. Or maybe, the Emerald is doing more than I think. Wait, a yellow gem... in that shape... a Chaos Emerald, huh.
The thought came and went in a microsecond. He reappeared, then vanished again. A rapid series of teleports, each followed by a precise strike that I dodged, sidestepped, or deflected with a flick of my wrist or a turn of my arm.
His Future Sight, which he had to have had, made him a truly frustrating opponent; I went in for an attack, but he was a second ahead of me, allowing him to dodge the attacks with ease. I went in for a punch, and he sidestepped trying to counter, but I blocked, and launched a sidekick which was ducked under.
The fact that I can call this a typical DBZ hand to hand exchange told you what you needed to know. We attacked and defended, but neither one of us landing a hit.
I knew it would be hard to land a hit on him due to the fact he could use Chaos Control, and with Future Sight at such an advanced level, but this was genuinely getting annoying.
Dodge, attack, duck, kick, weave, punch, sidestep. Until eventually... connection.
I had ducked under a punch and then a deep, guttural sound escaped the man's throat, a choked gasp of pain as my bolo punch connected with his celiac plexus powerfully. His body folded around my knuckles, the impact sending a tremor through his frame causing him to cough out some spit forcing him to take a staggering step backward, his hand clamping down on his midsection.
I had meant for that to be a distraction for a palm strike too.
I struck him backwards with said palm strike to his abdominal launching him backwards defenceless as bluish-purple Ki spinning around my feet in a drill-like manner as I dived at him using a move I hadn't used since Nevara arrived in this world, "Comet Diver."
Driving both legs into him I changed the trajectory, heading directly to the ground right before the collision with the ground, I pushed my legs up then kicked him down whilst using him as a spring board to jump away.
BOOOM!
A dust cloud settled over the area.
My boots scraped against the dirt as I landed, a small crater had formed from where he landed. The dust cloud, died down revealing the man laying at the centre of the crater, his chest heaving, a small trickle of blood at the corner of his mouth.
"You left yourself open, I exploited it," I said with a flat tone whilst charging Ki into my left palm.
"Luminescent Crescent." Swinging my hand I unleashed my Crescent Slash Semblance mixed with my Ki. The white and violet slash tore through the ground rushing him.
The man didn't move. He simply watched the approaching attack, a cold smirk on his face. At the last possible second, the flame on his back flared to life, and a golden, translucent barrier of fire sprung into existence. The crescent slash, despite its power, simply dissipated against the barrier, the Ki and Aura-infused energy absorbed without a sound.
He stood up, brushing the dirt from his uniform.
"An interesting combination of energies. The System's influence, no doubt. But you are still predictable. You fall back on your familiar techniques, while I use the power of the universe to my advantage." He raised a hand opening palm then the emerald glowed, a yellowish ball of crackling Chaos Energy formed in his palm.
So his control over the Energy that Emerald produces is that good, huh?
I put my hand forwards, Ki gathered into that palm, a bright ball of bluish Ki formed.
"This is the end of your short, chaotic existence, System User," he said, his voice as cold as the vacuum of space. The yellow ball of energy pulsed with power, its light growing brighter.
"A simple energy ball? How utterly... predictable," I retorted, a faint smirk touching my lips. My Ki condensed in my own hand as I took the time to overload it and condense it. The sphere of Ki in my palm grew to a much smaller size, turning emerald-green in the process. This was a far more refined technique.
The man's smirk widened, cold and confident. He launched the yellow Chaos Energy blast. It hurtled through the air with a deafening whine, a brilliant, crackling orb of destruction.
"Emerald Nova," my own condensed emerald-green sphere, a masterpiece of Ki control, was launched in response to him firing his unrefined technique.
The two attacks collided in a silent, brilliant flash of light. For a moment, the two energies pushed against each other, a tug-of-war of cosmic power, until my more refined and potent Ki blast overpowered his. The yellow sphere was consumed, its energy flowing into mine, amplifying it before the amplified blast shot toward him.
The man's eyes widened in genuine shock. He had anticipated a stalemate, a predictable clash of raw power, not the complete neutralization and overwhelming counter. With a curse, he teleported away to escape the blast, which impacted the ground behind him, carving a deep trench in the earth that extended for miles before exploding.
"A clever trick," he acknowledged, his voice a low growl. "You fuelled a lot of energy into it then refined your energy to consume my own. A resourceful approach. But you've expended a great deal of power on a simple attack. While you play with parlour tricks, I will end this with true power."
My MP bar had only lost about 25,000 during that and it regenerated already. Honestly, I should see about making a technique that used over half my MP, or maybe I should overload it further. However I had no reason to tell that to an enemy.
He vanished again, but this time, he didn't reappear. My enhanced senses screamed at me; he wasn't gone, he was simply moving faster than my eyes could follow. He was suppressing his flame for a burst of speed, leaving him momentarily vulnerable, but his Future Sight made him confident I couldn't capitalize. He appeared instantly, a blur of motion, his fist aimed at my core.
I reacted on pure instinct, leaning back, my hips swivelling, my legs planted firmly on the ground as I let the momentum of his punch pass harmlessly over my chest. I twisted my torso, my right arm coming up, my palm open and aimed at his chin in a precise, fluid motion.
He was a half-second too slow. The heel of my palm connected with his jaw with a sickening crack, the force of the strike sending a wave of agony through his skull, even with his hardened body. His head snapped back violently. I followed up, my right hand came up grabbing his suit and pulling him towards me, letting go while my left came up unleashing a surge of Ki directly into his body, sending him flying backwards.
He recovered in mid-air, a look of profound shock on his face. He had seen my move, but his body hadn't reacted fast enough. My martial arts prowess was leagues above his. While he had access to Future Sight, he didn't have the technique required to do shit to me.
He let out a frustrated growl. The flame on his back flared, and he flew upward, a blur of motion, gaining altitude with his powerful wings. He then stopped in the air, a thousand feet above me. He held out his hands, and the yellow-orange flame from his back began to swirl around them.
"You're a disgrace to true power," he boomed, his voice a low, threatening rumble that carried through the air. "You rely on your instincts, on your raw, untamed nature! But true power lies in ORDER!"
He screamed, as a series of yellow energy blasts, each one infused with something that seemed to put a weak pressure in my mind, rained down on me, the sky itself seeming to tremble under the force of the attack. But the blasts weren't aimed at me. They were scattered around the clearing, creating a field of explosions.
"A simple barrage," I said, a slight smirk on my face. "An inefficient use of your resources."
I raised a hand, gathering my Ki into a defensive barrier. The blasts struck the barrier, exploding in a blinding flash of yellow light. But the true purpose of the attack became clear a second later.
As the dust settled, my opponent appeared directly in front of me, a result of his teleportation ability, his fist glowing with a sinister yellow energy that came down at me. I didn't dodge, instead I met his fist with my an open palm redirecting the attack with a shift of my body, my arm moving in a fluid, circular motion that move his fist away from my body.
"You're a disgrace," he snarled, pulling his arm back, his other arm coming up to follow up with a knee to my face. I spun on the balls of my feet, my body moving like water around a stone. His knee passed harmlessly, a whisper of air against my cheek.
My own left hand came up in a quick, vicious strike to the nerve cluster in his armpit. The pain, though fleeting for a being of his stature, was enough. He flinched, his attack losing a fraction of its power.
I followed up with a series of quick, targeted strikes to the weaknesses of the human body. A jab to the jaw, a quick palm strike to the temple, a kick to the shin. He was forced to retreat after a haymaker to the jaw landed, a low growl of frustration escaping his throat.
"I don't play games with children," he said, his voice now a venomous hiss. He flew backward, putting a good distance between us.
"I don't play games with children," he said, his voice now a venomous hiss. He flew backward, putting a good distance between us. He stopped in the air, a thousand feet above me. He held out his hands, and the yellow-orange flame from his back began to swirl around them.
"You think your pathetic martial arts can defeat me?" he said, his voice a booming, taunting rumble. "I'll show you the true power of an Apex being."
He raised his hands, and the flames coalesced into a single, massive fireball that pulsed with an incredible amount of heat. The air around it shimmered and warped, the ground below me cracking under the sheer heat radiating from it.
"Pathetic," I said again, my voice flat.
This was not a technique. This was a statement. A statement that he was far above me, and that this would be the end. But he didn't account for the fact that I was a Reincarnator with a system that provided me with skills that can be combined.
Which I don't know why that works, but I assumed my Gamers Affinity had something to do wit it.
"Inventory: Sharicite Blade." I then smirked a bit, "hey, let's see which one of us has the better 'firepower'."
With that Elemental Infusion activated, coating the blade in flames which I amplified by adding Ki to it, turning some of the flames on the blade a purplish colour, then raised my weapon high, preparing to activate my Semblance with this. My newest technique.
The flame-coated blade pulsed with my Ki, its white and violet energy swirling together in a brilliant display.
"Die!" He bellowed as the massive fireball of flames and Chaos Energy came hurtling toward me. It tore through the sky, a meteor of pure destruction.
My eyes narrowed as I called out the name of this technique, "Starfire Slash."
I swung the blade, a single, precise motion. A massive crescent-shaped slash made of raw flames, the arc was beautiful to see.
The massive fireball of flames and Chaos Energy came hurtling toward me, tearing through the sky like a meteor of pure destruction. It was a testament to his power, but a testament to his lack of control.
He was throwing a firebomb, while I was using a scalpel. The crescent of fire from my blade met his feathered barrage head-on, not with a simple clash, but with a complex interaction of energies. My refined, focused blast of Ki, Aura, and flames sliced through his unrefined, chaotic energy with surgical precision.
The crescent of fire carved a path through the fireball, splitting it in half and sending the remaining chunks of flaming chaos hurtling into the sky in a spectacular, but ultimately harmless, fireworks display. The air rippled with the displaced energy, and the ground below me was scorched black, but my body was completely unharmed.
With that, I flew at the man. And did something I didn't think I'd ever use with this weapon.
"Mirage Dance."
The flames dissipated as I used one of Nepgear's sword based skills.
4 slashes came in rapid succession all looking like a mirage in a dance-like manner then I cut through him with the 5th appearing behind him. All of this happening so fast he couldn't see me move.
That felt weird.
He screamed, "CHAOS BLAST!" and a blast of raw red energy pushed me away.
I realized his Internal Destruction was limited to a closer range. With that noted, I reminded myself that I only had a surface level understanding of One Piece. Why? Because I got spoiled on Haki's existence. I was on Episode 120 before I died. It was the 55th Anime I was watching. So, I had to fill in the gaps in my knowledge today.
"Tch," he realised that it wouldn't work, still he appeared in front of me as I steadied myself in the air. His fist came towards me, but I grabbed his hand then soon after his arm, an idea coming to mind.
I began to spin around and around, gathering so much momentum that I created a tornado after the 5th full spin, that soon turned fiery, yet I didn't even care. That was just a side effect of what I was doing, a small, smirk crawling on my lips.
I then suddenly throw him in a manner that was like Mario 64's final boss fight, launching him far away chasing him, appearing as a shooting star in the sky as an Aura of Ki formed around me, speeding me up massively.
Getting there within a picosecond activating Elemental Infusion I imbue Lightning into the Sharicite Blade and combining it with my Ki, I powerfully slashed downwards into one of Neptune's Skills, "Thunder Edge!"
The world seemed to slow down. My blade, infused with crackling lightning and potent Ki, sang as it cut through the air into a downwards slash. Ignis, caught off guard by the sheer speed of my movement, had just a fraction of a second to react. He raised his arm, his body coated in a hardened layer of Haki to block.
The blade connected with his arm, the sound a sharp, deafening crackle of pure energy. The Thunder Edge tore through his Armament Haki with a blinding flash of yellow, leaving a deep, sizzling gash on his forearm. A low growl of pain escaped his lips, a look of profound shock and genuine fear on his face for the first time.
"Impossible," he snarled, his voice a low hiss. "You... you wounded me."
"Your armour is inefficient," I said flatly. "You're all brute force and no technique. Your Haki, however potent, is merely a static defence. Mine is a dynamic offensive, combined with something you don't have: ingenuity."
He recovered quickly, his body flaring with the heat of his Lunarian flame. A series of rapid, unseen strikes came at me, but I was ready. I met his fist with my own, the sound of metal clashing against metal heard, even though we had skin.
———(Third Person POV: Nevara's Room and Cell)———
Ozpin's hand, wrapped around his cane, was perfectly steady. Yet, his mind was anything but. The signal from Kaelith's scroll had been a simple, pre-arranged code—a single, unencrypted pulse. It meant one thing: another anomaly had arrived.
He had expected this, of course. The moment Kaelith first revealed her nature, he understood that her presence was a beacon, a disruption in the cosmic tapestry that would inevitably draw others. What he hadn't expected was for it to happen so soon, nor for her to face it alone.
He stood before the door to what the students believed was a containment cell but had, over the past few months, become something else entirely. He heard a familiar clatter from within, followed by a soft hum of a song. The door slid open to reveal a scene that would baffle any other soul in Remnant.
The room was spartan, yet it had been made into a personal space. A few books were neatly stacked on a small table. A half-finished drawing of a chibi-style Beowolf was tacked to the wall, a hint of genuine personality amidst the cold, grey walls. At the centre of it all, Nevara was practicing a series of fluid, precise martial arts movements.
"Headmaster," Nevara said, her voice devoid of her usual sarcasm. She dropped into a respectful bow, a gesture born from the rigid discipline of her previous life. "I thought that our weekly check-in was tomorrow."
Ever since she had arrived in this world and had failed in killing Kaelith, getting captured in the process especially since she got cut off from her Shares and not knowing if her little sisters were safe, making that deal with Kaelith. Nevara had come to be friends with the Interdimensional Saiyan. And it wouldn't be a lie to say Kaelith also enjoyed her presence.
Ozpin took a step inside, the door sliding shut behind him. He didn't bother with pleasantries. The urgency of the situation was a heavy weight in the air. "Kaelith's scroll just sent me a signal. A confirmation of a new threat. She is facing it now."
'Right, if it arrived close enough then she'd deal with it alone; Nevara thought, but spoke up, "Mind giving me my dress back? I'm going in and I feel like making a statement to them."
Ozpin didn't ask questions. He didn't need to. He simply gestured, and a moment later, a portal opened, and the pristine white, priestess dress that Nevara had worn on that day appeared. She snatched it from the air, her fingers deftly moving to put on the ceremonial outfit, her eyes a burning inferno of resolve.
"I will provide a Bullhead," Ozpin said, his voice a low hum. "It will get you there faster."
Nevara, already at the door, simply said, "Don't bother, I can just teleport there."
Ozpin watched in silent shock as Nevara, the Goddess of Regret, a being who had been completely cut off from her power source, held up a hand. A flicker of static, a subtle spatial distortion, and she was gone, a silent whisper in the air. Ozpin simply went back to his room.
——————
Nevara's form shimmered as she teleported into the clearing. She was a vision in her white priestess dress, her golden eyes burning with a calm fury that belied the elegance of her movements. She landed a few hundred feet away from the ongoing battle, her gaze locked on Ignis.
"It seems your arrogance is as boundless as your cruelty," she said, her voice a low, steady hum that cut through the sounds of the battle. "To believe you can simply invade a world and extinguish a being like her for the sake of your deluded 'order'."
Ignis, who had just been thrown back by another precise, surgical strike from Kaelith, turned his head. His gold-flecked eyes narrowed, and a sneer twisted his lips.
"The Goddess of Regret. You decided to betray us and become a parasite. Your presence means my objectives have shifted," he spat, the words dripping with contempt. He raised his hands, a swirling vortex of flames and yellow energy coalescing around them. "Two anomalies for the price of one."
"It's not betrayal when your so-called 'order' is nothing but tyranny," Nevara retorted, her voice firm. She held out her hand, a faint glow of golden light emanating from her palm. She may have been cut off from her power source, but what she had, she had.
Kaelith, seeing a brief opening, took it. She unleashed a massive wave of energy from the palm of her hands aiming it at Ignis who, via his future sight, was already anticipating it.
He vanished and reappeared a foot to his right, the energy blast passing harmlessly through the space he had just occupied. He then fired a series of yellow energy blasts at Nevara, his gold-flecked eyes glowing with a cold, calculating fury.
Nevara, however, was ready. She teleported out of the way, the blasts leaving deep scorch marks on the ground where she had stood. She reappeared beside Kaelith.
"He's faster than I expected," she said, her voice a low murmur.
"So you haven't seen One Piece?" Kaelith asked, then shrugged, "Or Sonic for that matter."
Even if there were likely multiple variations of her former life's Earth, each one would likely have gaming and anime in it. Depending on if the society it held advanced that far without killing itself. Kealith knowing this, had asked the Question. The Organization being full of Reincarnators would mean that some wouldn't know stuff.
Plus in some verses they wouldn't be as popular as they were in her own verse.
Nevara looked at Kaelith, a flicker of confusion in her golden eyes. "I'm not familiar with those titles."
"A cultural reference, nothing more," Kaelith replied, her gaze fixed on Ignis. "He's using something called 'Future Sight' and he can also use his spiritual energy to increase his offensive capabilities alongside emitting his punches across small distances. More importantly he can emit it into your body, causing internal destruction. Those flames on his back can be manipulated. And the Emerald in his necklace lets him access to more power than he should have access to, as it gives him nigh-limitless energy and turns his thoughts into power."
"Right," Nevara said, her gaze steady. "So he's a highly durable, precognitive teleporter with internal-destruction punches. Wonderful. Sounds like a textbook 'invasive vermin'."
"He is," Kaelith replied, a thin smile on her lips. "But his movements are predictable, if fast. He relies on his abilities, not his technique. That's a weakness we can exploit."
Ignis, having waited for their conversation to end, let out a frustrated growl. "Are you finished, you pitiful parasites? Or do you require more time to mourn your inevitable demise?"
He raised his hands, a swirling vortex of flames and yellow energy coalescing around them. The ground began to crack under the sheer force of the energy he was gathering.
"You speak of order," Nevara retorted, her voice firm, "but all I see is a child throwing a tantrum. Your power is a mockery of true strength, a crutch for your own inadequacy."
Ignis roared in fury, the flames on his back flaring to life. He launched himself at Nevara, his fist glowing with a sinister yellow energy. Kaelith, however, was a step ahead of him. She intercepted his attack, her own fist meeting his, the impact sending a shockwave that rattled the air around them.
After that, Kaelith landed a one-two jab combo, one to the gut the other up top, going into his nose, Nevara unable to keep up with Kaelith's movements right now. Kaelith kept the Sharicite blade hidden behind her, before using the flat side of the blade to launch him back with a wind-infused strike. Elemental Infusion doing its job well.
Kaelith than in a singular movement, threw the Sharicite Blade towards Nevara.
Why? Truth be told, Kaelith only saw her using a weapon like a bo-staff or gauntlets paired with metal boots. Gauntlets paired with metal boots would be more useful though. And because Sharicite was crystallised Share Energy the exact requirements for Nevara to temporarily regain access to Raven Heart are met.
Nevara, caught completely off-guard by the sudden throw, instinctively reached out and caught the hilt of the blade. The moment her fingers closed around it, a powerful jolt of energy surged through her body.
"Access!" Nevara called out, the glowing dot on her choker flared then a bright, white light filled with black binary numbers swirling around the light that travelled high into the sky. When the light died down, Raven Heart was revealed in her place.
The form looked the same as last time. There wasn't a difference because why would there be? The power source changed, but it was all the same. With a flick of her hand, a black ōdachi formed which she held. Normally, she would wield Gehaburn in this form, but since it was destroyed she would use her HDD weapon.
"You fool!" Ignis roared, his voice a distorted, furious echo that vibrated with his rage. "You gave your power to the enemy! You've doomed yourself!"
He didn't hesitate. He changed course in mid-air, abandoning his attack on Kaelith to unleash a series of devastating, Conqueror's Haki-infused punches at Nevara. Each strike carried the force of a small meteorite, their impact creating sonic booms that tore through the air.
Nevara, now in her HDD form, met his assault head-on. Her movements, fluid and graceful, were a blur of impossibly fast, decisive motions. She parried his punches with the flat of her black ōdachi, the sound of their collision a series of thunderclaps.
Her eyes, now a deeper, more intense golden hue, burned with a renewed ferocity. "This is not her power, you arrogant pest! This is mine! And you are not worthy to stand in its presence!"
The two clashed, a whirlwind of black and white, and swirling flames with sparks of red lightning. Nevara's movements were still not as fast as Kaelith's in her base form, but she had a newfound ferocity, a willingness to push her new body to its limits. She met every one of his attacks with her own, her ōdachi deflecting his punches and kicks with a newfound confidence.
But the power disparity was clear. Ignis was a master at using his Chaos Emerald. He was an apex predator, a being forged in the crucible of multiple dimensions. Nevara, on the other hand, was running on a limited battery.
Crystallising Share Energy was a process in of itself, but alongside this Sharicite only had as much Share Energy as was used to make it. In other words, Sharicite was a finite source of Shares.
And so with the more power she used, the faster the source would dwindle until it
He finally landed a solid blow, a gut punch infused with Haoshoku Haki further enhanced by Busoshoku: Internal Destruction that sent Nevara skidding back a few hundred feet, her ōdachi clattering to the ground as she clutched her stomach. A thin trickle of blood escaped the corner of her lips.
Kaelith, who had been observing from a distance, saw the fight's trajectory with a cold, analytical eye.
Nevara was faster than before, but still not fast enough add into the fact that from the point Nevara had transformed, Ignis was using the power of his Chaos Emerald to increase himself further to surpass Nevara's own level of strength. Even in short bursts. She would eventually be defeated.
"He's not a fair fight," she muttered to herself.
She had been ahead of Ignis the entire time, sure, yet Kaelith still found it annoying that someone from a verse that was planetary from the metoer feat had a Chaos Emerald allowing him to keep up with her.
She moved appearing in front of Nevara just as Ignis prepared his next attack.
Ignis, seeing Kaelith, simply laughed, a cold, empty sound. "So you've learned to fight as a team, you parasites. How quaint. But a single parasite and a dying goddess are still no match for the true might of the Organization."
He prepared to unleash a devastating barrage of blasts at both of them.
Suddenly, a voice, filled with both defiance and anger, cut through the air. "Kaelith! Nevara! Get out of there!"
All three combatants turned their heads. Kaelith's blood ran cold.
Of course, by moving the fight towards Beacon... it might there was a chance 3 individuals could show up.
Below them, a few miles from the main fight, stood Weiss, her team of Ruby, Yang, and Blake behind her with her own team of Nora, Pyrrha, and Ren. All of them had just arrived, having followed the tremors from the battle. Weiss had an expression of raw fear and determination on her face. Her white uniform was spotless, but a thin trickle of blood ran down her cheek, and her hand was pressed against her side.
Ignis, seeing the new arrivals, let out a condescending, cruel laugh that echoed through the air.
"Oh, what's this? The vermin brought their friends. How sweet. How… inefficient." His gold-flecked eyes, devoid of any empathy, settled on the group, his gaze lingering on the delicate form of Weiss. "You were all nothing but ants waiting to be crushed anyway. Now, you've simply saved me the effort of hunting you down one by one."
He raised his hands, the flames on his back flaring to an incandescent white. The very air around him shimmered with the intense heat, and a massive, swirling torrent of pure, raw flame and Chaos Energy coalesced in his palms. This was no simple fireball; this was a manifestation of his utter contempt and an attempt to annihilate them all in a single, devastating move.
"No!" Kaelith's voice was a low growl of pure, unadulterated fury.
He didn't listen. With a hateful roar, Ignis unleashed the attack. The inferno shot towards the group below, a meteor of pure destruction that would leave nothing but ash and scorched earth in its wake.
Time seemed to slow down to a crawl. Kaelith, her heart pounding a frantic rhythm, moved with a speed that defied logic. She appeared in front of the attack in a flash, her hands outstretched. Her body, glowed with a bright, pulsating aura that coalesced in front of her in the form of a shield. Her MP trickled downwards.
[RWBY Aura (D-) has reached max LVL]
She pushed against the torrent of flames with every ounce of strength she had, her teeth gritted, a raw scream of effort tearing from her throat. The heat was immense, the force overwhelming. Her localised Aura shield was a single, stubborn wall against a tidal wave of fire, but she held on.
"Get out of here!" She bellowed at the others.
The flames were pushed back, the scorching wind of the inferno parting around Kaelith's shield which tried to grow... but wasn't fast enough.
The raw, unfiltered heat and the backlash from the collapsing attack seared the air around Weiss and her friends. The group below was thrown backward by the sheer force of the gale, and the intense heat licked at their skin, burning their uniforms and leaving them with severe injuries.
The flames dissipated, leaving Kaelith heaving, her body shaking from the effort. Her eyes, filled with a primal, protective fury, were locked on the sight below. She weakened the attack sure, but for this verse, they couldn't handle an attack like this even weakened to 1% of it's full power thanks to the shield.
Weiss was on the ground, her white uniform tattered and blackened. A deep burn had seared a jagged scar on her cheek. A low, pained groan escaped her lips as she struggled to get up, her eyes, filled with tears, looking at Kaelith.
A deep, guttural sound, a sound of pure, unbridled rage, tore from Kaelith's throat. Her blood boiled, a supernova of emotion erupting in her chest. Ignis had dared to touch her. He had dared to harm her, the one person in this world she had come to care for more than her own existence.
"You… invasive vermin," she whispered, her voice a low, terrifying hum of pure fury.
Her eyes, once a calm onyx, began to glow a vibrant, intense greenish-blue. Her waist-length black hair began to rise, a silent, defiant rebellion against gravity. An aura formed around her before her normally lavender Ki erupted from her body in a blinding, golden flash. Her hair, once so dark and smooth, spiked up and turned a brilliant, shimmering golden blonde. The golden aura around her flickered, a testament to her newfound power, and her now golden tail swished violently back and forth.
She had awakened.
She took a single, deliberate step forward, her Saiyan tail lashing behind her.
"Nevara," she said, her voice a cold, terrifying monotone, "get them to safety. And don't come back. This... this is now personal."
The anger on her face was not a shout. It was a still, terrifying calm. A quiet, terrifying storm of fury. She raised her head, her newfound power crackling around her. The air thrummed with a deadly silence.
Nevara didn't need to be told twice. Raven Heart gathered the girls friends and left the battlefield.
Ignis staring at Kaelith felt a cold, profound fear. She had been winning against him, and he knew what that power before him was.
[Racial Skill: Super Saiyan (B) has been unlocked]
[Super Saiyan (B) LVL 1/4:
A legendary transformation that a Saiyan can undergo through a Mutation caused by the S Cells in a Saiyans body. This ability was once thought to be nothing more than a legend as no Saiyan has undergone the transformation in a thousand years when in fact any Saiyan with a High Battle Power and sufficient S Cells can undergo the transformation. When in use the Users Ki spikes greatly turning golden surrounding their body as their hair spikes up turning the same golden colour. Their eyes become a greenish blue colour.
Unlocked at LVL 1: The initial Super Saiyan also named Grade 1 increases your base Strength, Agility and Wisdom by 50X. Every moment you spend in Super Saiyan drains 200 MP a second.]
Ignis cursed himself, if he had the other 6 on him, he wouldn't have had anything to fear. But now, he had awakened a sleeping beast.
Kaelith, looked at him, her calmness now fully breaking, "I'M GOING TO ENJOY TEARING YOU LIMB FROM FUCKING LIMB, YOU INVASIVE VERMIN!"
Yep, Ignis was officially terrified.