Disclaimer: Neither The Gamer or RWBY are mine. All characters and plots within were created and are owned by the respective owners of the before mentioned properties. I am simply borrowing them for fun and seek no monetary gain from this. Any original characters or plots are mine.
Summary: Jaune Arc has always dreamed of being a Huntsmen. He dreamed of becoming a hero of legend. How will becoming The Gamer change things? Watch out Beacon! It's time to Level Up! Game Start!
Author's Note: Well here we are folks. The reason why I have not updated any of my other stories for the last 2 weeks or so. (More like 3 weeks, but let me have my delusions would you?). I've been obsessed with RWBY for a while now and have read a few crossover fanfics across multiple genres meshing in The Gamer's Ability. I was intrigued by the concept behind it, but it wasn't until I went looking for the English translations of "The Gamer" that I fell in love with the web comic as well.
I racked my brain trying to come up with ideas for a crossover story and this just kind of popped into my head and refused to leave. I mean can any of you think of a better character to suddenly have such an ability than Jaune Arc?
The first person to say "Naruto" gets a Mana Arrow to the knee.
To those of you that are familiar with The Gamer please be aware that while I intend to stay faithful to what we know the Gamer Ability does and its limits, I intend to write my own interpretation of it. So if I happen to have my own format for how info and skills are displayed to Jaune please don't get upset. Also at the time of writing this I have only been able to find up to issue 117 translated to English so If a feature, skill, item, or ability has not been mentioned as impossible or working a specific way then I will treat it as fair play to use/tweak it to my own uses.
I have already made one major change that you might notice. I lowered the number of attribute points Jaune gets per level. The only thing this change does is it makes the numbers easier to manage. At least for me. It doesn't mean he is less powerful, it just means that each point is worth more and it'll force me to be a bit more careful in how Jaune allocates his points.
If anyone can think up a legitimate reason as to why I should stick to the 10 points per level system please let me know and I will take it into consideration. Please just keep in mind that "but that's the way it's supposed to be" is not a legitimate reason.
Anyways please let me know what you guys think about this.
I hope you all enjoy it.
Cheers!
Chapter 1
[Updated 02/06/2016]
Jaune Arc awoke slowly, stretching his arms wide and groaning in pleasure as he felt his muscles warming up pleasantly. He kept his eyes close for the moment, just enjoying how relaxed he felt.
The sound of someone dropping a pan in the kitchen downstairs filtered into his room making him smile; one of the girls in the house was trying to cook breakfast again.
He could hear one of his little sister's laughter fill the air and felt a surge of warmth shoot through him at the sound. He just knew it was going to be a good day.
First day of summer. What am I going to do today? He asked himself as he sat up and swung his legs over the side of his mattress.
Jaune reached up to wipe the sleep from his eyes as he pondered the question.
Well first things first, I need to get out of this bed before Violet comes up here and decides to drag me out of it.
Jaune chuckled to himself and opened his eyes.
"Whaaa!" He yelled in surprise as he caught sight of the thing hovering in front of his face.
He immediately scooted away from the floating blue box, a small squeak of shock escaping him as he scooted too far and fell off the other side of the bed.
Thank god Lily didn't see that. Jaune thought gratefully as he rubbed the back of his head. His little sister loved teasing him. He didn't really need to be providing her with even more ammo than she already had.
Once he felt the last of the pain in his head fade, he cautiously opened his eyes again. Checking to see if it was still there.
Yep, I wasn't seeing things.
It was a large box about 12 inches wide, dark blue in color, and now that he was actually taking a moment to examine it he noticed that it was filled with white text.
Text that seriously made no sense to him.
[Welcome to A Gamer's Life]
[Would You Like to Play?]
[YES] or [NO]
The yes and no options were glowing slightly brighter than the rest.
What is this? Jaune swiped at the box with his hands and watched confused as his hand passed right through it as if it wasn't there.
He stood up and tried to step around it only for it to move with him. No matter where he looked the box would shift so that it was smack dab in the middle of his face.
Are those buttons?
His hand came up to hover over the yes and no choices. He could hear his Dad's voice in his head.
"Never say yes to anything unless you understand what it is you are saying yes to Jaune."
His Dad was a retired huntsmen and someone Jaune had always looked up to as a role model. Someone he trusted more than pretty much anyone else in the world. He had never seen his father shy away from anything and every time he had ignored the man's advice he had regretted it.
He then thought of his mother and what she would say.
"Jaune use your head. What's the smart thing to do?"
His mother was a warm and gentle person. The thought of the sadness he would see in her eyes if he disappointed her made Jaune want to cringe.
I should hit no. I have no idea what this is or what it's asking.
Those thoughts drifted through his head almost guiding his finger over to the button labeled "No", but something made Jaune hesitate. He didn't know what it was, but he could feel it telling him that this was something he'd been waiting his entire life for. This was his chance.
Chance to what, he didn't know, but the more he stared at the box the more certain the feeling became.
He'd regret it if he chose to say no to this question.
Before he could second guess himself Jaune quickly made his choice and watched as the [YES] option glowed a bright gold as his finger touched it. The light quickly engulfing his hand and traveling up to the rest of his body.
He should have been scared. He should have panicked as the light spread over the rest of his body, the sight should have terrified him and yet, for some reason, it didn't. The light was warm and comforting, he could feel it seeping into body, spreading its feeling of "rightness" to every nook and cranny, through every muscle and tendon.
In the end the sensation only lasted a few seconds and was gone as fast as it had arrived. The light faded, but in its place it left behind...energy.
That was the only word that came to mind. Jaune felt like all his muscles were tingling with the urge to move, but not in an unpleasant way.
Jaune smiled as he held his hands out in front of him and examined them as if seeing them for the first time.
I feel...good. He thought.
He was broken out of his self-examination by the appearance of two more boxes.
This time he calmly read its contents without any hesitation.
... ... ... ... ...
[New Skill Acquired]
By selecting yes you have gained a new skill [Gamer's Body].
... ... ... ... ...
Jaune quirked an eyebrow as he read the information on the screen.
... ... ... ... ...
[Gamer's Body] (Passive) Lvl MAX]: A passive skill that is always active and cannot be removed.
Effect: Grants the user a body that allows for them to experience the real world like a game. Any physical damage received diminishes HP, but leaves no injuries and any resulting pain is felt for only a few seconds. Sleeping in a bed restores HP, MP and eliminates all negative status effects.
... ... ... ... ...
Jaune read the text stunned by what he was reading.
Gamer's Body…experience the real world like a game…HP….Status Effects? What does this all mean?
Jaune understood the terms. He had played enough RPGs in his life to recognize the words, but was this implying that he, Jaune Arc, had become a game character?
While he thought about it he dismissed the boxes only for another to replace it.
... ... ... ... ...
[New Skill Acquired]
By selecting yes you have gained a new skill [Gamer's Mind].
... ... ... ... ...
[Gamer's Mind] (Passive) [Lvl MAX]: A passive skill that is always active and cannot be removed.
Effect: Allows the user to calmly and logically think things through in stressful situations. Grants acceptance of reality even when experiencing situations that seem to defy logic. Grants Immunity to psychological status effects.
... ... ... ... ...
Is that why I'm not freaking out right now?
Dismissing the additional screens Jaune went to take a seat on his bed.
What did this mean for his dream?
He only had two months before he started at Beacon Academy. He was still surprised that he had even managed to get in. The application he'd submitted and the transcripts he'd mailed in had been pretty shoddy. He'd had to forge them himself after all and a master forger he was not.
All it would take was a quick call to the combat school he'd listed as his previous school to blow his secret wide open. He hadn't had a choice, not really, not if he wanted to fulfill his dream.
His dream of becoming a huntsmen.
He'd wanted to be one for as long as he could remember. He thought of all the stories he'd heard when he was younger, stories his mom and dad used to tell him and his sisters at night before they went to bed. Stories full of adventure, excitement, and nobility.
Huntsmen and Huntresses were the people that stood as the final and strongest line of defense against a world filled to the brim with darkness. Not a metaphorical darkness, but a physical manifestation of hatred and fear that spent all of its time trying to snuff out the light of humanity. The appropriately named Creatures of Grimm. The huntsmen and huntresses used their strength to protect the weak and innocent from harm. They were looked up to as the greatest of heroes and guardians.
Jaune couldn't imagine aspiring to being anything less.
"Jaune!"
His younger sister, Lily, calling his name from downstairs snapped him from his thoughts.
"Hurry up! Mom made pancakes!"
Jaune stood up with a sigh and looked at himself in the mirror sitting over his desk.
"I'll figure this all out after I eat." Jaune promised himself.
It was only then that the significance of what his sister had said finally struck him.
Mom made pancakes…
"Oh Monty…"
# # #
"Here you go Jaune, dig in there's plenty." Jaune's mother said with a wide smile as she placed a stack of pancakes in front of him.
"Thanks Mom." Jaune said returning her smile.
His mother, Celeste Arc, was the kindest person Jaune had ever met. She had been a huntress for years before she had decided to hang up her weapons in favor of raising her children. She'd told him once that being a huntress was a dangerous job and she couldn't stomach the thought of leaving her children without their mother.
Jaune had always had a hard time picturing the petite woman as a warrior. He couldn't remember a single time when she had ever even raised her voice to him or his sisters. The thought of her wielding a weapon against evil seamed beyond ludicrous, or it would have, if it weren't for the fact that she terrified the crap out Jaune's father.
Lionel Arc had been an active huntsmen for over eighteen years and was, as far as Jaune was concerned, the strongest person in the world. Jaune spent hours every day watching his dad train out in the back of their property with his massive claymore, keeping himself in prime fighting shape in between the rare jobs he took as a retired huntsmen. The power behind his swings enough to make the trees nearby sway with just the shockwave the blade produced as it sliced through the air.
One day, after his dad had finished training, Jaune had asked him if he'd ever lost a fight to anyone.
He could still remember the serious expression on his father's face as he spoke the words that had left the young blonde reeling.
"Jaune, your mother is scary."
Jaune was sure that back then he had meant her prowess with her weapons, but right now, in this very moment, Jaune was sure he had been referring to something else altogether – her cooking.
The pancakes on Jaune's plate looked normal enough; Light, fluffy, and golden brown. To anyone else they would have been hard pressed to find a better looking pancake.
Jaune and the rest of his family, however, they knew better.
"Why are you all just staring at the food? Go ahead and eat, there's plenty." His mom said happily.
Jaune picked up his fork and knife and very slowly cut off a small bite. He would be the first. Being willing to give of himself for the good of others was what it meant to be a huntsmen after all. He would be fighting against the Creature of Grimm soon. He wouldn't back down from a challenge as simple as this.
Jaune speared his chosen morsel and brought it to his lips. A quick glance around the table saw more than a few solemn expressions being sent his way.
They were grateful for his sacrifice.
Quickly popping the food into his mouth before he could second guess himself, Jaune started to chew.
He felt it immediately…it was already starting.
Jaune continued to chew, picking up speed in an effort to get the bite down as quickly as possible.
Why is it taking so long!? It's a pancake! It shouldn't take this long to chew!
Sweat had already started to pop out on his forehead.
Oh my Lord Monty, please let the pain stop!
It took a few more seconds, but he finally managed to swallow all of it.
Keeping his face calm Jaune waited for the burning sensation in his mouth to subside.
Why for the love of everything holy does mom put chili peppers in EVERYTHING!
Jaune put his utensils down and took a deep breath.
"Taste's great mom!" He hoped the words sounded genuine.
There was a rush of relieved sighs from everyone else at the table.
This was a normal occurrence at the Arc home whenever his mother cooked. One person would brave the first bite and let the rest know if it was survivable or not.
Honestly on a scale of 1 to 10, compared to some of the other food his mother has served him over the years, this one was a low 5. Too spicy for normal people, but something that could be endured by someone with enough experience.
He was watching the rest of his family sitting around the table digging into their own food, only a slight shudder betraying the pain they were experiencing, when another blue box appeared in front of him.
Glancing around the table he noticed that no one else seemed to notice it.
... ... ... ... ...
[New Skill Acquired]
By willingly taking on the burden of Taste Tester for the good of others you have gained a new skill: [Poison Resistance].
... ... ... ... ...
Curious and a little amused Jaune made sure no one was paying him any attention before he continued reading.
... ... ... ... ...
[Poison Resistance] (Passive) [Lvl 1, EXP 0.0%]: A passive skill that makes the user resistant to most mundane poisons and spicy foods.
Effect: All damage from basic poisons and spicy foods is reduced by 1%
... ... ... ... ...
Jaune couldn't help the thrill of excitement that blossomed in his chest when he read the effect of his new skill.
What else can I do!?
# # #
Jaune carefully slid out the back door and closed it behind him gently. He needed to make sure that none of his sisters, or even worse his mother, heard him.
He stayed low and silently ran over to the small building his father used as their dojo. Slipping inside he breathed a sigh of relief. No one had caught him.
The dojo itself wasn't really a dojo at all. That was just what his father called it. It was little more than a small shed where the armor and weapons kept by the Arc family were stored. There was enough room for a small mat where his father liked to run through his meditation and weapon katas, but that was about it.
Jaune walked further into the room, eyes locked on the reason he had risked his mother's "disappointed face".
Crocea Mors
The sword and shield hanging on the wall had belonged to his family for generations. His Great Grandfather had wielded them in the Great War, his Grandfather had wielded them in the Faunus Rights Revolution. His father had once claimed the sword to be over 300 years old, but despite that it still glistened and shined as if it were fresh out of the forge.
The blue and gold pummel of the sword glowed in the light provided by the single window in the opposite wall, and the unblemished white finish on the shield seemed almost mirror like.
Jaune stepped up as close as he could tracing the lines and curves of both as carefully as he could.
Beautiful. He thought to himself.
He'd always been drawn to Crocea Mors, ever since his father had first told him the story behind the weapon. It had only ever been wielded by Arcs in service to the kingdom and always to protect the innocent.
His father had told him once that any Arc that had ever tried to wield the blade in anything but a righteous conflict had found themselves disarmed almost immediately.
Despite its name literally meaning Yellow Death it was rumored that Crocea Mors wouldn't allow itself to be drawn and used for any reason that was less than honorable.
The story had intrigued a young Jaune Arc, filling his mind with images of himself one day wielding such an incredible sword and shield.
He reached out to touch the blade and pulled back as a prompt appeared in front of him.
... ... ... ... ...
[New Skill Acquired]
By closely examining an object and trying to memorize as much about it as possible, you have gained a new skill: [Observe].
... ... ... ... ...
Yes! This looks good.
... ... ... ... ...
[Observe] (Passive/Active) [Lvl 1, EXP 0.0% XP]: Through continuous observation, a skill to observe objects, situations, and living beings was generated allowing the user to quickly gather information. The higher the skill, the greater the data obtained.
... ... ... ... ...
An active skill? How do I use this?
Jaune had played some RPG games in the past. Mostly with friends online, so he knew that usually in the games one had to select a skill to use or assign them to a specific hot key.
Maybe he had to touch the object?
Jaune reached out a finger and gently lay it on Crocea Mors hilt. A few seconds passed with nothing happening.
Well that didn't work.
Jaune pulled his hand back and tried to rack his brain for another answer.
"How am I supposed to use this?" He asked out loud.
…silence…
Worth a shot…His mom always said, "When you need help, there is no shaming in asking, just choose the right words and…"
Jaune's thought trailed off as an idea struck him. Could it really be that simple?
"Information."
No reaction.
"Stats."
A blue screen appeared in front of him.
Jaune pumped his fist into the air in victory, before he read the text in front of him and realized that it wasn't information for Crocea Mors he was seeing.
... ... ... ... ...
NAME: JAUNE ARC
CLASS: THE GAMER
LEVEL: 4
... ... ... ... ...
HP: 250/250
MP (Locked): 0/0
... ... ... ... ...
STR: 5 -[0]+
END: 5 -[0]+
AGI: 5 -[0]+
INT: 5 -[0]+
WIS: 5 -[0]+
LCK: 5 -[0]+
... ... ... ... ...
Points: 8
Money: $30
... ... ... ... ...
Jaune read through everything…these were his stats…he really was a game character! He had stats and everything.
Strength, Endurance, Agility, Intelligence, Wisdom, & Luck.
If he increased these, would his abilities in the real world get stronger too? If he put points into Strength would he really get stronger?
He had 8 points to spend. Should he spend them all?
ABSOLUTELY!
His finger hammered away at the button next to Strength adding 4 points to it and 4 to Endurance.
A moment later the numbers on the screen updated.
... ... ... ... ...
HP: 290/290
STR: 9 -[4]+
END: 9 -[4]+
... ... ... ... ...
Hitting the [Accept] button that appeared when he'd made his choices, Jaune felt a rush of energy sweep through him and he could hardly contain the urge to yell in excitement. He could feel it. His muscles felt stronger. It was an amazing feeling. He had always considered himself average for his age in terms of strength even if he worked out to keep his body in shape. Now…
Now he felt like he could arm wrestle his dad…and win!
Ok maybe that was going too far, but he still felt like testing out just how much his strength had increased. Maybe he should hit the weights over there in the corner…
Taking a deep breath Jaune calmed himself down and dismissed the screen in front of him. He needed to focus. He had yet to finish what he had initially set out to do, testing his new limits could wait.
Focusing once again on Crocea Mors he went through what he had learned.
Voice commands work. Maybe I have to use the name of the skill I want to use.
"Observe."
Another screen came up and this time Jaune just smiled as he saw that he had guessed right.
... ... ... ... ...
[Crocea Mors: Sword and Shield]
The sword itself is a simple arming sword with a blue handle and a golden cross-guard. The shield is a white heater shield with gold trim, capable of collapsing down into a sheath for the sword.
Sword +15 Attack
Shield +15 Defense
Special Bonus: +2 Strength when both are wielded together.
... ... ... ... ...
Wow. The Gamer ability has turned Crocea Mors into a game item. Will this happen to everything? Jaune wondered.
Carefully removing both the sword and shield from the wall, Jaune shuddered as he felt a small surge rush through him similar to what he had felt when he had spent his points.
That must be the +2 Strength ability of Crocea Mors. This is incredible! This ability I've been given…It's made me…strong.
That realization shifted something in Jaune's mind. He felt like opportunities had opened up before him. Like the world was whispering to him. Telling him that his dream was there for the taking. He just had to reach out and grab it.
He had originally planned to just take a few practice swings with the sword he hoped to one day inherit.
But now another plan was forming in his mind.
I need to test myself. I'm going to beacon in just a few months. I'll embarrass myself if I go there with absolutely zero experience. I won't be going far. Just beyond the wall will be fine.
Jaune didn't stop to reconsider his options as he hit the button on the shields handle and watched it collapse down into its sheath form. Attaching it to his belt he sheathed his sword and turned to the door of the "Dojo".
He was going to be a huntsmen. Nothing could stop him now.
# # #
Making his way to the wall only took about 15 minutes at a light jog. His family's house was a bit secluded and existed right up next to the forest that framed the northern borders of his village.
Vidium was a small village situated on the outskirts of Vale. It was small farming community with a population of less than 1,200 far removed from the busy and populated residential or commercial districts. A fact his parents quite enjoyed.
The wall itself was about fifteen feet tall and had been built generations ago to stop the locals from wandering too far into the wilderness. There were other defenses in place, including a much larger wall, to stop the Grimm from entering the village further out, but the forest was large and dense so it was not unheard of for young Grimm to be found within its depths. Whether or not they spawned in the forest or found their way in from some opening was unknown. Plenty of people had gotten lost over the years and accidentally stumbled into those Grimm while trying to find their way back. The wall in front of Jaune was just a small measure put in place to prevent that.
The Grimm were actually the reason Jaune had ventured all the way to the wall in the first place. He had overheard his father talking to his mother the other night. He had mentioned that the wall patrol had spotted a handful of young boarbatusk in the area the night before last.
According to his father the village council had decided had decided to send in a small squad of wall guards to destroy the beasts. Sending in a lone hunter would be overkill and they were reluctant to waste the money the local hunters would charge, and sending the village patrol would be a waste of time. The boarbatusk posed no threat to the village at the moment, so the wall guard would take care of them during their normal rounds. That gave him a few hours to work before the guards would get to this section. They had only just started their rounds on the other side of the village.
His dad had laughed it off. Saying he would have refused the job even if they had offered. He would have felt like he was stealing from the village for charging a fee for something that would probably take him seconds to finish.
And his mom had made him promise to never accept a job for free, unless people's lives were in immediate danger.
Looking down at his personal scroll to check the time, Jaune smile when he saw that he still had over an hour before his dad would return from buying groceries for the month. Plenty of time for him to finish what he had come here to do and return Crocea Mors to its proper place before anyone was any the wiser.
Glancing around quickly to make sure the village guards were nowhere to be seen Jaune unsheathed his sword and lifted the sheath expanding it back into its shield form.
Feeling the +2 strength enhancement take effect Jaune quickly made his way to the top of the wall using a nearby ladder and crouched down to peak over the edge of the railing that ran along the top.
There they were, right where his father had said they'd be. He'd been concerned that he'd have to waste time looking for them.
Boarbatusks, Three of them, about twenty yards from the wall in the middle of a large clearing just walking back and forth, noses to the ground as if they were searching for something.
Okay Jaune, you can do this.
A battle cry was on his lips as he prepared to leap over the edge, but he managed to swallow it at the last second.
Was I really going to yell out loud and give away my presence BEFORE I attacked? Jaune could have slapped himself for that one. He could hear his older sister Amber's voice in his head at that thought.
"Use your head Jaune! Think before you act!"
Start with using your new skill! What does dad always say is the most import part of fighting the Grimm?
It was a question that Jaune barely had to think about before the answer popped into his head.
Know your enemy.
"Observe." He said as focused on one of the Boarbatusks.
... ... ... ... ...
Young Boarbatusk LV 2
HP: 100/100 MP: 0
Boarbatusks are large, armored, wild boar-like creatures of Grimm.
... ... ... ... ...
Jaune dismissed the screen, only to have another one pop up a moment later.
[Through continuous use the [Observe] skill level has increased by 1.]
So I level my skills up just by using them? I guess that makes sense. People train to get stronger. They hone their normal skills. I guess game skills are the same.
Looking back at the Grimm in front of him Jaune was interested to see that each creature now had text floating above their heads. All showing the same information.
Lvl 2 Young Boarbatusk
Gripping his sword and shield tighter Jaune took a deep breath and hopped over the edge of the wall falling the 15 feet to land in a crouch, the thick grass cushioning the impact.
A brief pain in his knees was all he felt as he landed, but that disappeared quickly.
It was a good thing too because the sound of his landing had been enough to alert the Grimm to his presence.
So much for the advantage of surprise. Jaune scolded himself although he didn't really have much choice with his entrance. The nearest gate was a too far away and, more importantly, monitored by a single guard.
The first boarbatusk pawed at the ground with its hoof angrily before it let loose a squeal and charged at him.
Jaune knew that if this had happened the day before he was sure that the sight of the waist high Grimm charging at him full speed, its tusks pointed directly at him, would have been enough to cause him to freeze up in fear.
Now, however, instead of fear Jaune, felt a calm flow through his mind as he planted his legs shoulder width apart, knees slightly bent, and brought his shield up.
The small Grimm hit the shield a second later with a jarring crash, which shook his arms violently, and stopped dead in its tracks. It took a few steps back shaking its head in confusion.
Jaune seeing the opening wasted no time pushing forward and swinging his shield with all his strength into the face of his opponent. The impact knocking the creature over an opening Jaune was quick to capitalize on.
Jumping forward with his sword pointing straight down he drove it straight into the underside of the Grimm's jaws, the blade piercing though the beast's head and pinning it to the ground.
His first opponent jerked for a few moments before going completely still.
A notification appeared off to the side as the corpse started to disintegrate.
[You Have Gained 400 XP!]
Luckily it didn't seem to require him to acknowledge it as it disappeared a few seconds after he finished reading it.
The last two boarbatusks were already charging him. Seeing this and realizing that he wasn't sure how much his strength had increased, Jaune decided not to try and block both of them at once. If they knocked him down, he doubted they'd give him a chance to get back up. Instead he collapsed his shield back down and grabbed the base of it holding it in his hand as if it were a second sword.
He watched the Grimm approach and at the last second just as they were about to hit him Jaune spun to the side and out of the way. He lashed out with his sword as the one nearest to him passed by. With a squeal the blade sank into the unprotected flesh of the boarbatusk's hind leg.
[Critical Strike!]
He watched as both monsters slowed to a halt and stared at him. The one he had struck was hobbling as it dragged its leg behind it.
It's injured! I'll hit it once more, hopefully that will be enough!
Unfortunately, the other Grimm decided not to cooperate with his plan and gave a mighty squeal of defiance. It immediately followed up with a small hop that sent it a few feet straight up into the air…where it started to spin…faster than should be possible.
What the hell!
Jaune watched with wide eyes as the boarbatusk spun so fast that it started to blur, the moment it came back down and hit the ground it was moving towards him much faster than it had the first time around.
He barely had time to get his shield up and deployed again before the Grimm crashed into him, the impact actually forcing him to take a few steps back as he struggled to stop its advance. The Grimm continued its assault on his shield. Grinding against the metal like a saw blade.
Jaune grit his teeth as he tried to push back, but was unable to gain any traction.
The boarbatusk was slowly pushing him backwards.
His mind raced as he tried to come up with a plan of action. If the Grimm managed to pin him to the tree behind him there was no telling what would happen.
Jaune nearly fell over in surprise, when music started blaring from his pocket.
My Scroll!
He recognized the ringtone. His mother was calling.
Sorry mom, No time to talk right now. Jaune silently apologized.
Diving to the side quickly Jaune rolled a few feet away stopping just in time to watch as the Boarbatusk kept rolling straight passed him and into the trunk of a massive tree. His scroll going silent as he hit the ground.
Wood splintered as bark went flying everywhere like shrapnel from a bomb.
The impact seemed to have finally brought the spinning creature to a halt. It was just standing there swaying on its feet.
Is it stunned? Jaune pondered before he used the hilt of his sword to smack himself in the forehead. Don't waste time asking questions when you should be attacking!
Sprinting towards his opponent Jaune locked his eyes on the creature's throat.
Just before he reached the dazed beast Jaune allowed his legs to slip out from under him and went into a power slide passing just under its head with barely enough room to fit. At just the right time he thrust his blade up letting his momentum do the rest.
SLICE!
A shrill screech filled the air for a brief second before it cut off into a loud gurgle. The Boarbatusk spun in place looking for its attacker only to stumble and fall to its side. Its head barely attached to the rest of its body.
Crocea Mors' blade had cut deep.
[You Have Gained 400 XP!]
Adding another kill to his list had Jaune feeling a confidence bubble up inside him that he had never felt before.
That was two, only one left.
A surge of excitement rushed through him. Only one more enemy to go and it was still crippled from his earlier attack.
He was doing it! He was fighting Grimm – and he was winning!
How should I attack this one? Its leg is useless, it hasn't moved more than a few feet since it last attacked. It's just standing there watching me.
Jaune slowly walked around the remaining boarbatusk examining it.
"Observe".
... ... ... ... ...
Young Boarbatusk LV 2
HP: 60/100 MP: 0
Status: Crippling Injury
Boarbatusks are large, armored, wild boar-like creatures of Grimm.
Attacks: Slam / Spinning Charge
... ... ... ... ...
So that level up for my [Observe] skill had more effects than just the floating info.
It was as he was considering if the Grimm was still capable of both its known attacks that he had an idea.
He needed to test his body. See if it really had changed as much as the [Gamer's Body] skill implied.
Collapsing the shield in his hand back into its sheath form he affixed it back to his waist and approached the boarbatusk lowering his sword until it was hanging next to his hip.
A position that left his torso completely exposed.
This is stupid.
Jaune couldn't stop the thought from echoing inside his head, but for some reason he was completely calm about what he was about to do. It would work.
If I know it'll work then why do I have to test it? He asked himself although he already knew the answer.
He had to know what it felt like to take a hit. This was as close to a controlled fight as he was likely to get with a Grimm.
This was an opportunity.
Stopping a few feet in front of the Grimm he stood calmly waiting for it to move.
Frankly he was surprised that it hadn't tried to attack already. One of its legs was useless, but there was no way that meant it wasn't still capable of moving at all.
His father had told him once that the Creatures of Grimm were compelled to kill humans whenever they saw them. He had said it was a basic instinct that they could not ignore.
But he had also said never to underestimate a Grimm.
But this is a "Young Boarbatusk"? It's only level 2. Should it be capable of ignoring its desire to kill me?
As if to answer the question the Grimm suddenly screeched, almost as if it was issuing a battle cry, and threw itself at him. The sharp tusks aiming directly for is stomach.
The impact was jarring as was the flare of pain that shot through him as he felt the tusks pierce his body. The hit threw him a few feet away from where he had been standing.
Jaune lay on the ground for a second gasping for air as his body screamed at him, it hurt so much, it really was as if he had been stabbed…
But then he noticed it.
The pain was fading away. It was disappearing altogether in fact.
Only a few seconds had passed since he had first hit the ground, but Jaune quickly jumped back up patting himself down.
No wounds!
His stomach should have had two massive holes in it. He had felt the tusks stab him, yet there was nothing. Not even his clothes were damaged.
I really am a game character!
"Stats!"Jaune called out wanting to see his health.
... ... ... ... ...
HP: 250/290
MP: 0/0
... ... ... ... ...
His HP had gone down by 40 points. That was, Jaune did a quick bit of math in his head – or at least tried to – math was never his strongest subject.
That one attack took 10% of my HP away…wait no closer to 15% maybe.
It was a good test.
Jaune looked down at the sword he had kept a hold on even as he had taken the hit. How much damage could he do?
Tapping the STR attribute in his stat window he watched as another smaller box opened. He read its contents while he kept one eye on the boarbatusk, which had returned to its previous position and was just staring at him.
... ... ... ... ...
Strength (STR): 9
(Attack): 33 (18, +15)
(Carry Weight): 180
... ... ... ... ...
So his strength controlled his attack damage?
What does the (18, +15) mean…Oh I get it. Jaune felt proud of himself for a moment. Crocea Mors sword had a modifier on it. It said: +15 attack. That must be what this is.
That would make each attack he dealt deliver 33 points of damage.
Wait a second though. I killed both those Grimm with one blow. They had 100 HP each – Does that mean WHERE I attack also matters?
That made sense he supposed. He had a Game Character's body, but the Grimm existed in the real world and had to obey its rules. If he hit a critical spot, like the brain or heart, death would be almost instantaneous.
That actually makes this easier.
Dismissing his stat screen Jaune eyed his enemy once more. He needed to finish it and get home.
I wonder if I have any additional attacks. So far I've only been slashing and stabbing. Let's try something else. Something new.
Jaune got himself into a stance that he felt appropriate for what he was about to do. One foot back and braced. Knees slightly bent. Sword pointing down at an angle behind him.
He took a deep breath and kicked off as fast as he could expelling the air in his lungs all at once. He dashed towards his enemy as fast as he could.
His movement seemed to startle the boarbatusk as it took a few steps away from him.
But it was too slow.
Jaune reached it a second later and without slowing down he passed by the creature's side and brought Crocea Mors up in a diagonal slash cutting through the beast's soft underbelly and sides with little resistance.
He slid to a halt just beyond it, his sword pointing straight out in front of him.
Action pose!
Jaune couldn't help it. He grinned. He'd always wanted to try one out. Just to see how it felt.
[You Have Gained 400 XP!]
The notification popped up on the screen even as he heard the creature fall behind him.
He smiled in victory only to find his eyes widen as more and more boxes started appearing on his screen.
... ... ... ... ...
[New Skill Acquired]
By performing a basic attack with your sword you have gained a new skill: [Slash].
[Slash] (Active) [Lvl 1, EXP 0.0% XP]: A Normal strike using a bladed weapon.
Effect: .2% chance of a critical strike.
... ... ... ... ...
[New Skill Acquired]
By performing a basic attack with your sword you have gained a new skill: [Impale].
... ... ... ... ...
[Impale] (Active) [Lvl 1, EXP 0.0% XP]: A Normal strike using a bladed weapon.
Effect: 10 pts of bleed damage per second.
... ... ... ... ...
[New Skill Acquired]
By performing a special attack with your sword you have gained a new skill: [Dash].
... ... ... ... ...
[Dash] (Active) [Lvl 1, EXP 0.0% XP]: A slicing attack utilizing the gamer's speed to deliver an augmented attack with a bladed weapon. +100% Attack Damage
... ... ... ... ...
Wow three new skills at once! I wonder how I…
[Your Level Has Increased by One!]
Jaune read the newest notification and sheathed his sword with a grunt of satisfaction.
That would put him at level 5. If he was understanding the mechanics right he figured that would give him a few extra attribute points to spend on his character stats.
I already put the majority of my first set of points into Strength and Endurance. Should I keep doing that? It might help to focus on power and defense equally. Who knows how strong I might be able to become? I wonder if I could convince dad to train with me a bit…
"Sta – Aaah!" Jaune gave a yelp as the ground underneath him suddenly lurched. He was barely able to keep his footing as the grass around him started shifting.
What's going on!?
[A boss has appeared!]
"Oh come on! What does that mean!?" Jaune yelled in frustration just as a deafening explosion of rock and dirt caught him by surprise and threw him to the ground.
He lay there dazed for a moment, his ears ringing loudly.
[You have been stunned for 5 seconds!]
He could barely make out the words floating into view.
Okay just 5 seconds and I should….wow it's already fading.
As quickly as the disorientation had set in it disappeared. His eyes abruptly focusing again and the ringing in his ears vanishing.
Benefits of being a game character!
Jaune slowly climbed to his feet. He tried to look around, but the air around him was obscured by dust.
What had that notification meant? A boss has appeared. Jaune squinted his eyes trying to see through the dust. This gamer ability only affected him right? There was no way…
A deep rumble filled his ears. The sound of it reminding him of the Boarbatusks he'd just fought only much deeper.
Please don't let it mean what I think it means.
"RooOAARR!"
A strong gust of wind whipped around him, clearing the dust and finally allowing Jaune a glimpse of the new figure that had appeared in the clearing with him.
"Woah…this is…oh boy….not good, not good at all." Jaune grimaced.
Lvl 20 Mature Boarbatusk
Level 20! That's four times my level and ten times stronger than the monsters from earlier! How is that fair!?
"Observe!"
... ... ... ... ...
Mature Boarbatusk LV 20
HP: 1000/1000 MP: 0
Boarbatusks are large, armored, wild boar-like creatures of Grimm.
... ... ... ... ...
It was a boarbatusk, the same species as the three he'd just killed, similar in basic form, but…different in almost every other way as far as he could see. This Grimm was taller than Jaune, its shoulder easily 10 feet off the ground.
Where the smaller versions had only had a small strip of armor running down their spines, the larger specimen not only had thicker armor running down it's back, but it had what looked like smooth white plate armor covering its sides and legs. He swallowed with difficultly as he examined the things defenses. Despite its armor being made of bone, Jaune imagined it to be as strong as steel.
The monster was between him and the wall, standing next to a massive hole in the ground. The forest was about 10 yards behind him.
That hole…it has to be a tunnel of some kind. Jaune felt an idea spark up in his mind. So that's why the smaller Grimm were just waiting here. They weren't just standing in this location randomly. They were waiting for this thing to show up.
Jaune shook his head and dismissed the how and why for the time being. He needed to focus on the more immediate issue of what he was going to do. He needed to come up with a plan fast. He doubted it was going to just stand there staring at him forever.
Should he do what he did with the others? He pulled his shield from his hip and expanded it. He was pretty sure he was going to need the increased strength for whatever happened next.
He didn't have much in the way of cover, but maybe if he could get to the tree line he could confuse it. Take shots at it until he could whittle its HP down.
That actually sounded like a decent plan.
He took a small step backwards, getting ready to turn and run, but that small act seemed to trigger something in the boss. It gave a mighty bellow and, with a quick jump, started to spin end over end tearing up the ground underneath it as it raced towards him.
And it was fast! Much faster than he had been expecting.
Jaune barely had time to dive out of the way with a yell of surprise, the spinning Grimm missing him by inches and slamming into the trees behind him.
Or it would be more accurate to say it slammed through the trees behind him. The same trees that had managed to halt the charge of the younger boarbatusk exploded into sawdust as the Grimm cut right through them, barely slowing down as it turned in a wide ark and came right back at him. Obliterating the trees in its path as if they were made of paper.
Hiding's out! Jaune thought as he jumped to the side again narrowly avoiding the things second attack.
Jaune turned and started running off towards the wall thinking he could probably jump high enough to climb over, only to stumble to a stop after only a few steps.
He couldn't escape that way. This thing was mowing down trees with no effort at all. What if it could just crash right through the wall? Even if he got away – that would just leave it free to take the village by surprise.
There was no telling how much damage it could do before the guards managed to take it down.
I've got to stop it here! There had to be a way!
But even with that conviction Jaune was at a loss on what to do. This monster was way too strong for him to take by himself.
Jaune shook his head and took a deep breath. He was allowing his fear of failure to make him nervous. That was going to get him killed. He needed to calm down.
Think Jaune – why is it so strong? What about it makes it too much for you to fight?
By this point the boarbatusk had lined up on him again. He only had a few more seconds to come up with something. Trying to stop it with his shield was suicide. There was no way he was strong enough to take a hit like that. It would steam roll right through him.
It was the spinning attack! That was its advantage. If he could get it to stop spinning he might actually stand a chance at taking it out.
That sounds great in theory, but how do I actually do that? Jaune asked himself as he watched it carefully. The Grimm was barreling towards him at full speed. Its fast…durable…strong….
Jaune waited until the very last moment before lunging to the side, the boarbatusk buzzing right past him.
Wait! That's the third time I've been able to dodge out of the way of its charge…it just moves in a straight line and then makes a wide turn in order to come back at me. It can't change direction quickly once it gets moving!
Would knowing that be enough though? The Grimm was armored all over, including on its sides. Even if he could simply dodge out of the way that would only be a temporary measure. Unless he could find a way to attack he was just going to tire himself out…
His thoughts screeched to a halt as a question occurred to him. Can I even get tired now?
His body was essentially that of a video game character's right? He'd only seen an HP meter and MP meter on his stats page, but MP had been at 0 out of 0 to start with. So theoretically he might not have to worry about stamina at all.
He was in decent shape for his age. He would even go so far as to say he was in great shape when compared to the average 17 year old boy, but even having said that he should have been a little winded by now with everything he's already done, but his breathing was as normal as always.
So can I outlast it? Even the Grimm have limits right? They are living creatures after all.
Even as he thought that he had his doubts. Yes Grimm were living creatures, but they also didn't bleed when cut and vanished like smoke within a few minutes of dying. There was no guarantee that they had any of the normal weaknesses other animals had.
But it was worth a shot. At the very least it was a way to stay alive until he could think of something else.
Another dodge moved him out of the way of another attack. The boarbatusk shooting past with what Jaune swore was an irritated roar.
Ha! Take that you oversized piece of bacon!
Not wanting to just stand around Jaune started moving. Running around and keeping to the outer edges of the clearing. Always trying to keep the boarbatusk's looking at him and away from the wall.
Kind of defeats the purpose of all this if it plows through the wall by accident.
He kept his body low and slashed at its side with Crocea Mors whenever he could get a shot in, but each attack only resulted in a few sparks as the things natural bone armor deflected his attacks.
"Observe." He called out again wanting to get a read on his enemies HP.
His attacks weren't doing much. The armor was too strong. His sword was only taking slivers of health off with each hit. He'd managed three separate slashes when dodging its last few attempts to flatten him into paste. Not that it did much good.
HP is still at 990/1000. This thing is definitely way too strong for me.
If only his dad were here. He'd know what to –
Jaune nearly slashed himself with his own sword in his rush to slap himself in the forehead.
His scroll! He could call for help! His dad could have the wall guards there in minutes. They'd have the firepower to slow this thing down.
He quickly reached into his pants pocket to pull out his scroll, but fumbled for a moment and almost tripped over his own feet. His scroll was gone!
But it was there just a few minutes ago! I heard it go off right before I… He trailed off as he remembered dodging out of the way of the first boarbatusk's attack. Could it have fallen out during my roll?
He didn't have time to look for it. The Grimm was closing in again.
'Time to dodge again in 3…2…
"Oh shi – **SLAM**!" Jaune let out a cry of pain as the boarbatusk crashed into him. For a moment he felt like he was flying, only to gasp in shock as his airborne body crashed into a tree. He dropped to the ground his entire body on fire.
Jaune had expected the Grimm to follow the same pattern they'd been running though for the last several minutes. It would line up on him, charge straight at him like a run-away locomotive, and fly right past him as he dodged to the side at the last second.
Had he been allowed to attend a combat prep school like signal he would have known one of the most basic of facts about Grimm: The older they are, the larger and smarter they are.
The boarbatusk had grown tired of missing its prey over and over again. So instead of simply rolling past him like it had previously it had instead come out of its spin at the last second and lashed out with its head, slamming into his shield and clipping his shoulder, flinging him away like a ragdoll.
A quick check on his stats made Jaune almost pass out.
HP 205/340
That single hit had taken cost him over 100 HP! If he'd not managed to get his shield up in time it probably would have killed him!
Jaune had no time to think about it further though as the boarbatusk had turned to face him and was pawing at the dirt, the same way the younger one had right before it had attacked. This time thought Jaune was sure it was not going to use its spin attack. It was simply going to try and trample or spear him with its tusks instead.
Climbing to his feet Jaune tried to move only to stumble as he realized one of his legs had gone completely numb and was refusing to acknowledge his commands.
[You have taken a critical hit and sustained an injury!]
His leg was crippled!
Jaune looked at the boarbatusk as it eyed him with malice.
Jaune pushed the urge to panic down. His mind going quiet. He had to be smart. This thing was going to kill him with its next attack if he didn't think of a way to counter it.
He couldn't dodge. His leg was completely useless. There was no way for him to hide from it. Could he get a hit on it?
Not likely. Even if I manage to get a hit on it before it gets to me, there's no way I can do enough damage to kill it before it crushed me, not with its armor covering most of its vital spots.
Maybe that was the key though Jaune's mind whispered to him in a moment of clarity. Most of its vitals were covered, but not ALL of them. Its throat was vulnerable…but with its head lowered to charge he had no way of getting his blade into position to take advantage of that fact.
What about the eyes?
They'd be right there in front of him, he just had to create an opening.
There was only one way he could think to do that.
Taking a deep breath Jaune hobbled backward a few steps literally dragging his unresponsive leg into position. He put his back to the tree behind him and brought his shield up bracing it against his shoulder.
Focus on what you intend to do. Put all of your strength into stopping it. You only need to hold it off for a few seconds.
He had to believe he had the strength to endure its hit long enough to strike back. He had no other choice.
Settling into position Jaune focused on his enemy.
"I can take anything you can dish out." His words were quiet and meant more for himself than the boarbatusk staring at him.
The box that popped up in front of him a second later startled him, but reading it immediately sent a rush of relief through his body.
... ... ... ... ...
[New Skill Acquired]
By committing your will to holding off a superior opponent's attack you have gained a new skill: [Shield Wall].
[Shield Wall] (Active) [Lvl 1, EXP 0.0% XP]: A novice shield skill that requires the gamer to cease all movement and brace for a strike. +100% Defense.
... ... ... ... ...
He had no idea what his Defense rating was at, but this new skill would double it. He only hoped it would be enough.
It would have to be.
The boarbatusk was charging.
"Shield Wall!"
Jaune saw his shield glow slightly with a bright white light and felt it…become more solid, was the only way his mind could describe it. The weight didn't change, but Jaune was sure it was heavier in some way.
Never mind that now! Focus! Stop it then stab for an eye. I can do this.
Just before it hit Jaune tensed up and lowered his center of gravity to better take the hit.
CRUNCH!
It hurt worse than any injury Jaune could ever recall. The force behind it had sandwiched him between the other side of his shield and the tree behind him.
Jaune barely stayed conscious. His back was on fire. His arm felt like it was being ripped off. Even his teeth ached.
"Stats!" He gasped out as he struggled to push back against the weight and power of the large Grimm.
HP: 75/340
He had survived the hit, but only barely. Even now he was taking damage. His mind filled with dread as he watched his HP slowly trickle down.
HP: 70/340
I have to get away from it! He screamed in his head.
HP: 65/340
He grit his teeth and gave a deep snarl as he pushed with all his might willing the boarbatusk to take even a single step back, just enough room for him to slip his sword out from where it was pinned to his chest…only to grimace as the Grimm growled and slammed a hoof down and shoved him harder into the tree. He felt the wood cave in slightly.
HP: 25/340
I will not die here! He pushed again. The Grimm pushing back.
HP: 20/340
Jaune's eyes were wide and his teeth flashing as he bared his teeth at the Grimm.
"Go to hell!"
HP: 15/340
The Grimm responded with a snort as it dug in and pushed against his shield.
HP: 10/340
Jaune closed his eyes. He didn't want to see the Grimm anymore. Instead he focused on his family. His mother and father. His sisters. He pictured them all in his mind. They were the last thing he wanted to see before…
"I'm sorry to make you all go through this again."
HP: 5/340
"Get out of my way!"
A familiar voice forced his eyes open, just in time to see a purple blur slam into the Boarbatusk with enough force to send it rolling across the ground, it's body creating a deep trench in the forest floor for a good 10 yards before it rolled to a stop.
If he hadn't witnessed it himself he never would have believed what he was seeing was possible.
His savior was standing there staring at the Grimm with a wild enraged look in her eyes, clad in a simple purple sundress, wearing open toed sandals, her hair pulled back into messy ponytail…and wielding a pair of daggers each as long as her forearm.
"Mom?"
Too Be Continued….
Author's Note: Please let me know what you guys think. Any suggestions for leveling and the like are welcome. I am not a game developer so I am trying to do my best with keeping The Gamer ability balanced. It would kill the story if Jaune became god like in the first few chapters.
So far the major changes I have made from the source material is that Jaune will only get 3 attribute points per level ups.
In the web comic Han Jee-Han gets 5.
I wanted to try and simplify this a bit to make it easier for myself and the others to track.
I've also added an END attribute which will contain both Defense and Vitality.
If any of you have suggestions or advice please let me know.
Please review and let me know what you guys think!