A/N: Thanks as always for help from qazse!
Everyone was shocked by the title Katana had given the beast they were about to view. "I-I-I'm sorry but, di-di-did you say..." Velvet began shakily, before gulping and finishing her question. "Extinction Dragon?" She asked.
"That is what some call it, yes." Katana confirmed.
"Dang. And I thought Cindy over there was hardcore. This time makes her sound like a kitten." Torchwick said with teasing Cinder, who had to be restrained by Neo, Emerald, Ruby and Luna... It was probably mostly Luna, really, but the others deserve some credit.
"And it actually preys on Elder Dragons?" Glynda questioned.
"You will see." Katana said.
"Could you be ANY more cryptic?" Yang complained.
"I can't take the suspense anymore. Just start the episode!" Ilia insisted.
A beach was shown with the rising sun as shallow waves rolled in. "To live is to be hungry." Oceaniz began as the word "Hungry" popped up on the right side of the screen. "Hunger is a fundamental part of all life and drives the actions of myriads of organisms every second. And just like the individual hungers for food, so too does nature hunger itself. Not for fine steaks or berries, but rather for change and adaptation." He went on as a super fluffy bird was shown, before another bird was shown flying with a cloudy evening background and lastly a squirrel was seen scavenging. "The history of nature is one of constant flux, a tornado of changes in response to an ecological niche, nature's desire given form. And sometimes the form that desire takes is anything but elegant and refined." As clouds were shown rapidly billowing through the sky and a large island was shown with palm trees spaced out over a beautiful sandy area.
"Oceaniz Presents"
"The Nergigante"
"Aww, look at the fluffy birdie." Ruby cooed.
"I want to cuddle with it!" Emerald said.
"It was quite the darling little thing." Glynda agreed.
"I believe that was a House Finch and the squirrel was a red-tailed squirrel." Penny declared.
"Definitely, Oceaniz's greatest advantage is to make you appreciate nature more." Winter stated.
"Life game of pressure." Oceaniz announced as the woods in Winter were shown, with the word "PRESSURE" appearing in the center of the screen. "Regardless of where you look, everywhere you will find something doing something in response to some kind of pressure. That pressure might be a very physical one, such as hunger, danger or reproductive urges. Or, it might be a more abstract kind of pressure, for example: the pressure of natural selection that pushes organisms to adapt in order to prevail. Through these pressures, the very shape and breath of all of life is formed. Survival adaptation, the individual and the system, all pressuring each other on to find more creative, more efficient solutions to and ways to thrive." He elaborated as jackrabbit was seen bounding through a grassy field, an eagle was shown taking down another rabbit in a desert, a group of deer seen moving through the woods and a large monitor lizard appeared to be eating something.
"That's a jackrabbit! And-" Penny continued, before the eagle suddenly took the rabbit. "Oh, dear... That's a golden eagle." She explained with less enthusiasm.
"Bunny, no!" Ruby cried.
"Nature is cruel sometimes, sweetie." Summer told her youngest child, running her fingers through her hair.
"Well, nature needs to stop being cruel!" Velvet said with a pout.
"Then it wouldn't be doing its job, everything would get out of control and we'd all die." Neo told her.
"But even more importantly is the balance of the ecosystem. Left unchecked, many environments could get overrun with one dominant species decimating the competition. Or even worse, it might fall to walking calamities, species so powerful that no single environment can sustain them. This danger, too, is a pressure. And an extreme pressure like that necessitates an extreme solution. And as we know, nature is nothing if not creative." Oceaniz declared as a group of lionesses roamed some kind of grassland, before a cliff wall was shown above the ocean. "And so, deep within the newly-discovered continent, in the fiery pits of the Elder's Recess, a solution of unprecedented ferocity emerged... Nergigante." He introduced the beast as the crystalized environment of the Elder's Recess was shown, then its lower volcanic level and finally, the mighty beast itself as it raised up on its hind legs, only to come crashing down for a slam with its front right paw, swinging its front left foreleg to claw away attackers, then tried another slamming attack on a warrior in Rathian armor.
Everyone was shocked and rather intimidated by the beast. "Look at those horns! They look like they could impale a Wyvern!" Jaune explained, everyone looking to him. "Th-the giant Grimm Wyvern that would attack Beacon, not like, these kinds of Wyvern. Obviously, they'd be able to do that." He elaborated, patting Guillotine on the snout, everyone nodding at his correction.
"And look at all those spikes! Most of us couldn't even get near it without being turned into a pincushion!" Yang said.
"And that roar... It just sounds like it's out to get you." Coco noted.
"If it's teeth and eyes didn't already give that away." Blake added.
"Wait a minute, though! Look!" Weiss declared, pausing it as the beast was preparing to slam its paw down on the Huntsman.
That's when everyone realized... "It has paws!" Pyrrha noted.
"And little toe beans! Just like a cat!" Nora giggled, her opinion of the beast improving, along with Ruby, Pyrrha, Neo, Velvet and Yang's.
"That's kind of adorable. Suddenly it doesn't seem as scary." Neo said.
"Well, that's your opinion. Gotta say, for once, I can't get on board with it." Roman told her nervously.
The beast was then shown from the front, its name in large, bold letters just beneath it, before everything went black as it roared. A hunter was then seen fighting with Nergigante as it's title: "The Extinction Dragon" came down in the bottom left corner. "Eighteen meters in length and adorned with two MASSIVE cranial horns, the Nergigante is an imposing creature. Dubbed 'The Extinction Dragon' by the first settlers of the New World, this behemoth terrorizes ANY domain it enters. It lives a predatorial lifestyle, feeding on its prey and spending a majority of its time in combat. The razor-sharp claws at the end of its paws, the spiked tail club and the horns all serve as deadly weapons." Oceaniz explained as all the listed weaponry was shown as the hunter observed the beast.
"I know certain creatures are more aggressive than others, but to spend the majority of its time in combat is insane." Ren stated.
"Well, it definitely looks like something that wants spend all its time hurting or killing things." Ilia declared, still quite intimidated by the creature.
"Perhaps its similar to Deviljho, in that it's always searching for prey." Ozpin theorized, hoping to make sense of this beast's fury.
Teostra, Kirin and Vaal Hazak were then shown one after another. "As part of the elusive Elder Dragon classification, one might expect this beast to command some element, or possess some otherwise supernatural abilities as is usual in that extraordinary group. However, Nergigante sticks out precisely because it does not do that. Instead, it is a ferocious, unstoppable engine of pure aggression and power, relying solely on its brute force to overcome any obstacle and adversary. Instead of spewing fire or controlling lightning, Nergigante tackles and punches and dive-bombs into its prey with reckless abandon. But the real attraction of this unparalleled predator is also its most distinguishing feature. Nergigante's body is covered almost completely in deadly spikes, which gives every movement it makes that much more lethality." Oceaniz explained as the Nergigante slammed its fist into the ground, before pressing harder and sending some of its spikes flying.
"Powering through with just your raw strength. I can respect that." Hazel declared.
"With all those spikes, I think anything else would be overkill." Adam said.
"Against Elder Dragons, overkill may be the only solution." Ironwood stated.
"Samples have revealed that they are made of a substance very similar to enamel, which is, for example, what human teeth are made of. These spikes, however, belie a frightening, spectacular feature: they can regrow almost endlessly. Every single one of the roughly eighteen HUNDRED spikes on Nergigante's body goes through a specific process of growth: when they first emerge from the beast's skin, they are white and brittle, easily broken, but also somewhat flexible, swaying in tandem to Nergigante's motions. However, as they remain in contact with air, their outer layer oxidizes quickly, becoming black and turning the spikes incredibly hard and rigid. This hardening causes them to reflect most attacks and protect the beast's body." Oceaniz continued as the beast indeed grew countless large spikes that started out white and quickly darkened to black.
"So, it can grow spikes endlessly that turn into armor? Isn't that just wonderful." Qrow groaned.
"And the fact they're made from the same stuff as human teeth doesn't help." Cinder said, shuddering a bit.
"Still, the fact it can regrow what is essentially both weapon and armor is quite astonishing. And highly effective." Weiss admitted.
"Indeed. I'm sure we could find many different uses for the spikes once they've hardened and darkened." Winter stated.
"However, as they grow, they also become heavier, slowing the Nergigante down continuously. To circumvent that, it has developed a frighteningly effective solution. Usually Nergigante, like most flying creatures, will avoid mid-air collisions and dives, as the light bones necessary to allow flight are simply too brittle and frail to survive that impact. But, once covered in completely black, matured spikes, it will roar and fly up, before crashing violently into its opponent or the ground from the air, the spikes protecting it from damage and breaking off in the process, thus dealing both a devastating blow to its adversary and regaining its speed. It has also been suggested that the weight of these spikes contributes to Nergigante's aggressive behavior, as the continuous growth necessitates them to be broken pretty much regularly." Oceaniz explained as the creature slowly chased after a hunter, stopping every few steps, before taking to the air and divebombing the hunter, sending black spikes flying everywhere.
"It certainly seems quite a bit more sluggish and awkward once the spikes have hardened." Pyrrha noted.
"Hey, I just noticed, though. It doesn't look like its underside grows those spikes. So, if we could knock it onto its back or side, that'd make attacking it way safer and easier." Jaune pointed out.
"Very well deduced, Mr. Arc." Glynda said proudly.
Then, they were all shocked when it slammed into the ground and was unharmed due to the spikes protecting it. "Incredible! Crashing like that on a hard surface would obliterate the skeleton of most flying creatures like that, but Nergigante handled it without a scratch. Those black spikes must be crazy strong! Imagine making armor out of that." Emerald said.
"Well, Tekko's wearing its armor from the look of it. And to me it gets the pass of stylish and functional." Coco said.
"Oh. Well, it's from a VERSION of Nergigante armor, but it's not regular Nergigante armor." Katana's younger daughter explained.
"And it is that behavior that has baffled researchers ever since Nergigante was first discovered by the first settlers of the New World. Most organisms will have patterns: a predictable diet, habitat and behavioral routine that not only defines their lifestyle, but also enables their classification. But in the case of Nergigante, no pattern seems to exist, as for a long time, its appearances seemed random, always just dedicated to sporadic attacks and bouts with other monsters. The lack of nesting traces made tracking this beast even harder. It wouldn't be until forty years after the first settlement, as the Fifth Fleet of colonists arrived that FINALLY, a method of the madness was found for the monster. Nergigante always appeared in areas and habitats with a high concentration of Elder Dragons or similar threats." Oceaniz declared as a balance between observing and fighting Nergigante was shown.
"I know how that can be, when you're trying to track someone down, but they don't seem to turn up despite your best efforts." Blake groaned, remembering their hunt for the White Fang.
"We were certainly getting the better of you for a while, weren't we, Kitty Cat?" Roman taunted.
"Obviously not enough if she found you in the end." Adam countered, annoyed by Roman taking credit for the Fang's hard work.
"That must for Nergigante. Didn't someone say earlier Elder Dragons are incredibly rare and are almost never spotted and if they are, they're never in the same place for long?" Ozpin questioned.
"Good question, Oz. Short answer, the New World has a large concentration of them because of the Elder's Crossing." Katana explained.
Suddenly, everything seemed to get a bit blurry as the words "Elder Dragon" appeared in the center of the screen in bold writing. "Elder Dragon is a somewhat controversial classification that bring about larger, ecological changes wherever they go, often fundamentally upsetting and altering the balances of food chains of those environments to an unsustainable point. One very famous research document even called them 'walking, breathing calamities'." Oceaniz stated as "walking, breathing calamities" was put under "Elder Dragon" on screen, not put in bold text.
That description really struck a chord with the students and Qrow. "That, has the be the most ominous, but coolest description I've ever heard!" Yang said excitedly.
"I know right! Not even the Grimm have been call that!" Ruby said in awe.
"Definitely makes them sound like things you want to watch out for more than anything Rage said about them." Qrow agreed.
"So, maybe you should all be paying attention so you know what to do if they try bringing calamity on you!" Summer told her family, rolling her eyes at their antics. Still, seeing them happy or excited was always a treat.
"These beasts know no equal and are virtually untouchable by the rest of the food chain. Or, so it was believed. However, Nergigante was and has been consistently observed appearing in environments visited by the Elder Dragons. This has led to a shocking revelation: Nergigante seems to feed and prey on monsters of the Elder Dragon class, or similar threat levels, almost exclusively. This behavior is unprecedented and caused Nergigante to quickly also be given the classification of Elder Dragon itself." Oceaniz explained as a Teostra suddenly flew down and engaged the Nergigante while the hunter was fighting it, the Emperor of Flame quickly being slammed and thrown across the ground by the Extinction Dragon.
Everyone's minds were blown with this new revelation. "So you weren't exaggerating. Nergigante really does eat Elder Dragons!" Pyrrha said in disbelief.
"It dominated that Teostra like nothing." Cinder said in awe and fear, hugging Luna worriedly, imagining her dragon partner being in place of its mate as the Lunastra growled at the on-screen actions of Nergigante.
"Well, remember, many Elder Dragons in the New World have come for the Elder Crossing to die, so they're older and past their prime, so Nergigante can take them down easier. It'd still probably win against Elder Dragons in their prime, but that's a lot less guaranteed." Razara explained.
"So, it's picking on the elderly?! No fair!" Nora snapped.
"That's so cruel, fighting against someone who can't defend themselves as well anymore." Velvet said sadly.
"It's a crude method, but I can't deny its a smart one, going after prey you know you can take down to mitigate the danger." Ironwood reasoned.
"It's true. Even many regular predators of our world target the weak, sick and elderly." Ren informed them.
"Explanations as to what might be the reason of the emergence of a species purely designed to combat the most fierce organisms alive are still inconclusive. However, one approach that has been gaining traction among the research commission is the so-called 'Bio-Energy Hypothesis'." Oceaniz explained as the blue-striped screen returned, the name of the hypothesis being front and center. "This hypothesis postulates that every living organism produces and contains a sort of life force, called Bio-Energy." He continued as a rapidly pulsing green orb took center stage.
"Bio-Energy? So, could this be like the monster's form of aura?" Ruby asked.
"I can see similarities, but also many differences." Pyrrha said.
"Still, it does sound like some kind of life force." Winter pointed out.
"Maybe if you guys shut up and listen, we can learn more about it." Emerald said, rolling her eyes.
"This energy would be linked intrinsically to the organism's lifestyle and, more importantly, ecological security and dominance. The more uncontested, strong, stress-free and dominant the species, the more bountiful and pure the Bio-Energy it would produce. Reversely, copious amounts of selection pressure and stress can compromise the growth and purity of that energy. This means that prey animals with a constantly stressed and suppressed lifestyle would produce less pure Bio-Energy than an Apex Predator with less to worry about." The host went on as a Black Diablos' icon was shown with a bar beneath it that was almost full, before a Great Jagras' icon was shown with another bar, which barely filled a fifth of the way. "The logical conclusion from this hypothesis would be then that the Elder Dragon and Elder Dragon-level monsters would produce the most pure Bio-Energy possible." He finished his explanation of the hypothesis as the icon of a Kushala Daora was shown with a bar below it that filled all the way to the end of the screen.
"Well, I'd say that knocks out the aura theory." Neo declared.
"Still, it's fascinating these creatures possess a similar, somewhat measurable life force." Ren stated.
"So that's what keeps these monsters going. Interesting. I wonder how our aura scales to it." Hazel wondered.
"This was reported by the research conducted on the species Zorah Magdaros, which produced a type of energy that scholars hadn't seen before and Xeno'jiiva, which was born from and consisted of that very same type of unknown energy. The conclusion and central idea of this hypothesis in regards to Nergigante is that it feeds specifically on this Bio-Energy, which causes it to target only the strongest monsters it can find." Oceaniz declared, before the image changed to Nergigante's icon, which slowly began to grown as Oceaniz spoke. "This hypothesis also has a couple of interesting implications, namely from Nergigante's evolution. Elder Dragons are all incredibly disastrous beasts that, if left unchecked, would easily ruin most ecosystems they traverse. Obviously, nature would have to develop a balancing mechanism to keep them from doing that. So a species that specifically evolves to seek out the beings with the purest Bio-Energy, which would predominantly be Elder Dragons, seems like an incredibly elegant and effective solution." The hose declared.
"It makes sense. Just like with Deviljho. Nature needed something to balance itself out, so it made Bazelgeuse." Ironwood said, running his hand down Stratus' back.
"Still, brute force works and all, but it's still a bit of a stretch that Nergigante can power through things like Kushala's winds or Lunastra's fire." Qrow pondered.
"Still, I bet Chameleos could beat it as long as it stays invisible, or keeps its mist up. The way those horns are on its head probably make it half-blind, anyway." Ilia said, cuddling with Spectre.
"But how good are its other senses? What if it hears Chameleos' movements or breathing. What if those spikes can help it pick up movement around it? what if it can sniff him out? You're already underestimating your opponent Ilia. That's when you get in trouble and if you can't get yourself out of it, you die." Adam told her.
A picture of Nergigante reared onto its hindlegs was shown taking up most of the viewing. "The oddities of Nergigante do not end there, however. As research into it following the Elder Crossing increased, scholars were granted a rare luxury: knowledge on the monster's reproductive behavior, something that is very rare for monsters in general and even rarer for Elder Dragons." Oceaniz informed them as the word "Reproduction" appeared on screen, nestled in a small amount of area Nergigante wasn't taking up.
"Nope! Absolutely not! Ruby is not hearing about this!" Summer insisted, covering Ruby's eyes.
"Mooom! I don't even care about that stuff!" Ruby complained.
"Then you don't need to see it!" Summer told her.
"Mrs. Rose, she's going to learn about it at some point, anyway. It might as well be while you're here to explain it to her." Cinder told her future mother-in-law.
"However, the resulting insights only created more questions. Most multicellular organisms reproduce by way of Sexual Reproduction." Oceaniz began as the words appeared on screen. "In which the population is divided into two sexes. These two sexes each produce germ cells that are haploid, meaning they only contain half of the species chromosomes, essentially making them half-sets of DNA." The host elaborated as the icon the heads of a Chibi man and woman appeared on the left and right of the screen, with DNA helixes beneath them, red for the man and green for the woman. The word "haploid" then appeared at the bottom, along with a description of the word as an extra half of a helix was taken from the man and woman.
Yang, Ruby, Neo and, of course, Nora had fallen asleep during the lesson of sexual preproduction. "Yes, yes, most of us learn this already, before we get to schools like Atlas Academy and Beacon. What does this have to do with Nergigante?" Winter said in annoyance.
"It's probably leading up to teaching how Nergigante evolved to be this way." Velvet suggested.
"Miss Scarlatina is right, Winter. To understand something, you need to know all its finer points, as well as its ins and outs." Ozpin explained.
"Precisely. We've only lasted as long as we have against the Grimm because we know how to avoid triggering them and what does and doesn't affect them." Pyrrha added.
"To reproduce, members of the differing sexes have to unite their germ cells in order to create one cell which is diploid, meaning it contains a full set of chromosomes and DNA. This so-called Zygote then grows and develops into an individual organism, having received half of its genes from one parent and the other half of the other parent." He continued as the half-helixes combined into one complete helix and the word "diploid", along with its definition, appeared. The word Zygote then appeared under the new helix as an icon of a Chibi baby's head appeared in the middle of the helix. "This method of reproduction is the most commonly used way for multi-celled Eukaryotes, which are all organisms whose cells have a nucleus and outer membranes." Oceaniz finished as the word "Eukaryote" and its definition took center stage.
"Ugh, leave it to a documentary to make something as hot as sex sound boring." Yang groaned.
"Miss Xiao Long!" Glynda reprimanded.
"I'm just mad they didn't show any of the fun stuff." Roman said, getting smacked by Neo for that comment.
"You realize that would probably show two Nergigante mating, right? You really wanna see a couple giant lizards going at it?" Nora questioned.
"Hey, that's practically half of what they show on the unearthing channel." Qrow said with a shrug. [1]
Nergigante's icon then appeared below the word and definition, before taking center stage. "Nergigante, as a large vertebrate and a eukaryote, would seem like another species that would use this method. But, shockingly, this is not the case. Nergigante are genderless and reproduce using Asexual Reproduction." Oceaniz declared as "Genderless" appeared under the beast's icon and "Asexual Reproduction" appeared above it. "In which one individual creates already diploid germ cells which then can immediately grow into a new individual, having identical genetic material their parent." He explained as a full blue helix came from the icon, which grew into another Nergigante icon exactly like the first one.
Everyone was baffled by this news. "Lizards can be genderless?" Jaune asked.
"Really? That's your question? Not how does a giant lizard make kids on its own?" Weiss demanded.
"These monsters are really starting to defy the laws of science." Blake said in confusion and disbelief.
"There is a certain female-only species of snake that reproduce asexually, so while still quite surprisingly, it's actually not impossible." Penny pointed out.
"In the case of Nergigante, this process is even more truly bizarre. Once it has grown large enough and perhaps absorbed enough Bio-Energy, it will begin producing diploid germ cells located in the same organ that also regulates its spike growth." The host continued as text on the side explained how Diploid Germ Cells were stored in the horns. "Those germ cells are then implanted into its spikes where, once the spikes break off, they begin growing into a new Nergigante, genetically identical to its parent and, by extension, every Nergigante in existence. This particular aspect of Nergigante is absolutely baffling." He exclaimed.
"So every single spike it sends shooting out could grow into a whole other giant spiky dragon!?" Coco asked in shock.
"Dang. That kind of ruins supply and demand for selling them as pets." Roman groaned.
"Do you think of ANYTHING but get rich quick schemes?" Ironwood demanded.
"That could make population control a series pain, though." Qrow pointed out.
"If only it were that easy, instead of going through the full cycle of childbirth." Summer said. She loved Ruby with all her heart, but the effort of bringing her into the world was definitely not one she wanted to go through again.
"Lucky me, I have a healing factor that made C-sections a breeze." Katana said in relief, earning her a furious glare of envy from the Rose matriarch.
The screen was then cleared, before "Sexual Reproduction..." appeared near the top of the screen towards the right side. "Sexual Reproduction became the most common reproductive method for Eukaryotes for a reason. It inherently creates genetic diversity, as every child is randomly given a set of genes from each parent. This genetic diversity allows evolutionary advantageous adaptations and mutations to emerge, which is what drives evolution in the first place. While Asexual Reproduction comes with the benefit of not having to find and court a sexual partner, thus making it much easier and quicker, it also offers NO advantages in genetic diversity, as every child is just a clone of their parent." Oceaniz elaborated on the failings of Nergigante's method, text describing under "Sexual Reproduction" that it creates genetic diversity due to its inherent mixing of the parents' DNA, while "Asexual Reproduction"... Just doesn't. "This method is usually found in algae and single-celled organisms, NOT in giant lizards!" The host exclaimed.
"So, Nergigante just STARTED this way?! They haven't evolved to be the best through a selection of highly effective genes?! They just came into existence, eating Elder Dragons!?" Winter cried out.
"It would seem that way." Hazel asked in shock.
"So, it seems like Nergigante only shows up in warm climates, right? So, for instance, Atlas should be safe?" Weiss asked hopefully.
"No, they can handle the cold just fine if they're in the mood for Velkhana." Katana said, clearly not happy the Extinction Dragon targets her monster partner's species.
"Then that means they can go almost anywhere. And be a threat to anyone." Pyrrha said in concern.
Nergigante's icon took center stage once again, slowly growing as the host continued. "And if looked at together with the Bio-Energy hypothesis, it becomes even more bizarre. How did Nergigante evolve into such a specific hunter of Elder Dragons if its reproductive routine doesn't actually enable genetic evolution? While this still isn't fully understood, recent events have given the research commission new leads." Oceaniz declared.
"During the Velkhana incident, which caused massive shifts in the New World's ecosystems, many new species invaded ecosystems previously untouched by them. This meant that every organism that resided within those areas now faced the challenge of 'adapt or die' and Nergigante was no exception. While it, as opposed to some other affected species, did not evolve a new subspecies, thus supporting a conclusion that its asexual reproduction hinders its evolution, it DID show that individual Nergigante have a decent degree of adaptability. The oldest and most experienced specimens thus managed to adapt and change into the only Variant of the species: the Ruiner Nergigante." Oceaniz built up before revealing a spikier Nergigante icon, before showing a picture of a darker Nergigante with seemingly metallic spikes.
Everyone was shocked and disturbed by this new form of the Elder Dragon. "I could be mistaken, but do those spikes appear... metallic." Glynda asked, a bit unnerved.
"Or perhaps crystalline. What is certain is that they do seem different from Nergigante's standard spikes. And likely far more dangerous." Ozpin noted.
"Oh, come on! His spikes are already dangerous enough when they're made of teeth, but now they're metal!? Give us a break!" Coco complained.
"That does seem like a bit much." Velvet agreed.
"Superficially, not vastly different, Ruiner Nergigante sports a slightly coloration to its regular counterpart. Additionally and most imposingly, it has incorporated a second type of spike into its body. These new spikes are crystalline, somewhat reminiscent of the Elder's Recess and much harder than its regular spikes. But they also grow SIGNIFICANTLY slower. They are also coated in a potent blood-thinning agent, which makes the blood that comes in contact with it thinner and more liquid, causing stronger blood flow in the wound it creates, thus resulting in heavy bleeding and blood loss." The host listed the new capabilities of this variant of the Elder Dragon.
"Why did it have to be bleeding?! Anything but that!" Nora cried, clinging to Glynda, who held her close.
"Honestly, I'm kind of surprised regular Nergigante didn't have that ability." Ren stated.
"On the plus side, if this agent was able to be extracted from Nergigante, it would likely be highly effective for treating blood clots." Penny pointed out.
"Thanks, Penny! Way to see the good side of this." Ruby said with a thumb's up.
"Yeah. Thinking smart. Good on ya, kid." Qrow praised as well.
"But the most striking and most crucial difference is the beast's intelligence. Nergigante itself is by no means a dull monster, but its drive to consume and to combat are relatively simplistic. Ruiner Nergigante, however, is quite different. It exhibits a much more cunning, calculative and planning behavior. When in combat, it starts out slow and steady, using minimal movements as to not waste energy on an opponent that might not be worth it. But as it begins sustaining damage, it will violently increase its ferocity, carefully dialing its strength up along its analysis of its encounter's difficulty. During the siege on the Everwyrm, a Ruiner Nergigante was even seen playing dead in order to await the perfect opportunity to take down its prey. This level of nuanced planning is somewhat unprecedented in the Monster World." Oceaniz declared as he spoke on the final notes of the beast.
"So, it's smart, even by Elder Dragon standards. Greeeaaat." Yang said in concern.
"So if we fight one and bring it down, we'll have to double check to make sure it's dead. Calling it now: not it!" Neo declared.
"Wow, aren't you brave, Neo." Cinder taunted.
"Well, the good news is, humans and Faunus don't have Bio-Energy. And if we did, it's probably not on the level of an Elder Dragon, so Nergigante wouldn't be interested." Blake said, trying to put a positive spin on things.
"Glad to see someone can come up with a positive spin to this." Emerald said.
A massive, beautiful waterfall in a forest was then shown. "Nature is a mysterious force that we, even after centuries of study, still do not remotely even fully grasp and understand. Beasts like the fierce and bizarre Nergigante are an ever-present reminder of that, born to battle the fiercest wars and consume the cruelest calamities, these monsters are an apt representation of the many forms nature's touch and balance can take. But even Nergigante, the devourer of kings will eventually end its life and lay down and reintroduce its body to the circle of life. No matter how bizarre the creature, how fierce the usurper, at the end of it all lies... nature." Oceaniz finished beautifully and poetically, accompanied by the visuals of a taller, but thinner and more intricate waterfall in the forest and a majestic field of grain.
"So, what did you think of that? A real monster among monsters, huh?" Tekko asked.
"So let see if I understand this. Nergigante has NO elemental powers or manipulation, yet it spends it's life hunting and eating Elder Dragons who do have such abilities, and fights them using only it's fists, spikes and raw strength?" Yang asked.
"Yup, that pretty much sums it up." Razara confirmed.
"That. is. the most. BADASS THING I'VE EVER HEARD OF!" Yang cried out in excitement.
"And pretty mettle too." Emerald agreed.
"I mean, I feel like I should be afraid cause it devours the strongest monsters. But Nergigante being THIS tough of a fighter! Just makes it SO-" Ruby began, but was interrupted by nearly half the viewing audience.
Indeed Weiss, Blake, Cinder, Emerald, Ren, Coco, Jaune and Roman all responded to what they knew the young reaper's reply would be. "Cool and awesome. Yeah we know, we know." They all said together.
"You say those words like three times in every video we watched on these creatures." Weiss told her leader.
"And in some cases, they're the only thing you say." Blake added.
"You're so predictable, Red." Roman said, clicking his tongue.
Ruby crossed her arms and pouted. "Well, it's true! And I'm not gonna stop saying it!" She pouted.
Summer patted Ruby's head and ran her hand through her hair. "It's alright, Ruby. I totally agree with you. It is super cool and awesome." She agreed.
"I agree as well, Ruby. I was left in awe and wonder several times throughout this viewing." Penny agreed.
"I don't know if it's a relief Nergigante's ensuring the population of Elder Dragons doesn't go out of control, or a nightmare that it is capable of bringing down other Elders." Ironwood said.
"It has a role in the ecosystem and it does it well. We should be thankful it is out there." Ozpin stated.
"So, what's next?" Qrow asked.
"Well, I've been holding back on these guys for a while, but I suppose its about time you learned about them. The most well-known and infamous of the Flying Wyverns. And the next two you'll learn about... Let's just say they're rock solid." Katana declared.
A.N: thank you all for reading! Hope you enjoyed!
[1] Yep, that was basically a Discovery Channel joke.