Raven Branwen
"You called for us, Master?" Both Sienna and Taella were kneeling in the High Leader's Throne Room. Shen had also called Neo and Torchwick there. Soon both L1 and L2 came walking into the Throne Room carrying a piece of paper.
They handed it to him, kneeling awaiting orders. Shen briefly looked it over until he saw two images located at the bottom. A smile crept onto his face before he spoke.
"We have found our target. Directly North-West of Lake Matsu here in Mistral. We've also already finished converting the entirety of the White Fang here in Mistral. I want 30% of them ready to move out by tomorrow." Shen was addressing L1 and L2. "It will be done, Master." The two of them quickly stood up before leaving.
After they did both, Sienna and Taella looked up at Shen as if they wanted to say something. "What is it?" The two of them glanced at each other for a second as Sienna spoke. "You currently have control over Faunus and Mistral. I'm confused why you decided to operate so cautiously despite that."
Shen could easily have the council mobilize their military if he wanted. Even their National Treasury was his for the taking. Yet, he was still acting in relatively small quantities.
"Because I'm still not strong enough. If Mistral found out I was controlling thing's, entire cities, political figure's and possibly even the military will rebel even if I control the council. At the same time, I can assure you at least Vale and Atlas would gladly offer assistance in hunting me down." He was strong, but he couldn't fight three separate Kingdoms.
"And that's exactly why we are hunting down Raven Branwen." The Relic of Knowledge was his key to mass levelling. Once he unlocked the shop, he would use up all his wealth if it was necessary to do so. But first, he needed that Relic. Which led Shen to the second reason he had called everyone here.
For now, as limiting as it was, he needed to keep playing the puppeteer. But at the same time, he couldn't risk missing out on this chance to catch Raven Branwen. He knew the approximate location of where she was, thanks to the show, meaning tracking her down was easy. But if she got away, he would actually lose her.
"And to make sure thing's to go well, I made quite an investment. Lien wise, I think I spent over three hundred thousand." The absurd number Shen just mentioned immediately caused everyone to frown. That was more money than normal people would see in their entire lives. "What did you spend that much money on?"
Torchwick's intrigue matched with everyone else's. Without answering, Shen gestured towards Neo and Taella to come to him. At the same time, four soldiers under his command walked into the Throne Room from the side doors. Each duo was carrying a large metal case. "As I said and investment but to be more specific, potent weapons."
The System was his best asset, and at the same time, his Life Fiber's let him create Goku Uniform's which granted enhanced abilities superior to even a Huntsman's in cases. Blake had proved that to him. However, what it couldn't do was let him hand off abilities. So weapon's were the next best thing.
'What kind of weapons would cost so much money?' Taella stared at the metal cases as the soldier's placed them on the ground. "Consider them presents. The one on the right belongs to Neo." At Shen's word's, the duo of soldier's who had carried in the case containing Neo's weapon opened.
"Hmm?" Inside lied a metal belt holding Kunai as long as a person's forearm and had their handles wrapped in purple cloth. They looked as if they had gone through countless battles obtaining a rustic look. Everyone felt underwhelmed after what Shen had said. 'Just looking at those things gives me PTSD. I can already hear that music...'
Only people from Shen's world would know what these were. "If you don't mind me asking, what are they?" Taella spoke up; there was no way Shen would spend money so wastefully on nothing. "Their weapon's that originally belonged to a woman named Lady Butterfly. Since you're all so doubtful, I'll let Neo show off their effects."
Neo hesitated for a moment but did as Shen said. Wearing the metal belt holding the Kunai, Shen took a few steps back. "These Kunai have two different effects. Both come from them being thrown." Gestured at himself as Neo narrowed his brows. "You want me to throw one of them at you?"
Shen could hear how hesitant Neo was from her voice as he responded to her. "I wouldn't tell you to do it if I could die from it." Everyone watched closely as Neo took a moment. Pulling one of the Kunai out of the belt, she threw it at Shen. As it flew through the air, a unique sound echoed from it.
Holding out his hand, Shen deflected the Kunai without issue as it flew through the air, embedding itself into a wall.
"The Kunai themselves are self-replenishing." Pointing at her waist Neo saw that despite the fact she had just thrown one, the belt was full. "Its actual ability… Is to put whoever hears the sound it produces into a hypnotic state."
"What do you mean, Hypnotic? You mean, where is hypnotism right now?" Torckwick's statement lined up as Shen nodded his head. "Yes, you see, this type of Hypnotism is special. It not only makes people's bodies deal self-harm to themselves depending on visual information it also manipulates your sense of touch and hearing."
Listening to Shen, Neo's eyes slowly widened as realization dawned on her.
Torckwick and Taella were slower on the uptake; however, as soon as they understood, their expressions changed. "Wait, I still don't understand? What is it?" Sienna was the only one who still didn't understand as Taella looked at her and explained.
"The sound that Kunai produces puts you under hypnotism. It can make you feel pain and damage's your body based on what you see. It can also make you feel or hear things as well. Whether it's real or not"
In this case, Neo already had the ability to make physical illusions. Their only limitation was that they were fragile. However, what if her illusions could be touch could actually hurt you as well? The answer is simple; it would be borderline reality manipulation. "Of course, the Hypnotism doesn't last for too long. But it's an ability to be feared."
In all honesty, Shen was tempted to take the Kunai for himself when he first read what they did. An unblockable attack was useful in itself, but also the ability to basically turn illusions into reality? It was tempting, but in the end, he decided to arm the dog's around him with sharper teeth instead of getting a new gun.
"How did you even find something like that? I've never heard of anyone making a type of weapon that allows someone to do that." Sienna was dumbfounded as Shen just smirked. "I have my methods. Which also brings us to the Taella." Like before, the duo of soldiers who carried in the other case opened it.
Instead of a weapon like Neo, everyone instead saw a golden vase. It had a strange mark branded on it as well. "The Demon's Extract," Shen spoke the name of what the vase was or, to be more specific, what was inside of it. It's originally from the Akame Ga Kill world and is considered one of if not the most powerful weapon in that universe.
Personally, Shen would have loved to have Esdeath herself here; however, that chance may never come, so he had to make due. "Drinking it will give you the ability to manipulate ice and freeze practically anything. In the end, its potential is up to how well you fare after drinking it. If you are not strong enough, then your mind will break, and death will follow shortly after."
Shen knew how powerful it was, but at the same time, he wasn't willing to potentially risk his life trying to tame it. Using someone else to do it was just more beneficial and less risky. "So tell me Taella, are you willing to take the plunge?" Standing there rooted in place, Taella's eyes were locked onto the golden vase.
This was her chance to gain not only strength but a future. She had joined Shen cause she knew he would be changing the world in the future. She wanted to be a part of that, and this would be a large step towards that goal. But was she willing to risk her life for that? Bending down, Taella reached for the vase as a smirk appeared on Shen's face.
"Alright then. Everyone else should leave for now. Torckwick when we head off tomorrow, you'll be running things till I return. Keep an eye on Sienna." Shen didn't hide his distrust towards Sienna as she remained silent. Torckwick nodded as he turned to leave. Soon everyone else did as well, with Neo being the last.
Peering into the Throne Room as its doors closed, she saw Taella take the lid off of the vase and began to drink its contents. As the doors fully closed, Shen stood in front of Taella, kicking the now empty cases aside. "It tasted weird… But I haven't noticed any changes." Looking at her body, Taella had drunk every last drop, yet she felt no different.
'Here it comes.' Shen remained silent as suddenly Taella heard thousands of voice's crash into her mind. The empty vase fell from her hands, clanging against the ground. "Ah! Ahh!" She sounded as if she couldn't breathe or think. Her eyes were wide as she fell to her knees, crying out.
"I'll be assisting you through this. But if you don't have the will to endure it, then you will die. In the end, it's up to you." Holding his hand out, Shen began using Mental Refitting on Taella. His power's and the insanity the Demon's Extract brought onto its user clashed. The pain lessened, but even then, it was on the threshold of being unbearable. 'It's going to be a long night…'
The next day somewhere within Anima, just North-West of Lake Matsu, a White Fang airship crashed out of the sky, falling into the forest. After crashing into the ground, a wreck was left behind. The door's of the airship opened as two White Fang members climbed out. As soon as they did, the sounds of gun's cocking could be heard.
"Well, would you look at what we have here? What is the White Fang doing all the way out here in the middle of nowhere?" A skinny man with dirty blonde hair and grey eyes was standing over the two White Fang members who had climbed out. The two of them looked up at the man but did not speak or answer.
"What should we do with them Shay?" The people standing behind him looked like bandits. There were ten in the group in total as Shay stared at the White Fang members. "Tie them, well let 'her' decide." Gesturing with his hands, two of the bandit's behind Shay walked forward with rope tying up the two White Fang members.
After being tied up they were quickly dragged away. Within the hour they had been taken to a cobbled-together camp. It was surrounded by a large wooden wall, made of logs. Inside there were a bunch of tents along with a lot more bandits. Everyone seemed relaxed as they spotted Shay with the tied-up White Fang members in front of him and the group.
Sitting near the largest tent in the camp was a girl. She had short brown hair and fairly ragged clothes showing she was a part of the bandit group as well. "Shay? What the hell did you do. Those are members of the White Fang, you know that right?"
"It's not my fault they crashed near Vernal. I just brought them here so Raven could figure out what we should do." The two of them clearly didn't get along. Everyone here was a part of the Branwen Tribe, a group formed by Raven. They were bandit's, robbing and looting village's and then letting Grim attracted by the destruction clean up the mess while they escaped.
They followed the rules of the strong devouring the weak. "The White Fang? Well, that's interesting." A voice came from the main, and biggest tent in the camp as a woman stepped out. She had long black hair and deep red eyes. A sword with a unique dust shifting sheathe was attached to her waist.
She wore thigh-high heels and along with black garments under patches of red armour across her upper body. Finally, the White Fang member's reacted looking up towards her. "Your Raven Branwen?" Immediately everyone's expressions changed. Despite being a male, the White Fang member sounded like a woman.
"Who are you?" Vernal and Shay immediately went on guard as Raven narrowed her eyes. "Answer us, who are you? And why are you here?" Ney didn't receive an answer and a sudden chill began to escape from one of the White Fang member's bodies. In an instant, the rope's they were bound by seemed to freeze turning as brittle as glass and shattering.
"Well both take that as a yes."