Back again for another chapter! I'm not going to rush, but we'll see if I can get this out really soon, since a lot of people are really liking the story.
Let's just jump right into it, shall we? First a couple of review responses.
QuantumZero: Power Strike enhances whatever his attack is by exerting aura or a boosted effort into it. So it's his arm, technically, that is being enhanced, in order to enhance his attack. He cannot Kaioken, unfortunately.
Nik41: this is an unexpected request, but I'll see what I can do, *writes it down*
MysticSpider: I'm sorry Dave, I'm afraid I can't do that. He's going to have to talk to someone eventually.
AryanGodJaune: first off, I love your username, second off, thank you for your supporting words. Trust me when I say that this story will grow into something BIG, I'm talking HUGE, I'm talking MASSIVE, I'm talking... well, you get my point. It's going to be very definitely not small.
A particularly innocent Guest: I have read TGWP by Ryuugi from start to finish, and I won't say that I haven't drawn any inspiration at all from his work, but I will say that I will be making all efforts I can to not be a copycat to him.
A particularly rude Guest: ... I shouldn't feed flamers, but I happen to be hard at work trying to make a decent The Gamer story for people to enjoy reading. Let's just say that if I had to plot a completely straight line between this person's statement and the truth, along the shortest possible path, it'd touch the moon.
I know I haven't technically established a plot yet, so it might seem like this story is aimless, but for those of you with doubts, please remember that Jaune is still technically in the beginning of the game, he hasn't been introduced to any plot lines yet. He hasn't even had TIME to be. Hell, he hasn't even gone on a training spree yet (he does in this chapter). I happen to have BIG plans for this story (conveniently the plot starts to be introduced in the next couple of chapters, actually) and things will be started on a roll.
Still, a major focus in this story is the more human part of Jaune being, well, Jaune, so there will be drama and there will be fluff aside from the action. Sadly for those of you who don't want him to tell anyone about The Gamer, he's gonna have to eventually. It's part of my plan and he's bound to open up to someone at some point (most-likely a fellow blonde who happens to have a very impressive pair of... gauntlets).
For those of you who like the story, but are a bit confused about the plot, just know that I have plans for the story and this story will become VERY big.
Now a note of worldbuilding: I'm using a bit of a different map than the normal Vale map, basically just put Beacon more to the north and put some small cities and towns that are part of the Vale Kingdom to the south of our main city.
Oh yeah, there's a subtle reference in this chapter, see if you can find it. If you can, you get a cookie, ^w^
Now let's get to the chapter.
EDIT AGAIN: OKAY I'M SICK AND FUCKING TIRED OF GETTING FLAMED OVER THIS FUCKING CHAPTER SO I WENT BACK IN AND PUT SOME MORE SHIT INTO THE SCENE EVERYONE GETS THEIR PANTIES IN A BUNCH ABOUT! Spoilers: Jaune isn't 100% immune to panicking and has a bit of panic and in said panic he dumps a ton of points into LUK and then regrets it because he gets some skills that, in his bad mood, he can't fully see the true value of and feels like the game is shitting on him for making a decision while in a panic. If you read this note and then read that scene and you STILL feel the need to bitch about it, then save me the excitement of seeing a new review and the crushing disappointment of it being just another person complaining about his LUK boost, and either keep it to yourself or fuck off
Chapter 4: Back to the Grind and to the Ground.
I groaned, exhausted as I ended up in the forest east of the city. I pulled out a towel I'd bought at the store, among a few other little things, and wiped my face and neck clean of the sweat I'd shed.
I still had the Stud class equipped... but ONLY because it gave me the boosted SPR, that was the ONLY reason why I had it equipped. I was not interested in getting a girlfriend, and Yang was still WAY out of my league.
I came out here for a reason, and that reason was that I needed to fight Grimm in order to level up. Hilariously convenient that in a world of murder-monsters, I have a power that lets me get stronger for killing them. I activated my aura to boost my SPR some more, sighing as it raised even more.
I could practically feel the EXP coming to me as I anticipated the fights ahead...
And then I LITERALLY felt the EXP coming to me.
Sense Danger's level increased by 1!
Augmenting your senses with Aura has created the skill "Detect Bloodthirst"!
Detect Bloodthirst's level increased by 1!
You sense a dangerous, bloodthirsty presence nearby! Origin: Grimm
I grit my teeth, equipping Crocea Mors and Candidus Murus.
Now was the time to test my mettle.
Looking around, I listened for the Grimm approaching me... THERE!
I spun around and saw a Beowolf rush from the foliage. I raised my shield and its attack slid past the metal while I kicked it to the side, sending it sprawling to the ground with flailing limbs as I saw Shield Skill get added to my skills.
I sent a Gamer's Sight at it. I had to know my enemy right?
Beowolf
Title: Strength of the Wolf
Level: 6
I groaned. Great, even one of the lowliest Grimm in the world was stronger than me? I looked through its stats to confirm.
I was surprised.
HP: 150/150
SP: 1500/1500
Strength: 14
Dexterity: 25
Vitality: 15
Intelligence: 1
Wisdom: 2
Luck: 6
Huh... I was actually a LOT stronger than it. Though given the difference in my growth and its growth, it made sense suddenly.
I looked through its status effects and found a few that stood out, namely 'Burgeoning Potential', which meant it could grow to be far more than what it is now, 'Dark Energy', which was why it had so much goddamn SP, and 'Suboordinate', which allowed it to take boosts given by higher ranking Beowolves.
I felt just a little bit outclassed, but it had no AP, while I had a significant amount of it.
I charged forward and swung Crocea Mors at it, cutting off its arm with the Elemental-sharpened blade. I saw its HP drop to 110, which was a little concerning, since the damage for Crocea Mors is supposed to be about 200. I quickly came around and cut off its other arm, then shield-bashed it in the face, followed by cutting its head off.
It fell to the ground with a thud while I backpedaled, expecting another any second.
Nothing.
I looked at the ground and was surprised to see a small bundle of Lien and a few teeth. I picked them up and used Gamer's Sight.
You gained 50 lien!
You gained the item "Beowolf Fang (x4)"
Beowolf Fang
Description: The fang of a Beowolf, preserved despite its body disintegrating. Can be used in crafting.
Type: Grimm Loot
I stared at the teeth. I could... craft with these? All that came to mind was a tooth necklace and attaching them to a club as spikes, and the latter sounded morally wrong, so I guess I could do the former.
I just needed to, y'know, find out how to make a tooth necklace.
I saw that my EXP bar had gone up a decent amount.
I ran off in search of another Beowolf. I didn't use Run, instead gauging my speed to be below what it would take to activate it. It was surprisingly easy, since my INT helped me mentally react faster. I saw that my SP was barely going down at all and mentally recorded that.
Before was just training time. Now? It was serious time.
I kept almost-running until Sense Danger and Detect Bloodthirst pointed out another Grimm. I activated my aura to recover that much more SP, when I saw the message change from 'Nearby' to 'Close'
Ceasing my panting, I listened to the sounds around me, and I forced my aura to glow brighter in an attempt to-
A special action has created a skill! By shining your light to attract the creatures of Grimm, you have gained the skill "Signal"!
Signal (Active) Level: 1, Exp: 12.54%, Cost: 1500 AP
A power of the ancient wizard Patches O'Hullohan Newcastle, the founder of Patch. His semblance partially allowed him to become a signal of light that would attract the forces of darkness to him. Able to be manifested through the powers of The Game, this skill allows the user to attract the Grimm to themselves, even bypassing other warriors of the light, so that they shall not come under harm.
Attracts Grimm to you from up to 100 meters away.
Bypasses aggro-drawing of fellow warriors of light that are up to 10 levels below yours.
Costs an additional 1500 AP per hour
I felt like my Aura just short-circuited, and sure enough...
ERROR! Aura Point Value has become incomputable! ERROR! ATTEMPTING TO FIX!
You have received the status effect "Aura Confusion"
I facepalmed. GREAT, and I was JUST about to try to use an aura attack too!
In my distraction, I felt something crack my knees and I fell to the ground like a sack of bricks. I scrambled to my feet and looked at what had come for me.
Name: Boarbatusk
Title: The hungry, bloody teeth
Level: 23
Hit Points: 1200/1200
Stamina Points: 3700/3700
Strength: 24
Dexterity: 30
Vitality: 40
Intelligence: 3
Wisdom: 3
Luck: 10
I spat on the ground, checking its other details. It was heavy, but I could... hehe, THAT would be fun.
I unequipped my sword and shield and met its charge with my gloved hands. I felt my arms ache as I slid back several feet, but eventually my opposing force had stopped it. I lifted with my arms and back, feeling its weight , and I used my Strength to lift it up and over my head, practically suplexing it as I slammed it upside down into the ground, dealing a few hundred damage. I scrambled to my feet and got out my sword again, stabbing it in its unprotected underside, seeing its HP plummet, then stop. I wrenched my sword around and ripped it out, spraying vile ichor and gore all over.
If it weren't for Gamer's Mind and Gamer's Body, I'd have thrown up. I had to do THIS to kill the Grimm? The smell alone would make a D&D character have to do a Constitution saving throw in order to not vomit!
Instead, I simply retched a couple of times before pulling myself together. I saw a few new windows appear.
Your level has increased by three!
You gained 750 lien!
You gained the Skillbook: Stampede
"Nice." I smiled and looked at the book itself. It was a book on Aura Channeling techniques. Odd... how is only one skill in this book? I opened it and flipped through the pages, finding that many of them were torn, smudged, and dirtied, and the only remotely legible pages were the ones detailing Stampede.
I shrugged, figuring the book was useless in its current state, and hit Yes to 'read' it.
The golden flakes of information soared into my head, forming another 'box' of information in my memory.
I looked at the skill curiously.
Stampede (Active) Level: 1, EXP: 0.00%, Cost: 100 AP
By channeling Aura through specific leg, back, and arm muscle groups, users of this skill may unleash a powerful charge, breaking through defenses or tossing foes aside.
Increase movement speed by 100%.
Increase charging force by 100%.
Costs an additional 100 AP per minute
"Huh... that's pretty cool." I read the skill again. Specific muscle groups? Well... that actually gave me an idea.
I pulled out a notebook and pencil I'd taken from my backpack, in case I happened upon something that inspired a set of plans.
Writing things up, I was suddenly pulled from my writing when I heard a new notification. Seven dangerous, bloodthirsty presences nearby. Origin: Grimm.
Shit, seven Grimm nearby? I activated my aura to start regenerating the rest of my SP, looking out for them. I drew my sword and shield and checked the description of Shield Skill while I waited for an update to the information.
Shield Skill (Passive) Level: 1, Exp: 10.00%
A skill denoting... well... a skill for wielding Shields
Defense: +2%
Stamina Discount: 1%
Toughness: +1
Attack Damage: -95%
I hummed, it wasn't much, but I could work with it. However, before I could contemplate any further, I sensed an attack flying towards my face and quickly raised my shield.
I slashed randomly, hoping to defect the attacker for a second while I backpedaled.
And I just so happened to back into another Grimm.
I sent a round of Gamer's Sight at the enemies who had approached.
Name: Elder Beowolf
Title: Stronger than the Wolf
Level 10
Hit Points: 400/400
Stamina Points: 2000/2000
Its stats were just a bit of a cut above the normal Beowolves, the main difference being that now these ones have armor plates and far more dangerous claws, as well as an extra foot of height.
I took a deep breath, Gamer's Mind helping me keep calm in this situation. I had skills that these things didn't. My stats were far higher, I had Aura, AND I had the ability to plan things out.
One of them charged at me and I bashed it in the face with Candidus, then used Crocea to chop off its arm. I followed suit with the others.
Clangs of bone on metal rang out as I kept Candidus solid and Crocea true, hacking off limbs and spilling vile Grimm ichor all over the forest floor. I ignored the smell, growing a little used to it, much to my shame, and after a long while of Power Strikes, Double Strikes, and even gaining the ability Whirlwind Strike at the end, finishing them all off.
With a small "Woo!" I checked everything that had come out of that.
You gained 2000 lien.
You gained the item "Elder Beowolf Fang (x10)"
-/\-
Whirlwind Strike (Active) Level: 1, Exp: 20.00%, Cost: 50 SP
An attack performed by spinning around, using spiral motion and taking advantage of torque to carry force along multiple targets.
Hits all targets immediately surrounding the user.
Stacks with all buffs
Base Damage: 40%
Number of Spins per use: 1
-/\-
Your level increased by one!
You gained the item "Canishigek Du"
I blinked at the strange name and browsed through my inventory, letting out a small "Aha." when I found it.
Canishigek Du
Description: An Elder Beowolf hide shaped into leather jacket. The inside is lined with fur and it has slightly reinforced white leather patches at the elbows and shoulders.
Effect: +5 Armor, +1 DEX, induces status effect "Bloodthirst"
I hummed. Dare I put it on? Bloodthirst sounded like a mental status effect, which Gamer's Mind would negate. I shrugged. Better I put it on to test it rather than make someone else go crazy with bloodthirst trying to test it. Who would I even ask to put it on?
I removed my hoodie and replaced it with Canishigek.
You equipped the jacket "Canishigek Du"!
You gained the status effect "Equipment Buff"!
Gained +5 Armor!
Status effect "Bloodthirst" was negated by Gamer's Mind.
I looked at the icons for the status effects. Equipment Buff had a plus sign next to a helmet and a breastplate, and Bloodthirst had a fang-filled smile with a drop of blood on the corner of the mouth. However, it was also crossed out with a bright green X, with an icon that looked like a game controller plugged into a brain, which was the icon for Gamer's Mind.
I grinned excitedly. This jacket was almost as comfortable as my hoodie, even if it looked a little odd. I probably wouldn't wear it all the time, but I'd definitely wear it in a battle.
"I wonder what else I can get out here?" I asked myself, looking around, then running off in a random direction.
(Hours Later)
Not feeling the soreness one would usually associate with hours and hours of strenuous exercise, I considered myself very lucky. I slowly trudged through the forest, my destination being home. I was sifting through the many windows that had popped up over the course of my training. I'd ignored them before and let myself go into a trance, fighting as hard as I could and attracting as many Grimm as I thought necessary. Given that I hardly needed food and didn't need sleep at all, I could have stayed out here all night, but I needed to be responsible.
I had school tomorrow after all.
"Well... time to go through all these windows..." I sighed to myself, starting from the top.
-/\-
Jaune Arc
Title: Novice Hero
Level: 19
Class: Tank
Nickname: None
HP: 2960/2960
AP: 5120/5120
SP: 3140/3140
Strength: 40 (+30%) = 52
Dexterity: 35 (+30%) = 45.5
Vitality: 44 (+30%) = 57.2
Intelligence: 45 (+3) (+30%) = 62.4
Wisdom: 40 (+3) (+30%) = 55.9
Luck: 24
Charisma: 45
Stat Points: 77
-/\/\/\/\-
Boxing (Log)
A fighting style used by heavy hitters and catering to the tall and broad. It focuses purely on punches and guarding. Normally used non-lethally, it can easily injure and kill when used the correct way. This skill logs the mastery levels and effects of all Boxing techniques. The power of the techniques increases with STR, DEX, and VIT.
Left Hook: Level 9
Left Jab: Level 9
Left Uppercut: Level 5
Left Low Guard: Level 12
Left High Guard: Level 12
Right Hook: Level 14
Right Jab: Level 16
Right Uppercut: Level 12
Right Low Guard: Level 5
Right High Guard: Level 5
-/\-
Rhythmic Combat (Passive) Level: 3
Power Strike (Active) Level: 18
Double Strike (Active) Level: 22
Whirlwind Strike (Active) Level: 10
Unarmed Skill (Passive) Level: 26
Sword Skill (Passive) Level: 32
Axe Skill (Passive) Level: 23
Dagger Skill (Passive) Level: 24
Shield Skill (Passive) Level: 30
Terrify (Passive) Level: 20
Run (Active) Level: 25
Dancing (Passive) Level: 8
Stampede (Active) Level: 5
Craft (Active) Level: 9
Humming (Passive) Level: 9
Singing (Passive) Level: 8
Summon Elemental (Active & Passive) Level: 10
Aura (Passive & Active) Level: 6
Physical Resistance (Passive) Level 7
Sense Danger (Passive) Level: 13
Detect Bloodthirst (Passive) Level: 15
-/\/\/\-
You gained the item "Skillbook: Leadership"!
You gained the item "Skillbook: Power Arm"!
You gained the item "Orsitranas"!
You gained the Grimm Mask "Lupus"!
By defeating a major Grimm, you have unlocked the title "Grimm Slayer"!
-/\-
Leadership (Passive) Level: 1, Exp: 0.00%
The ability of particularly smart individuals to lead their fellows through tasks. The addition of a good leader can turn the tide of almost any battle. Effects of this skill increase with Skill Level and other Interaction Skills.
0% increase to allies' stats.
+0% effectiveness to allies' abilities.
-/\-
Power Arm (Active) Level: 1, Exp: 0.00%, Cost: 100 AP
By channeling aura through specific arm and shoulder muscle groups, users of this skill may swing their arms with tremendous force, hitting hard enough to shatter boulders or dent solid steel with their bare hands.
Increases strength in arms by 50%
Increases striking force by 200%
Costs an additional 100 AP per minute.
-/\-
I whistled lowly at all my accomplished work, feeling proud of myself for having accomplished all of that in less than a day. Orsitranas was a jacket made from an Ursa's pelt, which was pretty cool. I smiled a little bit. Lupus was gained from a big Beowolf, I think it was an Alpha. I couldn't quite remember, I'd halfway turned off my brain as I trained, and hadn't retained every little piece of information. Actually, speaking of which, I didn't even know how long I've been out he-...
My fingers trembled slightly as I held my scroll in my hand, the numbers on the clock not changing even after I rubbed my eyes, "It's three in the morning? SHIT! FUCK!"
My dad was gonna kill me for being out this late!
Wait... why does it look so bright out, then?
I checked the few other windows, just notifications of my skills leveling up. Why didn't I pay more attention to these? What's wrong with me? Dammit!
Aha! Shortly after I'd gotten the Lupus mask, I'd put it on.
You equipped the item "Grimm Mask: Lupus"
You gained +5 Darkness Affinity
You gained the status effect "Strength of the Pack"
Effects: Gives +15% boost to allies' STR, DEX, VIT, and INT
You gained the status effect "Call to the Moon"
Effects: Increases damage done by mouth-related attacks by 40%. Grants Nightvision
You gained the status effect "Running in the Night"
Effects: Increases movement speed while by 30% during Nighttime
You gained the status effect "Bloody Working"
Effect: All enemies must be killed. (Negated by Gamer's Mind)
You gained the status effect "Primal Instincts"
Effect: Reduces effective INT and WIS by 50% (Negated by Gamer's Mind)
Oh... well then.
I'd save that for later, in that case. Removing the mask was simple and I didn't have a single problem as I put it back into my inventory.
For right now... I needed to get home and hope my dad didn't chew me out for being out so late!
Images flashed through my mind, his tired, worried expression as I came home, me telling him what I was doing, the surprise and brief pride in his eyes that would immediately get squashed by anger and parental worry. He'd tell me off, chew me six new ear holes, two assholes, ground me, confine me to staying in the house and away from training. After all, if I was so irresponsible with my safety that I didn't even tell him where I was when I'd be gone for such a long period of time, I couldn't be trusted to not get myself killed in the pursuit of getting stronger.
For all my stats had helped me vanquish my foes, I could put up no fight against my father with any level of Strength, Dexterity, Vitality, or even Intelligence, Wisdom, or Charisma. He'd be too pissed to listen to one word of my reasons for staying out.
Oh gods, my career as a huntsman would end before it could even begin!
Wait...
I had a lot of stat points... and one particular stat that could help: Luck!
I could increase my Luck and hope that would be enough to boost my chances of not getting caught by my no-doubt extremely irate father and barred from my future attempts at training to be a Huntsman.
The purpose that this Gamer power had presented me with was now on the line. With this as my only foreseeable hope, I figured it was worth a shot.
Somewhere deep in my mind, a dark cloud of thoughts and fears replaced the image of my cowering form standing before my dad's screaming figure with one of my screaming mother.
That settled it then.
With little hesitance, I pulled up my profile again and hit the button to distribute every single point I had.
-/\-
Luck: 24-} 101
Stat Points: 77-} 0
-/\-
I confirmed the change in the numbers, then I felt a change take place in myself, deep and strange, like I was being pulled in all directions... it was odd, it hurt... it hurt so badly...
I cried out in agony, but all too soon it ceased, leaving me breathless. The feeling was so unbearably odd. I felt blurry and yet at the same time sharp... was this the effect of increasing my Luck?
Wait... what are those windows? My vision cleared moments later and my mind took in and processed the words presented to me.
-/\-
By raising Luck over 50, you have gained the skill "Lucky Spark"!
By raising Luck over 100, you have gained the skill "Fate Coin"
By raising Luck over 100, you have gained the skill "Stay True"
By raising Luck over 100, you have gained the skill "Night Omen"
-/\-
Lucky Spark (Passive) Level: 1, Exp: 0.00%, (Gained by raising Luck over 50)
A gift of those who are born particularly lucky. This little spot of good fortune will aid you in gaining more power.
0.1% chance of gaining 300% the EXP for any random thing you may do.
-/\-
Fate Coin (Active) Level: 1, Exp: 0.00%, Cost: 2000 AP, (Gained by raising Luck over 100)
A metaphorical coin that provides good or bad fortune for particularly powerful warriors.
When used, the user's next attack has a 50% chance to deal 200% damage, and a 50% chance to deal 0% damage.
-/\-
Stay True (Passive) Level: 1, Exp: 0.00%, (Gained by raising Luck over 100)
An ability granted to people whose luck is strong enough to be a weapon of information. People slip up near you, letting loose a truth that they might rather want to have bee kept secret. Unfortunately, you are not immune to this slip up either.
1% chance for anything someone tells you to be replaced by a random unknown truth.
20% chance for anything you tell someone to be replaced by a random unknown truth.
-/\-
Night Omen (Passive) Level: 1, Exp: 0.00%, (Gained by raising Luck over 100)
A power given to the fortunate and the unfortunate. A sign of bad luck in the eyes of most, this ability allows one to receive messages through their dreams.
Unlocks "Ominous Nightmares"
Unlocks "Terrifying Nightmares"
Unlocks "Animate Fear Nightmares"
Unlocks "Traumatic Nightmares"
Unlocks "Hopeful Dreams"
-/\-
By having Luck be the first skill to be raised above 50, you have gained a bonus +3 Luck!
By having Luck be the first skill to be raised above 100, you have gained a bonus +6 Luck!
-/\-
That... that was...
Okay... now I wish I hadn't done that...
Following the shock to my system, my mind cleared greatly, like the fog generated by the thoughts of my future being ripped away had vanished. It dissipated completely, blown away by the implications these skills provided.
Night Omen was a very shitty skill, I really wish I didn't have that now.
Why did I panic and dump all my points into Luck? Sure I got Lucky Spark, Fate Coin, and Stay True, but Night Omen was going to haunt my every waking hour!
I didn't want to sleep anymore... I just didn't...
Why does this have to happen to me~? WHY?!
So... let me just review this... I have a Random EXP Boost skill, a Double or Nothing skill, a quite unique Randomly Tells the Truth skill, and a Nightmare skill... wow.
Wow... I was kinda fucked.
And I can't use Novice Hero anymore because I have a stat (my now-decidedly-shitty Luck) that's over 50! Goddammit!
I was screwed no matter what. People around me had a one in one hundred chance of spilling a secret, and I had a one in five! It wasn't fair!
I just hoped that skill leveled up quickly... I'm never increasing Luck again, it's 110 now anyways so it wouldn't irritate my sense of order, which was fine. I probably wouldn't increase it even if it DID!
I sighed and began to Run back home now that my SP was recovered, taking a moment to store my loot in my inventory again, which had expanded massively since I started The Game, probably due to my Strength.
Dammit... just... I was still mad about that. I shouldn't have just dumped all those points in there, but what was I supposed to do? I couldn't let my bad (or was it now supposed to be good?) luck get me... lectured? Grounded? My dreams crushed?
None of those were fun, anyways, and now that my panic had cleared I had also realized that none of them were really all that likely either. My dad was a reasonable man, of course. He'd just make sure I didn't go out training until the wee hours of the morning again.
I could have used those points to boost my Wisdom or Intelligence more, or even my Strength!
... and that reminds me that now I can't use Wizard anymore either! GAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHH!
I sighed exasperatedly, mentally screaming and stopping to cut a tree in half in one sword swing, then I continued along my path after that helped me feel a little better.
At least things would go well at home.
(One run home later)
I rubbed my eyes. It had been half an hour my dad had been telling me over and over how irresponsible I'd been, being out so late without telling him or at least my mom about it. Without giving any indication that I'd not ended up dead.
I sighed and stood up, "Dad, I'm fine, okay? I'm a Wizard." not anymore, unfortunately, but I did unlock a few new classes in the wake of my horrible decision.
By having high LUK, you have unlocked the class "Gambler"!
By having high LUK, you have unlocked the class "Gambler v2"!
By having high LUK, you have unlocked the class "Gambler v3"!
By having high DEX and LUK, you have unlocked the class "Assassin"!
By having high DEX, LUK, and a sufficient level in the Stealth skill, you have unlocked the class "Ninja"!
By having high LUK and INT, you have unlocked the class "Dice Mage"!
By having high LUK and VIT, you have unlocked the class "Flesh Knight"!
The first version of Gambler increased the possibility of a good outcome by 50%, but also increased a bad outcome chance by 50%. The second shifted that to 60-40 in favor of good and added a +25% increase to the positive effects of Luck-based skills, and the third shifted it further to 70-30, as well as boosted the positive skill effects increase to +50%.
Assassin had the lovely effect of increasing the effectiveness of Poison, Stealth, and Acrobatics, as well as increasing my mastery of small weapons like Daggers and Pistols. It also gave me a 1% chance to make any attack a 1-hit takedown, which translates to "Reduces target to 0 HP but doesn't kill them". Needless to say I wouldn't be using that in any fights against any person I didn't want to take any risks killing.
Ninja doubled the effects of my acrobatic skills, increased my Flexibility and Motor Control, doubled my Movement Speed and Speed Control, and allowed me to cast a Smoke Bomb spell and an Invisibility spell. I also gained a boost to my effectiveness with Throwing Weapons and Daggers.
Dice Mage gave me a 0.0002% (1 in 5000) chance to instantly gain 20% EXP for the level of any MP-based skill, instead of the normal amount of EXP it would gain from that one usage. It increased the chance of any beneficial special effects happening by 10%, which was a flat increase, not a compounding one, so if I had that equipped, I think it'd increase the chance of Fate Coin's double damage effect to 60%, or if I had a skill that had a 16% chance to boost my speed, it'd increase to 26%. I also had a 0.0001% (1 in 10000) that any new minute would be a "Shining Minute", which gave me ten times my normal APR for that one minute.
Flesh Knight was weird. It gave me a 20% chance to give me +50% STR after any hit that would dismember or decapitate me.
Overall, not too bad, but I preferred Wizard. Wizard had effects that I would be using more often in my up and coming training.
Wizard was fun. Why can't I be a Wizard anymore?
I cleared my head once more, "I can handle myself, dad, I'm your son, after all." I said sincerely, playing to his fatherly pride and hoping that would be enough to convince him to stop. I had enough going wrong tonight (or was it this morning?) that I didn't need the guilt of having worried him sick bearing down on my conscience.
"Well still, be careful, son, I don't want you to get hurt." he looked me in the eyes and I met his gaze with a firm conviction.
"My Wizard powers deny me from getting hurt too badly. Trust me, an Ursa would have broken my arm with a really powerful hit, but I didn't let the hit do that." I wasn't wrong, but I wasn't giving the whole truth.
"Heh... that once happened to me... I choked the bastard to death with the broken arm." he chuckled, and from the increase in Stay True's EXP after his statement, I figured that was the truth.
"Damn, that sounds painful. Don't worry, dad, I'm sure you're so strong now that you could break an Ursa's arm with a plastic spoon." we laughed together, and I yawned, "Anyways, I need to go to bed." dammit, I didn't want to be tired, why was I tired?
Maybe it was just the effects of Gamer's Mind being put to the test, I suppose. I got a lot of messages about it being reinforced and stuff, but I didn't really pay too much mind to it.
Hehe... pay too much 'mind' to it.
I'm clever, shut up.
I trudged up the stairs, my father behind me as he went towards his room and I to mine. I had noticed my mom wasn't on the couch tonight, but I didn't say anything in case the answer was an unpleasant one, as I didn't want to make my dad upset.
Heh... funny, how I say that, yet I just finished making him upset because I stayed out late fighting Grimm.
I equipped the Tank class and the Grimm Slayer title and laid down in bed.
Grimm Slayer: Obtained by killing a major Grimm. You have slain a true beast of the darkness! Become a true hunter and continue to slay the enemies of Humanity! Effect: 50% increase in damage against Grimm. 50% increase in defense against Grimm. +25% to beneficial status effects while fighting Grimm.
I smiled and closed my eyes. Sure I'd probably have a nightmare, but I did a lot of good today, so it's not going to be ALL bad.
Right?
Darkness encroaches on the city, I'm there, standing amidst it all.
I'm crying. Why? I'm the Gamer, this is just The Game. I can rebuild the city, that can be a quest, right?
QUEST RECEIVED!
Quest: From the ashes we rise.
Description: Save the survivors of the incursion.
Reward for success: +100,000 exp, Increased Closeness to all surviving Valeans.
Penalty for failure: (depending on severity and conditions of failure) Death, the Vale Kingdom ceases to exist.
Time Limit: Until all citizens or all Grimm die.
Accept? Y/N
See? It's a quest. I can do it. I can save everyone. I can be a hero! I can be...
I slice an Ursa Major in half, feeling like I'd aged ten years in just a few steps. I looked down at what my foot threatens to kick.
Gamer's Sight helpfully identifies the scorched object.
Joh# *than A() !
Tit*(: ?!)!$!%
L#$(&: ?!#
Oh... right... it's my dad's head.
I can fix him. That's just... a quest, right?
I... I can do it...
I can be a hero...
I can...
I can...
I fall down amidst the ashes, far too weak to do anything. Why? Why? My luck was high, why didn't it help me?
Why?
"Why?" I asked as I awoke with a tear-stained face, sniffling like a child.
You suffered a Nightmare of Animated Fear. You did not recover any HP, AP, or SP.
You have received the status effect "Poor Rest (Med)"!
Description: Your sleep was terrible and you're now suffering from it.
Effect: -50% SPR for 44 minutes. -50% APR for 44 minutes. -50% STR, DEX, VIT, INT, WIS, and CHA for 44 minutes.
I wiped my face on the sleeve of my onesie, sighing sadly as I sat up, slowly trudging to the bathroom.
That... that was what it was like, then? I... I felt like I wanted to scream. I was about to scream when I remembered the fact that I couldn't, or else I'd wake up my parents and send them into a panic.
A nightmare of animated fear... it was true, though. I was afraid of a good few things now.
I was afraid that Gamer's Mind was going to become too strong, and I'd be left crying with my emotions locked in a cage. I was afraid that Gamer's Body was going to make me endure to the point that I end up alone after everyone else dies. I was afraid that I'd become so engrossed in The Game that I'd forget this was real life.
I was afraid of being weak, and slow, and pitiful.
I was afraid of losing my humanity and reasoning because The Game was like a giant safety net.
I was so, SO afraid...
But... I... I couldn't let that overcome me.
I stepped out of the shower and my aura glowed as I focused hard, my left eye glowing particularly bright, I noticed. I wiped the fog off the mirror and looked at my reflection.
Your human convictions have filled you with determination! Debuff "Poor Rest (Med)" was cured in the process!
I felt clearer, stronger, faster. I'd do something. I'd do everything! I'd do whatever I needed to do in order to save everyone I could.
I just had to start training as soon as I got dres-
"Son! Wake up! You've got school in an hour!"
Goddammit, dad.
I mulled over the window in front of me.
Quest: A Glorious Sendoff
Description: Your last day of school is Wednesday, make it a good one by leaving a lasting impression on all those lame civilians.
Reward for success: Massively increased respect from your dad, Moderately increased respect from your peers, 500 exp, +3 Charisma, 10,000 lien, ?
Penalty for failure: Slightly decreased respect from your dad, 50 exp, 100 lien, have a boring day.
Time Limit: until 3:30 PM Wednesday
I had talked with dad during breakfast. Apparently mom had only been in town for a day, which while almost a little disappointing, was reassuring that she wasn't going to leave my sisters alone for too long without a babysitter. I'd also talked to him about dropping out of high school to start training to be a full-time Huntsman. I needed it. I didn't need the bullshit that high school was trying to give me, I needed to train for Beacon. I needed to train until I was strong enough.
The problem was... I would never be strong enough...
Maybe... maybe if I was smart enough, I'd know what to do.
I was certainly apparently lucky enough. I just needed to brawn and brain to back up my luck.
Sighing, I began to Run to school, earning another ability as I stopped in an alleyway to test another theory.
By using aura to enhance physical actions, you have gained a new skill! You gained the skill "Power Jump"!
I used my respectable Strength to launch myself up to the nearest rooftop. From there, I stacked Stampede and Run to speed myself up as much as I could, activating my aura and using it to boost my DEX even further.
I needed to get to school on time today.
...
Jumping down into an alleyway, I let out a groan of pain when I hit the ground, feeling like my leg bones had cracked. The pain and cracks vanished and I even saw that the damage from the fall had been enough to push Physical Resistance up to level eight.
Feeling better from that notification, I Ran out to the sidewalk, obeying the law and crossing the street at the crosswalk, I slowly petered off as I got into the school grounds.
Casually, I threw a Gamer's Sight at the building.
Cherrywood High School
I ignored the rest of the window and closed it, not really caring about my shitty highschool's history. I was going to be a Huntsman, dammit! Why should I care about THIS place?
Still... I didn't wish anyone here any harm.
*CLANG*
"Outta the way, nerd." okay, scratch that, one person.
*CLANG*
"Yeah, nerd."
Okay... make that two people.
I glared at the two bullies that had made my school life a shithole.
Terrence Frexon
Title: With Ivory-tinted Glasses
Level: 6
...
Name: Johnny Firleaf
Title: Poisoned and yet Cured
Level: 4
I blinked. Those were... odd titles, and also why were their levels so low? I don't understand...
Sadly, or maybe fortunately, they were gone before I could use Gamer's Sight on them. I sighed, picking up my backpack from where it had fallen.
Something was odd about Johnny, though... I could have sworn...
Oh right!
His dad tried to mug me and I Terrified him by bending the gun with my mind.
... okay when I say it like THAT, it sounds fucking crazy.
Regardless, I had to go to some crappy class that wouldn't teach me how to better fight Grimm. I didn't like the class, I didn't like the people, I didn't like the material.
Hell, the only two reasons I didn't sleep through this class every day were the professor had been in battle and was quite entertaining, and I'd get hit with spitballs, paper balls, pencils, and anything else anyone would dare to hit me with.
I sighed, resting my chin in my hand, ready for a new week of work.
Suddenly, a trumpet sounded off and the professor marched into the room.
Jefferson Steelflex
Title: The ringing of gunfire
Level: 20
He had decent stats, but no Aura, and no clear advantage against me. If I ever had to fight him, I'd win in just a couple of hits.
... was I seriously starting to grade my teacher's combat value and likelihood of winning against me in a fight? I kinda was, but I also kinda wasn't. My actions had slipped between that and my original goal, which was to figure out how he had a higher level than me.
"Welcome back, students, I hope that woke all of you up!" he said with a cheesy grin, "Now you're probably wondering why I came into class playing a trumpet."
One guy, a class clown, piped up, "Nah, I'm wondering why *I* didn't come into class playing a trumpet."
"Haha, very funny Joe, the reason I did that is because this week is Hunter Appreciation Week!" he pulled a cord and a banner of Vale's symbol unfurled, "It's a kingdom-wide thing and we gotta do it. I happen to very much appreciate Hunters, and it's part of my job to make sure that you do too." he smiled, walking to his desk in the corner of the classroom.
I sighed, so much for today being too entertaining... wait a second, it's possible for me to test something I'd thought of.
I had a habit of casting Gamer's Sight at everything new I saw, and had raised it to level 30, which had added a bonus to the bottom of the skill's description.
Level 30 Bonus: Observation can extend past physical sight.
It was kinda vague, to be honest, but I had a theory.
I'd gained Nunchaku Skill by watching a video of some famous guy who was a master martial artist, apparently died by a bullet that was supposed to be a blank, but ended up being an actual round. He'd lit a match held between another man's teeth with a strip of abrasive material on the end of one side of the nunchaku, without hitting the man or breaking the match.
It was impressive, and just watching that and a few more videos of his crazy skills had earned me level ten in the actual Skill I got. As for what this meant for the level thirty bonus... I had a theory.
I'd started thinking more clearly and getting more outside-the-box ideas. The fact that I could use Gamer's Sight to observe something 'past physical sight'... could I observe someone in a photograph or in a video? It was worth a try.
Granted, what would that do, exactly? Would I see that person's info in the state they were in at the time the video was recorded? I don't know...
Which was why I was going to find out.
I sat up straighter and watched the video intently.
Sure enough, I saw something new as my eyes locked onto the image of a lean cowboy with a triple-barreled revolver.
(Information Outdated!)
Calico Magson
Title: I've got three shots
Level: 51
HP: 16,364/20,730
AP: 7,522/10,650
SP: 21,451/43,980
Strength: 94
Dexterity: 123
Vitality: 104
Intelligence: 36
Wisdom: 45
Luck: 30
Charisma: 21
I blinked... that had actually worked. Huh... I could see previous versions of people just by using Gamer's Sight on an old picture... that could be useful.
So... that kind of guy had THOSE kind of stats? With THAT level?
That was... a little over two hundred points higher than his level would suggest. That was a LOT. So what was the big deal?
I could see his skills, though they were blurry, I could pick out some decently high levels on what I could see... so it wasn't his skills.
It had to be his mindset... no, no that wasn't it. I tuned back in to see him expertly handling several Ursa Majors. If anything, his level should have been at least in the 70s... unless...
Unless it was his actual mind, or rather his mental stats. I focused a little harder and saw the bonuses he had from his Aura, which oddly were focused mostly into INT and WIS, with DEX as a close third-wheel, and STR and VIT being left out almost entirely. His semblance was... odd. I couldn't tell what most of the blurred words said, so I was left with a patchwork of words that suggested enhanced vision.
A poor semblance and a lackluster brain, that was bound to drag his level down significantly. Hopefully he'd grown mentally since the time of that recording.
I hummed softly, watching for the remainder of the class while keeping my hands in my hoodie pockets, fueling both Stampede, since I didn't have to technically USE the skill, just have it active, and another skill couple of skills I'd created quite easily while experimenting during the walk to class.
Magic Hands (Active) Level: 1, Exp: 40.14%, Cost: 50 AP
A power gifted to some people, either by birth or by learning, the ability to consistently focus one's aura around and onto the hands to both enhance the hands and focus skill effects onto them. Increases ability to channel aura through the hands.
Can focus most magic skills onto the hands.
Increases ability to channel aura through the hands.
Additional 15 AP per minute
My current APR was about 205 per minute, while I was currently using 115 with both these skills active. To use the other 90, I had Crocea Mors slightly tamper with the metal of the desks around me, altering them slightly and making them tougher, as well as fixing some bits of damage.
By the time my AP had run dry, class was over and I was jogging to my next subject at a very quick pace, people who had previously spat insults at me instead watching in awe as I practically ran through the halls.
Today was a bit boring, but after school, I was going to try a LOT of things out. Today was Aura day, tomorrow would be preparation day, and Wednesday I would show everyone that I was a badass!
A badass I say!
Tch, I sounded pathetic shouting that in my head...
...
I put my books away in my locker when my Sense Danger told me something was wrong. I spun around to see Johnny there, his teeth bared.
"Hello." I greeted casually, using Gamer's Sight on him.
HP: 200/200
AP: 120/120
SP: 300/300
Strength: 14
Dexterity: 17
Vitality: 15
Intelligence: 12
Wisdom: 8
Luck: 3
Charisma: 9
Wow... was he REALLY only ever threatening because my stats were stuck at ten? Now I could probably casually KILL this guy...
Not that I WANTED to, no, that's just fucking sick and wrong, murder wasn't the answer.
Terrify was.
He cracked his knuckles and I saw his HP drop by a point... wow. I guess the rumors were true, "Or else." or else what? What was he even talking about?
"I'm sorry... what were you saying? I zoned out." I said with a cheeky smirk.
"I said give me your lunch money, faggot!" he said louder, not fearing being caught because we were in a mostly-empty hallway, the few people around seeming to choose to ignore him out of fear.
I had no such qualms, "Ya know, projecting your emotions is wrong." I teased him, grinning cheekily and dodging a punch.
"How about I project my fist into your face if you don't hand over the cash?" he scowled, throwing another punch that I dodged with seemingly lazy grace. I'd dodged maybe a hundred Beowolf claw swipes, this guy was slower was had worse form, not to mention he wasn't threatening in the slightest.
I chuckled, "See, first projecting onto me that you're gay, and then threatening to fist me... doesn't really help your cause, little man." I said while shrugging casually, showing that I was not taking him seriously in the slightest.
He punched next to my head. I didn't dodge, he'd purposefully slammed his fist into the locker, several points of his AP and a couple of points of his HP being lost. He'd partially boxed me in, to try to increase his intimidation factor, "Y'know, you've grown quite the mouth over the weekend." he grit his teeth, "So if you don't want that mouth to get punched, then I suggest you hand over the cash."
I chuckled, "I wouldn't want that." I said with a smirk, "You might hurt your hand, little guy." I ducked out of his reach, "I'll just let you play pretend with the lockers." with my business done, I began to walk away.
I heard him growl slightly, "THAT'S IT!" Sense Danger started up.
He threw another punch at me and all I had to do was duck under his fist. Then I whipped around and patted him on the head, "Don't worry little guy, ya might one day eventually be able to hit a stationary target." I chuckled and smirked, seeing another level in Teasing as he stuttered for a second before just punching at me again, which I dodged flawlessly, "Y'know if I didn't know any better I think the air must have done something very bad to upset you with all the times your punching it." I smirked wider.
"Hold still you bitch!" he demanded angrily, attempting another punch.
I stood still and just caught his fist, making sure he felt like he'd just punched a stone wall before gripping his fist so he couldn't escape, "Well, I stood still, so there, you can say ya hit me when ya write this down in your little diary tonight, I'm sure it's pink glittery pages look fabulous." I let go and kept walking, this time backwards as I just kept smirking at him.
He scowled at me and let out a grumble of anger, "Fuck you, asshole!" he attempted another punch at me.
I just dodged again, "Come on this is getting ridiculous. I have things to do and you're getting in the way." I caught his fist, then forced it open and put a single lien into it, then closed his fist forcibly and pushed it back to him, "There, you can get yourself another rainbow ink pen or maybe some stickers for your diary." I started to walk away again, making it clear I was not threatened by any of his attempts at hitting me.
He just let out an agitated growl, "I'll get back at you later, little faggot." I chuckled. I was only an inch shorter than him at five-foot-eleven, and I weighed a decent few pounds more than he did from my newly acquired muscle mass. He didn't scare me.
He didn't even come close.
Lunch went by rather okay, and so did the rest of my classes.
I came back to my locker a bit late due to having accidentally focused a LITTLE too much Aura into one of my magic hands and accidentally... well...
By enduring magical damage, you have gained the skill "Magic Resistance"!
By concentrating aura into a basic projectile form, you have gained the skill "Energy Bolt"!
I MIGHT have blown my dick off by accident... MIGHT have... I'm not saying it HAPPENED, I'm just saying that one second I was just standing at the urinal and the next I was on the ground clutching an extremely pained, but otherwise just fine crotch, and then Gamer's Body made the pain go away, so I was fine.
Still... I was haunted by a surprisingly reassuring horror that I will most definitely not go into details on.
Needless to say after THAT debacle, I wanted to just leave, head into the forest, and start training.
Of course it wouldn't be THAT easy, would it? No, of course not. I came to my locker to find that it had been hastily spray-painted pink.
"Wow... this is a new low." I opened my locker and put my books in, "For a guy that gets off on trying to punch people, this is a rather... subtle... reaction to failing as hard as he did." I chuckled, closing the locker and sighing as I walked towards the front of the school.
...
I made a point to sneak, activating Espionage Action mode and seeing the eye partially open and shifting side to side, Suspicious, I lowered my head a bit and walked slower, and slowly the eye began to close as Stealth covered me, its EXP going up maybe only a couple of hundredths of a percent. Then again I was dealing with stupid teenagers, so it was clear this wasn't too much of a challenge.
But then again, wasn't I also a stupid teenager?
No... no I wasn't... not anymore, at least. I had 45 INT and 40 WIS, I was far from stupid at this point. These people didn't really care about anyone but themselves or their precious 'cliques', so they didn't even bat an eye as I walked past unnoticed.
I got out onto the front lawn of the school and calmly walked to the edge of the campus, crossing the street and entering an alleyway.
I checked my progress with Stealth and found that due to basically a bunch of stupid teenagers being my 'seekers', I hadn't even gained a tenth of a single percent, not even a twentieth, really. I sighed, and stacked Stampede and Run together, using Magic Hands too, and throwing in a Power Jump to a rooftop for good measure.
I occasionally Power Jumped across rooftops and, after a couple of levels, I dared to jump across the street, landing with barely a foot's distance to spare.
Okay... I wouldn't be trying THAT again... oh who am I kidding? Of course I would be!
I forced myself to run faster, gaining as much speed as I could, before suddenly Power Jumping across a street about the same width as the one I'd jumped over just a minute ago.
Unfortunately... this time I was not so lucky.
Physical Resistance's level increased by 1!
I groaned as my knees and shins shattered against the stone edge of the building I'd landed on, my nose breaking wide open and smearing blood on the rooftop as I slid forward several feet, groaning lowly as my HP dropped.
I got up and found my pain and wounds healing instantly, my awkwardly bent legs righting themselves and my nose getting restructured. I sighed and brushed myself off, about to Run off again, when I suddenly was assaulted.
... well no not really 'assaulted', more like 'surprised'
Because I suddenly saw a blue window that popped up and began flashing yellow. I read the words carefully.
SYSTEM UPDATE: By receiving a message, "Messaging System" was added to The Game!
You have received a message!
What?
I hit Open and was greeted with a new screen.
You have 1 new message(s)!
1 message from "Yang Xiao Long"!
Oh... wait WHAT? How did she... oh right, we exchanged scroll info. Okay then...
Uh... check message?
'Hey wats up!? XP Wanna hang out mebe? I got nothin to do and Im bored.' -Yang
Huh... weird. Alright, I guess I could... maybe she could help me train? It was worth a shot, she's much higher level than me.
'Sure thing! Where do you want to meet up at? :)' -Jaune
Was I doing this right? Shit... I've never really had friends who wanted to hang out with me before. I also noticed that she had bad texting... everything. It was probably a habit of laziness in texting on her part.
'Lets meet Stone Cold Creamery, its a relly "cool" nd "sweet" place 2 hang out at LOL' -Yang
'LOL nice puns. I'll meet you there, okay?' -Jaune
'Noice! Gotta jus wait 4 dis stupid boatride to get there. 10 mins my ass! XP' -Yang
She was on a boat ride? Okay then... I had the brilliant idea of meeting her at the navy docks, which was probably good because then we could talk some more. I really liked talking to her when she's not making her boobs bounce in gloriously ridiculous ways... I just have to stop thinking about that... right, where was I?
Ah, yes! I stacked Run and Stampede and took off towards the naval docks, intent to meet her there.
SYSTEM UPDATE: By finding a simple and repeatable task not fit to be a quest, you have unlocked "Minigames"!
Unlocked Minigame "A Friendly Meetup (Yang)"
Description: Meet Yang at a predestined location.
Standard Reward: 50 exp and +1 Closeness to Yang for reaching the destination before Yang gets bored being there alone.
Premium Reward: 100 exp and +3 Closeness to Yang for reaching the destination before Yang does.
Failure Penalty: 5 exp and -1 Closeness to Yang for being too late, additional -2 Closeness for every 5 minutes late.
Wow... okay, well that was some good EXP waiting to be dropped into my lap. I smiled and accepted it, continuing to Run towards the docks.
I had a friend to meet with, after all.
And I wasn't going to disappoint her.
Ah, here we are, the end of chapter 4! Yaaaaay~! ^w^
This one threw me for a loop, but I did it.
For those of you who wondered what the subtle reference was... reread the first words of the 3 skills he gets from having 100 Luck.
Also, that thing... yeah, I know it's pretty weird, probably even a sin to have him boost his luck, but he had fair reasoning to want to do it. He was kinda panicked because he didn't want his dad (y'know, the cool parent/the parent he actually likes) to be pissed off at him. Regardless, he's got it now and it can't be undone.
I probably overreact to some reviews (just seeing the email that starts with "Review" makes my heart race), but I have a decent system for it. For every opinion given in a single review, I'm 85% sure that that same opinion is shared by about 3-6 other people who won't say it out loud. So... every negative review is like 3-6 people all saying it, however the same goes for 3-6 people all saying positive things and words of enjoyment and love. I'm infinitely thankful to all the people who take the time to express their love for my story or who would have the tact to try to constructively criticize my work in an effort to see it (and consequently me) improve.
Out of my three stories, I think I might love this one the most, and so I want to make this little thing blossom into a long, thick, fleshy... novel-like story of awesomeness (What? What did you THINK I was gonna say? d3)
On the topic of Jaune telling others about The Gamer... he's going to be going solo for the most part, but he's going to do what he can to use his powers for good, whenever he can. He wants to be a hero, not the idiot stuck in a tree!
Anyone who has mixed feelings about me adding Cheats, just know that Jaune won't be using them with a frequency even APPROACHING being able to accurately say "often", and even if he DOES, he won't be using the granted power for long, and it comes with a heavy penalty (The Game will punish cheaters)
However, one thing that WILL be done with the cheats, is the following omake.
Omake: RWBY Theft Auto: Vale City
I could hardly believe it. I'd worked tirelessly for almost a year now, working to raise my stats through legitimate means and being a generally upstanding citizen and a morally sound Gamer.
But then, who knew that all I had to do to cheat The Game's system of cheats was to just use them through my scroll?
Dialing in a few numbers, I altered my profile's numbers. It had started as something small, just a one-time thing, increasing my Vitality to a very high value to give myself a massive HP bar, but now...
Jaune Arc
Title: The God Above All
Level: 999
Class: Avatar of Light
Nickname: Master of Love
HP: 24,635,105,750/24,635,105,750
AP: 51,146,550,500/51,146,550,500
SP: 29,487,936,830/29,487,936,830
Strength: 7500 (+100%) = 15,000
Dexterity: 5000 (+100%) = 10,000
Vitality: 10,000 (+100%) = 20,000
Intelligence: 10,000 (+100) (+100%) = 20,200
Wisdom: 10,000 (+100) (+100%) = 20,200
Luck: 110
Charisma: 10,000
Stat Points: 9999
Age: 23
Birthday: November 20th
Race: Godmode (Human shape)
Height: 6'9
Weight: 542
Build: Extremely Athletic and Muscular
Hair/Eyes/Skin: Rich Golden Blonde / Pure Starry Azure / Sexy Tan.
To be honest, if I hadn't seen it on Yang first, I'd think the system was being ridiculous with my Skin Color.
Still, I think that should be less ridiculous than my title, or my class.
With that class equipped, my 6-seconds-to-full APR was enhanced even FURTHER to 0.6-seconds-to-full. In short, I could do something like what I was doing now.
Fire flew through the air, all coalescing towards a specific point; my hand glowed white-hot with its sheer incandescence, and then I unleashed it.
I watched with eyes fine enough to see individual molecules as several miles of desert were turned into glass, slag, or disintegrated into smoke from my spell, a giant beam of unstoppable fire called Millia Infernum.
Thousands Hellfire, apparently... a weird name, but hey, I wasn't complaining.
Next was Unda Oceani, Ocean Spray, which was essentially the same thing but with water. I combined it with another spell to suffuse the water with the seeds of grass and flowers, and let it loose.
I watched the wiggling path of the trench of glass I'd made flood with water, sending most of it spilling over the edges and flooding the sands.
I was doing Vacuo a favor, since my Luck had miraculously made one of the leaders of their archives be convinced that I was trustworthy enough to take some of their books.
This was the fifth massive river I'd made today.
I checked my watch, 1:26 AM, I was doing pretty poorly, actually.
Well, time to get back to work.
I'd finished terraforming thousands of square miles of desert into lush, grassy plains, sending a series of life-giving rainstorms throughout them and to the border where consolidated dirt met the shifting sands, letting nature take its course.
I had some important people to see.
Landing on a panel of stone that my Earth Elemental had reinforced to be over a thousand times stronger than diamonds, I sighed as a few cracks spread from the center of my landing to the edges of the panel.
Maybe I should stop testing the material's limits...
I walked into the extravagant palace I'd made with my mind and my Elementals. It was beautiful, I'd tested my limits while working on it, so of course it nothing less than an impeccably wondrous sight of masonry and construction. There was artwork carved into every inch of every wall in the entire palace, my own choice, influenced by Yang's pleas.
Speaking of Yang...
Yang Xiao Long Arc
Title: The Golden Phoenix Queen of the Desert Sun
Level: 136
I smiled as I waved to her, the two of us walking to the grand dining hall. She blushed just from the action, smiling and hugging me around the side.
"Good morning, oh dear 'Master of Love', teeheehee." she smiled, resting against my side.
"Good morning, love. How are the others doing?" I asked with a gentle tone, despite the fact my voice could sunder mountains and displace oceans at its loudest.
"Rubes is playing in the latest river near the palace, Blake is tending to the kids, like I was going to do after breakfast. Weiss is out on a diplomatic mission to convince the Vacuan government that we're an independent city-state. Nora and Ren are cooking breakfast, and Pyrrha is still asleep." she recounted with a smile.
I sighed softly, "Go on to breakfast, love, I'll go get Pyrrha up." I carefully moved her hands from me, but she stood fast and clung to my side like a child, "It's going to be one of THOSE mornings, isn't it?"
She nodded, pouting slightly, and I reached down and kissed her forehead, then lifted her up onto my back effortlessly, "Onwards, noble steed!"
I chuckled, then lunged, already at Pyrrha's room in just a second, a shockwave of air back at my starting point and reaching us soon enough, whipping Yang's long hair around.
I entered the room, which was as bright to me as the midday sky, seeing her there.
Pyrrha Nikos Arc
Title: The Bronze Firelight Queen of the Desert Sands
Level: 144
I smiled, snapping my fingers and giving her a boost of energy that woke her up easily, "Wakey wakey sleepy head~." I said with a chuckle, picking her up and starting to straighten out her hair.
I hummed a tune, my very high level of Humming turning the simple act into a one-man symphony of sound. I mused as I thought back to how this all started.
I opened my scroll while thinking of my cheats, of which I'd unlocked three at that point, now several months into my first year at Beacon Academy.
I brought up the menu and hummed lightly, looking at the three of them.
Cheats:
"He sees all": Temporarily removes all restrictions on Gamer's Sight.
"The Genesis Prism": Temporarily gain the ability to mimic the essence of the souls of those your light has touched.
"Jack of Trades, Master of One": Temporarily use a single skill as though it were Level 99.
Odd... now they'd appeared on my scroll... wait what?
I stared at the screen of my scroll.
'You have unlocked Ultimate Cheat Mode, removing the system's restrictions and instabilities when cheating, and unlocking many more cheats!'
I hummed curiously, then saw a cheat that changed everything, Change Stats.
I did it, changing my VIT to 1000 and gaining a multitude of odd stat skills, then I changed it to 10,000 and saw my HP and SP shoot up to extremely high numbers.
Wow... I had to do this more!
I'd summoned vehicles, made my weight into multiple tons, changed my hair color and skin color a thousand times, earned skills out the wazoo, changed how quickly my skills got EXP, raised Gaster Blaster to level 99, earning me Master Gaster Blaster, to which I had laughed at the time.
I'd gotten bored quickly as I opened up an Instant Dungeon dimensional barrier and used the skill to clear Vale City down to the dirt.
Then I'd done it again with fires that raged throughout the city, heating up and breaking the buildings apart by crippling their structural integrity.
Then I'd done it again with floods that tore everything apart with their ferocity, crashing in massive waves that blew down even the thick concrete pillars of the highways.
Then I'd done it again with earthquakes that turned the place into a canyon that swallowed up even the tallest towers.
Then I'd done it again with gravity manipulation that lifted the city into the air and smashed it all into the ground, making it collapse under its own weight.
Then I'd done it again with lightning storms so furiously raging that the temperature in the air had melted stone and metal together.
However, even with suddenly having this infinite power, I was still a human being, despite the power of my mind now being so far above and beyond human comprehension. I had desires and dreams and goals.
I slaughtered Grimm by the millions, by the billions, but still barely made a dent in their numbers.
I didn't worry, however, Vale had gained the room to expand to three times its size.
Next had been Mistral, where Pyrrha had come from. I cleared the lands between the regions of the kingdom out, slaying every single bit of Grimm and destroying all of it. I gave the people peace.
I gave them protection.
Atlas had gained new territory, I'd terraformed many of the areas between their spattered cities, helping connect borders as I made mighty walls rise from the earth, every single stone of them many times harder than diamonds
And now Vacuo, where my friends and I, now deemed worthy of the titles of Huntsman and Huntresses due to our great power (mostly my boosting them through the party system), had moved to. I'd made the kingdom grow a hundred times in size, raising my palace out of the ground and reinforcing it with everything I could.
I'd gotten bored of just fucking around, so I found myself a goal.
On average, the appearance of Grimm across the entire world had apparently dropped by a massive 50%
I'd cleared out 50% of the Grimm in the world in only a few weeks.
That was 50% too little, but I didn't want to put my friends in danger fighting the ancient and legendary Grimm, so I stayed my hand in the efforts and took them away to... well... take care of them.
It would be boring to some people, but I was not some people.
I found it... nice. That was the only word that accurately described the feeling other than perhaps 'pleasant' or 'lovely'.
Nice...
"Nice..." I smiled as I took Pyrrha by the hand to the grand dining hall. My hands that could break the world if I tried (and I HAD tried in a dimensional barrier before. My full strength, used in as mighty of a punch as I could make, had shattered a continent into dust and blew 90% of the ocean into the sky. I'd exposed the mantle of the planet and, in some small part, the core as well.
Where was I? Oh yes right. My hands that could break the world if I tried, were now gentle enough to not even crack delicate porcelain as I led two of my queens to the grand dining hall.
The second had joined at some point during the slow and lazy walk.
Ruby Rose Arc
Title: The Silver Soulreaper Queen of the Desert Sky
Level: 150
It was only by her sheer skill with weaponry and ability now to control wind and fire with ease, plus her much higher kill-count that had pushed Ruby to be six whole levels higher than Pyrrha was.
I smiled down at her. She'd grown a lot in the past couple of years, now only a couple of inches under six feet tall, with a lovely bust that would be envied by most women.
I sighed softly, letting the air fill with color as Yang colored in more of the artwork around us with her minor control over colors. That had been a big discovery, and an impressive one as well.
We entered the grand dining hall to see the others there already. I smiled at each of them.
Blake Belladonna Arc
Title: The Midnight Angel Queen of the Beautiful Dusk
Level: 127
Weiss Schnee Arc
Title: The Brightly Burning Queen of the Joyous Dawn
Level: 124
Nora Lie
Title: The Thunderous Queen of the Sacred Hall of Heroic Light
Level: 132
Lie Ren
Title: The Blessed Monk of the Sacred Hall of Heroic Light
Level: 136
I hummed curiously, "Weiss, I'd heard you were on a business trip with the Vacuan Council."
She set down her fork, turning to me as the very impressive bust she'd grown jiggled slightly with the movements, "When they saw what you'd done to the desert, they signed the contracts on the subtle threat that you'd terraform the city into an ocean."
I clicked my tongue as I started to eat. I was literally eating like a king, cutting off slabs of meat from a whole turkey and chomping them down, "Tsk, that's not very nice. I'd at least leave the land there for them to rebuild." I joked with a smile, resting my cheek in one hand.
Everyone laughed softly at my statement, then tucked into their breakfast.
Today was just going to be another long, boring day.
But hey, I was fine with that, I'd be doing... something.
Damn... how boring is life now? I'm always thinking of ways to make everything more amazing and just overall better... but I just either have too much free time on my hands, or everything is too EASY... shit.
I guess when you cheat in video games, you ruin the fun, and when you cheat in the game of life, you also ruin the fun.
I had five wives, a magnificent and extravagant palace, a forest of large and healthy trees, a network of rivers both deep and wide, vibrant grass with thick roots, flowers of every color under the sun, and other beauties created from the act of nature's grace and man's creation intertwining.
I had no less than two dozen children. I counted them a thousand times in a second and it always came to about twenty-five, an average of five per wife.
I had everything a man could dream for.
So what was the point in dreaming, if there was nothing else to attain?
Damn...
I'd pretty much exhausted all of the fun out of my life.
Well... not ALL of it, I realized, as I felt a tiny presence settle into my lap.
I smiled as I looked down.
Luna Arc
Title: The Tiny Golden Princess of the Moon
Level: 4
I looked down at my oldest daughter, just barely turning four now, and smiled, "Hello sweetie."
"Hai daddy." she said softly, hugging me as best she could, "Good mornin'." she said sleepily, and for the briefest of moments I thought about giving her a little boost of energy, before just as quickly deciding against it when I saw Yang's beaming, adoring smile at her adorable daughter. She was the most motherly of them all with Ruby coming in an extremely close second, and all the kids loved her.
Granted, I found it just a LITTLE ridiculous that she and the other four had taken it upon themselves to breastfeed every child we had. It always confused me, even though among my powers, I had the ability to change into a woman, and doing so had played with my emotions somewhat. Even after that, I didn't understand.
Then again, I never really would.
The human heart is something I'll never understand.
... hmmm~?
That... that sounds like a goal, to me. Figure out what the human heart is all about.
Yeah, yeah I could do that. I accept the quest that pops up, ready to start my experiment.
Suddenly, I hear Ruby shudder and groan into a trashcan, Gamer's Sight telling me that she'd begun to show signs of pregnancy... again.
Perfect.
And so as my wife threw up into a trashcan, I smiled and gently petted my daughter's head, feeling a new purpose in my heart.
Well, there we go.
Honest, it had started as Jaune doing stuff like in Vice City, but then it very, VERY quickly changed course while I was typing it up. I guess... yay?
I don't know, I'm not exactly good at omakes, but I hope it was entertaining to some of you, at least.
Well... time to end this chapter and everything, so... bye~!
*waves as I slowly slide down in my chair until I can't be seen again.
-/\/\/\/\/\-
Jaune Arc
Title: Novice Hero
Level: 19
Class: Tank
Nickname: None
HP: 2960/2960
AP: 5120/5120
SP: 3140/3140
Strength: 40 (+30%) = 52
Dexterity: 35 (+30%) = 45.5
Vitality: 44 (+30%) = 57.2
Intelligence: 45 (+3) (+30%) = 62.4
Wisdom: 40 (+3) (+30%) = 55.9
Luck: 110
Charisma: 45
Stat Points: 0