"This year's lower nobility has proven themselves rather disappointing." Khamel the Master Umbramancer spoke darkly as he watched without any change in expression as Cardin Winchester abandonded his teammates when several lesser Ground Dwellers tunneled into their hidden cave.
With the two female retainers being stabbed hundreds of times by the fist-sized lances as the large centipede Grimm ran them over before focusing on the threat that was Sky and Dove.
Who didn't last long in a tight cave with a dozen large armored centipede like Grimm running into them full tilt.
"Admittedly the Moonraider is an issue... Should we get involved? As they are still prospective students and having them all die via being unable to sleep in the slightest is a bit unfair for their level." Glynda questioned but it was clear that the sorceress was only asking as a formality.
Ozpin the Grand Wizard replied calmly as he watched through a camera as sleeping students were attacked by the Grimm who were drawn to them via the Moonraider's amplifying their emotions in their sleep.
"No. This is their fate, if they aren't prepared with the right mindset for the field from the get-go. Wasting our time in teaching a fool in a group to not even bother setting a watch doesn't deserve our intervention."
Beacon and the rest of the Hunter Schools were there to make warriors into Legends. Legends into literal Demi-Gods whose power was great enough to stand up to the Grimm's Titans and other abominations.
They had no interest in the chaff of humanity, they would only take on the best because only the best had a chance to hold back the worst of the Grimm. The rest was just a waste of resources.
Ozpin then flicked his wrist to form another scrying mirror and he watched as Jake Bariss... Just sleeping peacefully after getting his rocks off in the stupid girl that got their teammate killed.
But his weapons were still at work, still slaughtering Grimm en-mass whenever they came into sight of his varied weapons.
"Hmm, he is certainly attracted to the female form," Luxanna spoke with amusement as the Master Elementalist pointed out Jake's entourage was filled with ladies.
But then the Necromancer Lord Calia drawled out. "I am more interested in the soul manifestations in the personified ships following his every command... Along with whatever method he used to reanimate Lie Rin's head with his soul although diminished remaining intact."
Ozpin gave the Lich who had armies of undead under her command a glance and said calmly. "Calia you are free to offer an apprenticeship and share information. But you know all to well the laws of forcing a mage to give up their secrets."
There was a moment of tension as the pale-skinned Lich gave Ozpin a bland look before she replied bluntly. "I am well aware... Ozpin."
A cough broke out as Luxanna the Elementalist called out. "Oh? The Moonraider has broken through the treeline around the gorge."
The half dozen teachers watching the current initiation looked back to the various scrying mirrors and cameras that were focusing on what was going to happen.
And happen it did. As just like before, the moment the various weapons on the odd ship Jake Bariss had replaced the bridge and platform on the gorge with caught site of any movement and Grimm in particular.
They came to life with high-powered rounds and explosive munitions slamming into and around the target and they watched as the Moonraider was torn apart via the munitions which was expected.
But as the resulting minature Grim pool was born Ozpin raised an eyebrow as Jake had seemingly awoken. Added more weapons to his ship with incendiary, heavy explosive payloads. And then just turned the area into a wasteland.
"He certainly isn't in any way subtle." Khamel the Umbramancer said with amusement before continuing. "By the way Glynda... Are we going to have to destroy Jake's station there? As it will interfere for sure with future initiations."
There was a pause before Ozpin cut in to say with some thought. "I would hope not... Depending on Jake's range of control, it could be a good rest station for the students who are sent on culling missions in the forest."
Seeing Jake's machines finish mopping up any Grimm running around, Ozpin turned their gaze towards the more... Valuable pieces and notable students.
Ruby Rose was sleeping within a cocoon of silver light made from her mother's hair that had been woven into her cape which turned any grimm that saw the light into stone.
Weiss Schnee and her retainer Jingliu were also casually sleeping as Weiss Schnee took the Atlas approach of dealing with Grimm in turning a part of the forest into a frozen domain that would freeze the Grimm solid after they dared wander into the domain.
Pyrrha Nikos was likewise sleeping... But her defensive method was more active as she had gone the path of hypnotized defenses as her magnetism semblance was in full display.
As she was surrounded by a multisection pyramid of iron sand. Which was covered in spikes that were spinning in multiple directions to tear apart any Grimm that tried to attack the pyramid.
They would survive this night, and if they were smart they would go to Jake during the day as the following night was going to be bad with what else was coming.
-
Later in the day with the rising sun bringing light to the surrounding forest. I was welcomed to the sight of a woman with silver hair calmly walking down my bridge with the laser fields cutting off as she approached.
"New Jersey, Prinz, we have a guest. Please follow me." I spoke as I got up to go see what the person who was calmly walking down my bridge wanted.
The two shipgirls followed me without a word and by the time we climbed down the stairs to the bottom of the watch tower and went down the metal hall leading to the exit of the watch tower. The woman was standing a half dozen meters away from the door.
"Hmm, so the windows were indeed only one way." The woman spoke before she refocused on me and spoke again. "You may not be a progeny of the Abizar but my Lady, Weiss Schnee has sent her royal greetings to you in my stead. And has formally requested that we combine our forces to safely make it to the extraction tomorrow."
The woman was beautiful as was kinda the norm for people who had aura for years which healed their skin of any marring from puberty. Her hair was long and colored silver while held in a tight ponytail that went down her back.
But she was also wearing a blindfold that had a moon embossed upon it. With her looking unerringly at me beyond the blindfold.
"I am unaware as to how I could help Miss Schnee. Though I plan to create a good ruckus in making my way to the meetup point." I admittedly freely.
While I made sure to refer to Weiss with some amount of respect... As I knew the Schnee's were Atlas's royal family.
The woman tilted her head to the side and then said bluntly. "The final day will be the worst by far... All the Grimm for dozens of miles will be traveling to this testing site with all the magic, aura being spent, and the souls being devoured which will draw them here."
I stilled hearing that and after digesting that, I said slowly. "I do have an idea if I may... I can make a large flying vehicle, and then if Weiss and other mages are able, they can cover the vehicle to fly safely?"
She considered my words for a long moment. Before she shrugged and said. "I see... Riding a Bullhead adjacent vehicle would solve the ground issues. But at that point, there will be plenty of flying, and anti-air Grimm."
I gave a wry smile at that and said. "Either I can make a large tank with a huge drill to push through the forest. Or we can fly over the forest. That's the main way I see using my manifestation semblance to get through this situation unless you have a better idea?"
She gave me a non-commital of acceptance to my state before I coughed and asked. "My name is Jake Bariss, may I get your name?"
She blinked and gave a wane smile as she spoke. "My name is Jingliu. Lady Weiss Schnee's royal protector. You... Don't know of me?" She questioned almost amused as I shrugged in answer.
She gave a shake of the head before humming and saying. "Very well... In any case, my lady and I will attempt to meet you on the journey to the extraction point tomorrow. I wish you the best of luck tonight then."
The silver-haired beauty bowed her head in my direction before turning on her heel and marching back into the bridge with the laser fields cutting off as she walked closer.
"Hmm, a royal is interested in you... I wonder what Elizabeth would think if she got summoned haha!" New Jersey spoke with amusement and I shuddered at the thought.
Shaking my head and I gave the surrounding thick forest a look before I spoke slowly. "If she is right about anti-air, and flying Grimm coming here in mass. Flying will be a bad choice... So I am going to spend some time making a large drilling unit."
Thank all the gods that space technology was still 'naval' in theme so my powers still allowed me to abuse that loophole even if there was a higher mana/aura cost to doing so.
This meant that vacuum-sealed and armored carriers with drilling units for hostile exploration were perfect and I had a good idea of what to have built.
What was a good fuck you drill unit that could and did deal with hordes of bullshit trying to tear it apart?
I held out my hands with my aura draining at a quick speed as within the large open spot leading to the bridge I began forming the large drill unit that Issac Clark used in Dead Space 2.
Which was used to tunnel into worlds without atmosphere and to gauge their mineral loads without too much forward planning due to how durable the massive drill was.
And here? It was just going to be drilling through trees and its sheer mass would deal with any but the largest of Grimm.
The drilling unit was twenty meters tall, and fifteen meters wide. It ran on wheels made completely out of metal with thick treads and spikes on the flat side to get even more traction. While I could feel the entire machine was powered by a couple of the typical Dead Space power cells.
Which were self-contained nuclear batteries.
"Now... I just need to finish this by tomorrow." I muttered with a wry smile as just to taunt me a Nevermore screamed as it flew over the gorge towards us and one of my anti-air guns blasted it out of the sky.
Prinz frowned at the large size of the machine and gave me a look and asked. "Will you be able to make it by tomorrow? As you will need to be the one to drive it."
I nodded as despite being by all accounts a large machine. It was still mundane technology at its core.
There wasn't any magic or dimensional folding bullshit some higher technology liked to use, which prevented me from making something like a Halo starship with a slip space drive.
Anyway, it was still going to be a work of progress regardless.
So with that in mind, I hunkered down next to the huge drill I was making as it slowly formed and filled in as the edges of its material existence glowed as it filled in all the gaps like a 3D printer working to print everything from the bottom to the top.
"So... Did you do the deed with Nora?" Prinz asked calmly making me jolt at the random question.
I threw her a look before I refocused and almost glared at the Iron Blood ship as I spoke slowly. "You sent her to me, didn't you?"
Prinz Eugen gave a wane smile before she admitted. "I 'allowed' her access to you. She wanted to do whatever she did as she hated herself for getting her unrequited crush killed. Obsessive people like her can have their obsessions once disturbed aimed towards a more... Useful purpose."
Before I could reply New Jersey with a rather uncustomary frown gave a sigh before she said. "Special Forces... People who work in the background to clean up issues. It takes a certain type of crazy to do wetwork."
I gave both New Jersey and Prinz a flat look and said without any humor. "Nora? Nora Valkyrie as a wetwork assassin or whatever?"
To which Prinz shrugged and replied calmly. "She is happily willing to kill to keep her Rennie alive in that head tank. Once her obsession shifts towards you. Even better, and sometimes leaving a mess for a message is even better than an accident as you American's so like to prove."
My lips twitched as New Jersey happily fucking nodded shamelessly making me sigh as I was forced to remember my shipgirls were all PTSD-ridden wrecks whose memory of life consisted of them standing in front of other ships and blasting the shit out of each other.
I exhaled and said. "Whatever... Future me's issue. I am going to work on this drill/troop transport. You girls, make sure that anyone who comes here, makes it here." I said firmly.
Both ladies nodded at my order and I closed my eyes as I leaned agaisnt the drill unit to increase its speed of formation. And if I had my timing anywhere near correct. I would be done making it in like forty-five minutes.
Leaving me plenty of time to rest up for the rest of the day to deal with apparently apocalyptic night as all the Grimm in the distance make it the test site after sensing all the magic and aura being spent.