The knock on the door shattered the peaceful silence of Joseph’s apartment. He had just risen, still basking in the afterglow of the night before. His eyes, half-lidded and heavy from sleep, flickered to the ladies still sprawled across the bed, undisturbed by the noise. Reluctantly, he slipped out from the covers, his naked form stark against the dim morning light. He pulled on a pair of pants, his movements sluggish, and padded toward the door, wondering who in the hell could be interrupting at this hour.

  Opening the door, he froze. Before him stood a group of beings that seemed straight out of a sci-fi novel. A bizarre mixture of species—some with humanoid features, others more alien—ranged from terrifying to captivating. A mix of hybrids, tribrids, and humans stood there, weapons of advanced technology in hand, poised and ready as though they could snap into action at any moment.

  At the front of the group stood their leader—a tall, imposing woman with sharp eyes and a confident posture. She was human, but her presence made it clear that she was no ordinary person. Her gaze locked with his, and the sleepy haze of the previous night evaporated from Joseph's mind in an instant.

  The tension between them was palpable. Joseph’s eyes flicked to their weapons—futuristic, gleaming, and highly advanced, unlike anything he had ever seen. His body language shifted from the sluggishness of someone freshly awoken to the alertness of someone who knew how to handle a situation. But his mouth, as ever, was ahead of his senses.

  “What in the hell?” he muttered, eyeing the group. “Is this place listed on Tinder? Grindr?” He stepped back slightly, glancing up and down the hallway. “You picked the wrong shithole to raid, tech-heads.”

  The leader’s brow furrowed, a slight twitch of annoyance. “Really?” she asked, her tone tight. “Is that necessary?”

  “No. It’s just my ‘Basic Ultra Instinct,’” Joseph quipped with a smirk, his voice dripping with sarcasm.

  She didn’t respond immediately, her eyes narrowing as she assessed him. “What can I help you with?” he asked, dropping the sarcastic act for a second, though his demeanor was still far from serious.

  “Joseph Benjamin Carmen,” the leader stated, her voice sharp as a blade. “You are under arrest. Any resistance will be met with extreme prejudice.”

  Joseph blinked, the realization slowly settling in. He leaned against the doorframe, his lips curling into a grin. “Oh, boy,” he mused, glancing at the rest of the group. “She’s really teeing it up, isn’t she?”

  One of the warriors, a burly figure with an unnervingly quiet presence, stepped forward. “Who gets to make the first joke?” he asked, his eyes never leaving Joseph.

  “I think we should all do it at the same time,” Joseph suggested with mock seriousness. His eyes gleamed with mischief as he shot the warrior a look. “I mean, why not? It’s not every day you get to mess with a group like this.”

  The warrior grinned. “Good call,” he agreed, his gaze shifting to the others.

  Joseph's playful attitude didn’t last long. He watched as the leader's hand crackled with energy after she "cocked" her arms, a motion like loading a weapon. With a smooth yet forceful motion, she extended her arms outward, and with a loud, exaggerated "SNIKT!" the transformation began. Metal flowed like liquid nanotech from the pores of her skin, accompanied by a low, resonating hum—a power system coming online.

  Soft electronic beeps and whirs filled the air, signaling the awakening of systems, while deep mechanical clicks sounded as locking mechanisms engaged. Parts shifted, overlapped, extended, and expanded, forming a gauntlet, accompanied by hissing, steam-like sounds as components reconfigured.

  The rhythmic whirring of motors and gears echoed as they moved at breakneck speeds. An electric buzz pulsed through the air, like energy coursing through intricate circuits. Her fingers twitched, and from her hand, a holographic blade formed, glowing with a strange binary pattern. The blade solidified into a sleek steel sword, its edges freezing before the entire blade ignited in a brilliant blue flame, crackling with sparks of lightning.

  The process activated instantly as she fused her aura with her inner tech.

  The air grew tense as the energy crackled. Joseph’s casual facade faltered, the gravity of the situation hitting him. These weren’t just some random hunters. They were here for him, and they meant business.

  He took a deep breath, muttering under his breath as he stepped fully into the hallway, closing the door behind him with a quiet click. He wasn’t about to leave the ladies to wake up to this chaos.

  "Whoa, woe, whoa! Is that supposed to intimidate me?" Joseph scoffed, grinning as he eyed the blade engulfed in flame. "Pegging isn't exactly new to me, friendo. But hey, I guess it’s a first for all the writing platforms and movie studios. Looks like Netflix is finally catching up, huh? Or maybe it’s Hollando who's getting a little too bold for his age."

  The warriors exchanged confused glances, a moment of tension stretching between them. But Joseph didn't break his gaze, his grin never wavering.

  “Most writing platforms and media don’t do well with the descriptive stuff,” Joseph continued, a teasing edge to his voice. “They get all bogged down like it’s an orgy or something. But hey, to each their own.”

  The leader’s eyes narrowed as she tightened her grip on the glowing sword. The time for jokes was over. Joseph was about to find out exactly why they had come for him.

  He chuckled, surveying the group. "You guys look like fresh recruits from the Streaming Wars: Amazon Prime, Sony, Disney, DC, Marvel, Disney-DC, or perhaps Disney+ MCU – I'm seeing a whole squad assembled here!"

  A sly grin spread across his face. "A bit of trademark copyright infringement, don't you think, readers?" He winked, acknowledging the playful jab.

  Suddenly, they pinned him against the wall, his resistance futile. He grunted, teasing, "Wow, you guys are rough! I'd prefer the gentle touch of your female colleague. Are you from Toei Animation, Studio Pierrot, or perhaps Madhouse?"

  As they dragged him toward a portal, he quipped, "Crunchyroll, Funimation, or Hulu? Let's just say I'm excited for this 'anime-style' handling!"

  As they stepped through the portal, he joked, "I hope this isn't a 'dragon ball' drop into oblivion!"

  ***

  Joseph found himself in a strange facility, his head slightly fuzzy, but he couldn't help but notice the advanced civilization surrounding him. It was a far cry from the place he had once been.

  The narrative has been taken without authorization; if you see it on Amazon, report the incident.

  There were large monitors and surveillance systems, employees in uniforms focused on their tasks, the clicking and typing of advanced computers and holographic projections filling the air. Flying security drones zipped back and forth both inside and outside the facility, alongside advanced robotics and androids in uniform assisting the Hunters and Knight Hunters on patrol.

  He watched a few warriors board a spaceship, preparing for their mission, and marveled at the spectacle. It was awe-inspiring. But his awe quickly turned to confusion as he saw a group of warriors dragging in Grimm-like monsters in cages.

  "Am I not in Canada or some Kansas knockoff anymore? Nor the Nagoya Planet City... or my luxurious hotel apartment?" he muttered to himself.

  "What the hell is this place?" he questioned aloud, his curiosity piqued.

  Then, something inside him snapped, like a memory resurfacing after seeing the Grimm-like monsters.

  "OMG!" he exclaimed, lightly clapping his hands against his cheeks in awe. "Am I in Remnant?" His excitement grew as he gasped again. "Wait… I think I’ve been isekaied to... the... RWBY... UNIVERSE!"

  Joseph’s eyes widened as he pieced things together.

  "Is this Atlas?" he muttered, his voice rising with excitement. "Advanced tech, coordinated efforts... This feels so good to be true! If it is, I get to meet General James Ironwood and the Atlesian Council."

  He paused, a grin creeping across his face as he imagined more.

  "And hopefully I get to see the other kingdoms too—Mistral and their council, Vale with Leonardo Lionheart, and Vacuo with their tribal faunus council!" He was practically bouncing now, counting the names on his fingers. "I’ll finally meet Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, Yang Xiao Long... Qrow Branwen, Raven Branwen, Maria Calavera, Tifa, and Glynda!"

  He grinned widely, knowing he’d get to help them fight against the immortal Salem and her minions.

  Then a male voice interrupted his thoughts.

  "No! This is the organization of the kingdom that serves the Akakawa Red River Kingdom," the voice said from behind him.

  Joseph turned to see who had spoken. A man in a black suit was walking toward him, a file in his hand, flipping through it casually.

  "Joseph Benjamin Carmen," the man said, looking up briefly before continuing, "I’m the head of this esteemed organization. But you can call me... the Man."

  "The Man?" Joseph repeated, eyebrows raised in disbelief. "Is that it? Your name is 'the Man'? Just... the Man?"

  "Yep! The main man. Got a problem with that?" the man asked, raising an eyebrow challengingly.

  Joseph stared at him, a grin slowly forming. "Lemme get this straight," he said, leaning in a little. "You're the Man from where? Toronto? Miami? Canada? Nigeria? Tokyo? Which is it?" He teased, clearly amused by the man's strange self-introduction.

  "Just the man. But if you're eager to know, I’m the man from Akakawa Red River Kingdom," the man said, flashing a small smirk. "But just call me the Man. Are we clear?"

  "Right! Got it!" Joseph replied with a grin, leaning back in his seat as they continued their conversation.

  "You did quite the performance against the warriors," the man observed, still flipping through his files.

  "Why am I being brought here against my will?" Joseph asked, his tone serious now.

  "Ah!" The man let out a light, sarcastic laugh. "You weren't brought here against your will. You resisted," he said, still distracted by the paperwork.

  "So! What's in store for me?" Joseph asked, his curiosity piqued.

  "Now, that's a good question!" The man leaned back in his chair, setting the file down. "You see, Joseph, or maybe you prefer Unkillable... Either way, there's been a little problem. Actually, scratch that, a huge problem caused by you."

  Joseph’s eyes widened. "What problem?" he asked, genuinely confused.

  "Timelines," the man said, raising an eyebrow.

  "Timelines?" Joseph repeated, still trying to process.

  "Yes! Timelines," the man continued. "When you first made contact with the relic of time you meddled with, you altered the flow of time, causing a ripple effect. Not just on the multiverse or any alternate realities, but..." He paused, mimicking the sound of a drumroll on his desk for dramatic effect. "But to all of creation," he finished, his voice serious.

  "What the fuck?!" Joseph exclaimed, his eyes wide in disbelief.

  "Language!" the man said, though there was a playful tone in his voice. "And yeah, what the actual fuck," he added, teasingly.

  The man gave a small laugh. "That reaction—keep it. It's even more fun seeing it in the flesh."

  "Whoa! Hold on a second, sir," Joseph interjected, his tone firm and his eyebrow arched skeptically. "There are plenty of people who've done far worse than I have. Look at Marvel, DC, Disney or Shonen—it’s not like I’m the only one who's meddled with time. So why am I being singled out here?"

  He leaned forward slightly, emphasizing his point. "Take Trunks from the Dragon Ball universe, for example. He messed with time way more than I ever have. He outright violated the protocols of the Time Patrol—an organization specifically created to protect the timelines, fix distortions, and prevent unauthorized time travel."

  The man remained calm, his expression unchanged. "And yet, he was redeemed."

  "Redeemed?" Joseph scoffed. "Didn’t he get expelled from the Time Patrol later on?" he pressed, challenging the man's unwavering stance.

  But the man remained focused on Truck's redemption, reminding Joseph that he, too, could still redeem himself.

  "You, JBC," the man continued, now standing up, his tone shifting to something more intense, "have created a shift, a rift between paradoxes, alternate realities, and anomalies. Whatever you want to call it. You've disrupted the flow of the space-time continuum and the balance of it all."

  Joseph’s mouth went dry as he processed the gravity of what the man was saying.

  The man closed the gap between them, his voice hardening. "Now, we, the organization, not only have to fight tirelessly to prevent the catastrophe you’ve created, but we also need to stop these anomalies from becoming part of our existing reality—or any other realities, within and outside the maniverse."

  He stared directly at Joseph, his focus unyielding. "Now, this is where you come in, Mr. Unkillable. You’re going to help us clean up your mess, or else entire worlds—all of them—will be wiped out of existence before resetting themselves."

  Joseph’s eyes widened, his mind struggling to catch up. "Whoa! Whoa! Woe... Woe..." He waved his hands across his face, doing a time-out gesture.