Update 3/1/2017: Added a Poll for Re: Grimm on my profile, so check it out!
WARNING!
If you are a reader who likes to feel "Omniscient", and likes to know everything about the story beforehand…prepare to be sorely disappointed. I reveal information as the story progresses, so patience will be necessary!
A/N: Thanks for everyone's support once again!
Here are some questions I will answer:
Q: Are Wretch and Echo Original Characters? (OCs?)
A: Yes, they are. I didn't base them off anyone, they were just in my head. If they bear any resemblance to a character from another anime/manga/novel/etc., it is coincidence. Do they have some important role in my story? Well, you will find out in the next couple of chapters, so I won't spoil!
Q: Is Karasuba a female?
A: All of the Grimm in my story are gender neutral, so while I may use the words he/she/it to describe them, there is no actual gender. But this also doesn't mean it will stay that way.
Q: Is 'Karasuba' supposed to be a reference to Sekirei?
A: Yes. You will find that a lot of my Grimm will be in reference to something else, for example:
Pumbaa (The Lion King)
Gordy (The 1995 movie, 'Gordy')
Ganesha (Hindu Deity of intellect & wisdom)
Karasuba ('Karasuba' from Sekirei, and 'Iago' from Aladdin [Cracker part])
You will find that I like to throw random references in my story for people to find.
Q: Why that cliffhanger last chapter?!
A: Keeps the suspense in a story. You might hate me after this chapter as well if you're not a fan of cliff hangers…
Q: Is the 'Great War' & Vale's king Canon?
A: Yes. I've been using the 'World of Remnant' episodes as reference for the history. Though I do plan to change some things up a bit…
Q: Which new Grimm did you decide to choose?
A: Secret.
Q: Will Naruto have a human form? How about other Grimm?
A: I mentioned before that there will be pairings far in the future. All I will say to you guys is that I don't write about bestiality or animal romance. If you can't get the 'hint' from that, then I don't know what to tell ya.
Q: Why does it seem like you're dragging this story out? The last couple of chapters seemed like omakes or pointless extras.
A: Character development, mainly. Also, to leave behind some hints and foreshadowing for future chapters, so that when you guys look back on it, you will go 'Ooooh, now I get it'.
Q: What is the end goal for this story?
A: I won't spoil, but there will be a lot going on. For now, it is Naruto's adventuring and his quest to learn the truth about Grimm. I have a lot of ways I can take this story, and I plan to do so in a way that fits nicely.
Q: Some time has passed…Why is it still "82 years before Canon"?
A: Indeed, some time has passed, but all of this is still happening in that '82nd' year before canon. This means that only days, weeks, and months have passed, not years. The next time skip will be after this arc.
That's all for questions!
This chapter was tough, but I finally finished it! It is a sign for some important things to come.
I hope you guys look forward to it!
Also, I may go back to add more into this chapter in the future (or change somethings)
"In Oum I Trust"- Normal Speech
In Oum I Trust-- Normal thought
"In Oum I Trust"- Shared thought/phone/telepathy(link)
*Sigh*- Action
In Oum I Trust- Unique Technique/Semblance
"In Oum I Trust"- Authoritative/powerful/angered speech
In Oum I Trust- Authoritative/powerful/angered Thought
"In Oum I Trust"- Authoritative/powerful/angry Shared thought/phone/telepathy(link)
Disclaimer: I do not own the Naruto, RWBY, the Re: Monster Franchise or any of its characters. I am but a simple man, with a simple desire to write a fanfiction that has been plaguing my mind.
The only thing I own in this story are my theories, original characters, and scenarios that did not exist in the original stories.
Chapter 6: The Grimm Reality
-82 years before Canon-
It's been a while since I've had some time to myself. It feels…strange.
Naruto laid on the branch of the largest Crimson tree he could find. He separated from his herd briefly to give himself time to recover from his hangover. He supposed even Grimm can't escape the effects of alcohol.
He found times like this, where he is by himself, to be very relaxing in comparison to how hectic things have gotten lately. He was beginning to enjoy his experience in this world despite how things started for him. Eating humans were still something he had difficulty grasping, but he seemed to have adapted for the most part.
This wasn't to say he enjoyed doing it. It was more he just began to tolerate this new habit, while still looking for a possible, alternate, dietary solution.
His eyes were shut with his tails hanging off the edge, blowing with every passing breeze. Naruto was thankful that Grimm still retained the basic senses like sight, hearing, & touch. It reminded him that he was more than a cold, unfeeling monster that humanity had labeled him and his kind as.
Outside of his recovery, he took the time to bask in his surroundings until he started to feel…lonely.
I really must have gotten attached to those guys…who woulda thought, huh?
The travels with his herd had never been a quiet one, but Naruto never hated it. Even when he yipped or hollered, he always had a smile hang on his face. Things were more fun with them around, so much that he found it difficult to imagine being apart from them for too long. Not to mention he was always learning something new from them, with his most recent discovery being Karasuba and Grimm abilities.
A small frown appeared on his face at the thought, I've still found nothing…I wonder if I even have an ability…
Naruto didn't just slack off during his travels with the herd. At every opportunity, and even while he was moving around, he had tried to come up with ways to bring out his ability. The problem, however, was he didn't even know where to start.
He couldn't ask the other Grimm for help because to them, they just 'knew' what their ability was without having to think about it.
Naruto didn't want to believe that he was incapable of having an ability, but so far…things weren't looking to promising for him.
His silent frustration was broken when he heard a loud crash occur against the tree he was resting on, causing him to become alert of his surroundings.
When he looked to the source he found a familiar avian Grimm looking to him for attention, but that wasn't the first thing Naruto had noticed. It was slightly fractured mask and body littered with scars that captured his notice.
*Caw!* *Caw!*
Naruto broke his stare from Karasuba's injuries to give the bird his attention. It was repeating 'Help!', 'Trouble!', and other things similar in nature over and over.
Naruto wasn't an idiot. Taking in the knowledge of Karasuba's injuries and pleading, he had a bad feeling about his herd. He began to scowl as a dark feeling began to rise within him that he hadn't felt for a long while.
It was unbridled rage!
With gritted canines and restrained anger, he asked Karasuba, "What happened? Who did this to you!"
Karasuba looked very pained as it tried to speak, but still managed to respond clearly with a series of 'Caws'.
"Huntsmen!" Naruto growled outwardly at the thought.
Throughout their journey, Naruto had managed to avoid any confrontation with huntsmen, simply due to the fact he still had a soft spot for humans. It was near impossible not to if you consider him being an ex-human himself.
He was well aware of common huntsmen practices, and knew that they eagerly hunted Grimm to 'save the world', but their activity was less common now because of the ongoing war. He never thought they would go out of their way to hunt Grimm out in Forever Falls.
I know my herd would never attack them without my permission, so why would they actively hunt them when there is a war at stake?
Naruto decided that now was perhaps not the best time to be questioning motives. If Karasuba's appearance was anything to go by, then this could mean that his herd was not faring very well. He could only hope they could hold out long enough for him to arrive.
"Rest here for now, Karasuba. I'm going to head back now! Come join once you've recovered more."
*Caw…*
While the Nevermore may not be the brightest in the bunch, it was certainly better than the average Grimm at this stage in terms of intelligence. It understood how dire the current situation was and wanted to be there for its Alpha, but it also understood its own limitations.
With reluctance, it agreed to Naruto's demands, but also planned to assist once it recovered enough from its injuries.
Seeing its acceptance, Naruto nodded and sprinted in the direction to where he last left his herd.
Hold on guys…I hope I'm not too late.
*Grawooo!*
"Gah!"
Ganesha released a roaring trumpet as it whipped its armored trunk against a bulky huntsman. It was powerful enough to knock the man tens of feet into the distance, tearing down some trees in the process.
Unfortunately, this moment of success was short-lived as the man appeared in the clearing once more, panting lightly with a grin on his face.
*pant* *pant*
"Hah~, this is just what I needed!" The man sighed in content.
Ganesha looked at the man with wary eyes as it took in his appearance. Outside of a few tears in his clothing and some scratches on his skin, he looked completely unharmed. In fact, he seemed to enjoy the fight so far.
While the man held little signs of fatigue and damage, Ganesha's situation was far from comfortable. Pain was evident in its eyes as new scars littered its body and the plating that shielded its body had been fractured all over.
Though it was breathing heavy, this was not due to exhaustion. The physiology of Grimm pretty much gifted the dark race of being's limitless stamina.
The creatures of Grimm, however, could still feel pain. This meant they dealt with the same repercussions any human would feel if they were hurt. If a leg was broken, there would be a crippling limp. If an eye was gouged, they would become blind.
And presently, Ganesha was enduring the brunt of the damage since the huntsmen seemed to have an eye out for it.
Not too far from Ganesha, the two Boarbatusks could be seen nursing their own injuries, attempting to recover from their own bouts with the experienced hunter.
Pumbaa was still lying on the ground, finding the act of standing to be near impossible, while Gordy stood in front of him in a low, protective stance.
Ganesha had long ago realized that he was the primary target of this hunt, so he remained as their shield and redirected damage onto him. He stood over them with his trunk swinging in a threatening manner, hoping to create some distance from the man before it.
Perhaps if he didn't have to protect the boars, he would've put up a stronger fight against the hunter. But lately, Ganesha had begun to feel something strange deep within his very being. He wasn't sure what to call it, but he felt this sudden urge to protect his herd.
When he was the Alpha of his own herd in the past, he held no such feelings before. To Grimm, it was survival of the fittest; if one Grimm died, the rest moved on without a care. But now…it felt inclined to protect them. When it saw the Boarbatusks try to fight the hunter off earlier to help him, it felt a sharp pain in the pit of its stomach as it watched the man proceed to hammer them with multiple strikes of the fist and cut into their flesh with the blade of his weapon.
It was when the man cut the last remaining tusk from Gordy that made the Goliath go into a fit of rage and manage a successful attack on the hunter while he was enthralled in his torture session with the Boarbatusks.
Karasuba should be with our Alpha now, thought Ganesha as he continued to stare the hunter down in intimidation.
Karasuba was the first to be attacked when the huntsmen first appeared. Being well-versed in combat with Grimm, they understood that avian Grimm are the most troublesome since they would take the fight into the air. While that may not be a problem for experienced huntsmen like them, it still made things troublesome and time-consuming overall.
Ganesha managed to stop the Nevermore's beating early and directed it to go found their Alpha, hoping that Naruto would be able to make it back in time to make their situation more favorable.
Seeing how vigilant the Alpha Goliath stood over the Boarbatusks, a slim-figured huntsman that had been hiding in the back narrowed his eyes in wary observation. He had been watching his partner, Wretch, fighting the Grimm for what seemed like an hour now, and he found the movements of the Grimm suspicious and abnormal.
These Grimm are different, He mused in deep concentration.
They seem too organized…
"Wretch…don't waste too much time with these Grimm." Spoke Echo in a stern tone.
Said man was currently brushing the dirt and grass off his clothes, and sent him an annoyed glance, "What? You think these fucks got anything on me? In case you've been blind so far, I've been kicking their ass!"
"Don't get cocky! Have you not been paying attention to the Grimm? They've been acting weird for a while now. They're much too coordinated and controlled!"
Hearing this, Wretch paused and gained a more attentive look on his face.
"What're ya tryin' to say, Echo?"
"These Grimm are sentient, you retard! If they were idiots like you, they would've kept attacking."
Echo then paused as he stared in the direction of Ganesha and the Boarbatusks as he continued, "So why aren't they? Grimm attack all humans, for no rhyme orreason! Yet they're still…as if they're wait-"
Echo then stopped as he reached some sort of epiphany and turned Wretch with a scathing look, "Hey, where the hell is the Nevermore?"
"I don't know," Wretch appeared confused for a moment, scratching his head in response, "Now that you mention it, where did that bitch go?"
"You fuckin' idiot! The Grimm are stalling!" Roared Echo in response, "Use your brain for once and think! These Grimm have done nothing but stall for time. That Goliath isn't the real alpha, and that Nevermore just left to get him!"
A group of Sentient Grimm?! Thought Wretch loudly in his mind.
If it were only one intelligent Grimm, then perhaps this may not have been a big deal.
But for there to be a pack of sentient Grimm…that was simply unheard of.
Rather than becoming worried, Wretch couldn't help but smile widely at the revelation.
I'm one lucky sonuva bitch!
Seeing this smile, Echo couldn't help his frown from deepening further.
"Wretch, we don't know how dangerous the Alpha of this group is. It was powerful enoughto make even an Alpha Goliath submit to it…we can't afford to play around any longer."
*Tch!*
Wretch couldn't help but click his tongue in irritation. Even though he understood that the situation was a bit dangerous, he still wanted to enjoy it to the fullest. While Echo was the careful and witty one of the two, Wretch was more headstrong and true to his desires, no matter how sickening they may be.
He loved violence, slavery, torture, and sex. Even more so, he loved when those things were combined.
He was among the lowest, and most degenerate of humanity, and enjoyed the sins in life. In his mind, things like virtue and honor were for the petty and stuck-up assholes.
"Fuck off, Echo!" Wretch exclaimed, having enough of his partners bitching.
"I can handle these shits, and whatever is in charge of them!"
"You're making a mistake…" Echo spoke solemnly, turning away as if to forsake his partner to his impending fate.
And I'll be damned if I get you out of the shit you willingly stepped in.
Ignoring this statement, Wretch grabbed a tight hold of his axe as he moved towards the stationary Grimm, "You better give it your all! Otherwise your boss is going to come back to nothing but corpses!"
Sparked by this statement, Gordy charged from behind Ganesha wildly towards the target of his hate.
Wretch smiled as he swung his axe back, "Come on, piggy!"
"Ganesha…Sling…Shot!" Grunted Gordy in the direction of the Goliath as he continued his charge to the huntsman.
Ganesha nodded as Gordy then began to transform his normal charge into a rollout.
Expecting this, Wretch kept his axe held back until Gordy came near. Once he was close enough, he swung the flat-side of his axe until it impacted with the bone plating of the boar's skull, making a sickening *crunch* resound through the air.
"FOOOOORE!" Yelled Wretch with a sinister smile as he watched the balled-up boar go flying in the direction of Ganesha.
However, Wretch didn't realize that both Gordy and Ganesha wanted this to happen.
Ganesha caught the flying Gordy with his trunk, and then used the momentum to send him flying back in the huntsman's direction like a slingshot.
The speed of this rebound was too quick for his reflexes, as he was soon smash by the curled Boarbatusk and sent flying through the crimson forestry once more.
As Echo watched on, he muttered, "They planned this…"
It was a crude, and suicidal plan, but it was a plan nonetheless.
The Grimm must've realized that normal methods of attack won't work on him, so they used a double-edged sword to catch him off guard…
While Gordy and Ganesha did manage to hit the hunter, it was not without repercussions. Gordy had to endure excruciating pain two times: One when the Axe first slammed him, and the other from when he crashed into the huntsman. Parts of the plating had completely fallen off Gordy's body and cracks were visible on its skull. He was hurt badly, and would likely have to abstain for the remainder of the fight.
To say Echo was impressed would be an understatement. He had never heard of Grimm that could strategize and work together like he had just seen. It caught not only Wretch off guard, but him as well.
Sucks for them, Echo thought with a slightly annoyed frown, that guy won't get hurt so easily. His semblance makes that impossible.
Echo had to admit that the Grimm's slingshot plan would've succeeded in damaging him if he were in his partner's place, but Wretch had a semblance that ignored crude tactics like that.
Bursting from the toppled trees and torn earth, Wretch roared, "You shits! It'll take more than that to hurt me!"
He ran towards Ganesha in a charge and chopped towards him with his axe.
Ganesha was far more experienced in battle with huntsman, however, and managed to block the action with his tusk.
*BOOOM*
The impact between the Axe and Ganesha's tusk produced a small shockwave to the surroundings. This was due to the axe being enhanced with Earth dust prior to the fight, while the Goliath had unnatural durability due to its Alpha form.
"Heh! I knew you could dish it out!"
He then jumped back, dodging the armored trunk that swung in his direction, nearly clipping him a couple of times.
One he was a safe distance away, Wretch rotated the revolver chamber that was attached to the shoulder of his axe until it switched to a light blue dust.
He approached Ganesha once more, dodging the swipes of its trunk as he smashed the ground near its foot with the axe.
Normally this kind of attack would rupture the earth, but the effect of dust produced a very different reaction. Instead, a large block of ice exploding from the impact zone and engulfed Ganesha's left leg and a portion of its body, trapping its movements.
The sudden biting cold it felt caused it to cry out, which also gave the huntsman an opening.
He revolved he chamber once more until it showed red dust, and proceeded to swing his axe into the side of Ganesha. The blade buried into its side for a moment, until the red dust finally took effect and exploded, causing a deep, singeing gash to appear along its ribcage.
"Grawooo!"
The Impact of the explosion freed Ganesha from its icy prison, but not without consequences. The sudden explosion from its position caused its leg to break in the process, limiting his movement for the remainder of the battle to three legs.
This was a crippling scenario for the aged Grimm, and it knew it.
"DIE!"
Wretch gave Ganesha no time of reprieve as he went for the killing blow, chopping his axe toward the thick neck of the Goliath.
But as he pulled the axe back, he saw Pumbaa tackling towards his side from the corner of his eye. In response, he jerked to the side and Grabbed the boar's tusk, and proceeded to swing him into Ganesha, causing a large impact that forced the Goliath to take a few steps back in recoil, as Pumbaa flew tens of feet away into the distance.
"Hah hah! I never had this much fun fighting Grimm before! Man, I love a Grimm that has alotta fight in 'em!"
"Then you'll love me!"
"Huh?"
Hearing a loud series of 'yips' or 'barks' made Wretch turn around in surprise to see a black blur appear in front of him for instant, then vanished, but not before leaving him a small gift in the process.
Not expecting this action, the attack succeeded and allowed three claw marks to cleave into his flesh at the base of his neck. The attack wasn't fatal, but harrowing if left untreated.
"GAHHH! FUUUUCK!"
He roared in pain as he clenched his neck to stop the bleeding, dropping his axe in the process.
"Oum damn it! Echo! Why didn't you tell me there was another one nearby?!"
While the huntsman recovered from his fresh injury, the blurred figure appeared before its fellow Grimm and called out, "Are you guys ok?!"
Ganesha turned its focus from the powerful human to the small figure in front of him, and seemed to relax as it realized that its Alpha was now here.
"We're alive, Alpha…but hurt very badly. We won't last much longer if this keeps up."
He examined the injuries his herd members possessed…and he wasn't happy with what he saw.
Naruto cursed inwardly, thinking, I never should've separated from them.
All he wanted was a little space and time to recover. He never thought a situation like this would pop up, and would almost cost him the lives of his herd.
He turned to look at the huntsmen in the distance and quietly thought of the current circumstances with barely restrained rage.
Only the muscle guy seems injured while that other guy seems pretty distant…
Just by looking at their appearances, he could tell that Wretch was the only man who fought…but Naruto was more attentive of the guy behind him.
He's been watching the fight this entire time…he's no doubt begun to learn the weaknesses of my herd and prepared for the worst-case scenario. I'll have to be cautious with him…
But first, he then returned his glare back to the barbaric man with a large axe, I have a score to settle…
Echo had been ignoring the shouts of his partner as he took in the appearance of the new entry. He, too, hadn't noticed the appearance of the small Grimm. It appeared out of nowhere and moved too quickly for either him or Wretch to react.
If Echo had his semblance active, then noticing the small figure wouldn't have been a problem…but the fact that he couldn't even see the movement showed how difficult handling this Grimm was going to be.
He had never seen a Grimm like this, so he was much more concerned than before. It was small and possessed the trademark bone mask that most Grimm possessed. What made it look different from a normal fox was the pitch-black fur and two tails that could be seen protruding from its rear, along with smaller bone plating along the sides of its legs.
He continued to watch as the strange foxlike Grimm communicated with the other Grimm in yips, and the surrounding Grimm seemed to respond with nods or grunts of their own.
"FUUUCK! Echo, what was that?!"
Echo slowly turned to the hollering Wretch and spoke in a hushed tone, "You got what you wanted, Wretch. It seems their Alpha has arrived."
"Alpha? Where?"
Setting aside the pain for the moment, he looked in the direction of the Grimm he had been fighting with, and saw the foxy new entry.
He stared blankly for a few moments before…
"Heh…Heh heh…"
A low chuckle was muttered under his breath as it seemed to progress, and evolved into something akin to a howl of laughter.
"Hah…Haha…Ahah! HAHAHA!"
"Echo, you're telling me that," He then pointed to the direction of the small kit and laughed out, "fuckin' small fry is their Alpha? You got to be shitting me! Haha!"
Echo then sent him a look that could melt stone, "Did you already forget that this small fry carved into your collarbone? And look…"
He then tilted his head in the direction of the fox Grimm, which directed Wretch to look at the supposed Alpha once more.
What he saw was the fox directing the herd of unusual Grimm with yips. Once it was done, the Grimm seemed to make some sort of protective formation for each other, with only the fox standing on the frontlines. This caused Wretch to stop laughing and adopt a more serious look in his eyes.
Noticing the shift in Wretch's countenance, Echo continued, "He is commanding them, Wretch. That Grimm is intelligent, and if we go by a fox's nature, then that means its mischievous…"
He paused as he sent the fox a glare of undeterred focus.
"…and cunning."
Wretch nodded in response, agreeing with Echo's words. His partner was the smarter one, so he knew to listen to him when the time called for it. He also noticed something else about the Grimm as he stared into its eyes.
"Hey, Echo…Grimm don't normally have slit pupils like that…do they?"
"…No…"
"…I thought so…who woulda thought we would find so many weird Grimm in one area."
They both noticed that unlike the average Grimm who had pupil-less eyes…this fox was different. Behind those eyes, they could sense intelligence and emotion that were produced in waves. All of which were negative and hostile…and were focused on them.
"Kill it, Wretch." Echo began with a terse tone, "That one needs to go first, otherwise things will get more troublesome."
"And you aren't going to help out…why?" Wretch responded with unhidden irritation.
"You dug yourself into this hole. Find your way out of it. Besides…"
He then sent his partner a smirk that screamed of dark, playfulness.
"…I thought you could handle it?"
"Hah! Fuck you then!" He yelled in response at the challenge.
"But," He paused before grinning, "I feel like this Grimm is worth studying…If I capture this Grimm, I bet I can save my ass from when I get back to report about the mission."
Echo said nothing in response, and opted to watch the fight continue. He knew the capture of this Grimm may not change their fate, but it would definitely do more good than harm. He couldn't help but feel hopeful since their situation was so…dare he say, Grimm.
Ugh, he thought inside his mind, reflecting on what he just said.
That pun was bad and I should feel bad…I pray that no one else makes terrible jokes like this in the future…
Sometime in Canon Timeline
"Hah…AH~..."
*ACHOOOO!*
"Woah, that was loud! You all right, Yang?"
"*sniff*…yeah Ruby…It's probably just some guys talkin' about my tits again."
"Ewww! That's gross, Yang! What makes you think that?!"
"Oooh Ruby…When it comes to guys, Mama knows 'Breast'!"
"…"
"Ah? Did ya get it? Huh Ruby?"
"…please stop."
Back in Forever Falls
*shiver*
I feel like I just jinxed myself…well, no matter…
He then watched as the fox began to charge towards Wretch with accelerating speed.
Looks like the fun is about to start…
"Heh heh, see this scar you little shit?!" Wretch then proceeded to point to the claw marking on his collarbone in shaking exaggeration as he approached the attacking fox.
"I'm gonna return the favor!"
As the fox charged towards him, Wretch swung the axe horizontally, hoping to do leave a similar scar on its neck. Unfortunately, he wasn't dealing with the simpleminded creatures of Grimm he was normally accustomed to.
In a nimble act of speed and flexibility, Naruto saw the slash and leaped above the cut while wrapping his tail around the haft of the axe.
As Wretch pulled the axe back, he failed to notice fox that was attached to his axe, giving Naruto the opportunity to claw towards his next once more…but this time, Naruto aimed to kill.
This is for hurting my herd!
Time seemed to slow as Naruto's claw finally connected with the man's neck, but Naruto immediately felt that something was off.
I can't cut him!
Just as Naruto thought, he felt the claw that was close to piercing the man's carotid artery suddenly smash against what felt like a wall. What was weird was how the area around his neck was now…gray?
During this momentary lapse of shock, Wretch was given the opportunity to understand the situation and grabbed Naruto by the tail in anger and swung him against a nearby tree.
With Naruto's reflexes, he moved his body so that he would coil around the base of the tree by grappling it with his claws and slowing his momentum, rather than slam against it.
"You shit! You thought you could do the same thing?! Well, let me enlighten your tiny brain!" He spat in anger.
"My aura is a bit different from regular aura. In order to use it, I have to activate my semblance."
Wretch then pointed to his chest as aura around him surged into his skin, making the skin all over his body turn gray in the process.
"My semblance allows me to harden my aura to something beyond even the toughest of steel! I've taken point-blank gunfire, missiles, and stabs straight to my fuckin' head! In other words, I'm invincible! HAHAHA!"
Echo, who heard this, couldn't help but sigh in thought.
But it also drains his aura incredibly fast.
It was true that his semblance made him pretty much unkillable while active, but this period of 'invincibility' was short-lived.
His ability was powerful, but dangerous as well. Normal people would naturally have a cloak of aura surround themselves, but Wretch's semblance made that impossible. His semblance and aura worked hand-in-hand, so he had to activate it consciously every time he wants to use it protectively.
That's why Naruto managed to scar him beforehand. As long as he feels safe, or his guard isn't up, he won't activate his semblance…and that was the time to strike.
And it took only Naruto a few moments to figure this out.
That idiot, mused the foxy Grimm, I just need to make him feel like he won…but I can't make it obvious.
From that point on, a series of clashes formed between him and Wretch, as they continued their onslaught of attacks. The Grimm in the distance watched with rapt attention as Echo observed from afar.
The Grimm were told to remain back and recover from their wounds earlier when Naruto was giving out commands. If Naruto was going to need their help later, he wanted to have them in decent enough shape to fight.
After some time, Echo noticed that Naruto's movements seemed to slow a bit, and how it seemed to make more openings for Wretch to exploit. It seemed planned to Echo, and he couldn't help but show his respect for the nimble Grimm. It literally danced circles around his friend who relied only on his strength to gain the upper hand.
And like a fish hooked on a line, Wretch was baited into those movements. What was strange, however, was that the fox would lose during those baited exchanges.
Strange, thought Echo as he saw the fox lure Wretch into another set of moves before it 'narrowly' escaped his partner's attack.
The Grimm is leading Wretch by the nose, yet it hasn't take advantage of it. It just keeps acting like it almost got hit or is in trouble. Why is-
His eyes then widened at the sudden revelation, He knows his weakness…Shit, I knew it was smart, but to think it could even understand what Wretch was saying about his semblance…we were careless!
Just as Echo thought, Naruto was 'pretending' it was getting weaker and was clumsy, in order to incite the axe-wielding hunter to attack and feel dominant. At the same time, he was also exhausting his use of aura.
It's trying to make an opening…but when?
This scene continued for a few more times, and he knew something had to be done before the worst-case scenario could happen.
Looks like I'll need to step in a bit after all…
It was then Echo finally activated his semblance and…
"Hold still you little…!"
*BOOOM!*
Wretch had swung the axe downwards once more, aiming to kill the twin-tailed kit who was proving to be a nuisance.
Naruto dodged 'narrowly' once again has he slid across the ground on his back, haggard in appearance.
I think it's about time to end this…
Naruto's plan was proceeding just as he had thought it would so far. Naruto knew that Wretch's ability didn't come without a price. He found it funny how he just proclaimed what his semblance was.
He looks down on Grimm…
Thinking this, Naruto used this to his advantage and decided to play 'possum' with the gullible man before him.
It sounded simple in theory, but it was much more difficult in practice. To dodge Wretch's attacks by a hair's breadth and act like he was desperate was tiring…but it was seeing positive results.
Wretch was becoming cocky and overconfident, and soon…that would be his downfall.
Naruto dodged another strike of the axe, and he proceeded to 'tumble' on the ground, 'struggling' to stand.
He then spotted from the corner of his eye a hand approach his neck like pliers.
It's time!
And as he planned, Naruto let the man grab at his neck in full force, with Naruto choking in the process.
Kuh! He's got a strong grip...Now, it's time to act!
Naruto then began to struggle out of the man's grasp, clawing at his arms and nipping at the air, but it was for naught.
Seeing this, Wretch couldn't help but to release a loud laugh in victory!
"Haha! I finally caught your filthy ass! 'Bout damn time, too!"
He long since noticed that his aura reserves were dropping into critical zones, and knew he needed to end the fight quickly. Otherwise who would have to call Echo over for help.
And I'll be damned if I call that ass over for help!
Looking at the fox in his hands, he couldn't help but grin, "You were a fun lil' fuck, I'll give ya that much. But playtime's over, and you're comin' with us."
Naruto continued to kick in 'desperation' and growled at the man in response.
"Haha! It's useless! I've got an iron grip, ya know? So, cut the shit and make it easy on me, will ya?"
Naruto then closed his eyes in what appeared to be submission, as he stopped his struggling and whimpered. Seeing this, Wretch smiled.
"Hah! Just like the fox you are, you're nothing but a coward in the end!"
Wretch then finally deactivated his semblance and turned in the direction of Echo and yelled, "Hey Echo! I finally got the bastard! I'm satisfied, so we can finally leave this place."
What Wretch failed to realize, was Naruto had one eye slightly cracked open, observing the brute and his actions.
And once he saw him deactivate his semblance, Naruto finally acted.
Don't underestimate me, bitch!
Naruto then swiped his claws at the throat of Wretch with menacing force and extreme precision. Moments after, he was soon bathed in a rain of blood that spurted from the open wound, as Wretch choked on the red liquid until he was silenced…once and for all.
At least, that was what Naruto envisioned.
The truth, however, was more than a bit disappointing…it was worst case scenario…
But…how?
Naruto's astonishment was easy to understand, seeing as the claw that was supposed to pierce into the man's throat, thus ending his life, was once again stopped by the greyed skin.
I know I had him convinced…his reflexes aren't great either…so how?
"Hehe…looks like you were right, Echo! The lil' bastard was fakin' it!"
Echo…?
Naruto then turned his direction to the only other huntsman in the area, and saw that the man had his hand cupping his mouth, as if he were about to whisper a secret.
Him…? But how? I didn't hear anything.
Wretch saw the despaired look in the fox's eyes and laughed, "Hah! I know exactly what your thinkin'. Well, my friend there's semblance made it possible. He could send messages from far away thanks to it! It's-"
"Enough, Wretch! I don't need you sharing my semblance with that Grimm! In case you don't remember, that's how he figured out your weakness!"
The man then scratched the back of his head and said, "Ah, yeah…well, whatever. It turned out ok in the end, right?"
Echo then crossed his arms and said in a mocking tone, "Yes…because I intervened, mister 'I can handle it!'"
"Heh…and who was it that said they wouldn't help out, huh?"
Echo didn't bother to respond to this and said, "Just hurry it up. We have to leave, and we wasted too much time fighting these Grimm. Let's get out of here."
The man then sighed with a wave of his hand and said, "Yeah, Yeah, I'm comin."
While this conversation was going on, Naruto continued to curse, I was careless! I was too focused on the muscle head and forgot about his partner…shit…
As Naruto began to think about how he could resolve his current crisis, he heard a loud grunt in the distance.
"Oh? What's that?"
Hearing the same grunt, Wretch turned to the side and saw the ridiculous scene of a Boarbatusk charging toward him with a limp in its step.
Gordy! What're you doing!
*yip* *yip*
To the ears of Wretch, Naruto was just barking nonsense, but Gordy could understand clearly what Naruto was saying.
"Must…save…aniki…"
While suffering serious injuries, Gordy had spent the most time recovering in comparison to the other herd members. They, too, wanted to get up and help, but both suffered major injuries to their legs, making it extremely difficult to move.
"Huh…so the pig's still alive, eh?"
Since his semblance was still active, he didn't bother to block the charge of Gordy, especially since its tusks were gone. He stood there and took the impact of Gordy, and remained still in the process.
Gordy, however, had its skull fractured further from the attack. Its mask was already fractured from its last battle with the huntsman, so it shattered easily as a result.
But despite this fact and the pain it was feeling, it continued to move its legs, hoping the man would let go of his Alpha.
"Oi," Frowned Wretch as he observed the pointless push of the Boarbatusk, "You're just wasting your time. I was nice enough to let you go, but ya had to be stupid, huh?"
He then lifted a leg and punted Gordy in the gut, sending him a short distance away.
"Do all you Grimm think I'm some kinda pushover? Just fuck off already."
As Wretch turned around, walking to his partner with a fox Grimm in his grip, he felt another push against his backside.
A tic mark appeared above the brow of Wretch as he muttered, "Ya know…you're really starting to piss me off."
In response, Gordy only continued to grunt…but Naruto understood exactly what his friend was saying.
"Save…aniki…must…help aniki…"
"Gordy…"
The gesture touched Naruto, but he couldn't stand to watch the current scenario unfold before him. As Naruto continued watching Gordy, he saw Wretch turn and proceed to step on the neck of the Boarbatusk, allowing a high pitched *squeeel* to resound through the forest.
"You piece of shit…and people wonder why I'm never nice…because it's pointless!"
"Gordy!"
*Yip* *yip*
Wretch then turned to the fox in his hand, and saw that it struggled to escape with new vigor and hate in its eyes...which made the hunter feel excited.
"Hah…I knew there was more to you than I thought…don't tell me you actually care about this weak, fat, sack of shit?"
Hearing Naruto's snarl was all the evidence he needed as he snorted in derision.
"To think a Grimm would care about something…This world's gone to shit if even dumb beasts can have feelings."
Wretch then looked back to the Boarbatusks that continued to squeal beneath his foot, and raised the axe he held in his other hand high in the air.
"Allow me to teach you the way Remnant works, you naïve little Grimm. The strong…"
"Don't!" Naruto barked to the man, but this cry went unheard as his axe began to descend on upon the trapped boar.
"…Devour the WEAK!"
With those last words, the axe chopped down onto the base of Gordy's neck, beheading him.
Everything was silent as Naruto looked into the dull eyes of his first traveling companion. A Grimm he had grown fond of during his journeys, and one he felt was becoming a part of something more than a member of his herd…it was a family.
He continued to stare listlessly as the Boarbatusk's corpse began to dissipate into dark particles of dust that continued to rise into the air, and was blown away by the unforgiving wind.
It wasn't long after before the body completely decomposed and vanished, yet not a sound was made.
It remained this way a few moments…before a high-pitched squeal could be heard in the direction of Naruto's herd.
*SQUEEEEEL!*
Untold pain could be heard in this cry as Pumbaa continued to mourn over his long-time brother and friend. For the first time, it felt unimaginable rage and depression, not knowing that it reached a new stage of its growth due to its suffering.
It wasn't the only one to react, as Ganesha began to trumpet in anger for the loss of one of its comrades, finally having a taste of emotions for the first time…and it wasn't pleasant.
Wretch, however, enjoyed the racket. He had never heard of a Grimm cry before. This was definitely going to be a story worth telling.
'Wretch. The man who was cruel enough to make a Grimm cry'…he liked the sound of that.
"To think Grimm were this pathetic…are you not going to cry too?"
He then turned the fox in his direction, only to see a line of black tears stream from its eyes. Wretch could feel the waves of hate practically pouring from the fox's skin…but rather than make him feel afraid, he was elated!
"Hah! You really are crying! To think Grimm were such puss-"
*Shunk!* *Shunk!*
"…huh?"
Wretch was about to insult the fox further, before he felt a sharp pain stab into his heart…twice.
But that can't be right…I have my semblance active!
Not believing the pain he was experiencing, he looked to witness a sight that made him believe he was having some sort of nightmare.
It was what appeared to be two elongated bones protruding from the fox Grimm's tails, stabbing directly into his heart in two different places. What made the appearance more ominous was the black glow that seemed to surround the bones and the area he was stabbed.
"Guhah!"
He coughed up blood in the process as he soon began to feel a burning sensation throughout his entire body. It felt like he was slowly being dipped into lava, and he remained conscious enough to feel every fiber and cell of his body being burned away into nothingness.
The last thing he heard was a growl from the fox he once held in his hands, before his thoughts and life faded to black.
He would never get the opportunity to understand what killed him, and the last words the Grimm uttered in a growl before his demise.
"All-Killing Dust Bones!"
A/N: End of Chapter!
Sorry for the cliff hanger…I know…I just had to do it…didn't?
I won't comment on anything for this chapter, and allow everything to soak in for you guys. Things get interesting next chapter, and will be the last part of Naruto's fight with the Huntsmen...well, HuntsMAN now.
I will only say this…yes, Gordy is dead. And no, Naruto will not be OP just because he discovered this ability. This will be explained in future chapters.
Next Release: I am super busy in March, so I can't make any promises. So all I can say is that April is when you can probably expect the next chapter.
Please leave reviews to help me improve or just to support me! They are the best way to motivate me and to sharpen my writing skills. The biggest room in the world is 'Room for Improvement!'
So, help a guy out!
~Stay Cool, but don't Freeze