72: Breaking the Game (RWBY/Solo Leveling/The Gamer/SI) by Dynastylights

Fic type:Oc/si

Another Gamer fic but this one is the solo leveling system.

I have posted two chapters.

Link:https://forum.questionablequesting.com/threads/breaking-the-game-rwby-solo-leveling-the-gamer-si.11637/reader

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It was the most surreal feeling in the world. The throbbing, pulsation of heat spreading throughout my form…

Something ran down my forehead. An attempt to wipe it away had only told me just how sticky it was. Like it had been there for a while. I wanted to think it was weird. However, the warmth I felt had soon twisted into pain and discomfort.

I had to move, like, right fucking now.

And moved I did and I immediately wished I hadn't.

I collapsed to my knees before I could even register what had happened. I seethed silently gripping the ground as I coughed.

What hell had I woken up in?

What crazy shit happened while I was asleep?

[Your daily quests have arrived]

[Accept?]​

H-Hunh?

The black screen popped up as the pain slowly faded. I could feel bones that were broken snap back in place. Black smoke poured from the cuts and bruises that had once littered my body in abundance and blood both damp and dry simply… … melted away back into my flesh.

The bright yellow letters stood out from the black screen that they inhabited.

…

I was silent for about two or three minutes...

I knew this from somewhere… right?

I shook my head with a groan. I don't have time for this. But… actually. Forget that. Where the fuck was I?

A forest… how unoriginal to be honest.

However. The place I stood was stained, in blood everywhere.

Somehow? For some reason. Deep down I knew that this was my blood… Whatever the fuck happened had left me in a real daze…

[Your daily quests have arrived]

[Accept?]

The window screen I had been ignoring till now flashed once more in the corner of my eye.

I sighed and shook my head. "No. I don't accept." … … I blinked a little, a hand brought up to my throat and squeezed it softly. "No. No fucking way." This was more serious than watching the black window screen vanish from my sight.

I gulped loudly as I nearly tripped over a splintered piece of wood. One that may or may not have been a training sword… fit for children.

I shook my head in annoyance as I collapsed. Falling to my knees in disbelief. Disbelief, not shock.

I should be freaking out over this, right? I should definitely be screaming and or breaking down into a mess… right?

So… the question is.

Why am I so calm?

I shook my head silently. No. I knew why I was so calm. The window screen popping up when I woke up… the way my body had begun to reset itself automatically…

"Status!"

The window popped up automatically.

[Name: ????? ????]

[Level: 1]

[Exp:0000/1,000]

[Lien: 000,000,000]

[Stat Points: 000]

[HP:180/180]

[MP:150/150]

[Str: 16]

[Vit: 15]

[Dex: 19]

[Agi: 15]

[Int: 19]

[Wis: 15]

[Lck: 15]

[Cha: 19]​

I sighed softly, rubbing my eyes in annoyance. "Yeah… that's what I was afraid of." I remarked dryly with my arms folded.

"Skills."

[Passive Skills]

[Gamer's Body: [Maxed] This skill grants a body that allows the user to live the real world like a game.]

[Gamer's Mind: [Maxed] Allows the user to calmly and logically think things through, allows a peaceful state of mind and immunity to psychological status effects.]

[Active Skills]

N/A

[Spells]

N/A​

I hummed softly in thought. I was definitely a 'Gamer' now… but what worried me more now was the currency in my status.

Lien.

That was definitely a RWBY thing. Right?

I nodded firmly. Yeah. Definitely a RWBY thing. So what must have killed this body's last inhabitant had definitely been training to be a hunter and must have been attacked.

Attacked by a fucking Grimm…

…

Okay yeah. I need to get the fuck out of this forest like right fucking now.

[A quest has been created]

[Get out of dodge!]

[You found yourself waking up somewhere lost and alone with nothing on your back but the dirty rags you died in… … surely there's somewhere, right?]

[Rewards: 1,500 exp, 2,000 Lien, a safe place]

[Accept?]

[Yes] [No]

​

I rubbed my eyes. Yeah… this was definitely the gamer. Wasn't it?

I pressed the [yes] button grudgingly…

I kind of wished that I had some sort of mini-map. I had put a little to much hope into believing one would pop up. Only when nothing happened did I give up and began my trek into some random direction.

…

…

I stretched solemnly, the forest seemed to have stretched on forever and I'll be honest. I was starting to get worn out.

My stomach growled from a lack of food. Which… to be fair I hadn't eaten anything since I woke up. Actually I don't remember if I ate anything last night either.

All I could do was wander through the forest aimlessly. Scratching my head as I admittedly grew more and more lost by the second.

Of course, I wasn't going to just give up though… no… that would be too easy. And honestly…

I really didn't want to die by starvation or worse… and no… having my vit and agi increase every so often did not actually help my mood...

let's get the fuck out of here already...

…

Getting out of this forest had been the plan and boy did I fail at it. I rubbed my eyes in annoyance as I once again felt like collapsing from starvation.

The rumbling of the forest floor was something I also did not want to happen… and yet…

Here it was. My first Grimm encounter.

I groaned weakly as something broke past the trees. Something nearly fifteen to eighteen feet high and wider than any small hill.

It's flesh darker than any night sky and with a single round eye shining with malevolent intent and with the tree, it held in its left hand… probably for a bludgeoning weapon... well.

[A quest has been created]

[There is a threat to the Gamer...]

[Eliminate all enemies.]

[Rewards: 1,500 exp, 3,000 Lien]​

Yeah… sure… let me uh fight with my bare fucking hands!

The Grimm roared in my direction, its free hand beating on its chest as I watched it with great intent.

[Through a special action A skill was made]

[Observe]

[Lvl 01]

[Exp: 00/100]

[A skill to see the target's information]​

Ahh… great. At least I can know the thing that's about to kick my ass!

[Grimm]

[Cyclops]

[HP:1,200]

[MP:500]

[A Grimm created by the negative feelings of humankind. Forged and tempered by the sin of gluttony.]​

Fuck… fuck… fuck…

The only thing I could use as weapons were rocks and twigs. Ah… wait… I have magic now.

The grin that crept upon my face grew as I darted forward underneath its feet.

With a twig, I snagged from the forest floor, I did my best to off my best Shiro impression. Focusing and burning the impression of my magic into my intent of wanting the twig to be stronger, more durable… more everything…

[Through a special action A skill was made]

[Mana Manipulation]

[Lvl 01]

[Exp: 00/100]

[You have tapped into the arcane forces one lost to this world. Increases Mp regeneration by 20%]

[Through a special action A skill was made]

[Reinforcement]

[Lvl 01]

[Exp: 00/100]

[10 Mp per ten minutes. Inforce an object at a cellular level for increased damage and durability.]​

That's what I'm talking about! Now… if only I knew what stats this twig scaled with then I'd be even happier.

The cyclops roared as its sole eye scanned for my existence against the forest scenery.

I grinned as I realized that it didn't matter too much for what I was about to do anyway.

"BACK STAB!"

The twig sunk into the Grimm's black inky flesh…. The cyclops like Grimm let out a sound of annoyance, however…

I got what I wanted.

[Through a special action A skill was made]

[Back Stab]

[Lvl 01]

[Exp: 00/100]

[A hidden blade sinks into the backs of enemies unaware… Increases the damage of unsuspecting targets by 30% with stats dex and str increasing damage.]​

I whistled a little as I nodded some as I stretched and began to do something incredibly stupid….

With an str-powered leap, I clutched the cyclops inky black flesh with the reinforced twig in my mouth and scaled its backside.

[str +1]

…

[str +1]

I growled in annoyance as yes… this was a lot harder than Dragon's Dogma made it out to be but I managed to climb to the very top as the cyclops did its best to pull my much smaller frame off of it.

It's ugly gnarled hands, despite being quite long and large couldn't quite reach me, leaving it to scratch and rake away at its own shoulders and back as I sat nestled against where its flesh and mask connect seamlessly.

Observe couldn't tell me exactly how much health it had, yet, but I could still estimate that hitting that mask the moment it forgot that I was here would definitely be my chance at beating it… not in one go though… no. I wasn't that confident.

Which was soon as the cyclops stopped trying to reach me, its sole eye gazed at the forest floor before taking a direction… intent on either finding me or a new target.

I waited… and waited…

Nervousness washed over me, as the tension slowly settled, its one eye scanned the forest, lifting a log and easily breaking down trees in its search for me… I didn't leave my questionable hiding spot as its body rumbled in what I really hoped was confusion. No, honestly I was more worried about it putting up a front, playing stupid and dumb for its own amusement before breaking my body like the very twig I was using to fight it…

…

But… as the minutes ticked by I could only confirm that it was indeed a dumbass…

Clinging to the Grimm's back worked up a sweat… and honestly? My stats were beginning to show that.

Every so often seeing a box pop with a '+1' to str was actually annoying. When my str stat reached twenty. I was simply done. It wasn't all that tiring, at least not anymore and honestly? I really didn't have much of a reason to stick around any more than I already had.

Right?

I crept up to its shoulder, passing it with some minor difficulty before pushing myself onto its mask.

The cyclops stopped. Dead in its tracks as it's head served to the left and to the right…

I myself froze too.

Not out of fear or panic. No… more like I was struggling to keep myself glued to its mask without fear of falling off. I was eighteen feet up in the air I was not going to get rag dolled off this thing!

I plunged the twig into the cyclops eye and it roared in pain as Backstab did its e3ffect and probably took quite a chunk out of its health. Probably…

It was now screaming, covering its eye in pain as I used its horns to guide and pull it back with my entire weight, guiding it, pulling it… … until

The resounding crash of it falling into a rather sharp log, that was now jutting out of its chest.

I sighed loudly as the Grimm perished in black smoke. Leaving behind several items as its only reminder that it died there.

The level up window popped into my eyesight. I promptly ignored it by gazing at the various windows of various stats increasing by one with a few stat points…

I hummed softly as I threw the lien into my inventory, with the quest complete thing and its exp and rewards being transferred to my inventory automatically.

Money… 800 exp, Grimm mask (cyclops), a vial of Black blood… and… … What is this? A white glittering dagger streaked with red. A wooden grip bound in loose leather...

[Grimm Fate]

[Dex: 13]

[Attribute: Earth]​

I grinned and nodded with a soft hum. "Okay yeah… this. This is a very welcome weapon.

The elemental earth weapon sat quite comfortably in my palm. Now I could really do some damage with this! At least until I find something better anyway.

With everything flung into my inventory, I stretched and yawned…

That is… until the bushes began to rustle…

I lifted my new dagger and moved into a loose fighting stance. That is until I saw the name pop out from the bushes…

[Raven]

[Lvl:???]​

Her scarlet eyes dug into mine. I was surprised that she wasn't wearing her mask but… I was lucky that she didn't look like she was looking for a fight.

Her lips twitched ever so softly as her eyes dug into my own.

I blinked dumbly. "What?"

She huffed loudly, her arms crossed against her rather impressive chest. "Keep up."

H-Hunh?

…

…

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…

…

Well… Raven was proving to be filled with hot air and only hot air.

Her whole remark about trying to keep up was nothing but her trying to act tough, she was actually setting the pace with a brisk run, something I could actually keep up with.

However… that didn't stop my vit and agi from increasing…

Much to my surprise, my hp increased by ten when my vit made it to twenty. Which was good. It gave me more reason to increase it. Which I will… definitely.

"So… where are you leading me?"

…

Nothing. She didn't speak nor did she give any indication that she was going to. Honestly, it was feeling rather awkward. It certainly didn't help that her ass was swaying side to side like it was trying to hypnotize me.

Even with gamer's mind… I don't think I could pull away from staring at it.

In the end, with me constantly staring at her ass and her probably quite aware of it… we remained quiet throughout our special little journey together.

I still don't know what she wanted, nor how she found me or even why she was around where I was, but I am glad that I was found because I was lost as hell.

"Almost there." Raven's only two spoken words left me a little impatient.

But honestly, even as the destination finally came into view I was left somewhat breath taken.

The Branwen bandit camp.

[You have entered a safe place. Hp and Mp will regenerate 50% faster]​

Oh, that's nice.

[A quest has been completed]

[Get out of dodge!]

[You found yourself waking up somewhere lost and alone with nothing on your back but the dirty rags you died in… … surely there's somewhere, right?]

[Rewards: 1,500 exp, 2,000 Lien, a safe place]

[Level up!]

[All Stats +1]​

Ah… I almost forgot about that quest… almost. The level up was a pleasant surprise too.

Unfortunately though, I had a bit more of a problem right now to be happy about my new shiny level three.

...

I scratched the back of my head and sighed weakly. "So, I'm here, in your lair of doom and despair. What now?"

Raven looked at me as if I had grown a second head.

"You're strong." She finally spoke after an hour of silence. Her arms folded once again under her chest. "But not strong enough."

I flinched a little, a peal of nervous laughter escaped before I could stop myself. "Yeah…" I muttered dryly. "I won because of sheer luck and grit."

I didn't remark how my luck stat was actually pretty small but still. Raven seemed pleased that I agreed with her.

"Indeed." She remarked.

You, know? It still stings even if it is true. "So what happens now?" She brought me here after all. You'd think she had a plan for bringing me here...

However, with the way, her cheeks darkened at my question?

I don't think she had brought me here for any real reason.

"Don't tell me that leading me here was just a whim… Please…" I deadpanned… Raven's expression didn't change.

… Great…

I facepalmed a little. But no, really this was fine. I could stay here and simply train with the bandits and once I get accustomed to this world I could also start training my stats, gamer style.

"Starting today you're a scavenger… should you desire to join us, you're strong enough for it."

Wait… what?

[You have been invited to join the faction The Branwen Bandits]

[Rank one: Scavenger]

[Join the faction?]

[Yes][No]​

Ah...

I sighed softly before nodding as I swatted the yes button. My stats were already aligned for a rouge-like bandit build.

"Alright then, I'll bite for now… what's a scavenger do exactly?" This was pretty new to me as there was nothing like this in the anime.

Raven opened her mouth but…

"Joining a bandit tribe and not even knowing something as basic as that? What are you? An idiot?"

Someone I do not remember ended up showing their face. Incredibly short hair… dark skin and looked more like a dude than the girl they sounded like.

"Not as much as the gender-confused moron that opened their mouth." I retorted scathingly.

The person opened their mouth but simply growled at me threateningly. "Vernal." Raven's simple command stopped her in her tracks.

Vernal… Vernal…

I knew that name, right? I'm sure I did… I think.

Eh… I'm sure I would have remembered such a character right?

"... … So… who are you?"

The girl froze as she eyed me like I had punched her puppy. "Raven just said my name! I'm Vernal! Get it memorized!"

Pfft…

"Alright fine, I'll make some effort to remember your name. So back on track though, what's a scavenger do?" I asked with folded arms. "I mean I can make a guess considering what scavenger means, but I'd like to hear what the job entails."

Raven waved it off. "Vernal, fill him in with what it entails to be a scavenger… I have other business to take care of."

… … Well, that was a thing… I think. Still, nice ass though.

"So? What do we scavenger's do?"

Vernal sighed and rubbed her eyes. "Exactly what it sounds like. You scavenge villages and towns around Vale or the forests and bring whatever can be used to bring back here to the tribe. Do a good enough job and show that you're more than just makeshift janitor and kill enough Grimm while you're out on the job and you'll be promoted. Understand that? Or do you need a book for dummies?"

I shook my head and waved her off. "I wouldn't want to take your only copy, Randle."

"It's VERNAL!"

[A quest has been created]

[Another Hunter's junk is another Hunter's treasure.]

[Collect and bring back 100 Red Dust shards]

[Collect and bring back 100 blue Dust shards]

[Collect and bring back 100 yellow Dust shards]

[Collect and bring back 100 green Dust shards]

[Collect and bring back 150 weapon components]

[Kill 50 Grimm]

[Rewards: Faction promotion to Cutpurse, 1,000 exp, 2,000 Lien, increased closeness to the Bandit Tribe, Increased closeness to Vernal, Increased closeness to Raven]

[Accept]

[Yes][No]​

This quest… … the fuck? Of course, I accepted it though. The rewards were pretty insane.

"Alright, I'll get on that. So, is there anything else I should be able to do?"

Vernal nodded as she pointed to an old board. "You can do other odd jobs over there, from slaying Grimm and or robbing people out traveling on the roads. However, if you get caught or beaten don't bother coming back. Raven has no need for weaklings. If that's all I can show you to your tent scavenger"

I nodded weakly… "Actually yeah… I could use a nap. Fighting a cyclops is exhausting. Ya know?"

Vernal shook her head. "No. I don't know. I'm not dumb enough to pick a fight with them." She remarked as she led me through the bandit camp.

...

There were actually a pretty good number of people here… Weaponsmiths and dust vendors… people returning and people looking at the job board.

Vernal pointed at a large tent. "Scavengers live here, pick a bed and get along with your tentmates. And play nice with them. You never know when one of them will be your superior."

I nodded with a yawn, makes sense to me.

"Be good and play nicely with all of my brothers and sisters, gotcha."

I can do that. So as long as they don't fuck with me.

...

I watched Vernal leave, probably for a job or to kiss Raven's ass some more.

With a loud groan, I fell asleep in the first empty cot I could find, and 'empty' as in there wasn't any junk or stuff around the cot that made it clear that it was taken.

…

…

What woke me up though were the two blinking windows…

[Hp and MP are fully restored.]

[All negative status effected have been cured]

[Daily Quests are now available]

[Would you like to accept?]

[Yes][No]​

Damn it… I don't want daily quests! … … well no… … it depends on what they are I guess. I mean it is my semblance trying to help me right?

From what I can see though it's late… like I can hear various people snoring or walking back into the tent to sleep…

Ah… waking up when everyone else is heading to bed. Yeah, this is familiar.

I pressed the yes button on the daily quests and… I was marginally surprised that was just a bit of light exercises.

[Daily Quests]

[Time limit: 24 hours upon accepting]

[Do 100 Push-ups]

[Do 100 Sit-ups]

[Do 100 Squats]

[Run 10 kilometers]

[Rewards]

[Status Recovery]

[All Stat +3 Points]

[Blessed Random Box]

or

[Cursed Random Box]

[Warning: Failing to complete the Daily Quest will result in a Penalty Quest.]​

E-eh?

Wait… isn't this solo leveling? Wonderful just fucking wonderful… at least the rewards are worth it, I guess.

And it's optional until I accept it too so that's good. However… … the penalty quest… if its anything like solo leveling. I will spend every waking moment avoiding it… unless you know… it actually saves my life…

I shook my head and sighed… I could finish a few of these before the sun rises. I think…

…

…

I was wrong…

By the time I finished the push-ups and halfway through the sit-ups did the sun actually begin to rise, people around me had begun to wake up and stare at me like I was the weirdo.

Okay, I admit, I was the weirdo doing exercises in front of everyone.

However… I wasn't going to pay much attention to them. I had rewards to earn…

…

Vernal eyed me with a look as she watched me. "Have you been doing that since you woke up?"

I shrugged. "I think so," I muttered as I finished my eighteenth squat. "A one hundred push-ups, a hundred sit-ups, a hundred squats, and after I eat, a ten-kilometer run," I muttered with a groan. "Honestly though, I'm getting hungry now," I muttered with a sigh.

"That's surprisingly basic compared to what most hunters do." she snarked smugly.

I shrugged as I completed the twenty-second squat. "Sorry can't hear you. My growling stomach is blocking the sounds of smug girly boys."

Her smug smile twisted in a sneer of annoyance.

"I am a girl!"

I stopped. My eyes as wide as I could stretch them. "Wait… really?"

She growled, "You're an ass!"

"Me? I'm the ass!? You have any idea how weird it is for a straight guy getting turned on by someone who they think is a girly boy? I'm kind of relieved right now!"

That was bullshit, however, my str stat just increased again and pressing the various [yes] buttons on these windows cluttering up my vision was beginning to annoy me. However… my charisma stat decided that was a good time to kick in. Sending the tomboy female into a sputtering blushing mess.

Vernal left as quickly as she came…

[Increased closeness with Vernal! +3]

[Status: Stranger]

[006/100]​

How the hell? … … No… I'm not going to question it. I don't care… Let's chalk it up to girls being girls and leave it be.

…

…

I collapsed into a chair. Breakfast… or lunch really was rather piss poor but it was edible. Vernal avoided my gaze and I didn't see Raven, not that I'd be able to actually talk to her anyway. She's probably busy with raids and other bandit business that needed her attention.

All I needed though was to complete the ten-kilo run and I'd be done with my daily quests.

And I could definitely knock that one out while I scavenge about, right?

That sounds like a plan to me.

Now… let's uh… go find a place where I can scavenge…

…

…