Ok sorry for the delay. Don't have an excuse for this so I hope you'll be able to forgive me.
But that aside. Thanks to those who have followed, reviewed, favourited or just glanced at this fanfiction. It means a lot to me that my first time writing and uploading stuff has gotten such a popular reception.
I do not own RWBY, Monster Hunter or Spirit Island.
—Chapter 2—
I settle down against a thick branch along and start to read through the notification.
Post Combat Report
Exp Gained: 125
Stats Gained: 1 Vit, 2 Agi
Loot: 3 X Tender Boarbatusk Pelt (D), 1 X Young Tusks (D+), 1 X Juvenile Grimm Blood (C).
Skill Levels: Throwing – Lvl 1 - Lvl 3. Sprinting – Lvl 1 - Lvl 4
Level Up!
Lvl 1 — Lvl 2
5 Stat Points (5 SP)
1 Perk Point (1 PP)
(Open perk tree?)
I glance towards the loot section and realise that there are different drops for a juvenile creature than there would be for an adult 'That makes sense' I think. Reaching out to touch the loot pressing on each gives me a description and stats on them.
Tender Boarbatusk Pelt (D).
This 'Can' be used as armour but it is too soft in its base form to be of much use. If it was tanned or fortified it would make a very comfortable and durable piece of armour though.
Known Crafting Uses: None.
Young Tusk (D+).
This piece of ivory is relatively rare because of the juvenile boarbatusk's fashion for smashing into anything that moves (And things that don't). This results in juvenile boarbatusks not having enough of a tusk to be harvested. Due to its sharpness this can be used in many weapons and some armours, however it will dull and has low durability.
Known Crafting Uses: None.
Juvenile Grimmblood (C).
This miraculous fluid is borne from the Yearning Void, placed inside ?'s creations and used to animate their lifeless husks. Seen as evil and dangerous by many the knowledge on how to refine and treat it into a lifesaving medicine has been forgotten. (Perhaps if you find ancient texts left from ? you will be able to create many potent brews and elixirs). Due to this creature being freshly made this still has not been diluted by ?'s magics.
Known Crafting Uses: None.
Quest Unlocked!
Alchemical Secrets IV (B+).
Discover the forgotten alchemical recipes for the production of elixirs and brews from Voidfluid and its many other forms.
Find clues to the whereabouts of Nicolas Flamel.
My eyes light up as I see the new quest of alchemical secrets. I remember being interested in chemistry. If its similar I think that that may be what I will be trying to devote a lot of my time into.
The fact that it says that it hints at Grimm being lifeless until it gets filled with Grimmblood or Voidfluid is a surprise, I thought they were completely made out of the Grimm pools in Salem's domain.
My finger gently presses on the button to open the perk tree while imagining what it would entail.
Perk Tree:
Available Perks:
Mana Sense: Allows the sensing of internal mana reserves (Unlocks Mana Control)
Cost: 2 PP
Bloodline Awakening I: Opens multiple paths for your optional bloodline (Ancestry), Also slight awakening of true bloodline. (Unlocks Faunus, Human, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, ?, Bloodline Awakening II and Bloodline Reversion)
Costs: 10 PP
Physical Aptitude: Decreases threshold for increasing all physical Stats by training. (Unlocks Strength Boost, Vitality Boost, Agility Boost, Dexterity Boost and Sense Boost)
Costs: 3 PP
Intellectual Aptitude: Decreases threshold for increasing all mental Stats by training. (Unlocks Intelligence Boost and Wisdom Boost)
Costs: 3 PP
"Wow" I let out a gasp at seeing the amount of question marks in the bloodline awakening tab. I would imagine that they are bloodlines I have not discovered yet. But that also raises many questions because I can only remember there being only 2 sentient races in Remnant. Faunus and Human.
Closing the tab with a sigh I start to climb higher up the tree, hoping to get a better understanding of where I am in the world of RWBY. I cant say I expected there to be a perk that I could get at level 2 it still is annoying.
New Skill!
Climbing – Lvl 1 (3%):
Allows you to scale sheer surfaces.
Sp Cost Sp/s: 100 - Str/5 - Vit/2 - Lvl*2 (90.5)
Speed Cm/s: Str*2 + Agi*2 + Dex +Lvl*3 (57)
Refocusing on the task of finding where the hell I gather that the forests would mean that i'm either be in Sanus, near Vale or near Mistral in the continent of Anima, if i'm remembering the map correctly.
Noticing that I am not surrounded by trees now I start to look for one of the gigantic branches so that I would be able to finally stand on something instead of just climbing up the ridged bark of the tree.
Pulling myself onto an enormous branch I lay down on the bark. I had gained 4 levels in climbing during my journey up the tree.
I expected to be needing to gasp for breath or to feel my sweat clinging to my body and seeping through my clothes. But I guess that players body nullifies that. Pushing of the bark I stand up and gasp as a sea of undulating green greets my view.
The endless trees spread before my eyes, in the distance the waves of leaves push up against mountains, climbing up the rock but leaving the icy cap free from the grasp of dense foliage. Turning around a wash of blue covers the horizon with the beaches visible and the forest combating the oceans grasp.
The coast stretches along my view the sandy white beaches in a gentle curve meeting up with cliffs further along the coast. Casting my gaze upwards I realise that I am barely a quarter way up the tree but I have been climbing for at least an hour.
Out of the corner of my eye I see a black depth within the trunk of the tree. Starkly contrasting against the ethereal silver of the bark. Orientating myself on the thick branch I start to stand up on the piece of wood thicker than most cars. Once I have carefully turned around I start to walk towards what I now see as a hole in the tree.
The ache in my hands, legs, arms and virtually everywhere else starts to make itself present as I finally detach myself from the endless task of climbing up the ridged bark of the Lyriad tree.
I ready my hatchet as I approach the gaping maw within the tree. Realising that I don't know how much damage my hatchet does. To remedy this I observe the small piece of wood with a rock wedged securely in the wood and held in place by twine.
Primitive Hatchet (E+)
A simple cutting implement used for the felling of small trees, but can be used as a weapon in a pinch
Durability: 48/50
Damage: 15+Str/2
"That's definitely better than the stick" I mutter as my foot enters the hollow. A small twinge of apprehension settling into my gut.
The light from the evening sun casts ominous shadows around the entrance. Taking a rock out of my inventory I toss it into the darkness.
A muffled thud greets my ears the rock seeming to be swallowed by the shadows. I step forward my hatchet held at the ready. I take another step. And another. As I leave behind the light the wood starts to become smoother again. Almost like flooring.
As if that thought was a cue a flicker of flame appears, casting a warm glow in-front of me. The flame reveals what appears to be a shrine with paths leading to both sides as well as behind. On the right a gentle slope downwards following the curve of the tree and to the left a slope upwards retaining the curve that the opposite path has. The path behind the shrine seems to have a dark red curtain protecting what lays within from prying eyes.
Returning my gaze to the shrine I find that there seems to be an idol of some sorts. It appears to be an amalgamation of three animals, each having their own distinct heads which seem to glow in an inner light. But following the neck down each distinct animal seems to meld together. Fur mixes with feathers, spines with wings and further down each distinct feature seems to lose their form and colour.
Below the strange figure three unlit candles are placed in brackets with one lit strand of fibre burning slowly down in-front and below the totem.
The right head is a bird reminiscent of a parrot from my previous world, the middle the likeness of a tiger stares back at me, and to the left what seems to be crocodilian head send shivers down my back as its eyes seem to hide a deceptive intelligence.
Totem of the Deceiver (?)
This totem hides underlying power tied to chaos, decisions and lies. The candles seem to tie this power to an external force.
Health: Immortal. Tied to ?
Preparing myself for a fight I start to back away wanting nothing to do with whatever this is. The flame is burning low and in realisation I realise that this may be a timer. But by now I am too far away to reach it before it fully burns out.
Preparing to consume a Blood Berry I get ready to fight for my life but internally I am screaming knowing that I made a mistake approaching it. There is NO way that I am prepared for whatever this is.
The flame sputters and dies resulting in complete darkness pressing in on all sides.
Wait.
The eyes of the totems still glow with an otherworldly light.
"WHO DARES TRESPASS INTO MY LAIR!?" An echoing voice shakes through the tree piercing straight into my mind, feeling it reverberate in my head sending me kneeling to the ground. Cowering behind my hands I prepare for death.
Strangely nothing comes after except for a strange sound… Is that laughing? 'Seriously' I think exasperated. But as I open my eyes I flinch back seeing smoke rising from the eyes of the totem and replicating the statue but in a much larger scale. I notice that brazers along the walls have been lit letting me see the shifting form of… whatever that is.
"Hello?" I call out meekly rising to my feet. It doesn't seem to be aggressive but it may just be toying with me.
"You should've seen yourself!" It bellows. "No please don't hurt me" it imitates the manner in which I said 'hello'. Its form is shifting to fast for the eye to track.
All of a sudden its form spreads out and the raucous laughter suddenly stops. The only sound is the swishing of wind, swirling the smoky form of the sprit around me. Rapidly casting observe on the rapidly rotating mass in a desperate attempt to gain some information about my assailant.
Grinning Trickster Stirs Up Trouble.
Lvl ?
This spirit was made from the Lyriad tree to influence and protect itself, but it started to gain a following from the people that began to live in its roots. Persuading the Lyriad tree it managed to make a pact that he can create a shelter inside the trunk of the colossal tree. As its power grew it began to find itself in the form of a carefree trickster with many faces. Recently it has heard the whisperings of the forest proclaiming about a strange child arriving here through mysterious manners.
Hp: Infinite. As long as its followers exist it is immortal
"Child of Monsters, Men and Minds. Your presence here defies all logic. A body lost in time. A mind lost in space. Beware the journey ahead. Take one path but you will be led down another. My one wish to you is to find my followers. If you return them here you will be rewarded with my blessing and patronage." The booming voice imprints this message within my mind. And the dark smoke fades as it imparts its message. "Beware the Thunderspeaker" Another message comes into my mind, a final piece of advice. Now if only I could figure out what the fuck that meant.
Quest Unlocked!
The Misplaced Few. (C)
Find the Followers of Grinning Trickster Stirs Up Trouble and return them to the Lyriad tree.
Rewards: Blessing and Patronage of Grinning Trickster Stirs Up Trouble. +1000 Reputation with ? and Grinning Trickster Stirs Up Trouble.
I spend a small amount of time trying to find what that meant. It seems that my body is from the past and that I am a child of Monsters, Men and Minds. That could mean many things but I have no clue what. Perhaps the most confusing is how it said that I would chose one path but I would be led down another. It could be that I would be constantly changing focus, as I do in video games or that I would be guided to do something that I don't want to.
Opening my eyes the hollow inside of the tree is now bathed in light. The walls sharing a gentle silver glow, and all three candles below the totem are lit.
Each path seems to have a sign hanging from the ceiling. To the left "Quarters" is engraved with a slightly brighter glow than the rest of the sign. The right has "Facilities" in the same style. Im presuming that they aren't meaning bathrooms. In the centre there is an ornate metal sign depicting two swords crossed and a lions head above it. Is it an arena of some sorts?
Turning around I realise that there are now two exits. One has a shimmering field in-front of it preventing me from seeing the other side.
Stepping around the totem I enter the central passage and push the curtain aside, dimly noticing that it is made out of some sort of fine silk.
My deduction was correct and it seems to be an arena. To the side of the passage resides a board with names and then numbers beside it. The highest number that I can see is a 28. Now what the hell does that mean?
Entering the large hollow area I am greeted with a gigantic circular arena with stands around it. The stairs down to a grate on the level of the arena is immediately in-front of me. There seem to be weapons hanging beside the entrance to the arena. I notice axes, swords, spears, glaives, bows, shields and strangely large staffs with different coloured stones seated around tendrils of silver wood that most of the hilts and grips are made out of.
I cant see any guns or dust weapons but this may be for practice fighting, but the blades to seem to be sharpened and glinting of the silver light emitted by a large inverted tree on the roof of the arena.
Observing leads to an interesting discovery. All of the weapons are made out of a material called 'Glint-steel' and the wood incorporated is made out of shimmering wood which if I remember correctly is the wood of this tree.
Grabbing a longsword an reminiscing on my time playing Monster Hunter World I observe the length of shining metal.
Glint-steel longsword. (C) Glint-steel set
Damage: 70 + Dex*2 + Str + Nature Affinity (120)
Augments: Shimmering Wood 1. (Increases damage with Nature Affinity. Gain Nature Affinity. Gains Skill)
Stat Bonuses:
Vit: 4
Str: 8
Dex: 10
Nature Affinity: 20
Skills:
Razorleaf (Iai slashes have additional cutting power and can root enemies.)
Set Bonus:
2 Piece: +20 Damage to all weapons
4 Piece: +10 Metal affinity
5 Piece: Refraction (Negates light based attacks. Reflects 10% of magic damage taken)
'Ummm this seems to be taken right out of monster hunter, but with some more RPG aspects' I think while reading through the notification. 'they even use Iai slash'. I actually think that I may actually try to incorporate the Monster Hunter move-set.
Glancing around I find that there is enough room to swing in large arcs around myself. After going through all of the moves from monster hunter like the overhead slashes jabs and even the spirit combo and foresight slash. Once I finish I look up but jump in surprise as I see a notification that I wasn't expecting.
(A/N I recommend you to maybe watch a bit of monster hunter longsword to envision the movements, but I will try to describe them as best as I can)
Sword Form Discovered:
Spirit Form – Lvl 1 (0%).
Requirements:
Longsword Mastery Lvl 15
Longsword
Dex Lvl 15
Str Lvl 10
Bonuses: Spirit Meter. Spirit Attacks. Unique Move-set
Damage Boosts:
Spirit Gauge Lvl 0: 0%
Spirit Gauge Lvl 1: Spirit Form Lvl*5 (5%)
Spirit Gauge Lvl 2: Spirit Form Lvl*7 (7%)
Spirit Gauge Lvl 3: Spirit Form Lvl*10 (10%)
Skill Discovered:
Longsword Mastery – Lvl 1 (0%)
Your proficiency with Longsword
Increases Longsword Damage by: lvl*2+5 (7%)
Skill Lvl Up X2
Longsword Mastery Lvl 1 — 3
"Ok…" Im rendered speechless by the fact that I literally yoinked the longsword from monster hunter. But I do need to have longsword mastery at lvl 15 to use it though which does change things.
I start to enter the arena wondering what I will be able to find holding the longsword in my hand and attaching the sheath to my waist.
Once I walk out into the shallow sand the gate behind me slams closed. Whirling around I turn to see that the grate has closed and latches have been attached to the sides. I could get them off with time but I don't think I have it, judging by a howl coming from the opposite side of the arena.
Event Quest!
Trial of the Warrior.
Objective: Survive as many waves. (you will immediately be teleported out if you are about to die)
Rewards: Depends on how many waves.
Wave 1: Practice Badge
Wave 2: Glint-steel Longsword
Wave 5: Choice of Glint-steel Armour
Wave 10: ?
Wave 20: ?
Wave 30: ?
…
The smell of hot chocolate wafts through the office of Professor Ozpin that along with the incessant ticking of gears accompanies said professor as he is going through the mess of applications.
"HE'S HERE" He flinches and spills a sizeable amount of hot cocoa on the admision papers of a random student. Following this a torrent of memories stream through his head.
The mug that he was holding crashes to the ground as he brings his hands up to cradle his head.
"Azure…" He mutters "I hope you will be able to forgive me"
"My child"
…
Edit: Im trying to find a format for scene breaks that work.
Slightly shorter chapter today but next chapter should be published on time (I know! Its insane!).
This chapter I have taken inspiration from Monster Hunter and Spirit Island. I recommend you check them both out.