Author's note: Gonna be quick, as some people don't like the long as author notes. I have got to admit they get kind of long. Yes, I live! I am finished 100% of all of my schooling. I got a job interview for my current occupation, which was why I'd been away for a long time. That and placement was a hellscape—two things of note.
New stories will have final voting round with some new entries to vote on (two stories were replaced! one for reaching last place and the other due to reasons that will be expanded after this chapter).
Ultimate Weapon is currently on Hiatus. Part of the reason I was delayed was that I was trying to reforge my interest in Ultimate Weapon. I was almost done, but I found that the chapter I was creating was…lacklustre. My interest wasn't there. You guys who are fans of the Ultimate Weapon don't deserve a chump chapter, so I'm putting it on one Hiatus cycle. I'll upload the next Fate/Shield chapter and another Arcane Craftsman chapter before uploading the new Ultimate Weapon chapter. Hopefully, that will give me time to reignite my passion for the Ultimate Weapon and get book 1 done.
The Arcane Craftsman Chapter 13:
Agravain was what one would call a Burst to build. This was a term to describe an individual geared towards dealing massive damage in a short time. While he was capable in the role, he was not a specialist. Yet, he still rose to be one of the few people who earned "Knight of the Round," a title reserved for the most powerful knights.
Some people wondered how he gained the title. He lacked Gawain's strength, Lancelot's skills, and even the young Galahad's resilience. Was his mother responsible? Was it his connection to his aunt? The answer? He was by far the most effective interrogator the world had ever produced. None could keep their secrets from him, none could hide their intentions, and none had ever hidden a single thought from the man. This was due to his passives.
His first-class, the one he was born with, was the Dark Knight. At birth, the passive granted to him was called "Gaze of the Abyss." It was by far the cringiest name that Agravain had ever heard in his life. He guarded the name of his ridiculous passive with an enthusiasm that bordered on madness. Its ability, however, was indispensable for one of Agravain's trade.
The eyes, his dark purple eyes, allowed him to see the entirety of a person. There was nothing about them that hid from him. He could see their stats, their passives, even their history to some extent. When he interrogated someone, he could see when they lied, told the truth, and if their truth was twisted to hide something. Even misleading facts were debunked with Agravain's power.
Agravain was the general from the shadows, the spy of the Round Table, and the reason that the criminal element held no foothold in his home. It was rumoured that if one were able to slay Agravain, the Round Table would fall. As he slept in his room, these eyes locked firmly on Jaune "Artorias" Arc.
"...I have failed you, brother," murmured Agravain, his purple eyes shining with regret.
Agravain's passive was a constant drain in his life. To see the darkness of the soul… weighed on Agravain like nothing else. He could see it…like dark words twisting around his brother.
I'm Different.
Agravain felt it like it was his own. The sheer admiration of the class up that his brother earned. But it was not a joyful feeling. It was sick. Twisted.
I will not be the same.
His brother's class-up was not joy at newfound power…but an assertion that he was not who he once was. He was truly "Jaune Arc" rather than the failure "Artorious Pendragon."
Remorse.
It was an insidious thing. The crimson title above his head, a rejection of who he perceived to be a failure…the sacrifice of himself. There was more beneath his brother's guilt…his self-loathing…but Agravain would not peer deeper. He had seen enough with his accursed eyes.
"...hmm," grunted the knight.
Agravain understood that Artorious was trying to be different, to have some proof of change. Perhaps it was for this reason that his brother took to his new name so readily. A new name, a new life, a new man. Agravain's resolve to murder Uther grew evermore. To see such a revolting fusion of pride and guilt, to see his brother torture himself every day with the need to be different.
To not be weak anymore.
"I need air," thought Agravain.
Ever clad in his armour, Agravain let the light through. The morning of the sun pierced through the room, hitting Jaune on his arm.
"As expected," muttered Agravain.
Agravain could see more than just a person's core with his eyes. He could see their natural character. This included passives, attack skills, and any other parameters that were ordinarily invisible to others. He even knew that the gods touched Jaune. He even knew about the titles.
"Lord, why so many titles?" grumbled Agravain "he's becoming more like Gawain than I am comfortable with."
Agravain rubbed his forehead in irritation at everything he had to read. Much like his parents and relatives, Jaune was born with many gifts and titles. It was, on the one hand, beneficial. On the other, it gave Agravain a murderous headache. It took a few minutes, but Jaune's eyes finally began to open, the sun replenishing his lost stamina.
"Agravain?"
The Dark Knight moved to his brother's view, his helm still covering his face as always.
"Agravain!" gasped Jaune in disbelief "it's you!"
Jaune got up and rushed the older man, his exhaustion all but forgotten. The armour of Agravain made the hug cold, but Jaune cared little. To others, Agravain was a ghastly image. Black armour that took in the light, a helm with edges set into an eternal glare, and a dark purple cape that covered his right arm from sight. To Jaune, it was edge lord Agravain. He never called Agravain that to his face, but the thought remained. He could never view the man as anything but a caring brother, regardless of what others may say.
"Hello, little brother."
Jaune looked up at Agravain, trepidation in his gaze. The baritone of Agravain was a welcome sound that brought some questions. Questions and concerns.
"Is mother…"
Agravain shook his head.
"I am sorry, but no. We have made headway, though. Many more ambiguous restrictions have worn away from the contract, and Uther has no means to add more. From what we can gather, your mother's protection is limited to his vicinity. If enough distance is kept, she will not be compelled to rush to his aid."
Jaune separated from Agravain and rubbed his chin.
"So, you can kill him?"
Agravain nodded.
"The damage to Lady Arturia would be minimal, almost non-existent in the event of his death. The problem lies in separating him from Lady Arturia in the first place. Uther may be weak, but he is no fool. His situation in the tower makes an attempt on his life difficult. If we fail, it may close his defences even further. It is an option, a viable one, but not the ideal solution."
It went to show just how deeply Uther had ingrained himself into his daughter's life, to the point that there was little leeway in separating the two.
"Then why come here?" asked Jaune. "I mean, you guys weren't able to visit before. What changed?
Agravain began pacing the room before settling his hand on the window arch.
"I could go into the specifics, but in short, your situation has changed enough for me to show myself without garnering Uther's attention."
Jaune accepted it without another thought. If Agravain said Uther wasn't watching, then Jaune trusted that…even if Jaune wasn't aware the man was watching in the first place. However, there was another thought that bugged the young man.
"Are the people back home alright?" asked Jaune. "I know the mages have access to the red dungeons for materials and even food, but what about our people?"
Agravain stood straighter, now giving a full report.
"The people of Camelot have proven to be resilient. While necessities have not been difficult to procure, there have been issues with more unusual supplies. Thankfully this has been mitigated over the years. No, we visit now precisely because we have the opening we need to bring you home."
Jaune bit his lip.
"Agravain, I."
Agravain shook his head.
"I am aware that bringing you home to Camelot to stay is not possible."
"What! No, I mean...I want to come home. It's just...I have friends here that I…."
Agravain nodded. The poor boy forgot that Beacon was a multi-kingdom facility and that his stay in Beacon would deter his way home little. Best to educate the young lord, in this case.
"Have no worries, brother," began Agravain, "that is not what I am referring to. I'm afraid that taking you to Camelot would be misinterpreted as taking you from Vale. You are the first prestigious craftsman in recorded history. The kingdom of Vale may have a reputation of kindness, but they will not allow a resource like you to slip through their fingers without a fight. No, you coming to Camelot will be temporary to study your class and see just how far we can push your deconstruct skill."
Jaune blinked.
"You know about my skills?"
Agravain raised an eyebrow. Purple light began to emanate from Agravain's helm.
"Come now, brother, you know my skillset."
Jaune turned red. Red from laughing.
"I thought you were joking about that!"
He was snickering soon followed. A vein throbbed on Agravain's head as an ominous purple light began emitting from his helm's eyes in a smoky manner.
"Your passive is seriously called the eyes of the abyss? I think that might be the worst passive name in history."
"At least mine does not come off as a euphemism for masturbation."
Jaune stopped laughing.
"Its name is stoke the forge! Not stroke!"
Agravain shrugged.
"Who will they believe? You? Or me?"
Jaune's chin retreated into his throat as he looked at Agravain with disgust.
"...I'll shut up."
"I'll remain silent as well."
Jaune smiled.
"So... you're here for my class?"
Agravain nodded.
"A pleasant surprise, I'll admit but not entirely why I'm here. I came initially for two reasons. The first is to bring you home to see Arturia. While the Geiss prevents her from interacting with you, it does not stop you from interacting with her. Second, I've come to assist in the breaking of your father's curse."
Jaune blinked.
"What…"
Agravain's face turned grave.
"Uther was indeed the cause. He had commissioned a mage to curse you and your father as you left Vale. Sleep is unfortunately not considered a form of murder in the interpretation of the Giess. Your father's shroud would have protected him, but as we know."
Jaune stared at his hands. In his youth in Vale, he remembered when his father gifted him his shroud, a smile on his face. Jaune remembered becoming more energetic when wearing it.
"He gave it to me," finished Jaune.
Agravain nodded, sitting on the bed. Jaune followed suit.
"It took us many years to track her down, but we finally killed the mage a couple of weeks ago, severing the source of the curse. From what I can tell, your father's condition should improve rapidly from this point with the cure."
Jaune felt more relieved than anything. It meant that the years Jaune worked to procure the cure were not for nothing. If it weren't for that mage and Uther, Shirou would have woken up ages ago.
"When should he wake up?" asked Jaune.
Agravain shrugged.
"It is hard to tell. Thanks to your dedication, your father has next to no bedsores or atrophy, but his mind is a different story. Such a long time sleeping may hinder his recovery."
Jaune sighed. It seemed that he was not the only one that Agravain visited.
"It's never simple."
Agravain smiled.
"No, it is not. But we have hope. With your skill and the various plans I've made through the years, I am confident that we can free Arturia from Uther's chains. My mother has been working behind the scenes under Uther."
"How did she accomplish that?" asked Jaune. "I thought Uther knew how much she loathed him?"
"The man is an idiot," sighed Agravain "he believes that my mother is working under him for just resources, putting aside personal feelings for furthering her research."
Jaune blinked.
"You're serious?"
Agravain sighed as he rose, shrugging his shoulders as he did.
"As I said, the man is not a fool, but he is an idiot. Uther is obsessed with the idea that he is somehow the once and future king, as he puts it. He believes he has an unnatural charisma and that he had swayed my mother as a citizen of his kingdom."
Jaune blinked again.
"That's….that is insane! What kind of person thinks that way?"
"His insanity matters little in this instance. Uther believes that he is king and that everyone else is just a servant. Your mother destroyed his mentality by becoming the lord of the Round Table. The people love her and look to her as a leader. It had developed to the point that citizens outside the tower don't bother looking to Ironwood or Uther for guidance. It wouldn't be inaccurate to say that your mother is the true ruler of all the Atlesian isles, not the clocktower's officials."
"That's a bit much, isn't it" chuckled Jaune.
"Brother, the citizens have refused the national name of Atlas and refer to their country as Camelot, after your mother's city."
Jaune had to laugh a bit at that. There was no disputing that particular fact.
Agravain continued.
"Uther despises this contradiction to his delusions...hence why he despises you the most. The people look at you as akin to a prince. Uther is not even next in line as a King to Arturia, but a lowly labour caste is. All those years ago, your actions with Solomon only solidified this feeling of admiration for you. To put it simply, Uther is a jealous man-child. One that wishes to believe you dead."
"Is that why you're bringing me home?"
Agravain nodded.
"Precisely. It took some time for Uther to believe the falsified reports of your demise, but thankfully, the actions of Godfrey have paid off."
"Wouldn't Uther just verify my death himself? I mean, Godfrey went to prison or something, right? Wouldn't that kind of thing tip him off?"
Agravain smiled. No, it was a tooth-filled predatory grin. He also ignored telling Jaune that Godfrey was full-on executed rather than imprisoned.
"Oh, he can't confirm it himself. The difference in power between himself and your mother is simply too large. What are minor inconveniences for your mother are divine laws for Uther. There is no denying the spirit of the agreement. He cannot consciously come near you without triggering the effects of his Giess. Any plans he makes for you give him a headache; any plans he enacts through indirect means can have quite the consequence on his person. That's not to say he hasn't been a nuisance, though."
Jaune raised an eyebrow.
"He tried having your mother marry Ironwood."
"...Did she?"
Agravain chucked.
"Oh, Ironwood learned the hard way of taking advantage of a situation. As you are aware, your mother is his sentinel, his protector. Ironwood believed that your grieving mother needed a friend...a partner."
Agravain coughed, embarrassment clear even with his form covered in armour.
"Your mother may or may not have...turned Alter on him."
Jaune blinked.
"What's an Alter?" he asked.
Agravain coughed.
"A nickname for a state your mother enters. You've heard the skill "monstrous strength" correct?"
Jaune nodded. A super tier skill made the person stronger the more monstrous they became. For most, it was a transformative ability. The higher the rank, the greater depth the transformation could reach, and the higher your strength and power grew. It was a more common skill with berserker classes and the like.
"Your mother's variant of the skill generates black scales, granting her a draconic appearance and boosting her mana and strength. The greater the spread of these scales, the more powerful she becomes, but her sense of morality weakens in return. After destroying the Black Dragon Vortigern and absorbing the skilled stone, she gained the skill. Ironwood was privy to its might and was...indisposed for roughly three months."
"The tower must have been chaotic for a while," chuckled Jaune.
Agravain sighed as he rubbed his brow. His gloved hand is phasing through his helmet to irritate his skin.
"Hardly. For all his accomplishments, Ironwood is more a figurehead than a genuine leader. His subordinates are what have kept the tower running. The poor girl Barthomelloi, so much paperwork."
Jaune distinctly remembers a small brown-haired girl who had the last name Barthomelloi. She was a force of nature even as a child.
"Honestly, little brother, I am somewhat glad you were not around these last few years. The situation at home in the tower has not been pleasant. I am glad that you are well. Now-"
Before Agravain could continue, the sound of heavy footsteps echoed through the hall. Jaune's door exploded off its hinges as Yang came in, smiling from ear to ear.
"Glad you're up! We got so-oh...sorry didn't mean to intrude."
Yang suddenly became sheepish as she saw Agravain, the man still clad in his menacing armour and helm.
"Are the rest of your guild present?" asked Agravain.
Yang blinked.
"Uh...yea their right behind me."
"Good, have them assemble in the main hall of yours. What I have to say impacts your guild as a whole."
Jaune smiled and nodded, while Yang stared at Agravain for another few seconds before moving. Jaune and Yang fell into stride as they walked through the hallway.
"So," stretched Yang, "he always wears the helmet?"
Jaune nodded.
"Weird," she muttered.
As the two reached the bottom floor,r Yang noticed that most of the guild was still in the main hallway. Ren's smile was wide, his remade katana strapped to his side.
"Good to see you awake, Jaune. I was a bit worried when you fell asleep."
"I'm good, Ren, just needed rest. How's the sword."
Ran smiled, rubbing his thumb over the sheath at his waist.
"...perfect."
That was all Jaune needed to know. The heavy footsteps of Agravain echoed as he approached. His posture was stiff as an eerie purple glow emanated from the eyes of his helm. The entire guild, ban Coco and her workers, were present. The labourers of the guild would have attended, but they were busy building the plumbing system and bathrooms. A task that Coco considered more important than meeting some knight.
"I thank you," bellowed Agravain, "for the services and friendship you have offered my kin. I take it you are curious as to why I am here?"
"I mean, you're here for Jaune, right?" chuckled Yang "family has to stick together after all."
Agravain turned his head, staring into Yang. The girl shifted a bit, uncomfortable from his stare.
"Ha," muttered Agravain, "you are a lot like my brother Gawain."
Yang smiled brightly.
"Wait, seriously!"
"That was not entirely a compliment," thought Agravain.
"You're not just here for Jaune, are you" stated Weiss.
Whatever happy feelings were building were snuffed out by Weiss. A severe expression set as she stared down Again. Everyone conveniently ignored her legs shaking slightly.
"No, I am not. As you are aware, there has been some debate over Jaune's citizenship."
Cricket could be heard as everyone stared at Agravain.
"...You are aware, are you not?"
Everyone looked at Jaune. The man himself paled a bit as he shrugged. A deep sigh escaped Agravain as he soldiered on.
"There is no need to complicate it with politics. To put it simply, Jaune was once Artorious, a citizen of what you call Atlas. He has since immigrated to Vale and was given the name Jaune. By political standards, Jaune is a total citizen of Vale and has no direct relation to Atlas or its people. The other Knights and I understand this simply enough. But the political leaders of Atlas differ in that opinion. They are aware of Jaune's true parentage and the potential his class has."
"So, they're what?" chuckled Nora "fighting over him?"
Agravain stared Nora down.
"Yes."
Everyone stilled.
"I admit that you probably have some idea regarding the merits of The Arcane Craftsman class. But I feel that you are unaware of how many B ranks there are. They dwarf the A and S rank individuals in terms of numbers. If a country can acquire the ability to create specialized gear for each person, then there is a solid chance that the B ranks could become A rank."
The level of someone was not the sole factor in creating ranked A individuals. That is not to say that there was no correlation. While history was filled with those defying expectations, the standard practice was that a high level was required to become A rank. As such, Jaune's creations allowed those at B rank to not depend on dungeon drops but specific items tailored to their class and passives. Such a boon was something every country desired. It would bolster the power of their B ranks, allow for more extraordinary evolutions, and possibly even a higher number of the coveted S rank heroes.
"Atlas will not be getting what they want. They would have to admit that Jaune is Artorious in the first place to have any foothold, a fact that would put Uther in the hole he cannot get out of, politically speaking."
Agravain began pacing towards Jaune.
"Many of the mages have partnered with Uther, disliking the leadership that Ironwood has brought. With Lady Arturia's power at his limited behest, Uther has created a faction large enough to threaten Ironwood's leadership within the tower. It is because your mother is Ironwood's sentinel that the infighting has been reduced. If it were all-out war… then not even the roundtable would be enough to contain the tower's infighting. Bringing you in will severely limit Uther's movements. His freedom is dependent on the fact that he does not know for sure that you yet live. Any plans to ascertain your identity have forced the guess to restrict him violently. If he ever discovered that Jaune Arc was Artorious Pendragon…well, he may just croak over."
Jaune blinked.
"Wait...if it's that easy, why not just introduce me?"
Agravain sighed as he titled his helmet down.
"Uther has suspicions of who you are…and he'll keep it that way. So long as he does not know that Jaune Arc is Artorious Pendragon…he has some leeway. He'll remain out of sight, out of earshot, and his allies will do the same. It's why Atlas is admitting that you are Artorious will not happen and that their stance on drafting you into the tower will lead nowhere. This is another factor why Uther did not investigate you as strenuously. So long as he is not truly aware that you are alive, he has the freedom to deal with you. Ironically, the clocktower is now the safest place for Jaune at this moment."
"You're strong-arming Uther," Weiss realized "having Jaune in the tower…you're trying to force Uther to act."
Agravain nodded. Uther may not be "aware" that Jaune was Artorious, but that didn't mean Uther did not have strong suspicions regarding the matter. It was why Uther's mages were merely feigning interest in the Arcane Craftsman in the talks with Vale.
"Ok, this is getting complicated way too fast," sighed Yang "why exactly are you telling us this? If this just involved Jaune, you wouldn't have summoned all of us here?"
You could say what you wish about Yang; her intuition was second to none…sometimes. Agravain nodded.
"I mention this because I wish to invite all of you to Atlas under the guise of your yearly quest system. Uther would ensure that anyone named "Jaune" would be blocked from the tower. This will be a cover for Jaune to enter the kingdom without Uther knowing. You would all be classified as the Wayward Guild rather than by name."
The room went silent.
"Come again?" uttered Yang.
"You heard me. I see no need to repeat myself."
Yang rubbed her eyes. Ren rose an eyebrow while the others showed signs of apprehension.
"What exactly will this…quest entail?" asked Blake.
"You will be investigating the catacombs of the tower for abnormal activity. Many low-tier mages and other classes have gone missing in the area. Your quest will be to investigate the cause."
Yang stared at Agravain with a stern look.
"Isn't that something you guys should be doing? Why would...oh".
Yang sighed in annoyance. Ruby seemed a tad confused, so she raised her hand.
"…you do not need to raise your hand with me, child."
Ruby coughed a bit before speaking.
"Are we getting this quest because Atlas wants Jaune?"
Agravain nodded, humming in approval.
"Quite indeed. While I wish to use your guild as a cover for Jaune to enter Atlas, it is also meant to garner more protection for him, politically speaking. The neutral mages of the Clocktower have had a desire to study the abilities of an Arcane Craftsman since Ozpin announced his enrollment in Beacon. Due to the privacy seals that Ozpin employs, only those involved in the showcase today are aware of the Arcane Craftsman's name. The Atlesian delegate will be leaving after us to ensure Jaune's obscurity for a time. The tragedy of those missing was the opportunity to bring Jaune home for a time. As a guild, the classes you all possess are public information. I have little doubt that Ironwood would accept your guild simply to study Jaune; consequences be damned. Have no worries, young warriors; the might of the Round Table will be behind you in this endeavour. Consider the yearly quest a formality, a reward for assisting us in the ruse necessary to cage Uther's movements. The use of the yearly quest system is to protect you as well. So long as you are all there on official business, the mages will be restricted. After all, if they move against Vale, kidnapping my brother, it will be the excuse the other countries need to raid Atlas and the tower."
Mutually assured destruction. Atlas and its clock tower would handle a lot, but the combined might of all the kingdoms? No, there were limits. Especially when their S rank Arturia would do nothing to protect them…or the fact that the citizens of Camelot would just let the tower be taken, uncaring of the callous mages within. The advantage of studying Jaune was dwarfed considerably by those massive disadvantages.
"Worry not," explained Agravain, "it will not come to such an outcome. You will all be rewarded handsomely as well for your participation in the yearly quest and protecting my brother."
Yang seemed uncaring of the political backgrounds, agreeing readily, "Sweet. Why not?"
Yang turned to the more academically inclined people of the group for their two cents.
"…I don't know," muttered Ren "does this not defeat the purpose of a yearly quest?"
Weiss shrugged.
"The yearly quest system does not have a difficulty requirement as far as I'm aware. If anything, we can pick the lowest quest for our next one. The opportunity to work with a guild like the Round Table does not come often as well."
That and…well, no one wanted war. Blake nodded, her visage appearing and disappearing through the shadows.
"There's also the time limit for the dungeon requirements. We're barely a month into Beacon; if we complete the yearly quest now, that gives us two years to complete dungeons and prep for the Vytal festival before having to do the next one."
Everyone murmured in agreement for that. The Vytal festival was effectively a violent talent show. The tournament setting pitted school guilds from across the four kingdoms against each other. Each Kingdom has three teams each, with Vale having two and Beacon having one. Outside of combat, there was also racing, puzzles, survival, and various other activities for the masses' amusement and the showcasing of the young heroes. It was here that school guilds could be invited and supported by true guilds during their education, earning a spot in possibly large and successful guilds before they even graduate. That or they sucked and never joined a guild at all due to poor performances or perceived weakness. The Vytal festival indeed was survival of the fittest and occurred once a year. The idea that they could focus on preparing for the said festival was a great boon, which was tempting for sure.
"I say it's a win-win!" declared Nora. "We get a pass for our yearly quest and help a friend out!"
Ren nodded, gripping his new sword tightly. A debt was owed…and debt would be paid. Jaune was overwhelmed at the show of support as everyone began voicing agreements. Pyrrha placed a hand on his shoulder and smiled. Agravain watched the guild with a small smile.
"If nothing else," thought Agravain, "he's at least happy."
"It will take some time to get the kingdoms to agree to this…by my estimate, you have little over a week to prepare. You will not have to worry about supplies as we will provide such."
With that, Agravain… I am well disappeared.
Jaune chuckled at the pool of slithering darkness that Agravain had walked backwards into.
"He still can't end a conversation to save his life!"
Most people would say goodbye, tell when they would get back to you, or some definitive ending to a conversation. Agravain was not one of these people.
"So…we got a week," muttered Yang "…I'll be honest, I kind of want to relax. Been nothing but go go go lately."
Jaune smiled as he rolled his shoulders.
"I agree; I still got a kink in my shoulder."
Ignoring Jaune's poor humour, Weiss ruffled the contract in her hands a bit, a frosty pair of glasses conjured on her face.
"According to this, we have the C rank dungeon for two days. If we want, we can relax for tomorrow and go to the dungeon on Thursday."
"I'm raiding the bar!" chuckled Nora.
Yang was right with her, laughing as the two chuckled.
"What about you, Jaune?"
Jaune closed his eyes, letting the sun replenish his physical stamina. Its warmth filled him in gentle waves.
"I'll check with Coco and the others, see what we can do to help with the repairs."
Before Jaune could do anything, Ruby latched onto his arm, a rather creepy stare on the young girl's face.
"No!" laughed Ruby.
Jaune blinked.
"…huh?"
"You, go rest! Just because you feel rested doesn't mean you are…at least that's what Raven tells me when we train sometimes?"
With that, Ruby began dragging Jaune up the stairs, intent on taking care of the man that exploded into a living firestorm not an hour before. Jaune had to admit, the idea of sleep was appealing. Physically he felt fine but mentally, not so much.
"Alright, alright, I'm going," chuckled Jaune.
He waved goodbye to Pyrrha, who followed Blake outside. Ruby let him go and giggled as she skipped down the stairs behind Jaune, laughing at the little display.
"I'll check in on Coco and the others! Better let them know we might be gone for a while in the future," muttered Weiss. Jaune watched her disappear to the depths of the guild house and wondered why she was allowed to do as she wished. The poor woman did more work around the guild than anyone else, and no one deigns to stop her.
Did…did this mean he was a pushover or something?
Jaune smiled and shook his head. A lot was thrown his way today…some sleep would do him some good. It was almost seamless, the journey from the stairs to his bed. As his face delved further into the pillow, Jaune's eyes shuttered closed. His last lingering thoughts were the excitement of tomorrow and the day of relaxation that awaited him.
-Thursday-
When Jaune had arrived at the C rank dungeon, he had a few expectations. The first was the dungeon itself would be below his level. He was, after all, a B-rank individual. That assumption got blown out of the water, right around the time that Jaune was blown onto his ass.
"OOOF!"
Jaune shook his head and scowled, and the lizardman slithered deep into the water again, evading Jaune's flames as they tore at the creature.
"Damnit," grumbled Jaune.
Jaune struggled to get up on the slippery marshlands, somewhat regretting that the only combat-worthy clothing he owned had him shirtless the whole time. There were some spaces that mud should never get into.
"You alright?" snickered Nora.
"I'm fine," grumbled Jaune "just the damn thing is quicker than I thought. Lizardmen seemed so slow back when I was a porter."
Ren sheathed his blade with a click, the split body of a lizardman falling at the young man's feet. Ren sighed, allowing the burn of his muscles to bring a pleasant smile to the young man's face.
"You're trying too hard to approach them. Let the monsters approach you instead."
Jaune sighed and rubbed his forehead.
"I remember…can't seem to get the timing down, though."
Pyrrha, clad in the armour of her people, helped Jaune get steady. Even Pyrrha, unique as she was, was having difficulty keeping her legs stable. This was attributed more to her acrobatic means of combat being ill-suited for such an environment.
"We're almost through the marshlands. If I recall, you mentioned that the boss was further in?"
Jaune nodded, slapping some mud off his shirt.
"There was a bit of history in the spears they wield. It mentioned that the lizards live in a cave system that connects to the marsh. How accurate that is, I don't rightly know. How long do we have to clear this?" asked Jaune.
"Another few hours," stated Weiss.
"A FEW HOURS!?"
Weiss nodded.
"There was a reason no one accepted this dungeon back at school. The marshlands are considered a debuff zone, and the odd layout makes clearing it before a dungeon break difficult."
Jaune grimaced.
A debuff zone was an excellent clinical way to refer to an environment as shitty as donkey crap. The marshlands were home to various poisons, unstable ground, and lizardman ambushes. This increased the overall difficulty of the dungeon in comparison to other C-rank dungeons. While no dungeons were ultimately the same, there were core similarities. For instance, D rank and below are small dungeons, primarily found in caves. C and B rank is home to larger environments but ultimately still limited in some fashion. Some are like cave systems, whereas others like this world were more varied. A rank and above were not just segments but entire worlds and could take weeks, months, and even years depending on the zone and gate type.
Red gates are famous in that so long as the core segment of the dungeon is not disrupted, the gate could remain open indefinitely. The Kingdom of Minstral was home to a red-gate that led to an elven nation. Some dungeons also have conditions for their clearing and breaking, making them last for a long time, so long as the breaking needs are not met.
All in all, it was a series of confusing and annoying events for this C rank dungeon. Jaune sighed as he took off his footwear, letting the mudslide down to the ground as he shook it out.
"We're about halfway through."
Everyone turned to face Blake and Ruby, appearing alongside Yang. Yang was blinking furiously as if she saw stars.
"Remind me never to get a ride off Blake's passive," muttered the boisterous blonde, having gone with the scouts as muscle.
"So, we're making good progress," smiled Pyrrha.
Blake nodded. Ruby giggled as she pulled down her hood.
"Yea! Blake and I checked the northern and southern parts of the dungeon. Seemed about two kilometres each way, and there's a massive cave further north."
"It's the only place that would house the dungeon boss," said Yang, "and just to be clear, we didn't end up with a dungeon quest, have we?"
Weiss shook her head.
"Thankfully, no."
Yang nodded, satisfied that this would be a simple, straightforward run. Dungeon quests were stupidly rare. The pay-out could be massive, but the search associated with it was usually challenging as a result. Imagine running around slaying beasts of legend only to have some words appear above you, declaring additional conditions for clearing the dungeon.
Nobody liked it. It was usually something that nobody ever worried about, though, due to the event's rarity. However, considering Jaune's circumstances, it was better to be safe than sorry.
"Jaune."
The young craftsman turned to Pyrrha. A sudden chill formed as Weiss used her magic to create a barrier.
"Yea?"
The red-headed spartan sighed. Her posture was uneven as the champion gave an edgy look.
"Are…are you alright?"
"I feel ok," smiled Jaune.
Pyrrha stared at him. Jaune swallowed as he looked down. His hands are growing clammy somewhat.
"I…I admit I'm a little nervous about going home."
Pyrrha nodded.
"I can understand that…a little. You've been distracted fighting the lizardmen."
Jaune rubbed his forehead. He had to admit…perhaps he wasn't at his best. The beasts were indeed slippery but not agile enough to escape Jaune as they've done so far certainly.
"I just…I didn't expect this all to come together so fast…I thought I had time. More time to hone my skills and more time as friends."
Yang perked up at Jaune's statement, her eyes narrowing slightly. Pyrrha yelped as Yang rested her head on Pyrrha's shoulder, giving Jaune a light-hearted stink eye.
"You feel guilty or something?"
Jaune opened his mouth but closed it. Yet, words seemed to force their way from his throat anyways.
"I just feel that…look, this isn't your problem…Uther is the kind of monster that won't care if you die. You shouldn't have to help a guy you've only known for a short time."
Yang snorted. That snort became a full-blown belly full of laughter, shaking Pyrrha as the blonde stood straight again.
"I don't think this is funny," grumbled Jaune.
"I think it's hilarious," snarked Yang, "so how many days do we need to know each other to help you? What next? Will you tell me I need to do friendship quests to be friends with you? Besides, it's not like we're getting nothing out of helping you, right?"
Jaune had to admit she had a point. It wasn't as if the guild was doing this simply for Jaune. The idea that they could get some of their graduation requirements out of the way in under two months…it must have been a record or something.
"Ok…random thought," jumped Nora, shoving Yang to the side, "but what do we call you? I mean, Agravain kept switching between Artorious and Jaune. It's going to get confusing at some point."
Jaune sighed.
"I…I have no idea. Both are my name…if that makes sense. I guess whichever is more comfortable for you."
Nora blinked. Then the enormous shit-eating grin that Jaune had ever witnessed spread across the girl's face.
"I dub thee…JARTORIOUS!"
"No."
"YESS!"
"No."
"Jartorious! Let us be off!"
Nora grabbed Jaune by the shoulders and began carrying him through the marsh. The barrier that Weiss made shattered into tiny snowflakes. Her aggravation cleared as she rubbed her head.
"That poor man," sighed Ren.
Yang chuckled and slapped the half-blood on the shoulder.
"Ah, I'm pretty sure Jaune will be fine. Now let's get a move on, Mr. Samurai. We got a dungeon to burn!"
Ren watched Yang leave and shook his head. Her odd nickname probably came from his hand, having yet to leave his blade since Jaune repaired it.
"Come on, Ren, it won't be that bad!" chuckled Ruby.
The sound of thunder echoed through the dungeon as the maniacal laughter of Nora shook the mud the group was trudging through. The group began to move again, shattering the leftover lizardmen that Nora ran past.
"Well, at least Nora is having fun," smiled Ren.
"Too much fun if you ask me," muttered Weiss "we've been dealing with lizardmen all day!"
Ren stared at Weiss, his smile becoming more of a smirk.
"You are forcing them into hibernation, aren't you?"
Weiss nodded with a grimace.
"I won't argue the logic, just the execution! I've run out of mana three times already!"
Ruby chuckled, remembering the near ungodly legion of lizardmen that approached them after Nora's first…bout. The crazy berserker had managed to somehow ride a Connoraus, a type of lizard beast, straight into an encampment in the marsh. The result? They've managed to slay everything just by walking in a straight line. The issue? Half the marshlands were frozen, and if it weren't for Jaune, everyone but Weiss would be shaking from the cold. It made Ren wonder how Weiss had such a large selection of ice magic in the first place. Not every B rank was capable of close-range magic and AOE spells.
Ren narrowed his eyes as they approached the entrance of a cave. Unlike the other dungeons that Ren has experienced, the cave was utterly drenched, not to mention claustrophobic. The cave's height was only a foot above Ren's head.
"Footing will be difficult here," muttered Ren.
Pyrrha glowed slightly as a dagger materialized from her inventory, replacing her favoured spear.
Weiss rubbed her chin as she inspected the cave. She noticed that Nora and Jaune were waiting further in. Well…Jaune was waiting. Nora was currently chock holding a lizard while grinning like a madman. Her eyes were a blazing blue, and even Pyrrha cringed at the resounding crack of bones. The lizardman's corpse fell to the ground, the corpse dispersing into an item that Nora deposited in the small bag on her back. Jaune looked at her expectedly until the berserker remembered Jaune's limitless inventory. She seemed to say something that made Jaune smile as he put away the item. Nora turned to the trio as they closed in.
"Took your sweet time!"
Pyrrha blinked.
"But…we were only behind you by?"
Ren shook his head, placing his hand on Pyrrha's shoulder. Nora cackled as electricity began to flow around her body. Weiss rose an eyebrow and looked to Ren for an explanation.
"I thought she couldn't generate her electrical current?"
Ren shook his head as Nora bounded further into the dungeon, dragging the poor Arcane Craftsman with her.
"She can't. What your seeing is mana leakage. Whenever Nora gets sufficiently bloodthirsty, her body begins to emit electrical sparks. She can't direct them, and from what I can tell, it isn't harmful either. In truth, it seems more cosmetic, a facsimile of electricity if anything."
Pyrrha grimaced.
"I've heard such skills can be…annoying."
Nothing was more irritating than having an essential skill that did nothing. Many warriors would have flashy attacks that "spit" fire only to realize that said flames were little more than mirages formed from their aura or mana. A factor of "cool," if one would, only an element useless in combat. Ren's sword style was odd in that it produced genuine lightning, although this was attributed more to the use of the Raikiri rather than inherent to the sword style itself.
The ground shook again as Nora roared in victory.
Yang chuckled as she rushed ahead, attacking the stragglers that Nora and Jaune left behind. Blake rushed forward, Ruby close in tow.
"We'll scout ahead. See if we can find the boss."
"See that you do," commanded Weiss. "Considering the overall weakness of the lizardmen, the boss will likely be stronger than the average C rank."
Ren gripped his sword tightly. While they were all B ranks, that meant surprisingly little in the dungeons. After all, an idiot B rank could still die in a C rank dungeon. It would be a death from a thousand cuts, but still possible. Ren, for one, wasn't too keen on being overconfident. Pyrrha, while serious, was filled with a kind of serene aura. Weiss seemed hyper-focused, a sort of cold mana leaking from her gracefully. There was a sort of…unspoken comfort—a thrum of energy that seemed to relax and heighten his mood. Ren enjoyed the feeling, this friendship. However, now that they were separate from the rest, Ren could begin asking the real questions.
"So. What do you think of Jaune's situation."
Weiss clicked her tongue.
"I was wondering when you were going to ask that. I honestly am hesitant to go back to Atlas. This is less regarding Jaune and more so my circumstances. There are…people I'd rather avoid. However, Uther's reign has gone on long enough. If it is possible that Jaune can stop it with his class skills… then I see no reason not to pursue it. After all, the rewards are worth it."
Pyrrha shrugged.
"I see no problem assisting him. The risk involved is nothing different from accepting quests or delving into dungeons. But, why ask Ren?"
Why ask us, was the unvoiced question.
"Yang, Blake, and Ruby seemed settled with helping Jaune. Yang and Ruby are grateful for what Jaune has done after all. Blake herself is honour-bound."
Everyone knew how Ruby's class was once the grey colour of a labour caste. Jaune was aware of the caste differences. However, his perspective was clouded by familial relationships. Jaune's family was odd in that the Hero class family accepted a labourer husband and a labourer child whole-heartedly and openly.
The average circumstance for a labourer-based class in a hero family was different. Jaune's scythe saved the young reaper from a lifetime of doubts and prejudice. Blake was grateful for the pair of blades and, as a Belladonna, was honour-bound to return the favour. The Belladonnas were famous as a ninja clan out in the deserts of Vacuo. Their focus on honour and paying debts was well known.
Weiss gave Ren a frosty look, her eyes becoming a calm, icy blue.
"Are you suggesting that I would betray Jaune?"
Ren looked at the ice mage, stern and rigid face, electricity sparking from the sword at his waist.
"You are a mage of Atlas. You cannot expect me to believe that you did not weigh the pros and cons of siding or going against Uther. Jaune has repaired the one thing I thought lost to me forever; I won't allow anything to get in his way."
Weiss looked away and sighed. However, a tiny smile graced her features.
"Honestly, this is slightly reassuring for me."
Ren rose an eyebrow. Pyrrha looked at this with a somewhat stupefied expression, wondering how this all came about from a single question.
"Oh?"
Weiss smiled.
"I was a little concerned how quickly we were getting along. I thought I was the odd one out, still having my little doubts about you all."
Weiss stopped moving and looked at Ren.
"My connections to Atlas…they are the very reason I will not side with Uther. I doubt anything I say will fully remove your doubts. But…hopefully, I can show you that I mean well…that I am committed to our guild."
Ren sighed, rubbing his neck in shame. The electricity sparked away as the sword calmed down.
"No…I apologize. You've given me no reason to suspect you. It…it just seems too surreal. As if this is all a grand game… this collision of events and personalities seem almost…."
"Preordained?" smiled Weiss.
"The gods have a funny way of bringing people together," said Pyrrha, interrupting the two. She got between them and smiled.
"However, it is our choice if we remain together and in what way. Perhaps the Gods had a hand in this. We know that several watch Jaune."
"And you as well," smiled Weiss.
Pyrrha stared ahead, her eyes misting over slightly.
"Yes…although not to Jaune's extent."
Ren chuckled and shook his head.
"You are not going to surprise us with a magical system that accelerates your growth at the risk of your life?"
Pyrrha smiled.
"No, nothing that extreme. I'm not sure what god watches over me. People have told me all my life that my brother and I were blessed."
Ren lost his smile, and Weiss sighed a frosty breath. Pyrrha smiled.
"It is an old wound. I'd rather not talk about it further, though."
Ren nodded.
"I know the feeling. Just…don't mention it around Nora. Once she gets like this, she can be…rather obtuse."
Weiss rolled her eyes.
"The utter lack of social skills for berserkers is well known."
The shadows converged as Blake came into being.
"We've found the boss."
"How bad is it?" asked Pyrrha.
"A toad lord."
Everyone stilled.
"…you're kidding," sighed Weiss.
Blake smiled and shook her head.
"No. If we're lucky-"
The assassin was silenced before she could finish her sentence.
"Don't jinx it, please," sighed Pyrrha "last thing we need is a bored God interfering in a simple dungeon."
It was rare but familiar enough that people avoided going into a dungeon with those who were "blessed" by deities if they had a choice. After all, no one wanted to fight an adorable yellow mouse monster only for it to transform into a glowing pixie dragon. The majority of gods were thankfully restricted in what they could do. However, the likes of Oberon could find ways to screw around if given the incentive.
"Now…how to bring the fight to the toad…" muttered Pyrrha.
"I am more concerned with stopping Nora."
Ren smiled.
"I trust Nora. She is unruly and reckless, but even she won't fight a boss single handily."
Weiss took Ren's word for it but didn't relax. Pyrrha began asking questions about the area the boss was in.
"So, the area is larger?" muttered Pyrrha.
"Enough space for us all to move freely."
Weiss smiled, an idea coming to mind. To her surprise, Nora came running back with Jaune, smiling the entire time broadly.
"Found the boss! But I bet you guys already knew that!"
Ren smiled as Nora came to a screeching halt in front of him, her eyes a searing blue. Jaune was smiling fondly as well. At Nora's behest, he had gone "toe to toe" with a few of the lizardmen, and he had to say…it was therapeutic in a way to simply hit something.
"Any ideas for the boss?" asked Jaune.
"You've never faced a toad lord before," smiled Yang.
Jaune chuckled as he rubbed the back of his head.
"Believe it or not, no. I know they're common enough, but I never really came across them in my dungeon runs."
Weiss rubbed her chin. Her eyes glowed more and more as she channelled her mana. To Jaune, it was as if she was twisting her mana in place, concentrating it to a single point than it dispersed harmlessly.
"Jaune, care to try an experiment with me?"
Jaune rose an eyebrow but nodded. The group moved quickly. Perhaps it was Jaune clearing his head with Nora or maybe even the talk that Weiss and Ren had not moments ago, but the slight awkwardness that had invaded the group seemed to have disappeared, at least for the moment. The Wayward guild found themselves on top of a cliff. It was as if the entire area below them was some sort of natural coliseum. A large circular area in which a massive toad stood sentinel. It was decked out in steel armour, a large claymore easily the size of several people stood ready in its heads. The toad seemed inert, waiting for something. Ren smiled and turned to Jaune.
"The toad lord is resilient, more so than any other C rank boss. However, it doesn't move until provoked."
"Must be the size," muttered Jaune "something that big must need a lot of energy."
"So, how are we engaging the toad lord?" asked Blake. "I can deal with a critical quickly while Ruby distracts it?"
Weiss's hands began to emit a chilling vapour as she stabbed her staff into the ground beneath her.
"I have a better idea. I still have a few mana potions in reserve, and there was something I wanted to try. Do you remember that Knight we fought back in the guild house?"
"You mean Kevin?"
Weiss gave Jaune a blank stare.
"I swear that's his name," grumbled Jaune.
"That is not his name," grumbled Weiss.
Weiss went to the cliff's edge and began to circle her mana. The vapour started to become colder and colder.
"Jaune, have you ever tried to manipulate your mana like I am now?"
Jaune blinked and shook his head.
"I usually just let it go if you know what I mean."
Jaune focused and began to circle the mana in his arms. To his surprise, a scale-like pattern began to form on his arms, embers leaking from the spaces between his "scales."
"...that's new," muttered Jaune.
Yet, Jaune could feel it. The flames within his arms were accelerating; the heat formed was more significant than his usual output.
"Good. Your control could be more fluid, but it is enough to try this. Jaune, direct your flames to collide with my ice on the center of the enemy. Focus and try to make your flames as hot as they can be."
Jaune nodded. Together the two aimed their raw mana at the toad lord. Jaunes extreme heat met with Weiss's searing cold. The result was explosive. The explosion was wide-ranged and even from where the team was, dozens of feet away, felt the hot winds hit them. The toad lord was sent flying, their armour a cherry red. The toad croaked weakly as they were sent flying into a wall. Pyrrha acted quickly. She drew her spear from inventory and threw her spear with her eyes glowing crimson. It must have been a skill, for the spear glowed a searing white and flew true, piercing the toad lord through the throat.
The creature twitched once and died—a simple battle for the team of B ranks.
"Huh," muttered Weiss, "that worked better than I thought."
"A steam explosion?" muttered Blake.
Weiss nodded.
"Of a sort, yes. It was more a meeting of two extreme manas rejecting each other than a real steam explosion. Sadly this won't be something me and Jaune will be able to use all that often. The blast range was far larger than I anticipated. It would seem that your flames are more akin to dragon fire than I thought."
Jaune smiled.
"I just burn a bit hotter than average."
Accurate dragon fire would have eaten through Weiss's mana, destroying rather than rejecting Weiss's ice magic. Still, the compliment was appreciated.
"Now, how the hell are we going to take that beast apart?" muttered Yang.
Jaune blinked and stared at his fellow blonde with confusion. Yang smirked.
"I mean, think about it. We got a guy here who can make anything we need in terms of weapons, right? What stops you from using monsters as materials?"
"Nothing," stated Jaune, "but I'm pretty sure we can make more money getting its corpse dismantled by the school; rather than us keeping a corpse, we have no idea how to butcher."
Weiss rubbed her hands, dissipating whatever remained of her ice-cold mana.
"Jaune…can you dismantle the toad?"
Jaune shook his head.
"I can't dismantle living things."
"But it's dead," stated Nora.
Jaune looked at the toad lord and back to his hand and shrugged. Nora had a point. Jaune approached the body of the toad lord and placed his hand on it.
ALERT!
Would the player like to dismantle "Toad Lord Augustus" for materials?
Jaune smiled.
"Yes."
The toad lord, now named Augustus, shattered into particles of blue light, and Jaune smiled. The mana cost was massive, with Dismantle needing a more significant amount of mana than anticipated. But that didn't matter. For Dismantle had levelled up.
Dismantle (A) Lv. 3-5
Eradicates an item with some restrictions. Medium chance of some materials used to be salvaged. (NEW!) Can obtain up to three components from dismantled creatures. The number of components/materials is dependent on the mass of the target. Dismantle cannot be used on living animals. The cost of dismantling is dependent on the mark in question.
Congratulations! The player is the first to use "Dismantle" on a defeated monster! The Player has earned a more significant number of drops (x2).
Target: Toad Lord Igustus
Toad Hide (C) x10
Bone of the Toad Lord x 14
Mana stone large (C) x 2
Blue Dust x3
Jaune smiled at the drops he obtained.
"Kind of wished I knew about this earlier. It took almost a quarter of my mana, but I got some great drops."
Nora grinned.
"Told ya!"
"…We still got some time to prepare for Atlas," muttered Jaune "…thank you for the help."
Yang smirked.
"I'm kind of excited! I get the whole court intrigue thing we're getting in the middle of, but I heard the countryside of Atlas is to die for!"
Ruby sighed, watching her sister's poor attempt at cheering up Jaune. However, it seemed to do the trick as Jaune perked up.
"You know what, Yang, you're right. There's a lot at Atlas that I'm concerned about…but the truth is there is a lot I've missed as well. I'm excited to return home…I just want to make sure that I'm making the most of my time."
Weiss stepped and smiled.
"Than we best get home and experiment with dismantling as much as we can. There truly isn't any time to waste now, is there?"
Jaune nodded, the group moving out as the dungeon began to break apart. Jaune looked at his hand, wondering if he was ready for Atlas.
"…".
Jaune remained silent and began to wonder how things had changed back home. Both within the tower…and within Camelot itself. It was scary…but Jaune liked to believe that things would turn out differently this time. At least…he hoped.
END OF ARC 1.
PHEW! This is the end of arc 1. It kind of ended on a duller note than I wanted, but after the second deletion of the chapter, I decided to get this out for you guys now rather than later. Besides, we are getting into the new Arc: Camelot after this! Pedal to the metal, baby gets ready for action, politics, and an exploration of the city of Atlas/Camelot and what it is like living in a country having an identity crisis. Below is the final list of stories that will be voted on! Voting will cease on the upload of chapter 14. I want to thank everyone that has been on this crazy ride with me, and I hope you're excited about the next chapter! The next upload is Fate/Shield.
Notes: Fate 0.1 has been taken off because I have literally found a story that followed most of the plot points I considered. It is somewhere in my favourites. The fact is a guy already did the plot I was thinking of and did it well! Fate/WTF was in last, and as such, the tradition of my voting system was removed and replaced with a story from my vault.
Currently in the lead for the next story is Monarch of Shadows!
Current stories to vote on:
Monarch of Shadows:
Genres/Tropes: Romance, Adventure, Politics, World-building, The Clash of Ideas, Broken Family, Prejudice.
Warnings: Izuku is older (25) and has a younger sister. Izuku will inherit the "Ashbourne" fortune and is a businessman. Izuku spent some years in the military and has a degree in Japanese Law. I will focus on Izuku, with the "main" story of My Hero Academia happening in the background. This story explores the idea of "power" and the ideology of various heroes and villains. Expect heavy canon divergences from both Solo Levelling and My Hero Academia. The war with the Monarchs and Rulers will not happen, at least not how to solo levelling has depicted it.
Possible ships at this moment: Izuku x Nagant or Izuku x Rumi (I can't decide if I'm doing one or the other). Izumi (Izuku's sister) x Ochako.
Summary: Born with a power that invites only scorn, Izuku "Ashbourne" has made his mark in the world despite the best efforts of others. With the power inherited from his father, Izuku lives a life few could ever dream of. Yet, he does not rest. Izuku learns the truth of how quirks came to be and the dangers that come with them. If that wasn't, enough Izuku must also deal with familial drama and the knowledge that his quirkless sister somehow has a quirk to call her own. Izuku never wanted to be a Hero…and destiny seems to make him one anyways. Move over All for One; a true Monarch walks the earth.
Journey: Remake
Genres/Tropes: Romance, Broken Family, Misunderstandings, Monster Hunter, Emotional Resilience, Standing Alone, Recognition that is Earned.
Warnings: Prejudice and racism present (for Witchers and Faunus). Jaune is strong. NOT OP. Magic and Aura can mix. He accelerated the healing factor. "Perfected" Witcher (delicate balance). Body dysmorphia. Emotional Trauma. Older/Younger relationship. Dark themes. Happy themes. Dystopian themes. Jaune walks his path not chained by Witchers or the Arc Legacy.
Ships: Jaune x Willow (it will make sense, I swear to God XD).
Summary: To stand one's ground. It was the earliest lesson that Jaune remembered from his mother. That there was a time in everyone's life when you must stand your ground and stand tall even in the face of evil. Jaune took that to heart and stood his ground when a man came, demanding payment for a monster slain. He found himself embroiled in the scheme of an old scientist and an even older Witcher. Awakened with eyes a cold steel blue, Jaune's life forever changed. A decade later, now the frontier hero, Jaune, must face a new problem. A conjunction of the spheres wrecked the status quo of remnant and brought forth the dangers of beasts once more. For no longer do monsters hide in the shadows, few? With a blade of silver, a young Witcher treads. Beckoned by the call of a Maiden to rid a city of beasts and maybe, possibly, reconnect with a family thought lost. This is the legend of the young Wolf Jaune of Arc, the last Witcher.
Fate/Clover
Genres/Tropes: Multiversal travels a bitch. Extremely anti-social Archer. Mereleona gives no shits. Homebody Archer (makes his soaps and more! Mostly because he's bored). Comedy. Action. Exploration of Desires (Mereleona). Emotional and mental instability (Archer). BAMF Archer and Mereleona. Random encounter to friends to best friends to lovers. Extremely possessive Mereleona. He paced over a decade before the main story. Expect EXTREME plot divergences.
Ships: Mereleona/Archer. Noel/Fuegoleon (Not sure if this is canon, but I see it). Any other vessels are up for debate.
Summary: The grail sucks, and Avenger is a sore loser. That was the only explanation Archer had for the colossal fuck up that was his current existence. How else would you explain the fact that he was displaced in another dimension and currently incarnated in his younger self? There were so many wrongs and impossible with what happened that Archer just stopped caring. Who was he to deny himself the opportunity of a vacation? Things were rocky at the start, that much Archer would admit. It took him longer than he would have liked to get his magic back up and running, but he got there. Archer built himself a house in the middle of the massive mana-rich environment. It was in the middle of a forest, surrounded by nothing but nature. Not a single soul was anywhere near him.
Just the way he liked it. Experimenting with the area's cuisine, creating some necessities from scratch, and even building himself a bathhouse. Archer had it made, even if it took him a bit over a year to get everything settled. All was good…
"Hey! What's for dinner!?"
Archer sighed and rubbed his eyes.
"Can you not bother someone else?"
Archer turned to face the crimson-haired lioness known as Mereleona.
"If I'm that much of a bother, then just tell me!"
Archer's mouth remained shut against his better judgement, and the man simply went to work. The slight smile on Mereleona's face did nothing to deter Archer's mood, though.
"Is it so difficult to just be left alone?" thought Archer.
Percy Jackson: The Spark
Genres/Tropes: Massive Canon divergence. MTG elements (i.e., Planeswalkers). Gods are GODS (I.E., Not little bitches that get their ass kicked by 12-year-olds). The myths surrounding gods and monsters are not entirely accurate (cause humans don't… you know, live on Olympus and see divine battles). Gods are different from canon; some are similar others are different. Hephaestus and Percy focused. Percy is a Planeswalker. Sally Jackson is 28 (had Percy young). Percy has lung and asthma issues that get addressed. Gods are HEAVILY restricted and are rejected by the "natural" world. Magic gets a massive overhaul in Percy Jackson's universe.
Ships: Percy x Annabeth, always and forever (Don't like, bite me). Hephaestus x ? or Sally. Not sure if there will be romance for Hep or Sally just yet.
Summary: Percy Jackson was just your ordinary everyday kid. Granted, he couldn't breathe all that well and couldn't run worth a damn, but that was beside the point. Against every reasonable measure, Percy Jackson was an excellent swimmer, and that was all he cared about. He and his mom lived alone in an apartment complex in the Bronx, and life was pretty good…until Percy learns that he is a demi-god, a child of Poseidon. Percy expects a lot of things when he arrives at camp half-blood. Some new friends, meeting his dad, maybe trying some authentic Greek food. Instead, he got kidnapped by a bat-like creature and plopped into a frozen hellscape in some place called "Kaldhiem." Hunted by a man named Gurrik for his "spark," Percy finds himself in a world beyond even the gods. A place no mortal or divine being could ever travel through…although he called bullshit on that. After all, if that was the case, why was his neighbour John here to bring him home? Percy loved John like a brother, but if he was the only means of escape, Percy began to doubt his chances. After all, what could a 12-year-old with lung problems and a hooded dude in a wheelchair do against the creatures of ice and snow?
Well… a lot.
Voting rules!
Everyone gets two votes for stories in the poll on my page. If, for whatever reason, you are not able to vote on the survey, PM me, and we can discuss. I say discuss because I'm trying to avoid one person voting like ten times.