章 81: Travelling to a creepy old man's base
Adam always wanted to travel the world
He dreamed of boarding a plane and visiting every major country on Earth
Perhaps it was not plausible. Either because of monetary problems, or because traveling to foreign countries is a major difficulty altogether…And an inconvenience, too
Yet, his desire to experience everything the world had to offer remained strong.
He wanted to experience different cultures, observe countless sights, and meet drastically different people-!
…Unfortunately, before Adam had the chance to proceed with his desire, he died.
He knew that human life was short. And that is exactly why he wanted to experience everything the world could offer.
A person has one chance in life, so why not experience everything to the fullest? Why not go through everything that the Earth could offer? Why not exhaust all potential possibilities and then die without regrets?
…Undoubtedly, rarely do things proceed as planned
Dying just barely after he entered a university was….tragic, to say the least
But fortunately for Adam, he had a second chance at life- he reincarnated
…Of course, he was ecstatic when he learned that. But when he noticed that he reincarnated into the world of Honkai Impact….
Safe to say, the silver-haired boy wasn't particularly amused
"Haaah"
The Outsider shook his head, a rare sigh of tiredness leaving him
He stopped those thoughts. Adam wasn't the same person as he was back then. Now, he has the power he once desired, and he also has… friends, and maybe something more than that
As for what he is currently doing?
Why, he is traveling, of course
In his previous life, he didn't have the chance. And in his current life in the world of Honkai Impact….
Adam didn't dare travel
After all, who knew whether a sudden honkai outburst would take place near him? What would happen if he randomly came in contact with some honkai energy and became a zombie?
Who knew whether a honkai beast would suddenly attack him out of nowhere?
Safe to say, Adam didn't dare travel without someone powerful accompanying him
Perhaps he was a bit cautious. But he was an outsider- a reincarnator-, who knew whether No.17 would target him because he was an unknown variable?
Well, perhaps that AI-turned-Will of Honkai wouldn't target him as long as he didn't go against humanity…or honkai.
He didn't know exactly how Prometheus worked. She is indeed following Honkai's purpose until that backdoor is activated, so would actively going against honkai make him a target?
As for becoming a traitor and going against humanity?
Sorry, Adam was shameless, and maybe he would do that…. If a certain squinty-eyed gray-haired monk who observed this world and countless others didn't exist, that is
So, not going against humanity, and not helping humanity. In short, Adam was stuck between an AI and a squinty-eyed old man
Did he dare do anything at all? No, he didn't, that was the answer
He did try to do something small… But it wasn't effective in the least
But anyway, he digresses
"Hmmm…."
Adam exclaimed, his current thoughts stopping once again as he arrived at his destination
As previously mentioned, he was currently traveling
After he left Rias to train in those repeated exercises and digest 'knowledge', Adam left her and came to a specific place close to the continent of Anima
It was called Menagerie
In the world of RWBY, Menagerie stood as a breathtaking testament to both beauty and resilience. Set amidst the azure waters of the eastern coastline, this island sanctuary served as a refuge for the Faunus, a race gifted(....Or cursed) with animal traits.
And now, entering this place and experiencing it first hand…. He didn't know why, but his heart was a bit disturbed
It is a tapestry of cultures, where bustling marketplaces adorned with colorful banners intertwine with serene landscapes dotted by lush foliage and cascading waterfalls. The architecture, a fusion of organic forms and elegant craftsmanship, reflected the harmony between nature and civilization.
At the heart of Menagerie lies the bustling port city of Kuo Kuana, where the pulse of life beats the strongest. Here, Faunus of all backgrounds mingle, their laughter and voices weaving together in a symphony of diversity.
….Perhaps this world was a bit harsh on Faunus. Sure, they did have a bad reputation due to that terrorist organization White Fang, but beyond some animal characteristics, they are not that different from humans
Seeing Faunus of all kinds interact and mingle with each other normally certainly makes him question if there was something wrong with the humans of this world
After all…. Real-life cat girls, cowgirls, bunny girls, dog girls….
Need he say more?
Clearly, the racists of this world are idiots. And perhaps it is excused because of what the White Fang has done, however….
Would the White Fang exist, or would they even have to use violent means if they had not been driven to that point by humans?
Something inside of him resonated with his thoughts, making him frustrated at this fact
….But it also made him happy that the Faunus of Menagerie could live peacefully like normal people-
"Huh…..?"
Adam frowned, putting a hand on his rapidly beating heart. His eyes were filled with confusion-
'When did I start to care about the irrelevant people of this world?'
The silver-haired boy questioned himself, his eyes flashing golden with seriousness at this imperceptible change
"Tsk…."
He clicked his tongue, annoyed
Perhaps the template of Adam was affecting him? It is reasonable to think that the Father of Humanity would be concerned about the progress and safety of humanity
'But Faunus are not humans' A part of him whispered in his ear
But still, they were still considered human. They only have animal appendages as additions. Except that, they are no different than humans
'....'
…..
Was he developing Schizophrenia?
Oh, maybe it was unavoidable. After all, no normal person would remain sane after reincarnating in a dangerous world without any powers or opportunities to obtain power
[....]
"Heh"
Adam chuckled at his own joke. He did that loudly, caring not for the Faunus around him who were looking at him as if he were crazy
'Eh, who cares anyway. Sanity is overrated'
He smiled lightly, not caring about whether he could be considered mentally stable or not
It didn't matter to him. As long as he enjoyed his current life, he didn't care.
Not only that, but he couldn't even be measured by human standards of mental stability, as he has strayed further and further from being a 'human'
Still….. Beyond traveling around and seeing how the Faunus society operates, he came up with another goal in mind
…
..
.
Remnant, Unidentified Island
Brushing a hand through his glistening silver hair, Adam walked towards the structure in the distance
The structure that he wants to enter is located in a remote, dense forest, surrounded by natural barriers like steep cliffs and swift rivers, ensuring that its presence remains unknown to the outside world.
This… facility is heavily fortified with advanced surveillance systems, automated turrets, and a cloaking device that makes it nearly invisible to aerial reconnaissance.
Unfortunately for the guy who owns this structure, his [Magical sense] isn't so easily fooled
In fact, the silver-haired boy didn't plan on invading this laboratory. However, after coming to Menagerie, he noticed this isolated Island. It was in the sea between Anima and Menagerie
He supposed it did make sense. It was smart to build this structure on an island far away from civilization. And especially, it was a good spot because it wasn't that far away from Menagerie, a place where most Faunus live
After all… Why would the authorities bother to investigate a place where 'animals' lived more deeply?
And even if racism wasn't the reason, it would still be idiotic to do this, especially now that tensions between humans and Faunus were high because of the existence of the White Fang
Well, 'tension' might be too strong of a word. However, people were indeed wary of the Faunus
"Interesting…."
Adam muttered, narrowing his eyes as he looked in front of him
The entrance to the lab is a large, reinforced steel door embedded into the side of a mountain. The door is guarded by a pair of menacing Beowolves, equipped with cybernetic enhancements that make them even more deadly.
The silver-haired boy nonchalantly walked towards the steel door, not even bothering to his presence
Grrrrrr
The pair of Beowolves growled at him as he entered their sight, the creatures of darkness instantly went alert as they launched themselves-
Before they had the chance to enter his range, bright flames erupted on their bodies, turning them to ashes just a split second after
"....."
Adam shook his head, continuing to approach the door without stopping
That was the elemental magic of this world. Perhaps not quite advanced, but it was still destructive enough to get the job done
… Of course, it couldn't be compared to the power of destruction. But he didn't need to use POD on mere ants
And obviously, he didn't go through the effort of using [Gluttony] on mere Beowulves, either
On the one hand, the increase in power they could provide him was pitiful…And on the other, he didn't need to as he had already devoured the magic power that was left after their bodies were destroyed
Once again, Grimm are magical constructs. He had already analyzed most species, so his only gain was the magical energy they released after dissipating from death
Shaking his head again, Adam placed his hand on the reinforced steel door in front of him
This was the lab of….Merlot
When he explored around Menagerie, he found this place. In fact, this place was a bright beacon to his senses
Especially the negativity sense he acquired from the Grimm. This place reeked of the 'stinky' negativity that the Grimm exuded
And when he found this…. Adam recalled a faint memory of his
The silver-haired boy doesn't have much knowledge of Rwby…. But the crazy scientist who performed experiments on Grimm did leave an impression on him
….Of course, that guy was nothing compared to the likes of Mobius
"...."
While in his thoughts, the reinforced steel door opened, a faint red taint on its otherwise silver body
"The Herrscher of Coruption's power is indeed very convenient"
Adam's lips twitched, sarcasm dripping in his voice
If the hate-filled RIN heard his words… She would probably cry
Oh no, she would probably curse at him and slap him for using a civilization-destroying power to open doors
"Oh well…"
The silver-haired boy shrugged, entering the laboratory
…
..
.
Upon entering the lab, the interior was a stark contrast to the natural exterior. The 'Grimmlab' is a labyrinthine network of sterile, brightly lit corridors and high-tech rooms, each designed for a specific aspect of Grimm research.
Adam traced his fingers on the wall, walking towards a specific room while he inwardly mapped the lab with his senses and hacked its database
When suddenly-
The lights went out, the room going dark. Darkness spread to every corner of the room-
"My, what is this?"
And in the center, a light projection can be seen.
"An intruder? I never thought this base would be discovered so quickly…. Well, no matter"
The screen of the light projection showed an elderly man with messy light gray hair and a short beard with a red mechanical eye.
At least one of his arms seemed to be mechanical. His outfit, a red shirt mostly covered with a white jacket.
"I don't mind, after all, I do have some test subjects that need to be tried out"
The old man- no, Merlot, the creator of this lab, smiled widely at Adam
"And you seem like the perfect piece for gathering data"
A red light flashed intensely in Merlot's mechanical eye, his smile remaining wide
.....
"Is that so?"
Adam replied dryly, putting his hands in his pockets as he looked at Merlot with a bored gaze
"To be honest, I am quite interested in your research on Grimm. Your goals are stupid, but the results you have produced might be worth something"
The silver-haired boy looked at the old man in the eye, not scared at all by his words
Indeed, Adam is here for Merlot's research on perfecting Grimm, and combining these creatures with humans
Perhaps not groundbreaking, his research might still be valuable, as he said.
Combining humans and the creatures of darkness oddly reminds him of the MANTIS of the honkai world. The only difference being that Merlot wants to combine Grimm instead of Honkai beasts
Grimm are… weird. They don't have physical bodies in the normal sense. They are magical constructs, they do 'bleed', however, they exclude magical energy instead of blood
And this guy, Merlot, tried to combine these creatures with humans. This… is a feat harder to accomplish than combining humans with honkai beast
While yes, Honkai beasts are mostly silicone-based, they do have DNA, and some even have a 'core'.... It is just difficult to extract
However, Grimm are just magical constructs sprinkled with a lot of darkness and negativity
And yet… How did this guy Merlot make half- Grimm half-human abominations?
This is what truly interested Adam
"Hoh?"
A trace of amazement flashed on Merlot's expression, his eyes narrowing at him
"This is the first time someone has recognized my research"
The old man stared intensely at the silver-haired boy,
'What a creepy bastard, staring at a high schooler with such intensity-'
"You are definitely not from Atlas. Are you one of Salem's subordinates?"
A hint of interest bled into Merlot's voice as he questioned him
… He wanted to ask why this guy knew about Salem, but he kept the question to himself
"Nope" Adam shrugged, shaking his head "I'm not associated with any force of this world… Well, you can just call me an Outsider"
A bit extreme… However, he is a true outsider to this world. He doesn't belong here, but he is only here for a 'mission'
"I see" Merlot closed his one eye, deep in thought "And why did you invade this place? To steal my research, was it?"
Perhaps having someone acknowledge his research mellowed this old man out…not
It can only be because he is interested in someone like Adam who can see the true worth of his research…. Or well, maybe it has been such a long time that he is in the mood for a chat
…Or maybe it is the bullshit charisma and luck that the unique skill [Chosen One] has bestowed the silver-haired boy
"Truthfully…." Adam replied, spreading his hands "Your research direction is correct, but your ideals are not"
"I don't know if you have heard the quote, but…"
"If you can't fight them, join them"
The silver-haired boy smiled as his gaze fell upon all the equipment of this laboratory
"And in this case…" The silver-haired boy's smile widened as his glowing eyes shifted back to the projection screen "To fight against the Grimm, you must become a Grimm"
…
..
.
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A/N:
There was a lot monologue in this chapter... Tell me, was it at least enjoyable?
Beyond that, Exams are finally finished.
I won't promise for more frequent updates... As I'm not sure whether I can fulfill that promise
But still, I can finally relax knowing that school is temporary closed for summer vacation
Anyways, I hope you enjoyed this chapter!
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