I am on what some might call "a roll" with these chapters. You see when you're a writer, and you have things being set up and the payoff finally coming after chapters and chapters of build-up, you just start writing and writing until that burst of energy… dissipates, I'm telling you, it's more addictive than any drug in the world.
Also, I've been re-watching Overlord recently—I say re-watching, but the last time I watched it was back in 2018, right when Season III finished airing, so technically I'm just watching it—and because of it I've gotten so many ideas that I once didn't consider that I am now heavily considering. That being said, I don't want to waste much time. So, that being said before we get into my response to reviews/comments….
I have a P-Atr-Eon. Please check it out! The links are all in my bios on Wattpad, FF Dot Net, Ao3, and Qoutev. Just in case, here is the link: gobblegum2?fan_landing=true&view_as=public
And now, it's time that we jump into my responses reviews/comments!
[Response to reviews/comments]
(Qoutev) JammyJam: That was the point with her. BTW, her name is Natsumi. Anywho, I'm glad you liked the way I twisted Chiaki. Fun fact, she's just a mirror-world version of herself and is more obsessed with Despair than she is with Hope or the concept of it. Sometimes, it's the dark reflections of ourselves that are the scariest…. A-hem, anyway. As for the kids, don't worry, they'll be adopted by Jolyne very, very soon. Like… extremely soon.
(Qoutev) TACO SENSEI: That Damien is. Also, one thing I think I clarified earlier (Or maybe I didn't, but if so, I'm gonna do that now) the faction isn't what dictates her personality. Sure, there are certain things that she will react to due to her faction, but 99% of her actions are decided by herself and are turned into Quests for her to do—not the other way around. Also, to answer your question, I'm sorry to report that there are going to be NO KILLING GAMES WITHIN THIS STORY. Why? Because I said so. Like, it is SO far removed from the original genre that it would throw the pacing off dramatically. And before you ask about Class 78, don't worry… I have a plan for them…. : )
Kolt999: Do you have, any idea, how much I've been holding back just… plopping Munakata and Kokichi into the plot? Like, it is unreal just how much I wanted to just say "oh, hey, by the way, they exist." However, my sister, who is my "idea bounce-off of" the person told me it was a bad idea, and to wait until the right moment. It just so happened to be the last chapter. And yes, Kokichi and Jolyne's interactions are going to be SOOOO fun to write about. But, that will come in due time. Moving on, Izuru Kamakura, or as I like to call him: The Walking "Fuck you I win." I will be portraying him differently in terms of the story. I didn't like how they handled my boy in canon. So, prepare for what just might become one of the most overpowered antagonist in Danganronpa Fanfic history. Also, nice touch with the Hellsing reference, I see you are a man of culture as well.
Now, how about we start this chapter in earnest?
[Note: The Poll for the next world is now up! You can find it on my profile on Fanfiction Dot Net under the username DeathlyJazzHands55. It will be up until The Danganronpa Universe is finished. Once it is, I will take down the poll and begin planning out that world. If you cannot find the poll on my profile, or my profile in general, use this instead: poll4629498x00734f98-145 and for those on Wattpad unable to see the link without it being split up: take. Super survey poll 4629498x00734f98- 145 stitch this back together and boom! There you go.]
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[Jolyne Brooks]
Standing in front of the gates of Hope's Peak Academy, Jolyne sighed, dropping the hood of the cloak off of her head. Standing beside her was Natsumi. She looked up at the main building, her eyes sparkling, almost as if she hadn't expected to be standing before it.
"To be fair to her, she was a Reserve Course Student. Reserve Course Students weren't and still aren't allowed to enter the main building," Jolyne thought, looking over to the blond. "Oi, Natsumi-chan," the dual-haired mage began as Natsumi stiffened. She looked over at Jolyne, a bead of sweat falling down the side of her face. "Where we are going, you cannot say a word to anyone about. Am I understood?"
Natsumi nodded. "Yes, Jolyne-Sama," the blond said, bowing her head. Jolyne responded with a nod of her own, before walking forward. As she approached the gates with Natsumi, a large man walked in front of them, his skin tan, his eyes pink, and his greenish-black hair combed back. He was wearing a blue suit and a red tie.
The two exchanged looks, the man's eyes narrowing once he saw Natsumi. "Oi, what is a Reserve course Student doing here? You know the rules, leave," the man spat, glaring at Natsumi. Natsumi sneered, glaring at the taller, buffer man, clenching her right hand into a fist. Before the blonde could say anything destructive, Jolyne stood between the two of them.
"I do not know who you are," Jolyne began, giving the man a side glance. "Seeing as you know the rules, I'd have to assume you're an alumni of the school, correct?" Jolyne asked. The man nodded with a gruff huff, his glare never letting up.
"Sakakura Juzo, former Ultimate Boxer. Who might you be?" the man, Juzo, asked as Jolyne sighed, shaking her head. Her emerald green eye stared into both of his eyes. At that moment, his eyes widened. He reached for something, before stopping. "Nevermind… I know you. You're Jolyne Brooks, correct?"
Jolyne's eyes narrowed but nonetheless nodded. "Yes, I am, The Ultimate Magician. However, that hardly matters. You're accosting my guest. If you do not back off…." Her voice trailed off, as the man froze. "Oh? Does he know…?" "Well?"
Juzo looked Jolyne to Natsumi, then back to Jolyne before nodding. "I see. My apologies," Juzo said. Before he left, another massive man approached Juzo, though this time, he appeared… stranger. Over his head was some kind of mask that resembled a bull. He had long flowing hair appearing out the back, and a goatee sticking out from the mask. Besides that, he wore a business suit much like Juzo, though his was black, and unlike Juzo, he did not sport a tie.
"Juzo-Kun…." The large man said, placing a hand on his shoulder. "Leave these two alone," the large man said, before looking over his shoulder. "Chinatsu, come now, we must meet with Kirigiri-san!" The large man said as the sound of running feet patting against the pavement echoed out. Jolyne turned to look in that direction, only to be greeted by a strange sight.
A small, barely over 4 feet tall girl who appeared no older than 10 ran over to the masked man. She was wearing a large white shirt that covered up to her knees, and black stockings underneath. She was barefoot, and her eyes were mismatched—one side blue, the other red. Her hair was long and flowing, with what appeared to be a natural blue colour. Around her neck was a black and white checkered scarf, and on her wrists were what appeared to be broken shackles.
A powerful aura wafted off of the little girl. Far stronger than even her own. The dual-haired mage felt a bead of sweat drip down the side of her face, as a result, swallowing back whatever fear might've grown in her throat. "What the hell? No… there's no way. How can someone, no, some kid be this strong?!" Jolyne thought, narrowing her eyes.
Out of reflex, Jolyne activated CHECK on the little girl, and what she saw made her eyes widen.
Name: Chinatsu – Subject 001
Level: 1,000
HP: 1,000,000
Stamina: Inf
MP: 1,000,000
Faction: The Future Foundation
[Information Blocked by Mental Command]
"W-What?! 1 Million HP?! 1 Million MP! How is that even possible?! And… her level! It's beyond anything reasonable! Not to mention her infinite Stamina! What the hell is going on here?!" Jolyne thought, looking over to Juzo, and the masked man, then back to Chinatsu. "Not to mention, she somehow blocked CHECK from continuing to probe information. How is that possible? Unless…. No. Other System Users in this world… it seems impossible, that can't be…!"
[Relax, Jolyne Brooks! I can personally assure you that there are no other System Users from Daimen here. However… I cannot be so sure about other Gods and their disciples. For now, remain calm. Act natural, and do not let her suspect anything. I can sense it. This "Chinatsu" person, is a System User.]
"What the hell do you mean by that?!" Jolyne thought as Chinatsu came closer to the group. "What do you mean there are other System users?! I thought Daimen said he invented The System!"
[Correction: He invented me. At the time, I had no name, so he called The System. However, that does not mean I am the only one. Every creation has plural versions of it, created by other Gods and their disciples. I cannot tell you to whom this System User is spawned from, but what I can tell you is that they are beyond your level of strength. I do not know if they have access to The Multiverse like you do. For all I know, they could be limited to this world. If that is the case, you do not need to worry. However, if that is not the case, be wary of this girl. I cannot stress enough that you are currently in danger. System Users can tell each other apart. The likelihood that she is aware of what you are is guaranteed. Exercise caution.]
Jolyne paled at that information, though quickly contained herself. If there were other System Users out there, then so be it. That didn't mean, however, that it wasn't terrifying to see. "I'll have to speak to Daimen about this once we see each other again… If we see each other again." Jolyne thought as the little girl stopped, standing next to the man in the bull mask. "Oi, Gozu-Sama, what is going on? Why have we…." She paused, before looking at Jolyne.
For a brief second, their eyes met. Chinatsu's eyes narrowed, and then, something happened that put the fear of God into Jolyne, that being Chinatsu's eyes. Her eyes seemed devoid of life, robotic, even. That being said, the girl did seem to carry this aura of awareness at all times. Not only that, but the way her eyes gleamed in the sun… they were not completely devoid of life. It was also clear that Chinatsu was not some little kid. Or, at the very least, was older than she appeared. And then, in a somewhat dead, monotone voice, Chinatsu spoke. "Juzo-Sama, you appeared frightened. What is going on?"
Juzo huffed, turning toward the gates. "I merely wished to speak to Brooks-san, that's all," Juzo stated. "We're only here to speak to Kirigiri-san. Once we're done, we'll be leaving for the hotel. Don't do anything stupid, Chinatsu."
Chinatsu scoffed, before looking at Jolyne with her dead, vacant eyes. For a split second, they flashed their respective colour, before a frown made itself known on the little girl's face. "You're weak, Jolyne-dono."
Jolyne recoiled, taking a step back. "W-What…?" Jolyne sputtered, her cheeks reddening with indignation. "How dare you, I—"
"Level 49… you are not a threat. Munakata-Sama was wrong about you. You are not worthy of my time…. Juzo-Sama, we leave, immediately. This was a waste of my time, how can you call the strongest in the world against a mere ant? What a bunch of garbage…." Chinatsu spat, turning to leave. Juzo snarled, only for Gozu to squeeze his shoulder. Juzo stopped, biting his lip.
"Juzo-san… you know how Chinatsu gets, speaking like she's in a video game. She most likely wishes to go back to bed. Besides, I was the one meant to meet with Kirigiri-san, not you and Chinatsu. Besides, she's the strongest one we have. Munakata-Kun overreacted, as per usual. Go, leave with her. I'll be fine," Gozu said as Juzo nodded.
The former Ultimate Boxer looked down at Jolyne, and scoffed, mumbling something under his breath before walking away to catch up with Chinatsu. Gozu looked at Jolyne, nodded, then headed for the gates, leaving both Natsumi and Jolyne by themselves. Natsumi looked to Jolyne, whose eyes were still tracking Chinatsu as she left the school grounds.
[Jolyne Brooks. I've asked Daimen to speak to you in person. He will be arriving shortly. Please enter the school. He will be waiting for you there. He has seen what has happened, and come to speak to you on the matter. Do not keep him waiting.]
"Jolyne-Sama… what was that?" Natsumi's voice caught Jolyne's attention, as she turned to look at the blond. "What was she talking about? Level 49? What is going on?" Natsumi asked as the dual-haired mage sighed.
"You'll be meeting my Boss in a moment. I'm sure he'll explain everything to you if you ask questions. Just… understand that we talking to a God's Disciple, you have to be extremely… careful. Especially with Daimen-Sama. He gets… touchy," Jolyne said, shivering as she turned to the gates of the school. "C'mon, we can't keep him waiting. I don't want to know what'll happen if we do."
Natsumi blinked a few handfuls of times but followed her nonetheless. Upon entering the school, Jolyne and Natsumi walked past a few other students. No one said a word to them, and as they reached the second floor, a door suddenly slid open. Natsumi stopped in her tracks, shoulders tense as Jolyne sighed. "He's in here. Move it," Jolyne said, walking toward the door as Natsumi followed close behind.
Once the pair entered, Jolyne blinked. Standing before her was a lean, school uniform-wearing, green and black-haired man with pale skin and red eyes. Natsumi's eyes widened, before taking a step back. "O-Oi! Y-you're that Cameraman!" Natsumi cried out as the boy smirked.
"Naturally, I can take any form I desire, Kuzuryu-san. It helps me blend in with certain situations. As such, I'm now a student," Daimen said, crossing his arms before looking at Jolyne. "I have to say, you've kept me quite entertained for the last few months, Jolyne-san. Thank you, for that. My boredom gets cured each and every day thanks to your actions."
"Cut the crap, Daimen. Why the hell is there another System User here?" Jolyne demanded as Daimen deadpanned. Natsumi raised an eyebrow, as the door shut behind them without anyone closing it. Everyone took a seat in the room, that being a lounge of sorts. Once everyone took their respective seats, Daimen sighed, putting one leg over the other as he clasped his fingers together.
"I wish I could tell you, Jolyne-san. However, do be aware, what you saw in her Stats screen is a lie. That is not her true power. She was using a Masking Spell. Although, she is higher level than you. If I were to guess, she's at least Level 150. She's been at this for far longer than yourself and is possibly the reason why Magic exists in this world, to begin with, although who she belongs to is a mystery to me…" Daimen explained as Natsumi furrowed her eyebrows.
"What the hell are you talking about? What do you mean by "Level 150?" Or "Stats screen!?" This isn't a video game! This is real life!" Natsumi shouted as Daimen sighed, pinching the bridge of his nose. Natsumi flinched, although all Daimen did was clear his throat.
"First and foremost. You're like I can't do anything. When I'm in these human bodies, my powers are ripped away. Otherwise, I would've killed you for your ignorance," Daimen spat, glaring at Natsumi. The blonde recoiled, earning a rye grin from Daimen. "That's what I thought," Loki's Disciple said, his expression returning to a neutral stare. "That being said… there are people out there who are blessed by The Gods, and their disciples with powers known as The System. These systems allow the user to live their life like a video game. Each system is different, and only one disciple can have one at a time. They act as envoys for that respective disciple, and each system has different rules and different ways of expressing their powers."
As Daimen spoke, he gestured to Jolyne. "Jolyne-san over here is my envoy. She is a System user. It's how she gets so powerful so quickly. If you've ever seen an Isekai Anime or the like, it's pretty much like that. A soul from a boring, bland universe is reborn into a Hero, or a Villain, and given the powers of The Gamer. Basically, if you've played any RPG game of TTRPG you'd know what I'm talking about. So, for her, and this mysterious "Chinatsu" person, their lives very much function like a video game. The only difference? Is that they have one life, much like the rest of your mortals."
Natsumi looked to Daimen, then to Jolyne, who smirked. "He's telling the truth. However, I must stress that this information does not leave this room, please. I don't need anyone getting any funny ideas," Jolyne said as Natsumi nodded.
"Yes, Jolyne-Sama!" Natsumi said, bowing her head. Daimen raised an eyebrow, looking over to Jolyne.
" "Jolyne-Sama" eh? A master and servant kink. You're cute, Jolyne-san," Daimen said. Natsumi blushed a deep, scarlet red and flinched, all the while Jolyne deadpanned.
"It's not like that, Daimen-Sama. She is my servant," Jolyne said, glancing over at Natsumi, who shook her head, the blush dying down completely as she cleared her throat.
"That's correct, Daimen-san… I swore my loyalty to Jolyne-Sama. I am her servant, and nothing more…." Natsumi stated with a bow. Daimen sighed in disappointment, placing one hand on his cheek and slumping in his chair.
"That's rather boring… oh well, so long as you start on that one quest, I don't mind platonic relationships. Back to the topic at hand. I don't know which Disciple summoned Chinatsu, but I do know this, she is an envoy of Loki's brother, Thor. As such, I do not doubt that she is strong. Be wary of her, Jolyne-san. The last thing I want is for you to die so early on. There is much for you to do," Daimen said as Jolyne nodded.
"Understood, Daimen-Sama. However… I have a question," Jolyne asked as Daimen raised an eyebrow.
"Ask away, dear envoy of mine," Daimen said, gesturing her to speak. Jolyne bit her lip, thinking over the words in her mind, before speaking.
"Would it be possible to give someone a Gacha Token, and for them to reap the rewards of it? Or are they limited to me and me alone?" Jolyne asked. Daimen cupped his chin, rubbing it in thought as Jolyne continued. "I ask because The System, Mono, told me that to be the case. However, I want to ask you, seeing as I don't want to accidentally cause things to go awry."
Daimen hummed, before crossing his arms again. "I see… it would work, but I don't see why you'd want to give others powers…. Unless… tell me, Jolyne-san, have you unlocked Guilds yet?" Daimen asked as Jolyne raised an eyebrow.
"Guilds…?" Jolyne murmured, causing Daimen to sigh.
"I see. So you haven't unlocked Guilds then. You're supposed to unlock them at Level 50. Hnnn… how about I do this," Daimen said, reaching his hand out, a screen appearing in front of him, specifically, Jolyne's stat screen. Snapping his fingers, Jolyne's level increased from 49 to level 50. All of her stats went up accordingly as a result, which made Jolyne raise an eyebrow.
"You can do that?" Jolyne asked as Daimen scoffed.
"Of course, I can! I'm created, er… Mono, right? Whatever. I have admin commands, obviously. Now, instead of having Mono explain, I'll do it myself. Basically, a Guild is like a Faction. People from other Factions can join one Guild, so the Faction alliance doesn't really matter," Daimen explained as he leaned into his chair. "Only those who are within the same Guild can share items. For example, a non-System User can have access to Gacha Tokens, though, you're special. Your System is classed as Multiversal. Meaning you can access things that some System Users cannot. In that way, you're special. For example, The Stand Arrow and that Devil Fruit you ate," Daimen continued. "So, do you wish to create a Guild?"
Jolyne didn't hesitate, nodding as a screen appeared before her. Natsumi gasped upon seeing it, her eyes widening. Daimen snickered, looking at Natsumi. "Get used to it, seeing as you're her servant, I doubt she'd have any reserves showing you her true powers. Oh! I should also mention; those who are in your Guild can also access the PTD. Just thought I'd point that out."
Jolyne gave Daimen a firm nod, before turning her attention to the screen before her.
[Guild creation]
[Guild Name: ]
[Guild Description: ]
[Guild Rules: ]
[Create Guild – 500,000 Yen]
"500,000 Yen?! What the hell is this!?" Jolyne gawked, looking at Daimen, who shrugged. Grumbling, she shook her head. "Whatever, I have the necessary funds, and seeing as that Quest hasn't been completed, seeing as I didn't kill Natsumi, but rather recruited her, I guess that's why I only have just enough," Jolyne thought, her shoulders drooping. "What to do… What should the name of the Guild be… Oh…!" Jolyne smirked and began to input the information about the Guild. Once she was done, she tapped the create guild button.
[Guild Name: The Grey Council]
[Guild Description: We are The Grey Council. We do bad things, we do good things, we do questionable things—it doesn't matter. We do what we see fit, whether they be bad or good does not matter. Hate us, love us, stand us, we don't care. We do not follow your rules, only our own. Love it or hate it, we're here to stay, no matter what. Our goal is to spread our name across the multiverse, be it for good or for evil, we do not care. Any publicity is good publicity]
[Guild Rules: Obey all of The Guild Masters, Jolyne Brook's, Orders, but do so in a way where you can think for yourself. Keep in line with our goals, and do not, under any circumstance, overwork yourself. Pace yourself. Give yourself breathing room, and try and be a functioning member of society. Respond to all calls to action, even if you're busy. Last but not least, we do NOT kill innocent people. Obey these rules, and you should be fine. Break any of them, and pay the price, whatever it may be.]
[Guild Members]
Guild Master: Jolyne Brooks
Daimen clapped, smirking. "Well done, Jolyne-san! Now, to send invites to others, all you must do is think and say their name, alongside the command "invite" and you should be good to go."
With a nod, Jolyne looked to Natsumi, before speaking. "Natsumi Kuzuryu – Invite."
When those words left Jolyne's lips, a screen appeared in front of Natsumi. Recoiling, she looked at the invitation, then pressed the "accept" button. As soon as she was, she was greeted by a bar above Jolyne's head. "Ah! What the…! Huh? What's that?" Natsumi asked, pointing at the bar above Jolyne's head.
[Jolyne Brooks – Ultimate Mage/Guild Master of The Grey Council/Remnant of Despair – Level 50]
"Ah…" Daimen spoke up, gaining both of their attention. "When part of a Guild, even if you have a System or not, you will be able to see a members level and affiliation with their Faction. It can be toggled on or off at any time by simply thinking about it, it also has a radius of 50 meters, so if you leave that range, then that tag won't be seen," Daimen explained, his expression bored as he yawned.
"Well, I've got to go. I need my beauty sleep. I've explained all there is to explain to you. If you need any more information about Guilds, ask Mono or something. However, do keep in mind, Jolyne-san…" Suddenly the aura around Daimen changed from, well, barely anything at all, to downright suppressive and overbearing. Jolyne couldn't help but recoil as overwhelming power and overbearing might suffocated her. Natsumi went ash pale, eyes wide as Daimen gave them both a toothy grin. "If you disappoint me, I will revoke your powers, and you will die. For your sake, keep me entertained…."
With a flash of light, Daimen disappeared, as the aura trickled away, allowing for Jolyne and Natsumi to breathe properly. "That…" Jolyne said, letting out a breath of relief. "Was my Boss…."
"Your Boss is terrifying…." Natsumi said, looking at Jolyne, who nodded. The two stood up and left the room. Just as they did, Jolyne bumped into someone, a small grunting sound reverberated around the hallway followed by a thud. Luckily, Jolyne hadn't fallen to the ground, only bumped into the wall as a result, however, the same could not be said for the person she bumped into. Jolyne shook her head, looking down at the floor as her eyes narrowed.
"Ah… my bad," A polite sounding voice spoke. The voice belonged to a boy with short spikey brown hair and hazel brown eyes. He had a pale complexion, much like most of the people she saw within the building, though he was different in one way or another. He wore the school's uniform, much like most of the other students in the building, though unlike them, he wore his tie out of his blazer than within it. He also wore a pair of bright red lace-up shoes, rather than black. "I should've watched where I was going…."
Jolyne stuck a hand out to the boy, Makoto Naegi if she remembered correctly. The boy took it with slight hesitation, before getting up with Jolyne's help. "Ah, where are my manners, my name is—"
"Naegi Makoto. I know," Jolyne interrupted, sighing. "Brooks Jolyne, Class 77 – B, it's a pleasure to meet you, Naegi-san," Jolyne said as Makoto scratched his cheek, a nervous tick as it seemed. In the back of her mind, a part of her wanted to kill him right here, and right now, before he became a problem. However, the more rational side of her told herself that he would never amount to a problem for her and that she didn't need to worry.
A gleam of recognization appeared in his eyes, as he scratched the back of his neck. "Brooks Jolyne… Komaru-chan mentioned that name. She was worried about you for some reason or another. I'm glad you're okay, Brooks-Senpai!"
Once again, a small blush appeared on Jolyne's cheeks, though she shook it away before clearing her throat. "Ah, yes. Thank you. Tell your sister that I am in her debt for saving my life. Now, if you excuse me, I must be leaving," Jolyne said, walking away from the brown-haired teen, Natsumi catching up with her.
"Ah… Jolyne-Sama… I, uh… what will my role be in The Grey Council?" Natsumi asked. Jolyne looked over her shoulder, then hummed.
"Hmm… you are my servant… but that seems a bit too demoralizing now that I think about it…. How about… you'll be my personal assistant within the Guild. You'll manage things once we get bigger and expand across the Multiverse. After all, wherever I go, this Guild will go," Jolyne said as Natsumi's eyes widened.
"The… The Multiverse?" Natsumi stammered, looking at Jolyne with a gleam of confusion in her eyes. "There's… you mean to tell that stupid Multiverse theory is real!?" Natsumi exclaimed as Jolyne laughed.
"Daimen confirmed that earlier, did he not? Of course! My version of the System is known as The Multiversal System, according to him, at least. So, that makes sense. Of course, The Multiverse exists," Jolyne explained, looking away from Natsumi as she put two fingers on her forehead. A dinging sound echoed in her mind as she spoke to Mono.
"Oi, Mono… can you bridge a contact to both Mukuro-san and Junko-san. I need them to meet me at the basement of the school. I need to check on Class 77 – B."
[Very well, Jolyne Brooks. It shall be done. Be warned this is still experimental, so I have no idea if it will still send to Sayaka. Be cryptic just in case.]
A pit formed in Jolyne's stomach. The last thing that she wanted to do was wrap Sayaka in this mess. "However… I might not have a choice. I still have to do that love interest quest with her. If she were to see the basement, and god-forbid something grizzly happened…." As Jolyne thought that, she felt a jolt, and then, with a sigh, she began to send the message. She just hoped that this wasn't a bad time. She also hoped that Sayaka would not get contacted, either.
But if she did… well, there was no way she could hide the truth for much longer, anyway. Not with another System User around. "Natsumi-chan, let's make haste," Jolyne stated as Natsumi nodded, keeping pace with Jolyne as they rounded the corner, and down the stairs to the first level. From there, the walk was short and silent all the way to the basement. She went down another set of stairs that led to a steel door. Placing a hand on the door handle, she gently opened the door….
[Junko Enoshima]
Boring. Classes were boring, as to be expected. Kizakura-sensei was always drunk, which did make her inwardly chuckle. Then again, he was supposed to be a teacher. And he was supposed to be bringing the future's talent and bridging hope to the new world. Blegh! Gross! Hope was for losers! Er, well, maybe not losers. It was a fundamental human emotion that needed to be upheld ever-so-slightly. It was the fact that there was too much of it that bothered Junko and her sister.
"Ah, whatever. Not that I care. Hmm… I wonder, how's Mukuro doing with that Labotomy on that ginger? She hasn't reported to me for a while, nor has she shown up to any classes. I can't keep covering her for too long, people are starting to get suspicious, including that Byakuya prick…." Junko thought, looking down at her fake red nails. "Come to think of it, that Jolyne girl hasn't contacted me either… I wonder how things are—"
A sudden, sharp headache caused the Ultimate Despair's head to pulse in pain. Clutching at her forehead, she bowed her head as a familiar voice filled her head. "Junko-san, Mukuro-san. Come to the basement of Hope's Peak Academy. I am already there…. Things have… not gone to plan, but something interesting did come from it. Make haste."
The pain dissipated as the strawberry-blonde bit the inside of her lip. "Telepathy? Huh… neat. I'll have to ask her how she did that." As Junko said that, she stood up from her desk, gaining the attention of Kizakura. "Oi, Kizakura-sensei, I'm heading out. I need to do something real quick," Junko said, earning a nod from the drunk teacher.
"Enoshima-san," a voice spoke up within the classroom. Junko looked over her shoulder and saw Sayaka standing up, clutching at the side of her head. "Where… are you going, exactly? Can… Can I come with you?"
Junko's eyes widened. "Did Jolyne-san…." Clearing her throat, Junko nodded. Sayaka bowed, before walking to the front of the classroom and exiting through the door. Sayaka rubbed at the side of her head as Junko shot cautionary glances at the blue-haired girl every now and again. "If she was able to recruit Maizono-san, then this might actually be worth it all! With Maizono's popularity, we could spread Despair throughout the country in no time!"
"Enoshima-san… did you… hear a girl's voice in your head?" Sayaka asked as Junko nodded. The blue-haired girl pursed her lips, before looking at the floor. "It sounded like Brooks-senpai… But, that doesn't make any sense… how can that be?" Sayaka muttered. "I mean… I joke about being psychic, but… is she really…?"
Junko laughed, gaining Sayaka's attention. "Well, duh, of course, she is! She's the Ultimate Mage for a reason!"
"The Ultimate Mage…? Don't you mean Magician?" Sayaka asked, tilting her head slightly to the right as Junko scoffed, shaking her head. Sayaka's eyes widened, before looking away. "You… you don't mean that… that magic is a real thing?"
"Uh-huh! Didn't ya see, that tree that was set ablaze randomly was because of her? I don't know what exactly happened, but if I were to guess it probably had to do with those men in suits carrying weapons. Someone must've got a little antsy, one thing led to another, and boom! Fighting! I would've loved to see that go down!" Junko said, clapping both her hands together as Sayaka kept silent.
A bead of sweat dripped down Junko's face. "Ah… did I say too much? Eh, oh well. Jolyne-san was probably going to say something to her about it eventually anyway," Junko thought, putting both her hands behind her back. A whoosh of air breezed past Junko, followed by a thud. Suddenly, Mukuro pinned Sayaka down to the floor with a knife to the back of her neck, making the blue-haired girl pale.
"What do you think you're doing…." Mukuro said quietly, all the while Junko blinked. The strawberry blonde sighed, shaking her head.
"Oi, Mukuro, you dumbass! Sayaka was recruited, don't go hurtin' allies!" Junko scolded as The Ultimate Soldier backed off, allowing Sayaka to get up. The blue-haired teen looked over to Mukuro, confusion riddling her face as she looked between the two.
"R-Recruited… huh? What… do you mean by that? I-I don't remember being recruited for anything…?" Sayaka said, confusion in her tone. Junko's eyes glistened with a hint of joy as she put two and two together.
"Ah! Then this must be your initiation! Ha! Jolyne-san is a genius! C'mon, get moving, we can't keep her waiting! I'd hate to be the person who pisses her off… I heard the last guy that pissed her off got impaled by a blood-red spear!" Junko said as Mukuro nodded. Sayaka paled, gulping back what appeared to be fear. Mukuro shoved her along, as the group of three continued to walk down the hall.
Coming across a staircase leading downward, Junko marched down with Sayaka and Mukuro close behind. Sayaka was shivering the entire time, which was understandable, they basically kidnapped her under false pretenses. "Even if Jolyne-san hadn't recruited her, she'll have no choice but to join us now! Ha~ I'm a freaking genius!"
Once the two reached the bottom of the stairs, Jolyne and some other blonde chick were standing by the entrance. "Yo, Jolyne-san! Been a hot minute! Whatcha been up to?" Junko said as Jolyne shrugged.
"Had a bunch of children be taken out of an abusive situation, killed a couple of hundred Yakuza, and recruited their leader into our cause. Speaking of… Junko Enoshima, Mukuro Ikosaba, Sayaka Maizono – Invite." As Jolyne said that, three digital-looking hologram screens appeared in front of the three of them.
[Request to join: The Grey Council]
[Members]
Guild Master – Brooks Jolyne.
Guild Master Personal Assistant: Kuzuryu Natsumi.
-Accept- or -Decline-
"What… is this?" Junko asked, voicing what everyone had been thinking as she looked up from the hologram that had been placed in front of her by abnormal means, and to Jolyne, who sighed. It wasn't an annoyed sigh, but more like a: 'I knew this was going to happen,' kind of sigh.
"Guild invites. I can give you magical items that you couldn't otherwise use if you weren't part of the Guild. The name "The Grey Council" is a reference to something I read," Jolyne said, crossing her arms. Junko scoffed.
"You're a fucking nerd, ya know that?" Junko said, accepting the invite, followed by Mukuro doing the same thing. All of them looked at Sayaka, who was pale in the face. "Oi? What's wrong, Maizono-san? Accept the invite!"
"B-Brooks-senpai… y-you… you've killed…?" Sayaka said, her voice shaky. Mukuro reached for her back pocket, her hand on the handle of her knife. She was about to kill the terrified idol, probably for "knowing too much" or some stupid reason and the like, only for Jolyne to raise a hand.
"Mukuro. Hands off the knife. I will not have you kill an innocent person," Jolyne said, narrowing her eyes as Mukuro looked over her shoulder at Jolyne.
"But—"
"But nothing," Jolyne barked, glaring daggers at Mukuro. Mukuro was about to say something, only for to stop once she saw a bunch of purple, funky-smelling gunk form on Jolyne's hand. Junko had to plug her nose at the smell, although Mukuro returned the glare with full force. "My Guild, my rules. Rule number 6 of The Grey Council is that we do not kill innocent people. I've held myself to that standard since day one. I will now be holding everyone to that same standard, regardless of methods. Traitors are a completely different situation. Maizono-san is not a part of the guild or our cause yet, and therefore she is not a traitor. However, she is linked mentally to the three of us, which could cause issues. I am extending an offer to her to join The Grey Council. It is up to her to accept or not. I can understand if she does not want to, however, I should make something very clear…." Jolyne explained, now looking directly at Sayaka.
"Maizono-san. If you do not accept entry into the Guild, then you will be expected to turn around and leave. If you say anything to anyone, you will be killed on the spot. At that point, I will consider you a traitor, and an information leaker. I cannot have anyone who is directly against me know anything. You've been seen saving my life, and have visited me in the hospital. You will most likely be a target of The Future Foundation. I have no idea what they will do to you, seeing as they have powerful people on their side. They might try to harm you, and I would hate to see that. If you join The Grey Council, you and your Idol Group will be under our protection."
As Jolyne continued to speak, Junko couldn't help but feel… moved? Was that the word? No… inspired. Jolyne was the epitome of Despair, yes, but it was clear that she was more than that. She was able to balance that Despair with other facets of life. Something that Junko had yet to be able to learn to do for herself.
The more she heard Jolyne speak, the more Junko felt her heart pick up the pace. It was like she was staring at a shining leader, someone who could lead the masses! Back then, on that day, Junko remembered that she had shown only that dreadfully powerful amount of Despair, but she hadn't been expecting this! The way she spoke… it sounded like a true leader. No… not just a leader… a mastermind. Someone who could plan ahead and think five steps ahead of everyone and everything!
"Me… and my Idol group…." Sayaka muttered, looking at the hologram. Some colour returned to her face, but only barely.
"Yes. I promise that you and your idol group will be safe. I will not let harm come to them. What kind of Guild Leader would I be if I let a member's allies and friends get hurt?" Jolyne said, an infectious smile on her face. Junko couldn't help but do the same. When Mukuro saw it, she was shocked. She never smiled with genuine joy before, at least, not before they were booted out of that shitty house.
Sayaka swallowed, before tapping on accept. "If… if you keep your word, then I see no reason why not…. Just… please, don't kill anyone else. It… it pains me to know that someone who I'd consider a friend would do that…."
Jolyne sighed, turning to face the door. "Sometimes, things must be done out of necessity, and to further The Grey Council's goals. I'm sure you are aware that Class 77 – B disappeared, right?" Jolyne stated, her voice devoid of any emotion. It sounded hollow. Ah, yes, that was the Despair she was looking for. The doors opened as the blonde chick—Natsumi, she assumed, entered the room with Jolyne.
When they walked in, and when they saw what was at the bottom of the pit, Junko smirked, Mukuro nodded, and Sayaka paled, eyes wide. "W-What is this… B-Brooks-senpai…! I-Is that…!" Sayaka stammered, taking several steps back. The rancorous smell of the room overpowered everyone's smell, though Jolyne seemed to have no real issue with it.
Either that, or she was using some kind of spell to block her sense of smell. Either way, it was unfair. Not that Junko a damn about it. And while the results weren't what she had hoped for. Moreover, it was clear that a few bodies were missing, namely of which was Nagito Komeada, that Hope-obsessed freak.
Corpses belonging to Class 77 – B littered the floor, and blood, fecal matter, and other fluids dressed the floor. "It's unfortunate. I put them in here for a week to learn their lesson from trying to capture me, and they resort to the mass murder of each other. I guess it goes to show just how stupid they were," Jolyne said, arms crossed. "I'll cut to the chase: a few escaped, namely Tanaka Gundham, Koizumi Mahiru, Saionji Hiyoko, Tsumiki Mikan, and Hanamura Teruteru. Nanami Chiaki has been converted to Despair and is currently cleaning herself in the girl's locker room. It would seem as if she has even learned a Fire Spell through sheer determination. Once she is done, I will offer her a spot within The Grey Council."
Before Junko could ask the question, it was Mukuro who voiced it first. "And what of Komaeda Nagito? His Luck Manipulation is a dangerous tool. If we were to run into him at the last minute, our whole plan could crumble apart."
Jolyne raised a placating hand, which seemed to ease the tension in the room in an instant. "Nagito has already been dealt with. I had a proxy kill him for me. Someone who he stood no chance against. All it took was a little… bribery. Kirigiri-sensei can be persuaded easily, so long as mind alteration is used," Jolyne said, turning to face Sayaka.
As Junko expected, she was back to being pale in the face. "Maizono-san. I can already tell that you're mortified. You have every right to be. So far, all you've seen of me and my actions is death. But I can assure you, this is all necessary."
Maizono's expression grew furious. Junko was liking where this was going. "Drama~! I live for this kind of stuff! Puhuhuhu! This'll be rich!"
"Necessary!? Killing your classmates—your friends are necessary!? That sounds like something a serial killer would say!" Maizono snapped, glaring at Jolyne. For Jolyne's part, the only thing the blue-haired teen got in response was a sigh.
"Allow me to make one thing clear. None of them were my friends. They were a means to an end. Since day one they were out to get me. Since day one I was on everyone's hit list for being abnormal. Since day one, they all thought me to be inferior to them. This was the natural, albeit a bit blown out of proportion, conclusion," Jolyne replied as she walked up to Sayaka. The blue-haired teen guarded herself, as a black-and-white aura appeared around Jolyne.
In the blink of an eye, a figure appeared in front of Jolyne. The figure was 6 feet tall, with liquid-like pale skin. On its skin were the English letters G, A, C, and T. It was extremely muscular, almost like that of a bodybuilder. It had eyes that appeared to be melting, and it wore what appeared to be a porn-stars idea of an executioner uniform.
"To avoid any more issues… your memories of this room shall be taken away." In a flash, the creature's hand slashed across Sayaka's forehead. As a result, a CD came out, and within the CD was Sayaka's reflection. The creature took the CD, messed with it by spinning it in several different directions, inserted it into itself, then pulled it out, before turning Sayaka's motionless body around, and walking her out of the room. The two double doors closed, and then, a few seconds later, the creature returned, before disappearing along with Jolyne's aura.
The blonde chick shivered at the sight of the creature but said nothing of it. Jolyne turned to Junko, then hummed. "Ah, I'm sure you want to know what that was, correct?"
Junko shrugged. "One of your many busted as fuck spells you can summon into a creature to do your bidding?" Junko asked as Jolyne laughed. "What…? Am I wrong?" Junko said, head tilted to the right with a curious expression on her face. Jolyne composed herself, before clearing her throat.
"No, Enoshima-san. That was a physical manifestation of my soul that I've dubbed Whitesnake," Jolyne said, looking at the entrance to the basement. "In any case. We've spent enough time here as it is. I have places to be, and things to plan. I've finally gotten all distractions out of my way… meaning we can move forward with the plan as intended," Jolyne said, turning to look toward Mukuro. "Mukuro-san. I take it that the brainwashing of Chisa has been a success?"
Mukuro nodded. "Yes. She has been converted to the side of Despair. My question, however, is what will she be used for? Now that Class 77 – B is mostly dead, we can't use them for our puppets to spread Despair throughout the world."
Jolyne smiled. "Simple. She will be a spy for us. Once we release her, she will know the location of The Future Foundation's headquarters. Her goal will be to tear them apart from the inside and divide them. Once that is done, she'll send us the location of their base, and then, once we're ready, we'll storm the place, killing everyone inside. By that time, you will all have magical items to help you in this endeavour."
Junko crossed her arms, leaning against the outer wall of the basement. "M'kay, but who'll be our pawns to spread Despair across the world?" Junko asked, raising an eyebrow as Jolyne's smile widened to disturbing lengths, so much so that even Junko shivered at the sight of it.
"Why do you think I recruited Sayaka just now…? She's a world-famous Idol. All she'd have to do is release one song with a hypnotic message in it, and boom. The world shall now Despair." And once again, Junko Enoshima smiled a genuine, life-filled smile, one that even scared Mukuro. Of course! No wonder Sayaka came! That was Jolyne's plan the whole time!
Of course, there was also the possibility that it could've been a fluke, and that she used the opportunity to recruit her to this strange Guild thing that she created, but either way, it worked out in the end. Junko could feel a sense of admiration creep up in her mind for the dual-haired mage.
No… not admiration. Something else. Something that she hadn't felt in a long time when it came to other people.
Affection.
And that was what made the smile a million times more creepy than it had any reason to be. Which. Was. Perfect.
[Chinatsu]
"DAMNIT!" A loud, bombastic shout of annoyance filled a large, bright, white room. The sound of tiles cracking and plastic snapping roared throughout the room as eight other people of varying ages stepped back. Blood trickled down her fist as Chinatsu Ouma sucked in a deep breath.
Lady Mary warned her that the possibility of other System Users being here was of high likelihood. The Gods had been eyeing this universe lately, and it was clear that they had plans for it. Everyone sort of hoped that Loki would keep his mischievous hands away from this place so that they could fix it, and prevent it from falling deeper toward Despair.
And then he just had to show up. Or, at the very least, one of his disciples did. They just had to drop a System User here. They just had to throw everything into peril! "Lady Mary asked me to help this universe… ever since that portion of heaven was eaten, everything's been thrown out of wack. She gave my soul a second chance… and I refuse to lose it to an inferior user!"
Realistically speaking, however, Chinatsu knew what was going to happen. She had been working with Lady Mary for years now, eight, to be exact. She had fought and defeated several other System Users. However, in those times, she fought regular system users, all of which having access to basic System User things.
This one… this Jolyne Brooks… she was different. She put on the façade of not caring when she ran into her. However, she very much cared. Chinatsu was scared spitless of this Jolyne person. Why?
Because she had access to the very rare, very dangerous Multiversal System.
Every 5 million years, 7 of them are created by different Gods of varying pantheons. Sometimes they are passed down to mortal souls. Other times they are passed down to those with immortal souls. Each time they are created, the Gods panic, because those that have them have the chance to contest with and kill them. This is all due to their God-like abilities.
And for one to be here….
"I'm lucky… I'm so unbelievably lucky I was able to get out of there before a fight broke out… I might be Level 150, but that… that thing, she had strength wafting off of her like it was nothing. I need to think… no, I need to warn Lady Mary that I found one of them. If… if they join up if she finds another Multiversal System user and has them Join her Guild…!"
"Oi, Onii-chan, is everything alright over there, or are you throwing a temper tantrum again?" The snide-sounding voice of that brat made the hairs on the back of Chinatsu's neck perk up with annoyance. Calming herself, Chinatsu turned to face the person to whom the voice belonged and frowned. The person who spoke was a boy, who appeared to be older than Chinatsu—which was not possible because she was 22 years old.
Yes, it was unfortunate that she looked like a child, but that was how she programmed this body to appear. Not for some stupid ideal appearance crap, but to deceive opponents. That, however, was not the point.
Despite his rather sickly pale complexion, the boy in question was rather healthy. His violet eyes and dark purple hair shone in the light. His hair came down to his chin in length, all of which strutted out every which way, almost like a tornado blew through it. Much like everyone apart of the D.I.C.E Guild that she created, he wore a black and white checker scarf over his neck. Aside from that, he wore a white unrestrained straight jacket, a pair of white jeans, and black combat boots.
"Kokichi… I swear to every god above…." Chinatsu snarled, glaring at the purplette, who scoffed.
"C'mon, sis! You and I both know that Otousan is a bit in over his head. No need to stress yourself out!" Kokichi said, his smile as obnoxious as ever, causing a ripple effect, making her smile as well. He laughed, turning away from her and heading to go play more chess with Tatami, better known as Subject 007. Chinatsu was known as Subject 001—the strongest in all of D.I.C.E.
While most members of D.I.C.E could only use one form of Magic, Kokichi, for example, being able to use (and regularly abuses) Probability Magic, Chinatsu could use a variety of magics thanks to her System given to her by Lady Mary.
The stress of being the strongest magic user in D.I.C.E, on top of being the leader of the guild, made her even more annoyed. That, and being reborn as Kokichi Ouma's older sister made things oh-so-much easier for her… NOT! Being orphaned after his birth was by far the most annoying thing to have happened, and surviving on the streets for over 10 years after the fact wasn't exactly the most pleasant.
Had it not been for Munakata….
"Snap out of it, stop being depressing and think! A Multiversal Gamer is here, and she is against us—against me. The only thing I can do is prepare. But… prepare for what? What do I have to wait for? What spells will I have to counter? What abilities does she have?!" Chinatsu thought, rubbing the sides of her temples.
Sighing, Chinatsu looked out the massive glass window that separated them from the rest of the world. They were couped up in the Future Foundation for their own protection. The Government wanted to take them for "tests" on several occasions. It was only thanks to Munakata that they've been prevented from doing that. She looked over to Kokichi, as a determined expression wormed itself on her face.
She would do anything to protect her little brother.
Absolutely. Anything.
"Let her come. Let her try and fight us. There's no doubt in my mind that she'll try and come after us. But if she lays a hand on my brother…." Chinatsu thought, clenching her right hand into a fist. "I will kill her."
-To be Continued-