Ephemeral Dream

Summary: Jaune Arc isn't strong, smart, or skilled. Even so, he dreams of a future in which he is a Huntsman. He dreams of friendship, combat, and love. But every dreamer must wake. "Not yet…" He whispered, tears of blood streaking down his cheeks. "I can't let this dream end… Until I've turned it to reality." Gamer Jaune!

Warnings: Crossovers, strong and smart Jaune, later quite OP. Possible Harem.

XV: Time

I was thrilled to finally be out of the dungeon, my shadow soldiers safely residing within my shadow, waiting to be called upon at a moment's notice.

A glance at the time told me it was now around five AM, meaning the fight against Igris and then doing the actual job change quest took around two hours… And I was tired as all hell.

I stumbled out of the forest, making my way back home… When I noticed shadowy figures heading in the direction of my house…

My blood ran cold as I followed behind them, feeling tired, irritated, but mostly worried as it was obvious who they were going after: Miyuki.

'Lancer, don't act until I tell you to.'

'Huh? What are you talking about, Jaune?'

'Just don't act unless I tell you to!'

'Okay, okay! Jeez…'

I followed close behind them, sticking to the shadows as I did so. I didn't have any kind of stealth skill, but the two were so focused on their objective that they didn't even notice me trailing them.

I managed to get close enough to overhear their conversation.

"… A lot of money for this job," one of them said to the other, a male from the sounds of it. "Why do you think the client wants this girl so bad?"

"Who knows?" The other, another male, grunted. "You know we don't ask questions in our line of work. We go in, we get paid, we leave. End of story."

"Still, you can't admit you're a little curious…" The male prompted as they approached Miyuki's house.

"Okay, I'm a little curious," he admitted as they began to scale the room. "But there's no way we can…"

They trailed off. I could tell they were looking into the room through Miyuki's window, and got a look at her beauty.

"… I get it," the second male said. "I totally get it now."

"You sure we can't just keep her for ourselves?" The first male said. "You know… Have some fun with her?"

"No way, man," the second one shook his head. "Jacques Schnee wants her, and I'm not messing with that crazy bastard."

[Quest updated!]

[Quest: Bounty Hunter Crisis]

Miyuki Shiba is a beauty beyond beauties, an angel in appearance and personality that cannot be denied. After witnessing her beauty at a gala, Jacques Schnee decided he would be the perfect bride for his son and has hired bounty hunters and assassins to kidnap her.

Objective: Protect Miyuki from the people trying to kidnap her until Jacques gives up.

OR

Kill Jacques Schnee

Reward: 20,000 EXP, 20 Stat Points, 'Stealth' Skill, Title 'The Angel's Guardian.'

Failure: Miyuki is kidnapped.

Time Until Jacques Gives up: 2 years and 6 months

Bounty Hunters Killed: 3/?

I saw red.

'Lancer. Kill them.'

Neither male got to so much as blind before they were beheaded, falling to the ground outside. I blurred over to their bodies, staring down at them.

[Shadow Extraction can be used on this target.]

So… Shadow Extraction did work on humans. I thought it might only work on mobs, but this confirmed it worked on normal human too…

That was a little scary.

'Lancer, I need you to not freak out.'

'Freak out? Why would I freak out?'

"Arise."

There was a rush of wind, and shadowy hands clawed out of the bodies, revealing the two forms of the males that Lancer had killed.

[Shadow Assassin Lv. 1]
Rank: Elite

'What the fuck?' Lancer exclaimed. 'Master… What did you just do?'

'What did it look like?'

'Let me rephrase then… Since when the hell could you revive the dead!?'

'Since about ten minutes ago… It's a long story, but the short answer is that it's part of my semblance.'

'What kind of soul do you have that it lets you revive those who have died!?'

'An awesome one.'

'… You aren't taking me seriously right now, are you?'

'Lancer. I've had a long day, I'm very tired, and all I want to do right now is sleep. On my way home from training, I see these two pieces of shit going to kidnap Miyuki. And now I find out that the person who is trying to kidnap her is none other than the head of the Schnee Dust Company; Jacques. Which means I have two choices protect Miyuki until probably Beacon… Or kill the head of the Schnee Dust Company.'

Jacques Schnee was an evil man, everyone knew this.

It was an open secret that, not only was he incredibly racist, he was the one who stopped a majority of laws passing in Atlas towards Faunus Equality as he liked the easy labour.

Everyone knew it, but nobody was truly in a position to stop it. It was a sickening abuse of power, and the biggest problem was that the Schnee Dust Company was the one that provided so much dust. If the company head died or went missing, who knew what would happen to the Dust economy?

Quite frankly though…

I didn't give a shit.

'The Schnee Dust Company is behind this?'

'Yep… My mood has gone from tired, to irritated, to pissed off, all in the span of around ten minutes…'

'… Master, you aren't seriously thinking about what I think you're thinking about, are you?'

'Lancer, how long would it take for you to go to Atlas and kill Jacques Schnee?'

She paused in serious contemplation. 'Probably a couple days… But would you really be satisfied with it unless you did the deed with your own hands?'

I couldn't help but pause at her words…

The truth was, I did want to kill Jacques myself. Call it wrong, call it twisted, but I was feeling tired. I was hungry. I was filled with anger at the fact that self-entitled, racist bastard would dare try and have someone as sweet, kind, and innocent as Miyuki kidnapped.

I was ready to make some bad decisions.

'You're right…' I admitted the Lancer. 'I won't be happy… Unless I kill him with my own two hands…' I moved up the side of the building, opening the window and quietly slipping into Miyuki's room.

'Master, what are you doing?'

'What my heart is telling me to do.'

I lifted my hand, orange flames blazing to life and swirling around Miyuki in a protective manner.

'Aren't those your flames?'

'Yes… Miyuki may hate me for this later… But this is to protect her.'

[You have forged a Guardian Bond with Miyuki Shiba.]

It was as I forged that bond with Miyuki, I truly came to understand something based on past experiences.

The bond of the guardian couldn't be forced. You could be tricked into accepting, your will could be beaten down until you gave in and accepted…

But you could not force the bond.

The fact Miyuki forged the bond with me in this manner meant that, even if she consciously did not accept it, she subconsciously did.

'Heh… Ironic…' I thought to myself. 'A few days ago, I loathed the guardian bond and thought it was forced… And now, here I am, creating a bond while someone cannot consciously accept…'

I smiled bitterly. 'I hope you'll understand and forgive me, Miyuki…'

I slid out through the window, closing it behind me. The two Shadow Assassins were still there, staring at me as they waited for orders.

"Reside within Miyuki's shadow," I told them. "You are to protect her from now on. If anyone besides myself or Lancer attacks her outside of school hours, your job is to protect her. Am I understood?"

The both of them nodded, jumping up to the room before sinking into the shadows, melding into Miyuki's as they began their new duty of watching over and protecting her.

"Go on home and relax," I told Lancer. "My shadows will protect her from now on."

'… Master,' she said. 'Are you okay?'

"… No…" I said softly. "No, I'm not okay…"

In the last few days, I'd killed over a thousand angels and started to like it, the thought of which made me feel a bit sick, obtained a class that let me revive the dead and, just now, I had ordered Lancer to take two human lives without even flinching.

Quite frankly, I was afraid.

Afraid of the corruption that I knew was starting to affect me.

Power corrupts.

I was someone who was weak, who longed for strength… And now, I had strength. But I wanted more. I was hungry for strength, for power. And I knew it was corrupting me.

'I'm going to sleep,' I told her. 'You take some time off and play games, alright? You've earned it. My handheld consoles are in a drawer in my room, go play one of those.'

'… If you need someone to talk to, you know that I am here for you, right? I may not have known you that long, but you are a friend to me. Don't doubt that.'

[You have forged a Friendship Bond with Lancer.]

"… Thank you…" I said softly, before I headed to my house.

I stumbled in, closing the door behind me before I made my way upstairs.

I took one look at Neo's open door on the way to my room and could tell that she wasn't in there.

Sure enough, when I opened my door, there she was. Asleep on my bed, dressed in a cute pink and white kitty onesie.

I felt myself relaxing as I saw her laying there, so at peace. I closed the door softly, equipped on my black pyjama bottoms and a matching shirt, before I gently climbed into bed next to her.

As soon as I was in, her arms wrapped around me, hugging me tightly as her face buried into my chest.

I only smiled as I wrapped my arms around her, rubbing her back slowly as I found myself drifting off.

I mentally told the System to wake me up at 7AM, before I finally allowed the darkness to take hold as I fell asleep.

I didn't notice at that time… I didn't notice how Miyuki's eyes opened as I left… I didn't notice how she caught a glimpse of my face… I didn't notice how she smiled at me…

And I didn't notice the 'thank you, big brother,' she said before she rolled over and went back to sleep…

All too soon, I'd come to realise many things…

~~Ephemeral Dream~~

I learned, painfully, that the way the System woke me up when I wanted it to was by forcing me from asleep to 100% awake.

It was not a pleasant feeling.

My eyes suddenly snapped wide open and I sat up, completely alert. Part of my mind was still groggy, leaving it in momentary discord as it tried to decide if I should be alert or groggy.

It took a moment for me to snap out of it, holding the side of my head as I was now fully alert… And, just like that, I decided I was never using that feature of the System again. Ever.

I looked down, seeing Neo still snuggled into my arms. I shook her lightly. "Neo," I said softly. "Time to wake up."

"Muu…" She buried her face into my chest, a voice so sweet and pure it should have been illegal filling the air. "Five more minutes…"

"Neo, I need to get up and get ready for school."

"Nu…"

I couldn't help but smile at her childishness. "So, you don't want breakfast?"

"… I want breakfast…"

"So, you're going to let me get up?"

"… Muu…" I heard her complaint against my chest, almost a whine, before she let go. "… I want to try pancakes…"

"Pancakes it is," I nodded, climbing out of bed and ruffling her hair, before I headed to the bathroom for a shower.

"Come out," I said, a single magician and two infantries rising from my shadow, just outside of the shower. "The girl in my room. Hide in her shadow and protect her."

I glanced at them as they sunk down into the shadows, going to obey my order…

I would have to spare shadows to protect the others. When I next saw Blake, I'd leave her with a magician and two infantries, while I'd leave Ruby and Yang with two infantries since their parents were professional Huntsman who could protect them.

I didn't know why the System chose a Necromancer, of all things, for my class…

But I had a feeling there was something important about it.

I only sighed as I stepped out of the shower and dried off. I equipped my school uniform, and then headed downstairs and began to cook breakfast.

Neo wanted pancakes, and pancakes she would receive!

I smiled softly as I cooked, glad to be back in the kitchen after the stressful night I'd had…

I wondered if I should be worried that I was starting to become numb to killing already?

I wondered if I should worry that the deaths of those two assassins hadn't affected me?

I wondered… What kind of monster was I turning into?

Suddenly, the thoughts were snuffed out, choked before they could linger further on my mind as I began to set the table with food.

I walked up to my room, opening the door and heading over to Neo, who was blinking the sleepiness out of her eyes. Good timing on my part. "Neo," I said. "Breakfast is on the table."

She sat up slowly, looking at me tiredly. "… Pancakes?"

"Pancakes," I confirmed.

She slowly climbed out of bed, still clad in that adorable onesie of hers. I rubbed her head and, almost as if she was a cut, she rubbed her head against my hand. I could have sworn she was about to purr…

And then I felt it.

A nub of… Something, on her head.

I froze.

"… Neo, please lower your hood."

Neo's eyes widened as she instantly became alert. 'Why?'

"Neo, please."

Neo hesitated… And then she stared at the ground, lowering the hood of her onesie.

I reached out, slowly running my hands through her hair… And then I froze as I felt it. I moved in for a closer look… And that was when I saw it.

Scars. Scars on top of her head… From where a pair of ears used to be.

I look at Neo with horror in my eyes. "Neo… Are you…?"

She said nothing…

I wrapped my arms around her, holding her tightly.

Now, all at once, it made sense to me.

Why Neo became so clingy to me so quickly.

Why she'd adored having her head rubbed like that.

Why I could feel the fear through the bond.

While the racism against faunus had mostly died down, it still existed.

Usually, people kept it to themselves. Some were less discreet about it, like Jacques Schnee, and others didn't care if they got arrested and boasted their racism proudly.

But most people kept it quiet… And, sometimes, they couldn't contain themselves.

I understood why Neo was living on the streets now. Why she'd preferred to do that over living at an orphanage.

Neo was a Faunus.

One who had grown up in an orphanage.

An orphanage with a racist caretaker.

One who could only endure looking at Neo's ears for so long, before they finally snapped and did something about it.

An incident that put a deep trauma into her- my mist- and led her to choosing not to talk…

I could feel a voice in the back of my mind, growling.

Someone hurt my mist. Someone mutilated my mist. Someone is a dead man walking!

Without even realising it, my flames had come out, curling around Neo as she began to sob into my chest. Emotions she'd never let out, feelings she'd tried to ignore…

A whisper came from our bond.

Thank you… For accepting me…

My hold on her tightened.

"You are part of my family," I told her softly. "Do you understand, Neo? If you ever have a problem… If you ever need someone to vent to, someone to hug you, a shoulder to cry on… You come to me… Understood?"

"… Yes…"

"Come on," I said softly. "Let's go eat those pancakes, okay?"

"… O- Okay…"

[Your Guardian Bond with Neopolitan has become B.]

Dinner was quiet as we ate. We sat side by side, and I kept my arm around her the whole time we ate. She didn't stop me, instead eating silently as she rested against me, like I was a lifeline.

She helped me do the dishes once we were done, and still we didn't speak.

There were no words we needed to say.

I opened the door at 7:55, Neo standing in the doorway.

I turned to face her. "… I'll see you when I get home."

"… Be safe, okay?"

"I will."

The door closed.

I walked down the path, taking the small path to Miyuki's house and knocking on the door.

Step step step step step step step-

I was greeted by Miyuki's beautiful smiling face. "Good morning, Jaune!"

I smiled at her. "Good morning, Miyuki. Sorry if I'm a bit early."

"It's no trouble at all," she told me. "I'm glad you arrived early… Ah, this is your first time seeing me in the school uniform," she smiled and did a small twirl. "How do I look?"

"You look beautiful," I told her. What else could I say? She always looked beautiful, she could probably wear a potato sack and still look like one of the most beautiful people on the planet.

"Thank you," she smiled. "We are meeting up with your friends, yes? Where?"

"They're in the house next to mine," I told her. "Follow me."

"Okay!"

We walked down two houses, and made our way up the footpath to the Xiao Long family's house.

"Please don't mind if my friends are a bit weird towards you," I told her. "We had a falling out two years back, and it was only resolved very recently. So, they might be a bit tense."

"It's no trouble at all," she smiled at me.

I nodded and knocked on the door. Moments later, it opened, revealing a smiling Summer. "Hello, Jaune. Here to pick up Yang and Ruby?"

"Sure am," I nodded.

"I'll go grab them," she smiled, heading to the kitchen.

"She was pretty," Miyuki said from behind me, obscured from view. "Who was she?"

"Summer Rose," I told her. "One of the two mothers of the Xiao Long house."

"Polygamous marriage?"

"From what I recall, they all married straight out of Beacon."

"Oh, that's nice!" I could feel her smile.

Ruby and Yang came out of the dining room, smiling at me. "Hey Jaune," Ruby chirped.

"Yang, Ruby," I said with a smile. "I'd like to meet someone…" I stepped aside.

"Hello!" Miyuki gave them a beautiful smile. "My name is Miyuki Shiba, I'll be your classmate from today onwards. It's lovely to meet you."

Yang and Ruby both stared at the girl… And then they began to blush.

Ah… Miyuki smile claimed two more victims… I wasn't even surprised by it.

The walk to school was mostly filled with a stuttering Ruby, and Yang flirting with Miyuki who only smiled at her and thanked her for her compliments, making the blonde blush hotly every time.

It was glorious.

Yang could barely tease Miyuki, because all Miyuki would do is say 'Thank you for the compliment, Yang,' and then Yang would turn into a blushing mess!

I repeat. It was glorious.

Once they managed to get over her beauty bit, I was sure they'd be able to talk like normal people and would be the best of friends.

As we approached the gates of the school, I stopped walking.

The others stopped too.

"Jaune?" Miyuki looked at me. "What's wrong?"

I barely heard her.

Because she was walking not far ahead.

Short green hair told me who she was before I saw her face… I would never forget that hair, the hair of one of my best friends…

"You aren't fit to be a Huntsman. You're weak, you're stupid, and you don't have the will to be one. You should just give up, Jaune. For your own safety."

I clenched my fist, my flames burning in my soul as I marched forwards at a faster pace. "Hikage!"

She paused in place, looking back at me. Only the slightest widening of her reptilian eyes told me she was surprised by the fact I'd called out to her. "Jaune," she said in a blank voice. "What do you want?"

Why are you talking to me now? Came the unspoken question.

"Two years ago," I said to her. "You told me. To give up. I'm here to ask you if you still think I should."

"Yes."

"… Meet me after school," I told her. "I'll prove you wrong."

Golden eyes narrowed. "You want to fight me?"

"Fight you? No… I'm going to make you say 'I was wrong.'"

It was time I got my snake girl back. Frankly, this was long overdue.

~~Ephemeral Dream~~

I was very tense. Everyone could tell I was throughout the day.

"May I ask what that was all about this morning?" Miyuki asked during lunch.

"It's a long story," I mumbled.

"Does it have a short version?"

"… Yes."

"Then I'd like to hear it."

… It was impossible to say no to this girl.

"Jaune, you don't have to," Ruby said softly.

"No, I don't mind," I sighed. "Ruby, Yang, Miyuki is a friend. Besides, I know she's probably going to want to watch the fight out of worry. She might as well have some context."

I turned my gaze to Miyuki. "About two years ago, my family gave up on my dream of being a Huntsman. They said I had no aptitude, and told me to give up. To really push it home and make me quit, my friends emotionally blackmailed my friends into joining the intervention, Ruby and Yang were victims of this but we've made up. Hikage, on the other hand, was targeted viciously. They went after her dead mother with her blackmail, who was killed several years ago. Because of that she doesn't believe she did anything wrong back then. If anything, she feels justified and glad I haven't stepped onto the Huntsman path… At least, not that she's seen."

Miyuki stared at me, horrified. "That… That's awful! Why would they do that?"

I sighed. "… I found out, recently, my mother manipulated the whole thing… She had a sister she looked up to, one she idolised, who was accepted at Beacon Academy. On a mission, said sister died. My mother, in her despair and anger, blamed the Huntsman as a whole for her sister's death. When she saw I was lacking in the department, she decided to manipulate my family into agreeing with her, and then turning my friends against me for the intervention… All because she hated Huntsman."

She stared at me, shocked, as did Ruby and Yang who were only just learning about this.

"Soon as I found out, I moved out," I told them. "I went to Ruby and Yang's moms and asked them for help. They bought the next-door house in their name, and I now live there."

"Well… It's good that you got away from them," Miyuki said. "Nothing bad happened, did it?"

I thought about how my mother had tried to seal my aura, how she'd tried to essentially cripple me and possibly end up turning me into a repeat of Jack the Ripper.

"No," I lied through my teeth. "Besides the argument, nothing happened. I'm just glad to be free of them."

Miyuki nodded. "Good… But I'll confess, I'm a bit confused. Why do you need to fight Hikage to prove she was wrong?"

"Hikage is the type of person who won't believe it if you tell her she's wrong," I told her. "You have to prove it to her. The only way to prove that I can be a Huntsman to her is by fighting her, and defeating her."

"… Why are you so willing to give someone who betrayed you another chance?" Miyuki asked softly.

"Because it wasn't her fault. She was manipulated, had her most traumatic memories used against her. What is driving her to say she was right is fear, pure and simple. Fear that I will die if I become a huntsman, something she can't bear to happen. Above all else, she's still my friend. Even now, I still think of her as my friend. Just one who needs to fully realise that what she did was wrong."

"… And you're prepared to do anything for that?"

I only smiled. "With my dying will."

…

"Pft… Hahahaha!" Miyuki couldn't help but throw her head back and laugh, and I couldn't stop myself from blushing at the sound of how melodic her laugh was. Ruby looked down at her food, cheeks burning, and Yang was looking at Miyuki with an even redder face.

"W- What's so funny!?" I demanded.

"You are," Miyuki giggled. "You're so silly!"

I stared at her with indignation. That only made her laugh harder.

She was giggling around me for the rest of the day.

Hikage waited for us at the school gates, staring with that eternally blank expression on her face. "Where."

"Follow me," I said simply as I took us towards the forest.

Silence reigned for the entirety of the walk, the air tense.

Of course, that was to be expected. Ruby and Yang hadn't spoken to Hikage in two years, I hadn't spoken to her in two years. The four of us hadn't been together in two years… And now, we were all together again, literally walking towards a fight.

We arrived at a small clearing in the forest, the one I'd been in when I'd stepped into the portal for the job change quest.

I slipped off my bag, letting it drop to the ground as I moved to one end of the clearing, cracking my neck.

"How are we doing this?" Hikage asked.

"The girls will be the judges," I tell her. "We fight until one of us gives up."

Until you tell me you're wrong, went unsaid.

"Weapons?"

"By all means."

She pulled her knife out of her pocket, ready to fight. "Prepare to give up."

I'll take you off this suicidal path.

"You'll try."

Hikage blurred as she charged, her knife aiming for my leg, likely to make it so I couldn't stand. She was going for the easy win.

I wouldn't let her.

Enlightenment.

The world around me sharpened, seeming to move in slow motion as all of my senses were pushed to their limits.

Right as Hikage neared, I took a single step to the left, my knee lifting. At the speed she was going, at the speed I dodged, she didn't even slow down as her gut slammed into my knee, coughing hard as her eyes widened in surprise.

I grabbed Hikage's hair, tossing her into a tree, causing it to break on impact.

Hikage got up, her expression suddenly much more serious.

"Finally taking me seriously, Hikage?"

Are you admitting I'm stronger than you thought?

"Don't get ahead of yourself, Jaune."

Don't walk down this path.

I slowly slid into my stance. "Come on."

She blurred as she charged again, this time with steadier footing so that she could dodge if need be.

Attack.

I vanished from place, causing Hikage to trip as I kicked her foot out from under her.

I watched her eyes widen in shock, but I didn't give her a chance to correct herself, as I brought my elbow up.

Fang.

I slammed my elbow down into her back hard, making her yell in pain, her grip on her knife loosening.

I kicked her hand, her knife flying into the air. I grabbed one of her arms, locking it behind her back, before I pinned her to the ground, catching her knife midfall.

"… You've lost."

I brought the fight to an end swiftly, not wanting to cause her unnecessary pain.

"How…" She grunted as she struggled. "How did you get so… Strong!?"

"Because people tried to stop me," I told her. "When someone pushes me down, and tries to say 'you can't,' all it does is motivate me; fuel me. It makes me want to prove them wrong, to say 'I can.' It's entirely because all of you told me I had no aptitude… That I worked my ass off so I could be here, now, and say that you were wrong. That I can do this…

"Are you willing to admit you were wrong now, Hikage, and be my friend again?"

There was silence…

"… Even after what I did…" She looked back at me, tears that couldn't be shed in her eyes. "You still want me…?"

I smiled at her. "Always…"

[You have cleared Quest: Prove Them Wrong! Both objectives cleared!]

[Rewards]
50 Stat Points
Dagger Mastery Skill
1 Perk Point

"I… I'm sorry…" Hikage said. "I'm so sorry, Jaune… I was wrong… I'm so sorry…"

[Your relationship with Hikage has become Rank D.]

I smiled at her, letting go. "So long as you understand, Hikage-!"

"Ararara…" I flinched as I felt a gun pointing at the back of my head, exclamations of shock coming from the girls.

"Who are you!?" Yang yelled as she quickly got into a fighting stance.

"Fufufu… So, you're Yang?" The girl asked. "I find myself… Disappointed… So very disappointed…"

"Hey!"

"So…" I swear I could hear the girl lick her lips. "It's been so long since I've seen you, big brother! I've been waiting for this day to come!"

I very slowly turned my head, so the girl behind me didn't get trigger happy, and looked at her.

Black hair in twin tails.

Her right eye, a blood red.

Her left eye… A golden, ornate clockface.

The girl only grinned, as my gaze shifted to her pistol, and my eyes widened in shock.

Storm flames.

Storm flames enveloped that pistol…

"I've been waiting so long to see you again, my sky," she purred out.

What-!

[You have forged a Guardian Bond with Kurumi Branwen.]

My eyes widened in shock. Both at the fact a bond had forged somehow, and at the last name I saw in front of me.

"Bran-!"

"Shh," I saw her smirk. "Bad big brother…" I heard her gun cock. "Spoilers…"

"NO-!" I heard Ruby scream.

Kurumi pulled the trigger.

My world faded to black…

~~Ephemeral Dream~~

When I came to, I was in a back alley. A completely filthy back alley, trash strewn everywhere…

The sound of a trigger being pulled filled my mind, and I shuddered…

How was I alive?

And where was I…?

By chance, I looked at a piece of trash on the floor… A newspaper.

Curious, I picked it up… Only to pale as I saw the date… And the headline.

Jack the Ripper, Still At Large.

I sucked in a deep breath.

[Quest: Bonds of the Past]

Kurumi has sent you back in time with the power of her semblance, and you're now in Atlas 8 years in the past. Find out why Kurumi sent you back in time, and find a way to get back home.

Objective: Do what must be done, and return to the present.

I didn't even read the reward as I stared at the blue screen, hanging in the air in front of me.

I was eight years in the past… With a serial killer at large.

… Fuck.

Publish Date: 6th October 2020

Word Count: 5,296

Yup.

I just did what you thought I did. I sent Jaune to Atlas 8 years in the past, when Jack the Ripper was at large.

I bet now you guys are looking back at that flash to the future chapter, and are now starting to understand why, when Jack sensed his presence in that prison cell, she called him Big Brother.

Now, I'm going to address some people who are displeased with the fact Jaune is a Shadow Monarch, when that is known to connect to Ashborn and the monarchs and such.

Being the Shadow Monarch doesn't relate to those things in this fic. It does STILL have a very important meaning, but not the same as in Solo Levelling.

I also know some people were expecting a time skip sometime soon... I bet you didn't expect this to happen, did you?

Anyway, time to respond to reviews.

Savoled: That was actually where I got the inspiration for the Title. I do also recommend reborn to be read/watched, but understand it isn't for everyone. I liked it personally, but the earlier parts of it do seem to drag on a bit, which can make it unapproachable.

DarkDragon: A good question. No, Jaune cannot bring back Maria if she dies. The reason being that Shadow Extraction is used by extracting the target's mana. Maria is created from Jaune's mana, she doesn't have a flesh and blood body. This means that, not only will she vanish if she dies, but he couldn't extract her mana anyway since she is created and using his mana. Make sense?

CrazyApple666: I hadn't thought of that before, but now that idea is gonna be stuck in my head for fuck knows how long, so thanks for that.

And that's all from me for now guys. This is Ezras Hargrave, signing off!