Journey to Another Stars

by SkyChaser17

Her heart would seek love filling the empty void, her resolution would tear uncertainty as bellowing thunder, his emotion is as calm as the night, where his hope would be as bright as the day. T to be safe and summary could be better.

Greetings Captain, May your journey aboard this ship be blessed.

It's an honor working up the courage prepping and releasing this idea of mine to the community as the start of a new goal set in the horizon, regardless how small-scale it is(I really owe you one Phoenix!).

Now, Before we proceed any further. Let me say this, I have an issue with sentence composing and at times typo where it'll too unbearable at times even with Beta helper as non-native English speaker. That's your first warning.

Next, The plot was 'so original', to add certain dumbass blond with a twist to one of the best mobile games created by Mihoyo dominating Play Store plus action packed RPG gaming in general.

Again, you see the sign, go ahead. The button is right there, save us the time and effort to write comment of another Author can't be creative enough.

Another drop to the vast sea of cliché RWBY fanfic that just couldn't get any better. Sigh... I know, but I can't help to try to make something man...

Honkai impact 3rd own one of the greatest storyline an anime game should have. Combined with great graphics and action pack formula that keep back on the edge of your seat on each mission or battle.

It's a bit hard to not get addicted, especially graduation cha- No, I didn't get paid to do blatant advertising in the middle of fanfiction site, Let me clarify that. I just feel in love with the game and regret never starting on it years ago.

Though I highly encourage you to play it as new captain for those who never touched it. Yes, I'm pulling for 5.4 Silver wing(you know how this goes for poor SOB like me). Before we began,

Disclaimer, Honkai Impact 3rd and RWBY belonged to their respective owner, this fanfiction simply creative literature that doesn't bring any money towards me as its writer, both respectively owned by Mihoyo and Rooster Teeth in any way, shape, or form.

Sit back, relax, and enjoy.

Edit: Some of the black boxes I purposefully use didn't show, I try to edit it but it seems it didn't work for app version for android

Beta: Phoenix

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Nothing is instant, life would never give it's blessing less you work hard for it, Hence you should never tempt them by eating 2 minute instant noodle after a can of Dr Pepper. -Skychaser17 being a dumbass.

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C. 1 Ascend to the []

"Gragh-?!" The thump of reverberating flesh will haunt those who overhear the recurring pained grotesque grunt under the cracked moonlight.

"Bgwaahg-?!" A cry, followed by a second, third, and fourth.

Before a heavily breathing sack dropped unceremoniously on the floor, greedily gasping for air. His face marred by dozens of small cuts and his dark blue eyes swelled to the side along with a claw shaped blue bump on his lower left cheek.

A petri dish sized puddle gathered tears on the side mixed with a small amount of flowing red slowly burning his functional peripheral vision.

Pushing his hands off the ground so his lower body could sit on the flat surface had met with forceful resistance, it doesn't stop him from wiping the pinkish spittle off his slit lips.

Minor nausea and vertigo assault him to no end from recent blood loss. A coppery taste, yup, tongue still functioning at least. It took a good few second for the blurry daze to be replaced by the fully rooted figure standing in the dark. Illuminated by nothing but minimal lighting where air surrounding him instil terror.

"Ptfu-!… Satis…fied?" Defiantly, Dark Blue resisted.

"Haa… hAaa… Haaa-!… Barely," Magenta scowled. Resentment swarmed in anything but pocket-sized doses.

"Haa-haaa… Who… Who would've tho- Booakh?!" A fist suddenly buried itself into his gut, his muscles unable to flex from sudden assault, reflexively tensing from the invading object in retaliation as the force drove it's spread evenly all over where air removed by going upward.

"GraAAAh-!?"

"Tch-!" If one had to explain their first impression of meeting Lie Ren.

The majority regard him as the calmest of individuals, owning forbearance of a saint for ignoring Nora, Knee-Breaker, Valkyrie's intense ramblings. Steering Nora away from the Hospital before turning her image as its next ADHD poster candidate.

A natural pleasantness whose cordial to those he communicates with, as illusory as a certain Faunus in hiding, hardest to anger and laziest ninja of Team JNPR representing a sloth of all things. Many doubted he owns any anger at all from the indolent impression Ren displayed on daily basis.

His undecorated nonchalance often made people leave him to his own devices whether Nora within his vicinity or not, as he rarely did anything that needs close attention.

Alluding those, Ren is the definition of the "polar opposite" to the disgruntled Yang Xiao-Long on a good day. Owning the patience of refined man, who would never let abrasive lashings spell his act-

"S-GraaaAAAAaaah-!"

"Blaaarhg-?!" The receiver was sent two meters up into the air, openly coughing blood in the next as a spittle burst from the strong blow, before rolling loudly using his shoulder damping the intense pain after the sickening crunch of bone and meat slapped to the floor.

"Aaa-….Greach-?!… Aaaakh-?!ARrgrrkh?!" The lack of air turned the scream to a muffled cry, minor concussion and internal pain slowly spreading throughout his body from his bruised abdomen.

Well, they're free to jump off a cliff to die in shame. The edge is right over there by the way.

The Lie had no strength to match the 'so called' top boxer position Yang claimed for herself, but he made it up with his unrelenting barrage in walloping Jaune Arc as an equivalent to yesterday's trash in a, quite fairly, barbaric method that would make Cardin's bullying benign in comparison.

"Khaa… If-… If Nora sees you now -cough!… Argh, dare I say, she…she would do the same? Or… tell you-khk-! t-to back off?…" His whole body felt like it had been set on fire. As smoldering cinders had yet to died out in his scowling Dark Blue. Newfound cockiness suddenly manifested from nothing where teeth grind to one another.

"Essentially?… even she wouldn't get the kneecaps when I'm done," Ren bit evenly. He was not joking. The first years in Beacon often overlooked how prevalent the green Ninja is for favoring the long-ranged option, often spending his time mediating does not equal losing a fighter's viciousness.

"Graah… snhh…Good thict…thing-aaah I was, s...saved, from it?…aaargh…" Jaune sorely let his incoherent groans grumbled in slow whine.

"Don't push it, I was this close to blowing your brain out," The livid martial artist openly enunciated in a manner would make Magnhild barely blunt in comparison. Stamping down his flooding emotion in crashing gray, in anticipation had it decided to run berserk once more where his semblance working its wonder.

"Damn, - cough- right you are, I deserve it…" Jaune spat to the floor, it was his third tooth.

"Tch, owch…"

"An hour of beating you into pulp wasn't enough to convey the loathing I have for your blistering stunt, much as I respect your desire and pride to be recognized, there is a line you should know… I'm ready to cross." Ren yet again, conveyed in cold declaration.

"Though… you are capable to hold your claim to others' disagreements." he reluctantly bites the last comment as if swallowing a rotten lemon, adequate to be a retrofit of sort.

"Feeling the love here, dear believer." Jaune sarcastically half grated.

"What? Want another serving? Fine by me." Ren returned in an instant. Slowly raising his transparent red coated fist; Jaune scurried away in surrender by raising his arms upwards, Ren start to smother the growing forest fire inside his chest in another chained disgust.

"..."

"..."

An expected heavy gap slowly enlarging itself from unfinished wordless aggression.

Perhaps because of that rough up, none had any reserved intention to impart than blunt disregard. Which equivalent of nothing to step away from this development.

Beacon tower stood tall as ever in the middle of campus ground, green light sticking out as a sore thumb where the two found the sight was a better activity to appreciate.

"... Shoot, what was I thinking faking my way in here?…" Jaune decide to break the ice, coping his sadness for finally questioning the true weight of his life choice-

"I don't know, Unrecognizable stupidity and foolishness? Don't have the brainpower to understand the concept of being killed prematurely? Head filled by nothing but poor fathering speeches that barely taught you basic real-world logic? Oh, how about pulling someone else in your pathetic attempt of machismo who can barely carry any of us in way that can be relied upon because all you care about is getting recognized which can fetch you a quick girlfriend by unfathomable dreams of grandeur?" Ren listed in deadpan without need for inhale. Jaune barked a forced laughter from that.

"Okay, I let those slide regardless how much I want to deck you back bastard." he snarked after fulfilling priorities to squint his foremost disrespect.

"Warranted, and you're still a dumbass, never assume I forgive you just like that." Ren scooting over to his side on top of the school balcony edge. Barely holding a sniding smirk decorating his exhausted demure.

Nora ought to have explained whether Ren was a robot ninja, or just didn't bother proving he could run his mouth off and triggering everyone's buttons in less than five seconds purely by well-placed sass.

Pyrrha's status as undefeated champion was a no-brainer, his team and RWBY filled those ranks, but Ren of all people (he still hasn't let it sink that Ren had packed such overwhelming rage within himself), pounded that reality back in a quite literal sense, that he was weak.

The weakest first year of Beacon, Jaune grip on his jeans amplifies.

Ren who never bothered to show his aggressive side by lazily enjoying his day away, doesn't mean he couldn't haul CRDL's asses if he wishes. He's a Huntsmen in training, like Ruby and the rest, he's above what is called normal standards regardless of claiming his Aura reserves wasn't as ample to others.

Being able to annihilate a double-headed King Taijitu solo was the clearest first sign Jaune should notice he was nowhere near any of their abilities after an apathetic agreement he's the second weakest in JNPR.

"..." Contemplating what filled their minds.

Both wordlessly tilted their heads upwards, viewing the countless glistering stars adjourning the limitless sky where the formation of clouds barely concealed heaven's brilliance that humanity could merely bask from below; a midnight canvass brushed by soft cyan bearing the resemblance to one color of encapsulating rainbow.

"..." It was pleasant, soothing the throbbing aches of worldly issues, ignoring the beating of the year the leader of JNPR underwent that is. The twinkling stars seemed to share their quietude.

"..." Jaune has to acknowledge it, today was such a roller coaster. He was running low on fumes till the point of near collapse. Yet it wouldn't be fair describing what he had been through with the mere simplification he's ready for a good long sleep tonight.

First, consumed by enormous guilt for obeying Cardin's demand transformed him to the bully's errand boy for weeks, lest he divulge the truth to Professor Goodwitch that would flip the growing chaos over sideways in several worthwhile implications, he had to play the two-bit sidekick mockery that profoundly changed his dynamic with his true friends.

Suffered treatment worse than abusive pet owners with building sized egos that should never be challenged, whereas he as the lapdog, shouldn't dare to fight back.

Considering Cardin himself own Aura and way above his level, had escalated the issue he wished never to go blow over than what it already is. Paired he had pushed away Pyrrha to sock it… only iced the betrayal cake he packed on a neatly tied gift box to his teammate.

"..." He was an asshole, no going around it. A goofy asshole, no. A whiny clown fit his whole disposition way too perfectly.

Just because Jaune being truthful and trying to live up to expectations his family and himself wanted to reach by doing anything on his own without anyone's help as his ancestor did exactly, by being remembered as a war hero.

Doesn't change the fact he's a terrible leader for pushing his partner away when she wanted nothing else but to support him. Ruby's speeches affected him the most after affirming he could lead in his own way, reassuring Jaune his time would come sooner or later.

He wasn't made for this profession in the end. That much he was aware after being so clueless to almost everything for months and come to his senses he should've left after failing to ask Weiss out for a date.

Jaune could've taken his emotional baggage on his own until his team, his friends, who would've happily craned their necks for his useless ass, are almost tangled into Cardin's scheme to curb him to do his bidding when he had done nothing worthy to earn their respect.

Forcing Jaune to take matters into his own hands for the first time in his life, after escaping the Arcs (he was wondering they already expect him to come back and waiting to tell him "we told you so" when he opened the front door, sounds way too accurate actually).

Barely able to recount everything in order, his enlarging deviance drew an Ursa Major after receiving a nasty left hook from his former torturer is the most prominent event that stuck out from the rest.

Jaune doubted the bully would change after a half-assed threat, considering it was adrenaline taking the leash, he barely got any stronger after ordering Cardin to screw off after a mock glaring contest.

Strength didn't work like that, even if he read too much comic to poison his imagination and view on reality.

He's surprisingly realistic when it came to his capability (or lack thereof), wouldn't change who he is.

He wasn't Ruby level optimism he's able to change the guy to a new leaf.

He was not boastful or courageous as Yang who can pave her own way by punching all her obstacles away.

Certainly not Weiss book smart nor Blake analytically calm that can came off as standoffish, and most certainly, not talented and helpful as Pyrrha.

That he respected greatly than the rest of the girls he was acquainted with in Beacon.

No, Jaune knows Cardin would bring his predicament to Headmaster Ozpin one way or another after he had paid his debt. He's the weakling dork who got lucky at the entrance exam that has yet to improve.

Cardin wouldn't change overnight too. So would he. And honestly?

Those months in Beacon did something, but a perfect block that oh so happened to have presented him an opportunity to one-shot a giant Grimm bear?

'Pyrrha could've been more subtle' he could care less to let pride do the thinking for finally earning his first kill, there's no way his shield was able to move faster in less than a second when his form of fighting was that of a blind man swinging sharp hazards.

It doesn't stop him from clearing out an overdue truth from being hidden far too long behind his poorly made coffin when he called his team for a… confide, of sort.

About his dream, his ambition, tired for being weak, a desire to be recognized not for glory though that's how his bedtimes story shaped him up to be honorable, but to not disappoint those who believe in him.

Jaune wanted to be useful, not a clown that could brighten their day with his awkward antics. No. Being a dork wasn't his choice, he already posses low self-esteem issue by having seven sisters that shine in their own way combined with an inferiority complex for they babied him 24/7, never letting his confidence grow was his weakest flaw fueled by fake bravado as coping machine.

It gnawed at his heart when Pyrrha was just about to forbid Jaune the same way his family did by pity, as somebody that couldn't improve. And it was warranted.

Just as Nicholas had done, throwing a wooden sword and demanded to hit him on the chest once, it should have been obvious how it had turned out as they valued their precious one's safety first and foremost.

They loved him, but never believed in him.

However, he is still a damned fool for refusing Pyrrha's offer. Reality checks will do wonders for one's perspective on 'look at everything around you' mentality when he asked Pyrrha to deck him in face because he owed her that much.

Nora on the other hand… was an interesting case, she was mad. No, infuriated to borderline livid is a better description by taking his offer before his partner did.

Jaune had expected her to chew him out like an angry neighborhood, revealing what supposed to be a taboo and completely idiotic attempt, with potential conclusion reporting her founding to authorities in person as he had deserved. And boy she did fit those metaphor verbatim.

Already accepting his fate, there's no way he would get away from this anymore. But no.

She genuinely cried afterwards. Both in spiteful anger and for losing control to snap him in place. Increasing weep and angst for his well-being thinned the self-control she had left, soon, Nora delivered one of the bluntest calls on the carpet he'd heard after she slapped him, hard, across the face.

His so called 'Blindly jumped into danger' had hit far too close to home.

Nora understood his desperation for acceptance, but couldn't bear the thought of Jaune being indirectly rejected by his own parents' decision resulting in his current self-proving them wrong repeat itself unnoticed, send a shotgun shell to her wavering heart.

Jaune couldn't believe it, it was barely a year since the creation of JNPR.

He thought There was no way he was able to hurt Nora on personal level, yet here's the result. Both from disappointment, and exasperation close to a freak out for faking his way in entering a Huntsmen academy.

Oh, Pyrrha already knew, she does. Being hauled by Nora by the collar however, took the chaotic meter to a whole new level after almost earning the identical treatment that became quite heated debate of their supposed action to keep this team in place.

Anger for not calling her or Ren out when Jaune had truthfully informed his predicament to the person he trusted the most in this place, that Pyrrha should have reported this to them, instead of keeping it in and let their leader sort it out on his own. His team should be aware of their leader's burden and helped him. Heck, he would've rejected their worries if not for the lesson he should be better than he was when this happened.

"To hell with your stupid belief! I promise I will make Cardin's beating less worse if you try and pull this crap again!" Nora's exclamation probably should've reached the Headmaster's office had not for the walls around the dorm dampening the loud echoes, Or the fact she was lecturing him with tears flowing down face.

Now there was no way could he see the bomber as the identical hyperactive pyromaniac where the desire to help him was higher than Ruby Rose. The girl that radiates caring energy beyond her small frame. No, she treated him as family. The way his sisters did.

Secrets began spilling out in motion. Where Nora and Ren had to survive in the wilds on their own for years as adolescence travelling from Village to village, entering Beacon roster through the scholarship course, because their hometown, Kuroyuri, was no more.

Those over-the-top storytelling and adventures she passionately gossips about during our lunches? It was a ruse, no one would ask them to know Nora's reputation as an over-the-top storyteller, wouldn't let them learn the truth after being put off by all the shouting glory people wouldn't bother to look underneath when they could help it.

Taking the illegal immigrants' path had been the real kicker when they took shelter under literal mafia groups just to secure a roof over their heads, no legal papers only worsened their tribulations in reaching Vale's port as Mistrals lower cities had left scars in their souls, scavenging for foods and learning how to defend themselves against wild animals and thugs alike.

Pyrrha gasped at the followed-up reveal and hugged them both out of pure guilt. It made her a failure for being unable to not help her partner and knowing parts of her friends' life she should've been aware of. after ignoring the red mark on her cheek as her punishment to let Nora finish her lecture towards her and Jaune.

The blame game would've gone too heavy had Ren not brought back order by declaring to not repeat this again in the future. He too let his Semblance take the reins as he too understood the implication for letting their emotions spill out in this manner would result negatively tomorrow.

Hence the unanimous decision to always be together, especially since one of them needs help carried over to the rest, because they're a family in all but blood.

It was… Enlightening,

JNPR never felt as close knitted as it was today. This joy was not the same from the one the Arcs gave him. Short waterworks where the girls needed to calm themselves as he bashfully looked away for making this mess in the first place are inevitable.

He was glad his team was so accepting, instead of throwing him out to the dumps as they should've done. Jaune had no right to have such an amazing team, let alone be the one leading them. A sentiment that perhaps only he himself owned than the rest kept saying he could do it.

Ren begged to differ, when the girls decide to rest early after a round of dreamy Red sap and creamy layered pancakes as a late-night celebration raiding the cafeteria supplies. He dragged him here, where Cardin had tangled him into his scheme, where it all began.

The rest was history.

"Got it, kokh-?!… out of your system yet?…" He still can't feel his cheeks, most of his upper body near the head really.

"No… Just, just give me few more minutes…" Ren pushed out in shaky breaths; facing upwards to regain his normal bearings.

He was enraged-no, he may hide it from plain sight as Nora never saw or sensed his growing WRATH when Jaune recounted his childhood story.

Sob tale or not, he almost lost the temptation to let go of his Semblances influence and shouting his pent-up outrage along the way with Nora. Not in caring worry she frontally displayed.

Just pure disgust. That's it.

Ren didn't understand the slightest appeal of being a hero, the romanticized tale in saving others in the nick of time and glorified make-up to cover their endeavor reaching it. Unlike Ruby who chased the ideal as a gospel, he found the whole ambition… foolish.

Unworthy of his time to refine his art and skills using Jaune as measuring sticks for blindly parroting the word as commas, instead of an oath to go by.

He silently claims it childish, as Ren has no right nor desire to be one. Nor would he ever be. He never wanted to be a hero every aspiring huntsman or huntress dreamed to be because they wanted to, and no other reason because they couldn't be anyone else.

His mother was nowhere to be found, while his Dad was mauled by a breathing nightmare that would never let him escape from its enrapturing claws in the shadows that would never fail to leave him drenched in cold sweat.

Piece by piece,

limb by limb,

cries by cries-

Where were they when he needed them?

"Tch…" it horrified him that he's not broken yet. That all it took was fueling his innate power using his anility nonstop to keep his shambled life together.

Look where he is now. Ren didn't know if his Semblance is a blessing, or a curse in disguise for almost inevitably activating it on every opportunity he crossed when his annoyance bubbled to the surface. Hiding his volatile side that can made babies cry by a single glance.

Nora had yet to notice he was doing it after years of silent practice, never letting a single-color drain from his skin in his subtle attempt to control it 24/7.

A living Lie, that's who he is. Under the mask of calm and collective nature he crafted painstakingly, Ren buried his younger and rash nature away from prying eyes. Where it was safely buried, unable from seeing the sunlight from that day onwards he swore to become strong.

Judging from how emotional Nora was back there, it wouldn't be a surprise she would go ballistic over his secret Semblance usage for years.

Hell, he did forgo the damn sustain by exploding it to one person, what made the blond still breathing was from his passed-down lineage of durability, and barely using Aura to reinforce his fists density.

Oh… Ren held back, he was not Yang who would send its opponent through metric tons of pure concrete when provoked just once by the slightest finger bump, he had class.

And thinking of the person who recently become his new internal thorn. Ren somewhat saw his past in Jaune; there's nothing identical on the surface, but on the inside? … They were almost a mirror.

Naive, unknown to world outside before it came knocking on his front door, and in need to defeat his inner weaknesses and demons plaguing their shoulders before the world consumed them.

It might sound petty, but He and Nora had it worse than RWBY combined. Pyrrha didn't count as she herself dismissed the notion of her attempt at earning normalcy as her friends who wasn't a celebrity wasn't as groundbreaking compared to them.

He certainly didn't know about Blake's drive, but he is all Nora had left and vice versa if any of their motivation in being Huntsmen and Huntresses were to go by.

Living an idealistic dream, bound by family obligations with a stick the size of a tree, a danger seeker with a brash attitude worse than Nora, and a goth wannabe. Ren barely held his derisive scoff.

He may hide it well, but was sidesplitting the girls managed to glue together after it's rocky first day. JNPR included. His mind grinded to a halt on one replay of morbid recollection.

Jaune is an untrained civilian, close to an amateur criminal in hiding who faked his identity. Entering Beacon by chance and deemed as a squad leader of four based from his quality to think and pick up clues on the spot entering the test ground without his Aura.

Jaune reeled towards the neutral spectrum of the moral compass, considering he had the Audacity to forge a fake transcript. He wouldn't hesitate when the chances arrive. That's been a sign he's slightly different from Ruby in term of idealistic view of achieving their goals.

Ren realized Aura wasn't everything, but that didn't sit well when Jaune is completely clueless about a centuries-old Arc tradition. Granted, he shared his story of being diverted from the family business, but never taught any basics?

Ren had let him lead the team, He is an unskilled fraud, Jaune could've indirectly killed Nora. The sentence haunted his thought process over and over since the secret laid out in waves. That sentence replayed over and over as he pummeled his face in where he stood back up to continue the punishment he deserve to endure.

Ren might be furious, yet expressed none of it other than towards himself. He was weak. No, till now, he is weak. The mark had been deeply engraved into his soul after Kuroyuri's destruction.

Ren vowed to become stronger before taking down the 'Nightmare' with his own hands. No matter what. He might not swear to himself to be an avenger as the path was a one-way ticket to absolute emptiness, but it was still the highest priority on his checklist after graduating Beacon.

Jaune would be his next reminder. Never learned the dose of reality before it slapped Him harshly across the face.

Clicking his tongue to banish the poisonous thoughts, Ren threw his head back to douse the reignited ember.

It was unbearable to sit and chat with someone who lied his way to a place where only the best of the best gather in utterly laughable fashion. He had to hand it to the blond for actually being able to pull it off.

Creeping shadows pushed stronger. Just one decision, right on top of the tower. Relay everything and things can go as usual without his presence in the team by making Pyrrha as the temporary leader before the fourth member replace his position.

"..." But he can't, Jaune is a friend, his morally gray decision aside, the rough house was cathartic enough to not rat him out this very second.

Ren fought his way here tooth and nail, both from legal and illegal standpoint to keep Nora safe, thus he can't call Jaune out, a hypocrite was the last thing he wanted to be.

And he found company in him as someone troublesome he can share the worries he couldn't properly convey to Nora. He admits, those bro codes were actually relaxing to have around.

"What were we doing exactly? …" Jaune shot rhetorically. Sensed the Lie glance of discomfort to his direction.

"Hump… the usual thing, you doing what supposed to be an illegal action for not thinking the cause for having the idiocy to pull it off, me delivering overdue karma. Nothing worthy to be alerted to the authorities nor the Headmaster to make a national issue of which might spark a civil war or worse inside Beacon."

"Wow... You're never going to let it down, are you?" Jaune deadpanned. Ren returned it, unimpressed.

"... You could've killed Nora." He conveyed bluntly, all boiling down to this.

"... I'm aware."

"No, you don't."

"Yes, I am."

"You aren't."

"Nora could've taken care herself, Ren." Jaune argued.

"This is why I beat you up." Ren retorted back.

"Using Yang as a comparison had you lead Ruby to fight off a horde of Alpha Beowolves without any preparation than handfuls of ammo." drawing the situation effortlessly.

"Weak example; Ruby could've prevented the lack of ammo and take the situation into her own hands. In her words, stupid mutts are no match for her unmatched speed, there's no such thing as ran out of bullets for a girl like her." Ren openly roll his eyes.

"-but we are talking about Nora, right? Both are stronger than me, that I should be worried of the pack they're facing instead… Though I'm not up to debate. You're right, one wrong move could kill anyone in this line of profession." Jaune grimaced.

Aura gave him powers normal human couldn't have, but it didn't make them invincible.

"I'm sorry, I really am… For all its worth not being competent enough to give a calm of mind, for never trusting any of you faster when my hardheadedness took over." A total stubborn klutz he might be, suicidal and brainless-

"For betraying your trust and could've hurt all of you. I… I should've been a leader you can count of, not babysit…" He was not, this is not how Ren shows his displeasure, but a warning. That much is clear.

"Humph, if half-ass babying you gave this much of a lesson, then I wonder what would happen if we never pamper you."

"Hah! Bite me!"

"No,"

"Well… I've never seen, or actually hear you this talkative in a conversation before."

"You're going of topic."

"Again, Bite me!"

"Stop offering yourself dimwit, it's weird."

"You know that's not what I meant jerk!"

"Then no. You're too bloody to chew, I had my fill half an hour ago."

"Gee~! Wonder who might think it was a good idea resulting me in a bloody scuffle after we had a satisfying dinner?!" Ren has no obligation to answer the last snark, Jaune was like a little brother he never knew he needed. While the idiot certainly saw Ren as someone he could always count on.

"Weak as you are now, you are much better off than the other trainees here in self-preservation. Including Cardin,"

"Yeaah, really encouraging with that patronizing offe- ptfu-! That's the fourth one! Can I use my Aura now?!"

"Who said you that you can't use it right away?" Ren flatly shot back; it took the blond a good two seconds to register it in after staring ominously to the Lie.

" Cheeky little…" Jaune grumbled, his diminished reserves collapsed further under the rapid pace repairing his damaged skin in less than a minute. Radiant air enshrouding his body in pure white color before darkened to flaking snows.

He may be tired after three beatings in a day, but it is still enough to fully mend his fresh injury albeit shrink to unnoticeable cuts and wrinkles.

Ren roughhousing was worse than Cardin's, yet all the sustained wound fixed till all that remained were simply muscle aches. His Ribs weren't protesting as much as it did now.

"I didn't say anything. It was you who assumed so." He found humor to his troubles.

"Thought we had an agreement you didn't use yours till all bets were off?" Jaune raised his brow.

"I repeat, it was you who assumed so. I have more class than Yang to send you through sets of brick walls."

"Bah! Hope Nora can see how much you can banter back and forth like newlyweds."

"You already tried?"

"Wouldn't dream of it, Pyrrha already sent me to the floor right before we even began, if you can call it one that is."

"Good, I'm tempted to sick you to her on a sugar rush if you haven't learned your lesson." It's official, Ren was one unhappy camper.

"... You're evil."

"I have no reason to defend myself from such accusation when they deserve it."

"I don't deserve that…"

"The audacity to fake your way in and being a literal asshole to us indirectly? And I need my sleep after Nora dragged me around the forest to listen to your snooze narration."

"... Would Ruby regard you as the Demon King?" Jaune sulked after that rebuttal.

"OH! Striking a deal with Weiss on exchanging notes for academic purpose is as easy as bribing Nora with Pancakes," Ren forth fully replied. It WAS that easy.

"-if Ruby went out of line with her cookie addiction or bring Crescent Rose to Port's lecture again. I would use more than one blackmail material Nora had gathered from the first day of school to force her to study sociology class seriously with the Campus' chattiest gossiper or ban those two items for a week outside of combat class in place where even Pyrrha can't found my stash of 'proper' sweets. It also applied to Yang's math and Blake's hatred for Dust class by pairing them with the resident chemical goddess of destruction." He explained with no small amount of genuine joy. Fully laced fake businessman etiquette promoting limited time sale vacuum cleaner.

"...Forget Demon King, you're the Overlord." Jaune declared with the blankest expression he could pull, Ren mock bristled and returned to their impromptu hang out. Honestly, was he the sanest of JNPR?

Time began to pass by mundane chitchat on how Ren managed to pull it off and actually imagining the scenarios (it made so much sense!), pitching in some ideas the martial artist can use, and wonder if Lie was not a mere surname (that Yang oh so helpfully took advantage of) with how much of the mask he put to hide his other side to others.

"Sigh… SO? What now? I'm sure they're both are fast asleep now…" Jaune threw the question to the air, tiredness kicked in at last with back ready to collapse after probing for advice to smuggle cafeteria's coffee batch to their dorm before anyone else.

Ren didn't reply right away, unnaturally focused on the starry milky way.

It was calming, pressed by a sea of buildings that was the dorm structures and several light sources from the park, white dots far out in the skies glowed more vivid than the city's nightly landscape.

The shooting star come to life before vanishing from their line of sight; bright pure in white coloration compared to its brethren scattered across the space momentarily halted their future interaction.

Epithermal residue of mixed viridescent floating above streaming into the sea of emptiness. The absence of artificial sounds prolonged for a good ten seconds under the soothing night skies.

"Stargazing? …" The silence was broken by a single invitation.

"...Sure, why not?" Jaune relaxed. The sight alone was worth it to stay awake for a bit longer.

Observing the stars; where thousands of glittering dots hanging onto who knows what decorated the endless black canvass, nothing can top it to mull decision a person should contemplate. Not a bad way to end a stressful day.

Sensing what the blond is probably thinking from bland expression.

"I'm going to ask again, what you are going to do now?" Ren threw out from his sitting position, knowing Jaune is not as dumb as Weiss and Yang claimed to be.

"... I don't know." He was truthful, right bicep covering his vision.

"I'm sure as heck I'm continuing my training with Pyrrha's help, maybe read real books in how to fight better after fixing my grades…" Jaune huffed in mock defeat, knew this is not the correct reply Ren awaited,

Eyes dead set on the starry constellation. Numerous twinkling glittering dust provided him a clear state of mind, he was not much of a deep thinker, but who said he didn't muse?

And unsurprisingly, the answer didn't take him long to obtain.

Would he bail out? Probably in a billion years. Would he adapt? Sure. Would it be easy? Of course not… Could he do it?

Grimm could finish him off in a single bite it wasn't funny.

"Ren,"

"...Yeah?"

He took a moment to pause, rephrasing his sentence before looking him directly in the eye after sitting back down.

"My answer remains the same, I'm going to be a Huntsmen, to make my family proud, to honor what it meant." He resolved. Gone was the uncertainty and slumped body language.

"..."

"As hard as that sounds, as tough it would be, with so many challenges put before us." Jaune admitted, reverting his gaze upwards. In time caught another shooting star brighter than previous-

"I won't stop." He resolved, no courage to take his words back. The stars become his witness.

"..."

"I'm weak, a fraud, just like you said." Jaune bit back the brewing anger.

"And I'm tired of standing at the back and let people do all the hard work for me." He gritted his teeth and clenched fist.

Ren had yet to respond, fully immersed in his speech.

"No matter what, I'm going to fulfill it because, I don't break my promises, I can't. There's no place for me if I can't keep my promise." Ren beg to differ, even so. He sensed the growing determination unlike any of his previous promises.

"So, can you help me? To become stronger? So I can stand proud beside everyone?" He did not demand, ordered, nor ask politely; Reaching out a welcoming hand forward.

"... Took you long enough, leader." Ren smiled, returned to seal the deal. For that instant, nothing could break this moment.

Till Jaune's scroll chimed.

"Was that timely intervention?" Ren chuckled.

"Timely intervention." He only took out his scroll dryly and began to read the contents, his right eyebrow steadily raised upward the longer he read it.

[From "the most bombastic Queen of the Castle":

Jaune-Jaune! Had you resolved your boys talk yet?! It's been soooo long waiting for you both to finish! :(

So… :) Pyrrha and I had decided that we're having a girl night compared to your boy night instead of sleeping in and guess what?! XD We're having another one her home! O I've alw wanted to know her mom had same hair as she is and how can she make chocolate pancakes without chocolate?! :O Brown sugar?! Can't you believe it?! :( This is an attack against my wisdom and knowledge as a pancake connisour :(

So, after agreement of the council of delicacy, both of us reached the agreement in storming her house this weekend! XD Tell Ren to have the pan ready. Imma not stopping and going to give up till I earn it! ;P

While I'm at it! This perfect opportunity to have some guy time, you know?… Bros thingy Dove and Russel rgue in hallway evry Tuesday holding some weird magz! :O Have fun! We left for the Airport after getting permission when you 2 being all spyish on the rooftop! XP]

"That… doesn't explain anything?" Jaune murmured. Hurt by Nora's presumption that he and Ren were talking regarding R rated stuff after rough waterworks.

"Connoisseur, she forgot to activate her auto-correct keyboard, and already switched victims. So you're stuck with me." Ren explained. Unabashed by the misunderstanding.

"Switching headaches? …" Jaune prompted.

"... long overdue break from her spirited company." Ren amended. Safe to say Jaune was the champion's headache.

"... Pyrrha's going to have a long weekend ahead of her, isn't she?" the ninja only nodded in condolence.

"Hmmm? hey… Don't you think the Airport closes this late?" Jaune soon raised his eyebrow to his soon to be trainer, eyes landed on 11.02 PM. It was way too late for them to do anything really, and when did they leave?

He had heard no airship taking off from the station outside the campus ground. Was the scuffle enough to made him not notice a bullhead noise?

"Should be, but Vale's is open 24/7, unlike Mistrals. Plus, Beacon should be open all the time as well in case there's an emergency happening in the City." Ren shrugged, dropping the matter entirely.

Pyrrha's with her, no way she wouldn't get the VIP treatment and Pancake spree on their journey, plus be responsible enough to not get the bomber on a sugar rush. Jaune could picture the panic in cackles. For once, it wasn't their turn to clean the damage caused by the hyperactive ginger.

"And this is a perfect time." Ren crossed his hand. Bringing the attention to hand.

"The Vytal festival is approaching in a few months, we can leave the final match to Pyrrha and Nora; being pretty much the heavy hitters." He had no qualms in admitting the females are hard-carrying JNPR in shrugging casualness.

"—shaping you up to an adequate level before the preliminary stage is our main priority. We've got enough time and now's a great opportunity to do so." Jaune was about to interrupt before Ren cut him off.

"Don't get me wrong, I'm sure you can survive on your own running around or blocking bullets coming our way. But this is just the ideal chance to increase your overall abilities, two birds with one stone stuff. The Vytal Tournament's not made for newbies, there are talented contestants participating in groups that can give Pyrrha a run for her title, aside from Nora." The Lie corrected his phrasing immediately while waving his hand forward.

By end of the day, Lie Ren is a ranged supporter; hit and run distractor to a fault as Jaune had described eloquently in one of their strategy meeting for wielding two semi-automatic guns.

He can be a decent sparring partner instead of a combat teacher that taught the knight-to-be the basic wielding sword and shield, but it was actually a fortunate turn of events.

"Aura exhaustion is the least of your concerns considering the amount you held would be a challenge for Pyrrha to exhaust, who I'll admit isn't that great in long drawn-out fights if you can utilize it properly." The Lie noticed the shocked expression,

"Re-really?!" Jaune almost shouted hopefully, pushing the urge back down where it came from.

"If utilized it properly." Ren accentuated.

"No offense Jaune, but you can barely manage the basic strengthening method when Cardin trashed you around in a spar, let alone putting it up all day with an amount to light a small village for a week when left uncontrolled." Ren clarified as he blinked. Jaune winced in response.

"However. Your recovery and healing rate is uncommon, extraordinary in fact, for a newly trained Huntsmen in training, your reserves weren't full when healing you to this shape minutes ago." The Arc preened as he raked his own hair, hiding his growing blush. But Ren wasn't quite done.

"I also noticed you're uncomfortable with shield and sword combination by favoring the latter." He began slowly.

"Probably a pre-jitter thing, but an unbalanced stance on the left indicates it's not the case to those who are rarely used to using both hands simultaneously, swords are easier to wield with two hands for beginners. We could work around this by switching to buckle shields instead of the kite variation you hold all the time to ease your guarding reaction time, but that's both good and bad news." Jaune raised an eyebrow.

"Pyrrha's battle style's unfit for you, so while accepting her training is the greatest offer. It wouldn't be as effective in the long run." Jaune eyes widened in shock as the Lie hurriedly elaborate his reasoning while raising his palm again.

"She's trying to make you use her style without knowing it would be bad for your growth." Ren revealed, with Jaune raising both his eyebrows.

"Wait, bad for my growth?…"

"Think for a second, her Semblance build is different to match her vicious attack pattern to counter on short notice, while diverting incoming projectiles with ease. You don't have access for refined grace and reaction time. Let alone the shield size difference and her weapon is also a spear that can transform to a rifle unlike Crocea Mors." Ren pointed out.

"Creating a new style fit for the weapon itself is much faster than making you adapt to her habits by improving your basics. Yang footwork is quite fast, but Weiss wouldn't try shadow boxing out of the blue without early understanding of the basic punching posture when goaded to it, somehow." Jaune began to see the logic and noticed, the way Pyrrha swung her sword in twirling flip was…

…Rather unfit for his supposed defense role as vanguard, focusing on balance instead of letting him block then counter the way he felt right, sure following her direction is a must when he's under her guidance when he barely had any background in defending, but adjusting to acrobatics was just…

Not made for him, in a few years? Maybe, but now he's barely able to do half, let alone a quarter of her tricks in somersault evasion.

Sure, she took it slow in one of their sessions before the Cardin mess happened, Pyrrha often stiffened in letting him find the perfect way to counter and demand him to follow the advice to the letter. Always pointing out mistakes softly with encouragement instead of ordering him to fix it right away.

"You don't seem to find standing around and taking attacks a favorable style either, it's normal. That's human instinct, screaming and dodging instead of taking it, right?" Ren was giving him further insight than the spartan with unbiased opinions.

Pyrrha's more used to tournament battles, unlike Ren and Nora who could see past the smallest opening for a chance of survival in making their own foundation while travelling Mistral before ending up here.

"Instead of full-frontal combat and acrobatic feats everyone's always quick to use, we have to go back to drawing board, you're slow, so we're going to make that not an issue till we can improve your overall dexterity." Ren closed one of his eyes as pieces began to neatly connect to one another.

"-focusing on your Aura limit to find ideas you can tweak to your liking." The Lie ended on good note.

"Advanced Aura training then?…" Jaune hopefully guessed. Slowly absorbing the information.

"Mostly meditation exercises after physical conditioning." The assumed Ninja closed one of his eyes and slowly let his Aura leak in ample amount after a quick huff and channeling it externally.

A fuchsia pulse took form carefully on his opened palm; slowly transmuted into a thin hexagonal surface, flat; perfectly hovering two centimeters above his opened palm.

Pulsing in a bumper-to-bumper beat where the aura energy grew from the middle outward. Then taking solid form a second later that rooted firm as it manifested.

"This the fastest way we can add more variety to your arsenal." Jaune ooh'ed at the simple efficient feat, never saw this from Pyrrha or Ruby, let alone Weiss whose Semblance was so diverse and mystifying in the cosmetic department. This is purely an Aura skill instead of a Semblance made ability.

"Creating a simple layered shield should be easy for large reserve owners. I'm a specialized practitioner, while Nora uses brute force for everything in her way in single swing, she's not as refined as I am in tapping inside Aura power to bring it out this way, so let's say my technique pales in comparison to Weiss' Glyphs in term of flexibility instead of application." He generalized calmly.

Then slowly molded the shape into a tranquil tapped water surface, resembling a ghostly flower form.

"Most Veterans are able to replicate what I did with ease, but it simply takes too much time in the battlefield to harness Aura essence to be this sophisticated, but let's say we go back to the topic at hand." He observed Jaune back looking into his eyes instead of his palm. Focusing on now transparent shaped lotus leaves.

"Although we have to reconstruct some of your beliefs of Aura from the ground up than a simple force field… the Arc family's heirloom is Aura conductive iron…" He clenched it, shattering the layer to floating motes.

"So, we don't have to do much in term of looking for a perfect training resource to reintroduce on the proper basics our Professors failed to accentuate… This and followed by reinforcement by coating it fully might raise your total control… No, that's too fast, I need to start on basics too if that's the case… You're too lean, build is right… but no extra muscle to back it up…" Ren cupped his chin, forming another training strategy for his leader in mind. Though…

"What?…"

"Hm?"

"... You can send Aura to your weapon?… Does that mean to my armor and shield is possible like how you did it?" Jaune queried dumbly, Ren spine underwent the chilliest of frost.

"... Please for the love of Pyrrha's chocolate you are messing with me with that last inquiry because there was no way you were blocking a Deathstalkers pincer without reinforcement or double layered protection on the shields surface even from instinct…" Ren pinched the bridge of his nose. Seriously, there's no way he had that much raw talent that gone unnoticed-

"Uhmm… No?" Jaune sweated nervously, Ren groaned, he was so… So tempted to resume his onslaught right then and there.

---

"Hooekh…"

"Thrilled, are we?…" Ren, the bastard, jabbed. Fully aware of the agony I have against flying death traps.

Wiping the residue and tying the plastic bag to the corner under my seat, I balefully express my hatred towards his nonchalance.

It's been three days since my training montage with the martial artist, and not a single moment did I miss regretting my decision for transforming the lazy sloth into a full-blown cheeky bastard, was he secretly a sadist?… Nora had the tendency to subconsciously leak bloodlust- Nope, not going to continue that assumption…

It was supposedly an overused cliche we dubbed him and Blake as ninjas, I didn't expect him to chuck Aura constructed kunai (so…so…so many of them) to my unguarded temple that he so called 'piss poor danger constitution' forcefully fixed.

However,

"Wished I could've pull Storm Flowers from you sleeves and rain bullets on your smug face…" I crooned weakly; he had the gall to shoot a smirk from his chair. Goading me to try, elegantly tidying his cream-colored collar in the process.

"Remarkable, our next three hours to Argus will proceed without incident." the jerk voice piped up joyfully; pulling his sleeping mask out and blanket into a comfortable position.

He learned of my rather vicious streak with sweet vindictive payback in replacing his healthy smoothies (it's pretty good actually, why does Nora abhor them?) with mentos filled green soda.

He's content I liked his mix, but I didn't finish the day unscratched. Giving him the replacement then liberally dousing it on his face only worsened the pain from our 'sparring' match by sleeping in a tent.

The chances we can go back to our newly found routine going back and forth taking shoots at others trigger buttons were postponed by the stupid flight to Mistral.

Pyrrha's mother, Helena Nikos, invited us to stay over at her house to spend the rest of the early summer holiday with her sweet little Prairie, I'm so going to tease her with this nickname in the future...

The semester break is near too, early break for preparation actually. The professors are preparing the festival in the city, I mean giant Colosseum. It's a big stuff to prepare under few months.

For first year students to participate in tournament beating one another in the name of future defenders for Remnant's future, yeah, I still hate tournaments… and this certainly wouldn't be the one to hype me up to take the thing seriously. No wonder dad never let me watch fighting stuff on screen unless it was cartoon violence.

Anyway, taking a break from our training (Thank…God!) and joining the girls who had a blast in Pyrrha's home(blast as in having fun, I really hoped it was metaphor and not literal…). Nora had sent a pic of their sleeping party and I was not surprised my dearest partner of mine regressed to being the younger sister instead of an older sister when it comes to Nora.

Plus, knowing how much Ren missed real Mistralian cuisine. Chances I would be greeted by an Argus specialty, that is bread and mixed local vegetables, are going to be one heck of a nostalgic blast.

I like Noodles as anybody else, but he claimed I never tasted the true height of the rich flavored goodness of Eastern one. Much less this Chop suey and grilled Ticker fish (sounds yummy, not gonna lie…) which made him really excited.

Saphron's in Argus too, perfect time to drop the bomb I made it to Beacon after I went missing for months from Ansel. I did visit her before making my leeway there instead of taking the flight home after getting her helping in smuggling me to Beacon.

Yet I'm worried for my well-being, meeting my partner's parents are both exciting and dreadful before my own.

Followed by the Arcs' overbearing mother hen blood to smother their younger one's dry won't be a pleasant week had any of them learned the truth of what I did.

Though it came as the perfect opportunity for taking my mind off on the person who leisurely sat beside me awaiting a moment for sleep.

How I wished I never promised and seek help from Lie Ren. Knowing Nora's track record, my mind believed he was the voice of reason to suppress the ginger bomber uncontrolled energy.

But noooo… He had to be the one who let Nora have the fun by watching the ongoing mayhem with a bucket of popcorn when he wasn't the guy who had to clean up the aftermath.

It Made sense how strong Nora is due to a series of circumstances, it was the latter's fault for letting the bomber maniac get away with the war hammer choice by pointing the direction for the most optimal growth.

Safe to say, his sadistic training menu was far more effective than Beacon and my family's attempt to ease me to train combined.

You don't learn from coddling, Ren drove that into my head, by literally done the same bullsh*t the Headmaster did catapulting me into the Emerald forest where we trained there for three days straight. With rest of course.

Thanks to Ren's not so subtle coaching to be physical instead of the full-on theories the professor keeps highlighting and willingness to discover the ideal combat style tailored to my habit with its tactics in mind, much of his never bubbled to the surface sass grinding my nerves, bore 'fruits' of success to my amazement and growing puzzlement.

It was more effective compared to listening to professor Port's ambiguous and clearly convoluted interpretations of three hours a week learning knowledge that can be easily covered on the field by dropping me off a f*cking ravine.

Even if the term "success" loosely used for my Semblance that had yet to awaken. I'm so much better to my starting point, not for surpassing Ruby and the rest, but enough to protect myself on bare minimum.

Thankfully, I can hold on my own against pack of Beowolves, at the very least compared to my attempt during initiation, yet there were still so many things to catch up and learn with Aura properties than simple energy field Ren had highlighted in the past three days.

Aura is my soul, my inner energy, inner peace waiting to be sprung forward by my will at any time after the seal had been broken.

A balance must strike in perfect harmonization mumbo jumbo to fully control it instead of letting it whirl around, as if I was purposefully letting my zipper left open to the public to view. His words, not mine.

Though before Ren can doze off to the land of dreams as I continued my inner rambling for who knows when.

"You do realize… that you may have jinxed it instead? Knowing my penchant as a trouble magnet?…" I somewhat managed to usher weakly from the sheer difficulty of unending shake.

Noticing the immediate flash of irritation brought colossal joy toward my declining health. These three days opened my eyes that there's more to his reputation than being a background character 'the way he liked it'.

"Aaah, then that's your fault then Arc. The blame is not mine to shoulder." Ever the calmer thinker, he never ran out of replies to give.

"It wasn't my bloody fault to get involved with so many of them…"

"Learn to avoid them yes?…"

"Does running away… from Professor Goodwitch… after someone passed us their evidence of the crime in avoiding detention… avoidable?…" My brow furled in discontent.

"...Point taken," he didn't admit his wrongdoing. Only conceding. Exhaling loudly, I followed his example.

Saving my remaining energy than a pointless back and forth, my eyes gazing silently towards the windows one last time.

The soft engine purr tore through the air, going at a steady speed towards the archipelago of tradition and vegetation, as we flew above the ocean level.

The sea of tired faces only reinforced the urge. Following the passengers' example after positively sure no more processed juice go out from where it got in, I let my eyes close, awaiting for dreams to take me away.

*Jdaaaaaaar!*

"What the he-!" This is a mistake.

*FWOOOOOOSSSSSSH-!*

A terrible one,

Lifting tight sleeping mask in utmost alertness unable to curse common profanity, greeting me on the face wa- brilliant sparks, followed by the sinister clink of a metallic object bending the wrong way, with the brightest of fireworks lighting up in a colossal chain reaction.

"HUaaaaaaa-!" "kyaaaaaaaa-?!" "Oh dear gods-!" In midst of mixed cry and startle.

*-!*

Chromatic fire rose in the beat of a heart, sudden and malefic. Barely concealed soiled metal and scorched plastic scent wholly obscured the enclosed plane interior as seat after seat became slowly engulfed by the heat.

The cotton material etched into the wooden and metallic structure ruptured forcefully by imperceptible hands. Cries of fright entered our ears in the ghoulish entrance, where two shadowy figures whisked away in the next towards the gaping wall, unable to hold onto their lives in their last moments.

Earning everyone's attention in spur the of disaster as their last moments went unknown by their loved ones.

"Mamaaaaa-!" There was no warning, barely any announcement-

"lOOk Ou-!"

"The flames going this way!" "Run!"

"Don't push!" "My leeeeg!" "Aaaaaaa-h-!" "The glass shards! Protect your eyes-!"

"-!" A sharp inhale blocked in that instant, shielding my eyes in reflex as the person nearest to my position hightailed out of the way.

I fully outstretched my right palm throwing it into the fray in the literal heat of the moment; forcing the Aura dwelling within my chest to manifest in proximity of-.

"Shh-!"

Ctaaang-! Ctaang-!* Shades of raining steel splashed unceremoniously on lucid gold. Formations of diamond patterns wrapped around those in its range, composed of half spheres dug a straight jagged line to the roof.

*!* Pulsating snowy rippled whirled in a deviance formation. My reserves collapsed in a steady pace after the dismissal of an uneven sensation dwelling in my gut, drifting thoughts hardened on the manifestation of wisps of white deflecting incoming small-scale debris in front of the hastily heaped Aura shields. Clashing between bright snow and a red alarm plaguing my vision.

Turbulent was air sucked in by the howling sky. I slowly advanced. Managing to project another two large arrays diagonally covering my front, carefully shaping a reinforced third placed right behind it than the first two as an emergency last line after the first layer absorbed the first explosion had perished into pure, shimmering sawdust.

Emptiness fills my muddled thoughts, identical to pouring water in a bucket, banishing the vacant space away as nothing but a flimsy shield shapes interlocking to each sides' of rising number by the cost of my depleting reserves.

Cries of my protective Semblance and thank you's were overshadowed by grunt of pain. My brewing panic raised exponentially with the twist in my gut, in a sense, it should've rendered me catatonic.

That a trip to another Kingdom would mess up this horribly, that I can't catch a break. That this is too sudden, too cruel, for this many people caught up in it and unable to let their own actions decide their fate.

"Khghk?!"

I wanted to go anywhere but the source of disaster, running with my tail between my legs, cursing why I didn't listen-

"Khhh-! Khhrrgh-!?"

… I can't move…

I barely had the freedom to do so, not because of an obligation as a guardian of the weak, nor sense of duty-

I am fighting squarely for survival, not for myself, but others who have their lifeline set abruptly into the palm of my hand, where the paper-thin rope is on its last strand to snap away as a bubble pop.

*!*

"-?! Grrreeaaaaaaaaaaah-!" With valiance my past could never replicate, roared in primal Resistance, forcing my testament in stacking tons of shields on top of one another in a formidable line, quenching the fire that tried to breach its formation.

Each was stronger than the last as a bright gold shone through the night skies plunging our trajectory into open sea.

"Tch-?! Uaaaaaah-! " Ren's soon follow.

""Grrraaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaaa-!"" Our roar overlapped.

The second layer cracked by a heat of a thousand centigrade, replace, the third damaged by haphazard metal parts falling from the collapsing left and blazing right wings, replace, first collided with pieces of burning trunk loaded with dumbbells, replace, fourth and tenth were crushed to pure sawdust by sheer air pressure, replace-! Ren was down om his knees as his stamina wasn't able to keep up, replace his and spread it further! Chairs detached like disassembled toys and flew in all directions, changing fifth and eleventh-!

"Aaarkh… Ka-ka aaah-!" I'm exhausted… It should be given; I did not regulate my pace and the size… of my technique…

"Kha-…AAaaaaa-h" it's… barely a-a… few minutes, I should be able to hold an hour… But, the… weight…

"... Aaaa…Aaaa-!" The hastily stacked shields were barely holding incoming collision at bay, instead of bouncing it off to the side where there's an absence of wall- my arms are killing me…

"Q-quick! G-get away from it-!" "Why is it not stopping yet?!" "Get me out of here! I knew I should've taken a five-star airline instead of this backwater Bus!" "Kyaaaaaaaa-!"

"Everyone! Hold onto one another! Don't let go! Not even the slightest slip!" My mouth exclaimed in coarse roar enough to break my voice cord to pieces, muddled by a daze of trying to convey most important point I was able to list.

The urgency that sparked the self-preservation instincts inside passengers will grow as they heeded my sudden logical rouse When it did tasted like copper? Had I been coughing blood?…

It should've been straight confusion when this accident took place, not anger and desperation, to layer my Argh-! The smoke got in my eyes!

One of the shield near shatter from that act of protecting my eyes from incoming vapor matter.

I didn't realize my cry of survival… increased in volume when a red color seeped to my vision and- co ugh-! Don't, -cough! -don't lose control…!

Incident after incident crashed akin to an unrelenting Tsunami, too bright…

Who screamed first? The big figure that shoved me to the side, cowering from the size of the lashing combustion almost canceling the barrier, Was there ten?…fifteen… No… twenty seven?… Forty eight?…

The shouts of fear hazardously thrown on top of one another; was too hard to keeping track of Screams, cursing, cries of children awoken to see a traumatic image, infants less than a year old shrieked in utter horror, an old guy shoved me and Ren's courage mixed to describe the blazing mayhem.

[Pa- *(er!- g! Pa- $cal*-! wE-!] Two blurry emergency warnings, t here's too much noise…

"Oh, dear gods! Please save us all!" "His Semblance can't keep up! We're still falling down!"

"I'm scared!" "It's okay sweetie! It'll be fine! It's all a bad dream okay?"

Filtering it is…

"Mama-! Your face!" "It's okay… it's okay, as long as you aren't hurt…"

"Bring the fire extinguisher damn it! Don't let it spread further-!" "Idiot! You think an extinguisher would do help this point!" "Keep holding the chair or you'll get sucked out too!"

"And let those two youngsters do all the work?!" "Don't play hero now old man! See the debris all over the place?!" "What can you do with the size of that fire?! They can't just forgo their barrier and let you go out and fall to your death-!" "Someone, please help us!"

Tiring…

"F*ck you! I found this parachute first!" "No please! Let my granddaughter use it!"

"It was made for women and children dumbass! Don't cut-!" "I don't understand, and I don't care! I'm going to survive! I'm not going to die now!" "Don't be a selfish prick! there's barely ten left-!"

Why… So much… Red?…

"Mi-Mister! Your arm! It's-!" "No! Please! Stop! You're going to-!"

So…S…Sleepy- *CRACK-!*

"Uuaaaaaaaaaagh-?!" Was that… my scream?… Or someone else?…

"Don't give up! You can do it!" "Can't we do something dad?! We have to! He's going to lose his arm!" "Mister blond! you can do it!" "Kid I don't care who you are! Save me before everyone in this place goes ka-"

"JAUNE! RIGHT!" In amidst the disorder, Ren's outcry was the loudest, why does he suddenly-

[Befall. Honkai Impact 3rd]

"...-!"

…What… Is… That?!

[▆▆▆▆-]

Forbidding the black smoke, rising from the burning metal, a mark of a thousand degrees reached out to my enshrouded sleeve coat; embers danced together by the wind's guidance. Compared to-

What the hell?… What the hell?!

[-] A ring of an inverted sun, asserting dominance against the conquering bale thunder-

An eye-

Vertically descended from outer space. Perfectly round after its erratic entrance, surrounding the expanding unknown-

Nothing, a- }*& where *% # cannot penetrate that-#*u!*.

Not even a minute, bottomless-

A loud dissonance stopped dead in its tracks, dimmed either by the switch of a button, or it had been killed by this… This… I can't describe it… What is this?!

No one had the courage to inhale air in its proximity… this, uncontrolled horror.

In an instant, silence… reign supreme; we weren't going down anymore… No… We're hovering… we're… being attracted towards it…

It has its own rule, this world logic can't win against it Sickly pink circuitry, pulsating from within, the lone eye blinked; magnanimous color sucked and spit out those horrid corruptio-!

-embodiment of the Abyss's depths. No… There's no escape…

"..." I can't breathe…

… Get away…

It's suffocating, not from the flames… but from what that thing made off cut us off from breathing all together… A chill like no other devouring our cognitive ability in one swooping gulp.

".…" … Get away…

Its purpose was clear.

… Get away-!

It's sorely made for destruction, for us flakeovertonothingness-

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".… … … … … … … … … … … … … … … ...A-" There's no way… it wasn't a gate leading to darkness' depths; it's diameter was massive enough to swallow the airbus, had it not shredded it to sizable chunks-

It's overjoyed… it's overjoyed to find dozens of resigned prey served on top of silver platter!

".… … … … … … … …AAAaa-!" The breath in my throat stop in its tracks, my eyes couldn't widen more than it already had as my feet began to lose it's rooted place.

No use, there's no way to avoid it-!

".… … … … …A-" There was no howl of anguish, no detonation of flares from the damaged propeller, it's there. Ready to swallow us-

Malefic intent consuming those in its line of sight, marred and growing restless, thundering fury in the form of scattering dark bolts, reaching out as the dying inverting color smothering over the endless skies.

Nor Ren's calmness was replaced by intense self-preservation to snap me out of pure fear-

It was trying to let something out after trying to suck us in, far worse than any beast Remnant could intercept-!

Ren and I blurred, our previous position left discarded; closing the gaping hole in our last moment of a hopeless gamble when an unknown force tugged our weakening body, ending the casualty number before it could reach pass four-

".…NOOOOOO-!" -with us in that equation.

Sealing the ship away from its impending demise, our remaining Aura discarded to protect the passengers from being dragged into the unknown, we kicked the metallic wall from the jagged exterior to push the ship from an end, far crueler than plunging into the frozen sea.

""Misteeeeeeer-!"" Multiple sounds of young cries.

Aw man… Now I felt bad for making those kiddos crying…so, this what they meant heroic sacrifices is the worse…

The flickering golden snow dissipated into wispy motes, the children crying in horror and the gasps of adults were stopped, the world entered stasis in that instant where my eyes saw the exterior of falling bus altered from its trajectory.

I smiled jubilantly, even though they were strangers; reassuring those I managed to protect came as second nature. That both of us would be okay, that-

-We the caught wings of furious angels in our ascent.

To the void.

…

…

…

Huh?…

…

When… did my left hand reach out?…

Why is it bleeding?… and… dissolving?…

Why did the ship shake and shirk away at the last second?… Plummeting into the sea?…

…

Why am I falling?… Rising?…

…

Is this… Blood, that's floating around me?…

…

Aren't I?… Going somewhere?…

…

Ren… He's disappearing, flaked to motes of magentas. So am I-

…

Pyrrha… Would be sad after I broke another promise…

…

Aaah…

…

I should've know to shut you up for that Ren…

…

…

…

…

"Arrgh… Kofh-?! Argh… Wh…WHat… hit my head?…"

…

"Holy sh-Where am I?… What the f-!Why am I in the middle of a Zombie Apocalypse?!"

…

"Since when did they wield guns and Sickles?! Shoo-! That was close! It should be the other way around! It's movie rule fifteen! No twists of supposedly established continuity! Get your fact checking right!"

…

"Heey!~! Can anyone hear me!? Cough- cough?! Please-!… Anybody! We have to get out of here! it's not safe to stay around!"

…

"What is this place!? Damn it!… I can hardly read the signboard, why is it reminding me of that Mistralian writing?…"

…

"Eat this fugly! Gosh, I wish I wasn't so stubborn and attached a bazooka to my shield!"

…

"Was that… A Thunderbolt?… No, it's okay guys, It's okay…it's okay… Nothing is going to hurt any of you inside here alright?… Just stay calm, and stick together, can you guys hear me? I'm going outside to check out what happened, hey… It's going to be fine, I won't throw my life away… After this we'll try and find your parents with everyone else, so don't leave this building. You, use this blade if anything that's not me come here... Is that clear? I trust you with the most important job to keep all of us survive in this hell."

…

"… A… Rampaging bolts? Is end… of the world… near?…"

…

"Was that?… Two girls up there? How the heck-?! Oh shi- they're falling-!"

…

"Argh… H-hey! Are you two okay?! No big injuries?! Quick! Let's get out of here! fast! The zombies are almost through the south gate! Crap-! they broke the fence!"

…

"Yeah… So far, look... Can't say I've done a great job either, there are a group children that were caught up in this mess, so we need to evacuate pronto, the parents?… I-"

…

"Oh yeah… I've never introduce myself did I?… Name's Jaune, Jaune Arc. Short sweet and rolls of the tongue, laaaa, not important… You two?"

…

"Alone?…-shit! REN! WHERE ARE YOU?! REEEEEEN-!"

…

"Setting up a refugee camp to make pancake towers in the middle of a zombie outbreak?! Are you kidding me?! No, where did you get perfectly edible ingredients for making unholy amount when I was barely gone for an hour?! This area is barely safe for complicated cooking!"

…

"*Sluuuurrrp!* Cup noodles is really the best! You can't tell me otherwise! See?! they get it too!"

…

"Uuuuhhh… You bring freaking dual Guns and a Baseball Bat to bash a horde of undead heads in after almost falling from that rooftop. Pray to telling me why me bringing a sword around is weird Miss apocalyptic gunner?… I really don't want to be victim thirteen or other if this is literally a B-rated zombie flick thrown in the dumpster."

…

"Invisible robots controlled by pubescent shooting heat missiles… no offense, it's pure bullocks. Yet it is not the weirdest thing as pink overall in my humble opinion… No wait, this entire clusterf-sorry, I almost uttered a bad word, never copy that kiddos."

…

"Relic?… UUuuuh, Kinda?… Look, this has been a family Heirloom for a while… and Julius who?"

…

"Well fu- Ren! Take the left! I'll grab its attention! Bronya how much ammunition do you have left-… Nevermind, that's plain overkill… Am I even needed here?…"

…

"Oh, blow it out from your ass, you didn't regret emptying two cartridges in gunning that stupid elephant back at Nagazora, pass me the toilet paper will ya- what's with the glare reserved for a pervert?! This cells already cramped as it is!"

…

"Our supposed vacation screwed up hard, sir Apocalypse. I don't know where to begin or elaborate for that matter, but Ren and I were fine for not dying, or turned into zombies for that matter. Which I fully commend scientists that trying to find a cure from that pandemonium earns double their raise for all overtime they did."

…

"A decent room with no iron bars would be a good start, we would give you full cooperation as long we're treated as normal human beings. Yes, a wall for a sitting toilet divider is very much appreciated."

…

"Herr…scher?… Forgive me, I'm not familiar with the term- eh? Y-you mean Aura? I had this power for a while though?…"

…

"Yeah… Kinda runs in the family… Ren… I think he should tell his story, not mine to tell."

…

"What Mutation? My Da-Father and Mother, allegedly own this and my family said it's been generation-"

…

"No joke, after being sucked by that… Eye. It should be, there's no way that's not an Eye, was that a Honkai like we met at Nagazora?… Then the size of its body is… humongous …I can't imagine if those monsters spawned on Vale's street…"

…

"Ren, it's been three days, I can strike another deal with Otto for a proper medical checkup if that's the better opti-"

…

"Excuse me, sir… I think there's wax blocking my eardrum. We what?!"

…

"St. Freya Academy… He wasn't kidding about enrolling us in an all-girls school, slap me in check this isn't a drea- owch?!"

…

"Yeah…Nora would have a field day knowing an entire world is using her surname as a symbol to fight a national Grimm threat… It's kind of weird there's no Dust or the four main Kingdoms though. And why are we dressed as butlers?…"

…

"Male adaptability to Honkai cells are that rare?… sheeeesh-! NO wonder he's extra observy about our Aura powers… Wait a minute, didn't he inject us with that stuff from that weird purple monster?! Those aren't cures at all?! Am I gonna be growing pink tusks from my mouth soon?! Noooo~!"

…

"Speaking of which, is your family as long running as mine? Just curious, Lie clan? Last of… them?… Sorry, but… how does it feel to be called the master of Li-Owch?! What was that for?!"

…

"Mei, Bronya! Boy. It's good to see you two!"

…

"Miss Himeko lectured her again? Talk about a rough week, can't forgot the person who blocked your rampaging state in a single swing, I'm hoping there's a good way to polish my sword technique in… Eh? Sparring?… together? Well, if it's not a bother-"

…

"It's been three hours and nothing sticking in your head?… Kiana, I know you're not totally stupid but this is ridiculous, and that's coming from a guy who's hanging around in the back of the school's academic rankings… Bronya, please don't say anything or we won't get anything done today. We're in a library so no shouting,"

…

"Yes Ren, Kiana is prettier and easier to handle than Weiss even if her rejection was way too brutal compared to her. Kiana's cheerful energy is preferable than Snow angels dismissal, Happy? Must I really report everything Dad?"

…

"Heeee?~ You have the hots for prez?~ No wonder you keep following her around when we had no duties to do~ Didn't peg you for one who liked Glasses-Boakh-?!"

…

"Grading suuuuuucks~… I'm never going to mock Miss Goodwitch's and Himeko sensei's dread anymore… I promiseeeeee, let them stop coming~…"

…

"Oy, pass me the history book on China's invasion, Professor Welt wants our assignment done before tomorrow's field trip. Ren, don't sleep yet, or I'll toss cold water on your face again, we know who has the wider whiz on editing spelling errors and I'm not the one who going to haul your ass when he's going to choke our necks two feet in the air again."

…

"Us being the only males in the academy wasn't that bad of a deal Kiana. Well… minus the fangirl army of our somehow 'existed' fan club, that I would never have understood that I'm of all people would be more popular than Ren, going wild forcing us to run around campus in fear. Seven sisters hardly drove me crazy- eh? Yes, I have seven sisters, why?"

…

"'We never talk about this?' Heheheh, You three never asked… and Honestly Rep? it never came up. Damn… I miss them…"

…

"Kiana, no. We're barely in same class and curriculum. Fu Hua warned me you bombed your regular studies so bad except PE again. Borrowing my homework won't aid you in any wa- NOooo! Not the puppy eyes! WE had a deal!"

…

"Hey, Bronya… Can you make a game like 'Final Homu Fantasy'? You seem like this gameplay system compared to previous installments..."

…

"Ren… it's not even a day since the last cook off, the cafeteria supplies would dry up if you and Mei aren't settling the score in a single showdown…"

…

"Remnant's games got nothing on earth's… Melty Blood and Kallen Fantasy 7th are so awesome…"

…

"Ren, I know obvious when I see it. A Kaslana… former heiress of ME Corp CEO, Russian kid genius with an invisible modded robot, a small Principal that can obliterate us in a single hit with the childish quirk of swinging giant cross that can one-shot most Honkai beasts regardless of their class, a class rep that can handle anything with the swipe of her fist, and a badass teacher that would probably be Pyrrha if she never met her soulmate… Okay, that last one… just sad-woy-! That's my mushro-! Aghh… Bowser got me..."

…

"I Miss Grimm! And I swear I can't believe I said that! Templars suck!"

…

"Then what should we do?! You want me to feel nothing when lying corpses of civilians, I can save had I own any shred of competency?! I can barely handle hordes of archangels and you want me to deal with an emperor class beast-graagh?!"

…

"You're right… Pthu-! No one's cut it out for this nonsense, I am not backing out when there are others to save… If I freak out again, bash my head with a metal pole, I'm done mopping around guys… Knights! Move out!"

…

"Lotus! Regroup with Delta and Charlie! Major reaction from sector 5! Gamma has reached our next rendezvous point! initiate 2nd plan from the designated location! Ten seconds to contact-! Move! Move!"

…

"Incoming transmissions from Priest and Rune troops, unknown creatures went up by 300kps! Target locked! Northeast 200M! Shoot now! Knight! Begin phase two comrades, we have a city to save!"

…

"… Subjugation complete, requesting clean up team to hollow out the carcass, over."

…

"Nice to meet you too in flesh Captain, Knights Jaune Arc and Lie Ren reporting for duty, ready for dispatch."

…

"We turned into chibis… We turned into chibis… We turned into chibis! None of you feel weird?! Lyan you're cuter than me! Shut up!"

…

"...Is that, is that me in a Navy suit? Uuuuh-? Welt Senseeeei?~ Why does the Protagonist of Kallen Fantasy in the Kitchen making our breakfast?~ and is that two Ren's arguing about risky pictures on the corne- Wait-… Senty-who? from the future?! Class rep what again?!… Yeah, it's the coffee, I knew taking the machine apart was a bad idea..."

…

"No-! You won't take me alive-! I won't make a speech for public statements on behalf of us assholes-! Let me go! Let me enjoy my summer vacation playing my games-! AC-chan and Soda-kun had waited for me~!"

…

"—With our presence being openly accepted as a growing force capable of taking on Honkai without the aid of armor or artificial Stigmata. A year passed without a greater hitch, than officially reintroducing the influence of elite male warriors within the Schicksal ranks other than the Valkyries after its former strongest knight, Siegfried Kaslana, with Shamash in his possession, was deemed AWOL."

…

"-Eastern branch vastly leading its enlarging number of the new independent assault generation. Consist neither by Valkyries, holder of artifacts, and Honkai energy imbued weapon neutralizing sightings on Japan and East China coast. We soon would expand our reach towards Northern Korea and outer border near Russia-"

…

"These numbers are cold hard evidence of Aura's function to save dozens of active and innocent officers are greater than artificial engineering. Two billion lives have been spared from the grip of recent major outbreaks, such as those in Shibuya and Hong Kong. Our influence minimizing many disastrous events that had prevented another catastrophe taking place, such as 1953's Berlin eruption for creating the first Herrscher, and a recent outbreak on February 10th, 2014 in Nagazora, that robbed five million lives turning the city inhospitable. With Aura awakened officers, it had lessened the burden of global active A rank Valkyries and officers in possession of Honkai powered equipment."

…

"-By far, one of the top ten causes of natural STEM cells reproduction instead of renewing them by continuous strict diet. Providing minor regeneration without excessive attachment; Unlike the Stigmata installation procedure, Aura awakening is simpler and safer to perform-"

…

"-We aggregate these individuals as Hunters and Knights, independent male and female squadrons trained as a hit and run team respectively, abilities of harnessing internal powers than Honkai energy stored within the human body. Manifesting it as a flexible external force both as shield and strength augmentation; Lengthening the prospect of survival against the unexpected with an additional trait of unlocking their latent locked abilities, knows as Semblances related to their psychology and personality to channel it outward with a significant cost of Aura energy. See page four for further explanatio-"

…

"Meeting up with neutral India and British branches who weren't fond of the idea of installing a base of operation, approving solar panels in South Africa for renewable energy sources after securing a sufficient water source and active defense systems against potential breakouts before dinner… I'm moving up in the world and I'm barely twenty… Who would've thought you have an early Postgraduate status for Psychology and Aura powered battle suits while picking up that sketchy Alchemy stuff because you were bored Ren?"

…

"I get the feeling Sensei's not going to like it- yep, that's Neko chan. Another overtime Cap."

…

"You own a ship Kiana?! That's cool! When did you get a flying license then?!"

…

"Look Ren, you didn't fail Bronya! All of us got frustrated by this outcome, so don't you dare cage your pooling anger like every damn time you're about to explode! See what happened to me when I act all tough and rash!"

…

"Don't go running around making blunders as I did, get up. We have a friend to visit."

…

"Hey Bronya, bought ya some snacks, how is it goin? Ren scanned that chip with the doctors. So you should be fine for the time being, rest up for now okay?"

…

"She's certainly not hiding the Insomnia part, does Kiana sleep talking Mei? I'm worried that the stress of cramming got in her head."

…

"Yeeeep… Sorry Rubes, but you're not the scariest person who can swing a Scythe around and never miss… Rita Rossweisse got you beat in spades."

…

"Durandal? As is The Durandal!? HQ send our strongest Valkyrie as our back up in this retrieval mission!? Principal are you sure?! This is big! I should get an Autograph when she boards the ship-Owch?! What was that for?!"

…

"What are Anti-Entropy mechs doing here?! Kiana retreat now!"

…

"-Though I don't need to resort to such ends, right Principal? Say the word and the Knights shall follow the Priest's Crusade."

…

"Are you crazy?! Forced extraction is as haphazard as dipping city size molten lava into sub-zero saltwater! Are you trying to mess up the core's outer shell before it can contain all its leaking state?! We're talking about a Valkyrie with abundant Honkai energy!"

…

"Don't play that blaming game with me Mei… Bronya didn't want to see you lose your smile. The principal declared she would find a way, remember? Trust in her, awakening Bronya's Aura might be… counterproductive, especially in this state."

…

"Oh, Prez… Have you seen Kiana around? I can't find her on the campus grounds. Did she say anything to you?"

…

"Here, some cookies, hopefully it wasn't too sweet for your taste cau- duty calls? Okay then, don't let me stop you."

…

"-rovide a third logistic team for the eastern sea patrol route, introducing the new fishing gear… checked. Hey Mazz, new recruitment poster released yet? Great! I have great drawings to make them want to join us! Hey-! My drawing wasn't that bad! Grrr… Anyway… Send the files for orphan donations to my emai- ah, wait I have to take this. Hello? Ren, I'm currently in middle of gear alloca- Why the heck did Kiana go on a Rampa-?! HQ got her?!"

…

"Paladins! With me! Infuse the third barrier with the second emergency battery! Coordinate a phalanx formation with jet troops on the lower left side! We'll breakthrough in five seconds-!"

…

"Don't let them land on the deck! Charlie squad! Return to the hangar and guard the back of the Helios chamber after resupplying heavy ammunition to prevent a leak! Team eight and Bunkerbolt! Stand in position! My new prototype should be able to hold them off for another five minutes! Get squad ten on the deck to cull the numbers down!"

…

"...Be-Benares?! I thought it was sealed in Siberia-?! Noooo-! Schmitt! Lyan! Sensei! I gotta save them-! Ren I leave the diverting role to you-!"

…

"Retreat! Himeko got this! Get the injured on the double, those with healing Semblances and first aid equipment Follow me! Don't let anyone with potent Honkai energy go anywhere near here! Distract it so the Major cam deal the finishing blow!"

…

"Hehe-!… Well, if they want to keep coming in, then let them be Sensei… buying time for Helios to recharge is a win in my book. Time to test my new moves on this moving target-!"

…

"Riding Titan Schicksals couldn't be replicated without tweaks from the two biggest geniuses of the world in person less than an hour with humanoid exoskeletons, if not for the situation, I would freak out in glee. But let's try what this button does then-!"

…

"A clone?! Emotionless Puppet!? Nonsense! Kiana is Kiana! She can be alien from the moon and I'll still befriend her no matter what!"

…

"Fu Hua…Khghk-!… Why?…"

…

"We. Will, Save, Kiana, That's final Sensei... You may disagree. But my friend is out there and has suffered enough."

…

"Don't die on me Mei, two dinner rushes and a sparring match. Pay for that first then we can talk about last wills."

…

"NO… No… no no-!… that eye…Kiana is… Is that ABYSS-?!"

…

"Don't… Joke with me… That was made from the highest material for subjugating Emperor classes… and none hit? This is… A Herrscher?"

…

"Dooooooodge-!"

…

"What's… the situation-?! Cough-! J-just give me the damn update!"

…

"Principal… Are you okay? Hold on for a few seconds, I'll boost you to heaven-!"

…

"You kidding me?… That's fifty percent of my Semblance boost Principal with Judah… How strong Kiana is?!"

…

"Fu Hua…? Prez?…No…NO NO NO-! OOTTOOOOOOOOO-!"

…

"No! Sensei don't! I can fight! I can help you! Don't-! Please! I HAVE TO B*TCH SLAP THAT ASSHOLE MYSELF! I don't want to stand by and do nothing again! SENSEI-! Himekoooooo-!"

…

"I'm going Ren, the Knights must resume its duty. Otto might disown me permanently from the organization, but… my influence is rooted deep in the public compared to his waiting game. The military cannot handle all of them as much we can, even with Aura and Honkai powered equipment."

…

"-you search on the Pacific island, I'll take the European continent. We got a lot of ground to cover, no time to lose-"

…

"Keep eye on the group too, would you?"

…

"Till we will meet again Ren, lead the Hunters well."

…

"How many are there? Twenty Chariots and two Templars? Archangels? Two school sizes? That's a lot… Squad ten and five, copy? Get the engine online and begin evacuation. Caliburn 2nd form ready to be unleashed. Cavalry charging in five seconds. Put the Sanctuary operation in motion,"

…

"Twenty-five points of refuge areas left on the entire planet, is the energy on the surface starting to decrease? Or raised for the worse?"

…

"Fifteen percent of the land in America left abandoned, Canada almost declared martial law if not for our interference in forcefully making them sign z peace treaty with other the European countries to prolong a civil war from break out, if not for Durandal dealing with most of the worrying outbreak, we wouldn't be here doing an annual meeting, still no sight of young girl with white hair?… Sigh, I'm on a wild goose chase…"

…

"I repeat; Drop, the gun. That shot is your final warning. The knights have all of you surrounded"

…

"Fix the Háoxiá frame and visor, the Anubis sheet and Unicorn Strider battle suits ready to be deployed on field? Get the safety rate above eighty percent before deployment, only Natlan can use the two without lasting side-effects. I want every upgrade installed we can get since the new implementation of energy regulation. Fetch me Caliburn's attachment from the Doctor's lab while you're at it, France and England have been open of our service. Use that to our advantage."

…

"-have the new recruit been given the introductions? Good, send them towards the training ground."

…

"Principal, it's been a while. It's been a rough month. Have… have you any… I'm sorry, there's no result in New York and Ohio, London as well... Greece is as far I can make on a baseless assumption regarding her whereabouts on the imploding Honkai number in the South of the European nation thanks to AE's vast Intel. Ending the national food crisis when trying to find a friend is the last thing I had expected in my life either…"

…

"The only area's I haven't fully combed are in Asia, which Ren hasn't given me any concrete clues so far, given the situation Kiana is the 2nd Herrscher's current receptacle. It's rather a miracle her whereabouts are nowhere to be found yet. She's alive out there, I know it…"

…

"File it for later, new information of various white haired girl sightings on Soukai and three small urban centers in Laos just came in. Squad three and four have completed their mission? Good, let them rest in the barracks and send them nutritious meals, get the eleventh Legions and trainees on standby."

…

"Einstein, my humblest gratitude for listening to my sudden proposal. Shall we write the contract to seal the deal?"

…

"Influx of Honkai energy in Arc city?… Any name I can Pin?"

…

"Gray… Serpent? Fill me in."

…

"The Principal and the others are there, give them a surprise visit, sorry Miss Ataegina. It's an important call and it was an honor to be summoned by the strongest Valkyrie to a simple lunch. Pardon me for being restless, the last few months have been a bit… not great for my mental state. Hopefully my subpar etiquette doesn't dampen your appetite."

…

"I enjoyed our short time together, but I'm unable returning to Schicksal for obvious reasons, sadly I cannot provide more information about Herrscher of the Void than the organization has, and thanks to your haste, half of Europe was able to survive the 4th Eruption where the Knights swept unsavory groups that wanted to create disorder. You have my biggest gratitude for neutralizing the danger before it could become irremediable for general populace."

…

"Hump, I don't understand any of the terms being thrown out of the window, or Cocolia threatening me to send my men, but basically you want reinforcements? Wait for three minutes, we're mobilizing."

…

"My gosh hearing your voice after months is soothing, but aren't you being way too cold Kiana? Sorry to cut the reunion short, but how about a little competitive bet? Loser buys the winner Ramen, Deal?"

…

"Heh~... So you're the head of the World Serpent? I'm honored, for such a big shot to grace his presence for little ol me without his bodyguard looming around as tasteless shield to inflate your ego sitting too long on a throne."

…

"Sorry if I'm being rude, but hurting my friends while conducting Project:STIGMA on Arc city?… And wanting my organization with its head cut off by usurping it by its unique abilities combating the Honkai? 'You' crossed the line pal, so clench those pearly whites teeth for VIP treatment. I can't defeat you, that much I'm aware… a little dog can't bite all the serpent's heads' off. But buying time? I'm a pro at that."

…

"Tch-! Back off, if I was a Kaslana I would've already call you gramps in a heartbeat…"

…

"Kgh…. Aaaggh…Well, not-!… to brag… but if I… I can last this long and not your descendants… then-! Y-you're way too old for this business, Kgh-! Fifteen percent left from a single hit… No wonder you're called the big boss-!"

…

"No… the Knights, will always, and forever be, on Humanity side... Dragging civilians to this war that forfeit their lives as sacrificial pawns then it become personal us. You want to make every single people in this planet own Honkai cells in their body? Then think again how flawed that result would be-"

…

"Bring the medics squad here! Any Doctors with mastery over Honkai related illnesses?! Send them in as well! I'll buy several seconds if nee- tch?! At place like this!?…"

…

"Hahaha, thanks for the compliments Durandal… No, Bianka, had you not worked with that bastard… then we… can finally talk eye to eye…Kgh-?!… This is… my limit?…Me…Mei-!…"

…

"Why can't my life had one simple thing that doesn't end up in a literal explosion when it was a flying ship Ren? Oh sure, blame me like a cretin I am for slamming that fugly lizard with you before it can haul the two of you ladies from Earth's surface. That's my personal ship for the record."

…

"Okay kids~ I bring the cake!~ Everyone stand in line and get a plate!~ Ren will be back with the rainbow Pancake tower!~ So be sure to wash your hands and not push each other~"

…

"Why is my impression is always the hopeless guy if not surprisingly capable?! That's hurt even coming from truce enemies you know?!"

…

"Tesla, are you sure we can trust Raven? We might arrive few hours ago… but is it fine?… Wish I can do more than give them food and living supplies."

…

"Two… Months?… Stop… Stop it… Doctor. I know, but why it had to be Kiana?…all she wanted was to… to…This world… why does the world and Honkai do this to her so much?… I don't understand…"

…

"-Call me a Devil's advocate Mei. I made my own bed, it's time for me to sleep in it."

…

"How could ten elite Paladins have missed her?! It wasn't a soundproof room! Any of you should be alerted if she opened her portal!"

…

"…So, this your choice as well?…"

…

"-Come down to this?… Fine by me-!"

…

"Kiaaaaanaaaaa-!"

---

"Khaaaa-!" I yanked out in pure shock, grazing towards the foreign gray. It stayed there... for a full three seconds...

"Ghaaa-?! Haaa-hhaaa-!… Hahaha-!… Haaaa-!…." Fat confusion, thumping chest, dry lips and pharynx. "Haaa-!" Ears late to equilibrize organic structure stability, but no lasting ringing noises. It's not… broken… At least.

"Khaaa-!" foreign ceiling, white sheet, metal bar, green curtain... Yet not at the same time.

Jumble, spasms of pain, needles of acupuncture all over the body, lack of sensation on chest, no… Ribs… Breath ingall over the place… Need another two big gulps of inhaling before my pounding heart rate slowly reverted to average intervals…

"Kaaaa…" Stabilizing… Mouth… Slowy working as intended, I can taste the sterile air and dry saliva.

"Urk-!" A beeping noise returned over and over, heart meter… an IV bag injected to my right bicep, the familiar sting and uncomfortable stir from twitching upper arms returning home together with relieving news.

I relented, drawn out a long exhale. Finally, the pieces are together, that-

"I'm alive."

---

Okay, If immeasurable Disappointment is your first judgement upon clicking it, why bother sticking around till here? Though thanks for doing that, even if this try of new story is lackluster at best from my standards. Thank my beta hardwork this released as intended schedule.

On related note,

I saw the harsh reception of "ooooough another Canon hater by claiming this is an Au and could try to topple the original by this weird try of man with brain disease trying to insert himself to the sh*tty character no one care and should die~" stuff from afar. Yes, if you think like that then, sorry to disappoint.

Just don't go too wild, I'm made from glass here. If my stories not your cup of tea then make one yourself, I did this cause I have an itch I can't scratch no matter what.

Anyway, this supposedly a plot bunnies or one shot idea that's been bugging me since I touched Honkai after Genshin burn me out. Then... I was hit by inspiration hammer. He was a bigger b*tch than I am.

Oh, Mei and Kiana way better than Bumblebee and WhiteRose, hands down. I'm not picking a fight, it's that their writing is so much better than the RWBY did. -_-

I'm not homophobic, I just want to punch people in the face for screaming it to my face who are claiming I wouldn't admit I am one or being terrible to them just because the situation paint me as the bad guy(we're not talking about this).

No, Jaune and Ren wouldn't be in any type of relationship from Honkaiverse. Probably teasing or what you expect from being around 3 to 4 years there on Earth stuf. At least in early stage or simple hanging out.

Renora is official, just let me work on that okay? Some jokes they paired with another are jokes or spice it up to not made it bland.

No harem for obvious reason.

To end this AN,

I'm here to vent my anger and stress from irl to a more productive end, improving creativity of writing skill compared to a ten-year-old given pen and paper to write 'how's your day visiting to grandpa house went?' again.

On a side note. what is your suggestion of this story? I have three(four if I wasn't lazy) direction I can choose. So, are you all excited for Jaune and Ren in Earth? Or them going back and start from there after witnessing some crazy stuff?(Some has it own twist but I choose the later cause it's easier to write for obvious narrative choice) I have both version ready to implement on notice. so feel free to send it on the comment section.

Hope y'all enjoy, and I'll See ya soon.