Chapter 12: The Three Tasks II

Jaune skidded as he ran into the exam site, internally screaming as he saw Professors Ozpin, Goodwitch and Oobleck, already waiting for him.

"I-I'm sorry, Professor Oobleck." Jaune panted as he tried to rein in his breath. "I lost track of time. I-I swear that- huh?"

As he looked up, he got confused by their actions. Rather any of them chewing out or giving him a disappointed glare, Professors Goodwitch and Ozpin were both watching something on her Tablet and Oobleck was crying tears of... pride?

"Um... Is everything alright, Professor?"

Oobleck snapped out of his funk and all three teachers noticed Jaune's presence. Jaune was understandably surprised when Oobleck suddenly rushed forward and grabbed Jaune's shoulders.

"Marvelous! Simply marvelous! Mr Arc, that was simply the kind of behavior I was hoping to get from you!"

Jaune's confusion must have shown up on his face because Ozpin chuckled before speaking.

"Bart. Remember what I said about context?" Oobleck caught himself and released Jaune, which allowed him to turn to the other teachers for answers.

"Mr Arc, the Three Tasks you were meant to undergo were made so for a reason." Ozpin took a sip from his mug before continuing. "Do you remember the three tenets Professor Port mentioned in his first class with you and your classmates?"

'Ah, that thing that caused Weiss to snap back in class that day?' Jaune shook his head in apology. "I'm sorry, Professor. I can't remember the exact words."

"Well, I will remind you." Professor Goodwitch looked away from her Tablet to focus on Jaune. "The three core tenets of all true Hunters."

"The First Task tested your intelligence, strategy and tactical skills on paper, corresponding with 'A True Huntsman must be strategic, well-educated, and wise'."

'Wait, that thing Port mentioned in our first class wasn't some self boosting story? It was an actual fact?!' Jaune thought in shock.

"The Second Task tested your reaction to public issues and your methods of resolving them, which corresponds with 'A True Huntsman must be honorable'."

Jaune gasped in shock. "Wait! Are you guys saying that Raphtalia was-"

"Miss Raphtalia and her mother have no knowledge nor connection with us, Mr Arc." Ozpin raised a hand in pacification. "However, your reaction to a genuine public issue, while incredibly unorthodox, was nothing short of excellent."

"Indeed, Mr Arc." Oobleck said. "I was in charge of setting up the second task but now I see how irrelevant it is now, since after dealing with a real situation, a fake situation is rather pointless."

"When you encountered a crying child who had been separated from its parent, you ignored the fact that you were on a important schedule and immediately took care of the child's needs! Oh if only many more acted like you these days."

"Indeed." Ozpin said wistfully. "Life would be simpler and easier."

"Hold on a minute. You guys said that you had no connection with Raphtalia, right? How do you know what I did?"

Goodwitch turned her Tablet to face Jaune and pressed play on the video she and Ozpin had been watching earlier.

"You really did that? For someone you didn't know on the streets?"

"Of course I did. Even if I wasn't aiming to be a Huntsman, how could I ignore a crying child alone in the middle of the street?"

Jaune gaped as he saw the recording of him talking to Ruby and Weiss. "S-Someone taped that part?"

"Be thankful that they did, Mr Arc." Goodwitch put her Tablet away. "Otherwise, we might have failed you for tardiness."

Jaune gulped.

"And with that, I hereby declare the second exam passed!"

Second Exam Cleared?

"And now, it is time for the third exam." Goodwitch said. "Mr Arc, can you tell us the last tenet of a True Hunter?"

"Er, 'a True Huntsman must be dependable'?"

"Exactly, Mr Arc. As you undoubtedly know, Hunters are mostly known for one thing, which is..." Goodwitch gestured for Jaune to finish her sentence.

"Excellent Fighting skills." Jaune said, then suddenly widened his eyes in shock. "Wait a minute... you don't mean..."

"Yes, Mr Arc." Ozpin said. "The third exam is a combat evaluation."

Jaune screamed internally.

'What do I do? What do I do? What do I do? What do I do? What do I do? ' Jaune fell into a state of panic. Outwardly, he had what he hoped was an ideal poker face. "Considering that I don't see any students around, my opponent is Professor Goodwitch."

"What? No, Mr Arc." Ozpin said in amusement.

Jaune sighed in relief. 'Thank you, The Universe.'

Ozpin finished his statement. "Your opponent shall be me, Mr Arc."

'Fuck you, The Universe.'

Jaune did not scream internally. The situation was bad enough to ditch sensibility. "Are you serious?!" He shouted, right at his Headmaster.

"Dead serious, Mr Arc."

Jaune then saw something that few Beacon Students ever saw in their lives. Ozpin put the mug down.

'Shit! He's serious.'

The Third Exam

After noticing that Goodwitch and Oobleck had backed up to a safe area, Ozpin took out a bell (The type from Naruto), dangled it in front of Jaune and explained the rules.

There were two ways to pass. The first way was to take the bell from Ozpin's possession. He hung it from his chest pocket to make it as fair as possible. The second way was to land a solid hit Ozpin that he wouldn't be able to dodge or block.

"Ready!"

Jaune equipped {Crocea Mors} and took a stance.

"Set!"

Ozpin twirled his cane. "Mr Arc, I suggest you use all the available skills you have for a proper evaluation, for I will."

"GO!"

Jaune rushed forward and clashed his sword against Ozpin's cane. Ozpin didn't even budge and easily shook him off before striking at him. Jaune quickly raised his shield to block everyone of Ozpin's strikes, the sheer strength in each one rattling his arms.

After seeing a gap, he quickly brushed the cane aside with his shield and keeping his spare arm away with his sword, used his shield arm to grab the bell. His finger had almost touched it before Ozpin's shoe smashed his jaw, forcing him up into the air and a whole meter away from him until he crashed down.

Jaune quickly got his bearings and pumped {Crocea Mors}' sword full of Aura.

"[Aura Slash!]"

Jaune slashed forward, shooting out a large, white crescent of Aura right at the headmaster. The projected attack flew towards Ozpin till it was effortlessly knocked aside.

"Maybe I should have been clearer, Mr Arc. Use all the available skills you have, from the start... and come at me."

The World shifted and brightened as stars, no, a Constellation crashed down against Jaune. The Knight stood forward, raging against the Constellation for a total of two seconds before being obliterated in a wave of soul piercing, emerald light.

Jaune unabashedly fell to his knees, before staring up to the eyes of his Headmaster, who was suddenly looking a lot less human right now.

"What is the matter, Mr Arc? Are you too terrified to move?"

'T-T-T-That was Conqueror's Haki! I mean it's understandable that he'd have it but... but...'

Jaune got up to his feet and faced Ozpin again. "I apologize, Professor. I'll do my best to fight properly now."

Ozpin watched in curiosity as Jaune's Aura suddenly flared out, causing the usually invisible Aura Barrier to flare out in a visible white cloak all over his body. "What is this?"

"This is a move me and my teammates created when Ren and I practiced Aura Manipulation. A full body Aura reinforcement technique, [Super Hunter!]"

The visible effects were instant. Jaune's hair had flared out, slowly moving as if gravity had lost hold on it; the muscles that Ozpin could see through the gaps of his armor were bulging and clenching; and Jaune's eyes had gone from dark blue to white.

"Interesting. I suppose there is at least a significant increase in physical abilities."

"That and More!" Jaune whipped out Virgo's Key.

"[Open! Gate of the Maiden, Virgo!]"

There was a flash of light as Virgo manifested into the world. However, there was a difference now. Virgo currently had an Aura cloak similar to Jaune's, appearing pink in color and had the side effect of turning her eye color pink as well.

"Let's go!"

Jaune rushed forward and clashed against Ozpin again, this time, sending him back a few meters. That wasn't all as Virgo shot up from underground and uppercut Ozpin, causing to receive the same jaw pain he delivered to Jaune earlier.

"You will receive punishment!" Virgo exclaimed as she clasped her hands and gathered up power.

"Wait what?" Ozpin only managed to let out those words before getting slammed into the ground.

"[Spica Hole.]"

Just as Ozpin hit the ground, a circular hole was instantly created, causing him to fall deep into the earth.

"Lets rest for a bit before I blitz him again." Jaune panted a bit as {Super Hunter} was draining his stamina rather fast in actual combat.

Virgo tilted her head. "Time for punishment?"

"Why?!"

Jaune really did not like the suspicious look Professor Goodwitch had sent him at Virgo's words. He then turned to face the Ozpin hole. "One of the objectives to pass was to land a solid hit on you, but I presume that Virgo's attack doesn't count. Right, Professor?"

"Indeed." Light glared from within the Ozpin hole before something bright shot up into the air and stayed there. It was Ozpin, who glowing with emerald light as he floated, granting a rather otherworldly appearance to himself.

"You really are a mage, aren't you?" Jaune stared in awe.

"Indeed." Virgo spoke as she observed the Headmaster landing back on the ground, the glow however not diminishing in the slightest. "He is using a Caster/Holder Magic right now, called {Heavenly Body Magic}."

"You know about it?" Jaune readied himself once more for combat.

"Yes. The boyfriend of my previous Mistress' comrade used it." Virgo replied. "It's extremely suited for offensive combat. Be careful, Master. And good luck." With that, Virgo disappeared.

"Well then lets continue." Ozpin bent forward a bit. "[Meteor.]"

He vanished as he burst forward. However, rather that raising his shield forward, Jaune immediately brought his shield to his right. This payed off, successfully blocking Ozpin's cane with it.

"Interesting, Mr Arc. It is rare to find someone capable of all three types of Haki." Ozpin said before disengaging and literally disappearing in a flash. Luckily, Jaune was now able to keep up, causing the battlefield to be filled with flashes of light and shockwaves from each collision against each other.

Ozpin slashed forward, releasing a horizontal, green {Aura Slash} of his own. Jaune quickly ducked under it before suddenly, his {Super Hunter} form disappeared. The sudden loss of energy caused him to stumble, barely missing a second {Aura Slash} as he fell down.

"What happened?" Oobleck called from the side.

"Mr Arc is now out of Aura." Goodwitch replied. "Whatever he was using to keep up with the Headmaster, it's extremely draining."

"That's a shame." Oobleck said. "Usually, only the Third Years are at least capable of keeping up."

Jaune panted on the ground a bit before suddenly dodging Ozpin's cane. He rolled to his feet to stare at his opponent in shock.

"Don't be so surprised, Mr Arc." Ozpin said as he rushed forward and clashed his cane against Jaune's sword. "Other than your conditions to pass, please treat this as you would treat a real battle."

"I guess a 'real battle' wouldn't end just because my Aura ran out." Jaune grunted as sparks formed from the two weapons grinding against each other.

"Indeed." Ozpin said before Jaune suddenly relaxed his legs, allowing him to grab his clothes and kick him away. Ozpin never even touched the ground, flying straight up before suddenly reversing direction and start coming down, slamming boot first unto Jaune's chest, his armor saving him from broken ribs at least.

Jaune quickly rolled away as Ozpin got off, swiping something from the pouch that hung from his lower back. It was a high grade taser, meant only to be used in times of emergency for Nora's use. Naturally, while all other members of Team JNPR were allowed to carry one, Nora herself was denied for good reason.

Ozpin watched in curiosity as Jaune Hardened his sword and tased it, emptying the device's charge.

A soft gasp of relief left Jaune's lips as the electricity was absorbed into the sword and transformed by the Haki, turning black to match the blade.

"I see now." Ozpin commented, slowly cracking his neck as his {Heavenly Body Magic} deactivated. "With your Aura gone, you're simply now concentrating on your Haki."

Ozpin raised his cane into Jaune's view, Hardening it as well. He then began to Imbue it as well, creating what Jaune hoped was an illusion of emerald flames along his weapon.

"Let's end this, shall we?"

There was a moment of stillness as the two stared at each other before rushing forward. As soon the two combatants collided, Jaune and Ozpin simultaneously activated their Conqueror's Haki along with the clash.

The resulting combo caused a great shockwave which blew away everything around them, except the spectating teachers, as Goodwitch quickly used her Semblance to catch herself and Oobleck. Once she had oriented herself, she looked at the two fighting and promptly lost control over her lower jaw.

{Crocea Mors} and {The Long Memory}, being Imbued with both Armament and Conqueror's Haki, weren't even touching each other. The two combatants growled as their weapons despite being pushed forward, were kept apart by an invisible barrier of force and opposing willpower, constantly battling in a literal contest of wills.

A contest which Jaune was sadly but slowly losing. As seconds passed and Jaune was actually pushed back, carving a trench through the ground with his legs, he suddenly disengaged.

Using Ozpin's shock and loss of balance, he spun on his foot and slashed his chest, scoring a thin line across his Headmaster's top.

Ozpin looked down at his jacket as Jaune slowly oriented himself and panted heavily.

"Congratulations, Mr Arc." Ozpin gave a genuine smile. "You have passed the Third Exam."

Jaune grinned then raised his sword into Ozpin's view. His eyes widened as the saw the sparks still running through the blade and the bell magnetized to it.

Despite what he saw, Ozpin still patted his chest and nodded in confirmation when he only found a cut off string.

*THUMP*

Jaune's adrenaline had been exhausted, allowing to collapse.

"It's over." Jaune rasped as he slowly faded into unconsciousness. "I-I did it..."

The other two teachers came to stand by Ozpin and watched Jaune's sleeping form.

"Congratulations, Mr Arc." Headmaster Ozpin said. "I believe we will be scoring you full marks for passing both objectives."

"To think electrifying his sword while applying Armament Haki to it would allow it to harness and retain its electricity." Goodwitch complimented. "I'm not proficient in Armament Haki myself, but that was really surprising to me."

"It was to me as well." The two teachers turned to face the Headmaster, who was staring at {Crocea Mors} in curiousity. "Even I didn't know that was possible. It seems even I can still learn something new."

Hunter Profile

Name: Ozpin

Age: 44

Title: The Clockwork Huntsman, The Heavenly Body Mage

Aura: Dark Green

Color Motif: Black, Green

Magic: Green with Rainbow effects

Semblance: Barrier. Ozpin has the ability to create translucent, green barriers in any shape he wishes.

Sex: Male

Alignment: Lawful Good

Likes: Chocolate, Peace, His lost family

Dislikes: Enemies of his school and Humanity, an unnamed Grimm Witch

Bio: Ozpin is typically both stoic and affable towards people he speaks to. He is genuinely shocked to find a full Mage other than him and the Grimm Witch. He doesn.t count the Maidens as Mages as they are just offshoots of his own power.

KingVessel: Please review and send me your thoughts on the fight scene. Even though Jaune is stronger than canon, I tried to show just how beyond Ozpin is. Also for those who didn't notice, the three tasks are based on qualities of a 'True Huntsman' which Port mentioned in his first appearance and class