Merlot watches as the pyre burns Momoshinki's body, before sighing, "I let my rage get the best of me."

"You eliminated a key player for the throne Lord Merlot, lest we forget what the true prize is, ultimate power." Kami says as she spits on Momoshinki's bones, "and this only proves your above an Ayakashi now."

"There is only one more level to reach, Bijuu…and then The Night Throne is as good as ours." Kami says, "and when we stand in that darkness and consume it…we'll overtake all that which humanity. Transforming those that are willing, and killing those that resist."

"We're the next stage in evolution, we're the new beginning, The Neo Ayakashi, The Neo Human, The Neo Faunus, hehehe…we're just The Neo." Kami says as the fires go out, "but we should've kept him alive however."

"It matters not," Merlot puts his hands behind his back and turns away from the pyre, "The Hurricane coming in…the one they call Maelstrom from the select people you've brought in for experimentation…they say it'll be the most powerful hurricane to ever hit Vale in recorded history."

"Yes." Kami confirms for Merlot.

"I suggest we wait until Vale's resources are stretched thin on the recovery efforts, knowing Atlas, they won't waste a chance to bite at the opportunity to assist them. The Schnee own a seat on their council," Merlot snaps his fingers and a Beowulf walks over with his wine glass.

"What of Winter Schnee?" Kami asks, "I've prepared to capture her within the coming weeks."

"Wait until The Vytal Festival, when they will be at their strongest…but most vulnerable." Merlot says as another Beowulf fills his wine glass.

"My Lord, with all due respect, that sounds like a terrible plan." Kami says as she walks with him, only to see several more golems walk in the hollowed room, towards a section she hasn't been in. "My Lord where are those Grimm going?"

"I've given some of the Grimm under our command the ability to dominate other Grimm…and they've been busy while you've served me well." Merlot says, "but as it stands our main goal is the completion of the first chakra fruits in almost thousand years."

"Upon taking these fruits, none shall stand in our path." Kami says as she walks towards the opening door of the Volcano, the one that had been blasted by Momoshinki.

Looking out over the ridge from which the door was situated, Merlot smirks as dozens of Nevermore flew around The Dead Volcano in squadron. Kami appeared to his side as he took a sip of his wine, looking down, she saw an army.

Dozens, upon dozens of Beowulfs. Dozens of Creeps, Dozens Ursa, and many other Grimm big and small. She could even see the presence of several Imp Grimm. However, there was one that walked that even terrified her, because she knew it from legends from Mistral.

"My Lord, isn't that the Nuckaleeve?" Merlot chuckles as he sips his wine, "Lord Merlot…when did we even acquire that one?"

"Just today, I had made a sacrifice of several Imp Grimm to get it, but it is an Ancient One. A powerful Ancient One at that. It is said that those that can control Ancient Grimm are able to control all Grimm." Merlot waived his hand, "but still the damnable dragon in Mountain Glenn eludes my domination."

"Dragons were once sentient beings until they attempted to stop the conversation of the planet into Grimm, ironically becoming Grimm themselves." Kami says, "I learned that when we shared our nueral commucations with each other."

Taking another sip of his wine, Merlot laughs. "Vale's military strength is mostly volunteer. The City itself would fall just under my Grimm's army alone, but I must be patient and wait for them to be at their most vulnerable."

"Why not attack now?"
"Because my dear Kami, they'd expect me to attack, the council would at least…Ozpin."

Upon mentioning the man's name Merlot broke his wine glass in his palm, before chuckling, "oops."

"My Lord, makes you think they won't expect you to attack when they're at their strongest?" Merlot laughs nonchantely at Kami's continued questions.

"Because, Ironwood is a good soldier…but a pisspoor strategist. He'll gather all of his troops into one spot, The Vytal Island, and I'll bring that island down upon Vale…along with Atlas's forces." Merlot looks at the sky, before reaching his hand out.

"They'll send their warships, but my Grimm wlll fire upon them using their new aura techniques to blast away at their arial forces. Their ground forces will be in tatters, our forces including myself will slowly kill them off, and any civilian that attempts to flee will be slaughtered nonetheless." Merlot puts his hand back behind his back, "and when I march upon Beacon I'll slaughter their students one by one."

"I have a bone to pick with a few of them personally, I wouldn't mind skewering that silver eyed bitches head on my katana."
"Ah, the young Rose…no…keep her. I'm interested in attempting to make Grimm have silver eyes."

Kami chuckles at this notion, before looking at him, "a fate worse than death."

Merlot nods, "not only her…I want The Schnee heiress Weiss…not to mix with my Grimm, but as your own personal toy."

"She does have fair skin." Kami chuckles as she licks her lips, "skin that would cut nicely."

She then looked over at Merlot, "what of Salem?"

"Salem is no longer a threat, in my deep meditation…I felt her life force slipping due to me having her energy inside of me." Merlot chuckles, "she is dying…a wilted flower in the burning forest."


Ren and Nora walked towards the auditorium, they had all been called to an emergency meeting. As they walked in, they saw that Ozpin was standing in the middle, looking over them all. As everyone gathered, including exchange students, Ozpin looked at them all.

"Can I have your attention please, please be silent." Ozpin says as he looks at them. "We're currently on Emergency Red. We'll be mobilizing students in disaster relief aid around Vale starting as of now."

A man with cyborg components on the right side of his body stood besides Ozpin, "Atlas Military Forces General Ironwood here will be providing transport to the various parts that teams will be randomly selected in efforts to spread our forces evenly."

"I expect everyone to represent Beacon and her ability to provide for our country. As you all may have heard, yes, the rumors are true that a Grimm incursion is likely. Which is why I'll assigning teachers to go with you all, if things get dicey you are to attempt evacuate civilians." Ozpin tells them as he places his hands on his cane, "make no mistake ladies and gentlemen…this is your first true mission."

"Mother nature herself is our enemy." Ozpin finishes as he steps aside to allow General Ironwood to take over.

"I am General Ironwood, head master of Atlas Academy and commander of Atlas military forces home and abroad. Some of my Atlas exchange students are among you here, you will be working with Vale students, you will be working with Vacuo students, you will be working with faunus no matter what form they come in." General Ironwood puts his hands behind his back as he talks.

He glares at the crowd, "I expect no one to be hurt or die during this, you all are to come back home safe. Atlas Military Forces will be arriving in Vale in six days to bring more relief efforts before the start of The Vytal Festival. Take this opportunity to give back to the community and protect the people."

"That will be all, your team will be randomly selected via electronic process."


Naruto roars out as he forms a wooden barrier near the river to keep it from rushing in, forming a wall that diverted its currently smooth flow away from the village. Amber was assisting him as she used her wind powers to help divert the water.

Salem formed another wooden barrier by Naruto's that helped strengthened his own, the Ayakashi looked her son before nodding at him as they both jumped to see the river diverted. Giving each other a thumbs' up, Naruto turns to Amber with Salem doing the same thing.

"Open fire!" Ruby yells with excitement as she and Weiss blast holes into the beach in front, creating wells that could help with storm tides that would come in.

Qrow was talking to the village elders on where to evacuate people in case of Grimm attacks during the storm, and he looked over and smiled at his nieces as she ran across the beach and dug a trench with her scythe.

He watched as Amber jogged over towards the beach with Salem and Naruto.

Passing up Ruby while sliding to a stop on the sand, Naruto mimicked his mother's movements, before jumping up and slamming their feet into the sand below them followed by their hands. "Deep Forest Emergence!"

Weiss, Ruby, and Amber were stunned as three-foot-thick oak branches exploded from the sand as Naruto and Salem both walked them to opposite ends of the beach. Forming a twenty-foot-high wall of wood just in front of the trenches.

Naruto's hair blinked between its golden locks and snowy white indications of his heritage. Finishing his side up, he watched as his mother finished hers.

Weiss came up, and used ice to freeze the walls as they needed to be wet for the next process. Naruto got out his blade, doing the same thing as Weiss was, before both looked at each other smiled.

They both towards Amber.

Nodding, Naruto watched as Amber walked towards the walls, using her powers to telekinetically move sand into the gaps in the wooden wall and using fire to burn it to glass.

"The glass will have poor tensile strength, but we're aiming to create a wall as best as we can." Amber tells them, "not perfect."

Naruto and Salem roared out as they slammed their hand into the walls, forming panels along it just half the thickness as the walls. There was small, small, gaps between the panels as they closed off each other.

The wall stood twenty feet high, was three feet thick with the paneling giving it an extra one and half feet thickness. It was easily over seventy feet long as well. Salem was breathing hard as she deformed her Ayakashi state and walked over to a grassy part of the beach.

"Ruby," Naruto looks at her, "get your uncle and start putting sand in between the gaps of the panel."

Ruby nods as she dashes over to Qrow, who was being dragged by his clothing with Ruby.

Amber, Salem, Weiss, and Naruto were all worn out. The few dozen resident villagers of this small village named Indigo was happy enough to provide them secured lodgings, but it was going to be up to Naruto to reinforce the lodgings as well.

No rest for the wicked.

"These trenches need to be deeper, plus we need to build some sort of feed off system." Salem says as she scoots over towards her son, her legs were killing her. "I'm drained…"

"Why don't you take your rest mom, you've been looking a little sick lately hahaha."
"I would if I could my darling son, but I'm a strong woman…I'll pull through."
"Well, luckily it's a small beach…those two mountains should take the brunt of the rain."
"Should, but don't expect a miracle…"

Naruto nods as he gets up, flaring his aura back up, "I can create hollow branch that could divert watch in the trenches once we get them deep enough, maybe flow it into a nearby coastal gave just sits just above the flood level on our wall?"

Qrow walks over to them, "I overheard what you just said, the elders say that there are several cave systems nearby."

"Good, good.' Naruto says, "map them out."

Qrow looks at him, pursing his lips into a smile, "did you just order me around?"

"I didn't stutter." Naruto crosses his arms with a confident smirk, "we've got less than twenty-four hours to get shit done…and I made a promise to everyone here that their village would be standing after this wall was done."

Qrow patted him on the shoulders, "grow any bigger pair and you'll need some reduction surgery…hahaha."

Naruto laughs at the crude joke as well, before he watched Qrow walk over to the elders.

Slowly walking over to Weiss, she was breathing heavy, before he looked at her. "You wanna join in or are you needing a break?"

"I'll join…I'll join…just give me a minute Naru."
"Sure, thing Snowflake, those three trench holes you and Ruby made need to be dug deep and interconnected."
"Got it…"

Naruto walked over to trench holes, before looking down in them, before sheathing his sword. Forming Rasengan in his hand, he jumped down into the hole and began to dig them out with the orbs of aura. Sand, mud, and clay flew from the holes as he dug through them.

Expanding their depths, easily making sure the first one digs down to around twenty feet deep, he then focused on making a throwable Rasengan that dug its way past the deep deaths below the holes.

Breathing hard, Naruto leaned against the hole, before taking a deep breath and jumping up and out of it. Landing on the sand, Naruto was breathing hard, before his aura faded out. "I'm exhausted…and cold."

Weiss walked over to take a seat next to him, wrapping him up into her arms, trying to warm him up as well. Both however watched as Amber started to focus on the second hole herself. "thank goodness Naruto won't be doing everything on his own…I'm not really useful here…damn it."

"Miss…sir." Naruto and Weiss turn to see a young faunus girl with horns protruding from her head, "I've brought you both something…its cold."

Both Weiss and Naruto looked at the cups she was holding, it was coffee…sweet…glorious coffee.

Naruto was handed his first, he greedily chugged down the hot contents while Weiss sipped hers. They were both covered sandy mud, much to Weiss's disgust but honor. The little girl looked at them, before giggling a little bit.

"Are you both married?" She asks.

Salem chuckles when she sees them both spit out their coffee, before looking over at Ruby who sat staring at them. Sighing, her motherly mode activated soon afterwards, and she walked over to the silver eyed girl.

"What's wrong?"
"Oh…nothing misses Uzumaki…"
"Something has to be wrong, what's wrong?"

Ruby sighs, "I wish I had a boyfriend."

Salem laughs a little before patting her back, "don't let that fool you there…relationships are a lot of work. I dare say it takes more out of you than any form of training ever will."

"R-really?"
"Yes…but don't fixate on what others have, you go and make it for yourself."
"How do I do that?"
"You quit moping about it, and don't worry, there is someone there for everyone…I managed to find someone."

Ruby laughs a little, "yeah…and my dad did too."

"So, don't fret over smile things young one, when love comes, it'll come like a balmy breeze." Salem tells her, "besides look at those two…in love…but still flustering over it."

Their conversation was broke when a Bulwark flew over towards them, landing in the village.

Everyone got up, and walked over to investigate it.


"Naruto, you sneaky fox!" Jaune yells, "finally found you."

Naruto and him gripped forearms as they nod at each other, Nora and Ren get off at the same time and walk over to the elders of the village to discuss how they could help.

"I see you've been training Jaune, you got a stronger arm."
"I have, been training to beat you."
"We could spar after everything is set and done."
"Ha, I'll hold you to it…looks like you've been busy."

Naruto laughs a little bit, "yeah, I've worked myself to bone along with everyone here with me."

"Well, why don't you rest…me and our team can take over." Pyrrha walks out of The Bulwark with a smile on her face and she looked at Naruto.

"Aw, looks like you're going to piss off Coco…those were good clothes." Pyrrha comments as she walks over and gives Naruto a hug, "we've missed you."

"Yeah, I've been getting training out this way, I've made breakthroughs." Naruto points out, what's with all the bags?"

"Iron Dust, no, literal Iron Dust. Pyrrha and I devised a new strategy for her semblance to where she could use it to shape iron shavings into objects." Jaune tells Naruto while scratching his nose, "and it's almost as awesome as her."

Pyrrha jabs Jaune on the arm, "hey now…"

"Nah, you're a thousand times better hahaha." Jaune laughs as he watches her use her semblance to guide her bags over to the wall.

Ren and Nora walk over to Jaune, "the elders said they need people to escort…me and Nora will take over it."

"Oh, take my mother with you all." Naruto points over to the redheaded Salem, "her names Kushina and she can teach you all thing or two."

"Wait…that's your mom!" Nora points out, "holy crap she's beautiful!"

"Nora…" Ren pinched his nose, "down girl."

"Aww, but I wanna go blabber on about Naruto was like this cute little pup, now look at him Ren…big guy in charge." Nora motions with her hands before giving him a hard slap on his back which nearly made him fall.

She sheepishly rubs her head, "hehe…sorry."


Jaune with a few volunteers from the village, including children, each dug additional trenching with their shovels as they watched Naruto use his Rasengans to blast away at the dirt before them to loosen it up. "Work! Work! Work! Is! Victory! Victory! Victory!" Jaune chants out loud as several of the villager's joined in.

Naruto falters, before falling forwards, catching himself on the muddy ground, before his aura flared around him and allowed him to keep going. "I'm setting their pace, I'm the one that will make them push!"

"Work! Work! Work! Is! Victory! Victory! Victory!" Naruto screams out as well, before blasting more and more dirt away with Rasengan.


Pyrrha was walking around the barrier, using her semblance to dump Iron Dust onto the barrier, forming it into an iron shell around it. She followed the length of the barrier, Getting tired and almost falling into a trench, only for Jaune to run over and catch her with ease. Both of them locked eyes, before nodding. She was helped up, with him sharing his aura with her as they both pointed out weaknesses in the barrier to be reinforced.

Naruto comes walking over to them, "all the mile trenching along the village is down and out."

"Good, it only took a couple of hours thanks to you, Ren and Nora are making bread with the villagers. Nora and Ren are running additional piping along towards the caves and giving the villagers escort." Jaune says as he looks at them, "you've done a lot of work Naruto...these people owe you a lot."

"No man, they don't owe us anything...but we're doing this to show that we're able to save lives while not only fighting Grimm." Naruto points out, "we're here to do the right thing."

"Aye!" Pyrrha raises her fist up, "where's Weiss and Ruby?"

"Snowflake and Rose are helping my mother cook food for the village." Naruto says, "it'll be bare minimum given the time we've got...but they can cook a mean dish."

Jaune chuckles, "so what next?"

"Now, we go reinforce as many houses as we can." Naruto tells them, "Jaune are plans going to work?"

"Yes, the village is a mile long by a half mile wide. The choke point is the beach, while you curved the barrier and didn't seal it fully away...that's the good thing...the water should flow with the river." Jaune says as he looks at them, "but we need to maintain the barrier as it goes along into the eyewall...the strongest part. New winds reached up to two hundred and ten."

Naruto winced at that, before smirking, "tell mother nature to bring it."

Jaune and Pyrrha give confident smiles as they nod, before watching Naruto dash off to begin reinforcing buildings.


Amber and Qrow were working with various villagers, setting up some homes and the town's inn to be shelters. Heavily reinforced by Naruto, while having as many beds in one area as possible. The people that came in the Bulwark and Naruto's own group got private rooms so they could get extra sleep.

They both worked around the clock to get things set up, quickly moving and going with various beds.

"You know...Amber...being your bodyguard and all...we should share a bed."
"Is this really your pass at me?"
"I don't know...is it working?"
"No...no its not."

Qrow and her laugh as they carry a large bed into the middle of the inn, before walking back out and attempting to help other villagers.


Ruby was pounding dough as Weiss, who was sporting a sweatband, placed it into the fire as she hurried back and forth. Using salts, peppers, and various things to get the bread at least tasting decent for the village. Salem was next to them, instructing several women on how to cook noodles, as well herself cooking noodles.

All the young girls and women the village could muster for the task were with them, Weiss luckily used the opportunity to get an early shower along with Ruby who also needed it.

Both the younger and older teen worked in unison, not like they had before while working as a team with Blake and Yang.

They heard that Blake, Yang, Cinder, and Emerald were assigned to a team with Rexy being with them in a further out village in the higher mountains.

However, right now, they were staring the gun right down the barrel. So they were going to do all they could, and push themselves as hard as possible.


Night had quickly come, to which the villagers had came to settle down and came to realize that they'd have to all get up early to reinforce the buildings. Naruto and his friends were all finishing their last bowls of food.

They had all taken quick showers, with some of them getting cold water like himself.

Walking away from the table, placing his bowl in a communal sink, the blonde walked towards the inn they'd be staying in. the inn was the first building reinforced, since it was already reinforced to begin with.

Walking into his room, the blonde found that with the single twin bed, Weiss was sleeping on the floor. "W-Weiss, what are you doing?"

"They didn't have enough beds, so I decided to call floor…" Weiss waives him drowsily, "I'm too exhausted to care."

Naruto frowns as he walks over to her, before kneeling. "You're going to catch a cold."

"I'm fine Naru…"
"C'mon Snowflake."

"Kyaah?!" Weiss almost screams as she feels herself getting picked up bridal style, "wh-what are you doing?"

"You can have the bed, remember me…Ayakashi…you…human." Naruto jokes as he goes to lay on the floor, before Weiss gets up and huffing.

"Absolutely not, Naru, you will take the bed."
"Nope…sorry Princess Snowflake."
"Naru…I'm not asking one more time, I'll force you on this bed and tie you down!"

Both him and her looked at each other, "um Snowflake…that was a little loud don't ya think?"

"Kyaah…" Weiss pinched her nose, blushing mad, "look…you've worked yourself harder than us…please just take the bed."

Naruto looks at her, before smiling a little bit, "well I'm a young man and I say I'll take the floor."

"I'm a young proud woman, I'll take the floor." Weiss crosses her arms, "and that's final."

The blonde sitting below her smiles, before standing up. "Naru…what's wrong?"

"I'm not mad, I'm not hurt." Naruto laughs a little, "I'm just glad I found someone like you…"

Weiss nods, "and I'm glad I found someone like you…your mom really likes me by the way."

"I can tell, which is why…well…I have a compromise I want to propose." Naruto blushes a little looking away, "we've got two different blankets…so this won't get out of hand in anyway."

Weiss looked at him, "and…this is?"

"Why don't we…well…sleep in the same bed?" Naruto asks, "I mean…we'll be under two different blankets, plus there is like bazillion raw potatoes down stairs…and…and…well…I just…its cold."

The former heiress looked at him, before lowering her head, "Naruto…I need to tell you something…because its not like that we'll have…you know…"

She takes a deep breath, "I've been keeping a secret…"

"Hmm?" Naruto hums, sitting by her on the bed, "what's up."

"My father…well he found out about us dating. He went off, this was the night before Cardin bit the dust. He disinherited me, I'm no longer an heiress…I'm no longer some princess…and…well…I'm scared that everyone would look at me different…" Weiss looks away from him, "and I was afraid that'd he be right…and…and…"

"And that I was using you?"
"You're not!"

"Well, Princess…" the nickname still made Weiss's heart flutter, "you're still my princess. Yeah so what, you don't have to be rich…you could've came in wearing rags for all I care…but I fell for you the moment I saw you because of your eyes…they held a life like my own in a way…it felt different knowing that someone shared something like myself."

"I fell for you, fell hard…you're the only person I could never bring myself to fight seriously against Snowflake…because…I love you." Naruto snakes his hands to grip hers, "rich or poor…ugly or beautiful, that makes no difference to me."

"What matters to me," Naruto breaks the hold on one of her hands and points at her heart, "is what is inside of there."

"Naru…" Weiss was on the verge of crying as she looked at him, "th-that's…so beautiful…"

"Not as beautiful as you," Naruto wipes one of her tears away, "and when I finally go beyond my limits and become an Ayakashi. I'll make sure to free this world, not just for peace…but for you."

"For us." Weiss tells him, before she cups cheeks with both of her hands. "Just promise me...you won't get hurt tomorrow."

"Can't promise that, but I'll give my word that I'll make sure you and everyone else is safe." Naruto cups her face as well, both of them locking eye.

She leans forwards, capturing his lips with her own, both move their hands to hug each other. Slowly, that one kiss turns to another…and then another, before both them threw both blankets over each other.

With one final kiss, both them wrapped each other in their up, sharing their warmth as red aura mixed with blue. With Weiss burying her head into Naruto's chest, and him holding her close to him. Slowly, but surely, they both fell asleep.

Falling asleep in each other's arms.