The hideout was at the coast north of Menagerie and south of Anima. The surrounding of the area shimmered under a pale, cold light, the waves lapping against jagged rocks as if reluctant to make their mark. Dr. Merlot approached the carved stone building with measured steps, his ever-present android guards flanking him silently. Their glowing red eyes pierced the dimness of the chamber ahead like twin sentinels of death.

As Merlot stepped inside, his presence was announced not by sound but by the way the room seemed to cool around him. His red cybernetic eye scanned the chamber, instantly taking in the figures within. At a large stone table stood Adam Taurus, his white mask catching the faint flicker of dust-powered light as he leaned over a sprawling map of Anima's train routes.

The bull faunus, a tower of icy rage in his black coat, glanced up briefly, his disdain for Merlot clear even through his mask. Beside him, Hazel Rainart loomed like a mountain, his massive, scarred arms folded across his broad chest. The man barely acknowledged Merlot's entrance, but his presence was impossible to ignore. A force of nature in olive and black. Hazel stood stoic, his hazel eyes flickering with quiet intensity.

And then there was Tyrian Callows. The scorpion-tailed madman sat perched on a crumbling section of the stone wall like a predatory bird, his gold eyes gleaming with unhinged delight. His sharp-toothed grin widened at the sight of Merlot, but he said nothing, his fingers tapping an irregular rhythm against his knees. The place was an old laboratory built on a fortress ruins. Merlot had long occupied it after Ozpin made a pariah of him.

"Well," Merlot began, his tone dripping with feigned cordiality. "I see I've arrived just in time. What did I miss?"

Adam straightened, his hand resting on the hilt of Wilt, his ever-present weapon. "You've missed enough," he replied coldly, his voice sharp with irritation. "While you've been hiding behind your experiments, my people have been bleeding."

Merlot's lips curved into a small, tight smile as he approached the table, his androids trailing behind him. "Your people, Mr. Taurus, are doing exactly what they need to do. Bleed for the cause. Sacrifice is the foundation upon which revolutions are built. And I assure you the lives they've paid for this cause will not be in vain."

Adam's fist clenched at his side, but Hazel placed a massive hand on his shoulder, silently urging restraint.

"Argus is suffering," Hazel rumbled, his deep voice filling the chamber. "Our forces are regularly hitting the trains leading to the cities in Anima. The disruption is working. Supplies are thin, morale is faltering."

Merlot's cybernetic eye flickered as he considered the map. "Excellent. And what of Atlas?"

Adam bristled, his impatience barely contained. "Our attacks in Mantle and Atlas are already underway. The Crown in Vacuo is keeping the Vacuoan Huntsmen occupied, and Tyrian here—" he gestured toward the madman with disdain, "—has been gutting the Huntsmen of Vale and Mistral - which location Leonardo provided."

Tyrian chuckled, a low, sinister sound. "Oh, how they squealed, how they bled! Vale should have no Huntsmen to spare now. I've done my part, haven't I, Doctor?"

Merlot ignored the manic glee in Tyrian's tone and turned his attention back to Adam. "And yet you're impatient. Why, Mr. Taurus, you seem eager to leap before the plan has reached its fruition."

Adam slammed his fist onto the table, rattling the map and scattering a few loose markers. "I've sacrificed enough of my people for this. We've given everything to bring Atlas to its knees. I will not wait while you toy with experiments and delay our revenge."

Merlot's smile never wavered. "And yet, if you act now, you'll squander everything. Revenge is best served cold, Mr. Taurus. If you truly wish to see your hated enemy suffer, then you must be patient. A hastily thrown punch is easy to block."

Adam glared at him, his hands trembling with suppressed fury. "I don't care for your analogies. We've already lost too much. I want to move now."

Merlot stepped closer, unfazed by Adam's anger. "And you'll lose even more if you allow your temper to control you. This isn't about your vengeance, Mr. Taurus. It's about the bigger picture. Salem has entrusted us with this plan, and I intend to see it through."

He turned toward the map, gesturing with a gloved hand. "The Grimm migration is working to our advantage. The creatures are drawn to the chaos we've sown, and their numbers have swelled beyond anything Remnant has seen before. Atlas's defenders are stretched thin, and the coastlines are ripe for further destabilization."

Hazel frowned, his arms still crossed. "And what's your next move?"

Merlot's cybernetic eye glinted as he smiled. "North of Solitas. We'll focus on cutting off the settlements, isolating them from Atlas. Their lifeblood is Dust and supplies from those settlements, and without it, they will starve."

Adam sneered. "We've heard all this before. When will you stop stalling and act?"

Merlot tilted his head, his expression almost pitying. "Perhaps you lack the foresight to see the value in patience, but I assure you, this delay is necessary. There are variables to consider, and I won't risk everything for the sake of your impatience."

Tyrian's laughter broke the tension, his voice high and unhinged. "Oh, how I love it when the little bull stomps his hooves! So much fire, so much rage! But the good doctor is right, you know. The Goddess has given us a grand plan, and we mustn't disappoint her."

Adam's hand tightened on the hilt of Wilt, but he said nothing.

Merlot's tone softened, his words taking on a serpentine quality. "You should be grateful, Mr. Taurus. Salem's vision is one of transformation, of renewal. We are breaking down the old order to build something new."

"And what happens when you fail?" Adam challenged. "When your experiments backfire and leave us with nothing?"

Merlot's grin widened. "Oh, but I won't fail unlike Ms. Fall and her cronies.. My experiments have already proven successful. The Hounds are a testament to that. And soon, the Grimm themselves will bow to our will."

Hazel's frown deepened. "You speak as if Salem isn't in control of this."

Merlot turned to him, his expression unreadable. "Maybe she is. But Salem's power is vast and through her, she will make them anew. We are simply the tools of her disposals."

Tyrian clapped his hands together, his grin as wide as ever. "Oh, I do love tools! Especially the sharp, stabby kind!"

Merlot ignored him, his focus remaining on Hazel and Adam. "The point is, gentlemen, that we are on the precipice of greatness. But greatness requires precision. Patience. Discipline. And when the time comes, we will strike a blow so devastating that Atlas will never recover."

Adam growled, his frustration barely contained. "You'd better be right."

Merlot smiled, his confidence unwavering. "I always am. Now... would you all kindly follow me?"

He then led them in n the dimly lit chamber, where the air hung heavy with a metallic tang, an oppressive blend of technology and malice. Dr. Merlot led Adam Taurus, Hazel Rainart, and Tyrian Callows deeper into his underground laboratory, a labyrinth of cold steel and glowing monitors. The faint hum of machinery reverberated around them, creating a dissonant symphony of innovation and danger.

Merlot's stride was confident, his hands clasped behind his back. His cybernetic eye glowed with a sinister crimson light, scanning the corridor ahead. He cast a fleeting glance over his shoulder, noting the unease etched across Adam's sharp features, the guarded calm of Hazel, and the manic glee in Tyrian's wide grin.

"I've been waiting for this moment," Merlot began, his voice dripping with theatricality. "Months of tireless work, countless sacrifices, and now, gentlemen, I present to you... my masterpiece."

He gestured dramatically as they approached a massive, reinforced door. The mechanical locks hissed and clanked as they disengaged, the door slowly sliding open to reveal the colossal chamber beyond. Inside, the atmosphere shifted. A low, guttural growl reverberated through the space, primal and bone-chilling.

Adam's one visible eye widened, his grip tightening on the hilt of Wilt. Hazel's usually stoic expression flickered with unease, while Tyrian practically vibrated with excitement.

Before them stood a creature of nightmares. The Wyvern, a monstrous amalgamation of Grimm and Merlot's grotesque experiments, loomed in the center of the chamber. Its massive wings, now reinforced with blackened steel and glowing with red Dust veins, stretched wide, casting ominous shadows. The creature's skeletal tail twitched, tipped with a deadly spike, while its eyes burned with malevolent intelligence.

"The Wyvern," Merlot announced with pride, spreading his arms as if presenting a gift. "Once nothing more than a brainless creature, this magnificent beast has been reborn under my guidance. Atlas may have tried to destroy it during the Festival, but with the powers granted to me by Lady Salem, I have rebuilt it, improved it!"

Adam took a cautious step forward, his gaze fixed on the massive creature. "And why show us this now?"

Merlot turned to face him, his cybernetic eye locking onto Adam's. "Because a revolutionary like you, Adam Taurus, deserves a mount befitting his stature. You are not just a leader! You are a symbol of defiance, a harbinger of change. Imagine the terror you will sow, riding this beast into battle, showing the world that you have nothing to lose but the chains of oppression that Atlas shackled you and your people with!"

Adam's jaw tightened, suspicion flickering in his expression. "And why do you care about my revolution, Merlot? You're not faunus. You're not one of us."

Merlot smiled, a predator's grin. "Ah, but I admire revolutions, Mr. Taurus. I admire those who have the courage to rise against the old, to shatter the status quo and forge a new path. You and your people were made into monsters by Atlas's arrogance, but now... now you can rise as conquerors!"

His voice echoed through the chamber, each word laced with fervor. Adam's hand drifted away from his weapon, his posture relaxing ever so slightly. Merlot could see the faint glimmer of ambition in the faunus's eye, the vision of burning Argus, Mantle, and Atlas to the ground.

"You want revenge, Mr. Taurus," Merlot continued, his tone softening. "And I am giving you the means to take it. Atlas has blotted out the sun for you and your people for far too long. It's time for you to show them that you are the storm that will darken their skies. That they have pushed the Faunus too far!"

Hazel crossed his massive arms, his voice a low rumble. "And what's the catch?"

Merlot chuckled. "No catch, my dear Hazel. Only an opportunity. Simply n opportunity for Adam to fulfill his destiny as a revolutionary leader and for all of us to witness the fall of Atlas and achieve Lady Salem's wishes too!"

Tyrian clapped his hands, his grin impossibly wide. "Oh, I do love a good revolution! Blood and chaos, despair and destruction! It's all so... poetic!"

Adam's gaze lingered on the Wyvern, his mind racing with possibilities. Finally, he turned to Merlot. "What do you want in return?"

"Only your success," Merlot replied smoothly. "For too long, Atlas has held the mantle of superiority. It's time to remind them of their arrogance, their hubris. That they do not rule the skies."

Merlot stepped forward, producing a sleek device from within his coat. The control device gleamed under the chamber's harsh lights, its design elegant yet menacing. "This," Merlot explained, "is the key to commanding the Wyvern. A simple flick of your fingers, and the beast will obey your every command."

He approached Adam, placing the device onto the faunus's arm. It locked into place with a satisfying click, the red circuitry glowing faintly as it synced with Adam's aura. Adam flexed his hand, testing the weight of the device.

"And that's not all," Merlot said, a note of anticipation in his voice. He motioned to one of his androids, which stepped forward carrying a sleek black case. The android opened the case, revealing a suit of power armor. Its design mirrored Merlot's androids but was modified to accommodate Adam's needs, with reinforced plating and Dust-infused circuitry.

"This suit," Merlot said, "is a gift. A symbol of your strength and resolve. With it, you will stand as a beacon of revolution, an unstoppable force against the tyranny that is Atlas."

Adam's fingers brushed against the armor's surface, his expression unreadable. But Merlot could see the spark of ambition in his eye, the vision of himself clad in the armor, leading an army of Grimm and faunus against his enemies.

Merlot stepped back, his grin widening. "Imagine it, Adam. The faunus, once slaves, now marching as conquerors. The skies darkened by the wings of the Wyvern, the ground trembling under the might of your revolution. Atlas will fall, and you will stand triumphant."

Adam's hand tightened into a fist, his decision made. "I'll do it."

"Excellent," Merlot purred. He turned to Hazel and Tyrian, his confidence unwavering. "Prepare yourselves, gentlemen. The storm is coming, and we will be the architects of Atlas's downfall."

Adam Taurus and Tyrian Callows circled the monstrous Wyvern. The beast's glowing eyes followed their movements, its massive, grotesque wings twitching in anticipation. Tyrian's manic laughter filled the room as he poked at the creature's reinforced hide, muttering praises for its "terrifying beauty." Adam, however, remained quiet, his gloved fingers brushing the control device on his arm as he considered the power now at his disposal.

Across the room, Hazel Rainart stood with arms crossed, his imposing figure an unspoken challenge to anyone who dared speak out of turn. His sharp gaze remained fixed on Dr. Merlot, who leaned casually against a console, his expression as smug as ever.

"You're going all out," Hazel said at last, his voice a low rumble. It wasn't a question, it was an observation tinged with suspicion.

Merlot turned his head slightly, his cybernetic eye glinting in the dim light. A faint smile curled his lips. "I am, Mr. Rainart. This is a grand experiment, after all. One doesn't hold back when creating history."

Hazel tilted his head, his skepticism clear. "I can't help but wonder why you're so enthusiastic about this. You don't strike me as someone who thrives on chaos for chaos's sake."

Merlot's smile widened, and he pushed off the console, walking toward Hazel with a deliberate, measured pace. "Oh, but chaos is the perfect breeding ground for innovation. You see, Adam Taurus and his revolution are not merely tools; they are the crucible in which the 'great change' will be forged."

Hazel narrowed his eyes. "Great change? What are you getting at?"

Merlot gestured toward Adam, who was now testing the Wyvern's response to his commands. "While the world is busy containing Menagerie and Adam Taurus's theatrics, they will be too distracted to see the slow, creeping hand tightening around their throat."

Hazel's jaw tightened, his voice a growl. "Ozpin is mine to kill."

"Yes, of course, I have no interest in that parasite," Merlot stopped in his tracks, tilting his head slightly as if humoring a petulant child. "And yet, you and I both know that breaking his neck won't be enough. That parasite will simply move on, latching onto another unfortunate body. How tiresome that would be, don't you agree?"

Hazel's fists clenched, but he said nothing, his silence urging Merlot to continue.

"Instead," Merlot said, his voice calm and dripping with confidence, "we will taint him in that Grimm pool. Break him down piece by piece. Poison his mind, shatter his will. We will leave him so broken that even if he does hijack another body, it will be too late. He will carry the taint with him, infecting his new host and ensuring that his so-called immortality is nothing more than a curse."

Hazel snorted, his lips curling into a sneer. "You sound like you've thought this through. But let's not pretend you haven't already made a mess of Remnant."

Merlot chuckled softly, shaking his head. "Ah, Mr. Rainart, you give me too much credit. The Grimm is the ones who made Remnant a mess. I merely... encouraged them. My role is that of a conductor, orchestrating their natural tendencies, testing the limits of their potential."

Hazel didn't bother hiding the disdain in his eyes. "Your goals are absurd. You think you can control the Grimm? That you can mold them into something useful?"

Merlot's expression hardened slightly, though his smile didn't falter. "Absurdity is merely a matter of perspective. What you see as chaos, I see as possibility. The Grimm is not the enemy, they are simply imperfect, just as we are. Mr. Rainart… they are the key. A key that can unlock a future no one else dares to imagine."

He stepped closer to Hazel, his voice lowering into a conspiratorial tone. "Imagine a world where humanity no longer cowers in fear of the Grimm. Where the creatures of destruction are no longer a threat, but a tool. A resource to be harnessed, to be controlled."

Hazel raised an eyebrow, his skepticism unshaken. "And you think the world will just accept that?"

Merlot's smile returned, sharper now, more predatory. "Not at first. But when the world is in chaos, when the people are desperate and have nowhere else to turn, they will cry out for salvation. And when that moment comes, I will be there. The man who solved the Grimm problem. The savior of Remnant."

Hazel's eyes darkened. "You want to be a savior? You sound more like a madman."

Merlot shrugged, unbothered by the insult. "Madness and genius are often two sides of the same coin. But make no mistake, Mr. Rainart, I am not here to save Remnant out of the kindness of my heart. I am here to awaken the brood. To give life to my lusus naturae! To my monstrous children."

Hazel's brow furrowed, his unease growing. "So what's the endgame, Merlot? You awaken your brood, you create your monsters. Then what?"

Merlot's eyes gleamed with a dangerous light. "Then, Mr. Rainart, I will have proven the potential that everyone else was too blind to see. I will have shown the world that what they feared, what they sought to destroy, was the very thing that could save them. And I will stand triumphant, not as a conqueror, but as their savior."

Hazel stared at him for a long moment, his expression unreadable. Finally, he glanced toward Adam and Tyrian, who were still engrossed in their inspection of the Wyvern.

"All this to prove you're right and he's wrong," Hazel said, his tone a mix of disdain and disbelief. "If this backfires, there won't be anything left for you to stand over and gloat."

Merlot's grin widened, his confidence unwavering. "Ah, but the greatest risks often yield the greatest rewards, don't they? And besides..." He gestured toward the monstrous Wyvern, its massive form casting a shadow over the chamber. "I've already stacked the deck in my favor."

Hazel said nothing more and walked away..

Merlot's faint chuckle echoed in the chamber as Hazel's heavy footsteps receded into the distance. He shook his head, his cybernetic eye glinting ominously in the dim light of the laboratory.

"How easily swayed these madmen are," Merlot muttered to himself, a note of disdain in his voice. "Tyrian, with his blind fanaticism, and Adam, with his insatiable thirst for vengeance. Even Hazel, so consumed by his personal vendetta, fails to see the bigger picture."

He sighed dramatically, as though lamenting the simplicity of his allies' minds. But in truth, their tunnel vision suited his purposes perfectly. They were distractions, pawns in a game far grander than they could comprehend.

Turning back to his console, Merlot's fingers danced across the keyboard with precision, his expression a mask of calm focus. The screen flickered to life, displaying a project file marked with bold letters that say — PROJECT GRIMM ECLIPSE: Taming, Integration, and Pacification of the Grimm.

He leaned forward, his sharp eyes scanning the data with an almost paternal pride. The screen displayed an array of complex schematics, diagrams of Grimm anatomy overlaid with digital modifications, and charts tracking behavioral changes under various stimuli. Next to these were video feeds of experiments in progress. Grimm held in containment fields, their bodies bristling with crystalline implants and cybernetic enhancements. Some growled and thrashed against their restraints, while others stood eerily still, their movements unnaturally precise.

"Beautiful," Merlot murmured, his voice soft, reverent. "They see nightmares, chaos, destruction... but I see potential. Pure, untapped potential."

His hand hovered over a particular video feed showing a Beowolf augmented with crystalline plating along its spine. The creature's eyes glowed faintly, and as Merlot tapped a command on the console, the Beowolf responded immediately, turning its head toward the camera as if acknowledging him.

"See? Order within chaos. Even the wildest storm can be tamed with the right touch."

He brought up another feed, this time of a Beringel. Its massive form was reinforced with mechanical limbs, and its movements were unsettlingly smooth as it lifted a boulder and placed it precisely in a designated area. The creature showed no malice, but curiousity. Free from what hungers them. Merlot's lips curled into a smile.

"Strength redirected. Instinct refined into purpose. If only the rest of humanity could see what I see."

He swiped to another file, this one detailing the integration of Grimm into combat scenarios. Animated simulations played out, showing Grimm outfitted with cybernetic enhancements coordinating with android units. They fought with startling efficiency, their attacks synchronized and devastating. A single squad was shown wiping out an opposing force of unenhanced Grimm and decimating a simulated Huntsman team.

Merlot's smile widened. "Huntsmen… relics of a bygone age. Clinging to their outdated ideals, swinging their flashy weapons, pretending they can stand against the tide. But they're nothing compared to this. Nothing compared to what I'm creating."

He leaned back, his hands clasped behind his head as he stared at the screen. For a moment, his expression turned wistful, almost melancholic.

"Of course, they'll call me a monster," he mused aloud. "A madman, obsessed, deranged. But history will vindicate me. They'll see, in time, that I was the one who dared to look beyond the veil. Who dared to wield the enemy's own tools against them!"

He tapped another command, and the screen shifted to a new schematic. Depicting a device designed to interface directly with Grimm neural systems, overriding their natural instincts and imposing control. The design was sleek, compact, and terrifyingly efficient.

"Soon," Merlot murmured, his eyes gleaming. "Soon, the Grimm will be more than weapons of destruction. They will be instruments of salvation. Tools to rebuild this shattered world."

He paused, his fingers resting lightly on the keyboard. A faint smile played on his lips as he glanced toward the massive Wyvern in the chamber beyond the console. The creature stirred, its crystalline body shimmering faintly in the light.

"And you, my glorious friend," Merlot said, addressing the Wyvern, "you will be the crown jewel of my work. A symbol of what can be achieved when vision and brilliance are unshackled by fear and ignorance."

The Wyvern growled softly, its glowing eyes fixed on Merlot as if it understood his words. Merlot chuckled, his confidence unshaken.

"Let them try to stop me," he said, his voice low and cold. "Let them send their armies, their Huntsmen, their heroes. They'll learn soon enough that the future doesn't belong to those who cling to the past."

He turned back to the console, his hands flying over the keyboard as he inputted new commands. Data streamed across the screen, graphs and charts updating in real time as Merlot refined his plans. He worked with the precision of a master craftsman, each keystroke a step closer to realizing his vision.

"Soon," he whispered, his eyes gleaming with anticipation. "Very soon, the world will know my name. Not as a madman, but as the man who tamed the untamable. The man who conquered the Grimm."