Yo!

Welcome to another chapter of "Grimm's Evolution". Today I have a very important announcement for you all.

Those of you who read more than one of my stories probably noticed that each of my fanfics except "Forgotten" got updated today. That is due to a very important change in my writing that will start from today. A few days ago I finished the first Volume of my original story and with it, I decided that it is high time for some changes, especially with the new experience I gained from writing 55k words in about a month.

Starting from this week, I will be updating two of my stories per week(One story this week due to the late start). Now how will I decide what story to update? Well, I won't, you will. Or at least the few of you that want to support me as a writer (Remember this is optional).

So yes it all comes down to Patr-eon where I will be putting two polls per week so you can vote on what I update next, along with receiving some other perks as a thank you from me. Some of them relate to my original stories (One of them for now), some to my fanfiction (Voting and insider info), and others to writing in general and the community I want to create (Beta work, Q&As, Discord roles, direct contact to me).

Don't worry, there will be some rules in place so no story will be left behind. Though they will get much fewer updates than the chosen stories, it is only logical. In the end, the choice is in your hands.

Use my link tree for Discord, Patr-eon, and others: linktr. ee/Chaos65 (Delete the space. Or just add the /chaos65 to the normal Patr-eon link)

Also, a small note. From now on all chapters on every story will be no longer than 3,5k words. I think the regular updates from now on should be enough of a reason for that.

PS: First Poll will be up on Wednesday.

Chapter 18. Dragon's Roar

Grimm's dust painted the snowy plains as our group fought through dozens of mutated monsters. Whenever you killed one, two more appeared in its palace. And yet, we were still moving forward as one unit. Even if we never worked together before, it didn't stop us from decimating everything that stood in our path to the entrance of Merlot's base.

Glynda's semblance crushed any Grimm that attempted to attack us from the air. Qrow cut apart every monster that managed to get through Blondie's defense, his scythe singing with the howls of Grimm and wind. And Glover offered his support wherever he could, but in my mind, he was here to stop Qrow's semblance from acting up.

As for me?

I was a whirlwind of death, dashing and slashing everything in my sight. My blade and claws never stopped moving and the arcs of lighting were a constant sight across the battlefield as they paralyzed Grimm after Grimm. The looks my teammates sometimes shoot at me, forced me to stop the chuckles that threatened to escape my mouth and just focus on the job...

Another head of an Arctic Beowulf faded into dust and I quickly took a glance around the battlefield. I cursed, noticing the slow lowering of the main gate leading to the base. Gathering my breath, I shouted, "The gate is closing! Come on, no more fucking around. We push."

I didn't even wait for their acknowledgment and forced an enormous amount of mana into my mouth. I hope it works. The energy twisted, sparks biting my tongue as lightning filled my entire being. Now! Lightning Stream.

The muscles of my lips spasmed as I opened my mouth. Lightning illuminated the entire clearing in a soft blue glow, the destructive energy traveling at speeds way beyond any human or supernatural being. The dozen or so Grimm that stood in the stream's path howled as their entire bodies were pulverized, reduced to atoms.

I groaned, my entire mouth burning. So Lightning stream in a human form is a big no, no. Got it.

"What the fuck was that?!" Qrow perfectly summed up this situation as he gripped my shoulders, dragging me towards the gate. My legs barely listened to my commands and once again I cursed my previous desire to stay as a human. "Manipulating lightning with dust I get, even though I have no clue where are you even hiding it. But spewing a shot of plasma? Now that's something you don't see every day."

"I will explain later," I gasped out, kicking a mutated Creep away.

"You better do," Qrow shouted back, his weapon batting away a small Teryx. The godforsaken imitation of a pterodactyl screeched only to be silenced by a salvo of icy spikes, courtesy of Glynda.

"Stop talking and run! This horde already bought Merlot too much time. We will give him even more if the gate closes." As expected from the Beacon professor, she wasn't even slightly moved by my incredible show of elemental control. Maybe it was for the best.

For the rest of the way, Qrow kept supporting me as I tried to recover my strength, while Glynda and Clover did their best to push the swarm away. The gate grew bigger with every step. Not once did I doubt us and even if I did, those worries would have disappeared the moment, the familiar thrumming of engines filled the air.

I took a peek over my shoulder and grinned at the sight of ten Atlesian battle crafts joining the fight. "Finally," I muttered as we passed the boundary of the gate.

Leaning against the cool wall of the base, I let Qrow join the rest of the team as they kept slicing through every Grimm that dared to follow us inside. Not even a moment later the gate stopped moving. Of course you wouldn't let us go in without some baggage on our backs, eh? Old bastard...

"What should we do now, sir, ma'am?" Glover's voice pierced the constant growls.

"There is no way we can reach Merlot fast enough while fighting those fuckers," Qrow growled back. "We split. I will go with Umbra while you two help Atlas' army exterminate those abominations. Everyone agrees?"

My head snapped towards Glynda and grinned when she frowned but nodded nonetheless. Clover gave his standard "Yes sir," and went back to smacking Grimm around with his fish rod.

"Good. Our Scrolls are connected, report anything you deem necessary," Qrow gave Glynda a last nod and sprinted towards me. "You ready to move? We can't wait any longer."

I rolled my stiff shoulders, arms already shifting into improved claws. "I will manage," I groused back. "Try to keep up old man." With that, I sprinted down the long hallway, my body still burning from my previous stunt. Qrow's heavy footstep followed behind me, Harbinger ready to cut anything apart in its sword form.

We passed multiple doors, all cracked open, leading to rooms that looked as if a hurricane went through them. Merlot definitely expected us to come here, what with the trap waiting outside, but he most likely didn't inform most of his staff of the incoming evacuation. That or he once again couldn't care less about his people. Not surprising.

As expected, within a base like this, the hallway soon split into four more paths, each leading in a different direction. "Sooo?"

Qrow gave me a look and shrugged, "We split, no other way to do this. Just please remember to contact us if you find him. I don't know what the hell Merlot really did to you, but we still offered to take you with us. So at least have the decency to not leave us hanging."

I narrowed my eyes, my claws trying to form a fist. "I will contact you, but don't think that Merlot is leaving this place alive if I find him first. He did enough to deserve his fate." And he knows too much about me and Neo.

Qrow sighed but nodded after a moment, "I guess that's the best I will get. Good Luck."

The Branwen didn't even wait for my answer and ran toward the right corridor. Not to waste any more time, I crouched and extended my senses, Hunter pulse activating. Something down there. My gaze snapped to the path opposite to Qrow's and with a smirk on my face, I dashed forward. The sound of my footsteps almost disappeared as I raced down the stairs, my claws twitching, waiting for a chance to skewer Merlot.

I'm coming.

No way in hell I had chosen the wrong path. I grimaced, the stench of death filling my nostrils. Human bodies laid scattered everywhere. Some collapsed face down to the ground, while others sat leaning against the walls, their blood coating everything in crimson paint. Unlike in the first base I visited, those people were killed cleanly, a single bullet to the head.

Merlot certainly didn't leave any loose ends. Be it now or before. I had to wonder who took care of them. Did Merlot have some trusted squad of bodyguards or maybe he fooled another group of mercenaries only to leave them for dead later on? Definitely the latter. I snorted, my boots squelching in the pools of blood.

I already passed dozen of different rooms or larger halls and yet I found nothing apart from destroyed machinery and dozens of dead scientists. I thought about going back a few times already, but my Hunter Pulse kept showing more and more waiting for me ahead. I just hoped to find something else than a pile of dead humans.

"Qrow, Umbra. Did you find anything?" A muffled voice came from my pocket.

Grabbing the small device, I whispered back, "If you count endless bodies of scientists and destroyed electronics, then yes, I indeed found something. No sign of Merlot though."

"Same," Qrow's strained voice answered. "The old man is really mad. Why would you kill every worker? It just doesn't make sense."

"Nothing does with Merlot. Be on your guard you two," Glynda said. "We are slowly wrapping things up here and will be going down soon. Our teams in the air report lack of any hostile movement in a two-mile radius from the base so Merlot is either still inside or this was a trap all along."

I shook my head, "Well, we are too deep to go back now, trap or not."

"Just be careful," were Glynda's last words before I pocketed the Scroll and jumped inside another room.

Unlike any before, the one was free of dead bodies and the machinery seemed fine at first look. Frowning I approached the other metal door in the room and twisted the handle. Another room consumed in darkness greeted me. My evolved eyes almost instantly adapted to the new condition, showing me a long hallway that barely gave me enough room to move.

I trudged through the corridor for a good minute before finding another door. I paused for a moment as muffled screams and gunshots reached my ears. Bingo. My Aura flashed into existence and my arms once again shifted into extended claws. With all my might I kicked the door. The metal only gave a quiet groan before the hinges broke and the door fell to the ground in a reverberating thud.

Got you.

A hangar laid behind the door, one large enough to fit four or maybe even five Bullheads, just like the one sitting in the center. Dozens of scientists were running around, screaming as they tried to hide from a group of armed soldiers protecting the one aircraft. With every shot another human fell, staining more of the concrete ground in blood.

And yet my gaze never left the lone Bullhead, or rather the two figures walking up the entrance ramp. Of course. Salem just couldn't stop herself from obtaining a mad scientist by sending another madman to collect him. Tyrian Carrows wasn't someone I expected here. More mutated Grimm? Army of mercenaries? Yes. Salem's biggest fanatic? Nope.

I doubt that's gonna work, but why not.

Lightning stirred across my tail as I aimed it at the unprotected back of my target. Giving the skill more power than I probably should, I released it and smirked as a salvo of electrified spikes neared Merlot.

When the first spike was a foot or two away, Tyrian moved. With reflexes and grace earned from years of experience, he dashed behind Merlot and deflected every incoming spike. At once I ducked behind one of the many wooden crates lying around and waited.

"So you did come," the old man's voice echoed through the entire hangar. "You know, not that long ago, I would have been excited for his moment. But now I don't need you anymore. Oh, you are still the finest specimen I ever had the pleasure of meeting, but soon you will be a thing of the past. Overpowered by my future creations. Now I apologize to cut our reunion short, but I have an important meeting to get to. Don't worry though, I will leave you with one last gift. I hope you and Atlas will appreciate it."

With Merlot's last word the entire hangar shook as the roof moved. It split in two, slowly sliding apart and spilling tones of snow into the building. I peeked over my cover and narrowed my eyes when I spotted the Bullhead already hovering in a corner, waiting for its chance to leave. My lightning stream might be able to take it down from a close range, but without transforming, I had no chance of ever reaching them.

Damned if I do, damned if I don't.

Whatever decision I was about to make, was stopped by the Hangar's speakers activating once again. "I forgot to add, you have thirty seconds."

You have got to be kidding me. You can't be that cliche right? Oh, fuck it.

The snow finally stopped falling in waves and the Bullhead moved to leave, but I had enough of those games. Aura swirled around me as my body spasmed, the transformation finally activating. As my last act as a human here, I grabbed the Scroll in my pocket and shouted.

"Qrow! Get your fat ass the hell out of here. Run!" The speaker of his Scroll blared and Qrow almost jumped as a second after an alarm echoed through the entire base.

Stopping at the same crossroads he and Umbra split, Qrow fished out his scroll. "Umbra?! What the fuck is going on!" No answer came. "Umbra!" Qrow shouted again. "For fuck sake, Glynda do you copy?"

"I'm here Qrow," Qrow sighed when the familiar voice answered. "What is going on? Where did the alarm come from?"

"No clue," he muttered, glancing between the different corridors. "Umbra called me a moment ago and told me to run. The alarms followed soon after. Was this really a trap all along?"

"I don't know Qrow, but please come back here. Don't do anything stupid. We can regroup and go back there to find Umbra. No reason to lose our minds over this yet."

"Right," Qrow answered, "I will be out in a minute. You better be ready to head ou-"

Boom!

Qrow never had a chance to finish his sentence as the entire base shook. The sound he heard so many times broke through the blaring alarms. At once Qrow activated his Aura in full force, his feet carrying him forward faster than ever. It just had to be explosive dust.

Explosion after an explosion shook every wall, pieces of concrete falling all around Qrow as he raced for his life. Dust filled the entire corridor almost blocking his vision and if it wasn't for Aura, this could have been Qrow's end. And yet he pushed through, reaching the promised end of the tunnel as the blast of hot air fired him through the gate.

Qrow groaned, the world spinning as he tumbled on the ground. "Qrow," someone called out, and like struck, he stabbed the snowy ground with his sword, stopping the involuntary movement.

Releasing a series of coughs, Qrow squinted as his two other teammates practically flew to him. "I'm fine. I'm fine!" He shouted. "I got out just in the nick of time."

"Sir! What happened down there? What is going on?" Straight to the subject, that Qrow respected. Though he would love if people stopped asking him about something he didn't know. It was Umbra who warned Qrow, not the other way around.

Shit, Umbra!

"Glynda order the Atlas squads to scout the area we need to go ins-" Crack! "What now?!" Qrow shouted as once again he was stopped from finishing his sentence by an ear-shattering crack piercing the air. A second later the entire area shook with power far outclassing the possibilities of any explosive dust.

"Sir, we got a visual on the source of the sudden earthquake," Clover's Scroll broke through the noise.

"Send it," Glynda answered for all of them and the screen of the scroll changed instantly. It took no more than a second for Qrow to identify what he was looking at. A small frozen area just behind Merlot's base. More cracks appeared on the ice with every second, the sound still ringing through Qrow's ears.

And then another shook reverberated through the area, this one almost knocking the entire group off their feet. Qrow stabbed Harbinger into the ground for a better grip even though his eyes never left the Scroll's screen.

A bone-white, feline head pierced through the remaining ice. Six crimson red eyes glowed as they scanned the area, searching for the cause of its awakening. Without a thing in sight, the creature didn't waste a moment to dig itself out of the ice, and soon it stood on all fours over the broken ice plain.

During his life, Qrow saw a lot of Grimm, but this combination of Ursa Major and Sabyr took the cake. The claws, rows of jagged teeth, and more armor than even a Death Stalker. And the worst of all was the Grimm's size. Just like any Megoliath towered over any other monster by a large margin, this monstrosity did the same, only in comparison to the elephant giants.

We are fucked.

Deep within the confines of rubble of all kinds, I stirred. My wings that encompassed my entire form moved, pushed outwards, but it wasn't enough. Reaching into the System and my mana reserves I knew what I had to do. With one command my muscles spasmed, bones almost cracking as lightning crackled over my entire body.

Discharge.

I pushed, the rubble flying everywhere as I climbed out of the hole that almost buried me alive. I let my wings spread, standing tall and proud. And then my mouth opened, lightning crackling across my teeth as I released a ground-shaking roar.

No more.

And that's it for today's chapter. Yeah, we didn't finish again, but with the new schedule, you will be getting the next chapter this or the next week anyway.

Thank you all for reading and I hope you enjoyed it.

If you want to support me and vote for what I update next along with gaining some interesting perks, you can visit the site that shall not be named. Just add /chaos65 to the normal link. Also, my discord link is on my profile.

Or use my link tree instead for Discord, Pat, and others: linktr. ee/Chaos65 (Delete the space)

See ya soon.