[ Mantle – Akira and Adam's Perspective ]
The frigid air is filled with distant gunfire and the howls of Grimm as Adam and Akira observe the commotion from their vantage point.
Akira leans on the railing, his sharp gaze focused on the chaos below.
Adam: "The Grimm are restless. Whatever's happening down there, it's only getting worse."
Akira: "As expected. Fear is spreading through Mantle like wildfire. The Grimm feed on their despair, and Salem's forces exploit their weaknesses. It's a perfect storm."
Suddenly, Akira's attention is drawn to the fight involving Yang, Ren, Jaune, and the newly revealed Hound.
He narrows his eyes as he witnesses the Hound's transformation and its ability to speak.
Akira: "Interesting. A Grimm capable of speech and intelligent tactics. Salem has outdone herself this time."
Adam's expression unreadable.
Adam: "Do we intervene ?"
Akira smirks, gripping the hilt of the Thousand Jacker at his side.
Akira:"No. I intervene. This creature is unlike any Grimm I've seen before. If the Thousand Jacker can harness its power, we'll have another edge on Salem's forces that they won't anticipate."
Adam crosses his arms, skeptical.
Adam: "And what about the Huntsmen ? They won't exactly welcome you with open arms."
Akira chuckles darkly, stepping away from the railing.
Akira: "They don't have to. Their hatred is irrelevant. All that matters is results."
Akira activates the Thousand Jacker, the weapon announcing its activation in a cold, mechanical tone.
Thousand Jacker: [ Thousand Jacker ! ]
[ The Fight – Jaune, Yang, and Ren vs. The Hound ]
Yang stumbles to her feet, clutching her arm as Jaune and Ren regroup. The Hound looms over them, Oscar unconscious in its grip.
Jaune: "It's adapting to everything we throw at it. We're not equipped to fight something like this!"
Yang: "No way I'm letting it take Oscar!"
She charges recklessly, her gauntlets blazing, but The Hound deflects her with a single swipe of its extended limb, sending her crashing into the ground.
Ren fires his guns, trying to distract it, but the creature uses Oscar as a shield once again.
Ren: "Damn it! We can't get a clear shot!"
As the group struggles, a new figure enters the fray.
Akira charges forward, the Thousand Jacker on hand. His sudden arrival catches everyone off guard.
Yang: "You've got to be kidding me. Him?"
Jaune (angrily): "What is he doing here?!"
Akira ignores their protests, focusing entirely on The Hound.
He leaps into the air, striking the creature with the Thousand Jacker. The weapon announces its activation.
Thousand Jacker: [ Jackrise ! ]
The Hound howls in pain as the Thousand Jacker begins extracting its essence, its body writhing and pulsing unnaturally.
However, it quickly retaliates, swiping Akira away and escaping with Oscar.
Akira lands on his feet, his grip on the weapon tightening. He turns to face the others, who glare at him with a mix of anger and suspicion.
Yang (furious): "You're a monster! You killed my mother, and now you think you can just show up and play hero?!"
Akira smirks coldly, his tone calm but condescending.
Akira: "Save your anger, Blondie. The Grimm don't care about your feelings, and neither do I. I'm here to win."
Jaune (stepping forward): "We don't need your help! You're only here to serve your own twisted goals!"
Akira shrugs, turning his back to them.
Akira: "Believe what you want. But the next time you face that thing, you'll be glad I softened it up for you."
He activates the Thousand Jacker again, analyzing the data it absorbed from The Hound's essence.
Akira (to himself): "This power… it's unlike anything I've seen before. If I can harness it fully…"
Yang clenches her fists, her eyes burning with hatred.
Yang: "Stay out of our way, Akira. Or I swear, I'll make you pay for what you did."
Akira glances back at her, his smirk never wavering.
Akira: "You're welcome to try. But right now, your anger is better spent on the enemy."
The tension between Akira and the group lingers heavily in the air.
Jaune, Yang, and Ren stand at the ready, their bodies tense, their eyes filled with mistrust and loathing.
Akira's calm and calculated demeanor contrasts sharply with their emotional states.
Akira: "Your little banter will cost you precious time. An it looks like you forgot your mission."
Akira points towards a distant group of civilians being attacked by Grimm.
His Trilobite Magia and Adam can be seen shielding them, holding back the upcoming wave of Grimm.
Akira: "While you were wasting time bickering, Adam and I were doing what you couldn't—keeping people alive. So, what's it going to be? Settle your grudges here… or save the kid?"
Ren hesitates, his expression conflicted with Akira's words cutting through his frustration.
Yang (angrily): "You don't get to lecture us! Not after everything you've done!"
Jaune (glaring): "We're nothing like you, Akira. Don't pretend we're on the same side."
Akira scoffs, brushing past them.
Akira: "You're right. We're not the same. I get results while you cling to your moral high ground and watch everything fall apart. Now move."
He signals to Adam with a sharp hand gesture.
Akira (to Adam): "Secure the civilians. Make sure none of them fall."
Adam nods silently, leading the Trilobite Magia to evacuate the civilians.
Jaune and Yang reluctantly turn to leave, their focus shifting back to the fight.
Ren (pausing, almost agreeing): "…He's not wrong. We need to focus."
Yang glances at Ren, her anger flaring again, but she doesn't argue.
Yang: "Fine. Let's go. But this isn't over."
The three mount their hover bikes and speed off after The Hound, which is seen flying further into the distance. Fiona's voice crackles over their comms.
Fiona (over comms): "Kids, what's your status? West side's taking damage."
Yang: "We've got an emergency. We're not going to make it."
Fiona: "What? What kind of emergency?"
Yang hesitates, glancing at Ren and Jaune before responding.
Yang (grimly): "You wouldn't believe me if I told you."
The three Huntsmen push their hover bikes to the limit, racing after The Hound as it weaves through the skies, Oscar still clutched in its grip.
Akira observes their retreat with a detached expression.
Akira slides a blank Progrisekey into the Thousand Jacker before pulling the trigger
Thousand Jacker: [ Progrisekey confirmed. Ready to break. ]
Akira studies the readouts, his smirk deepening.
Akira (to himself): "So, intelligence and adaptability. If I can fully replicate this power, Salem won't know what hit her."
Adam returns, the civilians successfully evacuated.
Adam: "They're safe. What now?"
Akira grips the Thousand Jacker tightly, his tone resolute.
Akira: "We follow them. The Hound isn't just another Grimm—it's a message. And I intend to read it."
Adam hesitates for a moment before nodding.
Adam: "Fine. But don't forget—you can't fight this war alone."
Akira doesn't respond, already moving toward the battle.
[ Meanwhile, on the Hover Bikes ]
Jaune, Ren, and Yang maintain their pursuit of The Hound. The wind whips past them as they navigate the treacherous terrain of Mantle.
Ren: "It's too fast. We need to find a way to slow it down."
Jaune: "And how do we do that without hurting Oscar?!"
Yang grits her teeth, her determination burning despite the odds.
Yang: "We'll figure it out. We have to."
[ After the Departure of Jaune, Yang, and Ren ]
Akira watches as the group speeds off into the distance, his smirk fading into a more serious expression.
Adam approaches, the tension between them palpable but unspoken.
Adam: "They're gone. What's the plan now?"
Akira: "We regroup. There's more going on here than just the Hound. The pieces are moving, and we need to stay ahead."
As they turn to leave, Akira's communicator buzzes to life. A holographic projection of Amethyst flickers into view, her tone brisk and confident.
Amethyst: "Akira, I've got news. The Ark-Driver is fully operational, and… we now own 52% of the Schnee Dust Company. The buyout's complete. We're the majority shareholders."
Akira's eyes narrow, a satisfied grin creeping across his face.
Akira: "Good. That gives us leverage—control over resources and influence over Atlas's backbone. Perfect timing."
Another figure joins the call Ark its voice cold and calculated, a stark contrast to Amethyst's enthusiasm.
Ark: "With the Schnee Dust Company under our control, I will begin gathering operational data to optimize production and resource distribution. Additionally, my algorithms have identified a 99.98% probability that Jaune Arc's allies have taken refuge in the Schnee Manor."
Akira crosses his arms, his mind already racing.
Akira: "Interesting. Let me guess—you've got more."
Ark: "Correct. My analysis indicates Penny Polendina is now the Winter Maiden. This introduces a new variable in our calculations. Based on the extracted data, I have also identified this Hound Grimm's next likely target: the Schnee Manor."
Adam's expression darkens as he listens.
Adam: "So Salem's monster is after them… or maybe Penny."
Akira nods, his expression unreadable.
Akira: "That makes sense. The Schnee family represents Atlas's elite and Penny is a game-changer. Salem will want both removed."
He fully removes the Progrisekey he had inserted into the Thousand Jacker, the weapon's screen glowing faintly with data collected from the earlier encounter with the Hound.
Akira: "I've gathered new data from the Hound. I'm sending it to you now."
The Ark processes the incoming information, its voice remaining steady.
Ark: "Acknowledged. I will use this data to create a new Progrisekey: the Hound Progrisekey. Stand by for analysis and weapon integration updates."
Akira's grin returns, his confidence unwavering.
Akira: "Good. With this, we'll have the edge we need to deal with Salem's little experiments. The Hound's adaptability will decipher."
Ark: "One final prediction: the likelihood of the Hound targeting someone at the Schnee Manor is 99.97%. I recommend immediate deployment."
Akira closes his communicator, turning to Adam.
Akira: "You heard it. We're heading to the Schnee Manor."
Adam folds his arms, his tone laced with skepticism.
Adam: "You really think this will work? That they'll let us waltz in and 'help'?"
Akira tightens his grip on the Thousand Jacker, his gaze cold and resolute.
Akira: "They don't have to like it. They just have to survive. Let's move."
With that, the two set off, the weight of their next confrontation looming over them like the storm clouds gathering in Mantle's frozen skies.
Author's Note:
New chapter has been completed as always hopefully you the reader is enjoying the story so far
PMs are open and etc
Till next chapter Apzeta and Bishop