Author's Note: I'm not going to lie; you could skip this chapter if the info dump gets too annoying. If you're already familiar with RWBY, you probably know most of this stuff, but the protagonist doesn't. So, to get this out of the way, I've included all the heavy information here: the kingdoms, the academies, the hunters, the Faunus, racism, aura, semblances, and why money won't be an issue anymore. I also took the liberty of inventing a few things. That's all. Kisses and hugs! <3
« Point of View: ??? »
Today is the day. Today is the day that will change my life completely. Today begins my protagonist arc, he thought as he ran down the street, starting his training. Each step filled him with renewed energy, and he felt more motivated than ever. "Come on, today is the day everything changes!" he encouraged himself enthusiastically.
Suddenly, an intense burning sensation invaded his eyes. "Ah, what the hell is this?!" he screamed as his vision became blurry. Although the pain was annoying, he kept running, desperate. "I can't see well! I can't stop!"
He tripped and couldn't avoid crashing into a pole. "Nooo!" was his last thought before losing consciousness.
As he lay on the ground, people began to gather around him. A passerby exclaimed, "Look, someone has fallen!"
"We need to call an ambulance; he looks hurt!" another said, concerned. "Are you okay? Can you hear me?!"
"He's not moving! This can't be good."
And so ended this chubby guy's protagonist arc. While people crowded around him, a person on the fourth floor of the building across the street went back inside their apartment, closing the balcony doors behind them, ignoring the scene unfolding below.
« Point of View: Daniel Hawk »
Experiment number 23: The ability 'Instinctive Scratch' works on humans and can target the eyes. It seems to have a strong effect on the subject. His condition has been compromised, but there's nothing to worry about; I'm sure he'll be fine.
*Sounds of ambulance sirens*
The technology in this world is very advanced; they even have robotic prosthetics. I'm sure he'll recover. I'm 100% sure.
"WE'RE LOSING HIM; WE NEED TO GET HIM TO THE HOSPITAL!" shouted a paramedic from the street.
"I'm 70% sure."
(He survived, but they had to replace his right arm with a robotic prosthetic.)
It's been seven days since I met Weiss Schnee, and I haven't heard from her since. Honestly, I don't understand why; I think I behaved pretty well. We went shopping, had dinner together, and spent a very pleasant evening. But it's fine, maybe it was for the best.
I heard on the news that she tricks innocent young men with lies to get them into bed and then discards them. The story has been making waves over the past few days, and there was even a video, but they couldn't identify the young man involved. It's a shame; I'd like to give him a hug and tell him that everything will be alright.
I've been pretty busy this past week. I spent the first four days in a hotel, researching this world, experimenting with my abilities, and figuring out how to make the most of them.
Here's a summary of the most important stuff: The world I'm in now is called Remnant, and it's infested with Grimm. There's no place where they aren't: forests, deserts, mountains, and snowy regions. Basically, you can find them in any corner of the world. They don't tire, don't need to eat, and are attracted to negative emotions. The safest places are the kingdoms, though there are settlements outside of them too.
Currently, there are four main kingdoms, each with its own hunter academy or armed force to protect it. Starting with Vale, which is one of the most advanced and peaceful nations, with Beacon Academy. Then there's Mistral, which is like the Asia of this world, and its academy is Haven.
Atlas would be like Germany in this world: the most technologically advanced and safest nation. It would be great if it weren't for the fact that it's in an Arctic zone and they're racist. Their military force is merged with their hunters, and they have Atlas Academy.
Finally, Vacuo is like the Middle East: a dry and desert-like place with a scarcity of resources and a high crime rate. Despite everything, it's the most united kingdom and has Shade Academy.
There's also Menagerie, a small island in the southwest of the map, mainly inhabited by Faunus. It's not considered a real kingdom and doesn't have an academy; they're screwed.
In this world, racism is primarily directed at the Faunus. Violence, oppression, and near-slavery disguised as poorly paid labor are common. There was a group called the White Fang, founded by Faunus and led by Ghira Belladonna, that fought for equality and their rights. Initially, they sought peaceful methods, but under the leadership of Sienna Khan, they became radicalized, using violent tactics like terrorism and sabotage. Their main enemy is the Schnee Dust Company (SDC), the same company owned by Weiss's family. The SDC often prioritizes profits over the rights and well-being of workers, most of whom are Faunus.
And how exactly are they exploited? Well, the Schnee Dust Company is one of the leading companies in mining and producing Dust in the world of Remnant. Basically, the Faunus are cheap labor used to extract Dust.
Dust is a very important substance in Remnant. It's used for many things. It can be used to enhance weapons and abilities, charging them with Dust to launch fire, ice, lightning projectiles, among others. It also serves as an energy source for technology and machinery. Fun fact: apparently, they don't know about fusion energy.
As for the hunters, they are the main force against the Grimm threat. They are the elite warriors of Remnant, endowed with supernatural abilities and sophisticated weapons, dedicated to protecting humanity. They begin their training from a young age, attending combat pre-academies or preparing on their own.
There's a whole system for this. Those who don't attend pre-academies must go through various tests to prove they're ready to enter an academy. Those who did attend pre-academies can go directly to the real academies to try their luck. However, attending a pre-academy doesn't guarantee acceptance, and half of the applicants are rejected each year. Those who fail have several options: try again the following year, join the law enforcement forces, try another academy, seek sponsorship from a real hunter and become their apprentice, or, if they run out of options, join Atlas Academy. They accept anyone; their military force and hunters are one and the same, and the army never rejects a potential recruit.
All hunters have aura. This is an energy that all humans and Faunus in Remnant possess. It acts as a protective shield that can absorb damage, strengthen attacks, and heal minor wounds. It is activated from a young age, and training is required to learn how to use it; it is usually taught in the academies. All people can have aura, but not everyone has it activated. Why? Because it seems to attract Grimm. A city where all inhabitants have their aura activated would be a beacon for Grimm, so not everyone activates it.
Aura can be activated in different ways. Someone with considerable training can unlock another person's aura or by undergoing life-threatening situations and letting the need for survival allow it to manifest, although they might also die in the process.
Hunters awaken unique and special abilities known as Semblances. These vary widely and can be anything from creating illusions, controlling elements, increasing speed, to healing abilities or object manipulation. Each Semblance is unique and is an extension of what each person can do. Only one Semblance can be had per person, although some families share Semblances, like the Schnee, who have always had a summoning Semblance.
Now, let's talk about my money problem. I've done thorough research; this is no joke. It turns out that truffles can be cultivated, but it's not that simple. The plants cost around 150 Liens each, as they are trees whose roots have been inoculated with truffle spores. Normally, it would take between 5 and 10 years for them to produce truffles, but my instant growth ability solves that. Suddenly, what seemed like a useless skill has turned into a gold mine. Each truffle can be sold for 1,500 Liens, but since I'm not an authorized distributor, the price drops to 1,000 Liens, no questions asked about its origin. I'm sure they pocket those 500 Liens.
Vale isn't a small city; around 4 to 5 million people live here. Statistically, there's usually one restaurant for every 1,000 to 2,000 people, so there should be about 5,000 restaurants. Of those, only between 2% and 5% use truffles, leaving me with a potential market of 50 to 250 restaurants. But do I really want to flood the truffle market and anger the truffle mafias? The answer is no. The plan is to sell cheap twice a week and distribute the truffles among different restaurants, always changing clients. With 36 truffles a week, that amounts to around 36,000 Liens.
I decided to get an apartment, but living in Vale is expensive. Renting a decent place outside of the red zone costs me 4,000 Liens monthly. Why so expensive? I needed enough space for my plants. My dream of becoming the best farmer is underway.
The final tally looked like this: from the initial 6,000 plus the 4,000 from Weiss, I subtracted 600 for the days in the hotel, 4,000 for the apartment, 100 for food, 1,000 for clothes (because I can't live with just one outfit), and 2,700 for the eighteen plants inoculated with truffle spores. Thus, my starting capital was reduced to 1,600 Liens. It doesn't matter; I can easily recover it with the first sale, so the money problem is currently solved... unless the truffle market crashes.
Please, God, don't let the truffle market crash.
Author's Note: Tired, right? Well, just one question: in the next chapter, it's the misfortune gacha. Options:
A) Elder Wand
B) Yellow Potion
C) A Pokémon
D) Mimetic Tear (I really like Elden Ring)
E) Give me a suggestion