Arc 4: Experience the Story - Chapter 2
Disclaimer: I own nothing, this is purely a fanfic for enjoyment.
Cross-over from various games, books, anime, manga, and movies.
The familiar characters you see here belong to their respected authors and owners.
"Speech"
Arc 4: Experience the Story - Chapter 2
I open my eyes to see its Ghost floating too close, just inches away from my face, almost touching the tip of my nose.
"What do you want? I was trying to sleep." I grunt at the Ghost, my voice low and irritated. It hovers silently, unfazed by my annoyance, before projecting a holographic screen in front of me. The message flickers to life, its glowing text illuminating as it waits patiently for my attention.
Greetings, Sho Jin. It is I, the Boss. You have successfully survived the early trials of high school and, more importantly, managed to keep Ruby Rose and Weiss Schnee alive. As a reward, you've been promoted and granted a third identity, along with a bonus cheat. You are now The Secret of the Eldritch pantheon, and with this new role, you've gained the power of Secret Arts—an array of abilities focused on concealment.
Continue your good work in protecting Ruby Rose and Weiss Schnee. Be prepared, for there will be times when you'll need to guide and protect more newcomers who will join the Eldritch Pantheon.
P.S. I've received complaints about your behavior, which is likely influenced by Nyarla and the others. As a result, until you become strong enough, you will no longer be able to interact with them. This restriction applies to everyone except Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, and any members from other pantheons who temporarily join you along with any new recruits to the Eldritch panthon, as I deem fit. Focus on your growth, and when the time is right, you may reconnect with them.
As soon as I finished reading, Ghost vanished, leaving me alone with the knowledge that the Secret Arts had been forcibly integrated into my very being. Almost immediately, I could feel the Secret Arts stirring within me, as if 'looking around' and assessing its new surroundings. Then, without warning, it unleashed a series of 'punches' at the other cheats nearby, catching them off guard and knocking nearly all of them out with the unexpected assault.
Only the two legacies and Glitching managed to block the 'punch,' then Glitching counter with a swift 'bitchslap' before executing a flawless ninja vanish, leading to the two legacies to also 'disappear'. This leaves the Secret Arts alone with the fallen cheats. Strangely, the Secret Arts didn't pursue the three; instead, it did 'something' mysterious to the other cheats before finally becoming quiet and settling within me.
What the fuck.
My cheat can be knocked out?! And the cheats themselves are actually offline?! What. The. Fuck?!
The realization hit me like a ton of bricks. I had always thought of my cheats as invincible, but now... they were vulnerable. The idea that they could be knocked out cold was mind-blowing.
Holy shit, the Save Point back in Nyarla's apartment is gone then! FUCK! I need to make a new one asap!
"Jin...? Is something wrong?" Ruby mumbles, rubbing her eyes as she slowly sits up from her side of the bed. The blanket slips down, revealing her wearing an oversized black shirt with the buttons all undone, revealing lots of skin. Especially her bare, large breasts. Her sleepy gaze meets mine, concern in her half-awake expression as she tries to shake off the remnants of sleep.
"Do you need Ruby and me to take care of your morning wood, Jin?" Weiss asked; she yawned and attempted to sit up. She quickly slumped back onto her pillow, her movements sluggish. "Ruby can go first... wake me up once... she's done..." Her words trailed off as she pulled the blanket up over her shoulders, her eyes closing again, clearly struggling to stay awake.
"I'll take care of it, Weiss... Y-" Ruby let out a wide yawn, her eyes still half-closed as she rubbed them more. "You go back to sleep. I got this." She reaches out to grab my dick.
"I'm glad you're willing to help out, Ruby, but that's not what's needed right now." I said, trying to focus despite Ruby's already rubbing my dick. I gently pushed her hand away. "We've got something more important to handle at the moment." I met Ruby's eyes as she looked at me, confused. No longer fully sleepy.
"Come on, Weiss, wake up. Jin needs us, and not in a sexual way this time." Ruby gave Weiss a gentle but firm pat on the butt to wake her from her sleepy state.
Although Ruby said that, I could tell she didn't quite believe the last part, given the way her eyes kept drifting toward my waist. Frustrated, I quickly zipped up my pants. I knew I needed to make that Save Point as soon as possible. Once activated, I'd need to have Ruby and Weiss with me to ensure they were included in the Restart & Reset's influence.
I didn't wait for Weiss' response. I used Boundary Manipulation, bringing in all the necessary components for the Save Point. The materials appeared around us in a disordered pile. I quickly followed up with another use of Boundary Manipulation, shaping and reorganizing the ingredients into their proper structure. The pieces shifted and repositioned themselves perfectly, taking on the precise appearance and arrangement required for the Save Point to function correctly.
Before us is a small mound with a stick burning brightly at its center; the flame is eternal unless Featherine decides to extinguish it. Surrounding the mound are the letters M, B, F, S, and E, each representing different functions of the Save Point.
The letter B stands for Bind. In its original form, it allows a user to return to life with the 'spirit' of whoever is touching the user's hand at the time of their death. However, I've modified it slightly: now, anyone touching me at the moment of activating the Save Point will reappear alongside me upon death. The other letters—M, F, S, and E—have already been utilized, but the B letter has yet to be used so far as it involves the inclusion of others in its effects.
Once I managed to get Ruby and a still-sleepy Weiss to stand by me, completing the Save Point ritual together, I finally allowed myself to relax. With a deep breath, I swiftly used the Secret Arts to cloak the Save Point in a shroud of concealment. The powerful cheat rendered the Save Point virtually impossible to detect, its presence hidden from any prying eyes or intrusive forces.
"So, do you want to explain why you're up so early?" Weiss asked, letting out a yawn as she settled into my arms. Her head rested comfortably against my shoulder, and her eyes, still heavy with sleep, looked up at me with sleepiness. "Usually, you'd sleep in longer, and we'd be the ones waking you up instead."
"You know how I'm supposed to take care of Nyarla and the others?" I said, looking down at Weiss. Her eyes were half-closed as she nestled into my arms. I then glanced at Ruby, who leaned against me with a gentle smile. "That doesn't include those outside our pantheon."
"Yeah, what about it?" Ruby asked, blinking up at me with a hint of curiosity in her eyes. She adjusted her position slightly.
Weiss just slowly blinked, waiting for my explanation.
"Well, recently, I was informed that some people had complaints." I began, struggling to find the right words. "I won't go into detail, as that would only complicate things further. Anyway, it will be a very long time before any of us see Nyarla, Yor, Takamine, and Yui again. Even after we leave high school, there's a chance we might not cross paths with them until we're strong enough to be on equal footing as them." I paused. "Additionally, there might be more new faces joining our group. It's my duty as the Caretaker of the Eldritch Pantheon to manage and look after them."
"Would you be okay without Nyarla for some time, Jin?" Ruby asked, her eyes locking onto mine.
"That's a good question."
I took a moment to reflect, mentally retracing all the times I had spent with Nyarla. As I did, I realized how much I had changed compared to who I was before I applied for the job. The memories of our interactions, the challenges I was forced to face, and the growth I had undergone became clear. It struck me just how different I had become since then, a testament to the impact Nyarla had on my journey and personal development.
"Holy crap, Nyarla is definitely not good for my mental health." I muttered aloud, the realization hitting me with full force. I reflected on how I should have approached managing Nyarla's behavior, along with her sisters and mother, with more foresight. I thought about how, after acquiring Reset & Restart, I could have been more daring in testing my limits and discovering the most effective ways to ensure my survival. "Now that I think about it." Turning my gaze back to Ruby and Weiss, I continued, "I have a much better and healthier relationship with you two compared to what I had with Nyarla and the others."
"You wouldn't say that just because we're not as strong as Nyarla and her group and could potentially threaten your life, would you, Jin?" Weiss shifted closer, wrapping her arms around my neck and leaning in. Her lips brushed against mine in a soft, lingering kiss that lasted for a few seconds.
"Would you have threatened my life?" I asked, countering instead of providing a direct answer.
"Oh, please. If I had the power to threaten your life, Jin, I would never have formed the contract with you or stayed by your side with Ruby." Weiss let out a huff, clearly frustrated by the thought. "My life has improved so much since being with you. If it were up to me, I'd do everything I could to help you, but knowing that Nyarla and the others could easily kill me without even lifting a finger holds me back more than once." She sighed softly and placed her head against my shoulder.
"I agree with what Weiss said. My life would have been..." Ruby began, her voice trailing off momentarily before she shook her head. "I'm just really glad to have you in my life, Jin. That's a fact." She leaned in to kiss me on the lips before pulling back to give me a bright smile. "In any case, since Nyarla and the rest won't be with us for a long time, I think we should use this time to really get to know each other beyond just the physical aspects. Not that I'd say no to sex, of course." She giggled at the end.
"Yeah, I would like that." I give them a genuine smile.
I slid my right hand down to squeeze Weiss' butt gently.
"Jin, how about you save that for after we return to bed? The ground isn't exactly ideal for this." Weiss suggested, trying to maintain a serious tone. However, the slight flush on her cheeks and the way her breath came a little harder betrayed her true feelings.
"Shame on you, Jin." Ruby teased with a giggle. She leaned in closer, her breath warm as she blew gently into my ear, sending a shiver down my spine. As she whispered, her voice was soft yet filled with mischief. "You know, we didn't get around to having sex last night; we were too busy setting up our defenses. But now that we're about to… do you think our teacher, Featherine, is watching us right now?"
Ah crap, I forgot about that...
"Ah~!" Weiss moaned as my dick poked her.
Damn it...