Arc 3: Unknown Discovery - Chapter 25

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 3: Unknown Discovery - Chapter 25

We're not back outside again after the lunch break.

"Welcome back to those who just came back from the cafeteria, as well as to those who didn't manage to figure out how to get there. Don't worry; you can't die from hunger during class time." Shaher said to everyone. "Anyway, for the second part of the class, we'll dive deeper into character roles, focusing on the concept of role conversion."

She paused, ensuring everyone's attention was captured. "Character roles that were previously assigned to you can change due to significant events—transformative experiences that alter your character role, either for the better or the worse. These events can be key to your life, like a hero falling from grace after a tragic loss or a villain finding redemption through an unexpected act of kindness."

Shaher stops for a moment, and then a massive projection screen appears in the sky for everyone to see—a diagram illustrating different character arcs. "For instance, think about how a brave knight, once celebrated, might turn into a vengeful rogue after a betrayal. On the other hand, a feared warlord could become a wise and benevolent leader after witnessing the devastation of war."

A low muttering of confusion and curiosity. Faces turn to each other, eyebrows raised, whispers exchanged. The buzz of voices gradually fades. As the last whispers die down, all eyes focus intently on Shaher, ready to absorb her next words.

"Then, there is the fact one could have more than one character role, and those could be converted to another as well." Shaher paused, allowing the gravity of the statement to sink in. "Therefore, as a gift from me to everyone, all students will be assigned a character role that comes with unique effects. And before anyone asks, yes, even the contractors will be given a character role to match their position in their pantheon somehow."

As she finished speaking, multiple pillars of light descended from the heavens, enveloping each person in a brilliant glow. Each individual felt a surge of power as the light washed over them, infusing them with their new roles. The light lasted only a few seconds before fading away, leaving everyone with a renewed sense of purpose and expectation.

I look down at my right hand and see a badge materializing, similar to Ruby and Weiss' Protagonist Badge. However, there is a distinct difference. The badge is adorned with intricate designs and shimmering colors that catch the light, making it stand out even more. As I examined it closely, I noticed the name engraved on it: The Sniper.

Eh...?

"That's a nice character role you gained, Jin. Especially since you can exchange it for something much more valuable like you can with the Protagonist Badge." Alma peers over my shoulder, her eyes locking onto the Sniper Badge. "If you were a student, this would be great for you. It turns you into the best sniper around. But since you're a contractor, its effects won't help you as much. On the bright side, you can still trade it for something useful from the high school."

"I think you could exchange it for a weapon or get the high school to enhance your eyes to become even better than-" Shiki paused mid-sentence, her gaze fixed on my eyes, particularly my right eye, which is Odin's Lost Eye. "On second thought, maybe it's best for you to exchange it for a weapon or something else."

I bring the Sniper Badge to my eyes, scanning it closely through Odin's Lost Eye. It's like peering into a world of complex runes; each one etched deeply into the badge. There are so many of them that it would take me ages to decipher their meanings and functions.

"How do I exchange this with others, both students and contractors?" I ask Shiki, glancing to where Alma is explaining the effects of Ruby and Weiss' badges to them. Meanwhile, Shaher has fallen silent amidst the shouting of the crowd, seemingly unresponsive.

"You just have to be willing to hand it over to the other person while holding the badge for five seconds before the ownership is transferred over." Shiki explained.

"Alright." I walk over to Ruby and carefully place the badge in her free hand, the one not holding her new badge. Then, I stand there, counting the seconds silently as I wait for the transfer to complete. "There you go, Ruby. This Sniper Badge should suit you." I gave her a small smile. I turn my attention to Weiss, addressing her next. "Weiss, if I acquire another badge, and if it fits your style, I'll make sure to give it to you."

"Sure, Jin." Weiss replied with a smile. "Oh, and I got the Ice Spirit Queen Badge." Her eyes lit up. "It makes me the ruler over the ice spirits." She explained a hint of pride in her voice.

"That's great." I replied, giving Weiss a thumbs-up. Then, I turned my attention to Ruby. "What did you get, Ruby?" I asked, curious to hear about what her new character role would be.

"Mine is Actor." Ruby replied as she smiled brightly. "It lets me easily slip into any role without needing to be in a specific character role. Thanks for the Sniper Badge. It'll be really handy for concealing my Actor Badge." A mischievous glint appears in her eye.

"I'm quite jealous, you know." Alma confessed with a playful pout, her eyes flickering between Ruby and me. "It seems so effortless for you to receive someone else's character role badge like that. Back in my time here, I had to resort to all sorts of methods, even seduction, just to gain many badges." She said in a nostalgic tone.

"I mean, with what I've gained so far from the Eldritch pantheon, I'm not really lacking in resource." I pointed out. Alma's eyes widened, and a few others nearby turned to stare at me, their expressions filled with envy.

"I forgot how crazy your pantheon is." Alma scowled. "It's filled with so much wealth, even in its current state." She huffed, blowing a stray strand of hair out of her eyes. "Anyway." She continued, addressing the onlookers who had been eavesdropping on our conversation. "Now, thanks to Shiki and I sharing this information. Everyone should be prepared for others coming after those badges. Especially the Protagonist Badge." She emphasized, her gaze shifting pointedly to Ruby and Weiss as she spoke.

And just like that, people began to distance themselves, just like they did before in the cafeteria, but this time on a larger scale. The tension was noticeable as nearly everyone drew their weapons, their eyes flickering with a mix of wariness and greed. The crowd shifted into a more guarded and defensive stance, ready for any sudden moves.

"Now that everyone has discovered their character role, I'll end the class for today and see you all in the next session." Shaher suddenly announced to everyone. She vanished before anyone could react or ask her another question, leaving the crowd stunned. The short end left us all staring at the spot where she had just been, a mixture of confusion and uncertainty hanging in the air.

"To our dorm!" Ruby shouted, quickly tossing one of the Gold Rings into the air. As a portal materialized, she grabbed my hand and pulled me through it. Weiss, Shiki, and Alma were hot on our heels, diving through just in time. The portal snapped shut behind us, cutting off anyone else from following.

"There is no door." Weiss blurted out, her eyes scanning the room with a mixture of confusion and concern. "How are we going to get out of here, other than through Ruby's Gold Rings, my Semblance, or Jin's ability to create portals?" She looked around with more concern. "And I don't see any doors at all. What do we do when one of us needs to use the bathroom?"

"That's the best part." Alma said with a playful grin. "You need to use the method of traveling you created or rely on others. So if you do need to use the bathroom, then it's best you have a method of traveling or get Jin here to bring you." She glanced at me before turning back to Weiss with a teasing wink. "Of course, I don't mind helping you out, Weiss."

"I'm going to have to pass on that offer." Weiss replied dryly, shooting Alma a wry look. "I don't mind holding it in a bit longer until Jin or Ruby are ready to take me to the bathroom." She paused, considering her options. "Maybe Ruby, since I don't want Jin to get in trouble for entering the girl's bathroom."

"Is it normal to share a room all together?" I asked, looking around the room, which was about the size of an average studio apartment. It's somewhat like Nyarla's apartment but just a bit smaller. "Also, are we supposed to get all our own furniture?" I continued, noticing the lack of pretty much everything, including a bed, table, chairs, and so on.

"Pretty much," Alma replied with a shrug of her shoulders. "And yeah, most often, we either go out to buy materials to craft our own stuff or buy from the high school, which offers very high quality, I would say. Those who can conjure their own furniture usually do so, making others envious. Some even pay those people to create the type of furniture they desire."

I paused, blinking in surprise as I looked at the spot where Shiki had been standing. One moment, she was there, and the next, she had vanished without a trace.

"Why did Shiki just disappear out of the blue?" I asked Alma as I expanded the range of my En to locate her. The energy field stretched out, probing the room and beyond, searching for any trace of Shiki's presence. Meanwhile, Alma seemed unfazed, casually leaning against the wall with a slight smirk. She looked at me with a knowing expression, as if she had seen this happen before.

"Most likely locating other students and contractors to steal their badges." Alma replied with a shrug, her smirk widening. "Shiki tends to do that—disappearing suddenly to gain an advantage. She's always on the lookout for opportunities to collect more badges. It's her way of staying ahead in the game."

"Wait, what?" Ruby exclaimed, her eyes widening in shock as she turned to Alma. "Really?!"

"Of course not, Ruby. Alma is just messing with you, right?" Weiss rolled her eyes at Ruby's gullibility, then shifted her gaze to Alma.

Even I found myself curious about Alma's answer, wondering whether this was another difference with this version of Shiki compared to the original.

"Yeah, I'm messing with everyone. Here's a note she gave me right as she disappeared." Alma admitted with a mischievous grin, reaching into her back and in her hand is a sheet of paper. She walked over to me and handed it over. "I don't know what's written on it, nor when she made it and gave it to me. But I have an idea why she disappeared just now. Pretty sure I'm going to be gone too soon." She added nonchalantly, as if disappearing was just another mundane occurrence in her life.

I begin reading the letter. Ruby and Weiss appeared by my sides, their expressions mirroring my own curiosity as we leaned in to read the contents together.

"Again? Why is the Heaven pantheon switching Shiki out with someone else?" I muttered, looking up from the letter, only for Alma to vanish at that moment. "Seriously?" I exclaimed, my frustration evident as I glanced around the now-empty space where Alma had just been standing.

"I think that might become a normal things." Weiss said dully.