I'm back and I've just launched my Ko-Fi page! ko-fi(dot)com/avipbr
To prove that I'm mean busnisse from the 26th to the 31st of May I'll post 1 chapter each day in all 4 of main fics:
- Anthrostate VS Isekai Hero
- LoveNexus Corp
- Monster Girl: Harem Master
- Multiverse-Crafter
As a Ko-Fi subscriber, you'll unlock early access to 5 chapters ahead of everyone else.
Your support helps me keep pushing forward, creating bigger and better stories with every chapter.
Ps: The four stories mentioned above already have 10 chapters on Ko-Ki. Putting 5 chapters ahead of non-subscribers from 31st.
Membership tiers:
Tier 1 - Bronze Flame :
Access to Purple Flame Nexus - Discord Server
Access to 5 chapters in advance of all my fanfics
Tier 2 - Silver Flame
All beneffits from Bronze Flame
Right to vote on my stories. [ex: Decide what future characters will be like in terms of appearance and personality. Themes to be worked on. How I will expand on an existing story. And which fanfic project should take the place of one I am finishing.]
Tier 3 - Golden Flame All beneffits from Silver Flame
Lottery entry for a Oneshot RPG Adventure
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I know the title is cliché… but I like it.
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[POV ORIGINAL]
As soon as I step onto the stage, the world freezes with a profane sound.
"SKRYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAK!"
A hellish screech echoes throughout Kuo Kuana, a sound that chills the soul of all present. Fear is palpable, like a wave sweeping through the crowd, turning once-smiling faces into masks of pure dread.
Children begin to cry, clinging to their parents, who in turn, look around desperate for an explanation. The elders have their eyes wide open, whispering ancient prayers, hoping the sound isn't what they fear it to be.
But the older faunus know, deep in their hearts, that that sound belongs to something monstrous, something that should be sealed away.
Audra, normally a pillar of strength and confidence, turns pale, murmuring in fear.
"No, no, no, no, no, no, no…" She repeats, seeming almost catatonic.
With Audra out of commission, I turn to Ghira for more information, but the former Chieftain is busy handling the panicked population.
"Faunus of Menagerie!" Shouted the leader, his voice booming through the sound system.
The powerful voice of their leader calmed the people somewhat, but fear still gripped them. Seeing the morale of his people, Ghira puffed out his chest to speak.
"Today was supposed to be a day of celebration, the day of our nation's birth!" Though his voice sounded powerful, remorse was evident in his posture. "But instead, we must face the monster that threatens our existence."
"Mister Belladonna." I whisper into the Chieftain's ear. "What are you doing?"
With a wave of his hand, he silences me. I want to believe in his words, but the people seemed more demoralized than before.
"I know we will survive today, for faunus always survive the worst! We have been tested by injustice, by pain and by war, and yet we are still here! And it won't be today, it won't be now, that we will fall!"
Ghira's words echo through the air, and I see the change on people's faces. The fear is still there, but now there's something else… a spark of determination, a glimmer of hope. The faunus begin to rise, one by one, inspired by their leader's speech, some even shouting out, renewed, agreeing with Ghira.
"Today we face the grimm that comes to our door together as a nation. Today, we fight for the future of the faunus. Today, we cancel the apocalypse."
The crowd starts shouting, echoing the sentiment of Ghira's speech. The air vibrates with a renewed energy, a mix of fear and determination that is almost tangible. The faunus, once terrified, now rise with a new hope, ready to face whatever is coming our way.
I'm so surprised by the transformation that I don't even notice Ghira had copied the ending of the Pacific Rim speech.
"For the Faunus! For our future! FAUNARIA STANDS!" Roars the Chieftain with the last two words, revealing the name of the new nation we had decided on during the meeting.
Whether he said those words on purpose, I don't know, but the flags and banners we had installed with that voice command activate and unfurl.
[Image]
Revealing the flag of the new nation, the black face of a feline with an open mouth looking to the left on a purple background.
The faunus roar in unison, a sound that echoes through the streets of Kuo Kuana, vibrating to the bone. The fear is still there, but now it's overshadowed by a fierce determination. They are ready to fight, ready to defend their homes and families.
"Women, children, and the elderly to the docks. Fishing boat owners will assist with the evacuation." Ghira turns to me, switching off his microphone so no one else can hear. "Jaune… I know you've already done so much for us. But please, take some children on your jet when you leave the island."
I blink, confused for a second, until I realize he thinks I'm going to run away because this is a faunus fight.
"Not gonna happen." I replied, catching Ghira by surprise. "After all, someone has to stall this monster and gather more intel while you guys prepare the city's defenses."
Different from the reaction to my denial, the Chieftain isn't surprised by my explanation. He just lets out a quick laugh and, gripping my shoulders, says:
"Thank you… son."
With his final thanks, he moves away from me to help with the civilian evacuation.
"Okay…" I said, not fully understanding the context. "Better focus on what I can do, Church."
{{Listening.}} Says the AI promptly through my Scouter's communicator.
"Send the Eyebots that were filming the festival to scout that thing, I want to know if it's heading for Kuo Kuana or the outpost."
{{Affirmative, but I've already calculated the sound's origin.}} Church responds, displaying the calculations on screen. {{I know it's coming to Kuo Kuana.}}
"Fuck!" I curse, frustrated. "Start protocol 'Pride of Steel', put Amber in command and Delta piloting the C-390. Bring the Black Bird to pick me up with the Arc Knights and the Sarge."
{{I'm notifying her now.}} Church confirms, sending the messages without missing a beat. {{I'll send some of the master robots with them to provide support.}}
"Good idea-." I cut myself off mid-sentence, eyes widening.
While I was speaking, Church had opened a window with the drone feed that had gone to scout the threat.
The screen shows an aerial view of the desert near Kuo Kuana, but what was once a calm ocean of sand now turns into a nightmare scenario. A black, dense, and threatening fog creeps across the desert. Darkness spreads like an oil stain, suffocating life.
Within that fog, thousands of red dots glow like hungry eyes. They move, they pulse, a swarm of terror approaching the city. The drone camera zooms in, and my heart nearly stops. The red dots aren't eyes on the creature's body, but Grimms. Bipedal dinosaurs of various sizes run across the sand while a swarm of birds takes over the sky, all surrounding something even more terrifying and gigantic.
In the center of the fog, a monstrous form reveals itself. A titanic bird Grimm with the head of a vulture. Its wings stretch like the shadow of death over the sands. Its feathers are sharp black blades, each the size of a tree. Its eyes, two beacons of pure hatred, glow with a red light that seems to burn reality itself. Its beak, a tool of destruction, capable of splitting mountains.
This beast of the apocalypse advances, with each flap of its wings creating a windstorm that lifts the sand like an explosion. Its screech echoes like a chorus of damned souls.
"SKRYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAK!"
[Image]
It's a nightmare vision, a force of nature coming to destroy everything in its path.
And it's heading straight for Kuo Kuana.
"Shit!" I curse again, now having an idea of the threat.
Worried about the local population, I look around and see some members of the armed militia trying to help with the evacuation, while others don't know what to do.
With no way to command them and confront the monster, my eyes turn to Audra, but she's still frozen, murmuring.
'I need to do something, and fast.'
I Grab the red-haired warrior's shoulders, trying to shake her out of her trance.
"Audra!" I shout, shaking her by the shoulders.
But she doesn't react. Her eyes are vacant, lost somewhere far away.
Without thinking, I slap her face.
SLAP!
The sound echoes, but she barely blinks. My heart tightens. I can't lose her now, not when we need to fight a fucking Grimm Leviathan class.
"Damn!" I exclaim, worried about her.
Desperate, I hold her face with both hands and kiss her.
It's a desperate kiss, full of fear and need. For a moment, I feel her lips move, a sign of life. But when I pull back, her eyes are still distant.
"Audra, please." I beg, desolate. "I can't do this alone. I need you."
Something in my tone or words must finally pierce the fog in her mind. Her eyes blink and then, slowly, she focuses on me. Life returns to her face, and she takes a deep breath, as if emerging from a nightmare.
"Jaune?" Her voice is a whisper, but it sounds so sweet at this moment.
"I'm here." I reply, relieved. "But you need to lead your soldiers and I need to face that giant bird surrounded by black mist."
Audra's pupils dilate, and she grabs my arms tightly, her nails digging into my skin. Her expression is pure terror, but also recognition.
"What's coming is the… Dread Shadow." Her voice trembles, but there's an underlying determination. "It's an ancient and very powerful Grimm. My husband… he sacrificed himself to seal that thing away."
A lump forms in my throat. Audra never talks about her husband, a more taboo subject for her than even her son, who had become a terrorist. It makes sense that she froze at the creature's screech.
"Audra… I need to face that thing." I say, trying to sound confident. "We can't let it reach the city at its pace."
She shakes her head, her eyes shining with unshed tears.
"No, Jaune. I don't want to lose anyone else like I lost him." Her voice cracks, and she grips my arms tighter.
I wanted to comfort her, tell her everything would be fine, that she didn't need to be afraid. But the sound of jet turbines overhead signals we're out of time.
HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIISS!
Looking up, I see two Ark Knights jumping from the Black Bird, hovering above the city, landing beside me.
"You don't have to worry about that." I say, flashing my shonen protagonist's smile as the white robots grab my arms. "I'm gonna survive… because I'm awesome."
Audra looks at me, confused for a second, then bursts out laughing. A genuine laugh, full of life and courage.
"I hate that you're right, Jaune." She says, her eyes glowing with a new fire. "If you save my island, I promise I'll rock your world breaking another bed."
She turns away, already shouting orders to her soldiers. Her voice echoes across the stage, firm and authoritative. The militia members who were previously lost now move with purpose, following their leader's commands.
Quickly, the Arc Knights take me to the Black Bird, and within seconds, we're flying toward the Dread Shadow.
The Black Bird cuts through the sky, slicing clouds thanks to its powerful turbines. Below, the desert sand turns into a yellow blur, and in the distance, I can already see the cloud of darkness spreading like an oil stain. The Dread Shadow advances, a nightmare of black feathers and red eyes, surrounded by a swarm of smaller Grimms infesting the sky and ground.
"Church, drop the Sarge." I order, my voice steady despite the chaos around us. "He'll intercept the land Grimm before reaching the city."
{{Understood.}} Church responds promptly. {{Dropping Sarge.}}
I look down and see the big red robot being released from the cargo bay, its thrusters firing to soften the landing. It hits the ground with a muffled thud, kicking up a cloud of sand.
"Next are the Arc Knights." I continue, my eyes fixed on the monster ahead. "And this time, use them more aggressively without fear of losing them. With this amount of enemies I can easily replace them."
{{No problem.}} Church replies with a hesitant tone. {{But what are you going to do?}}
I take a deep breath, feeling the adrenaline surge through my veins.
"I'm going to try grounding the Dread Shadow while fighting the smaller Grimms around it." I say, my hand gripping the hilt of my sword.
{{That's insane!}} Church protests, her voice echoing in my ear. {{You can't fight all of them alone, especially with the risk of friendly fire from your drones!}}
I ignore the comment, walking toward the Black Bird's side door. The Dread Shadow approaches, its screech echoing through the desert.
"SKRYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAK!"
The massive creature makes me swallow hard now that I face, live, its titanic size.
"Just do your job, Church." I say, my voice firm.
But, to my surprise, the AI responds in an unexpected way.
{{No!}}
"What?" I question, confused. "But you have to obey me."
{{I don't have to do shit!}} Church snaps back, frustrated. {{I'm not going to help you throw yourself at a God of War monster without a plan. That's suicide!}}
"AND WHAT ELSE CAN I DO?" I reply, shouting frustrated. "That thing is almost the size of the Monstra, but she doesn't show up in the original story—" I cut myself off as I realize what I just said and repeat: "She doesn't show up in the original story…"
A horrible feeling takes over me. Eyes wide in recognition.
"I'm the one to blame? My actions caused this creature to awaken? And now, this island, these people… are paying the price."
But before I completely lose myself in this spiral of guilt, Church's voice echoes in my ear, firm and clear.
{{Fuck that!}} Says the AI, its tone sharp and furious. {{Yeah, it's your fault this monster is attacking.}}
My heart tightens in a knot of pain as I feel my blood freeze at the blunt response.
{{But it's also your fault the kids at the orphanage aren't depressed anymore. It's your fault the sick on this island have been healed. It's 100% your fault that families aren't starving anymore. You brought hope to Menagerie, and now you're going to give up because of a wimpy-ass Grimm?}}
"SKRYYYYYYYYAAAAAAAAAK!" The screech slices through the sky once more.
{{Maybe I went too far calling it 'wimpy-ass'… but you get what I mean right? Roast that vulture and everything will be fine.}}
Despite being rude and offensive, Church's words lift my spirits once again.
'The asshole is right.' I think silently, digesting what was said. 'I can't let all of this be destroyed.'
{{Now that you've stopped crying like a little bitch, let's face this shit with a dumb smile on your face and a half-assed plan.}} Church continues, his voice firm. {{Just like you always do.}}
I take a deep breath, feeling reinvigorated.
"Alright, Church." I say, my voice firm. "So… what do you suggest?"
{{It's time for your shot.}} Says the AI, singing.
My body freezes, and my eyes widen at the statement.
{{That's right.}} Says Church, in a cheerful tone. {{We're going to do your upgrade with the Extremis Virus.}}
[Ilia Amitola]
Before the plane could take off from the outpost, I hid inside one of the lockers on the Black Bird, so I heard everything Jaune said to the blue hologram.
The only thing that didn't make sense in his speech was taking the blame for the awakening of the Dread Shadow.
'Why would anyone do that?' I try to reason in my mind. 'Could it be just another sign of the hero complex he seems to have?'
As I questioned myself in silence, the door of the locker I was hiding in opened.
"Ilia?".
"Shit-. I mean, hiiiiii." I reply, giving an awkward smile.
Jaune frowned, annoyed. But before he could say anything, the blue armored hologram appeared out of nowhere.
{{Relax, I knew she was there.}} Says the little blue man. {{And she might be useful to fight the Grimm.}}
"Miss 'stab-you-in-the-back-for-no-reason'?" Arc asks, incredulous.
Even if he's right, the comment hurts and throws a bucket of cold water on my spirits.
{{You're going to go through a more radical process than the super soldier serum.}} Church explains, though I don't understand any of it. {{Your body is going to undergo drastic changes. While that happens, I need Ilia to help keep the ship intact.}}
I widened my eyes, surprised.
"Me? But-." I try to speak, but the little blue man cuts me off.
{{You in or out?}} Church asks, impatient. {{Jaune doesn't trust you, but who knows… if you prove your worth today, you can begin your redemption arc.}}
I nod quickly, seizing my third chance. The blue robot nods and turns to Jaune.
{{Great! Now go 'fetch' some Star Trek magnetic boots for her. She's going outside the ship, to defend it.}}
Jaune frowns, but doesn't argue. He walks off, disappearing into the ship's interior. After a few seconds, a strange light shines in the direction he went, and then he returns with a pair of boots with metal soles and a strange whip.
"These boots have magnetic soles. They'll help you move around the ship without fear of falling into the desert." He explains, his voice firm and cold, as he hands me the boots and the whip. "As for this whip… it belongs to the legendary Belmont family. It has special properties that may be useful against the Grimm."
I look at the whip, curious. The weapon has a dark metal handle, with intricate engravings along its length. The braid of the whip is made of a material I don't recognize, but I can feel a strange power in it. Something that isn't Dust, it feels almost… magical.
"What do you mean, special properties?" I ask, my voice low.
Jaune shrugs.
"I assure you it's a powerful weapon and you don't need to use Dust on it."
I nod, feeling the weight of the whip in my hands. Jaune watches me for a moment, then steps closer and places a hand on my shoulder.
"This is going to be your last chance, Ilia." He says, staring at me with a cold look. "I'm not saying that if you betray me, I'll arrest you or kill you. But you'll never work on any of my projects."
Until last month, that wouldn't have been a threat to me. After all, no way I'd ever work for a human. But now I know that Jaune Arc is helping build a better future for the faunus, while also giving them education so we can be autonomous, and not depend on him forever.
'Being excluded from this project… after everything I've been through…' I think, swallowing hard. 'I'd be nothing more than a masochistic idiot.'
"I won't disappoint you, sir Arc." I reply promptly, saluting.
Jaune finds my posture strange, but then relaxes and shrugs before turning away. However, before he can walk off, I grab his arm.
When he turns to me, I speak before he can ask anything:
"I just wanted to say…" I stop for a moment and look into his eyes and say. "Thank you, Jaune."
The features on the human's face soften with my thanks. A bit of relief washes over his body.
Sighing, Jaune gives me a nod before heading to the cockpit of the ship.
Not wanting to bother him any further, I decide not to ask anything as I walk toward the hatch that opens at the top of the ship.
"What is he going to inject into his body?" I murmur, curious, before jumping onto the top of the ship.
[POV: ORIGINAL]
I take a deep breath, trying to calm myself. The Black Bird's automatic seat restraints lock my wrists, chest and legs in place.
{{Last time, your Aura fought against the changes the super soldier serum was making to your body. That's why you felt so much pain with that Super Saiyan aura.}} Says Church, manifesting at my side. {{But, thanks to the techno nature of the virus, I'll be able to guide it avoiding rejection by the Aura.}}
I sigh in relief upon hearing I won't have to go through that torture again.
{{And thanks to the healing provided by your Aura and your extra resilience from the super soldier serum, this procedure has less than a 0.1% chance of failure.}}
"It's not zero?" I ask, worried.
{{Nothing's certain in a radical procedure like this, bro…}} Says Church, in a serious tone. {{And it's gonna hurt like hell.}}
With a swift motion, I inject the modified version of Extremis Virus 2.0 into my arm and then eat a senzu bean to provide the nutrients for the process. I feel the cold liquid entering my veins, but it quickly begins to heat up.
{{The first part is the development of your skeletal mass and the ossification into carbide ceramic.}} Says Church in my ear, as I feel something reaching my bones. {{It's a process in which the virus will reshape your bone structure and reinforce it with a synthetic ceramic.}} He explains, his calm voice contrasting with the pain starting to emanate from my skeleton. {{Your bones will become larger, heavier, and much more resistant.}}
"Fuck me, this gonna suck." I complain through clenched teeth.
{{It's already hurting, isn't it?}} Church replies with a laugh, but stops when he sees my furious grimace. {{But don't worry, the pain is temporary. The virus is restructuring your bone matter on a molecular level. It's like replacing parts in a car frame while it's engine still running.}}
The pain intensifies. It's like liquid fire running through my veins, becoming acidic and electric when it touches my bones. I clench my teeth, suppressing a scream.
"Fuuuuuu."
A wave of intense heat courses through my body, as if every bone were being stretched, broken, and reforged all at once.
As my muscles begin to contract, fighting against the restraints, Church continues his explanation.
{{Now, a protein complex is being applied to your muscle tissue.}}
The pain of muscles being torn and burned is drowned out by the far greater pain from my bones.
{{Your muscle tissue density will increase, and your lactase recovery time will drop drastically.}}
The pain in my bones begins to subside, giving me brief relief. But it's just a prelude to what comes next.
Suddenly, an indescribable agony explodes across every one of my nerve endings. It's as if each nerve in my body has been struck by lightning.
Convulsing and fighting the restraints with a strength I didn't know I had, I finally gave in and let out the scream of pain I was holding in.
"RAAAAAAAAAAAAR!"
{{Hang in there, we're at the worst part.}} Church's voice sounds distant, muffled by the roar of pain consuming my senses. {{You're feeling the alteration from bioelectrical nerve transduction to shielded electronic transduction. This will help integrate the implants being installed in your body, drastically reduce their ping, and as a bonus, enhance your reflexes.}}
When I finally fall silent, trying to get used to the pain, I taste something metallic in my mouth, like blood.
And then… something happens.
The pain, already unbearable, intensifies even more. It feels like hot needles are stabbing my eyes from behind.
{{What you're feeling is the increased blood flow beneath the rods and cones of the retinas in your eye sockets.}} Church explains, trying to calm me. {{This increases your visual perception and also helps integrate the ocular implants, allowing you to use AR without needing a Scouter.}}
Suddenly, my vision begins to blur. Church's voice becomes even more muffled and distant, and then… darkness.
{{Jaune?}}
All that's left for me is pure, brutal agony.
{{JAAAAAAAAUNE!}}
[OMAKE]
I pulled the folded flag from inside my coat. With a swift motion, I unfolded it, revealing the design.
Ghira quickly took the flag from my hands, his eyes shining with approval.
"This is..." He began, emotional. "Perfect."
"Glad you liked it." I replied sheepishly.
"'Liked it' is an understatement, my young friend." Said Ghira, showing the flag to everyone. "The feline's face looks in the opposite direction of the White Fang logo, symbolizing our stance against violent terrorist methods. The purple color is regal and imposing, contrasting with the red that the White Fang uses, which symbolizes blood and violence. It's a good design, strong and clear."
Patriarch Belladonna hugged me, showering me with praise.
'I can't tell him I stole the Thundercats logo and just swapped the red for purple.'