Jayr POV - Earth, Geia, Mert ty - 2010

  As our voy of vehicles tis advance across the roads leading to Mert ty searg food abandoned p as our own, my mind tio wahinking about all the possible difficulties roup could fa the immediate future and about the current Random Battle.

  Not only, I'm w about who I'm going to fa this Universe, but I also worry about my friends and allies, Zandeer and Nikita, who hopefully won't be forced to face a ruthless and powerful Champion in their Random Battle.

  As my thoughts move to my friends, I keep my gaze on the window of the passenger seat, admiring the fast-moving sery outside with an unfocused gaze as I start to think about their ces of ing out on top of this sed Random Battle, 'Well, Zandeer on his own is already a quite powerful and dangerous oppoo faost people. When he uses the Resurre of his Zanpakuto, Chacales (Jackal), Zandeer fully unleashes his Aspect of Death, Dece. Dece is the death brought by physical, mental, and spiritual dee and with it, Zandeer may take trol of any darkness in the hearts of others to create Hollows with it and make them into their servants with the same abilities and powers of the people they get created in addition to the natural abilities they have as Hollows. He even bee stronger with the darkness and corruption of others by just being around them.'

  Thinking of that, I already start to feel a little bit of pity for any oppohat may face Zandeer iure as they will be basically forced to fight against a mgressive version of themselves and Zandeer.

  With a smile, I tio list everything I know about my friend's capabilities, 'In addition, that isn't evehing he is capable of, because after he awakened his Aura in the RWBY Universe and became a Living Spirit very close to the Heroic Spirit of the Nasuverse, he also gaihe ability to transd beyond Resurre making all his previous abilities a lot more powerful than before, and in addition to that, he also gained a Sembhat allows him to not only trol Grimm, but also produce Grimm Liquid to create Grimm Pool capable of spawning Creatures of Grimm, and even to evolve Grimm into se creatures close to Hollows fully loyal to him whi turn enhance his power even more thanks to his OP Aspect of Death.'

  Then I think about the most important advahat Zandeer may have over his oppo, 'Let's not fet about, Nikita, a mostly immortal Witch, Vampire, and Werewolf Tribird as she recover from any kind of wounds and actually killing her is very, very hard. Moreover, thanks to her Tribird nature she is also supernaturally strong and fast, to the point that in a universe like this one, ohout magid supernatural powers, she has an overwhelming advantage against Champions who rely mostly on those things but igheir physical strength. But without any doubt, she is most dangerous when those two things are present as she has mastery over hundreds of useful, versatile, and powerful spells that may be used to take advantage of almost any situation they may face, and she also has her own Aura and Sembnce whihance her physical might even more and grant her trol over ALL blood in a certain area, something that be quite deadly for any living beings that have blood in their body. Overall, Nikita is also a threat that shouldn't be uimated as her versability makes it so that she won't ever find herself in a truly disadvantageous situation as long as the differen sheer power between her and her oppo isn't overwhelming.'

  As that st thought es to my mind, I 't help but sneer a little while thinking, 'And even in the case where the opposing Champion may be overwhelmingly powerful, there are also their Digimon Partners, Agumon, and Bluon, by their side who just like my Digimon Partners ow also evolve to the Ultimate Level. Zandeer's Partner, Agumon evolves into Gaioumon, a subspecies of the Greymon-species which is heavily specialized in martial bat. Gaioumon thrives in pure direct battles as he overwhelm his oppo with sheer power, speed, and teique. Meanwhile, Nikita's Partner, Bluon evolves into Hexebumon a Digimon who fully mastered Ice Sorcery. Hexebumon excels i of maniputing the cold, and with it, he creates various things with ice that be used to attack, restrict, and defend. Both of them have more than enough power to easily destroy aire universe and maybe even a small multiverse. With their presence, I think that the ces of Zandeer and Nikita to e out victorious from the Random Battle are much higher.'

  Remembering all that, I feel a lot more fident about their ces in this Random Battle as long as the universe where their Random Battle is taking pce isn't restrig their powers and abilities too mud the Champion they are going against isn't an absolute OP monster.

  But despite reminding myself of their advantages, I still 't help myself from w a little, after all, the Omniverse is truly a pce full of infinite possibilities and I have no way of knowing just what kind of opportuhe other Champions have gained in their journey or what kind of powers and advaheir Blessing gave them.

  I'm not even sure if I'm strong enough to face them despite the fact that I'm pretty fident of my own progress and power as the Omniverse is full of way too many cheat abilities, powers, ons and so that it is virtually impossible to be ready for anything.

  I also must not fet that power isn't the only thing that decides the oute of a frontation as there are many other variables to sider like intelligence, ingness, strategy, and even just the willio do anything to pull off a win may be the deg factor that shift the scale of victory in favor of a person instead of another.

  This is why despite the incredible power I already have at my disposal, I tio train every single day, stantly trying to improve myself one way or another.

  After all, what I experienced ba the One Pieiverse reminded me that I must never uimate my oppos, no matter how much more powerful I am pared to them as a little distra, opening, or opportunity is all a capable enemy o have to screw me over.

  I tio let my mind wander over such subjects while time calmly passes with T-Dog and Man chatting about random topics while driving the Cargo Trutil suddenly the walkie talkie in my hands es to life and from it Daryl's surprised voice be heard as he says, "Doc! I 't believe my eyes, but I think the perfect pce that has all the things you requested. It even has a freaking steel fence around its perimeter which by the way is imme is located a few miles away from the main road that our voy is using. At the first interse, you must take the right and then tinue forward until you see a big weary sign with the words "Lone Oak Farm" on it. Over."

  Shortly after hearing that, I bring the walkie talkie close to my mouth before I press the button on it and say, "Great job, Daryl. I knew I could t on you. I'll quickly inform the others of your finding and then we will quickly reach you. Please, do not scout ahead on your own because it may be dangerous, especially if the farm is as big as you say, then there may be numerous walkers hidden inside ready to swarm out at the first sign of prey. Over."

  A few moments after I let go of the button, the walkie talkie once again es to life as Daryl's voice says, "Got it. Hurry up then. In the meantime, I'll use the motorcycle to check the situation of the rest of the Farm from the outside. Over."

  Shortly after that, I look at T-Dog who is driving the Cargo Truck, and say, "You head Daryl. Give the others the signal we discussed before and start to lead the way. Maybe we have found what we were looking for."

  In respo-Dog smirks and cheerfully replies, "Got it, doc!" before he presses the driving wheel to honk oime and press his foot on the accelerator to speed up and surpass Morales' car, Dale's RV, and Carol's Cherokee to lead the voy to the farm found by Daryl following the simple but clear dires that he gave us.

  Soon with our Cargo Truck leading the voy, we pick up the speed and tio advail we find the interse that Daryl told us about, without aatioake the right turering a sedary, desote road with woods on one side and some smaller farmhouses and fields oher.

  After some time of this sery repeating itself, I see the big weary sign with "Lone Oak Farm" written on it just like Daryl told us, and say, "There is the sign! We must be close now." which is quickly followed by Man's voice as he ents, "Goddam! All those fields out there are all part of that farm!"

  Hearing that, I gnce his way ahat Man's gaze is fixed on the side of the road where until now the various smaller farms and farmhouses with their fields were located only now in their pce there are many vast fields with all surrounded by solid steel fences.

  Of course, the fields themselves are in a clear state of abando with weeds growing all over the pce with dead dehydrated corps, I everactor parked in the middle of a field with creeping pnts growing around it, but despite their current state, I 't help smile seeing that.

  More importantly, the smile on my face grows wider and wider the more we advance as more and more of the same abandoned fields appear in ht, and all of them are clearly part of this Lone Oak Farm and are more than enough for what I had initially pnned.

  Seeing all that, I 't help but think, 'Perfect! This farm is perfect for what I phere is only a little problem. It is a little too perfect. Such a vast and well-equipped farm is without any doubt a perfect pce for people to survive in such difficult and harsh times. People in the area would have likely gathered together and found refuge in this pce as soon it became obvious that things spiraled out of trol... so why is this farm abandoned? From what I see every structure seems to be in a perfect state which makes the passage of a walker horde big enough to threaten this pce very unlikely but despite that it is clear that this pce is empty and no oook care of those fields in months. This is strange. What is going on here?'

  While that doubt tio swarm my mind, our voy arrives at our destination and stht in front of the steel gates that apparently fun as the only clear entrao the farm.

  Shortly after we parked our vehicles, one by ohe people started to get out and stretch their legs until the whole group gathered in front of the steel gates in silence, admiring the structure in front of us for a few moments until Dale broke the silence by asking, "So this is the farm found by Daryl? What are your first impressions?"

  In respoo that question, we all take a moment to look at the se beyond the steel gate.

  There are fields bathing in the sun all around, some are clearly frowing pnts aables while others I'm pretty sure were used for pastures especially since I see fences built around them so maybe they were used for animals like cows and goats who likely ran and frolicked in those lush pastures before the end of the world caused by the Wildfire Virus, but now are all empty ae full of rown weeds.

  Burrowing its way through and around the many fields runs an rown, stone road, this road leads to a simple but pretty big farmhouse after passing a sign with the farm's name.

  The farmhouse is old, but it didn't show too much despite its abaate, which makes me believe that this farm was actually a family farm that expanded little by little through the various geions until it reached the current size instead of some farm built by some big pany.

  There are also several barns that surely provided shelter to livestock when it was still active, and that now may be repurposed as temporary living habitats for other people if needed.

  Bees buzzed all around the cacophony of flowers he entrance, and dozens s living in a small pond to the side filled the air with croaks and spshes.

  Overall, even if in an abaate, the farm still has a delightful feel to it, this is rgely due to the small little things, like the wele sign, the seating areas, and the overall hospitality that the farmhouse radiates but there is also the discrepancy of the desote atmosphere that radiates from the abandoned fields and the absence of other animals.

  Then after Rick took a brief look at our immediate surroundings and at the farm, he looked back at us and ented, "I admit I don't know much about farms and agriculture in general, but at the very least, I say for sure that this steel gate and the steel fences all around look quite promising from a security standpoint, especially if we have to deal with roaming walkers as they seem quite sturdy."

  While Rick is saying that, Shaakes a closer look at the nearby steel fehat are erected all around the farm perimeter.

  I also focus on them ahat the fences are around 2.4 meters tall and both the post and the rails are made of solid steel, but more importantly, wound around those parts there are also many thin steel wires which makes me instantly think that they may serve for only a single, simple but effective purpose.

  Shane also notices the presence of thin steel wires all over the fence's structure and shortly after Rick told us everyone his opinion, Shane looks back at the group and ents with a smile on his face, "No shit, Rick. These fences are all electries! If we get them running again then all the walkers will get fried before we even move and deal with them. They may even fun as a clear warning for those with less kind iions."

  Hearing that, Lori asks with clear worry ione, "Are they going to be safe?" but it is Man who answers, "As long as you don't touch them they are going to be safe, the only problem that we may face is that if the walkers approag those fences are too many, they may get overloaded and the whole system may get fried."

  At this point, Andrea catches everyone's attention as she ents, "Before we worry about that, we have to firm if this farm is truly abandoned and more importantly if it is safe. I find it very strahat such a perfect pce to use as refuge is pletely devoid of people."

  In respoo Andrea's words, Carol asks, "What do you mean with that?" but at the same time, Dale nods and says, "Andrea is right. We have to be careful as I think of only two reasons for the apparently abaate of this farm. The first one is that everyone on the farm is already dead for one reason or another which means that there may be many walkers hidden inside somewhere. The sed one is that this farm isn't actually abandoned but that only a very few people are present, too few to keep this huge farm running and more importantly those people may not have kind iions toward other people. After all, this is the biggest farm I have seen since we've left Iate 85 and it is impossible that the locals didn't know about it, but despite that, this farm appears to be pletely abandoned."

  Hearing, Dale's analysis, Glenn looks a little tenser as he ents, "Indeed, now that I think about it, something is clearly eeirie about this farm..." but before he tihe sound of an engine be heard from the distand soon we all notice the figure of Daryl getting closer as he rides his brother's motorcycle and decide to wait for him to arrive before tinuing.

  Before long, Daryl parks his brother's motorcycle a few meters away from us, and after getting off, he smiles and ents, "Okay guys, I have good news and bad news. The good news is that the farm is very likely as abandoned as it appears to be, which means that we cim it as our own without w about stepping on someone else toes."

  This brings a smile to the faost of the people in the group, only Shane, Man, Rick, Andrea, and Glenhe only ones who keep an even expression on their faces as they wait for Daryl to give us the bad news and they don't have to wait too long for it as after a brief pause, Daryl tinues, "The bad news is that the farm may not be as safe as it appears to be and is likely be full of those walkers."

  Hearing that, the expression on everyone's face turns especially serious, and then Rick looks at Daryl and asks, "Are you sure about that? How you be sure that there could be walkers hidden in this farm?"

  In respoo those questions, Daryl calmly expins, "Shortly after I informed doc of the finding of this farm, I didn't want to waste time waiting for you all to arrive, so I decided to drive the motorcycle around the farm perimeters to see if I could pick up some more useful information about this pce from the outside. At first, I didn't notiything strah the farm, it seemed like any other abandoned pce, but then I started to explore the back of the farm and there I found aire se of the steel fence colpsed."

  At this point, after a brief pause where Daryl picks up his crossbow, he focuses his gaze on the farm and tio expin, "From the state of the colpsed fe is pretty safe to assume that the cause behind its colpse is that a big horde of walkers, one much bigger than the one we entered this m, for some reason trated on that particur point of the feil their bined weight brought it down allowing all the walker to swarm inside."

  After another short pause, Daryl chuckles and asks, "At this point, I'm sure it is pretty clear to everyone here what the fate of the people that were ihe farm was, isn't it?"

  No oually replies to Daryl's question as everyone present here realizes that it is a rhetorical one, and then, after a few moments of silence, Daryl tio stare at the farm from outside the steel gate as if trying to spot a walker hiding somewhere as he says, "Let's ighat and focuse on the important things. Now the only real questions are: Did those creepy bastards got away from this farm after they had their meal? If yes, did they all left or some of them remained? If not, are those bastards still hidden somewhere in this farm waiting for the perfect p on us?"

  At this point, Andrea 't help herself from asking, "Wait a moment! We all caused quite a bit of ruckus when we arrived and even now we are geing quite a bit of rumor with our voices. If there are walkers hidden ihe farm, shouldn't they be already attracted to our position by all this?" which is quickly followed by her sister, Amy who adds, "Andrea is right. We have been here for some time already, if there were walkers nearby they would have already been attracted and revealed their presence. Doesn't this mean that the farm is clear?"

  But before anyone actually answer, I step forward and say, "While what Amy said may be possible, I don't think it is safe to assume so without actually cheg first. The reason for that is that not all the walkers behave in the same way." which makes Glenn excim out loud, "What! Are you kidding me!?"

  In response, I shake my head and calmly reply, "Nope. During my travel I noticed that there are some variants among the walkers who behave in a slightly different way from the usual ones for reasons that vary from a simply mutation of the virus itself, to the manner in which they got turned and how long they have been active, and even artificial factors like the thing we did to make them more tame by cutting off the arms and lower jaw."

  After saying that, I start to expin what I remember from the TV show, "During my travels sihe Wildfire Virus spread, I have entered and categorized 5 variants of the usual walkers. The first variant are what I like to call the Roamers are variants who remember aspects of their lives before they died and will roam to find people, pces, and/or objects that they reize from when they were alive and because of that, they are also able to i with those objects."

  In respoo my words, Man excims, "That's just like Jenny!" to which I slightly nod before I tihe sed variant is one of the most dangerous, I call them the Climbers which are variants with the ability to climb walls, open doors, and use objects."

  Hearing that, Daryl snorts and ents, "Yeah, I was ambushed a few times by one of those nasty bastards before in some supply runs. When you think you are safe, bam! One of those things apprears to fuck with you!"

  Shortly after Daryl's ent, I go on with the list of variants, "The third variant is something you are familiar with, I call them the Pets which are variants that have been rendered docile after the removal of their limbs and meisms for biting, such as their jaws or teeth. Then there is the fourth variant, the Cohorts which are variants with increased agility, speed, strength, intelligend durability. They are notable for their resurre time of thirty seds after death. They are the most dangerous variants to enter. Their durability makes them hard to dispatch, surviving blows to the head that would down a regur walker, of course, damaging the brain is still effective."

  After saying that, I clude by telling them about the st variant, "In the end, there is the fifth and most on variant, the Lurkers which are variants that enter a state of death-like dormantil alerted by a nearby external presen which they attack, creating a trap. Lurkers ehis state after either a prolonged period of isotion or sustaining an injury that would normally cause death to a living person, such as getting shot iomach or face. They be exceptionally nasty to deal with as they do not realess a very loud sound wakes them up or a prey carelessly approaches them. And sidering the situation, it is very likely that the farm is full of this st variant."

  Odyin