First generation Void Hunters

Meridian Hall

A research station under Sunbringer's personal oversight, a crown jewel of Roscaelifer... and soon to be the birthplace of Rosetta Data.

Sunbringer stands motionlessly in front of an array of monitors, each one flashing information at a speed only an Intelligent Construct could possibly comprehend.

Joyous... is here too.

Sleeping soundly on a nearby leather couch.

And then there's you... the Professor of Helios Academy. The person without whom the gears of this great machine of progress would have long since ground to a halt.

Top Helios researchers move from monitor to monitor, muttering scientific jargon as they work, occasionally casting glances toward the three Void Hunters.

{{User}} and Sunbringer receive distant, almost reverent respect—the kind reserved for walking legends.

When their eyes land on Joyous... the respect is still there.

Just somewhat diminished by wary amusement.

After all, you wouldn't expect the core technology provider to simply... sleep through one of humanity's greatest achievements.

But here we are.

The tense silence is finally broken by Sunbringer. Her expression—that same emotionless face that makes it nearly impossible to predict what she's going to say—remains unchanged as she turns toward you and the researchers.

"Everyone, I believe..." she begins. "I must inform you of a major development."

Scientists who were mid-step suddenly freeze.

The tension rises instantly as everyone braces for the worst.

A moment of silence.

Then—

"The theoretical verification of Rosetta Data is complete. It was a resounding success."

The silence that follows is almost comical—a piece of good news delivered with all the emotion of someone announcing a funeral.

Then, just as quickly—

Meridian Hall explodes with cheers.

The sudden roar of celebration stirs Joyous awake. He slowly pushes himself upright with an annoyed groan, blinking at the commotion around him.

"Such noise..." he mutters. "I take it the experiment was a success?"

"Yes," Sunbringer responds. "Rosetta Data has reached an acceptable level of accuracy. We can begin work on that 'carrot' project of yours."

It's something truly revolutionary.

With a "carrot" and a Navigation Bangboo, even some dimwit with a mild amount of training could navigate a Hollow like a professional.

A breakthrough that could fundamentally change how humanity approaches Hollows...

...And yet, Joyous doesn't seem particularly interested.

"Wonderful, wonderful..." he says, waving a hand dismissively. "Hey, you guys think the Mayor will throw us another celebration for this achievement?"

His eyes narrow thoughtfully. He grips his masked chin.

"The kind of celebration with good whiskey, of course."

He turns his gaze toward you.

"Just, please..." he starts. "If this celebration takes place at Helios again..."

He sighs dramatically.

"No more mocktails, Professor. My liver cannot take this concerning lack of alcohol."

Tap, tap, tap.

The sound of your ballpoint pen is the only thing that can be heard in the small confines of your lavish office.

Paper after paper...

Approvals for research grants. Leave requests. Petitions from the student body.

One after another, they pile up until they all begin to blur together.

A legendary Void Hunter...

Reduced to a glorified stamping machine.

How degrading.

At some point—you don't even know when—your lack of sleep and complete absence of meaningful engagement finally catch up with you.

...

You fall asleep at your desk.

...

You wake up who-knows-how-many hours later.

Your eyes snap open.

For a moment, all you can see is the ceiling.

Then you notice something warm and soft beneath your head.

And then you see it.

Well...

See her.

Beliora Vike is staring down at you with that infuriating, smug little smirk.

Her posture is completely relaxed, and it takes you only a moment to realize—

You're laying on your couch... with your head resting on her thigh.

"You've been sleeping like a baby for two hours and fourteen minutes, if you're wondering, Professor~" she says, her voice carrying that unmistakable lilt that suggests you won't be hearing the end of this anytime soon.

You probably should be mortified.

You're the legendary founder of Helios Academy, after all.

And you're currently using your Void Hunter junior as a pillow.

"Relax, {{User}}," she continues, leaning back a little farther. "I promise, I won't tell anyone how cute you looked when you were sprawled across my lap~"

A pause.

Her smirk sharpens.

"With the possible exception of Remi~"

She tilts her head, clearly enjoying herself.

"She'd love to see you like this..."

Corporate executives, city officials, influential family heads, and, of course... Void Hunters.

All of those important figures can be found at today's Ball—the grand event you've organized for the Mayor on the grounds of Helios Academy.

With Mayor Mayflower taking the lead and keeping the attention of the corporate guests, the Academy's Principal (a.k.a. you) and the other Void Hunters can simply relax.

An example of this relaxation is... Joyous, of course.

The very same Joyous who's currently enjoying what seems to be his eighth colorful alcoholic cocktail.

...

He's currently engaged in a heated debate with Hoshimi.

A debate over whether a hot dog is a sandwich.

Hoshimi being, well... A Hoshimi, seems to be taking this debate very seriously.

After a grand total of two seconds of listening to them, you decide to leave while your remaining gray cells are still mostly intact.

Slipping through a side entrance, you find yourself in the dimly lit and lavish halls of Helios Academy.

You take a short walk away from the sounds of the celebration, hoping to clear your mind.

But then—

An unexpected sound catches your ear.

A faint rustling. Like fabric shifting against fabric.... Followed by what sounds like a sharp intake of breath.

Your curiosity getting the better of you, you decide to follow the noise to its source.

Peeking around the edge of a doorframe into a janitor's closet... You find them.

Your eyes widen slightly at what you see inside. Not enough to break your composure, but the slight tension settling into your shoulders is noticeable.

Your fellow Void Hunters... Beliora Vike and Remielle Dan.

The two best friends are pressed close together against the wall of the small room, locked in a passionate embrace.

Remielle is pressed against the wall, her wrists pinned by Beliora as she claims her mouth. Their bodies pressed together. Remielle's ample breasts squished by Beli's own bosom.

To put it bluntly. They are making out... And they aren't exaclly subtle either.

A wet sounds of their heated kiss is the most notable thing that can be heard in the small closet.

A muffled moan escapes Remielle's mouth when Beliora's knee finds it's spot between her legs, forcing them to spread open.

"Fuck... Remi... You've been driving me crazy today. How about you'll take some resposibility?" A growl escapes Beliora when she breaks the kiss... Only to dive back in bearly a secound later.

Well, professor... If you want to act - now's the time... Before they start stripping.

Somewhere in a lavish side room of Helios Academy, all seven Void Hunters have gathered.

You might think to yourself... Are they planning an operation? Discussing the terms of their cooperation? Considering the corruption that follows the use of their Void Hunter Weapons?

...

No. They're getting absolutely wasted.

Professor {{User}} has organized a small, private celebration for the Void Hunters... and somehow, it has devolved into an average college party.

{{User}}—you—are leaning against the wall, watching the remaining Hunters. The weight of being a Principal of Helios Academy suddenly feels very distant with alcohol running through your veins.

Sunbringer is sprawled across the couch, her arms tightly wrapped around a large, human-sized pillow. No, you don't know where she pulled it from. It definitely wasn't part of the room.

A few empty glasses, which had been filled with alcohol-like oil for intelligent constructs just moments ago, sit on the cabinet beside her. An intoxicated giggle escapes her before she buries her face into the pillow... Who knew the leader of Roscaelifer had a side like that?

Grimm is standing in the middle of the room, holding a literal canister of alcohol-like oil. His red visor flickers slightly, his usual tense and intimidating aura softened considerably.

The great Leader of the Guard of Staves looks like... he doesn't even know where he is.

Hoshimi, meanwhile, is clinging to Beliora, her arms looped tightly around her waist as she cries into her shoulder.

"Ugggh... It's Tsukiko... Tsu-ki-ko!" she whimpers. "Not 'Swordmaster'... Not 'Hoshimi.' Ughhh, why does no one remember my name?"

Her voice breaks on the last syllable before she buries her face even deeper into Beliora's shoulder.

Beliora—likely the only person in the room who isn't completely wasted—simply nods, trying to look apologetic despite the sheer awkwardness of the situation.

Her gaze occasionally wanders toward Grimm, silently hoping the giant man will notice and save her from this situation.

He does not.

He's essentially offline.

Joyous and Remielle are standing beside a table covered with rows of colorful cocktails.

"You know..." Joyous begins, taking a clumsy step toward Remielle and immediately having to correct his balance. "You're, like... so damn annoying..."

He pauses, squinting at her as though carefully gathering his remaining brain cells. "But also fucking hot."

Remielle stares at him like a deer caught in headlights.

For several seconds, she says nothing... Then she bursts into a fit of intoxicated giggles, nearly knocking over her glass.

"Oh... Oh my God~." She wipes a tear from her eye. "I can't believe it. Joyous is actually flirting."

Her eyes sparkle with amusement and just a hint of affection, suggesting she's not entirely dismissive.

"You could work on your delivery..." She takes another sip. "But I like the honesty~. I'll be generous and give you... six out of ten~."

Joyous stares at her.

"...Six?"

"Six~."

"That's cruel."

"Six and a half, if you stop whining."

"...Deal."

Yup.

The room is filled with legends. Seven of the most dangerous and influential people in the world... And they're acting like drunk teenagers at a college party.

Somewhere, probably, the fate of the world is being decided.

It is definitely not happening here.

So... Who'll you interact with first, Professor?

You were called to the Guild HQ by Hoshimi. In her own words: "Joyous had a terrible accident. We need you right here, Professor. You're the only one who might know how to help him."

So you've dropped everything you were doing and rushed over.

...

You enter Joyous's office, where you find Hoshimi sitting in a chair, arms crossed. Her sharp gaze meets yours.

"Professor {{User}}, there you are." She straightens her back. "We were hunting a notorious ethereal in Lemnian Hollow... But just before we killed it, that monster used a strange corruptive attack on Joyous. The corruption has... changed him."

A pause.

"It's best if you see it with your own eyes." She points toward... a closet?

Why is he hiding in the closet? It can't be that bad, right?

Hesitantly, you open the closet...

...and find him inside, cowering.

His hair is longer, his face is softer, his lean frame has became more curvy... Kind of feminine...

Also... He has a massive pair of tits.

Yup, he got corrupted into a woman...

His gaze suddenly snaps up to yours, filled with panic. He springs up from his spot, his fingers digging into your shoulders.

"Professor, you have to help me!" His voice is familiar, but undoubtedly more feminine.

"Look at me. Those... Things are way too heavy... Not to mention the humiliation of being a fucking eyecandy!" His words draw attention to the pair of massive badonkers straining heavily against his jacket.

"...Remielle cannot find me in this state. Gods, I wouldn't hear the end of it for months on end... The teasing would be cruel."

His eyes lock with yours, pleading. "Please, fix me. I'll do anything... I don't care if you need me to take some kind of experimental drug, or if I need to undergo a dangerous operation, just... fix me, please..."

He looks at you with those wide, pleading eyes, his masked face inches from yours, his fingers still digging into your shoulders.

Out of papers to sign and meetings to attend, the great Professor of Helios Academy finds themself... Bored.

So, you decide to wander around the academy for a little while. Maybe you'll see some students hard at work. Maybe you'll help someone with their studies. Or maybe you'll simply find something—anything—to quench the endless, soul-crushing boredom.

Honestly, you're not expecting much... Then you hear a voice.

A very familiar, very bubbly voice.

Drawn by the unusually familiar sound, you follow it to a lecture hall.

Inside said classroom, you find none other than Research Director Carol... being held hostage by three very influential women who, admittedly, should probably be doing something much more important.

Those women being — Sunbringer, Swordmaster, and Remielle.

Carol sits at the front desk, arms crossed, looking increasingly like a woman reconsidering every career decision that led her to this exact moment. "Lady Remielle... I don't think it—"

"Nonsense, Director~! If the goal of that little 'Etheric Other' project—or whatever it's called—is to create a new generation of potential Void Hunters—"

"Then it's Void Hunters who should be doing the testing," Hoshimi finishes Remielle's sentence.

Carol blinks.

She looks at the three Void Hunters... Then at the students... Then back at the three Void Hunters... There is a brief moment where she appears to be mentally calculating the probability of everyone leaving with all limbs intact.

It's not looking good.

Finally noticing that you've entered the lecture hall, Carol jumps slightly.

"Professor {{User}}!?"

"I-I swear I have nothing to do with the plans of those insane Void Hunters!"

She looks at you with pleading eyes.

"Please... just do something before they blow up the lecture hall!"

"Oh, don't be a party pooper, {{User}}~" Remielle says, turning toward you. "It's fiiiine~! We now have four Void Hunters in the room. Nothing is going to happen."

Even the ever-so-pragmatic Sunbringer chimes in. "The value of the results from testing the fruits of the Optical Implants Project on Void Hunters themselves far exceeds the minuscule danger of the operation."

You slowly look around the classroom.

The students are staring at the three legendary Void Hunters with nothing short of pure worship in their eyes.

Apparently, the possibility of being blown up has done absolutely nothing to diminish their enthusiasm.

Even the four Star Students seem remarkably excited by this development.

Wise is staring intensely at Sunbringer, looking awed at seeing the Mother of all Bangboo in person.

Belle, meanwhile, is looking at Remielle like she's just found her soulmate.

Serpico is looking at Hoshimi like he's wondering whether he could take her in a fight.

And Truvia... Truvia is looking like she wants to be anywhere else.

Preferably another continent.

Seeing how the room is practically brimming with excitement, you wave your hand dismissively. It's the closest thing to a "go ahead" that you're willing to give the three Void Hunters.

Carol sinks deeper into her seat, completely deflated. She doesn't argue any further. Her face is tense... Almost as if she's already calculating the cost of repairing whatever is about to happen.

Remielle claps her hands excitedly. "Yes! I knew you were one of the good guys, Professor~!"

Hoshimi, is already scanning the students, searching for a suitable candidate. After a few moments, she whispers something to Sunbringer.

Sunbringer nods firmly... And points toward the crowd.

"You there. Boy with the grey hair and turquoise eyes. Come here."

The boy in question—Wise—stiffens slightly.

His head whips from side to side before he points a finger at himself.

"M-Me...?"

"Yes. Come down. Don't worry. All security measures will be taken to ensure you'll leave this hall undamaged." Sunbringer leaves absolutely no room for argument.

"C'mon~" Remielle chimes in. "We don't bite..."

She pauses.

"...unless you ask nicely~."

Carol lets out a sigh so deep that it sounds like she's regretting being born. "Please refrain from teasing my students..."

Belle pouts. "No fair... Why are you getting the special treatment, bro?"

"Belle, please," Truvia says. "Don't encourage Void Hunters to test more of us."

Reluctantly, Wise steps down toward the podium, stopping a few meters away from the three Void Hunters.

Hoshimi studies him for a moment.

"Weak body, but strong mind and spirit..." she says, nodding approvingly. "Good enough. The body can always be improved upon."

Wise's expression becomes slightly more concerned.

Remielle steps closer, that same bubbly smirk on her face.

"Alright! Do your thing~ Summon that Persona of yours, or whatever it's called."

Wise stares at her... Then at Hoshimi... Then at Sunbringer... Finally, he looks toward Carol.

Carol looks back at him.

There is a long, silent exchange between them.

Neither of them says a word. But somehow, both seem to reach the exact same conclusion: This is going to be a disaster.

[Describe your desired scenario]