Look, I know it sounds weird.Although, thinking about it… in the grand scheme of things… it's not even that special.
Yeah. I'm a transmigrator. Or something like that, I guess that's the right term.
In my past life… well, in my other life, I was a completely normal guy. Leaning toward boring, if you asked anyone. I went to school, had a family, routines, schedules… nothing worth telling a story about.
Even my death was, all things considered, pretty ordinary.
Hit by a truck.The classic of classics.
…Yeah, I know. Very original.
Now, where am I going with all this?
Well, you see, I—
—Jaune, come down for breakfast.
…
Yeah. Just like that.
Cliché? Very.
Jaune Arc.Out of all possibilities, I ended up here.
I was never really a fan of RWBY. At most, I could tell you the protagonist's name was Ruby, and not much else. But between the community and the fanfics… I ended up learning about him.
Jaune Arc.
There was always controversy around him. Whether he was the worst character, or the best. Overrated, underrated.
If I'm being honest, he… and the eternal ship wars were pretty much everything I knew about that series.
And now…
Now I am him.
Great. Just great.
And yeah, you're probably thinking: "You must have the classic of classics… a system, right?"
…
Let me tell you something.
[System]
[Messages]
It has ONE DAMN FUNCTION.
And the only message it contains is this:
[TO… JAVIER ARC.GREETINGS, YOUNG UNDEAD. IT IS I, THE GOD PAN!
YOU MAY PRAISE ME IF YOU WISH. I WILL NOT STOP YOU.
HOWEVER… I MUST INFORM YOU THAT, DUE TO A SMALL INCIDENT, I ENDED UP GETTING DRUNK WITH DIONYSUS BEFORE FINISHING YOUR SYSTEM.
MY APOLOGIES!
I KNOW IT WAS MY RESPONSIBILITY TO HELP YOU… BUT LET'S BE HONEST, THIS IS MORE OF A DIVINE COMPETITION THAN ANYTHING ELSE.
UNFORTUNATELY, YOU START WITHOUT THE FEATURES OTHERS HAVE.
I WILL TRY TO FIX IT… IF I DON'T GET DRUNK AGAIN.
ANYWAY, I SPENT ALL MY DIVINE POINTS ON ALCOHOL.
IF YOU WANT ME TO ADD THE FEATURES YOU SHOULD HAVE HAD FROM THE START —THE GACHA AND ALL THAT GARBAGE— YOU'LL HAVE TO INTERACT WITH CHARACTERS FROM THE ORIGINAL SERIES.
WHEN MY HANGOVER PASSES AND YOU ACHIEVE SOMETHING, I'LL SEND YOU SOMETHING SO YOU CAN GET STARTED.
GOOD LUCK.]
…My name isn't even Javier.
The system is written in Comic Sans.
Seriously. He couldn't even get that right.
Now, you might think:"Well, it's fine. Use your prodigious memory, plagiarize a couple of works, get rich, and build a harem."
Well NO, my friends.
I don't have a prodigious memory.My writing skills are… questionable at best.And I don't think I can just go out there and hunt Grimm like it's nothing.
Because, for starters…
I'M 15 YEARS OLD!
"And what about it?" you'd say.
Well, in my other damn life… I was also 15.
I can't even be that typical ultra-mature, calculating, cold-blooded protagonist.
I was scared of my neighbor's dog, for God's sake!
How am I supposed to fight nightmare monsters?
And worst of all…
Even though I don't know RWBY's plot 100%… I do remember some key points.
Pretty… concerning ones:
Vale falls.
Atlas falls.
A tide of nightmare monsters wipes out humanity… for some reason.
It's not much information.
But it's enough to know one thing.
If I want to survive…
I have to do something.
—JAUNE! COME DOWN FOR BREAKFAST! —my sister shouted from the other side of the door—. IF YOU DON'T COME DOWN RIGHT NOW, I'LL BEAT YOU UP!
…Well.
That "something" is going to be breakfast for now.
After an intense breakfast (and by intense I mean staring at the TV while the news shows people who are apparently all amazing, have superpowers, and could probably crush me with a finger), I start thinking about what fate has in store for me.
Because yes.
I've made a decision.
If I want something… I'll fight for it.
And what do I want?
I don't want a harem.
I don't want to be an edgy lord with free trauma and monologues in the rain.
I want to live peacefully!
Maybe open a small business… something humble… a bakery, a forge, whatever… and just live in peace.
Is that too much to ask?
…
Yeah. Probably.
But hey, a guy can dream.
Luckily, today is Saturday, so I don't have to go to school.
…
Hah.
Not even changing worlds lets me escape that.
I get up from the couch with all the enthusiasm of someone who has decided to change his life…
Alright. Plan for the day.
Step one: don't die.Step two: figure out how not to die in the near future.Step three: repeat steps one and two.
Solid. Unbreakable. Flawless.
Just as I'm about to strategically retreat to my room to "plan" (read: flop onto the bed and overthink), the front door bursts open.
—Jaune! —my sister's voice echoes closer—. Hurry up or we'll be late!
—Huh?
—Move it!
Before I can process it, she's already dragging me out of the house. Literally.
Minutes later…
I'm being taken, against my will and dignity, toward an airship parked outside the town.
—W-what…? —I stammer.
—There's a sale at Madame Hoch's boutique today. We have to take the Bullhead —says my dearest sister, looking at me with a mix of sympathy and urgency—. I know you don't like traveling by Bullhead… but there's no other choice.
…
And so, between dizziness, existential regret, and an open betrayal from my digestive system…
We arrive at Vale.
Damn it.
The universe is clearly pointing at me.
And I'd appreciate it… if I weren't busy throwing up my soul.
As the good brother that I am, I end up helping carry shopping bags in what I officially declare the greatest waste of time in my new life.
—Jaune, what do you think? This royal blue dress or this cobalt blue one?
—Aren't they… both blue?
—Ugh, of course not.
…
And that was the whole damn day.
—Jaune, get me a carmine blouse.
And of course, there I go. Searching for the legendary item.
—Excuse me… could you tell me which one is… uh… carmine?
—Oh boy… are you serious?
The voice comes from a girl wearing a brown long-sleeve shirt, matching pants, a beret… and, for some reason, sunglasses inside the store.
—Let me guess… your sister?
—Uh… yeah. Actually, yeah.
—Pfft. Poor her.
—Hey…
—Relax.
The girl turns around and starts rummaging through clothes with efficiency bordering on supernatural. Seconds later, she hands me the item.
—Here. Carmine.
—Thanks… and sorry.
—No problem, kid. You can count on Coco Adel when it comes to clothes.
[INTERACTION WITH SECONDARY CHARACTER. POINTS ADDED: 10]
[NEW MESSAGE]
[DAMN IT, I'M NOT EVEN OVER MY HANGOVER YET… BUT A PROMISE IS A PROMISE. LET ME WORK.]
Oh.
Oh.
OH.
—Praise be —I mutter automatically.
—Psh, if you want to praise me —says Coco, lowering her sunglasses slightly—, you'd better introduce me to your sister instead.
…
Well.
Maybe.
Just maybe…
This day wasn't a total loss.