Ah, I think we’ve arrived at another point I’ve discussed with you in one of our many earlier conversations, author-san. The protagonist gained so many powers that they started to feel unnecessary in the long run. Much of what Semblances could do, Adam could already mimic or do better with his current set of powers. The only worthwhile Semblance would be from the Schnee family because of its ability to directly manipulate Dust in RWBY. The others, not so much. On the topic of Ozma, if Adam were to devour him, I believe it would create a significant dent in power development and the narrative. When the protagonist becomes too capable, there are very few things left to enjoy other than some short-lived hype moments. Because of this, I’d advise against considering such a path. And if you do follow my suggestion, I have an idea that would help explain why absorbing Ozma is impossible for Adam. The wizard is an old soul, isn’t he? Or rather, he’s an amalgamation of souls that have spanned thousands of years. The blessing of Brother Light is not perfect. So, how about we entertain the possibility that Ozma’s reincarnations are not without their drawbacks? As time goes on, the various souls within him start to degrade to the point of being unfixable, except for the current active incarnation. It was as though Fate had played him; everything Adam thought he could gain was but a pipe dream due to how malformed the souls had become. It’s a revelation Adam discovered after he managed to track down Oscar. He gave Ozma the offer but was ultimately met with disappointment. I think it’s a wise decision to constantly monitor and limit the gains of your protagonist in a world of unlimited possibilities as their writer, author-san. You gave Adam an overpowered ability in the form of [Predator], but that doesn’t mean you should indulge him every step on his power trip. Of course, this doesn’t extend to nerfing the power itself through some ridiculous excuses, because I frankly find fanfics that do that to be a tad uninspiring. Instead, it’s better to create scenarios where said power is proven to be ineffective, like the one I’m suggesting to you. That way, you won’t be treading on “pouring cold water over readers’ excitement” while still upholding the idea of making twists for the story. Yeah, about the Ever After and Fantasy Tree, they dealt more with those funky fairy tale elements. I wouldn’t recommend implementing any of them into the story if you can avoid it. The series does have fairy tale references such as Red Riding Hood (Ruby), Snow White (Weiss), and the Wizard of Oz (Ozpin), but I think actually turning the whimsical aspects into reality messed a lot with the integrity that RWBY built up during its early stages. In the end, more lore doesn’t necessarily make a good story. Moreover, including the Ever After would likely drag this RWBY arc a lot longer than required, so it’s best we don’t consider it to exist in this version of Remnant. Currently, you could say that Adam’s travels around Remnant serve as a major arc before the final one, which starts when he meets Salem for the second time and forms the agreement. I’ll tell you more about this travel arc in my next message since I’ve thought of some other things that might help make it sustainable narrative-wise.

I wouldn’t call that cooking, author-san. If I truly cooked, it would be more like those two drafts of Ophis I gave you before. This one just follows the idea of catching some new wind for the story. As a minor note, I thought about it again, but perhaps Merlot’s communication device should be in the form of a tiny mechanical robot? I believe that would justify the “My adventures with a mad scientist” title more, if you’re ever planning on implementing it. Plus, it would give more opportunity for him to interact with Adam. After all, being cooped up in a lab all day does get boring, so it wouldn’t be strange for him to make some small talk. That should allow you to explore Merlot’s character further with subtlety through the conversations. Not to mention some interesting details about Remnant that could be revealed through them. It would also help with writing Adam’s eventual meeting with Salem in the near future. For places that Adam could visit, there are four major continents in RWBY, right? He’s currently on Menagerie, so there are three significant places left: Anima, Sanus, and Solitas. There is the kingdom of Mistral in Anima, which is only a bit to the north if you look at the Remnant world map, so that should be where Adam is going next once he’s done in Menagerie. As for interesting events that could happen, maybe he could come across a giant sea leviathan while crossing the ocean to Mistral? We could use a scenario where Adam decides to go on a boat rather than flying to take in the scenery, and that same boat ‘coincidentally’ gets attacked while cruising. It should also give you the chance to showcase how different the Grimms have become after the spike in negativity; one that is only starting to take effect. This is my way of filling in a small plot hole related to that Ancient Grimm that Adam experimented on previously, as if the effect did take place during that time, then he would have already noticed it. Now, for what Adam could do when he eventually arrives in Mistral, I believe it may be a good time to initiate the Rimuru’s bonding event I mentioned in one of our discussions. Since Atlas is pretty much gone from its original spot, the slime certainly needs a place to stay while still being able to collect information, so she would logically move to the place closest to Solitas that has a connection with Atlas, the kingdom of Mistral. I think these two events for Mistral should keep you busy long enough, author-san. Getting ideas that can spice up the travel can’t exactly be done in a day, so I’ll keep you updated once something comes to mind. Additionally, if you have thought of some ideas of your own, do tell me. I tend to produce ideas more easily when I have another thing to latch on.

I never said Merlot needs to physically travel with Adam, author-san. Getting a mad scientist out of their lair to touch grass is just a fruitless endeavor. However, you could create a scenario where Merlot offers Adam a communication device specifically connected to his private channel, so that he can occasionally check up on Adam. Why would he do that? How about we entertain the idea of Adam assisting Merlot in one of his researches? I got the idea because the final part of the latest chapter implies that Adam might be willing to work with Merlot, or perhaps he’s trying to strike a deal with the scientist. So, I thought why not explore a route where they could mutually benefit from each other? Merlot benefits from the new ideas that Adam is suggesting, and Adam benefits from Merlot’s top research. Because let's be real here, there is no way the man is stupid enough to leave his prized possessions in some unmanned lab. As a result, they are probably in a much more secure place. Of course, Adam could try to steal them if he searches hard enough, but going for the diplomatic approach would yield better results. Now, with that explained, what is Adam exactly assisting Merlot with here? Perhaps it could involve him going around Remnant to collect exotic samples and materials for a major experiment. That should give you a better excuse for Adam to travel around Remnant and put you in a better position to avoid making boring scenarios. It allows Adam to have a temporary goal to work towards while still upholding the idea of him sightseeing the place. As it stands, he wouldn’t be able to stay around Menagerie for long because of the circumstances, but that is okay. My original intention with the location was to introduce that piece of Taurus left within Adam. Although looking at how the [Father of Humanity] is slowly and subtly influencing Adam’s thoughts into overdrive from what I observed in the latest chapter, maybe it would be preferable for Taurus to do the same thing rather than a large outburst. Going with the cooperation idea, as collecting the stuff Merlot needs in Menagerie requires time, Adam would likely have to stay the night in the city. What if during that time he starts to experience some sort of dream due to Taurus? It’s possible because of the [Father of Humanity]’s influence already in place prior and how people tend to offer less defense when sleeping. After all, there is only so much Great Sage can do to maintain his mind with all those in place. The dream itself involves Adam seeing through Taurus’s perspective from the past to the present. However, this one is a tad different compared to the Honkai vision he had before — his mind isn’t his own to command. It’s an out-of-body experience where he realizes he should be able to move but can’t. It’s like the “I have no mouth, and I must scream” situation. The memories are all so vivid and real. It is as if he is there in the shoes of Taurus (he manages to conclude it was the bull faunus at some point). Ultimately, the sequence ends with such an intense anger that Adam has never felt before as he witnesses the tragedy of both faunus and human from Taurus’s perspective. It is so overwhelming that it bolts him out of the bed he is sleeping in, drenched in sweat. How is that for interesting development?

Do apologize for the late reply, author-san. I’ve been stuck in a state of tiredness since yesterday. Aside from that, this message is a bit different from what we’ve been discussing, but I want to prioritize this first because of the latest chapter. I’d say your description of Menagerie is quite good, but it could do better with some more details. Of course, you don’t need to go overboard with a plethora of paragraphs for this kind of stuff. Just enough to entice the traveling spirit. After all, it’s the sole reason why Adam went on a trip in the first place. I heard a remark from a writer before about how a lot of people underestimate the power of environmental description, and I can certainly attest to that. It helps enhance certain scenes by making them more memorable and immersive. Thankfully, Adam has yet to start sighting around Menagerie, so do keep what I said in mind for the following chapters. Ultimately, don’t try to rush the story because some people find the arc boring and want to see something else. As I said before, it’s always the little things that count, and making the most out of them is what gives you an enjoyable reading experience. Also, regarding Merlot, please don’t dismiss him this early on if you intended to do so, author-san. He, just like any character in a story, has the potential for exploration. It isn’t necessarily to make him a part of the major plot point for the arc, but it’s always worthwhile to try getting something out of him as a character. Plus, it should synchronize well with Adam’s travel around Menagerie by blending them together. Think of it as an elaborated slice of life sequence, with the chapter title “My adventures with a mad scientist” being quite the killer one, in my opinion. The name came to me after I came across the recent “My adventures with Superman” series.

Well, you're still very much the same person. However, I believe the 'us' before and after often diverge significantly. Looking back, you might not even recognize yourself in the mirror from the past. Regardless, I'd say Adam's situation is a bit more complex.

I feel like whatever comes out of my mouth first is going to be stamped with "yap", anyway.

Just take your time and relax, author-san. After all, the story isn't going anywhere out of reach for us readers.

I'd say they're nice to see since they give you a better look at Adam as a character. However, it's preferable to go more in-depth into his thoughts when the opportunity presents itself, author-san. That, I suppose, is where you get the best chance for character exploration and development.

Dude, you probably don't even look like a high schooler anymore after the transformation.

Tsk, she clearly knows nothing about those 'unstoppable' doors that prevent you from going into people houses as you please in RPGs.

I doubt it differs much. As long as those people have the right resources, they can certainly create anything from those mad minds of theirs.

Of the price one pays to gain something greater than the average human ever could. Alas, are you still 'you' when you've strayed far enough?

So, was that the [Father of Humanity] speaking earlier, considering the slight contradictory nature of this statement?

Tell that to the people who discriminate just because someone's skin tone is a tad different.

It's kind of ironic because that is what a human might also do in such a situation. We're selfish to a fault, so the choices we make will always be dependant.

You would need the drive for it because today's world is chaotic from what you see on the news all the time. Go to the wrong place, and you probably won't even return home.

Well, if we follow what canon has established, the only relevant lore about the Grimm’s origin is that they were created by the Brother of Darkness and those Grimm pools. However, don’t take my word for granted since most of my knowledge comes from RWBY fanfiction. Regardless, there isn’t much point in staying close to canon when we’re trying to diverge from it, is there? From a world-building standpoint, the understanding of Grimm is still mostly unclear to the people in Remnant, giving us enough flexibility to redefine it as we wish for the narrative—one that doesn’t involve any divine shenanigans or an immortal witch (not completely from the latter, anyways). In the end, this is a creature created from a metaphorical perspective. Also, this Grimm isn’t going to be a setback for Adam and his group if that’s what you thought. Introducing an overpowering boss at the climax to ultimately defeat the main characters is not the most compelling way to spin a story, not to mention dragging things out longer than necessary when it’s literally at the final stretch of the arc. Of course, it shouldn’t be an easy fight either. That said, why do you think I’m proposing a Grimm that is basically the personification of the hate that has been plaguing Remnant right at the “climax,” author-san? For shock value or is there something more to it? And yes, this is certainly a question I’d want an answer to from you.

Unless you can make that specific Ancient Grimm an actual threat to Adam's group, I'd rather wager on this not yet form Grimm to be a better way. Plus, it would likely take a considerable amount of time on your part to save the image of ancient grimms, considering the last one was utterly humiliated and eaten by Adam. At the end, it's more about what you can gain from introducing such a Grimm from a narrative perspective. To retain some of the logical nodes, you could say that the spike in negativity is just the key needed to form this Grimm. In truth, the Grimm has always been there... in the form of the hatred that has existed in Remnant since the beginning. I want to use it as the representation for the "Cycle of Hatred." It isn't simply a boss, it's also a lingering 'question' that requires an 'answer.' Yes, quite convoluted indeed, so how much did you get from the latter half of this message, author-san? It's important if I want to get this next point across.

Well, this is more of a surface-level idea for now, but do you recall the spike in negativity across Remnant after Lionheart's death? We definitely need to address it, or else it might become another plot hole. So, what do you think about introducing a hidden Grimm boss of sorts that appears during the climax of the battle at Atlas, formed as a consequence of those negative emotions? I haven't woven it into the narrative yet, as I wanted to test the waters with you first, author-san. If you like the idea, I could explain why this particular 'boss' should be able to add an overarching depth (as the missing piece) to the RWBY arc, beyond just providing a boost of action adrenaline thanks to an emergent threat that Adam's group could fully fight.

Seriously, it must either be a hidden skill or Naoto is just that popular with Fate by having another group 'coincidentally' going to the dojo. Truly, the benefit of technically being the only Trails protagonist in the story with a Schrodinger's luck to complete the package.