DISCLAIMER: The RWBY series is a property of Rooster Teeth and its affiliates. In no way am I receiving any profits from writing this fanfiction. After all, the playground is theirs. All music mentioned in the chapters is property of their respective owners.
A/N: All numbers of HP, MP and the like are carefully counted using mathematical statements. I try to keep it real, after all.
Chapter 2: Heists
Sneaking into Signal's locker rooms proved an easy task. The hardest part was to escape the notice of various CCTVs, strewn across the building and closely monitoring each and every corner, nook and cranny where one could hide. Luckily, the rooms themselves were accessible through the windows outside, so there was no real problem in getting in. But as usual, not a single plan survives direct contact with the enemy. The enemy in this case being a young boy roughly my age. With an intimidating shotgun.
As soon as I slipped through the window, I was noticed by the boy. Or, rather, my left hand was noticed, but that was quite enough for him to get his shotgun ready and head my way. "Whoever you are, hands up in the air and weapons right where I can see them!" he shouted, while eyeing an alarm button on the opposite side of the room. It was clear that as soon as I show up and try to subdue him, he will run and sound an alarm. Not the way I prefer it to be. He was slowly walking to the window, eyes and ears on alert.
Creeping past the long line of lockers in the opposite direction, I eyed the alarm button and the locking mechanism on the door. The button was mechanical and rather simple to break, but the lock was electronic and most likely activated by scrolls. Shrugging, I carefully unscrewed the plastic portion of the alarm and short-circuited some wires so that it will be inoperable, but look pristine. Now it's time to get a uniform. He was fiddling with his scroll and locker before I so unceremoniously barged in, so he left the scroll out in the open in favor of his weapon. Picking the device up, I noticed many similarities between the scroll's OS and iOS. Scroll's interface in fact looked like a cheap iPhone copy. Again shrugging at the many oddities, I found the button to put the scroll into its compact mode, and began silently walking in the boy's direction. He had his uniform on him, and I could find no spares in his locker.
Silently subduing the boy, whose name was Verde Xiphos (green sword, really? Who names his child like that?), 14 years old, I put his uniform on myself, chucking my own garments into Inventory. Grabbing his shotgun for authenticity (if I stumble upon someone who knows the boy's weapon) I headed out, not forgetting to put him into the locker and setting it to open in 5 hours. Hopefully, by that time I will already be off. Taking my sweet time to Observe the items, I let out a subdued whistle. The shotgun, in fact, could become a bastard sword, with the added bonus of splitting it in two short swords. The scroll had a veritable collection of… well, 18+ materials. Various girls, some of them even Faunus, in compromising and sometimes outright dirty positions… Many would kill for a collection like that. Pretending I am watching a fighting video on a scroll (which did occupy a fair share of internal memory, in fact) I lazily strolled through the half-empty halls of Signal, eventually reaching the library.
Giving an unenthusiastic nod to a librarian, I consulted with the map where to go. The Signal Library, as it showed on the map, had a logical sorting pattern. The library was divided in sections on various Hunter-related subjects. Sections were divided into subsections on various topics. Most subsections contained two or three shelves within them. Every shelf had their books sorted in strict alphabetical order, based on the author and the title. For getting the books themselves you had to come to a terminal near a section, slide your scroll into a specified slot and pick out the books you want—they will be automatically added to a "cart" of sorts. Unnecessary books were to be put on a horizontal surface near the terminal, from where it would be collected by a robotic arm and put back into its place.
That also did not stick well with my plan. The absent books would be noticed sooner or later, and I bet my life on the fact that on the way out of the library the scroll would emit a sound, informing the librarian of a theft attempt. But… What if I get the books, leave the scroll in place, put them into Inventory and run the hell away? After all, I'm not so dependent on it, and besides, if I leave the premises with it, someone would notice and try to catch me. Simply because they would think I'm Verde, trying to run away during classes. That's a no-no.
Alright, here we go on a library "shopping" spree!
/-/
You have acquired a skill book "Forging a Weapon: Stages 1 to 7". Do you wish to learn it?
You have acquired a skill book "The Art of Swordsmanship: Hunter Edition". Do you wish to learn it?
You have acquired a skill book "Shooting a Bird". Do you wish to learn it?
You have acquired a skill book "Aura, Semblance and How They Help Against Grimm". Do you wish to learn it?
You have acquired a skill book "Basic Battle Training: Volumes 1 to 5" Do you wish to learn it?
If I were a girl, I would have squealed right here and now. The whole library is just a goldmine of information! Oh, the opportunities it opens for me, endless opportunities…
But it seems I have to cut the whole endeavor short—an alarm is blaring throughout the building.
ATTENTION STUDENTS! AN UNIDENTIFIED INTRUDER IS ON THE PREMISES. I REPEAT, AN UNIDENTIFIED INTRUDER IS ON THE PREMISES! PLEASE HEAD TO THE MAIN HALL FOR IMMEDIATE EVACUATION! I REPEAT, IMMEDIATE EVACUATION!
That's as bad as they come. Should I head to the main hall, I would be identified as an intruder (simply because nobody there knows me) and the whole operation will just crumble. If I don't head there, same problem, only then the professors would know. The only option is escape. Right now. And the hard thing is that the whole professor body is searching for me. Dammit, why can't something someday just… stick to the plan? Is it that hard? Seriously!
Ugh, it's no use crying over spilled milk. Plan B: Going with the flow.
I ran out of the library with other students and began frantically searching for a window. Or an unused classroom with a window. But, alas, I was sucked into the crowd of panicking preteens and was helpless against the sheer mass of their bodies. Soon I was pushed into the doors of the main hall. Seeing the professors diverting the mass of children into six hovering Bullheads in pairs and quartets, I became nervous. They were checking their faces through the databases of Signal students so that the intruder (me) would have no chance to escape with the others. Bad. And I noticed some professors patrolling the perimeter, so that option was out too. Too bad. Like, epic bad. I'm out of stealth options. Meaning I have to bulldoze my way through. Another, way more risky plan was already forming in my head. I decided to hell with it.
When I was close to the Bullhead, I took off into a sprint, performing a somersault in the air, jumping over the front row of students and rolling under the Bullhead. I felt two bullets zooming right over my right shoulder, but only that. Falling off the steep cliff, I assumed a diving position and a second later I hit the surface. Not as hard as I thought I will, what with the height and all that, but I had no time to marvel—I was already under heavy fire from above. Diving deeper, I swam through the thick water, seeing how the bullets stopped just short of my body due to water viscosity and friction. Had I not had the Gamer's Mind ability, I would have been shaking from all the adrenaline I've produced through these three seconds. Swimming further from the shore, I saw children leaving one of the Bullheads. That is very-very bad. Meaning it is going to pursue me in very short order. I dove even deeper, disregarding the pressure mounting against my eardrums. If I'm caught, I'm done for. If I'm not caught, I live another day. I choose the latter option.
Swimming to the mainland under 10 meters of cold water, I began to feel the oxygen deprivation. Soon I should swim upwards to get a gulp of fresh air, but if I do, that Bullhead will most likely notice me and converge on my position. I willed myself to keep the oxygen just for one more minute, not stopping and swimming further. I swam and swam, already seeing the black outline on the edges of my vision. If I don't get some air soon, I will get blinded until I maintain a steady oxygen supply. Things are sure looking grim, especially with my HP finally reaching the 10% zone.
Imagine my surprise, when suddenly I caught myself in an underwater current. My speed suddenly increased threefold, and I allowed myself to slowly drift to the surface for some precious air. Oh, how it was sweet to finally begin to breathe. An indescribable feeling rolled through by whole body, returning it from the brink of death. My HP slowly began to climb upwards. Resting like this for like 10 seconds and not seeing the Bullhead, I dove into the cold abyss again, this time intent on reaching the shore.
After three or so minutes of swimming and periodically breathing, I finally climbed on the mainland. Wet and shaking, but sure alive.
Quest complete!
==Break In, Roll Out!==
Successfully break into the Signal Academy and escape with the knowledge!
Reward: 3000 EXP, +15 INT , +12 WIS, +1 LUK(+3 INT and +2 WIS per book stolen, +2 WIS for reaching the goal without leaving evidence), +10 000 Lien
New heists added to CRIME!
Your level has increased by 1!
Current level: 15, EXP: 1350/4500
Current INT: 44
Current WIS: 32
Current LUK: 4
Current MP: 316
You have acquired +5 SP!
Attention! New Gamer version available. Would you like to see the change log?
What? What version? Did something update? Oh okay, let's see what's going on.
Yes.
The Gamer v.1.1.0.
New features:
1. Added visible HP and MP bars with percentage. See Settings for more info.
2. Karmic system. Your actions now influence your Karma orb, located under MP. By default your orb is transparent. By performing Karma-positive actions your orb becomes green. Karma-negative actions paint the orb blue. Different kinds of Karma give different kinds of bonuses (see Manual).
3. CRIME system. Opening the CRIME section of your Menu will present you with different kinds of crimes—heists, assassinations, thefts. Every crime has a waypoint on your Map and has its own Karma shown in the description. More info in the Manual.
4. Added sorting functions to Inventory.
5. Minor alterations to User Interface.
Did… did my Semblance just update? And with so many major functions—take Karma for example. Wow. I can't wait to check the whole thing out, but right now I need to get away from the beach and change into my normal garments. This uniform stands out in the crowd and makes me easy to sight. I doubt they abandoned the pursuit, so I need to be careful with what I wear and how I behave.
Two minutes later, I was dry (courtesy of Gamer's Body again), clothed and ready to go. The uniform is lying on the seabed now, tied to a stone. Strolling across the shore, I sighted Hunters coming my way, no doubt to question me whether I've seen a dripping wet boy in a Signal uniform. Suppressing an instinctive fear of being found out, I put on a mask of slight curiosity and childish innocence. They approached me.
"Um, what is going on?" I fearfully asked, looking intimidated. "Am I in some trouble?"
"No, no, no," a Hunter, whose name I couldn't Observe due to our level difference, said, trying to calm me down. "We're just searching for a lost boy. He fell out of the Bullhead in the sea and he might have swam to the shore. He wore a Signal uniform and carried a shotgun. Did you see him?"
"A-a shotgun?!" I cried in fake distress. "No, I d-didn't! If I d-did, I w-would have cried out loud!"
"Hey, hey, calm down, please," another Hunter softly grabbed my shoulder and I tried hard to not instinctively retaliate. "He poses no danger, we just want to find him and return him back to Signal."
Yeah, that's a big load of BS. I'm glad I lost the weapon during the fall. They had no other way to identify me, save for the shotgun and the uniform, both of them safely residing in the sea right now. I shook my head in denial, still appearing fearful.
"Oh, it's okay. No need to panic. If you see him, please tell a police officer. Alright?" the first Hunter smiled sweetly, trying to alleviate my "fear". Receiving a wordless confirmation, they instantly passed by me, going in the direction I came from. Not even checking if I have my ID? Really? Are they that dumb or do they think the intruder was several years older, so they overlooked me? Well, so much the better. No need to watch out for police then. But now I need to get to those warehouses.
-Half an hour later-
I finally reached the warehouse I "spawned" in. The building's not really rusty, so I don't think it will collapse on me any time soon. Getting upstairs into the control rooms, I sealed the entrances shut and opened some windows to renew the air inside. It's really dusty in here, actually.
Sitting in the chair, I grabbed the books I've stolen and promptly learned them. The Art of Swordsmanship added a new level to my existing Sword Mastery skill, making it Lv. 37. Basic Battle Training seriesincreased my Acrobatics, Danger Sense and Perception skills by 7, 5 and 9 respectively (after all, there were literally five books in one). Shooting a Bird added a new skill, Sharpshooter Lv. 1, which gave me a 10% increase in accuracy from base 55%, and gave a passive status effect Eagle Eye, doubling my vision acuity.
But the most valuable books proved to be the last two: Aura, Semblance and How They Help Against Grimm and Forging a Weapon. They did give me some very useful skills—Aura Lv. 1 and Forging Lv. 3 respectively. Aura skill proved to be both Active and Passive, its Passive form simply lowering the damage I receive depending on my Aura level and providing a 25% increase in all stats. Active form increased my stats by 60%, added 150% modifier to my EXP gain and decreased the damage similarly to Passive form at the cost of 14 MP/second. Forging, since it included all existing seven steps, halved the time necessary to craft my own weapon and allowed me to create complex weapons, the difficulty depending on skill level. Unfortunately, this was a Crafting type skill, and thus it could be leveled only by practice. Shame, it means I still should enroll in Signal to make a weapon or satisfy myself with a weapon from a weaponsmith, and those can be quite pricey.
I immediately activated my Aura. I didn't feel really strong, nor did I gain acute senses, but somehow I felt… more natural. Like I was wearing my favorite clothes or lying under a warm, fuzzy blanket. Glancing at my MP bar, I saw it ever so slowly deplete, which meant I need to raise my regeneration rates. Dropping 8 points in WIS and 7 points in INT, I received a notification.
By raising your Intelligence over 50 points, you have unlocked a title "Wizard"!
Dumbfounded, I clicked on the title, hoping to glean more info from it. And I wasn't disappointed.
"Wizard": Passively increases your MP regeneration by 25%, increases overall mana pool by 15%. These bonuses stack with other effects.
Trying my best not to whoop in joy and closing the dialog screen, I applied the Title. My status screen updated immediately, reflecting the change. My mana also began to ever so slowly climb up, which meant I could keep the thing up indefinitely! That's a major boon, I admit. My mana pool also suffered a major increase: from 316 to 567 MP—almost doubled! Not even mentioning the HP: from 202 to 298 is a huge change. And that only on level 15! I shudder to think what will happen to me on higher levels.
Alright, now with the issue of mana resolved, we now can proceed to Phase 3: Arming ourselves with nifty magical tricks. With my Aura enabled, there should be no problem with manipulating a little magic. First on agenda: cloaking tech. If we're going criminal, we should make sure nobody sees us in the first place. Cloaking can come in many different forms: emulating background colors, like a chameleon, or bending the light around us, so there is an illusion of not being there in the first place. The issue with the latter is that the light won't also reach my retina, making me essentially blind. This can be overcome by sonic navigation, for example. But this can also be used against me. After all, I still exist, and this allows sound to reach me, reflect off me and return back.
Brainstorming like that for nearly an hour, I decided to go with the option "lightbender". Simply because there is magic. And magic defies the rules of physics. Why shouldn't it defy physics this time?
By making a wise decision, you have gained +1 WIS!
Oi, shut up, you. Let's better get to work.
-Ten hours later-
Groaning from exertion, I limped to a makeshift bed on the second floor of the warehouse. Hell of a day. I emptied my mana reserves countless times, even got four points in VIT for my efforts, but to almost no avail. Although I failed to create invisibility, I succeeded in teleporting across the warehouse by accident. This happened after 134 tries or so, when I tried to implement some quantum physics in my "Cloak Theory". The result was… teleportation.
By blindly rushing into the unknown, a skill "Teleportation" has been created!
Teleportation. Lv. 1. EXP: 50/1000. Active, VAR MP/use
What else can be said about this?
Distance of teleportation depends on amount of MP used, skill level and accessibility. Minimum 70 MP/use.
Accessibility varies from 0 for absolutely inaccessible surfaces to 1 for straight path without any objects blocking the way. Note: 0 is used as a point of reference, and no surface in existence has accessibility equaling 0, meaning all surfaces are accessible in one way or the other.
Quite interesting, right? The bad thing is that the damn system never gives me formulas to calculate this kind of stuff. So I simply rely on my own experimenting and wild guesses. And, according to the system's choice of words, with the right amount of mana it theoretically can be easier to teleport on the moon, hundreds of thousands of kilometers away, than on a heavily fortified underground base right under my feet. Weird.
But right now I'm too tired to ponder the weirdness of the universe, so I collapsed on the bed and was out like a light.
-The next day, 8:30 AM-
I woke up suddenly. Not because of my (nonexistent) alarm clock, mind you, but because of a very foreboding BGM. And to make matters worse, my Danger Sense was practically ringing in tune to the music. If that wasn't warning enough, then the big group of thugs wearing Grimm masks, rummaging through the warehouse's first floor was. So this was the White Fang's point of operations long before Torchwick came? Ugh, the realization I was practically sitting on top of a hornet's nest makes me a little dizzy. I need to get out fast, or I risk becoming a bloody splat on the wall. Concentrating on Teleport (I didn't have any prized possessions, thankfully, so I didn't waste any time I could use to be as far from here as possible), I displaced myself two alleys away, losing only the minimum 70 MP in the process. Serves to remind me I'm not the only criminal in Vale. If I want to get by, I need to become stronger. And that is easier when using this new CRIME system. Opening the window, I glanced around the map, noticing the Patch Island to be grayed out. Not surprising, considering there isn't many buildings on it aside from the academy, which was already "looted". I then tried to find any highlighted crimes to commit in the vicinity. The closest one was located in Commercial District and involved, according to the description "breaking into a high-security vault and claiming all the valuables inside". Vault implies bank, bank implies lots and lots of money. Reminds me of a PAYDAY 2 heist, only now my only weapon is a teleport cheat. It would be kinda good to know where exactly the vault is… Ah, well. We will improvise.
-An hour later-
And here I am. The Vale branch of the Schnee Dust Company Bank. Honestly. Attempting to rob a Schnee bank practically screams "suicide". And getting out of there with money, Dust and Oum knows what else those wealthy people put inside is teetering on the edge of "impossible". But doing this unarmed? The difficulty level just went flying to the Pluto. But don't we enjoy those kinds of challenge?
Entering the main hall, I immediately spotted seven cameras, which were observing every corner of the bank and leaving practically no opportunity for a robber to get in unnoticed. I sat on the bench near the exit and began Observing the cameras, leveling the skill in process.
SDC Bank Surveillance Camera
Lv. 30.
Viewing angles: 135±25° horizontal, 85±15° vertical. For more precise measurements please level up.
Angle of possible movement: 30°
NOTE: Operated by automatic systems within the bank.
New quest!
==Schnee Break In!==
Difficulty: Insane Realism
Goal: Break into the vault on the lowest floor of the bank and leave with its' contents.
+100 000 EXP, + 2 000 000 Lien, other rewards from the vault, +60 INT, +30 DEX, +20 VIT
Bonus Goal: Disable the surveillance system. +30 000 EXP, Skill Book "Stealth", +10 INT
Bonus Goal: Do not get noticed by the Schnee Security Droids. +50 000 EXP, Skill Book "Automatons: How To", +50 WIS
Failure: Death, possible death, inescapable death.
…Just what kind of s*** have I found myself in? The difficulty level does not exactly strike me as easy. The rewards… are insane like the difficulty. But the failure options… And I can't refuse the quest, goddamnit! I'm ready to bolt out of here right now, forgetting about the whole idea of heists. But if I succeed… 180 000 EXP is just the thing to become stronger, not to mention the skill books. What to do…
Attention! New Gamer version available. Would you like to see the change log?
Yes.
The Gamer v.1.1.1.
New features:
1. Specific information gathered by Observe is now available to be displayed in real world.
2. Formulas for calculating Player's parameters are now available in the Manual.
Sweet. Just sweet. It's like the system is encouraging me to go on and die. Sigh.
I promptly toggled the option "Camera View Angles" and saw the camera view angles right in the air, highlighted by red and orange, depending on the probability of getting into their view. I frowned, noticing at least seven blind spots in the hall, one of them being the bench I'm sitting on. Spotting an employee exiting the building, I stood up, dusted myself off and pursued him. As soon as he rounded a corner, I subdued him by hitting him in his temple, robbing him blind and pushing the unconscious body into a dumpster. I also got a Level 1 Security Card, which, according to Observe, gave me access to the ground floor and first underground one. The Vault was located eight more floors deeper, and that was a big headache. How do I know? I accessed the security terminal in the lounge room, where I could teleport without hassle. The terminal, for obvious reasons, did not contain full security plans, but it was quite enough.
My first stop—Security Room on Floor -3. Again warping in, but this time left with a sizable dent in my MP, I took the guard in the room by surprise and disabled him by an Aura-reinforced roundhouse kick. Years of working with my own PC and an intuitive touchscreen interface allowed me to swiftly disable the automatic surveillance system and alarms, transferring the whole controls to the guy's Scroll. Putting a password on the controls, which I didn't bother much to remember (its only purpose was to prevent anyone from wrenching them from me) I took the Scroll and the spare Level 4 Security Card. Never know when the thing may be useful.
On the Scroll I've found a camera feed from Vault Control. Hmm, the security's so tight it looks like a nuclear plant's controls—three keyholes on different sides of the room, most likely for three different people to simultaneously turn the keys inside, laser alarms (thankfully, disabled) and a load of Schnee Droids, deactivated on the sides of the room. There are also two armed people inside. If they carry the two keys needed, then where's the third?
Oh, here he is. Lazing on the couch in the lounge room. Warp, disable, grab the key and Level 9 Security Card, warp back. And I'm on a time limit here: Observe says the card is valid only for two hours plus or minus half an hour more, after that it disintegrates. Smart move. If I wasn't able to teleport around, I wouldn't have made it in time.
…
Aura's level increased by 1!
Aura's level increased by 1!
Aura's level increased by 1!
…
MP regenerated. Time to strike.
Warp right behind the first man, disable. Warp, disable. Keys grabbed, inserted. Now, feel the Force!
By extending your reach beyond the flesh, a skill "Telekinesis" has been created!
Panting from the sheer force of will, I fumbled with the keys, trying to turn all three at once. A heavy sheen of sweat formed on my forehead, my legs felt like lead and a headache began to form. But after what felt like eternity, all three keys turned simultaneously.
Telekinesis' level increased by 1!
Telekinesis' level increased by 1!
Telekinesis' level increased by 1!
Telekinesis' level increased by 1!
Telekinesis' level increased by 1!
I fell on my knees, unable to move. A light headache turned into harsh rhythmic pounding of blood against my skull. I panted from sheer exhaustion, noticing my MP bar empty and my HP bar cut in half. Seems like I unwittingly exchanged some of my HP for MP while doing the trick. Then I heard that sound. A heavy groaning of metal against metal. The door to The Vault opened.
Suddenly "my" Scroll began vibrating like crazy. A fleeting glance confirmed my fears—a building-wide alarm has been activated. And that one was impossible to disable and existed separately from other alarms solely for the purpose of protecting The Vault. Smart asses, those Schnees. That means I'm on a really tight schedule. Really tight.
Reinvigorating myself with occasional bursts of Aura, I ran to The Vault like I was chased by a pack of hellhounds. Pouring all my meager mana in the effort, I ripped off the small metal doors on the safes in the walls. The remaining 2 minutes, 17 seconds were a blind rush to secure everything in The Vault by warping around, telekinetically grabbing the trinkets, Lien and occasional metals and throwing them into the Inventory. Five seconds after I scavenged The Vault, the Droids arrived. I escaped not even half a second before. With 0 MP and 0 HP remaining after the trip.
Quest complete!
==Schnee Break In!==
Break into the vault on the lowest floor of the bank and leave with its' contents.
Reward: +180 000 EXP, +32 250 000 Lien, Skill Book "Stealth", Skill Book "Automatons: How To", 1340 Various Uncut Dust Crystals, 442 Various Cut Dust Crystals, +70 INT, +50 WIS, +30 DEX, +20 VIT
Your level has increased by 9!
Current level: 24, EXP: 5850/58 000
Current INT: 121
Current WIS: 91
Current DEX: 64
Current VIT: 60
Current HP: 284 (422 under buffs)
Current MP: 701 (1183 under buffs)
You have acquired +45 SP!
…
A/N 2: Yay, a cliffhanger! I love cliffhangers! Anyway. Many of you fellow readers might think that the MC is slowly becoming severely overpowered, what with the heist rewards and all. I assure you, this is not the case. The fact he used Telekinesis so freely after spending a lot of time just to turn three keys at once is explained by massive amounts of adrenaline. Gamer's Mind successfully blocked the mental consequences, but not the physical ones, hence the sudden boost of energy. The fact he lost all his HP and MP on his way to surface is due to his Semblance spending energy on bypassing anti-teleportation Schnee wards. His stats are a little bit on the higher side, but as a thirteen-years old kid becoming a full-blown criminal, he is even underpowered. I think if Fulvus fought Torchwick after the heist, the winner would be the latter one, due to him being a more experienced fighter, having a higher level and higher (in some cases) stats. Also, the further the plot progresses, the harder it will be for him to level. I am even thinking about timeskipping for the sake of interest, but that might or might not happen. R&R, send your plot suggestions me in PM, I will be happy to include the best ones into Chapter Three!
NEXT ON REMNANT: Meeting Ruby Rose, rigorously training, heisting and having fun! With tidbits of seriousness attached :D