Wew! It's been months! Anyway, I did a full rewrite of this story, so you may want to read it all over again since there are a lot of subtle differences.
Chapter 10 - Strength...
In Glynda Goodwitch's combat classes, comments were gushing from every corner.
"You know... I almost feel bad for Jauney." stated Russel. In a way, he had been the first target of 'the new Cardin'.
"Almost..." Sky wasn't in better shape.
Dove remained silent, because he was already preparing to analyze every seconds of the upcoming fight, mainly to train his Semblance.
On the other side of the room, Ruby was fidgeting, barely concealing her excitement. She was about to see a new weapon! She was a bit worried though, since one of her close friend was going to face its wielder.
"Let's see what he got!" Yang was still anticipating her turn in the arena.
Blake and Weiss were sitting in silence, as this duel wasn't the first thing in their mind at the moment.
Just next to them were the remaining members of team JNPR, minus Jaune who was currently preparing himself for the fight.
Pyrrha was extremely anxious. She was rembering their last exchange before he went to the lockers:
"Jaune, you can do this."
-Yeah, I know... It's just... You've trained me well those past weeks but I... I'm affraid not to be worth your time..."
-Jaune." She looked at him straight in the eyes. "Wathever happens, you'll be learning. You'll be growing. None of this was in vain."
He averted his gaze a moment, took and deep breath, and then resumed eye contact while straightening his posture. "You're right, as always! Thanks Pyrrha!"
She was thrown out of her reverie by Nora's loud cheering: "JAAAAAUNE! THE LEEEGS! DON'T FORGET THE LEGS!" Ren then patted her head, which had the effect of calming the valkyrie just enough to spare the ears of the other watchers.
Jaune indeed appeared in the arena, Crocea Mors drawn. He swinged a few times to warm up.
"Mr. Arc, please take your place. Mr. Winchester will be ready shortly." The headmistress directed.
"So, this blond boy is Pyrrha Nikos' leader, isn't it?" Cinder was making herself comfy in the tribune, desperatly wanting somthing unusual to happen in those children-level matches.
"And our ticket with her." Added Mercury, who was in more or less the same state as his mistress.
"What about his opponent?
-He is my pawn's team leader. His name is Cardin Winchester. He uses a simple mace." Emerald had the intel ready.
"Oh yes, I remember him. So dumb he even hit one of his colleagues!" The silver haired brawler was so bored he couldn't even laugh to back up his mockery.
All of a sudden, all the chit-chat ended. A low scratching noise was slowly growing from the obscured arena access.
"What is that?" Yang asked her sister in a whisper.
"Don't know."
Just judging from the sound, everybody knew that its source would be heavy. It slowly grew to become a rumbling, and was soon accompanied by footsteps.
"He's here..." Sky had his eyes wide open, ready to catch the shape of the monstruous thing Cardin was carrying.
Monstruous was the right word. Big. Heavy. Solid. If there's one thing the orange haired knight involuntarily did great, it was making clear that whatever he was about to reveal, you should not laugh at.
"Sorry. Professor." said the shadow emerging from the corridor, dissimulating the sarcasm in his voice well for once.
"You are not late, Mr. Winchester. But I suggest you hurry now."
"Just getting my gear ready." Cardin was now totally visible, and carrying a huge metal case.
Finally, the rumbling ceased as he stopped. Then he slowly layed the box down on the floor, before finally opening it.
From Jaune's point of view, this wasn't pleasant at all. His discomfort kept rising accordingly with the scraping of the metal container.
As forgiving as Pyrrha was, she was really hating Cardin's behaviour now. She always knew that he had not an ounce of sportmanship, but right now he was just playing dirty.
All this ceremonial had only one purpose: Weakening her blond leader's confidence. And the worst part was, he was doing great. The redhead huntress could swear she was hearing her protégé's panicked heartbeats. Cardin intended to win the fight before it even started.
"Looks like that there's a name on the box…" Mercury tried to read: "P... I... O..."
"Pious Rogus." Emerald felt great satisfaction interrupting the brawler for once, her eyesight far more acute than the his.
"I like the idea." Cinder smirked. 'Righteous pyre', such a name was poetry for her. "Maybe I'll follow this more closely..."
Cardin was behaving religiously with his creation, and he started doing so as soon as he completed and named it. The new weapon was now bared for everyone to see, wrapped in a red velour padding: The head of the mace had 6 large and aggressive arcs, all originating from his previous weapon's fire cristal. Then descending toward the relatively short handle were several spiked segments, decreasing in size. The whole anthracite appearence made it look even more heavy. And unforgiving.
"Yang, I'm not joking. Be careful when facing him. I always recognize an amorously crafted weapon when I see one.
-Pfft! What are you talking about? It's just a huge decorated stick! I'm sure he can't even lift it properly..." At those words, the orange haired knight drew said stick one handed. He was a bit unsteady, but still. "Okay, nevermind. He can."
He then took his place at his side of the arena. "I'm ready. Professor."
"Good". Glynda lowered the lights so that only the center of the room and the two fighters were illuminated. Her voice then switched to the speakers. "Until one of the contestant gets his Aura level in the red, falls unconscious, or forfeits... Begin!"
No big deal Jaune! The appearence changed... Well the weight too... But it's still his mace! I can do it! In his battle stance, JNPR's leader was observing his opponent, who was just holding the dangerous tool head down. That's not the way he usually holds it... Is it actually that heavy? The handle is quite small too... Jaune felt his confidence grow again, and stopped shivering. His face took a more neutral and focused expression. He was ready.
Unknowingly for the blond knight, his opponent had completely planned this encounter. When the latter saw the hope shine in the blue eyes, he knew the moment was right...
All of Pious Rogus' segments separated at once, making the head fall on the ground with all its crushing weight, producing a gruesome sound.
The previously confidant orbs were now starring at the imminent threat, a screaming thought growing all the while:
The shield is useless! This particular equipement's pair of users concluded. "You felon...!" Was all Pyrrha could muster, because of her politeness.
"I'm coming..." Cardin's low growl wasn't even over when he started marching forward, taking the still shocked Jaune by surprise.
Seizing the initiative... The redhead knew exactly what was going on. First, strike the opponent's spirit, then switch with the real assault before he recuperates. Easy for her to say, and she knew it: The orange haired knight was showing an unexpected talent in psychological warfare, and it was her partner who was subjected to it right now. Jaune!
JNPR's leader raised his shield, an automatic gesture which lifted the weight off his shoulder a bit. This wouldn't help in the upcoming clash, but this was part of his new self, the one who will someday face Remant's greatest evil to become a Hero. It granted him a sufficient amount of fighting spirit to dodge the first blow.
It all happened in a split second. Cardin was still nearly 3 meters away, but the head of the mace-flail was embedded right into Jaune's previous position. The knight recovered from the emergency roll only to find his opponent already back in fighting stance, ready to strike again.
"Not so prone to block now? Come on Jauney! I'm not messing with you, as far as I know..."
Provocation... Jaune easily saw throught Cardin's taunting, but still, the latter was definitely going to strike hard and for real. His maximum range his approximately 3 meters... Remember your options... No shield... This point was severly narrowing the possibilities, down to one: The lunging strike!
"That's it!" Pyrrha couldn't help but whisper as she saw her partner subtely preparing to execute one of the moves she taught him. A good choice, but... Having fought hundreds of sparring and tournament matches, she could see through the mask of cockiness Cardin was wearing. Jaune however, couldn't.
Juste 20 more centimeters... The blond boy was carefully jauging the distance.
15... One mistake, and it's the infirmary.
10... Or worst.
5...
All of a sudden, he dashed toward Cardin, his Aura-empowered leg giving him supernatural speed, and his extended sword ready to connect before the monstruous mace could even... What is he doing...!? The blond knight realized his mistake too late: the heavy weapon was still sitting on the ground. It could mean only one thing:
He expected it.
Pyrrha braced herself as much as her leader for the upcoming counterattack. The tip of Crocea Mors missed its target as Cardin's left switch kick landed in Jaune's midsection, stopping him right on place with emptied lungs.
With this golden opportunity, Pious Rogus striked. A deep blow which sent the blond swordman flying on the other side of the arena, more than 12 meters away. After several roll, he finally stopped face down, not moving. There was not a sound. No cheering, not even a sarctastic commentary. The audience had its breath cut off too, after witnessing the terrible violence of the previous attack.
"Ooooow! Come on Jauney! Down already?" For a first time at using his new weapon, Cardin was more than satisfied. It was even too easy for his liking. He swung his flail-mace over his shoulder, and started walking toward the fallen knight. "We're not done yet!" If there was some life left in the still lying body, he wanted to savour it. After seeing Jaune withstand several strikes from an Ursa, he learned that the latter, if clumsy, was still extremely resistant.
On the other end, Cardin was one to easily forget important parameters, be it his partners' positionning, or the fact that the headmistress did not intervene to stop the current fight...
"...I agree." A subtle whisper. There were only 3 meters left when the blond boy's legs started to shine. In less than a second, he raised up and charged toward his unsuspecting opponent, tackling and throwing him on the ground.
Jaune heavily misjudged the Aura amount to pull of the move, and as result, he went over Cardin and landed a few meters on the opposit side, but on is feet. It took some time for the orange haired knight to get back on his. He certainly didn't see that one coming. He would never admit it, but that was nicely done.
And the blond boy's momentum shift didn't end there: at everyone's suprise, his shield fell loudly on the ground. There he was now, handling his sword two-handedly, pointed toward the bully.
"That's it? You can't defend, so you throw this useless shit away?" Again with the taunting.
"Yes..." It was not the Jaune everybody knew. "Useless it is, as I'm gonna finish this all..." Right now, Pyrrha could see a glimpse of the man she always saw in her leader speaking. "...In one strike!
-In one strike? Really?" Internally, Cardin was struggling. He just lost the spirits battle, but his Aura meter was still full, and his opponent was on the edge of the red zone. So... How could he still stand with this much resolve in his eyes?
This was too much. "I see..." His blood was heating. "Redhead bitch is doing great at teaching you stuff..." Boiling now. "But this is planned... All is planned!" Even from high in the stands, Pyrrha saw the madman returning. "Someday, I will take you both on! Alone!
-Come on then." This calm and assured response was just what was needed to ignite the orange haired knight's fury. The latter wasted no time and charged like a frenzied bull. Pious Rogus started cleaving through the air with sadistic intents.
Before he could reach his target however, something made him return to his senses. Something that definitely was wrong:
The shield was here!
Hiding Jaune's upperbody from his reddened sight was the white steel of the protective piece of equipement, floating in mid air. The blond knight had kicked it off the ground, like one would do with a skateboard. The protective half of Crocea Mors soon met its owner's arm, and moved in position to stop the upcoming attack, revealing two focused cerulean eyes.
Just as flail and shield collided, the latter emitted a blinding light. Once again, Jaune's semblance had kicked in and protected him. Now was his chance to strike, and win as he promised, even if it meant seriously injuring his opponent.
The light dissipated, but his surroundings were darkening as well. It took some time for the pain to register, but it finally did. Cold metal was smashing against the left side of his skull. A cold dark metal.
In the end, Jaune understood: Be it uncounsciously, Cardin had it planned. He found the perfect parade to his defensive power: When the head of the flail was blown away, it didn't affect the wielder, since the aftershock wasn't relayed through the chain. Worst yet: His opponent even benefited from it, going along with the reaction by doing a full turn and accelerating enough to deliver a counterattack on the defender's unprotected side.
...Pyrrha...'m sorr..." His last thougt died as he collapsed right on the spot.
"Knockout! The victory goes to Mr. Winchester." Glynda announced the end of the fight, only to rush to blond boy's side as quickly as she could.
Good news for JNPR's leader: he was still alive... But it would take quite some time in the infirmary before he would be able to hear that himself.
The remaining members of the team came to help, doing their best at carrying their friend to the infirmary despite his heavy battle gear. Pyrrha glared at Cardin several seconds during their intervention. The latter shrugged it off.
Inside, He was overflowing with satisfaction. His hard work had just been rewarded, and in such a way! He destroyed his blond target in no time, even with the latter using the invincible girl's tricks. "Soon, it will be you. We'll see what kind of look you'll give me." He whispered, thinking about her action not long ago. It strangely did not angered him that much, proof that he was in bliss.
The whole process took at most 2 minutes, and soon the combat class resumed. "We'll proceed to the next fight. Mr. Winchester, please get back to your s...
-Actually..." Cardin interrupted Glynda. "Professor, I'm still good to go." He pointed his status on the main holographic screen. "All green."
The headmistress took some time to reflect, and then concluded: "Fine. Since your first fight ended quickly, you may stay for another. just one however." She faced the audience, but still took the time to subtely add: "I hope I won't have to send anybody else to the infirmary because of you." And then to the assembly: "Does anybody wish to spare against Mr. Winchester?
-I'll do it!" Yang had her arm up to ask permission, but since she was standing it was just comically showing how eager she was.
"Alright Mrs. Xiaolong. Mr. Winchester?"
Cardin froze as he heard who it was who just challenged him. He heard a lot on Yang's... Feats. She was on his not-to-mess-with list ever since. Taking her reputation into account, he might end up just like Jaune...
But refusing the fight? After a victory? Against a girl? If I want people to respect me, I can't back off at every difficulty...
"Mr. Winchester?
-Yay, Cardin! Ready to get your ass kicked?
-You're on, Xiaolong!"
Aaaand action!
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