Chapter 41: Secret Benefactor
[Level up! x2]
First thing Yin saw as soon as she got out of the dungeon was the sweet notification that she had leveled up once again. Though it looked like she hadn't been the only one to do so. Ghislaine, Blake and Shia, who had been several feet from her upon their return, had received their own level ups.
[Ghislaine level up x2! Shia level up x2! Blake level up x7!]
Though Ghislaine and Shia only got two, Blake seemed to have gotten several. Which made Yin think.
'Did we just taxi Blake through that? I'll have to remember that for later..'
Apart from their awed expressions, there was something else of import that happened after returning from the dungeon. The sheer amount of advanced cybernetics that were piling up in front of them. All clean and in perfect condition, as if they just got off the shelves. There was at least a hundred or more pieces of very advanced technology that was leagues ahead of Atlas' capabilities piling up in front of the four. It stopped after a minute, with Adam Smasher's cyborg parts scattered on top of the pile, like the cherry on top of a bizzare sundae.
"This and the weapons in my inventory.." Yin paused, placing her thumb on her chin thoughtfully, considering her options.
Shia started poking the arm cannon taken directly from Adam Smasher, imagining how Hajime would react if he saw something like this.
"Ghislaine, do you think there's anyone on Menagerie who could make sense of all these cybernetics?" Yin asked, ignoring the amused bunny girl picking up the metal hand and acting like Hajime in front of a slightly amused Blake.
"On Menagerie..? Maybe not. But Sienna and Gira have a lot of contacts. Are we going with that company idea we talked about?" Smirking, Ghislaine asked as her tail swished in what looked to be excitement.
"Company..?" Blake's ears perked up as she turned her attention away from Shia and on Yin and Ghislaine's conversation.
"Oh! Yeah, the one where you start a competing business against Atlas' subordinate companies and help bring legitimacy to Menagerie?" Shia chimed in, tilting up some imaginary glasses.
"...?" Yin looked at the rabbit girl, clearly impressed she even retained that much of a plan she only brought up once.
"Hey, were you thinking I was dumb..?" Shia pouted at Yin's shocked and impressed expression.
Yin simply held back a grin and shook her head in denial. "No. I just never went into much detail about it. Thing is, to get my plans going, I need a big presence in the world. I brought technology to Kuo Kuana, not only to improve their lives here, but to earn some recognition. Dustless power sources discovered in Kuo Kuana, brand new weapon technology and now, cybernetic tech. That gets attention. Quickly, due to the wonderful thing called the net."
Blake's eyes widened. It made sense, after all. Maybe to normal people, things like the turbines and solar panel technology wasn't interesting, but to the people higher up in power? To Atlas? SDC? It would definitely draw their attention. But just this wasn't enough for Yin. No, now she was considering bringing beyond military-grade cybernetic and weapon technology to the light. The only concern she had at that moment, was if she could handle all that attention.
"The SDC could go after you.." Blake let her worry slip.
"Hah. Yeah, that's definitely an option, considering what I brought to Menagerie." Yin replied with a smirk as she put the cybernetics into her inventory. The large pile of metal disappearing into motes of blue light.
"But first off, I'm not scared of them. So even if they do discover my identity, at worst, it'll delay some things I have in mind. But there comes the actual company part." Yin said, leisurely walking back toward Kuo Kuana with them.
"She's using the company as a front. When the announcement of the company comes out, she plans to announce herself as the representative of their leader. It works, seeing as Yin is very beautiful, young and outgoing in the eyes of Kuo Kuana's people. She's helped them set up that technology, but she never claimed to have made it." Ghislaine said, her compliment actually making Yin's face heat up a little.
"Smooth..!?" Shia shouted out, horrified at how effortless Ghislaine made Yin blush.
A simple side glare from her made her shut up though.
"Ahem! Yes. I'll be seen as the representative after we 'officially' announce that company. For now, we're garnering attention as Kuo Kuana's 'Secret Benefactor' as we've been called online." Yin clarified.
"I see.. And Tamamo will be a lot more interested in seeing you if that company launches. Very smart.." Blake muttered, looking at Yin in a new light.
Someone as, or even more ambitious than Adam. And he was the most ambitious person Blake knew. It's why she began to develop feelings for him. He was passionate, so sure of his purpose and dedicated. All these traits and more, she saw in her new friend.
"Oh Tamamo is already interested in talking. But I'm waiting until after we get this company underway, gives me more leverage. She won't be swayed to our side easy, so enhancing our potential in her eyes will make convincing her easier. Military tech beyond Atlas is too tempting, especially considering the Faunus aren't united." Yin explained, further impressing Blake.
"But that's enough about that. Let's do some sparring later, all of us. See where our strength's at now." Blake's ears twitched at the eager tone in Yin's voice.
She was beginning to really admire her. But was it necessary to be such a battle freak?
-Two days later, Mantle-
A black haired man in his mid thirties sat at an antique desk, the window behind him letting in the cool night air as Remnant's moon hung low in the sky. His fingers flipped through an extensive report brought to him by his subordinates. An interested, if murderous gleam shone in his eyes as he read said report regarding Kuo Kuana's recent attention.
*Sigh* "I know Jacques won't take this lying down. Any minute now.." The man sighed before calmly talking to himself within his dimly lit room.
*Ring* *Ring* *Ri-* The man picked up the old, wired phone next to his desk with an expectant half-smirk.
"Lucius.." The prideful, pompous voice of Jacques Schnee sounded out from the telephone's receiver.
"Jacques. I suspect this is about Kuo Kuana?" The man asked, leaning back in his swivel chair and smirking as he heard his long-time ally snarl in discontent.
"Yes, partly. It's also about the troublesome White Fang. Adam Taurus just led a group of his people to free the miners at the foot of Mount Regis, fifty kilometers from Mantle. I have a job I want to hire the Chrollo mercenaries for." Jacques stated, his voice dripped with cold fury.
"I figured as much. You're not hiring my men to go after him. So.. ah, a loved one, is it? Going to send him a message or take someone hostage? And since this does partly involve Kuo Kuana's new 'technological boom'.. I assume the target is in Menagerie? How'd I do?" Lucius asked playfully.
"Got it in one. Blake Belladonna. Adam Taurus has a soft spot for the Belladonna Princess, it seems. We've intercepted messages from him to her using the CCT." Jacques explained.
Lucius twirled his finger around the phone's cord, smirking in understanding. "Oh Jacques you didn't.. Hacking the CCT like that.. Why, that's illegal."
"Please. We both know what kind of skeletons are in each other's closets. Let's cut to the chase. I want a team to kidnap the Belladonna girl and the girl who's been introducing this Dustless technology to Menagerie. I'll pay you sixty-thousand lien for the contract." Jacques offer made Lucius smile greedily.
"Well..~ Getting to Menagerie's not hard, per-se. Land's uninhabited, for the most part. But the seas are dangerous. The team will need to be Huntsmen level, with a fast, armed boat. Plus the danger of being in enemy territory.. We're looking at eighty-thousand." Lucius counter-offered.
"...Deal. Just get this done." Jacques replied gruffly before hanging up.
"Damn.. He's desperate. Could have squeezed more out of him." Lucius chuckled wryly before beginning to make a few more calls.
Though the job sounded easy, he had a gut feeling, kidnapping these two girls wouldn't be very easy. That, and said trip there had to be below the radar. It would take a while to get there discreetly, but his men were the cream of the crop. They'd never failed him before, and they wouldn't start now.
-Two months later, Kuo Kuana Belladonna estate-
"I think we're finally ready, Miss Xiao Long." Ghira, clearly tired and overworked stated, placing down a large stack of papers on the table in front of him.
He had dark eye bags under his eyes, clearly having powered through hundreds, if not a thousand forms in a few days. Though it was for a good cause, given how explosive Kuo Kuana's growth had been in the months since Yin had brought forward advanced, otherworldly technology. Their previously humble town had brought a lot of attention due to the increase in living quality, first attracting Faunus from the two other towns of KuaKuanea and Borea. Then from the nearest coastal towns. If this kept up, they'd be overrun with people.
Ghira lamented over the fact that Menagerie was fractured. This whole process of running a city and helping set up a company for Kuo Kuana's biggest contributer was taking its toll. And while his dear wife and Sienna were a huge help in managing the day to day and their White Fang forces, he was overwhelmed with work. Something which Yin felt slightly guilty for too, seeing as he basically set up the company she was going to use.
"Thank you, Chief Ghira. I think you earned a re-Oh he's already asleep.." Yin gawked as Ghira immediately passed out in his chair, prompting two White Fang attendants to lay him down so he didn't abruptly drop to the floor.
Yin gathered the stack of papers and subtly placed them in her inventory while the attendants fussed over the now snoring Ghira. After quietly leaving his office she spotted Sienna and Kali taking a small break in the living quarters and approached them.
"How long do you think it'll take for the tech to be ready? Some of my men have aura. But adding cybernetics.. We could-" Sienna saw the sharp look in Kali's eyes, pressing her not to continue with her sentence.
"I know how you feel about the SDC and Chrollo. I do. But the decision on who gets the cybernetics isn't ours to make." Kali replied, spotting Yin walking up behind Sienna.
"Haa.. I know. It's just frustrating.. I know testing for Faunus is still going on, and it'll first be used to help the Faunus who were missing limbs. But have you seen the combat implants reverse engineered from the 'Dai Oni' tech? We could rival- no.. crush those Chrollo bastards." Sienna spat venomously, noticing the wry smile on Kali's face.
"So you're interested in arming up your men with cybernetics huh?" Sienna heard a mature, velvety voice behind her that could only have been Yin.
Sienna furrowed her brows and looked at Yin, who was dressed in black boots, brown cargo pants, a tight black leotard that showed off her hips, a small red half-coat that stopped in the middle of her back that possessed a hood that was neatly tucked in. Sienna's eyes briefly wandered to her toned abs that she could see through the skin tight leotard before focusing on her face.
"Yes. I want to arm my men with the weapons and technology you've been developing. If it's money, I have it." Sienna stated earnestly, much to Yin's amusement.
"I plan to, Sienna. The cybernetics need to be tested though. They have no issue with Faunus integration, but there's something called 'Cyberpsychosis' I'm worried about. Let's say there's a promising soldier with a lot of cybernetics in him. He's effecient, deadly and loyal. Then, one day he snaps, kills fifty of your soldiers, perhaps even some civilians. I'm lowballing the death toll here but this can happen. Until I'm sure the risks are minimized, I'm not going to allow people to install cyberware willy-nilly. But..! Weapons? I'd be happy to sell you a few for cheap. I'll call it an investment." Yin's words calmed Sienna down, as when she thought of the rammifications of Cyberpsychosis, she paled.
That kind of meltdown had to be avoided at all costs.
Sienna nodded gratefully at Yin, who nodded back and began to walk outside once more. After receiving an official invitation, it was time to go see the Fox King.
[AN: Yo! Released an idea I had of Astolfo as a Sparda in Young Justice on my Pa.treon. Also once I get to the 5th Lucoa chap, I'll start posting the 1st chap on here. Thank you VERY much those who joined even the free tier of my Pa.treon. Doubly so for those who did the 5$ tier! Here's a Hecate commission for you.]
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