AN: Hey everyone, I have the next chapter here. Thank you for all the support this series has gotten here and on Tv Tropes. I was not expecting as big of a welcome back to this series as I got, but it really means a lot to me that so many checked out the last chapter. I am really excited about doing these White Fang Killer battles, and the first one revolves around Adam's mission. This battle has been a long time coming, and I am happy with how it turned out here. Hope you enjoy this chapter, leave a review with your comments and questions, and have a nice day.
Chapter 52 – Has to Be This Way
Adam.
In the middle of the forest, Nightingale landed the airship, the sighed, "This is as far as I can go, anymore and we risk him spotting the airship." She said before turning to Adam, "You will have to walk the rest of the way to the meeting point."
"Understood," Adam said as he stood up, "Wait here for fifteen minutes, then head to the location." He responded, "No matter what, the fight will be over, but I cannot guarantee the best results." The White Fang Swordsman turned back to Nightingale, "I will leave you to save Musashi and heal her wounds first."
"You can count on me," Nightingale responded with Adam nodding, then exiting the airship. The steel nurse then took out a pocket watch, seeing the seconds tick by.
Adam walked through the woods, tracking the signal on his scroll. Suddenly, he heard rushing water catch his ears. In following the sound, the White Fang swordsman discovered a waterfall. Suspended in a branch over the waterfall, a sleeping Musashi was seen in a bamboo cage. Her body was bloody and mangled, and her clothes tattered. Adam gasp in panic, then leaping up to slash the branch. However, he then gasped at something inside the waterfall.
Through the rushing water, Izou slashing towards Adam with a downward horizontal sword strike. Adam gritted his teeth while blocking the strike with Wilt, prevent him from reaching the branch. The two swordsmen glared at each other while falling, landing on a small mound of gravel in the middle of the river, "So, this is the one they sent." Izou spoke, "You must have been the same one on that call." He said before looking at Wilt, "And you do look like a Saber Class, but…" Izou then focused on Adam's head, "Red hair, horns, Grimm mask. Yep, you're the one they call Adam Taurus." The Faunus-Slayer said before grinning, "Or others would call, The Beast of the White Fang."
"And you one of the White Fang Killers," Adam responded, "You should know that it was I that ended the life of that psychopath Columbus." He said before reposing his blade, "Just as I will ends yours."
"Oh, scary." Izou taunted, then readied his blade as well, "Let's see then."
The two swordsmen then waited in silence for the right moment. In the rushing waterfall, the river flow with aquatic life. Suddenly, a fish jumped into the air, but as it splashed, the two blades clashed again. Sparks flew with each swing as Wilt grinded again Izou's blade. Each swordsman was unable to land a critical strike, but Izou smirked. Adam watched the Faunus-Slayer reach behind his back, pulling out another katana. With two blades, Izou's strikes doubled in speed. The White Fang Swordsman was pushed back as tired to parry the assault, then as a horizontal slash come near his head.
Izou smirked at the thought of ending this fight in decapitation. However, Adam blocked the strike with his sheath. The White Fang Swordsman began parrying each katana, then kick Izou away before sheathing Wilt. The Faunus-Slayer watched as Adam glowed in a red aura, "You shall die." Adam declared as red lines appeared around the area, causing him to unsheathe Wilt with a flash of light. Izou attempted to dodge but was slightly caught in some of the instant slashes. In the barrage, one of two blades was shattered into pieces. He landed a few feet away before falling to one knee, "For someone who flaunts their skills, you are very underwhelming."
"I guess killing all those pathetic faunus has softened me up a bit." Izou said as he stood up, grinning, "It's been a while since I got to use my Noble Phantasm." He said exhaling his breath, causing Adam to repose his stance, "Shimatsuken." Izou spoke in a near-emotionless voice. Suddenly, the White Fang Swordsman gasped as Izou's hair started to glow crimson, as did his blade. The Faunus-Slayer then sheathed his katana, which caused red lines to appear around the area. Adam gasp again at what this attack was mimicking, "Now, you shall die." Izou declared before unsheathing his blade, causing the red lines to transform into multiple slashing.
Adam jumped back to evade the barrage, but he too was caught by a few slashes. His right arm and left leg spilled blood; his sheath bombarded as he used it to block more vital attacks. Adam's body landed in the shallow river, pushing himself up as he looked over to Izou, whose eyes now glowed crimson as well.
"What do you think, not bad for my first try." Izou asked, "I can copy any swordplay I see, even if it is witnessed just once."
"But you knew about my Noble Phantasm already," Adam responded, "That's how you knew to dodge back after I sheathed my blade."
"What can I say, I have a girl on the inside who told us about the White Fang in the past. However, she had the pleasure of fighting you in person once." Izou responded, his sword now resting on his right shoulder, "I know you also have this thing they call a Semblance, but if I had to guess, that Noble Phantasm drains your ability to use that skill too. Am I right?"
"Tsk." Adam gritted his teeth.
"And while you need to recharge a bit after that technique." Izou said before sheathing his katana again, "I can spam mine all day long!" he said with Adam gasping, seeing the red lines appear, "DIE!" the Faunus-Slayer declared before pulling out his sword.
Adam blocked the slashes and cuts with his sheath again but saw the frame crack more than before. He then saw Izou already prepare for a third assault. The White Fang Swordsman sheathed Wilt, but then saw the energy start the leak out from the cracks.
"Forcing it will only break your scabbard." Izou said as his body glowed with a crimson aura, the red lines forming again.
"That was my intention," Adam said with Izou having a look of confusion. He then repositioned himself for a swing, then activated his Noble Phantasm. However, the damaged sheathed shattered with the crimson energy rocketing the pieces at the Faunus-Slayer as if they were fired from a shotgun. The bits collided with the red lines, exploding on impact to create a massive dust cloud.
Izou jumped back to escape the dust cloud then made a horizontal slash with his katana, dispersing the smoke. However, Adam was nowhere to be seen. Izou scanned the area, then heard someone emerged from the water behind him. He turned to witness the White Fang Swordsman in mid-swing of a downward vertical slash. Izou blocked with his katana before the two engaged in another sword struggle of slashes. Adam continued his assault as fast as he could preventing Izou from sheathing his sword again.
However, Izou instead used his sheath to jab Adam in the abdomen. The White Fang Swordsman recoiled from the strike, then focused on Izou about to sheath his blade again. Adam then reposed Wilt, slashing the sheath in half before the katana could pass through. While Izou gasped in shock, but he then saw an opening. In adjusting his stance, the Faunus-Slayer connected with a vertical slash to the right side of Adam's face, shattering the mask as blood erupted.
"AAAAAAAAAA!" Adam screamed in pain, stepping backward with his right forearm over his face, "M-MY EYE!"
"Hahahahaha, got you!" Izou taunted, "A little birdy told me about that brand you hide with that mask. You couldn't see out of your left eye, so I just need to take out the right one." He said as Adam wildly swung Wilt, which Izou effortlessly dodged, "You can't see me, and with the waterfall, you cannot fully hear me. I have heard the term blind as a bat. But I guess blind as a bull works here too."
"Damn you, I'll kill you!" Adam called out as he continued to swing, but all were misses.
"Think about it, I planned this from the beginning." Izou spoke, "This is what separates a genius swordsman," he said before raising his katana overhead, "From a dead swordsman!" The Faunus-Slayer spoke before bringing his sword down. However, Adam smirked. In hold Wilt with both hands, he parried the strike, "WHAT!?" Izou said with Adam glaring back with his left eye. The Faunus-Slayer then jumped back to avoid a horizontal swing. He then glared at the White Fang Swordsman, "It's not even scarred in the slightest. Did that bitch lie to me?"
"No, when I fought her, my scar remained." Adam responded, "However, I learned of the healing potential of my teammates, and asked them to remove my brand and restore my eye."
"You what!?" Izou commented in shock, "With the way she described it, how could you throw that scar away so easily?"
"I used to think all scars were permanent," Adam said before pointing Wilt at his opponent, "But to move forward, some scars need to be forgotten." He said before smiling, "I made this plan before even coming here, knowing you might try something like what you just did."
"Tsk." Izou scoffed, then grinned, "Well, hope you enjoyed have depth perception for a hot minute there. Now you're back to one eye."
"Yes, but that may be for the best," Adam responded.
"Huh?" Izou spoke in confusion.
"Truth be told, fighting with both eyes was very new to me." Adam said with a grin, "I think it gave me a handicap in our fight just now, hahaha." He chucked before reposing his Wilt.
"Hey, you. Did you just laugh?" Izou spoke in a more deadpan voice, then glared with his crimson eyes, "I NEVER let anyone," he spoke before leaping forward, "Laugh at me!" The Faunus-Slayer shouted while swinging his sword, which Adam parried.
"You should learn to calm down." Adam spoke with a smile still on his face, "It makes your swings too predictable."
"SHUT UP!" Izou shouted back, "I don't need any advice from anyone, I'm a genius!" he said while continuing his assault, "And are not the one to be lecturing me on calming down. You are the Beast of the White Fang, a murderous psychopath who has killed countless humans without remorse in his purist of vengeance." He said as both blades grinned against each other, "But in the end, all you amounted to was a defeated moron who was tossed away to be forgotten and mocked by all the better swordsmen like me. You're nothing but a joke!"
"You're the only joke here." Adam responded, "Better swordsmen like you? Ha! The way I see it, you're the one who has to copy other people's skills because you don't have any to yourself." He said before grinning, causing Izou's eyes to fill with fury, "You say you're a genius, but in truth, you just cheated on every test you took, HAHAHAHA!"
"STOP LAUGHING!" Izou responded while going for an overhead swing. However, Adam dodged before making one slash across Izou's torso, forcing the Faunus-Slayer to jump back, "Tsk, damnit." He said as the slash across his chest drew some blood, but was not deep.
"Look, I will give you one out." Adam spoke in a more serious voice, "Drop your sword and admit defeat. Answer for your crimes, and never pick up a weapon again to harm others." The White Fang Swordsman said with scowl, "That is the only way you leave here alive."
"You expect me to take that?" Izou asked.
"No," Adam responded, "But I was given a second chance, so I thought I would offer you the same."
"Heh, forget it," Izou responded, "I play to win and always win." He then pointed at Adam with his sword, "And you have pissed me off too much to give you an out. There is no escape for either of us."
"Very well," Adam said before reposing Wilt once again, "I am running out of time, so let's finish this."
"For once, we can agree on something," Izou said as he reposed his sword, "Soon, only one of us will be walking away alive."
"Right," Adam said as he held Wilt in both hands, his body and hair glowing in a red aura. Izou glowed in a crimson aura, his hair spiking up to match the White Fang Swordsman's. The two waited in silence before rushing towards each other, letting out a battle cry while delivering the final swing of their blades.
The two swordsmen stood a few feet back-to-back from one another, each remaining unmoving. Suddenly, blood gushed from the left side of Adam's face, "Tsk, damnit!" he said as his other eye had been gouged out. As he placed his right over it to stop the bleeding, his expression filled with dread as he felt a sharp pain in his back.
"Hehehehe, I told you." Izou said as he held his katana inside Adam's back, the sharped end of the blade facing the sky, "I'm a genius swordsman!" With his left wrist, he pushed the blade upwards, creating an eruption of the White Fang Swordsman's blood as the weapon ripped through his flesh, "AHAHAHAHA!" The Faunus-Slayer laughed before Adam's body fell to its knees, his left arm went limp as it barely held Wilt, "Oh, still kicking a bit." Izou said while hearing some faint breath from the White Fang Swordsman, "Well, let me fix that with a little decapita-" Izou was saying until his own chest erupted with blood, "…Eh?" The Faunus-Slayer said before falling back into the river, dropping his katana in the water.
"Heh, I knew you would go for my other eye, then move in for the kill afterward." Adam spoke with a smile, blood leaking from the corners of his mouth, "So I used my strike to create one red line in your chest, then activated it before you could notice you were already doomed."
"A…delayed …strike…" Izou spoke before coughing blood, the crimson aura fading away, "How… did you…come up with… that idea?"
"Well, it was a technique used to bring me down. But in your case, you will not be getting back up again." Adam spoke as slightly turned his head back, "You lose, White Fang Killer."
"I... lost...?" Izou spoke in dread, trying to push his body up, "No... I don't...want to… die!" he spoke before cough more blood, causing his head to fall back into the river. However, his body was too heavy to be carried away. Water began to flow into his mouth and wounds as the light slowly faded from his eyes.
Adam let out a sigh, "I would say that I'll see you in Hell." He said before moving his head back, looking up towards what he remembered he focused on last, "But I hope to see someone else when I open my eyes again."
Meanwhile.
Nightingale saw her pocket watch tick by, then closed it before rushing out the airship. She quickly ran through the woods, reaching the opening near the waterfall. However, she gasped at the sight of Adam, making her way to him. While his body was seemingly unresponsive, she did detect a faint breath. However, her eyes followed his line of sight, allowing the steel nurse to discover Musashi in the cage. Nightingale quickly drew her revolver before shooting the branch, causing the cage to free fall. The steel nurse then caught the cage before breaking into open, pulling Musashi out.
Musashi was then encompassed in a teal aura, her wounds healing as eye twitched open, "What…what happened?" She said before focusing on the steel nurse, but then turned her head with a gasp, "Adam!?"
"It's okay, both of you are going to make it." Nightingale said, "He made me promise that I would save you first. So, just sit here and-" she was saying until Musashi stood up, then rushed over to Adam, "Wait! I wasn't done yet!
Musashi then stumbled in pain in front of Adam, falling to her knees. She then lifted his head to examine his face, seeing both eyes gouged out. However, she also noticed the branding was gone as well. Tears began to form in Musashi's eye as it closed, followed by her resting her forehead against his. The two were then encompassed in a teal aura as Nightingale began to heal both at the same time.
AN: There you go, the battle of two manslayers, but one of whom changed through the course of this story into something more. I know Adam has become the butt of a lot of jokes in the rwby community, but I still like the version of him I made here and the development he has gone through. As a lot could have put together, he used the powers Weiss, Yang, and Nightingale had to heal his branded eye before this fight. Still, the fight against Izou was not easy. With his NP, I liked how I could pull a bit from his second ascension artwork. Still, I liked how the ending played into the final moment of Adam's battle against Musashi in Fates Collide. That is one mission accomplished and one White Fang Killer down. However, more remain and will only get harder for the heroes to defeat. The next chapter will see Sienna and Sigurd take on the monster that awaits them. That is all for now, thanks for reading, and hope to see you in the next chapter.