JACG Chapter 86 ( Dastardly Plots!) (Patreon)

Traveling through the Chat Group is something that I have grown used to so it was no longer as jarring. The sudden shift of place was no longer something that confused me for a moment. So I was able to gather my bearings quickly and I was able to recognize my surroundings.

The place I found myself in was not exactly something to write home about. It was not the grand views of SAO nor was it as immaculate in its design. So that told me that this world was not some creation from a god or a madman with a plan. It was a natural place and everything around here was exactly as it was meant to be.

Which meant the sight before me was rather concerning. The sky was cloudy and dark. Not a hint of light was available for what must be miles. It was not like the clouds were storming either it just seemed like this world did not allow light to exist. Beyond the dark sky, the surrounding area was completely and utterly covered in fog. Which obviously made gathering more intelligence rather difficult.

The only thing I say for certain was I arrived in a forested area. That fact was even put into question as the trees around me were barely visible. The trees themselves were rather concerning as they fit the rather ominous mood this world was building. Gnarled and with not a leaf in sight, not exactly a good example of a healthy forest and this was all the trees in sight not just a few. So yeah even if I did not know where we arrived I was fairly confident that it was somewhere bad.

The only positive point I could say about this place was there was an abundant amount of natural energy in the air. The energy itself was dyed in rather sinister intentions fitting the theme displayed so far but it was still an impressive amount of natural energy. I could use this massive amount of energy to build a rather good base for us to use in this world. Even if I had to cleanse the miasma building up inside of that natural energy.

Ironically this world was designed for helping people cultivate Demonic Power. Which was another worrying notion as that was not something a regular place should help in. Hell, the underworld in Rias’ world was not capable of helping devils cultivate their power they needed to gather energy from humans to slowly rise their capabilities. 

All in all, what I could gather about this place pointed to bad things and I was not even surprised about that. The Chat Group would not send us on a nice simple journey. It did not want us to become the king of games or to dominate our peers in the world of go. The Chat Group wanted us to be in conflict, I was not sure why that was but I knew that to be the case. I was not exactly going to dissect my all-powerful cheat, that might be a rather naive outlook to take but I was not willing to give up the Chat Group because I dug into its secrets. It was only my unholy luck that allowed me to be here in the first place I was not willing to bet that something similar would happen again.

So I would rather concentrate on the present instead of sticking my nose where it did not belong. That thought might need to be changed later but that was a decision for later not something I needed to contemplate right now. The situation around me was rather concerning already I did not need to add to that.

The fog was heavy enough that I could not see very far but we arrived as a group so we were fairly close to each other. Rias was still excited about being in a new world but she had a rather disappointed look on her face at the sight before her. I guess she was not sensitive enough to realize that this world would help her cultivate. Ashley did not even waste a moment before she marched herself over to me. She may not have the same amount of experience in world travel but she still used it more than the other Chat members so she was able to gather her bearings quickly.

Thankfully she was not dressed in a duck costume, I don’t know how I could face Pyrrha later if she actually decided to come dressed as a duck. I knew she would keep her word for the most part but there was still that thought in my head that Ashley would not give up the opportunity to rile up someone so well. So seeing her dressed as she usually was brought a small smile to my face.

Pyrrha was standing alert by herself. While Rias was looking around for anything that might catch her fancy Pyrrha was examining her surroundings looking for all the dangers in the area. It fit the view I had of her as she has been systematically training to become the last line of defense Remnant had against the forces of darkness. Pyrrha herself might be a polite girl who only wanted to get along with others but her instincts were not something anyone could develop. She was born to be a fighter, no she was born to be a champion and her unrelenting efforts made that potential into a reality.

I knew Pyrrha was based off of Achilles but seeing her like this really brought that imagery to the front of my mind. She had other positive points beyond her skills. She was obviously rather beautiful with shiny red hair that was pulled into a tight ponytail. Her emerald eyes a hauntingly familiar sight but the gaze behind those eyes was different enough to draw the differences. I was glad for that as I did not want to be reminded of the past every time I looked into Pyrrha’s eyes. Not that I was planning on staring into her eyes too often. 

Her body was athletic but had a soft sort of charm that was hard to combine. She had snu snu energy but she also had the sort of girl next door type of vibe. She was dressed in her iconic outfit even if the armor she wore did not really give her that much protection. She showed way too much skin for that to be effective. I was not even sure why she wore that as the rest of the RWBY cast worse outfits that were stylish since they relied on their Aura to protect them. 

Pyrrha's outfit was not even practical but I guess it was a matter of image. Her whole celebrity image was based on being this unbeatable champion so she had to dress that way to enhance that image. It brought a frown to my face as that context meant that her outfit was not something she wanted to wear but something she was forced to wear to maintain a falsehood. She was that champion but she was also more than that not that anyone in her world wanted to face that truth. I could see why Pyrrha was able to fall so desperately in love with someone like Jaune Arc.

Not that Jaune did not have his good points but his actions in the first season were rather cowardly. I got why he acted like that but it did not mean it was the best first impression to have on a girl but Pyrrha still fell for him. He just needed to get over his insecurities about his place at Beacon before he could grow into a better version of himself. 

There were parts of that season that showed his good nature, his willingness to humiliate himself to make Pyrrha feel better, and his willingness to reprimand Neptune about his cowardly nature because he was hurting a girl that Jaune himself liked. Yet he did not rub that fact in Weiss’ face he played out his part and let go of the girl he wanted to pursue for her best not his own. So he did have good moments even if the plot had to drag those moments out of him.

Pyrrha seemed to finish examining the surrounding area as she relaxed. She was clearly still alert but that serious and deadly look fell from her face replaced by a polite smile. It was clearly something she was used to doing and again it rubbed me the wrong way but that was her own business. I already had enough monkeys in my circus and I did not need to push myself into another swamp. Even if the state she was currently in was rather disconcerting.

Ashley made it to my side and snuggled next to me without any hesitance. I gave her an indulgent smile her need for physical affection was something I had grown used to for a long time. It was not something I was against experiencing as I was also in need of physically affection. Even if I usually dreaded anyone coming into physical contact with me. She was not the only one who I allowed to touch me but she was certainly the person who took advantage of that perk rather often.

“It has not been that long Ashley,” I commented softly to the girl who was burying her face into my chest. She grunted and looked up at me with an irritable look on her face.

“Shut it recharging my batteries.” She spoke out sourly before burying her face back into my chest. I rolled my eyes at her as I closed my arms around her. She might be being a brat again but I was used to that already.

Rias must have heard our conversation as she looked over at us with a pout on her face. Emotions flashed in her eyes that were obvious enough for someone like me to read. I was just thankful that Ashley currently had her face in my chest if she saw the look on Rias’ face there might be a fight breaking out. While Ashley may have Rias beat in viciousness I don’t think she could take Rias. So Ashley would be upset for the rest of the trip and that was not something I wanted to deal with right off the bat.

Pyrrha was also looking over at us with a wary look in the depths of her eyes. That caution caused my brow to twitch but I was to blame for that sight and Ashley needling Pyrrha did not help dissolve that worry. I could only hope that this mission was the finally block in the way of recovering my relationship with Pyrrha.

Beyond the worry in her eyes, she started to turn red at the sight of us. She was probably not blinded by our good looks. Her world was filled with people that were far too good looking for their own good. No, the reasons she was looking at us with red dyeing her face was probably because she was not used to such blatant displays of affection. That or she wanted something like that for herself, those were the only reasons I could think of at the moment.

“The couple is really showing off already,” Rias commented bitterly from the side. Her voice caused me to twitch again. I did not have the opportunity to tell Ashley what was going on and Rias' bitter tone was already clear. Hearing her that comment Ashley turned away from my chest with a bland look on her face.

She took one look at Rias before scoffing.

“What jealousy you don’t got a relationship like us Magic Tits?” She spoke out coldly before snuggling back into my chest. I guess she just took that bitter comment as someone jealous of our relationship. Rias sputtered at the comment but not for the reason I expected.

“How did you even know who I was!? I could have been Hunter-san!” Rias seemed outraged that Ashley was able to call her out almost immediately. Her question caused me to raise an eyebrow. Ashley and Rias have never met before so how did she pin down who Rias was so quickly?

Again Ashley turned away from my chest while rolling her eyes. She shot Rias a condescending look before she blatantly looked at Rias’ chest.

“Like anyone but you would have such fat tits, face it Magic Tits the Chat Group got you pinned down.” Ashley spoke out with a shit eating grin on her face. She was clearly taking joy in the position she placed Rias in. I blanched slightly as I tried to contain my own amusement. Ashley’s comment might have been crude and almost certainly rude but it was accurate. Rias had a pair of breasts that were rather obvious.

Rias took in Ashley’s words before she started to deflate at a visible rate. She was looking at her own breasts as if they betrayed her. The sight was funny enough that I let out a snort. Rias heard my snort and shot me a glare but I looked away quickly. I could only apologize in my head but the sight of her betrayed look was far too funny to hold back my amusement.

“Hunter-san they are being bullies!” Rias shouted out with a pout as she tried to bond with the other member of our group. Pyrrha took in her words with a polite smile on her face but I could see her lips twitching. She might be a better person than Ashley and I but she still found the whole situation funny as well. The scene before her did wipe away some of that worry in the depths of her eyes.

Rias was complaining about Ashley's words but she was mainly trying to drag Pyrrha into the conversation. She was friendly enough that she could see that Pyrrha felt like she did not belong here. 

I guess that scene was an okay way to break the ice. Not that I ever expected to break the ice like that.

“Sorry about that, Ashley is in a sour mood because she was expecting to eat Ragout Rabbit.” I defended Ashley quickly so there was not too many bad feelings between them. I knew Rias would eventually forgive Ashley she was far too kind for her own good and she had a thing for broken birds. Still, even if she would eventually forgive her it did not mean I could not help that process. Even if my reason was not totally true.

Ashley was in a sour mood at not getting to eat that rabbit but the major reason she reacted like that was because she wanted to poke fun at Rias. It was in her nature to be a bratty gremlin and I guess I should have just let things pass that way. Rias would eventually grow used to her energy as Ashley really did not mean anything by her actions.

Rias heard my words and looked away with a pout on her face.

“Serves her right, she wanted to eat Mochi-chan.” Rias muttered under her breath but it appeared that she felt better about Ashley’s comment. She still did send glances at her own chest with a concerned look but that was not a can of worms I wanted to touch.

“I’m happy to meet you Hunter-san. Again I’m sorry about what happened before but I promise you I will make it up to you.” I spoke out seriously to the girl who was standing by herself. Rias already attempted to drag her into the conversation but that signal seemed to fly over her head. Still, it looked like she wanted to join the conversation even if she seemed like she had no idea how to go about that. So I decided to throw her another bone. 

Hearing my voice Pyrrha was startled slightly as she was not expecting me to drag her into this conversation even if Rias already made an attempt at doing so. She looked over at me with a guilty look on her face that caused me to raise an eyebrow.

“I already told you there was no reason to apologize we did not get off on the best foot and that was partially my fault.” She spoke out with her voice getting lower at the end of her sentence. She felt wary of me but it appeared she felt guilty for feeling that way. She knew the part she played in our unsteady relationship so she did not want to blame me even as she did blame me. It was a strange state of being but I could understand it slightly. Conflicted feelings were my bread and butter after all.

“I still feel bad about it so I won’t stop until I can bring a smile to your face,” I spoke out with my own guilty look flashing on my face. Pyrrha again looked startled at my words and again that guilty look flashed on her face. Rias was looking at me with another pout blooming on her face. Ashley pinched me and looked at me in exasperation. I shot her a confused look but she rolled her eyes at me.

“Phrasing, you really need to learn to phrase your words better,” Ashley commented with a tone that conveyed she was used to dealing with whatever plight that was bugging her. I did not quite understand her but Rias was nodding along as if agreeing with her. Pyrrha was not looking at her own feet so I guess the both of them thought she was right.

Before I could get into that a screen flashed before me.

[Welcome to the City Of Sprites And Apparitions! The Four Saint Beasts are plotting a dastardly plot! They are planning on driving the human world into an endless riot as they infect humanity with insects that will drive humans to killing, raping, and pillaging everything in sight! They have just started their plot so there is still time to stop them, you must kill all four Saint Beasts so the Human Realm will remain safe!

Make your way to Maze Castle and insure that the plot from The Four Saint Beasts will never be achieved! If you wish you may invite someone from this world into the Chat Group but that is no longer a mandatory task. Good Luck Chat Members! ]

I looked over at the message with a thoughtful look on my face. There was nothing stoping us from using our full power here and the objective itself was rather minor so it should not be a long time. I did not know for sure who these Saint Beasts were but the description was rinding a familiar tune to me I just had to figure out where I heard it before.

I suppose the fight between us and the Beasts might be rather difficult but with the combined might of Rias and myself, I did not find myself too worried about that. The Chat Group would not send us to our deaths so easily and Fortuna would not allow something too bad to happen to me. So the task before us should be well within our limits.

“Alright so murder four bozos and we get to go home and Prince will get me that Rabbit,” Ashley announced after she read the message before here. Figures that would be her take away from the situation before us. I mean she was not exactly off but it was a rather direct way to point out our destination. While I was confident in taking out what ever foe we faced the place we were going to was called Maze Castle.

With a name like that, I expect that we would find ourself going around in circles for a rather long time. It was still not as long as the SAO mission but there were bound to be traps and long winding hallways in our future.

“No one is eating Mochi-chan,” Rias announced with a pout on her face. Ashley and I both looked at her for a moment. The both of us were confused about why she was bringing up that rabbit before the situation dawned on me.

“Ashley meant that I would roll the Gacha again and get a new rabbit,” I spoke out dully. Rias took in my words and seemed to remember the context from before. She was operating off of the instinct to protect her rabbit so I got it but it was still a bit foolish.

Ashley looked like she wanted to tease Rias, maybe she planned on threatening Mochi even though she had no intentions of pursuing the rabbit in Rias’ clutches. I gave her a hard look which she understood as she shot me a pout of her own. I rolled my eyes at the seemed to close the argument as she looked away with the pout still on her face.

Rias was still embarrassed about her own dumb action so she was not looking at us. Pyrrha did get a read on the situation between us and she was giving us another dry look but her lips were twitching.

“I know that I was just warning her in case she wanted to eat Mochi-chan after she ate the rabbit you got.” She announced with her eyes not looking at us at all. Again I rolled my eyes as that was not even remotely believable but if she wanted to pretend that was what she meant I was not going to fight her. Ashley seemed even more amused by the dumb excuse but she let it pass for now. I was sure that Rias was going to be teased about this further down the line but Ashley must have felt like it was not time for that.

Pyrrha was looking at Rias with pity clear on her face but she did not pipe in to tell her no one believed her. She clearly felt like it would hurt Rias more to find out no one believed her.

I was about to drag Ashley off to tell her about Rias when the ground beneath our feet suddenly started to rumble. I grabbed Ashley and jumped away. Pyrrha reacted before even me as she jumped away from the ground near us with her rifle out pointing at the rumbling ground. Rias was already in the sky with her wings out and her hand filled with dark energy that wanted to devour everything before her.

The sight of the energy before caused me to short circuit for a second. Objectively I knew that the clan trait Rias was most famous for using was the Power Of Destruction but knowing that and seeing that thing was completely different. That energy was never-ending in it’s hunger and if allowed it would devour the entire universe and it would not be satisfied.

Beyond the sheer hunger of the energy it was conceptual energy and that was not something I was expecting from Rias. I knew that the Power Of Destruction was powerful but from what I have seen from Rias I did not think she could produce a conceptual attack. I guess I was not giving her enough credit. I knew she was more powerful than she was in cannon but that sight was still enough to shock me.

I was going to have to get her something good as a present later as she taught me something really fucking powerful. I kind of felt bad about ripping her off as she was someone I considered a friend at this point but I copied it without really thinking. I suppose I should give the Chat Group an explanation about my Alpha Stigma so I did not feel quite that bad about copying their moves.

Still, even if she knew about the Alpha Stigma I thought Rias would allow me to copy her move. She did fall pretty badly for me after all.

The rumbling ground burst open as hooded figures started to crawl themselves out of the ground. They were skinny and emancipated with pale green skin and glowing red eyes beneath hooded cloaks. They looked like goblins pretending to be assassins.

As the numbers started to grow I started to get a little concerned about the sheer number of them. Well, I never thought this was going to be easy I might as well start mowing them down.