Debauchery Hunter 15 (Patreon)

Debauchery Hunter
Chapter 15

-VB-

We stared across the table in an opulent meeting room deep inside the city of Vale.

On the other side of the table and under my unflinching gaze, councilwoman Celestine Lowtree and councilman Wendel Whiteweaver discussed in whispers between themselves after staring at the three examples of technology - aside from the usage of my portals - to convince them that we weren't from Remnant.

The first of these was a simple revolver. Its bullets used gunpowder instead of fire dust. They initially tried to convince themselves that it was merely a new invention.

The second was a tablet showing videos and images of Golden Morning captured by many onlookers of the apocalypse. This was harder to prove as false; the tablet was too advanced and polished to be a new invention, and the videos and photos were too gruesome.

The third was the deciding factor, and oddly enough, it was the most primitive of the three: a kerosene lantern.

A device for lighting that didn't use fire dust or lightning dust astounded them. Never in Remnant's history had something like this existed.

We found ourselves surprised by their reaction to the later, but a quick mental review got us to understand.

As far as resources went, dust was a more convenient one. Why would Remnant's civilization struggle to search and find use for a new resource when they already had one? Their situation wasn't comparable to green energy versus fossil fuel. It was closer to fusion versus fossil fuel during the 1990s; there was no fusion technology on Earth during the 90s just as there were no alternative resource technology on Remnant.

Did this mean that we might be able to secure mineral and oil drilling rights at a very cheap cost?

This … this was an opportunity.

"We believe you," councilwoman Voyavar spoke up with a gruff. "We welcome you to Vale, Mr. Marris. We hope you will find our fair city memorable."

"That said, you mentioned that there are worlds out there that have no Grimm," Whoteweaver sounded desperate. "Would you be interested in servicing us with transportation to unclaimed worlds?"

Oh, he was very desperate. You just didn't come out like that during negotiations. It showed your hands too much.

We smiled. "Such a thing would be in high demand for your people, wouldn't it?" we asked. "Perhaps we can come to an agreement with the Marris Industries..."

Just how much could we take from you without leaving you unhappy?

-VB-

One part of the deal we made with the Council of Vale was to have my aura unlocked.

And we did unlock it.

It just didn't measure up for us.

See, aura, as defined by Remnant, provided a shield made from our soul, but we only had one soul but over a hundred bodies. The result was a distinct lack of a shield because our soul had defused and diluted between the hundred or so of us clones… as defined by Remnant's definitions and understanding.

We wondered if it would be the same elsewhere.

Still, we looked forward to our Semblance. We hoped it wouldn’t be a flop as the protective shield had been, but we would have to wait patiently and let it show itself.

Another part of the deal was to the right to set up shop outside the city. It came with a land grant, though

“You will do the construction yourself?” councilman Whiteweaver asked with raised eyebrows. “I didn’t know that your company touched so many fields.”

We laughed through C54. “I suppose that you are correct,” we replied. We did indeed farm multiple crops, build entire fortresses, manage administration, salvage and recycle trash from a literal dump world, and more.

C54 and Whiteweaver stood in the center of the land granted to us. The heavily forested land used to belong to some noble from ancient past, who gave it to the Kingdom of Vale. However, thy never got around to using this land because other properties closer to Vale’s walls proved to be easier to reach, clear, and develop.

“What kind of construction method does your world use? Is it similar to ours?”

“Something like that for the mundane operations, yes,” we replied mysteriously with a smile. “Just like the ‘specials’ of your world are your Huntsmen, we are special in our own regard.”

We opened up a portal, and half a dozen of our clones walked out, each of them wearing our standard blackout road sign armor set. As one, we pulled out our blueprints and hammers.

In the first fifteen second, we laid down the foundation, a six by six base, and upgraded the inner five by five to stone and the outer layer to metal. In the next minute, we pulled up two stories of walls and upgraded them to metal, leaving only two one full wall sized holes and one horizontal two full wall sized hole for shipping. Then, we took five minutes to decorate the interior, including office spaces, and the exterior, like peacekeeping turrets armed with the common weapons found on any of the Citadel Council worlds and beyond.

Finally, we put up a metal china wall, Rust-term for wall made using blueprint construction structures rather than pre-made stone or wooden external walls. This wall surrounded the entire structure with enough room to fit five more such structures, and also had openings specifically for transportation to enter and leave. This wall took the longest time to construct because of its size and quantity of resources required, which got some of the construction clones to go back and forth to deliver them to us on the construction site.

All of the clones except C54 left once their work was complete, and then we turned to a pale, wide-eyed, and gawking councilman.

“That’s how we make our buildings.”

It took us no more than an hour to raise up a building comparable to a fort.

His jaw moved up and down, though never closing, as his eyes moved across the metal wall he now stood outside of.

“Though our trade outpost -”

Whiteweaver’s lips repeated the words silently.

“- is far from Vale, we won’t need your help to defend ourselves,” we said before gesturing to the peacekeeper turrets that now dotted the battlements of the china wall. We pulled out a gun from our inventory. Hefting it so that we cradled it in our hands and forearms, we showed it to Whiteweaver. “They are armed with these Kovalyov mass accelerator assault rifles. Please observe its performance.”

We aimed away and at a tree. We didn’t even bother to aim, just holding down on the trigger.

The assault right barked multiple times per second, and both of us saw the bullets punching through tree trunks without stopping. Actually, each of the bullets tore through multiple tree trunks before disappearing into the forest further in.

Five seconds of continuous fire later, the tree we’ve aimed at creaked before keeling over sideways and crashing into the ground with a earthshaking slam.

“As you have seen, we have ample capability in self-defense. Would you like a tour of our new trade outpost?”

-VB-

The Council of Vale stood as perhaps the most inclusive and diverse ruling body found anywhere on Remnant. Together, each member of the council sought to uphold the values and virtues that set Vale apart from the other kingdoms. They were individually brilliant and powerful in their own rights. It wouldn’t be wrong to say that should one member decide they wanted and worked towards civil war, they might just get one.

However, the appearance of a civilization upending revelation left all of the council members lost and reeling.

Their perhaps comical reactions lasted very briefly, and the brilliant men and women that they were, they gathered to discuss the implications and use of this new powermonger on Remnant.

“It’s been confirmed. They have indeed constructed a military fort-comparable structure within a day,” someone from the side of the room reported.

“This is an opportunity,” one of the two faunus on the council gruffed. “Did you get to discuss how much we would pay to have someone build up fortifications in a single day?”

“Nevermind their building speed and fantastical abilities,” an elderly woman sneered. “We have enough Huntsmen for that. What about their weapons? If we can mass produce it, then surely, we will get an advantage over the Grimm.”

“I managed to talk with him about pricing for his services,” Whiteweaver sighed. “But he’s either well aware of our world or has someone from Remnant working for him. He knows exactly how much he could rip from us if he wants to.”

“If?”

“He mentioned it. Said something about how high prices that we could pay won’t get him as many customers. He is not, however, interested in shipping the entire population of Vale out of Remnant.”

“Why would you ask something like that?” the same elderly woman who dismissed the businessman’s powers hissed. “Vale is our home! You youngsters think you can just give it up?”

Whiteweaver glared at her. “It’s a Grimm free world! You expect me to just ignore access to Grimm free worlds?!” he snapped right back at her. His grandmother-in-law, she may be, but he wasn’t going to take accusations like that lying down.

She sniffed. “I am against such a move. The kind of social upheaval that will occur as a result will not be pretty.”

“I am more interested in his assurance of his agriculture production capacity,” Lowtree, the other councilor who met the mysterious alien with him, hummed. “One of the main reasons why we haven’t been able to expand as aggressively as we want to is always because of chronic food shortage.”

“I would not depend on an unknown entity so much, especially for something vital as food,” Whiteweaver sighed. “That’s just asking for a backstab.”

“I agree with Whiteweaver on that,” the tallest, most muscular, and handsome of all councilors nodded. “What exactly was he willing to trade?”

“Everything from raw goods to finished products as well as transportation.”

“Then I believe that we should focus on self-sufficient colonization.”

“Colonization?” Whiteweaver asked.

“Yes,” the same councilor to suggest the idea replied. “The businessmen, according to your agreement with him, stated that he wouldn’t be against offering passage to some people, right? We should use that to plant colonies who can send us raw materials.”

He thought about it. It was a good idea.

“But what if they want to cut off contact?”

“We have more than enough money to buy passage and suppress any unfortunate rebellions.”

It was … an idea.

Whiteweaver didn’t like it.