Grimm Manipulation
The Fallen have numerous abilities. While each Fallen have their own specialization and affinity, they do indeed have similar powers. One of those powers is Grimm Manipulation. Not just the meaning of them influencing and guiding to outright commanding the Grimm in attacking others. Instead, this phrase refers to Fallen using their powers to manipulate a Grimm's form and body.
From giving them additional limbs, to altering their bodies to allow them increases size or durability. Allowing the Fallen to make unpredictable Grimm, though they do need to first ensure manipulating the body doesn't cause the Grimm to collapse on itself. This ability is of course slow and the Fallen needs to picture what they want to change clearly while ensuring they aren't interrupted. Enough time and practice though, they can alter any nearby Grimm with but a thought on the battlefield.
The attack had been swift and instant. Unlike the town, this location had even fewer defenses and no Seeker as Tyrian reported. With Watts's hacking and utilizing the Grimm in a pincer attack with the bandits, the people soon found themselves under siege. By fellow man and monster, with nobody able to contact help. In just a few minutes, the people were slowly being brought to their knees, then just as quickly killed off.
There were little people to actually stop them, and even fewer that fought back. Unlike Wildpath and other certain towns, this place refused government protection. Thinking they were best on their own without any lap dogs or butt kissers like P.O.I.N.T.
"No! Wait!" Had they accepted such help, then just maybe this wouldn't have happened to them. As Bandit Princess and her forces killed any who begged while stealing what they could. Where Salem and her own group were simply walking across the town and watching the attack. Each staring in indifference or giggling in joy or even just satisfied at the destruction brought here.
The Grimm also enjoyed themselves as they slaughtered any runners while 'coincidently' avoiding the Bandits. With any resources needed or wanted taken from the stores or people with all going exactly as planned.
"Oh." Then suddenly, in a great yellow flash, every bandit was knocked out so fast, it hadn't even been fifteen seconds. While Bandit Princess herself showed her skill by detecting the threat, she had been too slow and knocked out by this speedster. A speedster that looked at them and vice versa.
"So you're the ones attacking this town?" The man himself then said as he gazed at all five of them, crossing his arms. In response, Tyrian burst out laughing; Cinder and Watts looked amused while Hazel and Salem raised an eyebrow at the newcomer's…strange costume. Golden armor shaped like a bullet with a face on it. Now that was new.
'And here I thought I saw it all." Salem thought of the outfits back on Remnant. Actually, some were strange if she thought about it. It just happened to be rare to see someone look like they were in some costume.
Tyrian himself is not even bothering to hide his laughter. "A man dressed like a bullet?" Tyrian threw his head back as he laughed. "And people call me crazy."
"We shouldn't underestimate him." Hazel told the scorpion faunus. "He is a top hero."
'They know me?' Living Bullet just saved the family from the Grimm and also took out all the surrounding Grimm in a matter of seconds. He looked at the group responsible, seeing a woman with red Grimm eyes and dark veins traveling down her face. A Fallen. Or at least, if Sebben is correct-as he usually is-a Fallen from another world.
And yet her group already knew him. Which means they must be involved with Sammael. He's the only one who could have told them who he is. As such, he had to take her alongside her accomplices down before any trouble started.
Deciding it was pointless to try talking, especially with a Fallen among them, Living Bullet took the initiative. He shot forward, faster than anyone could blink and reappeared between Tyrian and Cinder, stunning them alongside Watts, Hazel and Salem. Tyrian turned his head just in time to see a golden fist slam into his face with enough force to send him crashing into the wall of a wrecked building. Cinder, still having her Semblance, summoned a flaming sword and slashed at Bullet from behind but the world's fastest man more than lived up to his title as he disappeared and then reappeared behind Cinder, elbowing her in the back.
Cinder crashed into the ground before she even knew what happened. Seeing both down Hazel was next, rearing back a fist aimed at Bullet's head but he easily dodged so fast it was as if he was teleporting instead of actually moving. He then followed up with a series of punches that forced Hazel to stagger back, even with his Aura protecting him. Hazel tried protecting himself with his arms but Bullet poured on the attack with an uppercut, sending the giant man off his feet and crashing onto the ground. The sound of guns going off made Bullet move to the side, his reflexes much greater than almost anyone else in the world, allowing him to easily dodge and he watched the bullets slowly fly past him.
'I've heard of speed semblances,' Watts thought as each of his bullets kept missing. 'But this is just ridiculous.'
Tyrian was back in the fight in a few seconds, charging forward with a manic laugh as he fired his wrist guns. Bullet easily dodged each shot, leaving a blur in place until the scorpion Faunus was close enough to attack with his blades. Just as Tyrian tried slashing at him Bullet caught one arm then used the momentum to throw the Faunus away, sending him crashing into another desolated building, this time a bar.
"Well this is interesting." Watts remarked as he tried analyzing what the internet called, the World's Fastest Man. "It seems his speed and reflexes are on a level never seen before. Perhaps the work of something more than just a Semblance."
"I suppose he was right." When Hazel said that while getting up, little did he and Watts know it momentarily made Living Bullet stop.
'So they are working for Sammael. Figures he'd want to ally himself with a Fallen, even one from another dimension.' Of course, little did the fastest man know, the information the villainous group had wasn't from the ruler of the Fallen at all, but from the internet of college students with high GPA scores. Not that Living Bullet knew this, and even if he did, it wouldn't stop him from defeating them.
In the meantime Cinder and Hazel slowly got back up; both sporting annoyed looks on their faces. Hazel pulled out a pair of Lightning Dust crystals and embedded them in his arms to Living Bullet's surprise, as such a method is considered illegal. With the energy coursing through his veins Hazel let out a distorted roar and then charged at Bullet who had watched, silently analyzing his opponents as he moved. Like everything else in his body that was affected by Speed Dust, Living Bullet's mind moved much faster than a normal man's, allowing him to instantly come up with the theory that large man's either had a great amount of tolerance to pain, or something that made him immune to pain such as his Semblance if he could handle injecting Dust directly into his body.
As for Cinder, she shot forward, holding a flaming blade in both hands as she tried to sever Bullet's head from his body. Holding up his hands, Living Bullet vibrated them as Cinder's blades came in contact and to the shock of the former False Maiden both blades were shattered.
"Wha-" Cinder muttered with her one eye going wide before Bullet vibrated a single finger. This finger was charged with electricity and he held it up Cinder's forehead, delivering a single flick.
ZAP!
And with that, she was zapped by a sudden blast of electricity that sent her skidding across the ground to Salem's feet.
"Now this gets more and more interesting." Watts remarked with a satisfied face at the strange man easily taking down Cinder. "By the way he moved that finger I'd say he was moving so fast he was actually charging it with electricity. Possibly from electric molecules in the air." Yet once again it showed an absurd power, as regular humans, even with a Semblance, shouldn't have that kind of speed.
'Perhaps it has to do with the energy I'm feeling for him.' Salem thought as she then watched Hazel and Tyrian tried attacking Bullet from both sides. Because of his insane speed and reflexes Bullet easily dodged and parried their attacks as if they were rookies. Hazel's punches were easily avoided and more than once Tyrian's tail came close to stabbing Hazel instead of Bullet.
"Enough." Salem held out her hand.
A violet aura surrounded Bullet and lifted him off the ground.
"You interest me. It's not every day someone so thoroughly humiliates my cohorts." Salem remarked as she slowly approached the hero. "Perhaps if you tell me how you found us so fast I wi-"
Before Salem could finish that sentence Bullet spun both of his arms so fast they conjured two tornados that slammed right into the Grimm mistress, the force of the blast sending her flying back. Using her magic Salem managed to levitate herself in the air, righting herself and she looked up as Bullet landed on the ground…and then appeared right in front of her. Eyes widening Salem hastily threw a magical blast but Living Bullet shot out of the way, dashed behind her and then delivered a spinning blow to her back. The force of the kick was so great it sent Salem sailing into the air, completely stunned from the attack.
"My Queen!" Tyrian hysterically shouted, facing Bullet with an enraged look on his face.
Watts, seeing the situation they were in pulled out his gun and fired. "Nineteen."
Bullet dodged and appeared in front of Watts, delivering a series of jabs that caused the scientist to fall over. Hazel and Tyrian charged at him, firing bullets and bolts of lightning that forced him to jump away from Watts.
The scientist grunted as he sat up. "Just what in the world is he?"
Salem regained her composer before she hit the ground and then levitated toward the center of the town. She now had an agitated look on her face as she looked on, seeing Living Bullet contending with Hazel and Tyrian again. Raising a hand, she summoned Geist arms from the ground underneath Bullet but he jumped back. More arms appeared, trying to grab him but he was too fast.
'If that doesn't work, then maybe…' Her eyes glowed red, and suddenly Grimm could be heard howling and were rampaging toward the battle's position. She then used her powers to give the incoming Grimm additional claws to attack the speedster. Yet for some reason, she kept one Beowolf near her while then sending a swarm of called small Nevermores to attack the hero.
Living Bullet punched the Grimm into the ground, and outran the flocking Nevermores. Hazel meanwhile pulled out a pair of Fire Dust crystals and embedded them into his arms next to the lightning ones. With a surge of power he let out a roar as he fired a combo blast of fire and lightning at Bullet who ran at the blast. The hero then shocked them as he spun so greatly he created a tornado that actually absorbed the blast and continued forward. Hazel was too stunned as the fiery and electric tornado slammed into him, creating a blast that sent him flying past Salem and skidding across the ground several times before he finally came to a stop.
"Impossible." Watts stated with widened eyes. "He can move so fast he can conjure actual tornadoes without the use of Dust? He actually absorbed Hazel's Dust attack and turned it against him. He can't be human."
Cinder got up, looking enraged now as she tore off the sleeve of her dress covering her left arm, revealing it to be a Geist arm. The arm shot out, extending like rubber with the hand posed to grab Bullet while his back was turned. Only Bullet spun out of the way and upon seeing the arm, felt Cinder was a dangerous threat and thus shot forward, delivering a knee to her face that caused her Aura to break and even the mask over the left eye to crack. He elbowed her in the back and then grabbed her face before head butting her.
The force of the blow combined with the density of Bullet's mask broke Cinder's own mask and left a deep bruise on her forehead as she collapsed to the ground, rendered unconscious.
"Enough!" Salem held up her hands as her magic flared. Mentally commanding the Grimm to strike all at once while she then used her telekinesis to launch broken walls at the hero. Desolated houses broke apart and dark clouds formed overhead. She then threw them all at Bullet who hastily dodged everything as he shot at Salem. The mistress of the Grimm, at least on Remnant, conjured a dark green shield that protected her from the full force of Bullet's strike. However the strike was still strong enough to push her back and both shot out of town, kicking up dust in their wake.
Salem grunted as she poured her magic into keeping the shield up while Bullet kept on pushing forward, the speed and momentum of his attack carrying them through trees that were knocked or just shattered on impact. Eyes flaring, Salem let out a grunt as lightning shot down from the sky, hitting the ground around them. But Bullet's advanced reflexes allowed him to keep out of the way of each blast. At least until Salem conjured lightning in her hands before lowering the shield…
BOOM!
The resulting attack blasted both of them apart, sending Bullet crashing through trees in one direction while Salem was blasted away in the other by the recoil of her own attack. By the time she finally came to a stop the Grimm Queen looked worse for wear with her robe torn and her hair falling over her face.
"My Queen!" Looking up Salem could see Tyrian rushing to her side with Hazel carrying Cinder of his shoulder and Watts not far behind. "Are you all right, my Queen?"
"Of course I am…" Salem said, letting out frustrated exhale before managing to calm herself. "Fortunately I was able to bring him in close enough that he couldn't dodge."
"Is he dead?" Watts asked.
"Of course he is. Nothing could-"
"No." Salem cut Tyrian off. "He's still alive. No doubt dazed from my attack but alive. We must move before he recovers."
"We're retreating?" Watts asked and flinched when Salem glared at him. "Yes, of course. A necessary precaution."
"We underestimated this new enemy and we cannot engage him again until we better understand what he is and where we are." Salem explained, summoning the massive Nevermore. "Watts, tell Bandit Princess it's time to go. Unlike her men, she should be capable of leaving. I've already ordered the Grimm to take them away."
"Not if I have anything to say about it." Then in a yellow flash, Cinder, Tyrian, Hazel, and Watts were then slammed into the ground and tied up. Before Salem knew it, she found herself tied like her inner circle.
The rope wasn't anything special though, and she could break out of it easily. "Do you really," She was then instantly punched in the face. Living Bullet deciding the best course of action is to not allow the enemy any time to gather their thoughts. So knocking her out is the best thing to do. Salem's allies were shocked at such an attack, as Living Bullet rapidly tried to knock Salem out.
Unfortunately for Living Bullet, Salem had vast experience in facing pain. Including physical types. So while it enraged her at being punched repeatedly, she kept her conscious and simply sent a mental command to the Grimm. Howls were heard and Living Bullet saw the Beowolves coming at him.
Clicking his tongue, he then punched Salem in the gut and went to kill all the Beowolves.
"Checkmate." Which is why it made Living Bullet mentally pause when he heard the Fallen say that. Unknown to him, Salem had searched online about the Justice Friends, and came across an analysis video of Living Bullet himself. Describing many, many of his strengths. Yet during it, she found a weakness that not even the college students realized.
A single Beowolf came out, it appeared utterly normal. So Living Bullet figured it was no threat. Even when it opened its maw and-
"SHRAAAAAAAAAA!"
"Ahhhhhh!" Living Bullet then clutched his ears as Salem smirked.
'As I thought.' According to the video, Living Bullet processed everything much faster than normal people. Including attacks thus heightening his reflexes to the highest level. A simple step alerted him to an enemy behind him, and even his vision is better than most.
Yet Salem saw it, the weakness. She knew faunus, when exposed to loud noises, felt more pain than humans since their senses were heightened. So what about a man who processed sound even greater than faunus, where the video itself playfully mentioned how once Living Bullet killed many flies who then commented they annoyed him. Which is why she altered one Beowolf to have its lungs and vocal cords to shriek instead of growl at a level much higher than normal. While it would hurt regular people, to Living Bullet, it must have felt like his ears were being slammed by spikes into his brain.
Standing up, Salem ripped the rope like nothing and silently walked to Living Bullet who's on his knees. She then had the Grimm stop, and Living Bullet then turned around and realized what was about to happen, ready to stop what he knew was an attack.
Zzzzzzzz!
Salem proved faster this time though. As she simply grabbed the hero's helmet and unleashed a stream of electricity. While the suit did have some insulant in it, considering this is magical energy along with a greater intensity, it wasn't long before Living Bullet found himself in darkness and knocked out. The unconscious hero hitting the dirt and unmoving.
"Finally." Tyrian ripped the ropes off him while Hazel did the same and aided Cinder and Watts. "Now for revenge!"
"No." Salem then said to him.
"No?" Cinder looked at her. "But he's vulnerable! At our mercy! And you wish to spare him?"
"Silent." Salem gave a stern look at Cinder who shut her mouth. The Grimm Queen then moved away from Living Bullet, but not before grabbing a few items she noticed in his pocket. "I spare him not because I care for his miserable life, but because if we kill him, we only attract more to ourselves."
"But we're already in the sights of a top ranked hero." Watts pointed out. "He'll come after us later on."
"And what happens if we kill him?" Salem asked back. "If this 'top rank' hero dies, and his friends learn of it." Hazel realized what Salem meant.
"They'll throw everything at us, to hunt us down both for their duty and revenge." Heroes always liked to say it wasn't personal. But deep down, if the wrong move was made against them, even heroes can be as terrifying as the Grimm.
"Exactly." Salem then handed Watts the items she took while then calling the massive Nevermore to them. "Let them come to us, but without the motivation of righteous fury. I've grown tired of such things whenever I faced someone who wasn't Ozma."
So like that, the group got on the Nevermore which soon got them up in the air and flying. The bandits being taken by the Grimm not to kill, but dragging them off with Bandit Princess, who had awoken, walking with them where she just muttered something about stupid heroes. This trip being an entire disaster, with the villains from Remnant having a seed of doubt in them at long last.
One that made them have a question that they yet didn't know.
"..." Yet despite the disaster, one person found this of interest. In the forest, watching the Grimm leave with the bandits and some supplies along with the giant Nevermore carrying people, the figure scratched his chin and grinned. Grabbing a communicator and said, "Catra, I got news for you."
Though he wasn't the only person watching. Of course unlike the faunus, this one isn't an actual person. In fact, he wasn't even there and while Salem should have detected the influence, the battle caused her to be focused on the threat and as such, didn't realize he had been watching. At long last getting a look at the 'Fallen' he detected.
"Well Moloch, I suppose we finally got our answer of who's been controlling the Grimm. Get Katz here so I may speak to him." The Seer that had been watching then slowly began following the leaving Grimm. "I have a mission for him."
Punched in the face. Tied up. Beaten in minutes. Looks like our Remnant villains just learned they aren't the toughest force here at all. Aside from Salem, the rest lost pretty easily, and even then Salem had trouble and only won thanks to the usual pragmatic methods. But hey, they're bad guys. What do you expect.