Arthur stood in the quiet of his private study, the only sound the soft hum of the holographic projector.
Before him, a shimmering, three-dimensional rendering of Atlas pulsed with an unsettling erraticism.
The city, usually a vibrant beacon of technological progress and meticulous order, was now a chaotic mess of flickering data points, violent energy surges, and fragmented structural integrity readouts.
It was a visual symphony of impending disaster, and every discordant note resonated within him.
He knew the source, a bitter truth that gnawed at his already frayed nerves.
The "specialist" Jacques Schnee, in his shortsighted greed and desperate attempt to maintain control, had foolishly hired was not merely a rogue operative or a misguided genius.
No, this individual was a viper coiled within the heart of Atlas, an insidious instrument of Salem's grand design.
Arthur had underestimated her, had clung to the comfort of familiar narratives.
This wasn't the Salem he had read about in the original stories, the one depicted in dusty tomes and whispered legends.
That Salem, while formidable, had always felt constrained by the boundaries of mortal understanding. This Salem was something far greater, a being whose power was not merely amplified, but intrinsically deeper, more ancient, a primordial force that predated the very concept of time.
And intertwined with her terrifying might, there was a palpable, undeniable divine power.
A divine power born of an abyss so profound, it resonated with the very essence of darkness itself.
It was a power that threatened to consume not just Atlas, but the very fabric of existence.
"She must be at least Level 7 or Level 8,"
Arthur murmured, his voice a low hum.
His brows furrowed as he considered the implications. A Salem of that caliber was a true threat, a force capable of tearing apart the very fabric of this world.
He had to be careful, strategic.
He brought up his own parameters, a holographic display appearing before him:
[Parameter]
* Name: Arthur Leywin Stark
* Alias: Adolescent Reality Blending Cosmic True Dragon
* Level: 6
* Pow: S-917
* End: S-967
* Dex: S-952
* AGI: S-915
* MAG: S-987
[Skill]
* Dragon Gods' partner
* Authority of Sloth
* Authority of Greed
* King (New)
* Low Tier Godling
[Power]
* Dragonic Shot
* Dragonic Canon
* Dragonic Heal
* Dragonic Cure
* Dragonic Hand
* Dragon's heart
* Dragon's Aura
* Super Focus
* Reality Blending (Partial Released)
* Soul Magic (NEW)
His statistics were impressive, a testament to his unique lineage and the powers bestowed upon him.
He was a Low Tier Godling, capable of feats beyond mortal comprehension.
His Reality Blending was partially released, a power that could twist the very essence of existence. And the newly acquired Soul Magic was a versatile, potent tool.
He knew he could fight this specialist, and even Salem herself. He was confident he could win.
But at what cost?
A direct confrontation, especially with a being of Salem's amplified power, would unleash an unimaginable amount of energy.
The sheer collateral damage could cripple not just Atlas, but potentially the entire continent of Remnant.
Salem wanted chaos, and a full-blown display of his power would undoubtedly give her precisely that.
He was a Cosmic True Dragon, and his true might could level cities.
"This isn't about brute force,"
Arthur mused, pacing his study.
"This is about strategy, about dismantling her plans without playing into her hands."
He closed his eyes, accessing the vast knowledge gifted to him by the Dragon Gods.
Ophis and Great Red remained silent not because they didn't want to help him but this fight was needed if they wanted Arthur to grow.
[We must not intervene in this fight.]
Said Ophis.
[Yes, even though the enemy is at the level of Satan in our world…]
Agreed Great Red. She already knew how strong Salem of this world was.
The specialist's "re-balancing of energies" was a veiled term for a subtle, pervasive form of reality warping, designed to unravel the stability of Atlas from within.
It was a slow poison, not a sudden explosion.
He needed to counter it with something equally subtle, equally precise.
His Authority of Sloth could slow down processes, but that wouldn't stop the decay.
Authority of Greed could absorb, but what exactly could he absorb without causing further imbalance?
His King skill, a new addition, felt like it held the key, but its full potential was still an enigma.
"She wants me to react,"
Arthur muttered, opening his eyes and staring at the flickering Atlas projection.
"She wants me to expose myself, to escalate the conflict."
He wouldn't give her the satisfaction. He had to find a way to nullify the specialist's effects without directly confronting him or unleashing his full power.
He had to think like a chessboard master, anticipating Salem's next moves.
The unusual energy signatures Ozpin mentioned, the ones Team RWBY was tasked with investigating, were the early tremors of the specialist's work.
Weiss's unease was well-founded. She felt the ripple because she was connected to the very heart of Atlas, to the Schnee dust company that was being targeted.
Her father's desperate call to the specialist had unwittingly opened a door to Salem's influence.
Arthur knew that the "re-balancing" wasn't just about weakening the SDC. It was about creating a specific kind of instability, a precursor to something much larger.
Salem's ultimate goal wasn't just to destroy, but to reshape. The current events in Atlas were merely the opening gambit, designed to draw him out and force his hand.
He had to protect Weiss, not just from the physical dangers, but from the emotional and psychological toll of this unfolding chaos.
Her connection to her family and the SDC made her a potential target, a vulnerability Salem might exploit.
Arthur brought up the schematics of Atlas, superimposing the energy readings onto the city's infrastructure. The specialist's work was like a cancerous growth, spreading through the city's ley lines and Dust conduits.
It wasn't just about the physical buildings; it was about the spiritual and energetic equilibrium of the city itself.
"Soul Magic,"
Arthur whispered, a spark of an idea igniting in his mind.
The new skill, raw and untested in large-scale applications, might be the answer.
If the specialist was subtly manipulating the spiritual fabric of Atlas, perhaps Soul Magic could re-weave it, mend the tears, and counteract the decay from within.
It wouldn't be a showy display of power, but a quiet, precise intervention.
The task would be delicate. He couldn't just unleash it; he had to understand the specific frequency of the specialist's disruption, the exact nature of the "imbalance." He would need to be close to the source, to feel the vibrations of the city's struggling soul.
This mission for Team RWBY to the outskirts of Vale, to investigate those "unusual energy signatures," was a fortunate coincidence.
It would give him an excuse to be in the vicinity, to subtly observe the specialist's footprint, and to gather the data he needed.
He smiled faintly. Salem had made her move, but she had underestimated him.
He wouldn't just react; he would adapt. He wouldn't just fight; he would counter. The game had indeed begun, but the Queen's first move was far from checkmate.
It was an opening, and Arthur Leywin Stark was ready to play his own hand.
...
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