There was an awkward silence as everyone stared at me... Even more awkwardly was how everyone, including Prinz and New Jersey, were directly staring into my eyes.
"Can you guys not just stare at me like this?" I muttered with a wry smile as I dismissed my Backdoor, seeing as we were all in Lux's nicer meeting room.
My face twitched as Ravel said rather calmly. "Jake, are you married yet?"
Lux actually coughed and then swatted her friend in the shoulder as she hissed. "No Ravel! Bad!"
Meanwhile... I saw Weiss and Pyrrha's expressions tighten at another Royal's rather blunt question that I had zero doubts wasn't something close to a proposal.
Still, I rightfully ignored that question as I took a deep breath before I asked Lux rather bluntly. "So... Does this mean that I am still being conscripted into fighting those Mistralian slavers?"
The whispers from my friends, along with Lux and Ravel's arguing, paused as they looked back over at me. Then Ravel took a breath, and she asked me bluntly. "Jake, do you want to be nothing more then a breeding tool to extend your bloodline?"
"Obviously no... Respectfully, princess." I said a bit flatly.
And she nodded with a wane smile, then she said calmly. "Then that case... Yes, you most certainly are still in a state of conscription. Having talent and potential does not excuse you from the battlefield when Vale's homeland is being invaded."
She then looked at Pyrrha in particular before she said bluntly. "However, it will be a bit different now, obviously. But either way, I congratulate you, Jake Bariss. Your path to becoming a Duke at least is assured with those eyes alone."
I took a deep breath before I muttered. "I am going to need to speak to Ruby about my eye's to say the least. Oh, and yeah, thanks for the save, Master. That priest was acting weird."
A slight frown crossed over Lux's face before she looked at Ravel for a moment before re-focusing on me. "Yes, but it's not too surprising... During the latest Grimm event, a few Abominations caused some trouble inside of Vale and killed several Inquisitors."
Then she took a breath and said. "Now, Jake, I am sure you are... Rather, mentally done for today. So please escort your foreign friends out of my tower before you settle down for the rest of the day."
Understanding that she didn't want Weiss, especially in being a foreign royal in her tower for long... Most especially in front of Ravel herself. I nodded and said calmly. "Yes, master. Alright, ladies and gentlemen. Please follow me."
I then brought my group to the elevator, and then I had my retainer, along with Jeanne, head down to my private quarters as we were going to be talking and hanging out, obviously.
But Weiss, Jingliu, and Pyrrha? Yeah, they had to leave the tower altogether anyway.
Once it was just the four of us in the elevator, Jingliu broke the somewhat awkward silence as she raised an eyebrow and asked curiously. "Sooo. What did you think of my lady in that maid outfit?"
Weiss, at hearing THAT particular question, flushed a delightful red on her pale, beautiful skin. "Jingliu!" She hissed in embarrassment.
But with a sweet smile I said with not a lick of damned shame. "Weiss is the definition of a refined beauty. So seeing her in such a beautiful servile outfit was definitely a memory I will treasure."
And then Pyrrha chuckled and Weiss's face twitched as Pyrrha said 'innocently' "Oh yes, her complex about her belly button will also be something I shalln't forget for the rest of my days... I may need to share with my own country people as well."
Weiss turned to Pyrrha... Gave her a long look, then she looked at me. I raised an eyebrow as she flushed a bit, but then she took a deep breath and I paused as Weiss gently grabbed pinched my jacket with her hands as she got on her tippy toes and kissed me right on the lips.
All the while as Weiss leaned on me to give me that kiss, I was a bit frozen in surprise as Weiss of all people being so brave... Which was out of character, maybe? But then, as Pyrrha's face violently twitched at the scene as Weiss's closed eyes gently opened as she fell back onto her heels with soft clicking noises.
"Hey, Jake," Weiss spoke quietly as Pyrrha's face turned red, and in the corner of my eye, I saw Jingliu cover her face with a hand.
But I was focused on the shorter figure of Weiss that was holding my jacket, with her gleaming pale blue eyes staring into my own. "I like you. And I want to court you with the intent of a lasting relationship..."
She bit her lower lip before she whispered softly. "Will you agree to this courting?"
See this wasn't at fucking all as simple as Weiss liking me and wanting to have a relationship. No, although she did like me at some level. She was very much aware of my value and my abilities.
So to say nothing of Weiss's feelings. There was also the complication that was her status in being a political hostage and my own connections in being Luxanna's disciple.
I wasn't thinking that Weiss so shallow or just manipulating me. But, to be frank... There was no way in hell Weiss would be interested in a common man/civilian. Any man to gain her interest would need to be talented and have power behind them.
Then it hit me. It wasn't that Weiss was, per se, acting too oddly or being forceful. She was a royal, no matter who she married, seeing as she wasn't going to marry another royal. So, she would, no matter what, be marrying down anyway.
Hence, it wasn't too surprising that she was being aggressive.
Even as all those thoughts ran through my head, in reality, Pyrrha had reached her boiling point and said rather icily. "Weiss, you are being rather forward, aren't you? Do you think your family would accept this?"
Weiss exhaled and elegantly smoothed out my jacket before she spoke softly. "I understand that this was rather sudden, Jake. I apologize if I came off rather rude. But I wanted to be honest with my intentions."
I swallowed before I took a deep breath. "I- I understand and respect you for being honest. I am just rather overwhelmed right now. To say nothing of having a battle against other people in a few days."
Weiss just stared at me, and I saw Pyrrha likewise staring obviously waiting for my answer. And knowing that being indecisive was the same as losing the respect of all three women in the elevator.
I decided to just go for it. "Weiss, you do realize I have other women chasing me, correct? Including Pyrrha right there as well."
Pyrrha flushed at me calling her out. And Weiss straightened her back before she raised an eyebrow and said imperiously. "And? I also have several suitors as well. Unless you mean that you are entertaining several other women right now?"
"Yes, that's what I am saying frankly. I am involved with several women, and Pyrrha herself-"
I was cut off as Weiss put a finger to my lips while she said calmly. "I am well aware of men's wandering eyes. A man without talent or power is restricted to their wife who stands beside them. But a talented man has a deep shadow that supports a dozen women who will seek his power and to uplift him."
There was a pause before Weiss said firmly, despite a blush on her face. "Now, Jake. I am saying this clearly: I want a relationship with you. You have agreeable personality traits, and we can build something beyond just our combined combat abilities... So, yes or no?"
After a moment, I nodded, and before I could further respond. The elevator dinged with its opening, and I watched as Weiss and Jingliu literally dragged Pyrrha out of the elevator and left through the clear main door outside of the magic tower.
I just stood there, in the now-empty elevator. And with the taste of Weiss's lipstick on my lips, I muttered quietly. "Too much bullshit for one day thank you very much."
So with that... I headed back up to my floor and messaged Lux that I was going straight to bed so I wouldn't be answering any messages.
And once I got onto my floor, I simply said. "I am going to get some rest. You guys don't make too much of a mess, alright?"
Nora and Jeanne looked like they wanted to say something or make me stay to celebrate, but Prinz just cleared her throat and said calmly. "Go ahead and sleep, Jake. Do you want some help getting Shinano out of your bed?'
After a moment of thought... I said shamelessly. "Nope! She is going to be paying rent via being a snuggle pillow with all those tails!"
I left my friends behind to the sound of New Jersey cackling at my shameless words, and without much fanfare, I threw off my shoes and put on some light clothes before I burrowed into my bed with the white tails of Shinano surrounding me like the fluffiest of blankets.
"Hmm, commander?" Shinano whispered as her tails swirled around me, and I just hummed in agreement as I lay my head sideways on my pillow and just relaxed.
Shinano didn't have anything else to say, and with the added warmth of her tails to my cold room. I soon fell asleep after the extreme stress of the day.
To say nothing of getting a cultivation method shoved into my head, my body being refined to fit said cultivation manual, and having several Sages using my body as a conduit for their damned infinite energies for god knows how long.
I also had to deal with the Baptism, where I had to get power washed internally with divine power, where I first of all. Skipped the whole first stage of Cultivation in the Houtian stage and just jumped straight into becoming a Xiantian being.
Lastly, the God of Light decided to 'bless' me for whatever reason with a set of Great Value, local Sharingan in the Silver Eyes. So now I had to worry about people trying to kidnap me for breeding programs.
-
My dreams were an utter mess... Memories of Nether Limitless cultivating the cultivation art, and spending centuries comprehending the required Laws of Water and Space to master the cultivation art were a mess in my mind, frankly speaking.
But it wasn't without merit, as I still got to see from that rather arrogant little shit's POV how to correctly use the special techniques and other things. Especially how to properly use a single-edged sword.
I was, however, awoken several hours later by the door of my room being firmly knocked upon. And as I awoke, I realized that Shinano had rolled over, so that my face was burrowed into her massive breasts with her curled around me as we faced one another.
"Hmm? Are we being attacked?" Shinano asked tiredly.
And I blinked awake as the firm knocking rang out again. "Haaa... Probably not. There would be explosions from Nora and New Jersey if we were." I muttered before calling out. "Come on in!"
Meanwhile, even as I called out, I sat up in my bed with Shinano grumbling as she moved a bit to lay her head on my stomach before pulling the blanket over her head.
The door opened up, and I was a bit surprised to see Lux stroll in with a clear concern on her expression. "Oh, you are awake now. That's good, Jake, you apparently slept for two days straight now. And your Bullhead is set to take you out of Beacon in like three hours."
I groaned with my head hitting the back of my headboard. 'Dammit, the dream pollution, put me into a bit of a coma to incorporate those memories from Nether Limitless.' I thought with some exasperation.
Then, with a sigh, I said with a wry smile. "I just had to be in a tiny coma to absorb the power from the Baptism, and the body refining treasure, I had your help, and the Sages' help in creating."
Lux rolled her eyes and said with some amusement. "I was thinking much the same from what Cinder said after she checked on you last night. But... That little joy there didn't let Cinder check you that closely." Lux said more pointedly at Shinano.
Whom, even with the cover of blanket, just said quietly. "My commander needed his rest... And I made sure he got plenty to drink so he wouldn't be weak when he awoke."
I smiled, and Shinano made a deep but soft humming noise as I rewarded the fox girl with head pats and scratching ever so gently behind her fox ears.
"Well... Thanks for the wake-up call, Master. I definitely appreciate it." I said respectfully.
Then, Lux gave the door a look, and I saw a seal on it that was blocking any sounds from coming in or out. Lux stepped forward and she looked at Shinano's covered form and then she spoke seriously... Very seriously in fact.
"Jake... I saw through the elevator's cameras later, one after one of Glynda's retainers mentioned the contents." She seemed to chew on something my face twitched.
"Weiss Schnee is very much a black sheep of her family. Not nearly as talented and powerful as her older sister, who is already a Grandmaster swordsman and mage. But Weiss was basically exiled after she vehemently refused to enhance the Royal Schnee name and power."
Lux took a breath and then said clearly. "Jake, by my own family's desires, along with the royal families. We want you to seduce Weiss Schnee, to make her if not a political prisoner, but at least to bind her bloodline to yours."
I could actually imagine it frankly. The extremely powerful Schnee Glyph semblance that could do... So many damned things it was insane, also being boosted with the person having Silver Eyes.
Yeah, any kids I had with Weiss would be busted to say the least. "That's certainly something," I said with a wry smile as I took a breath, and I asked quietly. "Sounds like a knife to the chest, though, when she figures out I am involved with Pyrrha and other women as well. Regardless of what she says about 'talented and worthwhile men."
Lux just stared at me for a long moment. Before she said flatly. "What do you mean? My father has a harem, basically all male Grandmaster's and even most Master's have a harem as the genes of such talented men MUST be passed down."
"Even though Ozpin doesn't care for relationships at all, he still regularly passes his DNA down in semen samples that he hides randomly in the semen banks."
My face twisted at the thought of the rather scary Sage of Time Ozpin, while abusing his time-stopping powers. Breaking into a semen bank/fertility clinic and hiding his semen cups randomly in the storage areas.
Lux just rolled her eyes and then leaned down and poked my head and said flatly. "Jake, regardless of anything. Your conjuration ability alone was worth throwing some maids at you to carry your seed. But with you having Silver Eye's? Yeah, no, anyone who thinks you are going to be monogamous needs to get their heads checked."
There was a pause before Lux looked a bit sheepish, and then she said. "Just... Don't go as far as Taiyang Xiao-Long, alright... A thousand kids under your belt that you personally created is just too much."
I just stared at Lux for a moment before I sighed and said flatly. "My master is pimping me out... Woe is me, what is next? You sell Cinder off into a marriage to some old bastard as well?"
And that, I could tell, got to Lux as her wry smile died and she took a deep breath before she asked quietly. "I assumed it wouldn't be so much of an issue with how the attraction was mutual, Jake. But if you do not like Weiss, I won't press you for this. I promise you that."
I smiled and I reached over and took Lux's hand before I said firmly. "I am sorry if I made you upset. I just feel like my life has been a bit too exciting... And I haven't had as much control as I would like over it."
Taking a breath, I said with a more a more natural smile. "Anyway, seeing as I am leaving in just a few hours at most. I appreciate you coming, Master, but I need to get showered and pack my provisions and such."
Knowing I very much needed to do so. Lux leaned in, and I blinked as she gave me a slight kiss on my forehead before she reached behind her and dropped a suitcase that was shaped like a coffin onto the ground.
"This is the spatially expanded treasure that Calia has loaned you, Jake. Any corpses of people you kill, just toss them into there... And I will have a few magic and aura-caging collars for anyone you capture alive to be your future batteries. Now, good luck, my disciple."
After that explanation, she ruffled my hair with a weak smile and she left the room. Leaving the room with just me and Shinano.
Who finally broke her silence as she noted quietly. "Your master loves you like family, she just has her own responsibilities."
I sighed before I gave Shinano a scratch behind the head. "Yeah, I get that, Shinano. Being all but a princess has given her all the resources she could want. But she likewise has a lot of things to worry about."
Getting up from bed, I quickly went and got myself a shower before I conjured up a set of xianxia clothes... As I might as well play the part at this point, and with my silver and blue hair. I definitely had part of the immortal aura down.
As I came out of the shower, I saw that Shinano was dressed back up in her rather revealing robe but was sitting on the edge of my bed with her head bobbing back and forth as she fought the desire to go back to sleep.
'I know she has chronic narcolepsy, but this is a bit much, isn't it?' I mused with a wry smile. But even as I coaxed Shinano into following me as I strapped my sword to my side. I knew that Shinano made up for her extreme sleep disorder with being one of the strongest ship girls there was in Azur Lane.
"Oh, Jake, there you are!" Nora shouted, pointing at me dramatically, and just to play along, I pointed at Nora and shouted back.
"No! There YOU are, Nora Valkyrie!" Which obviously confused Nora, allowing me to stride into the room, and I said with a wide smile. "I don't know about you guys, but sleeping for a couple of days was fucking awesome! Anyway, you ladies and gentlemen all ready to go to war?"
Various noises of agreement rang out before Ren spoke quietly but firmly. "Yes, me and NoraI especially are ready... We fled Mistral, from the slaver's and now we are strong enough to take revenge for the suffering they caused us."
'Uh oh... Wuxia/Xianxia revenge arc vibes coming off Ren, and hell, Nora as well.' I thought before shrugging as I said calmly. "Goodie, if you have to kill them, do so. But if we can... I would like to capture them if at all possible."
"To make them into mana batteries, correct? It's a very good idea, and much better than just selling their corpses to Lady Calia." Prinz Eugen spoke, but then again... She was a german navy vessel that came from the 1940s. Her thoughts on the treatment that weren't her own people weren't that good.
To say the very least.
"Anyway, I need to pack up some extra clothes and other goodies. But we will be flying the Black Pearl from Beacon to get to the rendezvous point where we are supposed to hold off any slavers." I spoke as I knew that Beacon was a bit short on Bullheads lately.
So after 'ordering' the girls to fucking check their supplies, packing, and other bits and bobs. To make sure they weren't going to forget anything. I was working on my own packing, with Ren helping me move some stuff around.
While Velvet and Alice would be making sure that the Black Pearl was properly stocked with food, ammunition, and the magical shields Luxanna installed on it when I was asleep were at full power.
"Jake, I should warn you... It's likely that Nora can very well, mentally snap should the Mistralians go off about how we will be enslaved." Ren said with a bit of forced calm.
And by forced calm, I meant that he was instinctively using his semblance right from after using my name to get attention. So that his expression was completely dull as all his emotions were deleted.
I brushed a hand across my face before I said. "What do you mean? I know Nora is certainly excitable, but she doesn't have any brand marks or anything like that?"
Leaving aside the HOW I knew Nora didn't have any such marks that would typically show the life of being a slave. Ren exhaled and said quietly. "Because, she was to be a slave of my clan back in Mistral. She was bought and brought into the clan compound but days before my clan was wiped out by an high level Grimm."
Ren took a breath before he spoke quietly. "It's something, we don't like to talk about obviously. I wasn't the clan heir or anything... No, I was just a son of a maid that bore the clan's blood. But at my age now and my talent and hard work? It's certainly possible I would have became a true clan member and been one of her masters."
"Ren... That's a hard thing to go through. Especially with how close you two have been. But these slavers. You think Nora is gonna flip her shit?"
There was a pause before Ren exhaled as he scratched at his face and grimaced as his face where he scratched turned red. Meaning that his head needed to go back into it's nutrition tank soon enough. "I am.. Not sure. As you are well aware, Nora is very brash, and should they say something. It's very possible, if not rather likely for her to lose her cool."
I exhaled before I brushed a hand across my face and said. "Alright, alright dude. I will keep an eye out for her... On the other end, when we reach the landing zone and I make a landing area that's reinforced. I will make you a new body as well Ren. One that's strictly for combat and one you will not want to be in all the time."
Ren just nodded in understanding before we switched topics to him talking about his shadow magic classes along with his assassination training for killing higher ranked Grimm and especially Abominations.
-
After everything else was secured, me and my party of retainers were going to be heading out. And although I wished that Jeanne, Jean, Weiss, Jingliu, and Pyrrha could come like during the Class Trial.
But sadly they could not come for a variety of reasons. Jeanne and Jean being a nun and a student, not a huntress was exempt from the conscription. And the foreigners... Yeah it was perfectly understandle for Pyrrha to be basically on house arrest.
So for now. My party consisted of my retainer's in Nora, Ren, Alice, Velvet. And along with them, I had my three ship girls in Prinz Eugen, New Jersey, and Shinano coming with. So it wasn't at all like I was going alone.
And without too much fanfare, we loaded up our belongings into the Black Pearl while Velvet with her enchanced photographic memory would be flying the ghost ship where we needed to go.
'You know... I wonder how those Mistral people will react when they see me? I think it's highly likely they will attempt to capture me, because of both my conjuration ability, along with my silver eyes.' I mused before mentally shrugging as it wasn't that likely that a random slaver band would know who I was.
Or would pay too much attention in the middle of battle to my silver eyes.
"Now... How the fuck do I actually activate my damn peepers anyway?" I muttered with a slight frown as I felt a bit of a eye strain as I impotently glared at a Nervermore we pasted with the barrier around the Black Pearl.
But with no answer in the winds... I just sighed and mentally noted to go and seduce the secrets of the silver eye's from Ruby at least when I got back home.
Then a soft rumble rang out as part of the shields on the ship slid open and I mentally connected with the weapons before pausing. And then I ended up rolling my eye's as I saw Feixiao, the fox faunus sage fly through the barrier and land on the ship with force that made my ship rumble.
"Really? Slamming on my ship like that?" I asked with annoyance as my ship girls popped out of the captains quarters they were relaxing in as we went through Vale's more controlled area.
Feixiao held up a hand as though to list several points of... Then she paused, looking between me and Shinano. "The hell? How does she have so many tails... No, how the hell do you have silver eyes!?" The sage demanded in suprise.
I held and I said blandly without any damned sarcasm. "1, she was just born that pretty. 2, During the Baptism, the God of Light poked my eye's out and gave me a new set of eyes."
Feixiao just stared at me, trying to see if I was bullshitting at all. And seeing the lack of any falsehood, she just laughed, took out her wine jug from her side and took a heavy swig.
And then she made a loud exhale that made the air inside the barrier surrounding the ship vibrate before she said strongly. "Well thats all fine then! Now Jake are you ready to bleed with some real martial arts training?!"
As she challenged me, she casually rested a massive metal halberd on her shoulder with one hand and with her other hand, she held a large gunblade that was half sword and anti-material rifle.
I exhaled heavily but then I drew my sword, and I pulled at my inner Qi and spoke quietly. "Yes, I am ready. I have a martial arts style I need your help in acclimating to."
Feixiao chuckled and my face twitched as she casually flicked her wrist to send her halbeard flying and landing perfectly onto a bench across the ships long and wide bridge.
'Alright... No point fucking about with a Sage. Let's test the Myriad Sword Arts, and more particularly the Sea Spliting Sword.' I mused but I knew for example, I coudn't use the ultimate move of Nether Limitless in his Drifting Snow of 8000 Miles technique.
Which was basically Byakuya Kuchiki's bankai from Bleach except countless times better as the infinite sword intent snowflakes would have the conceptual ice attacks that would attack the soul along with having a spatial effect. As it was a domain that would lock down the area so people coudn't escape.
To say the least. I coudn't use that effect for a long while unless I was able to use at least a Grandmaster as a mana/life force battery.
I stepped forward with my saber coming in with a twisting thrust, and Feixiao's eye's widened as surrounding my saber was razor sharp droplets that twisted around my saber, past her gun blade that she used to casually block my blow.
Then with a blur of speed, I saw in slow motion as she seemingly slowed down painfully so I could see as she flicked each water arrow I created with the Myriad Sword Technique with the back of her fingers breaking them.
"Haha! Not bad in using an elemental style martial art. So bring it on Jake!" Feixiao cheered and I dashed forward with a wave of water following my sweeping blow that would have a great deal of force in the blow.
But she just met my blow and then forced me back with her stepping forward with a blood thirsty grin as she walked THROUGH the wall of compressed water essence I summoned with my qi.
"Too much force Jake, and you didn't have good footing to react to my rebuttal." Feixiao advised me as her kitsune ears atop her head twitched as she took to the offense and came at me.
But as our swords met, for one I realized very quickly that she was holding back extremely and then as Feixiao spoke my face twitched as I realized how much of a cheat she was.
"Jake, aura user's are people who focus on melee combat not because their skill in combat. But also because they naturally have a semblance that gives them an edge in such combat, like my Total Kinetic Absorption Semblance haha!"
Feixiao then gleefully explained how her semblance allowed her to absorb and turn ALL forms of kinetic energy that came within fucking a hundred meters of her into energy. That could then be used to fuel her wind magic, and even refuel her own damned aura.
"So fighting you in melee is just a fool's errand huh?" I said with a wry smile as we stopped for a moment so I could flex my hands to get some more feeling.
With Feixiao grinning cheekily at my words, before she said calmly. "Yup, basically... Well Ozpin could just smash my head in via hitting me several thousand times while time is stopped, and I wouldn't be able to react obviously."
And in unison, we both said. "But Ozpin is cheating."
I snorted at how our words overlapped, and then I blinked as Shinano's soft words rang out. "Commander... Can I spare with her. I want to see how strong a sage is."
I gave the Ultra Rare, and one of the strongest Shipgirls in the setting a look. Before I said firmly. "If you want, that's fine... But don't destroy my ship or I will spank you!"