Chapter 80: Approach

Chapter 80: Approach

DISCLAIMER: This story is NOT MINE IN ANY WAY. That honor has gone to the beautiful bastard Ryugii. This has been pulled from his Spacebattle publishment. Anyway on with the show...errr read.

Approach

The first seven bullets reached me almost simultaneously, each flying towards me at a different angle. With me this close, Tenne didn't try to get any of them past me, but instead tried to strike at me with all of them at the same time, coordinating the different shots to limit my ability to dodge. Even so, I knew he still wasn't trying to kill me and faced the bullets down without fear for myself.

But just because he wouldn't kill me didn't mean anyone else was safe, so I had to take this seriously. Besides Ren and Nora, there were still plenty of people in this townpeople that Tenne may well have been systematically infecting the same way he'd gotten to me. Perhaps even more worryingly, there was the alarming possibility that he might turn those abilities upon my mother why she fought against my dad, stealing her life away in an instant or worse.

Assuming, of course, that he hadn't done so already.

I didn't allow such thoughts to slow me down, though; even with my new speed, I knew better than to underestimate someone like Tenne. Tracing the path of each shot with my eyes confirmed that he'd matched them to me even as I approached and with his eleven eyes on me, I felt sure they'd move in counter to anything I did. The shots were slower, which put him at a disadvantagebut on the other hand, I couldn't allow any of the shots to get by me for fear of the repercussions and he probably knew that. Had I been able to dodge freely, avoiding the shots would have been relatively simple at this range, but instead I needed to face them head on.

The bright side of it all was that I knew my opponent was a skilled Hunter. One of therather dubious, admittedlyadvantages of fighting people of that level is that you could almost erase the possibility of human error. That is, between the training and his Semblance, I didn't really need to consider the possibility of Tenne missing on his own, because the guy had inhuman accuracy even before Conquest got to him and wasn't going to miss unless I did something to make him miss. Even at speeds like this, I felt pretty confident of that much, at least; I'd caught his first shot thanks to my new Empathy, an ability he'd had no way of knowing I'd possessed, and then caught the next three thanks to a combination of distracting him, running a course that led me to intercepting the bullets, and then changing my speed mid-motion.

All of which meant that while he thankfully wasn't perfect or all-knowing, he was very skilledand that meant that if he was aiming at something, I knew exactly where it was going to hit. Judging from their directions, a pair of bullets were going to fly towards my knees and another towards my wrists, while the remaining three were each aimed straight for my center of mass, targeting organs within me. That thankfully didn't mean much to me, given the Gamer's Body, though I imagined each of them would probably still qualify as a critical hit if they connected, and he was holding the rest of his bullets in reserve, waiting to tailor the other shots to my reaction. They were still flying towards me, of course, but they were far enough behind that he'd be able to make them bob and weave to match whatever I did, just like he'd be free to do with the other bullets that seemed to hang suspended in the air at the speeds we were moving. He was thinking ahead, planning.

So was I.

I touched the ground and Lunged a step forward, into an apparent opening in the bullet's formation. A moment before I was even moving forward, the bullets curved in midair, rising to match the motion quicklytoo quickly, in fact, as I slowed a fraction by adjusting my Acceleration and then sped it back up an instant later. The Tiger hovering around me before leaning its upper body forward as I was parallel to the ground, both hands reaching for the bullets that had been aimed at my knees. Because of my slight deceleration, the bullets meant for my wrists all but fell into my hands instead and the Tiger continued its motion, pulling its spectral form from mine as it continued its forward turn and then crawling over my body to stand upon my back. Its tail flicked out in the midst of the motion, bouncing another bullet away as I drew my hands back towards my chest and then it stood perched upon my back, teeth bared as its hands came together.

A crooked bolt of light leapt from its jaws as it suddenly freed, flashing towards the bullets Tenne held close at hand. The three he'd held in 'reserve' flew out of the way before the attack even fired, but the othersthey were Dust rounds and they reacted to my Aura.

Which is to say, they exploded in his face.

Credit where it's due, Tenne had taken a step back a moment before and didn't even blink at the sudden eruption of energy, guiding the other rounds despite the distraction. The two shots near me slammed into my chest with enough force that I felt ribs break beneath my Adamant skin and then bounced away as well, but the Tiger fell back through my body, a hand reaching through my chest. As his claw grasped that pair of bullets, I caught the one his tail had deflected, and then we hit the ground, inhabiting the same space and already running.

Tenne's other hand was rising and it didn't take a genius to guess it held more ammo, but it also didn't take one to know that it was moving too slowly to make it. At this distance, I'd reach him before he finished lifting his hand unless he distracted mewhich made his attempt to do so pretty obvious.

The first of the four bullets remaining, flying just ahead of the other three, moved as if aimed for my skull. The Tiger placed his face over mine, but I knew it wasn't aimed for my head, not reallyit was a Dust round. A red Dust round.

Centimeters from contact, it exploded in my face, and if not for the face that he must have chosen the bullet before this even began, I'd have thought the choice ironic. The idea, I assumed, was to make me close my eyes.

So I did. It's not like it mattered, after all, when I could see just fine with the Tiger's eyes, so I continued my approach through the cloud of flames and still kept an eye on the other bullets. One went high, one dipped low, and the other spiraled further to the sideand I moved to match without even opening my body's eyes. This time, my physical body leaned out of sync, reaching down to grasp the bullet curving under us while the Tiger reached up and out, grasping the other two. The Tiger continued forward before I rose and I allowed it to pull me into a flip that ended with me standing in front of Tenne as the Tiger leapt to all fours and turned fast enough to carve furrows in the building beneath us. Its tail whipped out as it completed the turn, winding tightly around Tenne's lifting arm and pulling it back down to his side even as the Tiger itself returned to its normal place around me.

As I landed, both sets of my hands came together, Tiger pair over human one, and then again with one of each. Finally, I grasped his right hand with my left, clasped his head between the Tiger's claws, and held my right fist out to the side. Meeting his eyes, I opened it with deliberate slowness, allowing the deformed mass I'd made out of the bullets to fall from my fingers and then explode. Only then did I allow the draining time alteration to finally fade.

Nearly five thousand MP in perhaps two secondsit didn't matter right now.

"If you try anything," I said calmly and the Tiger tightened its grip slightly. "Your head will look a lot like that before I tear it off."

Tenne watched me for a moment before chuckling slightly, but otherwise held still.

"Well look at you, Jaune," He said. "You've been learning, I see."

I said nothing, holding him pinned. There were still two Hunters unaccounted for and if Conquest followed his pattern

The Tiger looked around as I stayed focused on our captive. There was a good chance that if Tyrian and Castanea were around, they'd put their plans into the motion as soon as I dropped Tennebefore that happened, I wanted to know where they were and what they were doing. For that, if nothing else, it was worth it to prolong this. Conquest seemed to make allowances to give himself a chance to talk.

"You tried to shoot Nora," I began, though I was pretty sure I knew the answer. "Why?"

"Isn't it obvious?" Tenne answered. "Because you wanted to save her. Isn't that reason enough?"

I didn't answer. Tenne had chosen a good vantage point, as I'd suspected, and I could see most of the town from up here. Focusing in on the lives I detected, I flickered through my perceptions swiftly. Not there, not thereperhaps on the rooftops? No, nor on the streets. I felt a few people huddled in basements, but

Where are they?

"Besides which," Tenne continued. "It would have been funny. I mean, imagine; you would have been all 'Well, at least I managed to save these two.' And then bamno, you didn't. Except you had to go and ruin that plan, huh?"

"Yes," I muttered, frowning slightly. I changed tracks, looking for major signs of Aura, anything that stood out, but still didn't find anything major. Thatmade me nervous. "And you infected me, instead."

I cast a brief glance down at myself as I spoke. Through the utter ruin of what had once been my clothes, it was easy to watch the spread of the disease up the length of both my arms and from the two impacts on my chest. Already, half of my right arm had turned black and my left hand had nearly followed suit, and the expanding circles on my chest had already connected with one another and were working their way up my neck. Soon, we'd see if my brain could hold up.

"It's strange and hard to describe, but it feels different, as well," I continued, keeping my voice calm, scientific. "I'm not sure I have the words to properly explain, but I'd say my body responds better. I suspect that the nerve cells in the changed areas have been modified to use something besides conventional nerve impulses. It's entirely conjecture, but it may be something closer toor even beactual electricity running through those cells. Still, it feels off at the moment and I suspect it is because my brain itself has not been changed yet; the infected cells may need to convert my biological impulses into whatever the afflicted areas use. I will test how that changes in a moment."

I banged my arm against the ground to test the response and frowned.

"Once again, I cannot be certain of the specifics, but my flesh has definitely changed," I drew Crocea Mors from my Inventory and tested the edge against my skin. "It's hard to say because, as I told you before, my skin is normally Adamant. It has definitely gotten harder but how this compares to the normal reaction, I cannot say. I do note that the current appearance and texture of my skin is very similar in many ways to that of the Grimm and may in fact be the same material. From this point, I will once again voicing my suspicions; I believe that Conquest is reprogramming my Aura to make it act on at least a molecular, and possibly an atomic, level to either make my body more in line with that of the Grimm or simply make it more viable for combat purposes. In either case, I feel the need to note that the results appear to be similar to that of hypothesized and fictional micro- and nanobots. Given what I told you about the Goliath's tar, it may require looking into."

"Evil, magical, sapient nanobots," Ozpin sighed. "God."

I proceeded as if he'd said nothing as the black spots on my arm reached those on my chest, joining them in their progress up my neck.

"I cannot presently test whether this material is carbon-based, although it may well be. I also cannot test at this time whether it functions through biological, mechanical, or through some unknown means, but I can confirm that it does seem to function even though only part of my body is infected," I noted, continuing to test my arm. "Whatever the nature of the infection is, it seems safe to assume it is designed to keep the host alive and relatively well, at least during this stage of infection. Moving onto muscle fibers, beyond the change in strength and durability, I mainly note that I seem to be able to hold my sword almost perfectly still and that I do not currently feel fatigued in the affect areas. Now please hold while the infection reaches my brain."

I fell silent for a moment, taking slow, steady breathes as I waited to see if I'd lose control of my own body, be trapped as a prisoner in my own flesh, and used as a weapon to kill innocent people.

"Jaune," I heard Ozpin say and we both knew they might be the last words I ever heard as myself. "I'm sad to say that I can't make you any promises that this will be okay, but I do wish to thank you for all the work you've done thus far. The information you've gathered here today has been invaluable, as has your service this far. I want you to know that you have done very well."

As possible sendoffs went, I'd heard better in the games I'd played, but I suppose I'd take what I could get.

A moment later, I felt heat reach my brain and closed my eyes. In that first moment, it felt like someone had strum a chord, but the chord was inside my head and it just went on and on. Then I felt something that was not painful, per se, because I knew the brain had no pain receptors. But it did feel fairly unusual, like my brain was pulsating in my skull andshifting. I felt my ears twitch and pop as they altered, felt pressure behind my eyes, and there was something akin to my spinal cord wigglingand there was something almost like a click that made me open my eyes. The world had sharpened and even now continued to change as I felt that heat continue to spread through my head and body, steadily intensifying.

But more than that, I remained completely aware of myself. I twitched a finger once to test it, then a toe, and then I exhaled. At least for the moment, I thought I was myself and felt honestly relieved.

You have received the Status Effect 'On A White Horse He Rides [Intermediate].'

A skill has been created through a special action! By achieving a state closer to the creatures of Grimm, the skill 'Monstrosity' has been created.

Since no one was trying to kill me at this moment, I actually took the time to check the status effect, though I put the skill aside for the moment; I'd check it and the others soon enough.

On A White Horse He Rides [Intermediate]

Target has been infected by a Pandora Shell and contracted the physical and spiritual malady held within. At the Intermediate level, the disease has seized and altered major areas. Physical and mental changes will continue as the disease progresses.

Uninformative as expected, butat least I tried.

"Thank you, sir," I said at last. I didn't say I was myself, because he couldn't confirm that, so instead I got back to work. "I believe the infection has reached my brain and that physiological changes are in progress. Areas of note seem to be my brain itself, but also my eyes, ears, and spinal cord. Changes to my eyes seem to be in progress or perhaps simply minor relative to the changes caused my Clairvoyance. What color are my eyes right now?"

"Blue," Ozpin answered, watching me carefully.

"Then they will continue to change; I will report any differences. I seem to be able to hear something, as well, but cannot make it out yet. I believe the changes to my brain and spinal cord may relate to the nerve issue I mentioned before, but I will test that now."

I lifted my arms again and flexed them carefully, gauging the speed of the reaction, remembering the odd sensation from before, butnothing.

"Confirmed; the sensation has faded and reactions seem smoother," I nodded. "I have not yet noticed any other changes I believe are a result of the alterations to my brain, but will keep you briefed. How do you wish to play this one, sir?"

Ozpin was silent for a moment. I knew that he'd put off the issue of the missing Hunters until after the infection had mostly run its course and why he hesitated to mention them nowI was compromised and their status was still unconfirmed.

"I suspect I know what has become of Tyrian and Castanea," He said at last. "Whether they are infected or not, I do not believe it is an immediate concern and I will notify the team I'm sending on how to address the matter. Please trust me and continue as if the matter has been dealt with."

"Yes, sir," I nodded once.

"How long will it take you to regain your energy?" He asked.

"I can be completely restored in one minute and quite a bit less if needed," I answered confidently, noting the rate at which my MP was returning. A result of the infection or of my new skills?

He considered that.

"Can you find a vantage point from which to observe your mother's fight?" He asked.

"Yes," I rose, brushing some dust from my now black skin. I knew without asking that what happened next would depend on what I saw. If she was doing well, I'd have time to continue observing Conquest progression through my body and to prepare. If not

But if not, it was likely things would end very, very badly and I'd have to prepare myself for that, too.

"But before that, give me a moment, sir," I said, turning slightly. "I need to pick up a few thingsI suspect the others may have dropped a few things and I need all the help I can get."