My Werepanther System: Starting with Nine Lives

DING!

[(Nine Lives) Skill Active…]

[8 Lives Remaining…]

Rex opened his eyes with a gasp, thinking aloud, "I'm getting real tired of thi—"

He hissed as his world flipped. A swaying motion ran through his skull, making him both seasick and hyper aware of his positioning in the air as he fell. He twisted and landed flat on his feet in the now decimated jungle. He looked down at himself and found his scars from the blast already healing behind purple flashes of flame

Footsteps and rifle reloads in the distance had him falling to his knees. 

"DON'T SHOOT! I'm the missing new recruit. My Inheritance Ability brought me here. I had no control over it. Do not shoot!" 

Silence followed. Rex strained his ears to listen as mechanical clicks and radio monitors went off. 

"I don't recognize this kid— and my facial recognition scans aren't picking up anything….." Gordon whispered. 

"How??? What the hell." Rex thought before speaking louder as the Jungle-Monkey's closed in, "My name is Kalico Rex. Gordon, we met when you grabbed up Tyson for trying to clown your unit. Remember? You dropped him on me. Cmon man, you gotta remember my face. I just have some….tattoo's now." He couldn't tell anyone he had the power to become a god of sorts. Especially since it would only confuse them more if he told the whole truth. 

A blur fell from the trees, dropping to the floor with a silent roll as the light around the shape warbled and revealed one of the jungle stealth operatives. He wore an older model of light Drift-Armor with a mechanical bladed tail that moved with him, giving him a sort of inhuman balance as he ran through the trees on guard patrols. His helmet was a black and green shell.

With a click, it flashed away and revealed the painted young adult face beneath. Gordon aimed his serated shadow-sword at Rex. "You know me?"

"Yes! I think I just look different. Take me in, run my diagnostics— whatever. Just don't shoot."

Gordon turned his head. His earpiece blinked with blue light.

Rex strained his senses.

"Bring him in."

Gordon looked back to Rex. "I guess I have no choice. The grenade didn't seem to do much to you, anyway."

"….heh. Lucky dodge." Rex replied.

"Uh-huh. Come get in these cuffs, recruit." Gordon said.

Rex walked over with his hands up and let the Jungle-Monkey unit take him in.

There were more than he thought. At least thirty….. or just ten that could cover a lot of ground. They all smelled like the jungle and moved like the wind despite their armor and high octane weaponry.

The walk was long, speaking to how far he teleported. At least that's what he assumed he did considering he didn't remember ever walking eight miles out into the jungles. He couldn't have done so with the morning sun still high. He wouldn't have even survived that long with the Drift spawn living in the green.

And the higher-ups knew that. The Box was on higher security protocols when he returned. More turrets, gunmen and assassins in the near jungles.

It was almost overstimulating to Rex's newly developed senses.

And then he entered The Box. And quickly, he was overstimulated.

Previously training upperclassmen and weapon/armor smiths regarded him like he was a new person.

Another batch of the K-9 Unit Drift-Soldiers ran past.

This time, the Cerberus-Shepherds whined and shrank away as they ran past him, nearly tripping their masters as they cowered.

Gordon watched Rex with a raised eyebrow from behind as the the Jungle-Monkeys took him left. They passed the chained up gundams and students working on fighter jets in silence.

At the end of the hall bordered by partially built high-octane Mana-engines and elemental-essence nos cartridges, a raise in the floor told him they stood on a platform. That and the sound of uninterrupted airspace.

One of the jungle-monkeys broke rank and clicked a button. Suddenly they were descending on a metal conveyor belt that smelled like hideous burnt oils.

Rex's coughs only stopped once they reached the bottom floor and headed down a thin hallway. The walls were lined by accolades.

Drift-Dimension achievements.

Hellzone Hero.

Goblin-Bane.

Second-most Drift Dimensions Completed in the Americas.

Sword-master.

All belonging to one man.

Alpha-General Brennus.

At the end of the hall, two steel doors loomed with a wolf medallion centered between the two doors.

The eyes glowed a cold icy blue, spitting out a holographic scanning wave that washed over them all before blinking and allowing the doors to open.

The giant sat at his desk doing paperwork. His swords were leaned up against his desk beside him.

The moment Rex stepped inside with the guards behind him, AG Brennus snapped his pen.

Without looking up, he opened a desk and pulled out another.

Rex sniffed. He could smell the ink.

"He has a desk full of pens. He must break them a lot." Rex thought.

"Alpha-General. We come with one Kalico Rex. Or so he claims….."

"Great work, men. You're dismissed."

They gave a salute— holding it until AG Brennus waved them off. They were gone in a blink, leaving Rex alone in the office.

It was less of an office though and more of a den.

A futon sat against the wall to his left surrounded by books and fidgets.

On the other side, weights and a treadmill were cluttered together in a poorly managed mess. But the front and back remained a sort of professionalism fitting an accomplished soldier and leader.

"Do you remember what I said to you all when you first arrived?" He asked.

Rex stiffened, "Y—"

"Stand at attention until I say otherwise, boot."

Rex brought his feet together and put his hands at his sides.

"At ease."

Rex relaxed.

"Answer."

"Alpha-General, you said if I ever see you again it'll be because I've been globally recognized for my accomplishments…. Or worse." Rex cringed at the thought of being expelled on the first day, "If I may, the activation of my Inh—"

"Surviving the point blank blast of a MK47 Infiltrator Grenade is a global achievement. At the very least. Whatever your Inheritence Ability is, rivals that of the greatest Tanks we've known." Alpha-General Brennus interrupted.

"Oh…." Rex mumbled.

AG Brennus eyed him for a moment. Differently than before. Less invasive— not by his own choice, before eventually sitting back in his chair, "Fine. Keep your secrets. I'll just have to watch your training sessions here and there. Then again, I won't even have to do that."

"What?"

"Rex, you blew up your barracks. Not only that, but you marked the grounds….. like an animal claiming a space. There are many who will see that as a challenge. I hope you can rise to it. Enough Inheritence Ability users will fall. Some even today— during combatives tonight. You earned your class a good workout. Go get suited up before I send you as you are….."

Rex looked down at himself and realized he was completely naked.

"Oh shi—"