Spoilers Contained In This Story:
Solo Leveling.
The fanfiction 'The Name of the Game'.
RWBY. Kind of.
No knowledge of any of these stories is required beforehand.
Family Matters
For anybody who hasn't read the Korean Manhwa Solo Leveling please note that this will spoil the entire story to some degree. This features the main character, Sung Jin-Woo, many years after the end of the story. In this AU, he never fell in love with Cha Hae-In. Makes things easier for this story. Everything else is canon.
This is a RWBY AU. Specifically, mostly AU elements being stolen directly from the fanfiction on and AO3 called 'The Name of the Game'.
Also, I'm going to write Sung Jin-Woo's name as 'Jinwoo' to preserve my poor little fingers. Makes it easier for people to pronounce. Sung is his last name.
Family Matters
When he first heard the plea drop into the realm of Death like a drop of water falling into a placid lake, Jinwoo nearly did what he always did. After all, this was hardly the first time such a thing had happened - the dying thoughts and memories of people were frequently strong enough to leave an impression or 'residue' as to what they were doing.
For some reason, whether it be mere chance or idle curiosity, he took a glance in its metaphorical direction rather than ignore it as he always did. For all his strength, he couldn't help everyone, nor did he want to. Family came first - always.
But… His mother and sister are gone now. Sure, Jinah had married and had children, and then they too had children of their own, but it wasn't the same. He loved them and cared for them, but in a world that was no longer in danger he wasn't needed like he was before. They didn't need him.
Orcs weren't going to suddenly appear in their school, and while his shadows followed all members of the family, they weren't needed for anything. He snorted - his shadow's got more use as manual laborers than protectors these days. Not that they minded, or could mind, but it felt mildly disrespectful to him.
His army, his soldiers who fought and died countless times to save humanity, were now used to bring in the groceries. Or to help move appliances. Or to reach something in a high cupboard.
They'd helped him gather crystals and other materials before, but that was always in the name of earning money to advance their cause and, though he didn't know it at the time, protecting the world itself from the Monarch of Destruction. It had a purpose, an end goal that pushed his progress forward and helped him protect everyone. Now they were like a tool of convenience, and it didn't sit right with him.
So, whether by cosmic luck, boredom, or some other incalculable factor, Sung Jinwoo listened to the plea of a dying boy.
Family Matters
He stood, and though he had no tears left to cry anymore he felt like he would have if he'd heard such a thing a few years prior. Such an earnest request… They didn't want to be saved. Not for themselves, anyway. They didn't want a Deus Ex Machina to come right their terrible decision, no second chance, they only wanted one thing.
To make sure they died without regret, for they loved their family and they would exist in the afterlife with eternal remorse if they didn't at least tell them that one last time.
Jinwoo could remember it, as crystal clear as the day it had happened, the feelings wrought by the attack on his sister. His high orcs weren't strong enough to fend off the more numerous orcs, and especially not the boss monster who left the gate looking to satisfy the message pounding through his head. Kill the humans.
Kaisel, the wyvern mount of the once-Demon King Baran, had flown him there with barely a moment to spare and he saved Jinah from certain death. The twisted feeling in his gut and iron weight that was born from the moment he realized what was happening and only dispersed once she was safe in his arms was all too memorable to him, even now.
Perhaps it was on a whim, perhaps it was because Jinwoo was the type of person to reverse time and throw himself into an impossible fight just to spare the world, but primarily his family, from sadness and grief. After all, if it was in his power to do something for his family, then it was done.
Perhaps he was tired, and wanted to see what would happen.
Regardless of the reason why, he acknowledged the boy's plea, and vanished from his castle as his spirit was sucked through what felt like a straw and into the realm of Death and was sent blasting through it.
Family Matters
Jaune Arc felt the small amount of lifeblood he had left slipping through his fingers, clenched against the gushing puncture wound in his abdomen. The Grimm circled him and prepared to finish off its prey with one last attack, ending their charade of a fight. What had he been thinking?
Oh right, he hadn't been. Take the sword Jaune, it'll be fine. Oh, you have no training? Doesn't matter, you're armed and dangerous Jaune!
No aura? Who needs that, you're and Arc after all, you were born for this!
What bullshit. Now he was going to die and go down in the annals of history as the Arc that died young and left all seven of his sisters to fend for themselves. Not that they need my help anyway.
Even Jun was stronger than him. The youngest sister. And she could kick his ass seven ways from Sunday if the mood struck her.
What use was he to them? He could fetch things for them, he supposed. Get them a nice glass of water. Maybe cook them a delicious meal. But fight for them? Please.
What a joke.
And now, regardless of that fact, he knew one thing with an absolute certainty in his mind - he might have been useless, he might have been utterly idiotic and rude and brash, but they loved him.
They were his sisters, so of course he loved them right back, though he wasn't always the best at showing it. And now… and now he was going to die. Without a reason. For no good cause.
They would find his body, chewed up and mangled, rotting in the damned forest, and be horrified. Both at his fate and for the terrible, no-good, Brothers-forsaken reason he was out here!
Because there wasn't a damn reason for him to be out here risking his life at all.
Please, he prayed. Don't let my decisions hurt my family. They don't deserve it… He pictured his cute little sister's face when she learned what happened to him and it ripped his heart in two. Or the eldest, Joan, who had been a mother to him in the absence of his actual parents and had doted on him endlessly. Or any of the other's, who'd taken their own turns at playing parent when Joan was busy.
Sure, he might have been an ass, but they all cared, just like he did.
So he continued praying, since there was no way in hell he was going to be able to block the damned Beowolf that was about to eat him for lunch. This has nothing to do with them… so please help me. Even if I die, I at least want them to know I love them. That Jun is the best little sister a brother could ask for, that this isn't Joan's fault… That Lily would forgive him the pain he would bring to their family.
He wished that Jane and Jean, the redheaded twins, would learn they are worth their weight in gold, and that they didn't have to take him to the school dance - any boy, or girl, would be the luckiest person alive to be with them.
Even the rest… I might not be as close with them but they deserve happiness. Please… Just tell them they're cared for and loved. That they deserve happiness. That… I'll greet them all with a smile and love in my heart when I see them again, whenever that might be.
Please.
Anything.
Take of me everything, I beg of you.
Just don't let this be the end.
As Jaune slumped over, no longer having the energy to hold himself up, he waited for the pain that would undoubtedly come shortly after his weakness was exposed, as Grimm fangs sunk into his flesh.
He continued waiting, but the pain never came. Keeled over, he forced an eye open, if only to learn why he wasn't dead yet. From his sideways point of view, he could have sworn he saw a giant bipedal ant single-handedly lifting the Beowolf into the air. As his mind grew foggier and his vision dimmed, the ant-creature crushed the Grimm's head with a loud crunch as its white mask disintegrated from the force, and it turned a many-faceted eye in his direction.
"Be grateful my liege has answered your call, human. Witness his glory! He comes!"
Jaune's fading mind processed those words, and was unprepared for the deafening screech the strange ant unleashed, howling its victory to the sky.
As the last vestiges of life fled the Arc's body, he felt something enter his mind, his very soul. It was infinite in depth and size, yet somehow able to fit his form. His vision swam and crystallized for a brief moment, and it was as if he was looking through a million pairs of eyes at once. Jaune fell into an endless abyss and witnessed an army of infinite size, composed of creatures of every shape and size, all made of shadows of the purest black, colored with purples and blues that shone with brilliant intensity.
Knights, mages, orcs, giants, angels, massive bears… What were they? No, that was the wrong question. Where was he, and why was he here? Did he die?
He could still feel his tenuous grasp on life, if barely. Was he still dying?
Before he could contemplate further, his vision shifted, appearing in front of a man dressed in black. Jaune's eyes met the other man's sharply glowing purple ones and he was at once impressed by the feeling of a great weight behind his gaze, and unspeakable power.
"I have heard your call, and I have answered. Your desire to love and protect your family will be fulfilled, if you wish." Jaune answered without needing to think about it.
"Of course." For all Jaune was a fool, a complete and utter bumbling idiot, he knew in his heart of hearts that he wouldn't get away unscathed, or free. "What will it cost?"
The man in black smiled ever so slightly. "From you? Everything. I am too late to save your soul from departing to the afterlife, sadly. From here I cannot raise you as a shadow soldier, and the only way for me to manifest myself into your reality is by creating a massive gate and undoubtedly causing quite a scene. I doubt your family would want a caricature of what you once were… Which leaves us with the only other option I can think of, though it is up to you."
He paused for a moment, and Jaune could have sworn he saw a hint of sadness in his glowing eyes. "I can do what was done to me originally, after a fashion. I can subsume your body and for a time, I will be Jaune Arc, the brother to your sisters. I cannot pretend to be you, but I will do my utmost to earn their trust and protect them anyway."
He grimaced slightly, before smoothing out his features. "Truth be told I'd much rather have just healed you and been done with it… But as it is I was too late, so we're left with all the undesirable options. What would you have me do, within my power, to help you, Jaune Arc?"
Jaune pondered and thought about what would be best for his sisters. Although he didn't entirely understand the true ramifications of either, and his inability to determine if the man in black was telling him the truth or not made it all the harder, he knew which he would prefer.
After all, the man said he could arrive into the world without his permission or not, so it's not like he was allowing some great evil into the world. The man was already here, and could arrive whether Jaune did anything or not. Plus he'd shown up for him, and had somehow heard his desperate prayer. Was he a god?
Maybe.
Even if he wasn't, if he could protect those he loved… That was all that mattered.
"Take my body. Use it well, and protect my family. If they learn the truth about my death… Tell them I'll be waiting for them on the other side. Tell them I don't expect to see them for many, many years. And lastly, make sure they know I loved them. Love them when I cannot. Care for them, ensure their health and happiness. Do that, and I will be eternally grateful."
His piece said, Jaune's spirit, soul, or whatever he might be, used the last of its energy and faded away into the ether.
The man in black bowed solemnly where Jaune once floated. "For such an earnest request… I can do nothing but my utmost to fulfill it. So be it, Jaune Arc."
The brief words said were enough for him, and Sung Jinwoo finalized the connection between the dying warmth of Jaune's body and his own spirit form, and utilized a customized version of the System that the Architect had left behind to ensure his new form didn't simply collapse under the weight of its new existence. It would facilitate its growth rapidly, allowing it to endure his full self in just a few days.
Jinwoo's consciousness rose to enter Jaune's old body, and felt the System initialize.
[System Initiated]
[Beginning structural upgrade.]
[Integrating Connection.]
[Progress: 1%]
Family Matters
'Jaune's' eye's closed and he knew no more.
Family Matters
[Progress: 100%]
[Structural upgrade complete.]
[Connection to Death complete.]
[System closing all processes.]
[Final Message: System's task complete. Terminating.]
Jinwoo opened his eyes, immediately adapting to the light shining in from the open window. The drab white aesthetic and smells immediately brought him back to the two times he'd awoken in the hospital during the Monarch war. This time, however, he was still at the peak of his power, rather than still powerless and utterly drained, respectively. And he actually had some idea of what was going on. That made a significant difference, he found.
Beside the window, he noticed what was most likely one of Jaune's - his - sisters. She had long blond hair and radiant features, and wore a comfy looking blue sweater, jeans, and a nice pair of heeled boots. She was also snoring and her head looked like it was bent at an uncomfortable angle, sleeping in a chair that looked in no way shape or form fit for resting in.
A gentle smile was born on his face as he took in the scene. This was most likely one of the people he was sent to protect and care for, so he drank in their features and memorized their appearance. Several shadows split off from his own and merged with hers, watchful eyes to ensure she never became endangered.
His shifting in the bed seemed to wake her up, as she slowly shifted into an upright position. Blinking several times, she finally acknowledged his presence, brilliant blue eyes checking over him, as if to ensure he remained unchanged since she'd last been awake.
"You're awake. How are you feeling, Jaune?" She spoke gently, as though she was trying to comfort him or keep him calm. Which was fair, he supposed. He'd just woken up after… How long was he out for anyway?
Not only that, but how did he want to approach this? He could tell the truth… or he could feign amnesia. Which would be all too easy to do, since he really didn't know anything about her or this world. Not only that, but they were much more likely to trust him if they still thought he was their brother that couldn't remember them, rather than the Shadow Monarch, God of Death that happened to take an interest in him and took his body as Jaune himself perished.
It was also much harder to explain. Well, Jinwoo could never be called lazy, but that didn't mean he liked working harder than he had to.
"Physically, I'm feeling totally fine. Mentally, I don't know who you are and have absolutely no memories of… Anyone. I'm sorry, what's your name?"
He sincerely doubted there was anything in existence on this planet that could actually hurt him anyway. The same creature that had killed Jaune would much sooner break its teeth on his skin than puncture it.
A pained look crossed the blonde's face, though she smothered it quickly. She stood and approached him, wrapping him in a tight hug. It stretched a little further than the range in which Jinwoo considered 'normal' but he was newly awakened, so it was fair. She held him at arm's length and spoke.
"Well, first things first, your name is Jaune Arc. I'm your oldest sister, Joan Arc. You have six other sisters who you'll eventually meet, including the youngest, Jun, who's home right now. Let me go talk to the doctor, now that you're up. We'll see what we can do to make things right."
'Jaune' merely gave her a pained smile that wasn't terribly far from a grimace. Mainly because he knew they wouldn't be able to do anything. Jaune Arc was well and truly dead and only Jinwoo was left. Speaking of, how was he speaking their language? Maybe certain things remained…
He had learned how to speak in the tongue the monster's used thanks to the System and wasn't even conscious he was speaking a different language at the time. Maybe this was the same.
"Before I leave… Are you sure you don't remember anything? Like why you were hospitalized in the first place?" Jinwoo opted to raise his hand and wiggle it in a 'so-so' motion.
"Flashes and snippets. Nothing before that though. I think there was some kind of creature? And a forest. I don't remember anything at all past that." Technically the truth, Beru, the ultimate superweapon of the S-Tier Jeju Island raid, had been there and reported to him the scene he'd arrived to, before promptly dispatching the creatures attacking Jaune. He'd also starting going on about how pitifully weak they were, and how he hoped 'his liege' never acquired shadow soldiers as worthless as they were. Not that Jinwoo felt he needed more, what he had was more than enough to dominate an entire world single-handedly.
Joan nodded. "You… Were attacked by Grimm, Jaune. Based on the wounds you'd received it was Beowolves, but Jun didn't find anything when she came across you."
Jinwoo nodded. "That fits what little I can remember. Thank you for your help, Joan. I appreciate it very much." He gave her a light bow of the head and a smile, hoping to convey his thanks.
The barest tinge of pink dusted her cheeks for an unknown reason. Perhaps like some people he knew, she wasn't great at receiving thanks or praise for a job well done, and got embarrassed when offered them. "Of course, Jaune. I'll be back."
Family Matters
In the end, he was forced to listen to his sister worriedly discuss what little she knew about 'Jaunes' new status. Options for amnesia were virtually non-existent. Any of the more advanced technology that was available and related to brain-scanning in any way was located in Atlas, and would have cost an arm and a leg to pursue. Jinwoo shot them down immediately, citing a desire to not burden his family and since he could still function normally (outside of not remembering the names or faces of his 'family' or many things about the world), but the simple reason was, of course, he knew that they wouldn't do anything.
The hospital discharged him with instructions to monitor himself for any signs of further issues such as light-headedness, dizziness, headaches, or unexpected changes. Their journey home consisted mostly of a train ride due to the distance they had to cover. The hospital he was admitted to was in Vale proper, whereas their home was further out and near the outskirts of regularly patrolled areas.
Not that the Arc's needed much help, according to Joan the stronger Grimm (the overarching classification of the creature Beru had slain) never appeared in their area and the smaller variants (such as the Beowolf) were easily taken out even by Jun, the youngest Arc. Regardless, they typically had no issues.
They reached the end of the train line and walked for a couple miles before reaching their home. Far larger than the apartment he, his mother, and his sister had once stayed in, it was a two-story house that looked fairly idyllic and comfortable. Jinwoo tried to imagine having seven sisters at once, but his brain fizzled out merely by beginning to think about such a thing.
Although he knew only one other was home at the moment, the mere thought of such a thing sent shivers down his spine. Well, maybe if they weren't all like Jinah he would be fine… Surely they would be different, right?
Shaking his head, Joan opened the front door and they entered the house together. Cool tile filled the entryway, turning into a lushly carpeted living room. They took their shoes off and Jinwoo couldn't help but revel in the sensation of his toes sinking into the carpet, having lived with hardwood floors for most of his life.
Joan was content to watch him for the moment, as he explored the space his body had previously known quite well. The hallway to the kitchen was covered in mounted photos which he began examining. The sisters were all obvious, the only problem they presented was the nearly 50/50 split between red hair and blonde hair. That didn't really make sense unless…
Looking at the 'parents' section in the back, behind all of the children, Jinwoo spotted a tall blond man he assumed was his father. He had his arms around two women, one with long, braided blond hair, and the other with dark red hair that cascaded down her back.
Joan must have seen his look of intense confusion because she stepped in to see which photo he was looking at, gently bumping into his side and maintaining contact as they stared at the small photo.
"You really don't remember anything, do you?" He shook his head in the negative.
"Not a thing." Hopefully that question would be followed by why their father apparently was… Well, he assumed not cheating since they were ALL together in the same photo. "Is this normal?"
Joan puffed some golden hair that had fallen into her face out of the way. "Not necessarily, if only because he didn't marry at least once more. Or, that he didn't at least take on a mistress."
Jinwoo merely cocked an eyebrow, demanding she continue. "It's actually pretty simple, at the end of the day. The Great War took place some 80 years ago, and the end results left humanity in a precarious position. Women now outnumber men four to one, more if Faunus are included in that number. As I said, three wives is likely more common that two at this point."
It was fairly incomprehensible to Jinwoo, but this was his new reality so it'd be better to adjust than freak out. During the Monarch War men and women were empowered in equal quantities, and consequently died in equal numbers. When he convinced the Rulers to use the Cup of Reincarnation to turn back time, the original battles' terrible losses were all undone.
Of course, he'd then spent over twenty years fighting in the crack's between dimensions, slaughtering countless monsters and every other Monarch, but that was a small price to pay to save the countless human lives that would have been lost otherwise.
So while it made no sense to him, if the mana that empowered his original world had targeted men instead of women, and nearly all of them died in the final battle, then maybe his world would have reflected this one. It was impossible to tell, and really he had no right to judge them, as he simply had no knowledge of the world or why it was the way it was.
Which simply meant he would have to learn.
"I see." Was all he said. "And how do you feel about such a thing, as a woman yourself. Have you accepted sharing your future husband with up to two other women?" Jinwoo was genuinely curious.
Joan merely shrugged. "It's been this way my entire life. I'm not a particularly stingy person, and I'm not lesbian. So if I ever want to be with someone… Well, there's not much other choice. But it's not bad. There's support for large families and everyone is more or less used to the situation by now - I wouldn't say it's ideal, but it's what we have. What can we do about it anyway? I'd rather just be happy than worry about the details that I can't do anything about."
That was certainly true. This was their reality now and there wasn't anything they could necessarily do about it - technically what they were doing (re-establishing a normal gender ratio by having lots of babies) was exactly what they needed to do. In fact, in terms of which gender was better to lose a large portion of, men were easily the better choice. Thinking of the scenario that would play out with females suddenly losing ⅔'s of their population was not worth thinking about - Jinwoo was all too familiar with the depravity of the human mind.
"That is probably the best outlook one can hope for. Where is everyone else now?" There was a brief pause which caused him to look over at her. A slight look of consternation crossed her face, but she banished it and began to speak.
"The other sisters are all either graduated from or attending huntsman academies. As a matter of fact we have at least one sister in each school, Haven, Shade, and Atlas. You were going to be attending Beacon soon, and Jun will eventually go there as well. As for the parents… Once Jun was born, they started taking up missions again. They're not home a lot, so raising the kids fell to the older sisters. We took up a kind of schedule, normally rotating about once a week so that the others can do what they need to do with their lives. The parents drop by about once a month and for holidays, but their work keeps them busy."
If Jinwoo was being particularly politically correct, he would describe that situation as 'not ideal'. When he wasn't, he would simply say 'incredibly fucked up'. Forcing your older children to literally play mom to your brood because you were busy with work? Shit, even if their work is vitally important you don't just have a family and then walk away and only come visit every once in a while. And she said it'd been that way since they had Jun?
Everyone suffered in that arrangement. The older sisters who were forced to take care of their family, the younger ones who didn't get to know their parents outside of the incredibly limited visits they get. Personally, he had no memories of it. But his anger was slowly building towards these so-called 'parents' of his.
His father had been trapped in a dungeon and had to make the impossible choice between accepting the power of the Ruler's to save the entire world or his family. Jinwoo couldn't fault him because in the end, he accepted the ultimate risk and undid their costly victory to try and get a victimless one instead.
His mother, who'd been trapped in the Eternal Slumber for years, was, from the moment he saved her, immediately back to being the most doting and caring mom she could be. Even more so, actually, as though she was trying to make up for lost time. The only reason she was ever willing to part from her children and force them to be self-sufficient before they were ready was because she had no choice.
Jinwoo might have struggled greatly as an E-Rank hunter trying to support Jinah and himself and pay the medical bills to keep their mom alive, but he kept on doing it, every single day of every week for months, then years.
He loved his family. The world could burn down around him and as long as his family was safe, he would accept that. Jinwoo was strong enough now to keep his family safe and make sure nothing like that ever happened, however.
So for these 'parents' to up and leave their kids? Sure, they probably didn't struggle monetarily, but that was a very small slice of a large pie-chart of problems lacking a proper parental figure brought on! Shit, if they'd been doing this since Jun was born, how many days has Jun even seen her parents for?
He did some rough math in his head, and didn't like the number he came up with. One day a month, plus holidays, add in a few extra surprises (he was going to assume there weren't any surprises where they didn't show up for multiple months, but he wouldn't be shocked if that was the case either). Assuming they showed up once a month, plus about 10 days each year for holidays and others… That meant Jun had seen her parents for a total of 264 days. Roughly.
Probably more, but the fact that there was a possibility it was less made Jinwoo sick to his stomach. That also didn't include the years where Jun was a baby and lacked the faculties to even know what was going on. He also didn't know exactly how old she was, so he was guesstimating a decent amount of that.
Altogether, the situation lit a fire under the Shadow Monarch and he reaffirmed Jaune's dying wish in his head. He would let them know they were loved… And he would make sure they were happy. After all, Jinwoo had already accomplished everything he'd set out for in life. He didn't have any aspirations anymore, outside of his family. So if he had to become the father figure for Jun, he would happily take that role so that the others didn't have to worry themselves.
Before all that though, he would need to learn more about the situation. Without specifics, he couldn't do anything. A general goal in mind, Jinwoo asked the pressing question that came up now that they were home. "What now?"
Joan grinned at him, unaware of the turmoil her words had generated. "The only way you could have survived your attack was by unlocking your aura, and possibly your semblance. So, now we get to train you. The parents might have refused, but now that you have it there's no more excuses."
Her smile dropped slightly. "One thing I wanted to ask about was your sudden increase in size. I didn't mention it to the doctors as we were leaving because I wanted to ask you, but you're suddenly taller than me. Do you know how that happened? I thought it might have been part of your semblance, but physical changes normally don't happen… I can't actually think of a recorded case where that happened."
Jinwoo shrugged. "I certainly feel fine physically." He rolled a shoulder and hopped on his toes to indicate that. "I'm not sure exactly what happened though, so I don't know what to tell you otherwise." Technically true, he had no idea how the System specifically worked, only that it did. He also didn't know what to tell her that wouldn't evoke a billion other questions he didn't feel like answering.
"That's fine. That's what both training and testing is for. Regardless, I don't think your old armor is going to fit comfortably… Well, go get changed… Damn, your clothes probably don't fit either. Maybe…" Joan muttered to herself for a few moments, apparently trying to figure out 'Jaunes' new clothing dilemma. "Go on up to your room and see if anything is salvageable, then come on out to the back."
He stared blankly at her for a few moments. "Where is my room, exactly?"
"Upstairs, third door on the left." Joan turned to walk away with a wave, and Jinwoo left to explore his new room.
Upon entering said room, I learned that Jaune was most certainly a teenage boy. Dirty clothes were strewn about the room, uncaring of their placement and obstruction in the room. The sheets on the bed were askew, rumpled and unused for several days. The room had a slight odor to it, undoubtedly caused by said dirty clothes.
Jinwoo sighed. Even when he was an E-Rank hunter, titled as literally the world's weakest hunter, and regardless of his struggle to do both school and partake in raids he still managed to keep his room clean. Maybe that was because he more often than not only had time to come home and collapse onto the couch or bed to rest and frantically do his laundry once he found the energy to get up again.
Then he'd go to school, attend a raid and repeat the process. Thinking back, he really didn't use his room for much of anything other than sleeping.
The Shadow Monarch, now turned back to a teenage boy, dug into his closet in search of clothes that might still fit his new frame. He couldn't be sure exactly what size the boy was before the transition, but based on the clothing sizes he'd grown at least five inches, maybe more.
Jinwoo was able to find enough clothes that fit to be serviceable in the short term, and he assumed they would go shopping later. He found himself already missing the black ensemble he normally wore. His waist size hadn't really changed, but some of the jeans had a longer length than Jaune probably needed originally. Were they bought with expectations of him growing into them? He may never know, but Jinwoo was profiting from their decision now.
The shirts were easier, as Jaune had owned several large, baggy shirts that fit him and his new build well enough. None of it was perfect, but he didn't need it to be. He didn't have an image to maintain like he did when he was young. Jaune had called him here for a specific reason, and Jinwoo wasn't going to forget it. He had sister's to protect and make happy, after all.
He made his way downstairs and to the backyard, passing by the wall of photos again with a distinct lack of Jaune appearing in most. Joan was there, talking with a smaller, red haired girl that he assumed was Jun. The wooden deck creaked as he stepped off of it and onto the grass, alerting them to his presence. Shortly after he did, said red-haired child transformed into a J.J.B.M., or a Joan to Jaun Ballistic Missile. Jinwoo was fairly confident her feet didn't touch the ground in her flight towards him.
He made sure to catch her and rapidly bled off her momentum by spinning her in an iconic 'long lost family member's reuniting' catch so she didn't break her face on his new body. The sheer exuberance and joy the girl was exuding made him laugh, before slowly swinging her back around and onto her feet in front of him. "Hey little one, you happy to see me?"
She bobbed her head excitedly. At first, Jinwoo wasn't certain exactly what to say, but thinking back again to the time Jinah nearly lost her life and the trauma that followed that, he asked the only question that mattered at the time. He made sure he made eye contact before speaking so he knew her focus was on him.
"Most important to me, besides your happiness, is are you ok?" For a brief moment, Jun (at least who he assumed was Jun) was still, before tears slowly started leaking from her eyes.
"I found you lying in the forest, bleeding Onii-chan! There was so much blood… I thought you were gonna die! And then you had to go to the hospital and you didn't wake up… and Onee-sama told me you don't remember anyone!" Jinwoo couldn't help but glance at Joan as he held the now sobbing girl at the Japanese honorifics, but she merely mouthed for him to go along with it.
Well, if he was going to be called anything…
"Jun, right?" He got one rapid nod.
"Well Jun, I'm very happy you found me. That means you saved me, you know? And yes, I might not remember much, but I promise you one thing. It might be nothing, it might mean something, I don't know, but somewhere in the back of my head, something tells me that family is the most important thing in the world to me. So sure, I might not remember much, but…"
He raised a hand and cupped it to her face. "I promise I'll learn everything I can about you all once again so I can be the best big brother in the entire world!"
Jinwoo booped her nose with his index finger. "Also if you're going to be a nerd I'd prefer to be Oppa, rather than Onii-chan."
Jun had calmed down throughout my little speech and merely sniffled every once and a while, and nodded in agreement and happiness. "Ok On… Oppa! Whatever that means."
He laughed, happy to have a cute little sister once again to play with. It had been far too long since Jinah was a cute and precocious little child. Granted, he wasn't that much older than her, but still. It was enough for him to legitimately play the big, older, protective older brother.
The Shadow Monarch glanced over Jun's shoulder and made eye contact with Joan, who held his gaze for a second before glancing away, a blush beginning to spread across her cheeks. Well, it was a pretty embarrassing thing to say out loud to both his youngest and oldest sister, so that was fair.
"Oppa means a girl's older brother! And that's what I am, so that's what you shall call me. So I decree." He snorted in amusement and ruffled Jun's hair before releasing her. "Ok, now what are we doing out here? You mentioned aura and semblance but I'm not sure what that is exactly."
Joan pulled herself together from the second-hand embarrassment he'd inflicted on her and answered. "Our goal is to verify that your aura has been unlocked, and secondly to find your semblance. Hunters, which most of our family are, go out on missions and kill Grimm, protect towns, investigate Grimm buildups and more. The Grimm are creatures theorized to be born from the hatred and ill-feelings of humanity, and are attracted to negative feelings. The stronger they are, the more delicious they appear to those monsters."
Jinwoo nodded, he remembered the wolf-like creature Beru had told him of. "They all have white masks and glowing red eyes, so they're fairly easy to identify, though they come in many different shapes and forms. Giant snakes, hunting cats, wolves, boars, bears, you name it, it probably has a Grimm form that just hasn't been seen yet. Well, as long as it's capable of hunting and killing things that is."
Maybe he could help out the local humans and assist with the Grimm problem they had. Though, if they reformed after he slaughtered them all, it would be awkward and his shadows would effectively have to cover the entire world. Not impossible, just… Not something he particularly felt like managing. As powerful and intelligent as some of his shadows were…
Tank would undoubtedly find his way back to Jinwoo just to present him with the largest Grimm head he could find, and he didn't think he would earn any points with the local population if they witnessed his ant swarm eating and swallowing whole every single Grimm in sight. He'd learned from the last time he'd left them alone in a dungeon with another party.
Plus the truth was he didn't know any of the history, facts, or other important details about the Grimm or why they existed. After all, if his own story had taught him anything, it was that surprises are a never ending constant in life. And those surprises could shatter world-views or upend everything you thought you knew.
Fucking Architect.
So Jinwoo decided to hold off on murdering the Grimm as a species if only because he still had no idea what was going on.
"Aura is the light of your soul, your very source of strength, will, and power. It enables the use of your semblance, heals damage you take, and more. Semblances themselves are unique powers that everyone with an aura has access to. Some people don't discover them for some time, others immediately. Regardless, every single one is unique to the individual. My own, for example, is technically a large shield. It has a central point and seven 'petals' as they were, that can detach and move independently of the others, and can be used offensively in that regard."
Joan walked over and placed a hand on Jun's head. "Little Jun over here can boost… Just about everything about herself with her semblance. If her aura dips too low, however, it starts to consume her fat stores and extraneous body mass, which is why she's so tiny. When she first unlocked her semblance it ran for too long."
Jinwoo took a second look at Jun with the new information Joan had given him. At first glance, she looked like your average precocious… maybe nine year old? But if what she said is true… "So how old are you Jun?"
The hyperactive ball of red hair and energy practically vibrated in place under Joan's hand before spouting out her answer. "I'm turning 13 this year Oppa! Which means I'm one step closer to being able to marry you and protect you forever!"
Jinwoo's careful control over his facial expressions, which had, in his humble opinion, up to this point been the picture of serene grace, shattered like a pretty porcelain bowl being knocked onto the ground.
Jun stomped over to Jinwoo and gave him the most determined stare he'd ever seen. He was sure his own face looked the same moments before him and Antares, the Monarch of Destruction, had faced each other down for their final fight to decide the fate of Earth.
"I promise that I'm going to be the one to marry you, Oppa, that way you never have to worry about anything ever again. And that's an Arc's promise - we never go back on our word! That's the family motto!" While Jinwoo, Monarch of Shadows, God of Death, slayer of all other Monarchs and savior of the Earth, sat utterly dumbstruck, the few higher brain functions still remaining in operation processed the fact that at least he knew the family motto now.
He paused for a moment, before he decided how he wanted to approach this situation.
"Jun… Take it from an older brother, that while I'm incredibly honored and pleased that my little sister would think soooo highly of me, and I of course am happy no other boys have caught your eye, that doesn't mean I want you to be alone forever pursuing something that's not going to be possible. Someday, you're going to meet somebody, get to know them, and decide to spend the rest of your long life with them."
He let out a deep sigh and reached out to play with her hair, gently applying pressure to the top of her head.
"You could do a lot better than an old geezer like me anyway Jun. Give it some time and you'll see."
There, an excellent, well-reasoned argument for why she shouldn't marry him. Beyond being related and all that. Any moment now, she'll calm down and reali- What's that look for? No, that's not the look of resigned acceptance on her face thats -
"No, Oppa! I found you bleeding out in the forest, nearly dead because you're an idiot! You're untrustworthy and can't take care of yourself, so I'm going to do it for you the moment I can! Hmph!" With her carefully thought out and equally well-reasoned rebuttal delivered to me, she crossed her arms and turned her head away from me and closed her eyes.
"I see… Ok Jun. I look forward to seeing your efforts." Vaguely neutral and Jinwoo can now just pray to… himself? Is there another God he can pray to in this world? Either way, he'll just have to pray she moves on and forgets about the whole thing as she gets older. Her diminished size absolutely doesn't help because he just wants to treat her like the adorable little cinnamon roll she is, but if she's nearly 13 that means she might act childish, and certainly can be, but generally kids start to grow more and more serious from that age. Hopefully this is something that doesn't stick. Please. For him? Pretty please?
Joan, the traitor, was just muffling her choking laughs from behind Jun, nearly keeling over from a sudden deprivation of oxygen. "Moving on, what do we need to do exactly? To test this?"
He was also faced with the important decision - feigning his shadow army as his semblance seemed like the best choice. That way he could use it and have people not be surprised. Either that or the ability he'd inherited from Ashborn, the Greatest Fragment of Brilliant Light, and his status as a Ruler before he became the first Shadow Monarch. Which is Ruler's Authority, or telekinesis in layman's terms. It was a great skill, with numerous applications, and one he used to great effect many times. Not only that, but it was completely free in terms of energy/mana consumption.
Which… would have been more important if his energy reserves weren't closer to infinite than not. But they were, so that aspect didn't really matter.
Much as he loved the skill, however, shadow soldiers would offer more utility. It also helped that using his more powerful soldiers would deflect questions about how strong he was. After all, if the world's weakest hunter went from nothing to something and raised the amount of questions and interest that he did, he could only imagine the questions going from someone who couldn't fight a single Grimm to being capable of subjugating the entirety of them all at once by himself would raise.
Since toppling the local government if they got handsy with him and his power would probably make his sisters sad, he'd prefer not to take any additional attention please and thank you.
His decision was made. Shadow soldiers were to be his semblance.
"First things first we'll have Jun have a go at you to see what your base speed and strength look like. Aura awakenings aren't all equal, but time and training equalize everything in the end. Let me get you a wooden sword and shield for you to try out, I know that was always your favorite to play with as a kid and even into your older years."
He raised a hand to pause that thought. "Actually… Do you have a dagger equivalent? I think I'd like to try that first. Before moving onto larger weapons." Joan gave him a small look before acquiescing. Maybe because he seemed so certain? He tried to play it off but… Jinwoo was much more of a threats and intimidation and I'll murder you and raise you into my invincible shadow army for eternity and you'll be happy about it sort of guy. Bluffing wasn't really his style.
The eldest Arc departed to a shed nearby to retrieve the weapon in question. Jun herself, apparently to be his opponent, retrieved her own wooden sword and stood ready. When Joan came back, he was presented with a slim wooden dagger that looked fairly sturdy. It wasn't as long as his normal ones were, but he could work with it. Thinking back, his daggers probably fell just shy if not directly into the 'shortsword' category. "Thanks."
She nodded back. "Ok Jun, half speed please. Let's see how he does."
"Got it, Onee-sama! Get ready Oppa, because here I come!" Without much in the way of warning, Jun rocketed towards him, sword prepared to strike. As he tracked her path, traveling just above the ground, he forced down a small smile. It reminded him of when he'd very first started - back when he was doing his daily quest to get 'fit'. When he first discovered the changes adding points into 'strength' had made to his body, and the speed he had then. Of course, he was so much faster now it was nearly incomprehensible, but seeing the smaller figure charging towards him brought back memories. Well, it was more likely his enemies saw what he was looking at right now, but still.
The time for rumination came to an end as Jun reached him. She likely wasn't trying particularly hard to actually hurt him if the basic swing she used to try and attack his side - the side holding his weapon - was any indication.
Jinwoo took a small step to his right and deflected the strike of the sword up and into the air just over his head, which he helped by crouching slightly. Without the expected resistance of both striking something or body-checking him, Jun was ill prepared to land and took a few stumbling steps to regain her balance after she flew past him.
"Whoa Oppa, that was really good! I always knew you were the coolest, you just hid your talents to make everyone think you sucked!" That… was a blow to the pride of the old Jaune, Jinwoo was sure, but… Having one sister who apparently always believed in him made him happy, even if he wasn't the same person anymore.
The gleaming red aura, or at least Jinwoo assumed it was aura, that suddenly appeared around Jun told him she was ramping up. He glanced at Joan, unsure if she was going to let it keep going or not. All he'd done was a slight deflection after all. Nothing complicated. Joan, however, had a focused look on her face and was staring at him as though trying to dissect an particularly interesting specimen she'd found.
Jun came back around, flying at him once again, faster than she was before. This time she swung her sword from his off-hand side, so he couldn't easily do what he'd done the first time. Of course, they assumed he was a novice fighter who'd never been trained. Well, technically he hadn't ever been trained, but years of experience made a most excellent teacher.
Jinwoo deflected the sword again, and since they were coming at each other with weapons in opposing hands, he also sidestepped to the right while maintaining his deflection. This meant Jun's little body traveled straight through the air where he was standing, and with him able to maintain his block, her sword arm was thrown out of balance as it was dragged up and backwards.
This time, she actually fell and ate dirt as she practically skipped across the ground like a stone across water, all of her forward momentum that was to be delivered into the strike turned into an uncontrolled bounce off the ground.
Of course, watching her do that made Jinwoo feel incredibly guilty, so he rushed after her to check on the littlest Arc sister. "Oh shit, are you okay Jun?!"
He rapidly caught up to the girl after she landed face first in the grass. His fears were quickly allayed when she popped up straight onto her feet and rounded on him with an expression of amazement. "YOU'RE SO AWESOME OPPA! Train me! Train Me! You were just like Bam and swoosh and suddenly I was going BOING!"
Jinwoo rubbed the back of his neck and chuckled awkwardly at the childish reenactment of their little bout. "While I appreciate your adoration the main problem is your feet aren't on the ground when you are taking a swing at me. All I have to do after that is… Get out of the way and make sure you don't chop me in half and your initial momentum does the rest. So maybe next time just come at me normally, eh?"
Jun's eyes were practically sparkling. "That makes a lot of sense Oppa! I always knew you were the best! Yay!"
With that said, she began skipping around the yard chanting nonsensical things under her breath. The snippets Jinwoo could catch sounded suspiciously like 'Oppa' and some variation of 'the best'.
The eldest Arc approached him while Jun had her happy fit. "That was unexpectedly good, Jaune. Did losing your memories unlock your killer instincts? Because Jun might be young, but she's fast. And quite talented for her age. Compared to your lack of training… I expected things to go very differently."
Jinwoo snorted. She wasn't wrong, that was for certain. "This situation is certainly not something I expected either, dear sister." Her cheeks were tinged with red again, but Jinwoo ignored it. "Ever since I woke up… things feel different." A drastic understatement. He would make a joke about feeling like a 'whole new man' but… It felt like it would be in bad taste since Jaune had died for this. "I'm more aware… Stronger… Faster… I feel more alive. In fact, I keep feeling something… Behind me. Based off what you said, I suspect my semblance, but I'm not sure."
With bullshit spewing forth profusely, Jinwoo marched forward. "In fact… I've noticed it moving… around me? But only as the light changes. It might have something to do with my shadow?"
Joan paused in contemplation before sneaking a glance to his side, where his shadow stretched across the ground. A quick fluctuation of his shadow soldiers ensured his shadow stretched and moved in a very unnatural way, since he was standing perfectly still.
"I'm going to have to agree with you on that one Jaune. Unless something's taken up living in your shadow, it's definitely moving on its own. That's actually really good! Being able to feel and detect your semblance already is a great sign." Under her breath he could hear her mutter. "Makes sense it's the opposite of most of ours…"
"What was that?"
"Oh, just… Most of the families, at least the childrens, semblances are tied to light somehow, like Dad. I was just musing that it made sense that of all peoples yours would go the polar opposite direction. That was all." That was a fair anecdote. Though the reason why it was the opposite was totally wrong, as Joan seemed to assume it was because Jaune was rebelling? Or something along those lines.
"I'm not too worried about it. It'll come with time. Just like my relationship to all of you guys, it'll all come back with time. Maybe not the memories themselves, but… We'll move forward. Together. I'll fight and die for my family, that much I know. What did Jun say earlier? An Arc's promise?"
Joan approached and pulled Jinwoo into a tight hug, meshing their bodies together as tightly as possible. Which was quite a bit when you are a strong huntress, apparently. If there was a little hitch in her voice, neither of them commented on it. "It seems you didn't only grow up in the physical sense, little brother. I'm so glad you're back with us. Promise you won't go and do something incredibly stupid? I wouldn't be able to bear losing you ever again."
Instead of immediately commenting, Jinwoo simply laughed and hugged her back even tighter before lifting her into the air and twirling her around as though she was the little sister. Which, to him, they all would be no matter what.
Gently setting her back down after a few moments, he held the back of her head as it was tucked up against his shoulder. This woman had cared for the entire rest of the family for her entire life. Played the mother to all of their sisters and to him. Jinwoo was hardly an expert on the matter, but he knew that children growing up without a solid support structure and rules, as well as parents to enforce them and help them grow, didn't always wind up with a healthy mindset. He didn't doubt it was possible to turn out fine in such a situation, but why take the risk?
He also wasn't doubting his sister's abilities to care for children - though what that meant to people could vary. Maybe one sister was a great mother figure, involved in the children's lives and ensuring they grew up to become intelligent and well-rounded, whereas another could be much more hands off. Still a mother figure, but different. Maybe they encouraged them in different ways, or supported them from the background.
The problem was, changing who that was every week was going to cause friction. What if one of the kids really likes one sister but another not as much? And they were forced to take the role of both mother and older sister.
It was too much.
"I'll never leave you alone again, Joan. Don't worry about a thing. I can't promise to be the Jaune you knew before… But I'll try my hardest for you guys. You're my family, and I don't know it yet but I'll love you all, I'm sure of it. You, Jun, the other sisters… I can't wait to meet them and see the fruits of you and the older sister's parenting skills. I know things will be difficult, but I'm strong now. I'll help you carry this burden that has been wrongfully set upon your shoulders. Arc's promise."
If there was a hitch before, the loud sniffles he now heard told him he'd succeeded in making her cry. Jinwoo pulled back a little ways, which Joan responded to by gripping her hands around him even tighter. He wasn't trying to get away, however, and instead stood on the tips of his toes and pulled her head against his chest, so he could properly give her a bigger, older brother's hug.
He stroked her hair in long, calming motions. "It's alright Joan, I'm not leaving anytime soon. We're in this together, alright?" She nodded against his chest.
They stood like that for several minutes, not that Jinwoo's legs needed a rest. Honestly, he could hold this pose for years without strain. Eventually, however, Joan's arms retracted from around his chest and he loosened his own grip on her head and back. Pulling away, Jinwoo was finally able to see her face dyed a lovely crimson that practically stretched down to her neck. It seemed Joan was easily embarrassed by displays of affection, which was quite cute, he found. The oldest sister who… Might unsurprisingly be unused to affection if their parents were as bad as he suspected they were. Bastards. All three parents, which he was still getting used to.
In the dying light of dusk, her golden hair wreathed by the setting sun, it was impossible to not note how absolutely stunning Joan was. Her heart-shaped face and earnest eyes made him think he would have a very hard time telling her no in the future. As her not-actual brother, Jinwoo figured that it was fair for his brain to think that and find her attractive, but also made sure to pointedly disregard such thoughts.
This was his family now, after all.
They stood there for a few brief moments, staring into one another's eyes. Jinwoo also realized this probably looked incredibly romantic from the outside, and acknowledged that maybe Joan's embarrassment was more his fault than not.
Before he could disengage further and save them both from further awkwardness, a steely look of determination that spoke of decisions made and damnable consequences ignored appeared in her bright blue eyes. Both of her hands came up to cup his face before she leaned in and gave him a quick, chaste kiss upon his lips.
Jinwoo's mind temporarily halted yet again, and he momentarily stopped moving away as he'd started to initially. Joan's blush had gone into full nuclear meltdown, her skin starting to look more like one of his high orc's than not. When she spoke, it came as a quick babble that he only vaguely understood.
"Go ahead and practice and try and see if you can find your semblance, I'm gonna take Jun inside and check on… Things real quick. Jun! Come on, lets go!" With that, she bolted away.
Huh. Well, that happened. Even though she seemed so flustered maybe that's just how they do things on this planet? Hell, he wouldn't have been surprised to learn that some families greeted each other like that in his own world. Definitely nothing wrong here in the family where the parents just left and forced the kids to raise the others… No mental damage, problems, or issues here officer! None at all…
Deciding to shove the whole situation into a tiny box and stuff it into a long-ignored corner of his mind, Jinwoo moved on. Time to 'discover' his semblance and ignore his problems!
Making sure that neither Jun nor Joan were peaking through a window at him, he called up one of his first shadow soldiers, the knight's he'd fought when he first earned his 'class'. It materialized without even a whisper of noise and stood at attention. "Alright, Mr. Knight, we're gonna need to polish off some acting skills for a bit. Just long enough for it to make sense that I'm 'used' to my semblance. I have the utmost faith in you. Let's do this!"
He held out his hand and got an enthusiastic high five. Ya, when he said he had faith in his knights, that was an utter lie. They were better than Tank, at least, but not by much. Oh, in combat they were just fine. Looked the part of the imposing, powerful armored knight who was gonna kick some ass and take names. And they did. But outside of combat… Honestly, they acted like a giant band of hooligans. Get more than one knight in the near vicinity of each other with no other instructions and they reverted back to their mana-crystal gathering days and began stealing everything of value not nailed to the ground.
Was this his fault for using some of his soldiers as manual laborers? Maybe.
Did he find it incredibly amusing most of the time to see other's reactions to their antics? Most definitely.
Would he be summoning more than one knight for a few days at least? Definitely not.
He needed his semblance to seem like it was 'new' to him. If he was all chummy with his knight immediately then he could play it off, but it might raise some questions. So, as he said earlier, time to brush up on his non-existent acting skills. After all, the knight just had to stand there and do what he said. Jinwoo's role required slightly more.
"Well, no time like the present, I guess. Let's see what they're up to, shall we?" Sharing in the senses of the shadows he'd assigned to Joan, he realized they were in the dining room, or at least what looked like the dining room, and she was talking on the phone.
" - yes he changed for the better but that doesn't mean your decisions didn't KILL Jaune! He's not the same person he was before at all, mom! He's confident and powerful, if his little bout with Jun is any indication, but none of us know him anymore. He doesn't even know himself - he just has general feelings of things that he wants to do… I will take whatever tone I damn well please when your decisions are the ones that hurt him! As a matter of fact, I'm more of his mother than you are at this point! I knew him far better than you ever did, and he's gone now… No, it is too much to expect the same results from him when you don't treat him the same as the other siblings! In what world did you expect someone who you're practically trying to exile from the family to stick around once they gained power, huh? What if he did keep his memories? What if he decided now that he could make money on his own, he would just leave and do exactly that, without your help since he wouldn't need it anymore."
Apparently he decided to listen in on a juicy conversation. While he normally didn't stoop to the level of eavesdropping on his friends and family, he really wanted to hear what they had to say.
"I don't want Oppa to leave! He just got here and he actually lets me hug him. Can't we just keep him the way he is now?" Jun was sitting in the room as well. Since I'd forgotten to earlier, he had a shadow split off to watch over her.
Joan groaned in irritation. "Jun I think this is how he is now, but don't worry about that ok? Ugh, no mom, I was just talking to Jun. Jaune is incredibly motivated now, and keeps talking about sticking around and helping us out… But even though he's only been home for a few hours I think he already dislikes you guys… Why? The few times he's mentioned looking forward to meeting 'the family' it's only ever in regards to the sisters. He's never once mentioned 'the family' in its entirety or mentioned 'parents' at all. He was also talking about helping me and taking the weight that was unfairly put on me, I think. He's already gotten a good read on the family and didn't necessarily like what he saw, mom. When you see him… Don't expect him to be happy if you can't answer his questions… You don't understand how he is now. He's different, and not in the sense he lost his memory. The way he carries himself, his confidence, everything."
There was a brief pause as Joan's mother spoke for a time.
"No, NO! You don't get to say that! You aren't here, you don't plan on coming back or changing your plans at all, and this is all your fault! Yes he's stronger! Yes he grew up and broke out of his shell just like the other six sisters, and guess what mom? It only cost him everything. And you don't care. You don't get a say anymore! Jaune's mine to protect from your decisions, whether you think they're for his benefit or not and I won't let him go. Not that you're here enough to do anything about it even if you wanted to."
There was a resounding crack as a phone was dropped onto a table. That was… Unfortunate. But it was also enlightening. The situation was as bad as he feared. But it was also good - it meant he could begin helping out as soon as possible, rather than dithering back and forth. The more he could help his sisters, the better.
Releasing the shadow from his attention, he motioned his head forward and began to walk inside. The knight trailed dutifully behind him.
They walked through the hall full of pictures of six sisters and three parents, and made their way to the dining room.
All he had to do was introduce his shadow soldiers as his semblance, convince his oldest sister to let him take over some responsibility around the house, hopefully convince Jun not to marry him when she's old enough, and kick the asses of their parents. No big deal.
Wait, didn't Joan also say he was going to Beacon soon?
And he somehow had to get some shadows attached to all of his sisters who were a world away so he could truly protect them all.
So much to do in so little time…
Better get started.
Family Matters
'Jaune' let out a loud yawn, stretching his arms to the sky with several satisfying pops, before plants his hands on the bathroom counter and blearily blinking his eyes.
He got a good look at his new face, his new blond hair…
Jinwoo leaned in. Was that?
He frantically flipped through his hair trying to find what he prayed was merely his imagination.
Nope, there it is. A singular black strand of hair, threaded in amongst the other golden locks.
Jinwoo wasn't a betting man, but he would have bet everything on the fact that 'Jaune' didn't have that hair the day before.
"Well, fuck. This is gonna get complicated."
Family Matters
AN:
For those who haven't read Solo Leveling, and still aren't going to, I've made it slightly easier to find pictures of the characters by just consolidating them into an imgur album. 's policy on sharing links means I can't just post it in a copy/pastable format, however, though its not long and is easy to fix.
Just add the 'com' after the dot and it will work.
imgur./a/uxoBugv
