This was it, the final battle, after I win this, I'll be able to say I've 100% completed this wretched game!
Attack after attack came hurtling after me, a flip here and a strategically timed attack there and I got him locked into a corner.
"Get fucked you damned skeleton" I whispered under my breath as I lay the final attack on his undead body.
The blood gushing out of his bones, and his bone marrow being exposed to the outside world.
I watch the ending scene as I take off my headset, sweat dripping down my face as I back up and lay down backwards onto my bed, looking at my holographic watch, I realise the time.
"Shit…" I mumble out with heaving breaths.
It was 7:30 AM, I've been playing for the past 13 Hours straight! Whats more, I was going to be late for work if I don't rush my ass to the bus station ASAP!
"This could not get any worse," I mumbled, groaning to myself in annoyance.
I took out my Phone, it was an old model that I got Cheap at a garage sale, the IPhone 15 Deus Ex Ultra, and messaged my boss.
[You: Sorry, Gonna skip work today, I'm using my hours]
[Boss (Asshole): Seriously? Couldn't you have given me a warning before you did this? Whatever, I'm making you work overtime for this!]
[You: OK, OK, Fine]
I put down my phone and stared at the headset by my side.
It was the newest model available, limiting 99.99% of all muscle movements during play, allowing for acrobatics to be done without ruining your room.
The game I was playing was one I found at a garage sale completely for free, which was nice.
It was called 'Undertale', an almost 300 year old game. The fact that the cartridge even worked with the technology we have now is a miracle, and it's an even larger miracle that the game was actually good.
Unsurprisingly, my eyelids were unbearably heavy and unable to resist the temptation of sleep any longer, I did.
.
.
.
I was standing in a white barren field, full of snow, with a few black creatures in front of me, they were made of pure darkness, they had many shapes, most being snakes, wolves or bears.
Grimm, I liked to call them, I don't know why but the name just sounded right…
This was the same dream I've had for the past few years now and it's getting kinda repetitive…
I asked my therapist, and they have no clue. Best guess is it's probably just caused from playing too many games. Like the tetris effect, but in your sleep.
I walked amongst the Grimm, my breaths steady and calm as I lifted my right hand, inside of it was a spear made of a heavy cold metal. The red and gold accents of its design contradictorily both familiar and unfamiliar at the same time.
I looked at my feet, readjusting my stance, my legs weighed down with an incredible weight, big red and gold boots that went up to right below my knees. Thin and tight around the form of my leg. It was beautiful, yet surprisingly comfortable as well. As if it had been molded specifically for my foot.
Two rather large glass vials attached to the outside of each boot, perpendicular to the floor. One filled with a red and pink substance, the other with a purple variant of something similar.
I started hopping on my toes, loosening up my body as I went into the 'running start' position.
An explosion erupted from my legs as I started travelling at inhumane speeds, launching myself towards the nearest Grimm.
The substance inside my boosts seemed to be highly explosive, and the main way I travel.
I punctured through its stomach with a single spear thrust.
My boots then exploded again as I started travelling in another direction, the whiplash from changing direction so fast barely affecting my body, a privilege courtesy of the fact this is a dream world, as I use the momentum to stab through the head of another Grimm clean off.
Another explosion began just before I started losing speed and this process continued for a bit. A high paced, adrenaline filled fight where I felt almost floaty.
It was as if I was the wind itself.
I could move however I liked. Fight however I liked. Kill whatever I liked. It was just so absolutely… Freeing.
Another Grimm. I made my way towards it in a blitz of inhuman speed. Instantly reorientating my body 180 degrees to be legs first as I pull off another explosion the moment it's in range. Scorching the head of the beast clean off.
A deafening roar pierced through my ears as I turned back and saw a huge dragon like Grimm with an amazing looking and (albeit) slightly Chunni style patterns all over its form.
It was an absolutely beautiful specimen.
I felt a smile crawl onto my face.
I somehow made my boots go into overdrive as I launched myself at the beast's head, a small fire similar to a comet surrounding me from the sheer speed I was going. Though it didn't touch me, as if I'd been protected by a thin layer of… Something.
An attack heads my way. The dragon lifting one of its legs ready to swat me out of the air as I simply boosted myself faster into the strike.
I flex my body in an inhuman way to dodge the blow, sliding past it with pinpoint precision.
I was right next to its head as I wound the spear backwards as far as I could before unleashing a devastating 100% power all or nothing strike towards the creature.
Flying a few miles away from the Grimm I barely even get hurt from the impact with the ground, sliding across the floor with a single hand keeping my balance as I slowly rise.
I dust off my shoulder, before a thundering boom echoes behind me, and I turn to see the head of the dragon right behind me, rolling slightly before stopping just before it touches me.
I wipe some dream sweat and lean backwards against the dragon's head.
Even though it was a dream, it still felt tiring to do something like that.
I saw a Grimm in the corner of my eye as I pull my arm back and launch the spear like a javelin, as the Grimm dies instantly.
There was no blood anywhere on this field though, as apparently whenever a Grimm gets cut, black withered flower petals appear instead…
I feel the dragon head I was leaning on begin to dissipate, as I stop slouching and stretch a little.
"How quaint" I say to myself as the world fades to black, "Ah, is it already time to wake up…? Whatever…"
.
.
.
I wake up back in my bed.
No…
There's something wrong.
It looked the exact same but something was slightly off.
Like uncanny valley, but for rooms. So familiar yet unfamiliar at the same time…
I decided to ignore it. I'm probably imagining it…
I went to the bathroom to freshen up, running some cold water on my face to wake myself up a little before I took my toothbrush and put some toothpaste on it. Bringing it to my teeth whilst I look into the mirror and-
My face was strange.
Every spot and blemish I had on my face was gone.
My eyebags from my intense lack of sleep were still there though.
My hair was now a fiery red, with gold streaks near the ends.
It was also much longer than usual.
And last of all. My eyes.
So… Green.
Not the radioactive blue I had been used to seeing, but green.
Incredibly green. Uncanny amounts, actually.
The gene for green eyes went extinct a few centuries ago though…
What the fuck is going on…
*Brring Brring!*
I heard a familiar sound as I looked down into my pocket and saw a Scroll… What's a scroll? This is a phone. It looked like an incredibly new model too.
What the hell?
I picked up the phone and saw someone was calling me, funnily enough, whoever owned this phone had the same ringtone as me.
I looked at the name and saw who it was.
It was labelled as "Spare Parts".
"Sis" I mumbled.
Sis? I'm an only child…
I picked it up and heard a yelling voice.
"GET UP YOU LAZY BUM! YOU'RE GOING TO BE LATE TO THE AIRSHIP!" I heard her yell, as some more of my memories started returning to me!
"Its the first day, right?" I thought out loud.
"Of course you dolt, come on, I refuse to be alone for orientation," she grumbled, audibly annoyed.
"Alright, Alright! I'll be there in a minute!" I replied, sighing.
"You better be! Don't make this a repeat of-" I hung up. Holy shit is she annoying.
I took a hair band and tied my hair into a long messy pony tail that reached a little below my shoulders.
Again, much longer than it usually is.
I wore a white dress shirt with a black tie under a soft deep maroonish red cardigan and indigo loose baggy jeans. A sort of academia style. I instinctively moved my hands to the top area of my cupboard and…
It's not there?
Where are my earrings? I had some that would go really with this outfit…
Okay- that's weird…
I moved over to a mirror in my room and looked at my ears and… Yep. My ears weren't pierced. I'm gonna have to change that soon.
Whatever, I'd say I pulled it off either way.
I was going to leave when I remembered that I needed something from my apartment.
I went in and grabbed a kind of really long kendo bag, putting the strap over my shoulder behind me.
I also took my messenger bag full of school materials with me.
Because why wouldn't I?
Moving to the door, I quickly put on my shoes. They're similar to the ones in my dream. No, they're exact copies of the one in my dream.
Whatever, I'm gonna be late if I don't book it…
I was running as fast as I could, pulling my sleeve up slightly to check my watch and…
"Only 10 minutes left…!" I said urgently, looking towards my feet.
These boots look like the ones from my dream.
I wonder if…
I had no clue how to activate them if I'm honest.
I just thought about them working, my feet had heated up a bit, and my legs began to be in immense pain as my body was immediately propelled through the air uncontrollably.
It's so much harder to do in real life…
Actually…
I managed to orientate myself. It was almost like relearning how to ride a bike, the first time was rough, but after a bit of time, I was able to get the hang of it.
Another boom, another launch, another large distance traveled.
And eventually, I reached it.
I reached the port… JUST when the airship had left.
"SHIT!" I yelled into the air, waving my arm sporadically, possibly hoping for them to see me and then around or something.
"I'm sorry sir but you have to wait for the next trip…" A nearby employee said, observing my predicament.
Then an idea pops in my head.
"You guys forced my hand here…" I say as I grin, walking backwards, my eyes dead set on the airship. Taking a breath to calm myself as I make a run for it.
In one fluid motion, I bend my legs down and jump.
A boom resounds across behind me.
The dust for the explosion isn't all that strong, all things considered. I get to save on my expensive pink-red propulsion fuel by investing some money into purple dust to lower my weight.
Meaning nobody got hurt from my little lift off from the pier.
Of course, I could also choose to use less gravity dust and use more of my propulsion blend to blow heads off like I did with that Grimm in my dream.
Honestly I have no clue how I'm controlling it.
I think it's Aura sensitive or something-
What the fuck is dust?
Like… Angel Dust? I've got cocaine filled with artificial colourants inside my boots?
What's Aura?
Like Aurafarming?
WHAT THE FUCK IS AURAFARMING!?
I'm snapped out of my thoughts by an impact. My legs are sore from landing a bit wrong, but it should be fine… Right?
I search across the roof of the airship, eventually finding a way in and dropping through the ceiling.
"Nailed it," I mumble to myself, landing nicely on the floor, taking a moment to breathe and straighten out my tie.
She had plain red hair with a golden head ornament placed upon her forehead, as well as golden armour. It was lightweight, didn't cover much, only the more vital areas, built for speed. It also wasn't actual gold, I know that much, merely plated.
Not like it's a bad thing. Full gold is utterly useless and incredibly inefficient as armour.
Her emerald eyes looked into mine before she reached her hand out, caressing my cheek with her wrist…
And then reaching out a bit more to grab onto my ear and pull it harshly.
"OW!" I exclaim, moving my head towards her hand to minimize the pain, "C-Can you not use aura for this!?"
"Not until you explain what you did out there!" She nagged at me. Thankfully we were in a rather quiet area of the airship, with only the two of us here.
Otherwise we would get all kinds of stares and I'd die of embarrassment.
"C'mon, does it really matter? At least I'm here!" I reply quickly, her fingernails slightly digging into the cartilage of my ear as I flinch.
"Of course it does! You just- You know what? It's fine, just if I catch you doing shit like that again, I swear to God Ishuma I'm gonna…!" She warned, stopping herself before taking a breath and calming down.
"Sorry! Sorry! My bad, I won't do it again, I promise!" I pleaded as she sighed and let go of my ear.
She muttered something under her breath, as she rubs her temple and walks away.
Being left alone, I finally got time to think about what the fuck is happening.
I look down at my hands, the callouses on my hand being completely unfamiliar.
This…
This is transmigration, isn't it?
But I have no clue what anything is…
Whenever I talked, I seemed to be controlled by something else.
Someone else.
Is it the owner of this body?
So many unanswered questions, but this isn't the environment to question them…
I had now caught my breath (and ordered my brain) so I went out to admire the view.
"That jump you did was SICK! How'd you do that!?" I heard a hyperactive voice snap me out of my thoughts as I turn my head and face the source of the noise instantly.
My neck snapped to my left to look at the voice, spotting a peculiar looking girl.
With bright almost neon yellow hair that was quite fluffy, reaching all the way down right below her waist. Wearing an orange scarf of some kind, a brown leather jacket that had sleeves that stopped right before her elbow. Not entirely zipped all the way up, stopping by around her bust to showcase some kind of sleeveless yellow crop top with a black flame emblem on it. The jacket also being like a crop top, revealing her midsection.
Donning some knee high brown leather boots that had two asymmetrical ruffles of cloth on the ends, one orange the other a greyish purple. Her left leg had orange long over the knee socks. She was also wearing a brown leather belt… That did literally nothing. Probably a fashion choice. She also wore some black rather short shorts…
I promptly changed my sights to her hands, as they donned some fingerless black gloves and yellow metal bracelets that I immediately recognised as a pair of gauntlets of some kind.
A shifting weapon?
The moment I spotted those gauntlets, I immediately rushed over to them.
My hand reached out and a part of my brain activated, as I fiddled around for barely a second and managed to get them to turn into their full form.
"Wow…" I mumbled, before my eyes spotted the barrels on the end of them, "Do they have a firing method? Is it a shotgun? What kind of Dust does it use? I see traces of Cyan, but there's also something else… Is it a blend? Do they use shells? How do you reload? Is it-"
I pause.
Suddenly realising what I'm doing.
I pull away, my face heating up a bit in embarrassment slightly.
Why did I do that?
God damn, that's embarrassing…
"Uh…" The blonde spoke, a confused expression on her face, before I heard another voice pop up.
"YES! They use shotgun shells! They're designed to fire through the infusion of aura, but it's also dust powered- See the dust powers the transformation mechanism, but the shells have gunpowder in them! That's probably what you're seeing…" My eyes wandered to a shorter, most definitely younger, girl with black- slightly red tinted hair short enough to only reach her neck.
She had a red cape and hood, the outside of which being black with cross brooches keeping them on her black long sleeved top. A black corset with red string being used as a separator between her shirt and just above the knee skirt. Red frill donning the edges of said skirt, black tights beneath it and red and black red laced boots.
She had some sort of weapon behind her back. I couldn't make it out entirely, but it was red and I instantly recognised some firearm elements to it.
Judging by the form of it, it was probably also a shifting weapon, but the only form I could initially make out was a high caliber firearm. Perhaps a sniper, but I wasn't too sure.
How do I know all this…
"Oh! I'm Ruby Rose, this is my sister, Yang Xiao Long," Ruby spoke, gesturing over to her sister as she gave a little wave.
"Xiao Long? Nǐ hǎo! Wǒ shì Ishuma Nikos. Hěn gāoxìng rènshí nǐ!" I gave out a simple greeting, something I knew from before I came here, being from a Chinese Household before all of this, I was pretty fluent.
Probably enough to be considered a native speaker if I do say so myself.
Yang looked at me, a strange expression on her face as she smiled awkwardly.
"Oh- I don't… Speak Chinese…" She mumbled under her breath as I froze.
"Wellanywayitwasnicetalkingtoyoubye!" I quickly say goodbye and leave IMMEDIATELY. I could not handle any more of that awkwardness…