Notes/stats at the end.
Chapter 2: Just some bandits
Congratulations! Your [Wind instrument] Skill has leveled up! It is now at level 45!
'Huh. I suppose that carried over as well.' Walking down the road, I shrug and keep playing the Ocarina.
It occurs to me that I don't even know which continent I'm on. I mean, I just kind of accepted the fact that I'm on Remnant. Not even questioning where on the planet I am. I can safely exclude Atlas and Vacuo, seeing as they're polar opposite deserts, and possibly Menagerie. Still, that leaves both Mistral and Vale. I'm leaning towards the former, judging from the Asian building I left a while ago.
"Hold on, How long have I been walking?"
Quest timer: 4:30:23
"Long enough. This town is fucking far." I look up at the Cherry blossom leaves blowing in the wind, and sure enough, I'm still on the right track.
Looking at the minimap, I see myself, and the beginnings of a small town at the very left, where I'm headed.
'I see. So I suppose that six hours is fair enough to get me there and back.' Looking around at the heavily wooded area I'm in, I stop playing the Ocarina, listening intently.
"I can hear you." I say, looking to my right, where the sound came from.
Congratulations! You have unlocked the skill: [Sense Danger]!
'Gee, thanks.' Putting the Ocarina in my bag, I grab the hilt of the sword slung over my shoulder and unsheathe it for the first time, letting the tip of the long silver blade touch the ground.
For actually thinking to get a feel for your weapon, Your STR as increased!
'Okay, tuning you out now.'
"Come on out, you don't have to hide." I put my left hand close to my face, palm facing outward.
Skill [Sword Profiency] is in effect!
'Yes, I totally know how to use this thing.' I think, leveling my sword at the sound. I wait for approximately three seconds, before I say:
"Fuck it." I jump at the sound, pulling the sword back and jabbing it into a shadow.
Now, looking back on this, I don't know what the hell I was thinking. Sure, make a move the game doesn't expect, but this is an actual living, breathing creature. I've hunted with my dad since I was eight, but I never actually expected have to kill something like this.
The creature I stabbed at screeched, before falling limp. Cringing, I pulled my sword from its corpse, only to start dragging it from the bushes into the road.
It was a single beowulf, which I happened to stab right through the head.
"Oh shit." I refrained from gagging as I stepped on the head and pulled my sword out completely, covered in black ichor, which evaporates in the air.
The beowulf itself started to dissolve, black smoke wisping in the air.
"Well That wasn't what I expected."
Combat won! You have gained 300 XP
You have leveled up! You have leveled up!
All stats are now +2!
Max HP has increased!
You have learned the skill: [Preemptive strike]
You have learned the skill: [Vital Strike]
You have gained 10 stat points!
Beowulf (Level 3), dropped x1 Beowulf claw.
'Huh, that was a few things. Beowulves are pack hunters, aren't they? So shouldn't there be more?'
If you bothered to observe it, you would have seen that it was a loner.
Ah, I see. Anyways, about those stats.
"Can I allocate my stats now?"
[Stat Allocation] is locked until completion of the tutorial.
Well that's a bunch of bullshit.
I'm Adapted to deal with YOUR Bullshit!
'Touche.' I'm about to sheathe my sword, when I get an Idea. Observe.
Blade of an old warrior: Rare, Worn
A blade used by a warrior whose name time forgot.
+15 ATK
No special Skills apply
Interesting. I don't see a durability on this at all. If this is a worn weapon then I'm excited to see what a weapon later down the line can do, since this has +15 ATK and let me one-shot a beowulf.
I'll give you this. Crescent Rose has a base +200 ATK That doesn't even factor in the special abilities it has.
Holy shit Okay then. I probably shouldn't get too ahead of myself. That was my first enemy, and It was level three. Granted, that's two levels above me, and I still one shot it, so I like to think that I could handle myself. Actually…
"Say, could you explain to me exactly how ATK and HP work here, considering there is AP and all?"
Certainly! AP is like a shield, or like their DEF. By attacking their AP, you also attack their HP, but AP takes the brunt of most attacks. Once AP is depleted, all attacks brought upon them will all be critical! ATK, is a little more complicated, as it is defined by your STR, AGI, and physics itself. But it can be boosted by your skills, weapons, and AP.
"Huh. Surprisingly good Information. Say, could you tell me exactly what stat brings up my AP?"
Your AP can be boosted by leveling up your INT, or by using the skill [?]. The latter takes longer, however. Your MP is raised by raising your WIS, and is what allows you to use Special Skills. Since Magic is currently not in your arsenal, it is used for most of your skills. SP is raised by upgrading your END. SP is basically your Stamina. It can recharge quickly so long as it doesn't reach zero, in which it will apply the [Fatigued] debuff. The higher your END is, the higher SP pool you have, and the faster you can recover SP.
More information than I asked for, but Its information that I need. Thanks for that.
"I suppose I should hurry this up. I should try running." I say aloud, crouching for a moment, before taking off. I'm not all that fast, I'll admit, but another blue screen popped up.
Congratulations! You have unlocked the skill: [Sprint]
By deciding to run your lazy ass a few yards away, your AGI has increased!
This makes me stop, and say:
"Let- huff- me check my- Skills."
New skills:
Cartography: LVL 1 You can read maps easier! With every level this gets, your minimap becomes more detailed. (Passive)
Wind instrument: LVL 45. Your skills with all wind based instruments are through the roof! Your songs have a chance to buff certain allies. (Active) No cost
Sense danger: LVL 1. Without needing to hear or see, you can sense danger around you. If the level of your attacker is too high, you won't be able to sense it. (Works within 40 levels of your current level.) Passive.
Preemptive strike: LVL: MAX. Before you enter combat, you are granted the first strike, so long as your AGI is higher than your enemy's.
Vital Strike: LVL 1. Go for the throat! If your attacks hit a vital area, then you are allowed Critical effects/damage.
Sprint: LVL: 1. Your Running speed is increased by 35%. (Cost: 5 SP per minute)
Huh. I think I like this sprint. I keep walking down the road, looking at the skills page.
'So It seems that from what I've learned, the way to go is DEX and AGI. If my attack is based on the physics of the world as well, If I use vital strike along with a high speed, I can hit pretty effectively without needing a super high STR stat. Right?'
I'm not giving you any Ideas.
Fair enough. That's kinda how a rogue plays, either way. Its not my thing… I'll find a way. I keep walking in silence, with nothing but the wind and the cherry blossoms following me, until I say:
"I'm going to miss Spotify."
Quest Timer: 4:00: 13
'God damn! I'm finally here!' I think walking in the huge gates of the small town. I was greeted by a few guards who just told me hello and to enjoy my stay, but apart from that, that was all the trouble it took for me to get in.
'So I'm definitely in Mistral.' Its unmistakable now, the architecture is similar to that of Kuroyuri and Haven.
You have entered: Hajimari.
'That probably means something cheesy, but Unfortunately I have no means of checking it.' Looking around on the main street, I see kids playing around and adults just walking by without a care in the world.
'This is very… Cardboard, I guess. They don't even feel like real people.'
This town was created for the sole purpose of your background. NPCs stand for two things, Non-Player characters, and Need-protection cases. Most Civilians you find in this world won't give you much thought for a while until they gain an opinion of you, and Need Protection.
Other entities such as team RWBY act like real people, mostly because they are, NPCs, non-players, but real people all the same. These people typically don't need protection.
Ahh. So If I just up and decapitate that little girl over there It'll just make me look like a dick? Sounds kinda neat and fucked up.
Please don't try it.
'Don't worry. I won't. Probably. Actually, you probably didn't predict something like that would happen, huh?'
By performing such an act, the whole town will start attacking you, forcing you to kill them all. By the time you are done slaughtering the masses, if you aren't already dead, you won't have enough time to make it back to the mountain, resulting in a game over without the use of your coin.
'Oh. I guess you did think of that.' I purse my lips and walk further down the street, finding myself in a market-like area. Vendors left and right on the street selling various items, from Jewelry, to food, to electronics.
'Okay. Well, I'm here for a single Leek… This quest is ridiculous. Seriously, who needs ONE LEEK?!' I take a deep breath and look around, finding a stall with vegetables lined up. Awkwardly, I shuffle over to it, and start talking.
"So… How much are your leeks?" The person at the stall raises his eyebrow and says:
"Hmphh. 100 Lien."
The thought only now occurs to me that I may know quite a bit about RWBY, but I haven't a damn clue how money works. For All I know one lien could be one dollar, and this guy is completely fucking me. Then again, Based on the Lien that I have, it could be like yen, and this is one cheap ass Leek.
"Say, how about 95? The sizes of your Leeks are smaller than average, If I have to say anything about this. They don't look 100." At this, the man behind the booth, takes out a knife, flips it, and aims the blade at my face.
"100 Lien. Take it or leave it."
Unlock skill: Bartering.
Unlock skill: Pokerface.
For attempting to barter an already reasonably priced Leek with a hardened Huntsman veteran, your CHA has Increased!
I manage to keep a straight face and say:
"100 lien it is." I take a look into my Inventory and frown.
'Could you just give me the appropriate amount, cause I have no Idea how the hell money works.'
Just grab the card that says 100.
I reach into my inventory and take it out, a small green card that has 100 on it. Handing it to the older huntsman, he takes it and waves his hand.
I shrug and take the Leek, placing it into my inventory.
You have acquired: Leek!
Thanks, game. I nod at the huntsman and start walking back down the road.
'Wait…. Is that It?!' Looking at the quest, it does appear that that was the only thing I needed to do, apart from stopping some bandits. So I have time to waste instead of finishing the quest as early as possible.
Looking into my Inventory, I look at the bag of Lien and mutter under my breath.
"Use small pouch of Lien."
+10,000 lien added to wallet!
I purse my lips and say:
"Mind teaching me how Lien works in comparison to USD? Its not like anybody can teach me efficiently."
Fair enough. Simply take two numbers off the end, and you have that amount in USD. Think of the last two numbers as cents.
"Soo, what about one lien?"
Absolutely nothing costs one lien.
I shrug and look around the market more, finding fruits and what appears to be a pawn booth. Opting to head to the fruits first, I pick up an apple and say:
"How much is this." The person behind the counter couldn't be older than fifteen says:
"Ahh, 150 Lien."
"100. The apple I picked up here is a little bruised. You wouldn't sell your customers bad food at that high a price, would you?" I say, waving the apple around.
His mouth opens, and then closes, saying:
"Ahh, sure. 100 lien." I nod and hand him another green card, taking the apple with me.
'This bartering thing is easy.'
Your [Bartering] Skill has leveled up!
You have gained +1 CHA
Heh. I'm a bit of a dick. I take a bite of the apple and stroll over to the pawn stall, finding a guy similar to the man selling leeks, only younger and less… Rugged, I suppose.
'Huh. observe.'
Ray Asta
Title: Coward of Hajimari
Class: NPC
LVL: 13
Backstory: Born and raised in Hajimari, and grew up as the son of a blacksmith. He spent some time out of town training to be a Huntsman, but when he watched his own father get impaled in front of him by a nearby death Stalker, he quit the life and opted to live a quieter life.
Semblance: None
'Huh. Kind of a sad story, but seeing as I don't see his stats, He probably isn't a problem to me.' I walk straight to the table and say:
"Hey there, I got something I'd like to sell to you." He looks at me up and down and says:
"Well what is it? I gotta see it first." I glare at him slightly and take out the Beowulf claw.
"Take a look at this." I hand him the claw and his eyes widen slightly.
"Damn. Where the hell did you find a replica of a Beowulf claw of this accuracy?"
"It isn't a replica. Its the real deal. Test it on your desk there." He looks at me suspiciously and pulls the claw along the wooden desk. A deep scratch is left as his eyes completely widen.
"What the hell? How did you manage to get this? Gri-"
"Grimm evaporate upon death, I know. I just got lucky. So, why don't you give me 100,000 Lien for that?" He purses his lips and nods, putting the claw on his desk, and taking out the appropriate amount of lien, a ton of colorful cards and hands them to me. I take them with a smirk on my face and toss them in my inventory. My wallet rockets up and I smirk.
"Pleasure doing business with you."
"Yeah, come again." He mutters, staring at the claw.
'He instantly agreed to a thousand fucking dollars. I probably could have asked more.'
I shrug and take another bite out of my apple and start walking out of town, heading back towards the gate.
I'm about to leave town, when a building catches my eye. On the front wall, is a poster board, with a bunch of pieces of paper plastered on it.
'Huh. Looks kinda like a quest board from pretty much any anime.' Its then, that a thought occurs.
"A nearby Death stalker, huh? Sounds fun." I say, walking out of the gates entirely.
Quest timer: 3:25:44
Playing the Ocarina, I walk down the road, following the cherry blossoms, when I decide to take a look at my map.
'Where exactly would this Death Stalker be? In the show there was one in a cave, but it was ancient and stuck there until it broke out. So maybe they act like normal scorpions and find caves to live in.' Putting the map away, I put the ocarina to my lips, when I hear a sound to my left.
Sense Danger has activated!
'I should probably level that up, since Its literally seconds behind me in detecting things.' Looking to the sound, I quickly put my ocarina in my inventory and take out the sword.
Skill: [Pokerface] has activated!
That was probably the second most important thing to happen, since out of the woods, came a woman with clothing torn to shreds, and rather large breasts hanging out for the world to see. She was sprinting as if she was hurt, and followed.
'Thank god for Pokerfaces.' Staring somewhat blankly at the massive mammaried woman, she grabs onto me and clings, out of breath.
"Please help me! They're trying to kill me!" I look at her for a brief moment, before looking at the trees, and finding three figures, all men, carrying different weapons. One a broadsword, another a dagger, and the last just has a pistol.
Observe
Shay D. Mann
Class: Ranger
Title: None
LVL 25
HP: 1,000/1,000
AP: 5,000/5,000
Backstory:?
Semblance: ?
'Ah shit. Observe.'
Sket Chi Dudë
Class: Barbarian
Title: None
LVL 5
HP: 600/600
Backstory: Grew up in northern Mistral, and was discovered by the [?] at a young age. He was taken in out of pity and has been affiliated with them ever since.
Semblance: None.
'Doable. Observe.'
Cree P. Guy
Class: Rogue
LVL 10
HP: 600/600
AP: 1,100/1,100
Backstory: Grew up in western Mistral, and was discovered by the [?] at a young age. He was taken in out of pity and has been affiliated with them ever since.
Semblance: None.
'Same backstory, less doable.' I draw my sword, and twirl it between my fingers, leveling it at them whilst getting into my previous stance.
For actually managing to pull that off, your DEX has increased!
'Not the time.'
"Say kid, why don't you hand us all your lien and the girl, and we'll let you go." Shay says, twirling his revolver around.
"How about no. Instead, I'll just kick your asses and call it a day." I say, gripping my sword tightly. 'I can take Sket, since he doesn't have AP. And If I manage to level up, then I could possibly take Cree. Goddamn these names. Knowing Shay, he'll tuck tail and run. That leaves me with the option to leave. Or better yet, I could just talk to them for no-'
An emergency quest has been issued! Extreme Killing intent has been detected! Three People intend on Killing you! You must kill them before they Kill you! If you don't Kill them, then they will either kill you or Your heart will be stopped.
Enemies left: 3/3
I freeze, in the midst of taking a step towards them. 'I was just thinking of Incapacitating them. These… These guys are actually serious!'
SP: 300/300
"Alright then kid, We'll kill you and take your stuff. Get him." Shay says, aiming his revolver at me. My eyes drop as Sket and Cree rush me, Cree slightly in the lead. I take a deep breath and sidestep.
Cree's knife misses my chest by mere inches as I shift my feet and swing my sword around and hit Cree in the back of the neck with my blade.
Critical hit!
'Fine, I'll play your little game for now. If living means killing these dickheads, then I'm all for it.' Pivoting my back foot, I lean into a strike, my blade clashing with Sket's own. His own thrust is set slightly askew, missing me entirely, while my blade is still above him.
You have unlocked the skill: [Parry]! If you manage to pull off a parry, time will slow for you for a short period of time, allowing you to counterattack!
I didn't read it. All I read were Parry, and Counterattack. Quite frankly, that's all I needed to know. Even with a STR stat of 13, its really low. But against a guy who's level 5, and has 600 HP, he doesn't have AP. a 13 is still more than enough to cut clean through someone's arm with a sword. So that's what I did.
Critical Hit!
SP: 280/300
Bringing my blade clean down, The Sword felt a little resistance, as I cut clean through the man's arm. I heard his arm hit the ground, as I brought my other arm up to catch the blade that was aimed for my throat. The leather glove protected me from getting cut, as I gripped tighter, twisted the blade slightly, and brought my knee up to meet Cree's stomach. I rose my sword up to my head, and prepared to strike down on Cree again.
Hearing Sket's cry of pain, I look past him for a moment, finding Shay's startled form aiming his revolver at my face.
Sense Danger!
I move my sword slightly, and tilt it in such a fashion that it creates a slope towards Cree. Shay fires, and I move my sword ever so slightly to the right. The bullet strikes the sword, and I try not to let go of it, as a ricochet flies off the sword and hits Cree.
Reacting quickly, I bend lower while letting go of the blade in my left hand, and Kick Sket square in the chest, knocking him over. I bring my sword down to Cree's neck with every ounce of strength I have, and connect. His already hunched form completely prones as the sword connects with his neck, seemingly paralyzed.
SP:240/300
Critical hit!
I take my sword and raise it up, Stepping on Cree's head at the same time.
"I hate bullies. You're just like shitty vultures, picking on the weak or the already dying because you think you're stronger. But get all pissy if your prey is stronger than you thought. You think you're so much stronger than me, don't you? I'll Admit, you are. But you're dumb as shit." I take the blade and Smash it down onto his back, Making him force out unintelligible words.
The Skill: [Backstab] has been unlocked!
Ignoring the message, I Raise the blade again, and bring it back down, seeing a brown aura finally give way. "To me, you're the worst kind of people to deal with. I've dealt with tons of people like you before, and I came out on top. So let me ask you, What's a vulture to the Apex predator?" I finish, and plunge the blade back into his spine, feeling it go all the way through, as he starts coughing up blood. I cringe and pull the blade out of his back, looking away from the blood that accumulated on it.
Critical hit!
SP: 210/300
Enemies Killed: 1/3
Neglecting to look at the man with one arm, I walk towards Shay, who is staring at me with wide eyes.
"What's the matter? Don't wanna lose your life too?" I say threateningly, staring blankly at him. Shay covers his mouth and tucks tail, running back into the woods.
Intimidation attempt successful!
I take a deep breath, and sigh, taking a stab at Sket, putting him out of his misery.
Enemies Killed: 2/3
I shake my head, and sigh again.
"Guess it Figures." I pivot my foot and swing my sword in a long arc, slicing a deep gash into the nearly naked woman's side.
Critical Hit!
She crumples, as the wound starts to bleed, showing that she didn't even have aura.
"H-How?" She manages to breathe out, clutching her bleeding side. I smirk darkly and say:
"I remember reading it in Killing Bites. Try and distract the guy with a nice pair of boobs, and kill him when they least expect it. A real Black Widow move, if you ask me. I bring my sword up, and slice the woman's head clean off its shoulders. I cringe more, and take the bloodied blade out, not daring to look at the now beheaded woman.
3/3 Enemies Killed! You are now safe! 10 Stat points have been awarded!
Combat won! You have gained 2,000XP!
You have leveled up! You have leveled up! You have leveled up! You have leveled up! You have leveled up!
+5 to all stats!
+55 Stat Points!
Max HP has increased!
Max SP has increased!
[Sense Danger] Has leveled up!
[Observe] has leveled up!
[Vital Strike] Has leveled up!
Dropped: Common Knifex2 common Sword! 100,000 Lien!
You have learned the Skill: Bloodlust!
You have earned the title: Apex Predator!
I grit my teeth and say under my breath: "What the fuck did I just do?" Looking at the blood dripping down the blade, I want to throw up, but I can't, it just won't leave my stomach.
Mind of the gamer has leveled up!
'Ah, so that's why.' I wipe the blood off the sword with some slack cloth from one of the bandit's clothes and sheathe it again.
'Fuck. Fuck Fuck Fuck.' I think, walking down the road.
Bryzan, I won't interact with you too much, but let me tell you that right now, Remnant wasn't nicknamed "A world of Bloody Evolution" For nothing. You would have died if you had not decided to fight. There's no way around that. It will happen again in the future, and there will be no avoiding it. Don't think of it as murder, but as self defense, and survival of the fittest.
'... I thought you'd be some snarky asshole along this, but that's some solid advice. Thanks.'
Right. Now, Onwards.
Yeah. Keep moving forwards.
"Let's take a look at my stats so far."
Bryzan Jade: LVL 8
Title: Apex predator: Effect: does 35% more Damage to Human/Faunus targets. +15% more EXP gained from said targets.
Sub-title: None
Class: Swordsman
Career: N/A
XP: 10/750
HP: 900/900
AP: [locked]
MP: 800/800
SP: 600/600
STR: 19
AGI: 19
DEX: 19
VIT: 18
END: 19
INT: 29
WIS: 36
CHA: 19
LCK: 5
Available Stat points: 75
Skills:
Mind of the Gamer: LVL 2. Allows you to be calm and collected at all times, so long as the level is high enough. (Passive)
Body of the Gamer: LVL 1. Most physical harm on your body can be healed as long as you have AP and HP. The damage that can be healed is equivalent to the damage you take. The higher level of an attack you were hit with, the less likely you are to be able to heal it. (Passive)
Sword Proficency: LVL 10. You are proficient with a sword! You have basic knowledge of how to use swords, and won't accidentally cut yourself! (Applies to any blade over two feet long) (Passive, +20% ATK)
Observe LVL 2: Using this skill allows you to observe a person or Item for level, rarity or quality. By using this ability on people, you can see their information such as level as long as your level is within 30 levels of theirs. (Active) No cost
Interrogate: Asking a question to somebody makes it more likely that they will answer truthfully. Highly CHA based. (Passive.) No cost.
Cartography: LVL 1 You can read maps easier! With every level this gets, your minimap becomes more detailed. (Passive)
Wind instrument: LVL 45. Your skills with all wind based instruments are through the roof! Your songs have a chance to buff certain allies. (Active) No cost
Sense danger: LVL 2. Without needing to hear or see, you can sense danger around you. If the level of your attacker is too high, you won't be able to sense it. (Works within 40 levels of your current level.) Passive.
Preemptive strike: LVL: MAX. Before you enter combat, you are granted the first strike, so long as your AGI is higher than your enemy's.
Vital Strike: LVL 2. Go for the throat! If your attacks hit a vital area, then you are allowed Critical effects/damage.
Sprint: LVL: 1. Your Running speed is increased by 35%. (Cost: 5 SP per minute)
Bartering LVL 2: Negotiate with storekeepers or people to lower or raise the price of an Item you are buying/selling. Highly CHA based.
Pokerface: LVL 20. You can show little emotion when activated! (Active)
Semblance: [Locked]
Relationships:
Albus Sensei: MAX. He sees you as a son.
I take a deep breath and sigh.
'I guess I should find that Death Stalker. Level eight is nice, but I highly doubt Its enough to be surviving for long.' I think, Taking out my Ocarina. Taking a deep breath, I start to play the ocarina, except in a bit of a more somber tune.
So I wrote this immediately after the previous chapter in a day. That is the absolute fastest I have written a chapter for anything ever. Don't expect updates this frequent, however.
As you can see, I've already started to take a bit of a leap from the usual 'I'm so used to death' we usually get for these fics. Don't get me wrong, it can be explained with Gamer's mind, but I find being adapted to death so incredibly boring. Its fine as long as you can have a buildup to it, but right out of the gate can be pretty sus.
On a different note, I like the usual snooty system we usually get, but I wanted one to be somewhat sympathetic to the player, so I wrote that. We won't get too much of this, but it'll happen occasionally.