A/N: If you enjoy my work, please pop into my Discord server at discord dot gg slash ABfg74C
Please note that FFN is a bit limited in formatting; AO3 displays it a little better.
Amalthean
[Detect Grimm has increased by 1!]
"I can't feel any Grimm close by," I said after another ten minutes of picking our way through the woods. "Do you hear any more?"
"No," Blake said eventually. "But I know a spot where there's usually a bunch."
"Lay on, MacDuff."
Blake arched an eyebrow at my reference, but slipped into the lead, moving East. Heading for the spot she'd mentioned, the forest started thinning out, and we seemed to be angling toward the largest mountain outside of Vale — Jaune probably knew what the mountain was called, I reflected, but I didn't.
I reactivated [Stealth] once my MP topped back off, and was focusing on minimizing my traversal noise again when I noticed Blake glancing back at me every minute or so. Hoping I wasn't making her nervous, I slowed for a moment to give her some more space, but that didn't seem to help.
It was another few minutes before she finally spoke up. "I thought you'd never Hunted a Grimm before."
"I said that I wanted backup, not that I was completely helpless," I corrected her. "I've been learning how to fight ever since I woke up, but I haven't had to face off with a real monster before, which is why it went kind of poorly."
"Why, exactly?" Blake asked. It was hard to read her tone, but she had slowed down to watch me carefully.
"I got nervous," I admitted easily. "It was a big freakin' bear and all I have is a sword. I was fairly sure I could kill it, but I didn't know how much it was going to hurt me back." I rubbed my shoulder again.
"So you decided a month of sparring was enough to prepare you for a Hunt?" she pressed, evidently thinking over the few conversations we'd had.
"Mostly fitness work and drills, actually," I corrected with a shrug. "But there were a couple spars mixed in. My sisters are professionals, remember? Just because they weren't going all-out doesn't mean they were going easy on me, and I pick things up pretty fast. Even though it's only been a month, if this was a game, my swords skill would be like…" I glanced at my [Skills]. "Level ten? Pushing eleven."
Blake huffed a laugh through her nose at the analogy.
[Acting has increased by 1!]
"I know you fought Adam and his men," she said, "But still… actual combat isn't the same as training."
It was my turn to snort. "I appreciate the advice, but you're not my mother."
Blake's back stiffened, and I sighed, actually pausing. "I'm sorry, that was unnecessarily rude. Would you prefer to spar to assess me for yourself?" I offered.
Blake came to a full stop, eyeing me carefully for a moment. "Sure."
"Just keep in mind, you're bound to be better than me until I have some more time to grind for EXP." I winked, making the whole thing sound like a joke and trying to defuse the tension at the same time.
[Acting has increased by 1!]
Ignoring the twitch developing in the corner of my eye, I pressed on. "What are your terms?"
"Until half Aura?" Blake asked.
"That's in the yellow, right?" I agreed. "Care to make a wager on the outcome?"
"A wager?" she replied slowly. "I don't know…"
"Nothing major, it's just for fun," I assured her. When she continued to look hesitant, I added, "If I win, I want for us to go Hunting again, all right? Now, what do you want when you inevitably kick my ass? Cash? Dinner at my expense?"
Blake immediately opened her mouth, and I interrupted.
"Not as a date, fuck's sake." When Blake continued to look skeptical, I rolled my eyes behind my sunglasses. "How about we call it a favor, then, if you win."
[Duel Alert!]
[Combatants: Jaune Arc vs. Blake Belladonna]
[Victory Conditions: Reduce Blake Belladonna's HP to 50%]
[Loss Conditions: Surrender, be reduced to 50% HP]
[Victory: 1000 EXP, 2000L, new Hunting trip, increased closeness with Blake Belladonna]
[Loss: 200 EXP, owe Blake Belladonna a favor]
"Are you sure you're ready to spar?" Blake asked, glancing at the rips in the shoulder of my shirt.
I eyeballed my HP bar, finding it at maybe 85%. "Give me like, two minutes to meditate?" I asked. "That should let my Semblance fix everything up."
Blake nodded acquiescence, and I took the opportunity to shrug off my backpack and sit down against a tree. I pulled a bottle of water from my Handy Haversack and offered it to Blake, who declined. Shrugging, I took a pull from the bottle before closing my eyes and triggering [Gaia's Pulse].
The amount of life I could feel around me was almost overwhelming, and I decided that, since my MP wasn't in terrible shape compared to my HP, I would leave [Detect Grimm] active while I meditated as well. My MP wouldn't quite be full when my HP finished, but that was better than being ambushed by a Grimm if Blake missed its approach.
When I tried though, [Gaia's Pulse] wouldn't activate until I stopped using [Detect Grimm]. So those skills conflict? I guess because [Gaia's Pulse] connects so readily to [Detect Aura], I can't [Detect Grimm] in the negative space they make between Auras at the same time.
Fortunately, there weren't any in range when I deactivated [Detect Grimm], and as [Gaia's Pulse] took hold I found attention instead on the feel of Blake's Aura as she took to the trees again. It felt… shadowy-purple, I thought, which didn't really make sense, but then again, Aura sense wasn't something that I had context for. Saying it 'felt like a color' was the only way I could interpret it, a bit like synaesthesia. In a sense, I supposed that imposing the impressions of colors was apropos for Remnant, where color was so large a part of culture.
Blake's Aura was fairly strong — stronger than several of the first-year students I'd clocked in Vale — and she held it tightly around herself for the most part, but there were occasional… pulses, or perhaps spikes, that betrayed the nervous nature under her calm and skeptical demeanor. I probably wouldn't have known how to interpret it without my old save file's memories, but it was fairly obvious with the additional context.
Once my HP topped up, I leaned my neck to the side until the bones popped, then got up. I looked up to see if I could spot Blake, but even knowing roughly where her Aura was I couldn't see her. Instead, I drew the Family Sword and deployed the shield, moving away from the tree I'd sat against and watching the foliage where she should be.
"Ready," I called.
There was no answer, but Blake's Aura started moving around the edge of the clearing toward my left. I probably wouldn't have noticed if I wasn't already paying attention to her, since it just sounded like the branches swaying in the breeze.
Rather than keep turning to face her, I just tracked her Aura signature until it was just past my left shoulder, at my eight o'clock, before it paused, then dropped to the ground.
Fighting the urge to turn, I listened as hard as I could, and just barely caught the whistling of a blade through the air. Pivoting, I shoved out with my shield, smashing the bladed sheath of Gambol Shroud out of the way and bringing my sword around to [Parry], taking ruthless advantage of Blake's broken guard. The slash that would have gutted her obviously skittered off her Aura, but it was a strong blow regardless.
I tried to follow up with a stab, but Blake twisted away successfully, leaving a shadow to take the hit with her Semblance. Gaining a few feet of distance, she pulled the katana from her weapon free of the cleaver-sheath so she could dual-wield as she preferred.
"You noticed me," Blake observed, plainly trying to hide how heavy the blow she'd taken had been. Too bad I could see exactly how bad it was.
‹On Whom The Pale Moon Gleams›
LV 23
Blake Belladonna
HP: [-86%- ]
I get it; HP for other people represents the Aura they use to protect themselves, I thought, even as I stepped forward to reengage.
"I was listening for you to draw," I offered. "You caught me off-guard by using the cleaver."
"That was intentional," Blake agreed, continuing to back away, "But I didn't expect you to notice at all. I'm sure you didn't see me in the trees. How did you know where I was?"
"Your Aura is pretty distinct from the trees," I pointed out, and used the moment when she blinked in surprise to lunge in for another swing.
She still managed to get her sword and sheath up in a crossed guard, catching my blade between them, but at the same time, she couldn't back away easily since I was taller than her. Instead she had to try to hold my sword away with both arms.
Pressing against her guard, I grinned — it was a mistake on her part to let me turn this into a contest of strength. Then Blake's gaze darted over my shoulder, and her eyes widened.
"Nice try," I grunted, figuring she was trying to lure me in. I wasn't falling for it; I hopped away instead, bringing my shield in front of me.
"No, wait–" Blake tried to say, before something slammed into my back, hard enough to give me whiplash as I shot past Blake and fell on my face.
Several of my ribs snapped cleanly, and blood splattered the ground as I screamed. "FUCK!"
Panicking, I forced myself to flip over even before my [Gamer's Body] nullified the pain, and was immediately justified when I heard something stomp down where I'd just been.
I continued to roll frantically away until the ache stopped, then shoved myself upright as fast as I could, already bringing my shield up to ward off another hit that didn't come. Instead, I found myself meeting glinting ruby eyes in a fiendish mask.
It was a species of Grimm I'd never seen before, meaning it hadn't featured in the show at all. It was clearly modeled after a ram, judging by the massive horns that jutted from just behind the mask and curved back and then forward once more. Horns which in one strike had brought me to below half HP.
Weird, I didn't know there were any Grimm shaped like prey animals, I thought, before the thing opened its mouth to growl at me, revealing clearly carnivorous fangs. Never mind, then.
"Oh, gods," Blake whispered, unwittingly drawing the Grimm's attention as she stood there, sword raised but wavering as she trembled. "That's Krios."
[A story event supersedes the duel!]
[Boss fight!]
[Victory: 50,000 EXP, 100,000L, ?, new quest thread, new title, greatly increased closeness with Blake Belladonna]
[Loss: Probable death, new quest thread if you survive; Blake Belladonna dies]
I stepped automatically in front of Blake, who seemed rooted to the spot, and the Grimm tossed its head, but didn't advance. Instead it was watching us, and I could swear I saw amusement in its pitiless eyes.
‹Bringer Of Battle›
LV ?
Krios
HP: [-100%-]
Good news, I thought sarcastically, I can see its title. That means boss monsters work differently. I'm so glad I had the opportunity to learn this. Thanks, I hate it.
There was nothing to [Observe], but the Grimm just continued to watch us, so I took the time to look with just my eyes. It was taller at the shoulder than even the Ursa Minor I'd killed earlier, and the mask looked thicker and even more intricately-detailed. Also, nearly its entire body was white, with black only faintly peeking through from beneath… not unlike the wool of a ram, I supposed.
I took a step to the side, then another, but although Krios tilted its head to watch me, it didn't shift its facing, keeping most of its attention on Blake. Why was it so fixated on her?
"Bad, this is bad, this is so bad," Blake was muttering.
Of course, because Grimm focus on negative emotions.
"Blake," I hissed. "Blake! You need to get a hold of yourself!"
She looked at me, and her eyes were wide enough to show white all around her irides. "Krios is one of the oldest known Grimm on this half of Sanus." Her voice was oddly dull. "It's the largest known specimen of the Amalthean species, which tend to hunt in the mountains of Eastern Sanus."
Shit, she's going into shock.
"Krios is attested to be at least a hundred years old, possibly up to a hundred fifty, as remote mountain villages are unlikely to have survivors reach the Kingdom."
"Blake!" I snapped. "You're panicking just like it wants you to. Snap out of it!"
Krios let out a snort as soon as I spoke, and lowered its head.
"Blake, move!"
I prepared to tackle her out of the way, hoping I could catch the charge on my shield this time and tank it better, when Blake finally got it together enough to leave a shadow behind with her Semblance and dive aside.
Krios slammed through the shadow without slowing, then dug in its front hooves to let its hindquarters swing around. It kicked off a tree, and was heading for Blake's new position with almost no loss of momentum.
Jumping forward, I tried to cut at Krios' back leg with a [Crusader's Smite], but my sword scraped against the 'wool' with a sound like metal on stone, striking sparks and blunting the swing so much that I barely noticed the change in its HP even with the damage of the attack more than doubled.
The Grimm seemed to snort derisively. Knowing it had missed Blake again as she took to the branches and opened fire with her pistol, it instead planted its front hooves again and kicked out at me like a mule, which I barely avoided.
Between my swing and Blake's bullets, we had dealt a wildly-optimistic 1% of its HP, which meant this was definitely going to be a long fight. Or a very short one, if we made any mistakes.
"At least it seems to be alone," I grunted loud enough for Blake to hear. I activated [Reinforcement] as I tried a stab instead of a slash, which was only marginally more successful.
Krios snorted again, twisting to face me and backing away a few steps. When I didn't pursue, it tilted its head back and let out an earsplitting bellow, that echoed off the trees and into the distance.
"The hell was that?" I asked, eyes narrowed as Krios simply continued to stand there. It still looked almost amused.
"Is it… stalling?" Blake asked slowly.
"For what?" I glanced around, but didn't see anything. Then, without thinking about it, I popped [Detect Grimm] again, the same way I'd been doing all day while Hunting. "Shit, there's more Grimm closing in from two and nine o'clock."
Krios just stood there watching me, and I could swear it was laughing at me.
"What do we do?" Blake asked tensely.
Gritting my teeth, I made a decision I knew I would probably regret. "Can you keep the other ones off me?"
"What?" she demanded.
"Kill the ones that are on their way," I repeated. "There's only two of us and we can't run, so we have to fight. I'll try to keep it busy, just deal with the reinforcements and then look for an opening on this one. And…"
I narrowed my eyes at the sheeplike Grimm.
"…Don't announce when you're on your way back," I finished. "In fact, try not to talk if you can help it. I think this son of a bitch is listening to us."
Krios immediately let out another snort, before lowering its head to charge at me again before Blake could protest. I took that as confirmation of my guess and dove out of harm's way, but Krios was faster than I thought and its side still brushed against me.
"Go!" I shouted, and Blake must have listened, because she was gone when I rolled back to my feet.
Only then did I notice the stinging and numbness in the arm that touched it. Chancing a glance, I saw the 'wool' strands sticking out of my shoulder and upper arm. Blood trickled freely from the base of each, which made me cautious enough to try plucking them out instead of brushing them away. They actually tore my skin worse coming out, and I had to grimace as even more of my HP ticked slowly down. What looked like wool was really miniscule threads of bone, barbed like tiny porcupine quills.
Okay, mental note, do not touch or we're looking at death of a thousand cuts, assuming I don't just get stepped on.
Krios let out a weird chuffing noise.
And that damned thing is definitely laughing at me. Fuck this whole day.
"You think that's funny?" I murmured, raising my sword and shield again. "How's this for amusing: I'm going to take your mask home and mount it on my fucking wall."
The chuffing stopped, and the ram-like Grimm fixed me with an unmistakably unimpressed look.
Well, that confirms it, doesn't it?
Rather than wait for the Grimm to charge again, since it was obviously intelligent and would probably change direction to catch me, I activated [Cat's Grace] and lunged straight at it, pivoting my shoulders to hasten the stab in the same way Indigo always did against me.
I knew Krios wouldn't be able to dodge because of its size, but I must have caught it by surprise, because even though it tried to twist away and trap my sword with its horns, it didn't manage it fast enough. Instead, the tip of my blade skipped off its masked cheek and then buried straight into its left eye, exactly as I'd planned. [Crusader's Smite] triggered, and Krios let out a pained scream in stark contrast to its earlier bellow as its HP dropped sharply from the critical hit.
Unfortunately, that was where the good news ended. I didn't have time to yank the Family Sword back before Krios jerked in agony, and the horn on that side of its head ripped the hilt from my grasp despite my activating [Bull's Strength] to hold on. The blade flipped end over end before landing at the other end of the clearing, nearly behind Krios from where I was hastily backing away.
I started circling toward where the sword had fallen, but Krios backed up to stand nearly over the sword, and tossed its head violently whenever I got near, preventing me from recovering the weapon that had injured it.
Shit.
Not seeing a way to close the distance, I drew my pistol instead, but Krios just tilted its head away from me, shielding its good eye and presenting no good target. Gritting my teeth, I fired anyway, aiming for its shoulder. Again there was a crunching and scraping, and the bullet fell away before making it through the 'wool'. It still did some damage, being a bigger caliber than Blake's, and might have left a bruise if Grimm were capable of getting them, but was otherwise ineffective.
I grimaced. .45 rounds might have decent power against a humanoid target, but that 'wool' was damn effective armor. On top of which, given the way the ground shook when it took a step, I'd guess conservatively that Krios had to weigh half a ton, so odds were they wouldn't provide anywhere near sufficient stopping power against a charge. Without a good target, I'd just be wasting ammo.
I tried to strafe toward its blind side instead, hoping I could get behind it, but Krios rotated to keep its mask toward me without revealing its eye.
Shit, I thought again. I'm nervous enough that it can still sense me.
The sneaky approach wasn't going to work; there was no way to make myself not-afraid of this thing. It was huge, terrifying, and very much capable of killing me in one hit if I made any more mistakes. No matter what I did, it was going to be aware of me. I wasn't usually the type to talk smack in a fight, but… well, I didn't see much of an alternative.
Scowling, I banged loudly on my shield. "Maybe I won't mount your mask on my wall after all," I said loudly. "Maybe I'll have it made into a helmet I can wear so every other Grimm I kill knows that you were my first kill."
Krios didn't fall for it — or at least, it didn't move from its spot guarding my sword. Instead it snorted derisively, and opened its mouth to scream again. When it did, I collapsed my shield, pulled it off my arm to hold like a sword, and lunged to stab down its throat. It wasn't sharp, but it was still a meter of hardened steel it instantly choked on.
Unfortunately, this still didn't force Krios to move away from my sword. Instead it reared up on its hind legs, preparing to slam down on me, and I had to dive to the side before retrieving the sheath, and before I could hit the 'expand' button. Which was a shame, because I was pretty sure that would have ripped its jaw clean off.
This led to the next bit of bad news: I was now stripped of both my shield and sword, and I'd dived to my left, which meant that when I came back to my feet, I turned to find Krios' good eye watching me. It spat my sheath out at its feet, then nudged it backward until it clanked against my sword, both nearly hidden from sight beneath Krios' bulk.
That remaining eye looked both furious and taunting, and I immediately tried to shoot it out again, but each shot I took skipped off its mask as I failed to hit the tiny target I was aiming for.
"You think you're winning?" I growled, probably somewhat irrationally. "You've only managed to hit me once, when I wasn't paying attention, and that was before I cut out your goddamn eye. Now you won't even move to come get me."
That remaining goddamn eye narrowed, and I forced a laugh.
"I've got you right where I want you," I bluffed, even as I took a slow step away.
Krios bared its teeth at me, but it called my bluff by still refusing to be goaded into moving.
I hate it when the monsters are smart, I grumbled internally. Now would be a good time, Blake.
As we stood, it was basically a standoff. Krios' injuries weren't healing over like mine would, and its HP remained static.
‹Bringer Of Battle›
LV ?
Krios
HP: [-68%- ]
Meanwhile, I was actually regenerating HP, but my MP was steadily draining. And even with the injuries I'd managed to inflict, it wasn't like Grimm were capable of bleeding out. Blake and I would have to actually kill this monster, and soon, or we were screwed.
I took a chance and spent the MP to [Detect Grimm] again, sensing none in my range besides Krios. Fighting to keep the triumph off my face, I cut it off by switching to [Detect Aura], which let me track Blake coming back this way.
I stayed focused on Krios the whole time, and the damn sheep seemed content to stand there and watch me, so I took the chance and opened my [Inventory] to pull out the Dust crystal shard I'd gotten from the last fight, tossing it to my left hand. It was yellow, nearly transparent, and about the length of my little finger, but my [Dust Mastery] skill assured me that Nature's Wrath was indeed at my fingertips. This was the only crystal I had, though, so I'd have to make it count.
Hopefully with Blake's intervention I'd be able to retrieve at least my sword, but even if I did, it would still be an uphill struggle. Even with my [Reinforcement] and [Bull's Strength], I needed to be stronger to do any decent amount of damage.
[Detect Aura] told me that Blake was still about twenty meters away, and was moving slowly so as not to tip Krios off, so I decided to take a risk.
"[Stats]," I whispered, taking one eye off the Grimm in order to check how many free stat points I had available from leveling up: 30. With my hand still closed around the Dust crystal, I reached up and jabbed at the [+] beside my current STR score, dumping ten of my precious points to bring the base score up to an even 50, which in turn raised the buffed score up to 69.
Nice, I thought, as I accepted the expenditure and found myself facing another screen.
[By raising STR to 50, you can select a new skill!]
Powerful (Passive)
A skill that represents your ability to bring great force to bear.
Passively increases STR by 1%.
10% increase to physical attack damage.
Fortitude (Passive)
A skill that represents your ability to bring continuous force to bear.
Passively increases STR by 1%.
10% faster recovery from fatigue.
There wasn't an 'Are you sure?' prompt, but I did have to tap twice to select [Powerful]. Hopefully I wouldn't end up wishing I'd taken the other one, but a 10% damage bonus was something I needed right now. I wouldn't be able to enjoy faster stamina recovery if Krios killed me today, after all.
I also didn't get a popup confirming the skill, but I could feel the difference right away as my effective STR edged over the 70 mark.
I reached into my pocket and pulled out the balisong Olivia had given me, flicking it open ostentatiously with my enhanced DEX of 50, thanks to [Reinforcement] and [Cat's Grace]. The Grimm's eye followed me as I took a few steps to the side, still twirling the butterfly knife around my hand.
"Ready to end this?" I asked aloud, crouching down and glancing past my foe at my fallen sword and shield. Krios merely snorted, almost daring me to come closer.
Doing so would be unbelievably stupid, of course. But I was going to be a Huntsman, damn it, and that meant standing my ground in the face of impossible odds. I was still nervous, but I felt a grim (ha) determination welling up inside me, as I decided that even if my luck ran out, I was taking this fucking overgrown sheep with me.
[BGM Unlocked! – "Die With Your Boots On" by Iron Maiden]
Yeah, that's about right.
So I charged.
If you're gonna die, die with your boots on
If you're gonna try, well, stick around
Gonna cry, just move along
If you're gonna die, you're gonna die…
Judging by the blink it gave me, I don't think Krios actually expected me to do it. I angled to my left, and it turned with me, lowering its head to gore me with its horn. With all the speed and grace my enhanced DEX gave me, I tossed the crystal up in the air, and caught the horn with my now-empty left hand. With my right, I caught the Dust shard between the opening arms of the butterfly knife, clamping them around it and activating the Dust, which caused the blade of the knife to spark and my hand around it to seize up immediately.
Krios tried to toss me away, but with my boosted strength, I was able to hold its head still and bury the knife in its remaining eye with one last [Crusader's Smite].
This time, when it reared, I jumped with it, pushing off its horn and landing astride its neck. Ignoring the burning pain along my legs as the bone filaments easily pierced my jeans, I grabbed the other horn and yanked upward with both that and the knife I couldn't let go of because of the electricity coursing through my hand.
As Krios' head leaned involuntarily up, Blake suddenly reappeared, her katana angling for a stab directly into the Grimm's throat as I shoved its head downward again.
Between the second critical hit to its other eye, the damage from the Shock Dust, and the mortal neck wound that probably would have impaled its brain if Grimm had internal organs, Krios fell heavily to its knees as its HP plummeted. Forced to abandon her entire weapon due to the ribbon linking the sword to the sheath, Blake instead darted forward and scooped up my sword, holding the much heavier blade in two hands.
Fortunately though, Krios wouldn't be getting back up.
‹Bringer Of Battle›
LV ?
Krios
HP: [- 2% ]
It was wheezing, and weakly trying to throw me off, but it lacked both the energy and the leverage. The tiny Dust shard finally ran out of energy, and I forced my hand to release the knife so I could draw my gun. From where I sat on Krios' back, it was simple to jam the barrel into the back of its head, just behind the mask, where the bone-wool wasn't dense enough to stop the bullets cold.
"I'll be taking that trophy now," I whispered, pulling the trigger twice.
Krios' body tensed in a way that a human's wouldn't as its HP depleted entirely. I barely managed to toss myself to the side as it collapsed so its bulk wouldn't fall on me. Even though it started dissolving immediately, I was pretty sure being crushed by it would finish me off.
I tried to roll further, but my body wouldn't obey, and I ended up just kind of flopping down beside the slain monster, one hand still closed around the curving horn. My sunglasses, which had somehow stayed on through the whole fight, slipped up over my forehead and onto the ground above my head when I hit the forest floor.
With the last bit of MP I had available, I popped [Detect Grimm] one last time, praying I wouldn't feel any, because I didn't have much more than 10% of my HP left. Thankfully, we were clear for the moment.
Rapid footsteps approached me from around Krios' carcass, and Blake hurried over, still carrying the Family Sword.
"Are you all right?" she asked frantically. "I got back as fast as I could."
"Can't complain, I'm still breathing," I replied, making no effort to move.
"That's a pretty low bar," she observed drily.
"I've had better days," I admitted, wishing I could heal around the splinters in my legs instead of having to remove them. "Heh, and I was saying just last night that I wasn't planning to fight anything that much stronger than me for a while. Guess I was tempting fate."
"Is your Semblance going to be enough to heal you?" Blake inquired next, seeming to calm down at my irreverent tone.
I shrugged from the ground. "Just need to get all these needles out, and I'll be right as rain."
"Needles…?" Blake asked, before realizing that my jeans were almost entirely stained with blood from the bone-wool impaling me. "Oh, gods."
She swallowed, but set my sword down beside me and moved to examine them more closely.
"Do you want me to help?" she grasped the one nearest my right ankle without waiting for an answer, and gave a soft tug, but it didn't come loose.
"Some of them are barbed, I think," I said conversationally. "But the best you can do is pull them straight out."
"That will cause more damage," Blake argued immediately.
"Which I'll heal. Just wait like, sixty seconds between each yank." I waved a hand at my backpack. "There should be a spare pair of gloves in the side pocket, although they might not fit you perfectly. Just keep an ear out for any more Grimm."
Blake obeyed reluctantly, yanking the bone splinters out of my legs one at a time, pausing between each to give me time to recover. Every thread that came out tended to do about 10 extra damage, but I was gaining 14 HP with every minute, so while she occasionally pulled one out too early, I was at least holding steady.
"You healed Jazz much faster than this," Blake observed, nearly twenty minutes later as she started on my other leg.
"I can increase my healing factor pretty significantly by meditating and focusing solely on it," I grunted, as she yanked another thread free. "But these are embedded, and I can't focus through the pain. Maybe if I get better at it, someday, I'll be able to."
Blake was silent for another few minutes, before she mumbled, "This is all my fault."
"How do you figure that?" I asked curiously, lifting my head to look down at her.
She refused to meet my eyes. "I led us this way. You asked me to watch your back so you wouldn't get hurt, but I left you behind."
"I literally told you to," I reminded her. "This bastard," I yanked on its horn, and its much-lighter head scraped on the ground as it slid a little toward me. "Was messing with us the entire time. Spent most of its time taunting me and playing keep-away with my sword once I dropped it."
"I still should have stayed here with you. I shouldn't have left," Blake insisted.
"If you'd stayed, the ones it called would have distracted us and given it an opening," I pointed out. "Or vice versa. That thing broke like four of my ribs with its first charge. Neither of us could have fought it while trying to watch our back from the others. I'm definitely not going to blame a friend for doing exactly what was needed to keep us both alive, even if it was a long shot."
Blake stopped and glared at me, looking like she was fighting back tears. "You don't want me as a friend. What kind of friend leaves a tyro Huntsman to fight a Name-ranked Grimm alone?" she demanded.
"The kind that comes back to help finish it off?" I answered rhetorically. "Blake, even if we weren't already, anyone who risks their life to keep me from getting crushed or eviscerated, I'm honored to call a friend, full stop."
Blake blinked, then looked away, returning to the task of de-thorning my legs in silence.
"You killed the reinforcements. I kept it distracted so you could get in a good hit. The two of us surprised and killed a Name-ranked Grimm." I laid out all the ways the battle had gone right. "And now I get to mount this mask on my wall exactly like I threatened to do. Win-win."
Blake snorted, and although it was a bit watery, she still managed a chuckle.
I let my head thump back to the forest floor, and sent out another ping of [Detect Grimm] to make sure we were still clear.
Not detecting any, and since Blake's attention was mostly on my legs, I decided to skim through the many, many notifications that being in combat had suppressed.
[Story event Complete!]
[You have defeated the boss monster Krios!]
[You have gained 50,000 EXP and 100,000L! You obtained the Mask of Krios! You found a Grade V Burn Dust Crystal! You found a Grade V Freeze Dust Crystal! You found a Grade V Shock Dust Crystal! You found a Grade V Gale Dust Crystal! Blake Belladonna is now an Ally.]
[Level up! Your level has increased by 1! Your level has increased by 1! Your level has increased by 1! Your level has increased by 1! Your level has increased by 1! Your level has increased by 1! Your level has increased by 1!]
[By seeing through Blake's ruse, your INT has increased by 1!]
[Acting has increased by 1! Shield Mastery has increased by 1! Parry has increased by 1!]
[By enduring massive trauma, your CON has increased by 1!]
[Bludgeoning Resistance has increased by 1! Bludgeoning Resistance has increased by 1! Bludgeoning Resistance has increased by 1! Bludgeoning Resistance has increased by 1! Endurance's rank has increased by 1! First Aid has increased by 1! Parkour has increased by 1! Piercing Resistance has increased by 1! Cat's Grace has increased by 1! Crusader's Smite has increased by 1! Reinforcement has increased by 1! Bull's Strength has increased by 1! Bull's Strength has increased by 1! Small Arms Mastery has increased by 1! Detect Grimm has increased by 1! ]
[You selected the skill [Powerful]!]
[Powerful (Passive) LV 1 EXP: 0.00%]
[A skill that represents your ability to bring great force to bear.]
[Passively increases STR by 1%]
[10% increase to physical attacks]
[Sleight of Hand has increased by 1! Parkour has increased by 1! Powerful has increased by 1! Dust Mastery has increased by 1!]
[By Enduring a new damage type, you have unlocked the skill [Shock Resistance]!]
[Shock Resistance (Passive) LV 1 EXP: 0.00%]
A skill that enables the body to resist electron discharges, reducing damage taken from electrical effects.
1% decrease in damage taken from electrical attacks.
Shortens duration and severity of Stunned status effect by 1%.
[Endurance's rank has increased by 1! Crusader's Smite has increased by 1! Knife Mastery has increased by 1! Piercing Resistance has increased by 1! Piercing Resistance has increased by 1! Piercing Resistance has increased by 1! Small Arms Mastery has increased by 1!]
[By killing a powerful creature of Grimm, you have obtained the title of [Grimm Slayer]!]
[Grimm Slayer]
[Obtained by killing a mighty Grimm. You have taken another step on your chosen path, embarking on a quest to uncover the nature of a Name.]
[30% increase to base damage dealt to Grimm.]
[20% reduced damage taken from Grimm.]
[By holding true to your Paladin's Oath, you have gained the skill [Elemental Weapon]!]
[By using [Elemental Weapon] without the skill, your mastery is increased!]
[Elemental Weapon (Active) LV 5 EXP: 0.00% MP: 100, Dust]
[Mortals who learned to wield the light found another tool at their disposal, as Nature's Wrath could be harnessed directly by those with powerful souls, and the Darkness trembled before the might of their blades.]
[Increases weapon damage by 60%]
[Applies the effect of consumed Dust to a chosen weapon for a duration dependent on the Grade.]
[Known effects: Shock Dust – Stun.]
[New quest: Taking Names]
[You have learned that there are some Grimm so ancient and powerful, that they have individual names. Find and slay all the Name-ranked Grimm.]
[Time limit: Until Completed.]
[Reward: EXP, Lien, and items from each kill; glory and notoriety, new title.]
[Failure Penalty: Probable death; uncounted thousands die as Grimm continue to rampage unchecked.]
[Targets:]
[Krios the Amalthean]
[?]
[?]
[?]
[?]
[?]
[?]
[?]
[?]
[?]
[?]
[?]
[You have taken the first steps toward glory! Yellow Death's status is now High.]
Holy fuck, I just gained seven entire levels. And, hang on, how exactly did I just reduce Yellow Death!?
I was pretty sure Blake was unconsciously speeding up since she was almost done with my legs, but the increases to my HP pool from all those levels added to my current HP as well, so I was hovering around 30% instead of under 10%.
"My sisters are going to kill me," I sighed as yet another bone splinter came free leaving only a handful remaining.
"Why's that?" Blake asked absently, twisting the next one and trying to ease it out.
"Well, I don't know if I knew that Name-ranked Grimm were a thing before the amnesia, but I certainly hadn't heard of them in the past few weeks," I admitted. "From the way you talked about them, though, I'm gathering they're kind of a big deal."
"You could say that," she replied. "They're… infamous. Maybe not among civilians, but I'd bet most career Hunters can probably name them off."
"Can you?" I asked, gritting my teeth as Blake pulled out yet another splinter. "If not, I can ask my sisters."
Blake shook her head, but hastily added, "I remember some of them. Krios, the Amalthean, for one."
"Krios was the weakest, wasn't it?" I asked, though it was barely a question. "I can't think of any other reason we managed to kill it."
"It was definitely the youngest, so… probably?" Blake answered. "Monstra has been spoken of since before any of the modern Kingdoms were founded. There's stories of Morvarc in Mantle that are known to predate when Atlas was raised, Mistral has legends going back nearly to its founding about Crom Cruach in the South of Anima, and Echidna was known to live on Menagerie long before the faunus were exiled there."
I pondered that for a moment. "These Grimm are so infamous that they've been given actual names, and nobody's killed them?" I asked, wincing for hopefully the last time as Blake pulled out the final needle, and letting my head drop back to the ground again, finally able to relax.
"Anyone who tried, died," Blake explained. "Krios wasn't super-well-known outside of Vale, but it was heard of. Enough that people counted it in the same group. But the rest? We're talkin' about monsters that've killed thousands, some of them hundreds of thousands. Maybe a team of veteran Hunters could take one of the younger ones down, but I bet a lot've 'em don' wanna risk their lives, or their teammates' lives, tryin' to fight a legend." She sounded exhausted.
"Well, we just killed a goddamned legend, Blake." I sat up at last, and with another yank on the horn, I pulled Krios' mask over in front of me. "And while I might not be planning to boast in the streets, I'm definitely taking home a trophy."
Blake rolled her eyes as she slumped back. "Men."
I smirked over at her. "Well, as exciting as this has been, I think I'm ready to change my pants and head home. Maybe another time we can finish that little spar?" I rolled over and pushed myself to my feet, not trusting myself to kip up at the moment.
Blake paused, blinking up at me. "Sure," she said finally.
"We've got a dojo at the house," I offered, extending a hand to pull her up. "That way we won't get interrupted, and one of my sisters can referee so you don't kick my ass too badly."
After another brief hesitation, she grabbed it. "We'll figure somethin' out."
I helped Blake to her feet, then immediately had to catch her elbow as she nearly fell over again.
"M'fine," she mumbled, half-collapsing against me and reaching tiredly for where Gambol Shroud was now lying on the floor, no longer concealed now that Krios' body had dissolved.
"Liar." I eased her back to the ground, realizing suddenly that this was why her diction had slipped.
What the hell even happened? Her HP was low when she got back, but not this low… But a quick [Observe] revealed the status effect Bleeding. Even as I watched, her health was ticking slowly down. She also had a status effect my sisters had spoken about, but I'd never actually seen before.
[Aura Shock]
[Your Aura has been depleted due to shattering or overload, and will take some time to begin regenerating. This time is lengthened by how recently and how often Aura Shock has been inflicted, and reduced by a percentage equal to WIS.]
[Current duration: 4:18]
"Fuck, Blake, why didn't you tell me you were injured? Why did you even jump back in against Krios with no Aura left?"
I moved around behind her and found her whole back sticky with blood from several wounds I hadn't noticed because she'd been in front of me.
"Couldn' leave you," she argued distractedly, still reaching for her weapon. She was slurring a little more with every word, which was definitely a bad sign.
"Sit still, dammit," I said, trying to make her lean forward so I could see the wounds properly.
Blake ignored me and kept trying to grab the out-of-reach sword.
"Fine, fine, I'll get your weapon, just stop moving," I barked, retrieving it and the sheath to the Family Sword, which I clipped back to my belt. "I need to heal you before we can leave. I don't want to be out here too long, though, so it'll just be a patch job."
The black corset she wore over her white cutoff shirt was shredded. The shirt and shorts were at least intact, although they were so stained I doubted she'd be wearing them ever again. Giving my butterfly knife an unconscious twirl, I sliced through the remainder of the corset and pressed my palms to her back over the claw-marks, triggering [Lay On Hands].
"The bad news is, I can't [Detect Grimm] while meditating, and I don't want to risk getting ambushed again, so we have to do this the slow way," I admitted, not sure if she was even listening. "The good news, though, is that the patch job should be enough, because the way my Semblance heals also restores Aura. I should be able to jumpstart your Aura production again, which means you get to keep all your favorite organs."
I hadn't been sure she was still listening, or even still conscious, but the amused snort reassured me that Blake was still with me. Even as I pushed half my non-meditating regen into her, she was visibly breathing easier, her too-pale skin even regaining a bit of color before my eyes. Another [Observe] also showed me that the duration of [Aura Shock] was ticking down at least twice as fast per-second, so her Aura should begin returning on its own shortly too.
It definitely helped that my passive regen was about 50% higher than it had been an hour ago. Plus, I'd noticed [Lay On Hands] improved unevenly as it gained ranks, increasing how much of my regen I could share (slowly), while reducing how much I was giving up (even more slowly) — at rank 4, I was giving up 49% of my regen to share 52%. If the pattern continued, I would eventually be able to boost my target's regen by 100% of my own, while only giving up 25%.
In the end, those two facts put together meant Blake was getting 10 HP and 8 MP per minute, while I was a few fractions below the whole number for both. My Semblance kept track of the fractions, but only gave the point back once they added up to a whole.
A bit over two minutes later, Blake's skin seemed to spark under my fingers, and a purplish shimmer spread over her body. She took a deeper breath than she had since extracting the splinters from my legs, and seemed to actually relax. Tension drained out of her shoulders, and her usual grace was back in evidence as she sheathed her weapon and set it beside her.
Then, abruptly, she began to speak. "I used to be a member of the White Fang."
She paused, half-glancing over her shoulder, but stopped before she could meet my eye.
"I gathered," I replied, not pulling away. "From things both you and Adam said on Friday."
Part of me wondered if she was opening up because we had just gone through a traumatic experience together — not to mention saved each other's lives for at least the second time each — or if it was a symptom of the blood loss, before I decided that it didn't matter.
Blake was very still for another moment. "I was a member for most of my life. You could say I was born to it."
I stifled a snort at hearing a line straight from the show, but it still came out as a huff.
"What's funny?" she demanded, though she still didn't move.
"I could have guessed that from your surname," I pointed out.
Now Blake did look back at me, her eyes narrowed. "I never gave you my last name."
Fuck, she didn't, did she? I considered telling her I'd gotten her name from Jazz or Tukson, but that wasn't true and furthermore would be easy to disprove.
"Menagerie's census records are still accessible in international databases," I said instead. "At least the ones from Kuo Kuana. And my sister Violet is stationed in Mistral and is pretty high-ranking."
All statements that were true, which when placed next to each other gave a completely false impression that I'd asked Violet to check up on Blake illegally after we'd met.
[Deception successful! Acting has increased by 1!]
I wonder why it specified that I used Deception that time? I pondered, before mentally shrugging. At least she bought it.
Blake scowled slightly, and faced forward again. "Well… After my father stepped down in favor of a younger leader, about five years ago, the highest-ranking Brothers and Sisters started advocating more radical… more violent tactics. They believed the old tactics of nonviolent protests and boycotts weren't working fast enough, or weren't working at all. Protesting just got people arrested, and businesses that discriminated against faunus didn't change their policies. So instead, the White Fang turned from protests to riots, or from boycotts to vandalism. They even started planning out elaborate thefts and sabotage. And even through all that… I didn't leave right away."
She trailed off, so I spoke up. "I can see where they're coming from, at least with what you've said so far." Blake twisted again to look at me, and I had to lean forward slightly to keep my [Lay On Hands] in contact with her back. "Racism isn't caused by a few bad apples. Not really. You might be able to change some people's hearts and minds with peaceful protests… but it's hard to logic someone out of a position they didn't logic themselves into. And even if you can, it doesn't fix the broken system."
"Exactly," Blake said softly, turning to face forward again. "And the worst part, maybe, was that it was working. We were getting equal treatment, but out of fear instead of respect." She shook her head. "Because we, I, realized that we can't make anyone respect us."
"But you could make them fear you, and that might make things better for others?" I suggested, and Blake gave a short nod. When she didn't start talking again, I sighed. "Was it your idea to start killing people?"
"No!" Blake tried to spin around again, and I let her go.
"I didn't think so," I said, and she paused. "I don't know if I have any right to judge the White Fang at all," I went on. "If it was things like aggressive protests, graffiti, even theft and vandalism…"
"Didn't you take an oath of justice?" Blake pointed out.
"Justice," I agreed. "Not 'Law'. I'm not a cop and I don't plan to be. Justice is about standing up when I see injustice, and not being complacent. When the laws of a Kingdom are unjust, blindly following them is equally unjust."
Blake cocked her head, gaze considering. "So what would you do in our place?"
"As someone faced with bias?" I asked to be clear, and Blake nodded. "That's a tough question, because it's not a position I've ever found myself in. Nor will I, being human. Without being in the moment, I don't know that I have an instinctive answer." I scrubbed a hand through my hair. "But that's a cop-out. Give me a scenario and I'll try to give my reactions."
"You've just seen another faunus thrown out of a Dust shop," Blake suggested immediately, her eyes unfocused, plainly remembering something she'd actually witnessed. "Shoved out the door, so hard he trips. The owner spits on him. People in the street just walk around him, like he's not even there."
"Probably offer him a hand up," I said. "But I wouldn't be surprised if he refuses it. I wouldn't patronize a shop that treated anyone like that. What's my incentive to do more?"
"This is the only Dust shop in town," she continued, watching me closely as she spun the tale. "Not Schnee-owned, but they're obviously the largest supplier. You're running low and your team badly needs the resupply, but the owner saw you helping the faunus up and he spits at you as well, calls you an 'animal lover' and then slams the door, making it clear you're not welcome either."
"Honestly… I think I'd still tell him to piss off." I frowned. "It's obviously a tricky situation for my team, though. Failing to resupply could mean running short in the field. If that happens, and we die because of it, there's no one to hold the Grimm back." I broke off, biting my lip and considering all the possible scenarios. "If there's no way one of my teammates could make the purchase instead, then I'd probably rob the store for what we need and leave the money for it."
Blake raised a sardonic eyebrow. "What money? You're a faunus, nobody wants to hire you, or if they do it's for a shit wage. Leaving money here means going without food or failing to make rent."
"It sounds like I was going to do that anyway, if I was planning to buy the Dust in the first place," I pointed out. "But given that situation, sure, I'd probably keep my money to keep myself and my team fed. The store and the Dust are probably insured. Hell, all this owner would have to do is make a bit more of a mess, or siphon off some extra Dust, and he could make a claim for even more than the damage I actually did to him. Once it all settles, he might very well pocket a profit." I spread my hands. "It's a crap situation, and I wouldn't be happy with it at all, but that's my answer."
We're misguided?
Treated us like we're criminals and we should hide,
Born indicted–
Tired of being pushed around and we will fly!
[BGM Unlocked! Image Song: Blake Belladonna – "From Shadows" by Jeff Williams]
Blake seemed to be considering my response, so I circled a finger. "Turn around, let me see your back again." She did so, and I nodded in satisfaction. The claw-marks there had scabbed over, and now looked several hours old instead of the thirty minutes they really were.
"That should keep until we get back to Vale," I said, rising and offering a hand to Blake once more. "Our house is only a few stops from the Emerald Gate, I can finish healing you there."
I assume she still won't want to tell me where she's staying, newly trusting or not.
Blake scrutinized me for a moment longer before she gave a sharp nod, taking my outstretched hand again. I pulled her upright, then bent back down to pick up my discarded sunglasses, slipping them back over my eyes. I retrieved my backpack, swept the discarded bone splinters inside, and then flipped Krios' mask over my shoulder to rest on top of it. I could have stowed the mask in my [Inventory] too, but it was too big to slide into my Handy Haversack, so I'd have to do it directly. And despite Blake opening up to me, I wasn't ready to reveal my Semblance.
The bonus objective for that The Shining Beacon quest was to get into school with my Semblance still a secret. Just that part was worth as much EXP as I'd just gotten from killing Krios, and failing that bonus objective had the consequence of unnamed 'hostile forces' possibly taking notice of me. Whether that meant Salem or anyone else, I didn't want to risk it. While I trusted Blake, there was no chance of her letting it slip if she didn't know in the first place.
"Hello, the house!" I gave my usual call as I stepped through the door twenty minutes later, leaning against the wall to tug my boots off. Blake followed my example and removed her shoes, waiting for me to shut the door.
"In here," came Indigo's voice from the kitchen.
I headed that way, shrugging off my backpack as I went, and catching Krios' mask by one horn before it hit the floor.
"I'm glad you're home," Indigo said, not turning from where she'd been staring into the fridge. "I didn't feel like making dinner."
"So you decided to make me do it?" I shot back, grinning. I really enjoyed the teasing interplay that I shared with Indigo, and I hoped I got along as well with all my older sisters. I dropped the mask on the table with a clatter, drawing my sister's attention.
"Well, you've gotta earn your keep somehow–" Indigo trailed off, as she glanced over her shoulder at us.
"This is Blake, my Hunting partner for the day. Blake, this is my and Olivia's older sister Indigo," I introduced the two women.
"Nice to meet you," Blake said politely.
"What the hell happened to you two? You're covered in blood!" Indigo demanded, ignoring us both.
"'It's nice to meet you too, Blake, make yourself at home,'" I answered for my sister.
Indigo slapped the end of the table. "Don't ignore me, dammit! And what is that thing?" She flapped a hand at Krios' mask.
"Art project," I deadpanned. "I think I'll call it 'Krios Was A Little Bitch'. I could even make a song out of it."
I hummed the tune to 'Mary Had A Little Lamb', and Indigo shut her eyes for a moment, breathing deep as though praying for patience.
Blake shifted awkwardly, and I sighed, giving up on keeping the atmosphere light.
"'That' is what failed to kill me today," I answered the question straight as I dropped into a chair.
Indigo stared at me for a moment. "You call this changing your pattern of fighting things you shouldn't?"
"I call this getting ambushed yet again, and not having a choice," I shot back. "This bastard," I dropped a fist on top of the mask. "Announced itself by ramming me in the back. Broke half a dozen ribs; if I didn't heal internal stuff almost instantly we'd have been fucked right there. It called for reinforcements from more than a hundred meters away, which I didn't even know was a thing. There was no chance to flee, it would have just run us down. Look, can we talk about this sometime that isn't right now?"
"I am never letting you go Hunting without supervision again," Indigo decided. I wasn't entirely sure she was joking.
"I need a vacation," I sighed. Movement in the corner of my eye reminded me suddenly that Blake was still here, standing awkwardly by the door. I stood up. "Blake, why don't you take a shower? I'll scare up some clothes and then cook us dinner."
"I'll order out." Indigo interrupted my planning, her tone brooking no arguments. "You need a shower, too. Try Azure's closet, she's the shortest and prefers her clothes loose. Otherwise, Blake, you can use some of my stuff, although it might be a bit tight. I'm not as hip-y as you. Oh, and the twins' shower should have faunus shampoo under the sink."
Blake jerked, her hand flying to her hair only to find her bow firmly in place. Taking a breath, she said, "All right, thank you."
After pausing at the linen closet to grab a couple of towels, I pointed Blake into the bathroom that Indigo used.
"I can leave the clothes on the sink or out here in the hall," I offered.
Blake seemed to consider it, before she shrugged and took the towels I held out. "You can leave them on the sink."
Nodding, I took a step back before turning away.
And I now realize I only know which rooms are Olivia's and Indigo's. I looked at the even dozen doors leading off this hallway and sighed before opening the nearest one.
Boy band posters plastered the walls, and an elaborate-looking hookah stood on a table near the desk. That's gotta be Shani.
The room across the hall had shelves of collectibles, mostly still in display boxes, and binders full of some kind of trading card. And there's Sienna.
My room was toward the end of the hall nearest the stairs, and I knew Olivia's and Indigo's were that way as well. Ignoring my bathroom, that left one unknown door in that direction. Actually, I'm pretty sure Olivia got my balisong from there.
The door wouldn't open all the way, and as I shimmied inside I realized there was a massive bookcase behind it, so full of engineering, physics, and chemistry texts that its owner had started shoving books on top of the otherwise organized rows. Where the other rooms had desks, this one had a full workbench, with a pegboard full of tools half-covering the window. A pair of needlenose pliers and some wires were strewn across the work surface, with what looked like a half-disassembled rice cooker shoved off to one side. Bingo, found the tinker.
I poked around and eventually found a dresser shoved into the closet, presumably to make room for the bookshelves, and dug out a pair of shorts and a shirt. I added a pair of boyshorts, then upon reflection, included one of my tee-shirts and a pair of boxers out of my [Inventory]. Trying to figure out which bra Blake would prefer seemed like a logistical nightmare, so I shrugged and decided not to worry about it. If it became a problem, Indigo could figure it out.
Making my way back to the bathroom, I knocked loudly and waited for the call before dropping the clothes on the sink without lingering. I had my own shower waiting, and gratefully stripped out of the mudstained shirt and bloodstained jeans.
No saving that outfit, I reflected, stepping under the near-scalding spray and ignoring both the burn and the slight HP drain that came from it.
Name: Jaune Arc
Level: 17 (Next: 26.74%)
Title: Grimm Slayer
Race: Human
Age: 17
Job: Tyro Huntsman
Class: Paladin
Semblance: The Gamer
HP: 998/1275
MP: 761/982
STR: 51 (50)
CON: 31.5 (30)
DEX: 36 (31)
INT: 33
WIS: 44
CHA: 29.2 (23)
Points: 55
Money: 140415L
Status: Cursed – Yellow Death [High]