All things come to an end. Everything, since the birth of the universe, has a finite lifespan. Death will reach everyone, and when the last star goes out, when the last of the black holes goes out, only silence will remain.
The final void where the story of all existence will end, and when this day comes, Death will finally be able to rest and perish.
For even she will die, for all things, including Death, have a beginning and an end.
But this does not mean that Death will allow different worlds to end before the moment marked in destiny, all things have an end, and this end is still far from happening.
And for that, she chose a champion.
This is the story of the man who overcame death, the one who saw the end and still decided to fight.
The Champion of Death, Jaune Arc.
This is not a story about heroes or villains, it is the story of a man willing to sacrifice everything to give his loved ones the opportunity to enjoy a future.
His journey will be full of difficulties, but Death will always be watching his champion, as he is not alone.
Jaune will NEVER be alone...
The future is a mystery. No one knows what future generations will witness, and Jaune didn't think much about the future when he had more important things to deal with.
But nothing would prepare him for waking up in a new world, and meeting a beautiful woman who looks at him as if he were a god.
"Master Jaune, I cannot allow you to roam unprotected, I will go and get you something to eat." 2B spoke adamantly, and Jaune hung his head in defeat. Ever since 2B first met him, she's been treating him like Jaune was made of porcelain.
And it was getting annoying.
A vein bulged on his forehead and Jaune looked up to say something, but the words never left his mouth.
2B had already left, leaving Pod as 'bodyguard'.
As if this little robot could do anything.
His stomach growled, and Jaune sat up. "Damn, what I'd give for a snack, I'd take even one of Nora's pancakes." After mentioning the little berserker from his old team, Jaune's expression darkened.
He misses his friends.
Being alone is unpleasant, but what really bothers you is fear.
Did Pyrrha survive?
What happened to Beacon?
And how will the JNPR team deal with his death?
A dry laugh left his mouth. "Heh, like they need to make a lot of effort to find someone better. Ren and Nora are a perfect pair, they have known each other for years and have an enviable rapport. Pyrrha? She's a damn genius, she'll definitely find it easier to progress as a hunter now that she doesn't have dead weight to worry about. Whoever takes my place will be a lucky bastard." As Jaune had a monologue about his life's misadventures, he felt the air grow cold, and slowly the colors of the surroundings began to turn gray.
He felt something in his hand and slowly looked at the object, raising an eyebrow as he identified what it was. "An apple? How does a fruit appear in my hand out of nowhere?" an icy breath made the back of his neck shiver, and when he looked ahead again, he saw Death before him with his typical neutral expression.
"Stop this." She said dryly.
He was startled by the unexpected appearance. Even if he has already met her at another time, facing Death in the flesh and probable omnipotence is something that never ceases to be impressive.
Confused, Jaune scratched the back of his head. "Eh...stop what?
Death narrowed his eyes, approached him and raised his hand. Many things could happen, but what Jaune didn't expect was to receive the ridiculous version of a weak karate chop to the head. "Stop thinking of yourself that way. All life is valuable, don't think you left your world without anyone who cares."
As comical as it was, it was true and Jaune knows it. He made good friends and even if they went on with their lives, it doesn't mean that the friendship they had had little value.
He died, but who said he needs to be depressed forever?
Clapping both palms to his face, Jaune nodded at Death. "OK you won. No more being depressed, now tell me, do you need me for something? Nothing against your visit, but I don't think Death is looking for someone specific without something important in mind."
A small smile adorned her face, and with a snap of her fingers, everything changed. They were no longer in the ruins of an abandoned city, now Jaune and Death were in a huge room, full of mirrors with countless landscapes.
"Welcome to the hall of time. My home, and now, your home. This is where I see all the infinite timelines, of infinite different worlds. It was from here that I found you, and it is from here that you will go to the different worlds that need my champion's interference." Slowly she walked around the room, and in the infinite mirrors, images appeared, some were happy, others calm, representing nature or some beautiful event, but there were some horrible ones, reporting the worst legacy of humanity.
The war.
Similar people killing each other for selfish desires, under the command of a few who obtained power and decide the fate of thousands of lives while sitting in comfortable rooms. Soldiers killing each other for ideologies that in the end are nothing more than a way to instigate violence.
The economy of war.
Jaune felt horrible seeing those images, he wanted to say something, but he couldn't. In Remnant, war is commonplace, the history of the kingdoms is full of conflicts, but humanity wages an eternal war against the Grimm.
So why in so many worlds do humans destroy each other?
Noticing the boy's discomfort, Death held his hands. "War is the curse of man, it destroys worlds and curses entire generations. I don't need a champion to be a hero, what I want is someone who is willing to save them from self destruction. The apple I gave you has many names, one of the most famous is the fruit of the tree of knowledge."
Confused, Jaune looked at the apple with a whole new curiosity. "How can a fruit give knowledge? I don't mean to be rude, but it seems ridiculous." Death laughed at the comment, a typical response that well represents the personality of the boy before her.
"Don't try to understand the mind of the gods, they believe they are superior to humans, but they manage to be even more foolish most of the time. Jaune, you're not wrong, this fruit of Eden is still just a fruit, even if it has enormous symbolism behind it. What really matters is the fact that I can give you the knowledge you need to deal with future difficulties. I don't mind 'cheating', I will save fools from self-destruction, with your help, and I will spare no effort to do so. But I can't force you, so Jaune, I'll give you a choice." The atmosphere became tense, Death looked at him intensely, there was no hostility, but he knew it was something really important.
After waiting a few seconds, she spoke again. "I can send you back to Remnant, and reverse your death. Normally I wouldn't do this, but its very existence is relevant so that planet isn't destroyed. If you agree to return, all your memories of me will be erased, as the living must not know what exists in the afterlife. But remember, the balance of life and death is immutable, for one soul to exist, another has to leave." Before them, a new mirror appeared, showing the same scene where Pyrrha was about to be killed by Cinder Fall, but unlike what happened, Jaune never arrived in time in this timeline, and he was forced to see his friend's death. nearest. Seeing Pyrrha die made his heart hurt, and that monster's smug look...unforgivable.
He could go back, live in his world and maybe have a future, but what would be the point of having all that if his best friend died while he was weak to save her? Clenching his fists, Jaune faced Death without wavering. "We both know the answer to that question. I will not sacrifice Pyrrha to revive. It will hurt to abandon all the friends I made in Remnant, but if that's what it takes to save them, I'll do it gladly." His serene tone didn't have any hesitation, And upon seeing this, Death nodded.
Finally, your champion chose his own path.
With a shake of his head, Death snapped his fingers, and the apple Jaune was holding disappeared in a black fireball. "I'll be keeping an eye on your progress Jaune, the world you woke up in is an example of what could happen if the plan fails. That is a dead planet, humanity is gone, and only a dying legacy remains. We will try to save that planet, but it is not a priority, your first task is to reach a planet known for its extremely powerful creatures that keep their existence hidden from humans. Unlike Remnant, these creatures have no interest in the extinction of the human species, but thanks to the machinations of some groups that act in the shadows, the fate of that planet is doomed to destruction." One of the mirrors shone, no longer showing random images, and now showing a partially destroyed forest with battle marks.
Did Jaune feel fear, the fate of an entire world on his shoulders? It seemed unbelievable, but he has no choice, if necessary, he will do what he can. But something clicked in his mind. With concern, he stared at the entity before him. "Hang on! 2B went out to look for something I could eat, I can't disappear and leave her alone, I met that woman less than an hour ago, but it's still not right." Death raised an eyebrow without understanding the concern, this '2B', just like all humanoid creatures in that world are not natural existences, but thinking about it, this could mean an opportunity.
With a small smile, she placed a hand on Jaune's chest. "Don't worry about the humanoid creature, I will sort it out. Just remember: You won't always have easy choices to deal with, your path will be tortuous and cruel, not everyone can be saved, and often the villain is the hero of his own story." Confused by Death's words, Jaune tilted his head, but was unable to say anything, as she pushed him hard, sending him flying towards the mirror.
The last thing she heard before Jaune disappeared was an indignant scream.
With a tired sigh, the primordial entity began to disappear. She has a new task, and she's not going to leave her champion without some help.
Now where would a humanoid android be?
2B was having an internal dilemma. During her countless years since she was conceived, she has never questioned his directives. A battle android whose hidden task was to hide the greatest secret of humanity's council.
The human race has become extinct, that is a fact. For more than 5,000 years, no human being has set foot on the planet, and the YoRHa androids are waging an eternal war against machines, the result of aliens who try to conquer the planet that was once full of life, and now only a few carbon-based creatures resist, and none of them are as intelligent as humans once were.
But now everything has changed, soon after being forced once again to destroy 9S to keep the darkest secret hidden and protected, she found impossibility incarnate. Disguising herself as a human with biological tissue was an ancient tactic that many enemies of the YoRHa used and continue to use, but when Pod finished her analysis, she felt her circuits combust for a single second.
A human in flesh and blood stood before her, and at that moment, 2B felt a mix of emotions. Joy at being the lucky one to meet the one who is part of the species that conceived her, uncertainty at not knowing what the human's plans are, anger at having been forced to live a lie for countless years, only for a human to appear when least expected , and mainly, fear.
She is afraid that she is not worthy of being at Lord Jaune's side.
YoRHa androids or traitors who abandoned the cause all have the same intricate programming deep inside their black boxes. Serve and protect humanity.
And the moment 2B met Jaune, everything she fought for lost importance. 9S, the council of humanity, YoRHa self-command, and even the machines that ravage the world, nothing else matters.
His only desire is to do everything possible and impossible to make his creator's orders come true. And that scared her to no end.
She has never been absolutely devoted to anything, but since that fateful meeting, something in her has changed, and 2B knows that she is not the same as before. If she receives an order from the YoRHa self-command, she doesn't care, the only important order comes from Jaune, and that would easily put her as a deserter, but there is something that changed her in an even deeper way.
Upon meeting Jaune, she is the luckiest Android on the planet, having the honor and privilege of walking alongside her creator, but now that she has experienced such a feeling, she doesn't want to lose the feeling.
Nothing and NOBODY will take Lord Jaune away from her. The YoRHa could succumb, the planet could be destroyed, as long as Jaune is safe, nothing else matters.
His normally serene face took on a new appearance, something that would never happen under any other circumstances. Her visor fell to the floor, leaving 2B's beautiful face exposed. But what could really be considered scary was a small sound of laughter coming out of her mouth.
Something unusual, it is very rare for 2B to show a smile, but now she was laughing without any qualms, slowly she raised a hand to her face and her cheeks became slightly red. The laugh that started with a happy tone started to take on a more frightening tone, 2B's eyes became unfocused and her laughter now echoed throughout the forest on the outskirts of the abandoned city. Pod, who was floating nearby like a good support unit, instinctively backed away.
His scanners searched the YoRHa unit before him, and after the scan was finished, he spoke in a robotic tone. "Analysis completed. YoRHa Unit Nº2 Type B presents abnormal behavior, analyzing integrity of the control systems...analysis completed. Systems with perfect physical integrity, YoRHa unit exhibits unusual behavior with its default configuration, accessing database...research completed. Abnormal behavior similar to a description of a human mental condition. Extreme focus on a single objective, standard YoRHa advice: Destroy the rebel unity. Omega Protocol in effect, YoRHa No. 2 Type B unit gained new directives, the only objective outlined in its original primary programming...Jaune Arc."
Pod finished his analysis, but the moment he stopped accessing the database, he saw the name of the behavior he described, and even though it was just a support unit with limitations in its AI, he felt something close to fear.
The description coincided with madness and absolute obsession.
2B listened to the entire analysis, but she doesn't care, some androids showed this type of behavior and she never understood why they let themselves fall into madness, but now she understands.
With a hand on her face and showing a frightening smile, she whispered to herself. "It's so easy when only one thing matters...Lord Jaune...you're not a fake, let me show you that I'm worthy..." She continued laughing insanely as she tried to capture some animals to give to the human.
After a few minutes, 2B successfully gathered some animals and promptly killed what was needed to deliver to her master, and at that moment, she felt something was wrong. The wind chill subsided and all nearby heat signatures began to move away.
Something scared the animals and that's usually not a good sign.
A human-looking creature appeared before her, and initially 2B was scared, could it be another human? But she quickly felt that this was not the case. Whatever this creature was, it is something that does not have human origins, it tried to draw its weapon and attack, but its eyes widened when it realized that it cannot move.
Death observed the creature of mechanical origin and was surprised by what humanity left as a legacy. These 'Androids' may not be human, but they have their own identities and mannerisms, just further proof of how far humans can go.
Reaching out, she enveloped the android in a cloak of black energy. "Creature, my champion awaits you, don't disappoint him." Without giving 2B the opportunity to speak, Death sent her to another reality, but when she was about to leave, she noticed a small detail: A small floating machine observed everything. She knows the machine belongs to the android, but decided they didn't deliver excessive help to her champion.
He needs to learn to overcome difficulties, and there's nothing like a seemingly simple world to help him get used to new responsibilities.
Reaching out, Pod was enveloped in the same dark energy, but instead of being sent to 2B, he was unwillingly brought closer to Death, and soon after, they both disappeared.
It had been a few hours since Jaune arrived at Death's desired destination. A small snowy forest was all that could be seen. It was cold, a climate similar to what might be experienced in Atlas during the coldest months of the year, but for the former hunter, the cold wasn't much of a problem.
Because apparently Death took the fact that he is his champion very seriously.
His clothes have changed, instead of his old set of clothing, he wears a black suit with a white shirt underneath. Around his neck was a clergyman, but instead of being white as one would expect from a Christian priest, it was black with a gold star in the center. In her hands, a pair of black gloves matching leather shoes in the same color. On the left side of the black suit, an emblem of a golden sickle was embroidered.
With so many strange happenings in a short period of time, Jaune didn't much care for his new choice of clothes, and in all honesty, they were more comfortable than what he had previously worn.
The forest was silent, but the silence didn't last long as sounds of metal clashing caught his attention. Quickening his steps, he arrived at a small clearing, where a confrontation was taking place.
On one side, a girl was fighting several humanoid creatures that looked like a sick mixture of a human and any other unlucky creature, she has white hair with some black strands that frame a pair of red eyes, and wears a black overcoat with a body-hugging uniform of the same color, along with short shorts and leather boots. On her waist is a white pistol in a holster, and in her hands, a sword that emanates white energy, shining in the night, and apparently she was inflicting great damage on the creatures, who growled and had their wounds smoking with each successful blow. .
One of the creatures advanced against her with the intention of striking with its claws, but the girl was on alert and used her sword to block the attack. With a neutral tone, but slightly breathless from the battle, she spoke to her opponents. "In the name of the church, I will drive you into oblivion, vile creatures." Did that scene spark something in Jaune, sick creatures facing a human warrior? It's her life story.
Without the girl noticing, one of the creatures sneakily positioned itself behind her, and advanced with the intention of ripping off her neck. Without thinking twice, Jaune advanced towards the opportunistic creature, but he didn't expect a black scythe to appear in her hand. Normally he would be surprised, but this was not the time to be distracted, he had more important things to do, and a target to defeat. Yelling, Jaune swung the scythe with familiarity he never thought he possessed. "Hey! You horrible thing, get away from her!" With a precise blow, Jaune ripped off the monster's head, startling the girl, who dealt with her own adversary and turned to face her unexpected ally.
Upon observing Jaune's robes, her eyes widened slightly. "A priest? Why is he fighting?!" If Jaune heard the girl's rambling, he didn't care, staring at her with determination. "Introductions are for another time, we have some monsters to kill!" In a small burst of speed, Jaune charged like crazy to confront the remaining creatures, and the girl just watched without having much to do.
Jaune's movements were fast and his handling of the scythe was far beyond what he himself expected to achieve. Was this what Ruby felt when she used her weapon? Now he knows why she loves Crescent Rose so much. There were five monsters that persisted in the attack, and the number quickly dropped to zero.
After killing the last monster, Jaune swung the scythe, spraying black blood onto the snow before the weapon disappeared in purple flames. With a sigh, he scratched the back of his neck, something that had started to become something of a nervous tic. "Damn, I can never get used to this." Remembering that he wasn't alone, he approached the girl with concern. "Hey, were you hurt? I heard the sound of fighting in the forest and ran to help, my name is Jaune Arc, nice to meet you." He held out his hand with a goofy smile on his face and eyes closed.
The girl snapped out of her stupor and adopted a neutral face, but internally she was even more surprised. Jaune Arc? She had never heard of an exorcist by that name, and someone with his unique abilities would be relatively easy to recognize. Looking at the outstretched hand and the goofy smile, she let out a sigh and accepted the friendly gesture. "Lint Sellzen, exorcist assigned to the extermination mission, it is a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Arc. Thank you for your help, but it is strange for a priest to appear in the middle of a forest, especially given the fact that we are far from the nearest city." She finally had time to take a closer look at Jaune's robes, and although he looks like a priest, she's never seen an exorcist with that scythe emblem on a uniform before.
Could it be an unknown division of the Vatican?
Meanwhile Jaune was in a dilemma, he didn't want to lie to someone what just happened but absolutely NO ONE would believe his true story so he did the only thing he could.
You blatantly omitted the truth!
He looked up at the sky and saw a moon, which unlike his world, was not broken. "Look, I know this is going to sound weird, but I don't know how I got here, and I don't know where I am, I just wanted to help someone while I could." He was sincere with what he said, he really didn't know how he got into this world, and the instinct to help someone is something basic for any hunter.
Lint was trained to identify when someone was lying, and the fact that she didn't identify any lies was an alarming fact. Doesn't he remember how he arrived in a forest in northern Finland?! Obviously he has combat experience, so why wouldn't he remember how he got here?
Her mind was racing miles per hour, and it was at that moment that something clicked in her head. Her task was to rid the forest of stray demons that had gathered for years and ravaged the region, devouring unlucky humans who lived nearby. And the fact that she arrived to find only six demons remaining was alarming. However, with the fact that Jaune is in front of her, it all makes sense! He was the one who dealt with the demons and somehow lost his memory, probably because of an injury he suffered, and was now suffering from some kind of amnesia.
Lint Sellzen is an exorcist with many qualities revered by her superiors, unfortunately, her lack of social tact gave her a characteristic that rarely comes to light, but which gives rise to huge misconceptions: She lets her mind wander with such intensity that she ends up deducing scenarios ridiculous.
And fortunately (or not), Jaune was the most recent victim.
Her gaze softened, and she gently took one of Jaune's hands. "Come on, let's get out of this forest. My commander will know how to help you." Not having much to do, Jaune followed, scratching his cheek with his free hand.
Why does he feel like he should be mad at Lint?
They exited the forest, and nearly an hour later, a white-haired woman emerged from the bushes, frantically searching for her target.
2B found signs of battle, and narrowed his eyes as he saw the dead creatures on the snowy ground. For countless minutes, she killed these creatures, and they did nothing but delay her meeting with the master, but this time she was not the one who killed these creatures on the ground. Someone fought, and it could only be one person!
There was no time for hesitation, she was looking for Lord Jaune, and she WILL find him.
Returning to our unlikely duo, Jaune and Lint arrived in a small village, being greeted by a team of exorcists, led by a relaxed-looking man with disheveled blond hair and wearing priestly robes.
Upon seeing him, Lint quickened his steps and adopted a formal tone. "Commander Dulio Gesualdo, Lint Sellzen reporting the completion of the mission. The stray demons were successfully exterminated, although much was due to Jaune Arc's assistance. He is responsible for keeping the demons under control, but he doesn't remember how he got to the forest in these surroundings." Lint spoke with absolute conviction, and Jaune felt embarrassed for letting that ridiculous story be told, but there was only so much he could do, the last thing he needed was enemies when he could just go with the flow.
And if an opportunity arises, why not take advantage?
Dulio was genuinely surprised by what he heard from Lint, and looked at this 'Jaune' with greater attention. He wore something similar to a priest, even if the colors were curious to say the least, and he doesn't remember any Vatican symbol that was similar to that golden sickle embroidered on his suit. But when he looked into that boy's eyes, Dulio gasped.
One of his most commendable traits was his ability to recognize the true nature of a soul when looking deep into someone's eyes for the first time, and what he saw in Jaune's eyes was something unprecedented.
He was a truly pure soul.
It was clear that Jaune is someone who has seen horrors in his life, but he didn't let it shake him, instead of falling into despair, he decided to fight and move forward, without hesitation, and according to what Lint said, he was fighting alone against hordes of monsters without any support, and has lost memory of how he got here.
A soul like this cannot be left helpless!
Nodding his head gratefully, Dulio spoke to the boy before him. "His actions saved countless lives Jaune, I deeply thank him for that. Don't worry, let's go back to the Vatican, I'll do my best to help you." Lint smiled brightly and Jaune scratched the back of his head embarrassed at the attention he was receiving.
The other exorcists watched him with amazement and a little respect, Dulio was being nothing but kind and Lint had a bright smile on his face.
And he wanted to stick his head in a hole and pretend he was invisible.
"Thank you, but you don't need to thank me, I just heard the sounds of battle in the forest and ran to help." His response only served to strengthen the incorrect deduction of everyone in that group.
Dulio turned to the other exorcists and spoke in an authoritative tone. "We have finished our task, put away our equipment and get ready, we are leaving for Italy immediately." The camp began to be dismantled quickly, and with nothing better to do, Jaune joined the exorcists to help.
While he was helping the exorcists, Dulio watched him from afar, and said something to Lint that was bothering him. "Tell me what you are leaving out." He spoke in a neutral tone, but Lint felt a shiver run down his spine. Dulio is gentle most of the time, but when he needs to be strict, he is one of the scariest exorcists in the Vatican.
Afraid, she began to speak. "During the fight with the stray demons, Jaune summoned a black scythe and moved very quickly, he is very familiar with that weapon, and when the fight ended, the scythe disappeared amidst purple flames. I don't know what kind of sacred gear that is, but it gave me the feeling that it was something powerful."
This left Dulio on alert. No sacred gear he knows of possesses such characteristics, and it has been extremely rare to find sacred gear that has not yet been cataloged by the church.
Jaune was proving to be an increasingly deeper mystery, but unlike what would be expected, he is not worried. Someone with a soul as bright as that boy can't be evil, and in these times where war could break out at any moment, all help is welcome.
After finishing dismantling the camp, the exorcists boarded a train that would take them towards the nearest airport, and with them was Jaune, who boarded without knowing what his destination would be.
But deep down he felt that things were going to get stranger and stranger.
In the middle of the trip, a noise scared all the exorcists. Was it a monster? Well...almost that. Jaune blushed in embarrassment and clutched his hurting stomach.
After all, he still hadn't found anything to eat.
The second chapter has been delivered. And the first world that will actually be portrayed is DxD.
I've always been impressed by how incredible the world of this work is, even though it's an eroge. The possibilities are endless, which is why it is one of the works with the highest number of crossovers on the site.
The world of Nier will be portrayed in the future with more focus, and as you can see, I changed the way 2B will act in this story. I want this work to have its serious moments and more light-hearted moments, and '2B yandere' was something that I initially thought was nothing but ridiculous, but then I thought 'why not?'. This opens up unique opportunities to develop characters in more original ways.
I don't intend to turn the named characters into complete OC's, but I want to add my touch where necessary, and I hope you understand.
Anyway, that's it. Until next time and thank you for following this story.