The morning was interesting, to say the least. After waking everyone up then rumors began to flood as they were to be separated into groups that they would be partnered off with someone for the rest of the days here at the Academy but not told who. And they were given locker rooms they were assigned to and expected to arrive on time after preparing.
It was an interesting tactic, to say the least.
To separate everyone and then separate them further into pairs. It was as if Ozpin had already an idea of who he wanted to be paired with one another. But now came another issue that he could see and he wondered if anyone else was paying enough attention to see it.
Their group had an odd number.
So, what was Oz's game?
He hardly cared about the four guys and didn't bother to learn their names. And the way the big one was glaring at him he just as soon let him learn what Thousand Years of Death was before actually talking to him. The other three just seemed like cronies so even less reason to bother with. But somehow, he got a distinct impression that they would somehow make it through.
The fates seemed to favor people like them for some reason.
Next was who he learned to be Nora and Ren. He only learned the latter name due to the former saying it enough as he was a quiet person and almost seemed downtrodden and defeated by Nora's presence but oddly that's not what he felt when he sensed his emotional state. He was thankful she was there, just wishing she would be a little quieter.
The orange-haired girl's plan also had to make him laugh as she was trying to come up with ways for them to join in the forest and he flat out called Nora out saying he wasn't sure sloths made any noise.
Those two were a good grouping and Oz knew what he was doing there.
Now that Ruby and Yang were here was interesting. And once more he was slightly dissatisfied with the older sister trying to pawn off the younger sister but in this circumstance, he could see her point. Ruby wasn't going to grow if she just stayed at her sister's hip, he just…
Wasn't liking how she was so disinterested in her being around Ruby in this context. This was supposed to be work, not play and it just seemed she was here for the latter while Ruby was here for the former. She just wasn't confident in herself and need a little help, something her sister wasn't giving her right now.
So, he had Ruby tiered highly in his book alongside Blake as a possible partner and Yang was at the bottom. Still above Weiss but that wasn't a fair fight.
Speaking of the princess it seemed she was trying to woo over a beautiful red-haired…
Naruto's heart skipped a bit for a second seeing that hair and the frame it was attached to before he vigorously shook his head. He understood the red hair would be a flag as it was the same fiery color of his mother's but why did he almost react like an animal in heat? That was going to be a troublesome quirk he was going to have to stomp flat.
So why couldn't he stop himself from walking over?!
"So, it seems you just are always one to try to get things your way, huh princess?" Naruto commented as he had been paying attention to what they were saying. "Not even going to think about pairing off with someone else?"
"Like what about me? I'm great. Jaune Arc, nice to meet you!" On cue, the knightly boy found his locker, which all three stood in front of, and struck with an overinflated ego that he definitely should not have had.
"What the… You two?! Together? What is this? A nightmare?!" Weiss flinched back at Naruto's arrival before grimacing altogether at Jaune's.
"Ouch, I'll take that as I left a mark." Naruto grinned at Weiss' reaction which in turn made the girl glower in response.
"Don't be embarrassed by me, my lady!" Jaune with his massively inflated ego continued. "I heard that there were rumors about being partnered together in teams and I was thinking you and me would be amazing. What'd you say?"
"Smooth," Naruto commented unabashedly at the helpless blonde that was striking out.
'Actually," The redhead spoke up as she had information the others seemed to not have. "If what I know is true it will eventually be teams of four so…"
Jaune didn't waste a single fluid second and immediately focused on his new target, making Naruto's ear twitch. The hell did this guy get his confidence from? "You don't say? Well, hot stuff if you play your cards right… OW! What was that? A brick?"
"Oh no! Bricks are falling from the sky! Look out Jaune!" Naruto feigned ignorance of where the brick came from.
For once Weiss actually smiled at Naruto's action, unsure where the brick came from but was glad at his interruption. And the redhead was most appreciative as Jaune just rubbed the really sore spot on his head. "That's weird… This isn't even a brick building."
"Jaune, do you have any idea who you were just talking to?" Weiss decided to cut him off before he figured out that the other blonde smacked him with a brick for incessant flirting.
"Not in the slightest, snow angel." Jaune rubbed his still sore head.
"This is Pyrrha,"
"Hello again!" Pyrrha waved at the two of them.
"She graduated at the top of her class at Sanctum!" Seeing both Jaune and Naruto look at her cluelessly, the former even saying 'Never heard of it, Weiss groaned in annoyance. "She won the Mistral region tournament four years in a row! A new record and all by someone that wasn't even a Huntress!"
"What's the Mistral region tournament?" Jaune questioned.
Even Naruto nearly face faulted at that. How the hell did this kid not under how that was impressive or get the concept of what a tournament was? He was even denser than he was when he was twelve!
And that was saying something!
Weiss was ready to throttle the gangly blonde and wished Naruto smashed another brick on his head to end this conversation. If he had she might just consider him on top of her list of potential partners despite his heritage. "Oh for the love of… She is on the front of every Pumpkin Pete Marshmallow Flakes box!"
This sudden realization hit and Jaune looked like he finally recognized her as he gasped. "That's you!"
Naruto finally face faulted as he could not keep up the act. "Was this what it was like when I was twelve? How did sensei and the perv survive me? How did Sasuke and Sakura deal with me?"
Accepting a hand, surprised that it was Weiss that was offering a glance of pity and understanding, Naruto stood back up and made a mental note. Weiss was now at least equal to Yang in his book.
"Well as cool as that is, I have to say you all should be honored to board the Jaune train. Spots will be quickly filling up as soon as everyone sees how great I am." Jaune let his ego get out of control.
And finally, Naruto struck. "You know, Jaune, I have some words of advice for you, my friend."
"No one likes forced confidence so tone it down a notch. Just be yourself if you wouldn't mind, I liked you better that way." Naruto started catching the knight-clad blonde off guard as he stepped toward him. "While I don't care about prestige myself, it is a little belittling when you just flat out ignore everyone else in the room just to focus on yourself. Listening is a key skill, try and use it."
Flicking him in the forehead, making Jaune stumble a bit, Naruto shook his head as he walked off to the exit. "You'll be just fine. You've got some good qualities in there. But I think it is about time for us to make our way out."
Glynda's voice suddenly crackled through the intercom. "Would all first-year students please report to Beacon Hills for initiation? I repeat, all first-year students please report to Beacon Hills immediately."
Pyrrha simply patted Jaune on the shoulder. "He's right. Just be yourself. I see good qualities in you too."
With his confidence restored more mildly, Jaune followed while Weiss rolled her eyes. But she had to admit something.
There was something about that blonde faunus.
Naruto had to wonder what the function of the device he was standing on was as everyone was yet again herded at Beacon Hill. What was the point of separating everyone and then barely separating them when it came time for the actual test?
Did the device have something to do with it?
Was it a trap door? Was it a jump pad?
He hoped it was a jump pad. That would be fun. Then he realized something horrible and looked in Jaune's direction. He would not survive a jump pad. He needed to re-tier his list and put Jaune on top so he could save the scrawny boy's life if that was Ozpin's goal.
It seemed like he wasn't the only one to have come to that thought as Pyrrha had recognized what they were standing on and was looking worriedly in Jaune's direction as well. So at least he had two guardian angels looking out for him right now.
And then he started to notice other students being launched in the distance as Ozpin and Glynda made their way to their group. "For years, you have trained to become warriors, and today, your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest."
Glynda step forward and continued for Oz. "I'm sure many of you have heard rumors about the 'assignment' of teams. Well allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given your teammates… Today."
Mentally groaning as this was feeling like the day he became a genin but significantly worse as they were literally being thrown into the lion's den, Naruto was not liking where this was going as Ozpin continued for Glynda.
"These teammates will be with you for the rest of your time here at Beacon. So it is in your best interest to be paired with someone you can work well with." Ruby groaned at hearing this as there were only a few she felt she felt she could work with. "That being said, that being said the first person you make eye contact with after landing with be your partner for the next four years…"
And with that last few words, Ozpin grinned and gazed at Naruto, who was putting together his puzzle pieces, and realized something as he felt several pairs of eyes focus on him. "Oh, you coy… That's the game we're playing."
"WHAT?!" Ruby's voice pierced through the heavens as her reality shattered at realizing she'd have to be stuck with someone for the next four years that she possibly didn't know.
"After you partnered up make your way to the northern section of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy everything in your path… Or you will die." At this Jaune began to laugh nervously as Oz continued. "You will be monitored and graded through your duration of the initiation. Our instructors have been ordered to not intervene. You will find an abandoned temple at the end of the path containing several relics."
"Each pair must choose one and return to the top of the cliff. We will regard that item, as well as your standing, and grade you appropriately. Are there any questions?"
Jaune immediately raised his hand. "Um, sir?"
"Good! Now take your positions!" Oz completely ignored Jaune trying to ask a question.
"Um, sir?" Jaune continued completely ignoring the fact that the pad beneath Weiss had a spring contraption and triggered sending her into the sky. "You mentioned something about landing? Are you going to be… Dropping us off?"
"No, you will be falling," Oz stated as it was the most obvious thing in the world and Naruto looked on in horror Jaune wasn't seeing that everyone was being launched.
"Oh… So oh, will you be providing us parachutes thing?"
"No, you will be using your own 'landing strategy'." Oz simply put as both Nora and Ren got launched and Jaune was still somehow oblivious to it all.
Naruto realized at that point Jaune was going to die and Ozpin just didn't care as he was suddenly launched into the air. "Shit!"
"Alright, how the hell do I save Jaune," Naruto growled as he looked all around him as he spiraled in the air, trying to figure out just what he could do in this situation that wouldn't end in the other blonde splatting against the trees.
He could sense Jaune was practically normal but with an abundant amount of aura that just wasn't active. However, unlike the others, he wasn't physically fit and didn't seem like he could take a landing like this or find a way to at least handle it.
"Calm down and breathe!" Naruto growled to himself, taking a deep breath and let the oxygen fill his lungs, letting the world fill his mind as he felt everyone's presence around him. "There he is… Time to make an emergency landing."
Creating a shadow clone, he flung himself towards Jaune's direction and through the treetops so he could bound towards him quickly and catch him out of the air. Crashing through a few branches as they were simply too weak to hold his weight, he hit the trunk and gained his footing, and began to make his way to Jaune as fast as he could.
He was laser-focused, he neared his target and could feel himself priming his muscle as he leaped when a spear flung out of nowhere and caught Jaune's cloak and slammed him out of his grasp, and shoved him into a tree…. Effectively saving him.
To say Naruto was caught off guard would have been an understatement. He knew he could have been going faster if he called upon everything, but it would have been a wasteful strain on his body when he knew he was more than capable of getting to him as he was. And then to be upstaged by a simple spear throw from Pyrrha from one hell of distance…
He liked the girl even more!
She earned Jaune, he was just going to fade into the shadows and let her take this one. He'd just hang above Jaune and make sure no Grimm would take advantage of his sorry state while he was defenseless.
It's not like Jaune knew he was here anyways.
"Oh, man… THANK YOU!" Jaune cried out once he realized he was safe and wasn't splattered against a tree like he had feared was likely to happen only moments before.
"YOU'RE WELCOME!" Pyrrha's voice came from further away as she made her way towards Jaune's location, still being a bit away as it was one amazing throw she made to safely pin Jaune to a tree.
Naruto was still impressed as split hair in any direction would have resulted in a spear wound and probably Jaune's death so not only was she accurate… She was ballsy to take such a throw.
Suddenly familiar stomping could be heard through the brush and Naruto's eyes widened as there was no way. It couldn't be. If she got here before Pyrrha that would just make Jaune's day but… Also, make Jaune's day hell.
And the princess stormed through the woods and looked up to see Jaune hanging out of a tree. And making a horrified face she turned right around and to his surprise, Ruby was running after her only to be grabbed and pulled away. "This by no means makes us friends."
Naruto could only blink and then wince as he realized that meant that Ruby got paired with Weiss and that was probably the worst-case scenario for either girl. Then again Weiss didn't seem to have any good matches as she was burning a lot of her bridges so…
"Wait, wait! I need help to get down! Don't leave me!" Jaune cried as Weiss took Ruby and left, not giving a second glance at Jaune or his predicament. "Oh, man… Did I screw up that bad this morning?"
"Do you have any tickets to board that train?" Pyrrha joked as she arrived and looked up at Jaune, smiling.
"Very funny…" Jaune huffed before letting his humility get the better of him. "But yeah… If you could help me down… I'd appreciate it…"
"Let me!" Naruto suddenly said pulling the spear out and letting Jaune scream as he fell to the ground before tossing the spear to Pyrrha. "You know if you were just a millimeter off on your throw…"
"I know. I would have killed him." Pyrrha stated and Jaune violently coughed and went pale at the realization that he almost died anyways. "But I thought we were competing to see who'd get to him first and I didn't want to lose."
And with that smile of hers Naruto's heart fluttered before he stamped it out and found a shotgun and blasted it several times. He was going to have to temper his body control if all it took was red hair, a body, and a smile to make his heart to make butterfly flips and his lower half to stiffen.
That was not acceptable even if she was a good person!
"Meh, all is fine. You two made eye contact so he's your responsibility now." Naruto shrugged as he began to make his way into the forest.
"Wait! Do you want to stay with us?" Pyrrha asked, catching Naruto by surprise to an extent when she continued. "I'm sure you noticed it as well, but they had us separate in different groups and then ours had an odd number…"
"Yeah, someone is meant to not have a partner, or if I'm reading even further into it… A team." Naruto finished with a small growl in his throat but then simply shrugged his shoulders. "But that suits me just fine. I think The Great and Powerful Oz is just testing me… And I plan on giving him a show for the ages."
Pyrrha almost busted out laughing at how Naruto mocked the headmaster as there was clearly something going on between the two if he was truly the one behind the paint explosion at the auditorium.
"So, I take that as a no." It was Jaune who seemed disappointed as he rather liked the idea of traveling with both the pretty redhead and the guy who just seemed unflappable.
"Nah, not right now," Naruto stated as he cracked his knuckles noticing some Beowolves slink into the area and grinned. "But we're all heading to the same area, so I'll see you soon… I just want to get this party started!"
And with that Naruto rushed the first Beowulf and launched it above the tree line with a solid kick to the jaw, showing it how the Uzumaki space program was going to get approved. And the other Beowolves growled and circled him as Jaune let out an 'Eep' and Pyrrha pulled out her sword and shield.
"Go on ahead! This is child's play!" Naruto grinned as he ferally stood between all Grimm, preparing for a more grizzled fight as he hadn't gotten to let loose like this since he fought with Kurama and wanted to see how'd it feel in this altered body of his.
Pyrrha simply nodded and grabbed Jaune before taking off towards the northern section, leaving Naruto to deal with the pack of Beowulf. Time seemingly stood still as he gauged their numbers, which was at seven.
He grinned and took a solid, deep breath as chakra circulated through his system as oxygen began to speed through his muscles. Time began to speed up as the eight crashed into the ground, dead on impact.
"Let's go wild!"
Three lunged immediately, one in front and two at his side but Naruto quickly spun above and grabbed the throat of the Beowulf on the right and with blistering speed slammed it neck first through a tree and then into the very next tree before letting go and using the corpse to launch himself back into the fray.
Where he landed straight on the skull of another Beowulf, crushing it beneath his feet as he impacted the ground with smaller cratering and launched himself towards his next target. The Grimm's muzzle and skull shattered as Naruto's fist made impact and launched but he wasn't done as he grabbed it by the arm and used it as a bludgeoning weapon as he turned on the dime and slammed the Beowulf behind him and launched it into the bushes. With another quick turn, he lifted it overhead and used it like a giant hammer and smashed the Grimm's full body into another skull, flattening it with a sickening thud.
Finally, he tossed the Grimm between two that were charging him, knocking them over like bowling pins with the collision before he rushed them, grabbing both by the throat, and with a simple squeeze, their bodies went slack as he dropped their corpses.
The last Beowulf looked like a deer caught in the headlights and was simply stunned at the events that transpired before it. Within seconds its brethren were mowed down in barbaric fashion by and hunter with nothing more than his hands and their bodies. Because of this, it did not stand a chance as Naruto stood before it and delivered a swift kick to its head, caving it in.
The bush bristled, as a Grimm had survived the onslaught, but Naruto was more than aware and with a single toss of a kunai it plunked into its skull and the Beowulf slunk to the ground, alive no more. Naruto simply cracked his knuckles and let out the breath he had been holding as he went to collect his kunai. "Not bad… Still need to work the kinks out on that technique but it holds some promise."
"Alright, to the north. Let's see what Oz has planned for me there." Naruto stated as he jumped up into the treetops, uncaring there were four pairs of eyes looking on stunned at what they just witnessed.
"Did you see what that animal just did?"
"He fucking tore them apart with just his fist."
The tallest of the grunt simply grunted before slamming his mace down on one of the Beowulf's heads. "Big deal. An animal is still just that, an animal. Let's get to the ruins so we can get our pieces and get out of here."
"Right boss!"
"Do you ever talk?" Yang complained and her partner Blake made their way to the forest. "Because I'm beginning to think you are mute and I know that isn't true."
Blake rolled her eyes at the blonde bombshell as she continued to make her way north. If only she hadn't lost track of Naruto who seemed to beeline it towards the hapless boy, most likely trying to make sure he didn't die from the impact. It was entirely in his character so she couldn't complain.
Much. He at least knew how to be quiet.
"Oh my god, will you say something!" Yang was starting to lose her patience with the mute girl before her and it was driving her crazy.
Blake decided to sarcastically humor her. "Something."
"What do you mean something?!" Yang nearly exploded at her first word and was ready to flip a non-existent table. "Listen here! You and I are going to have to hash some things out right here and now if we're going to be partners!"
"Stop yelling. It's annoying." Blake growled and was thankful that Yang didn't notice that her bow twitched in annoyance and a slight amount of pain before muttering under her breath. "No wonder Naruto tiered you at the bottom of his possible partner listed…"
"What?!" Yang angrily responded as this partnership was on rough patches to start with. "Oh, so he has something to do with this! Too bad you didn't partner with him, huh?!"
"You're fine, get that thought out of your head. I chose you so what does that tell you." Blake growled as she snapped back. "You just need to learn to not to be so hot-headed and try to start fights all the time, like I don't know… Maybe when we're surrounded by Grimm in the middle of a forest?!"
"Oh… My bad." Yang realized the situation and her loudness had attracted an Ursa and a few more Beowolves.
"Yeah, mine too… I didn't mean to compare you." Blake sighed as she was partially to blame for Yang screaming as loudly as she did to get their attention. "Well let's take care of…
"From the heavens!"
The Ursa suddenly flattened, its skull cracked on the ground as Naruto's hand slammed it forward and turned it into mush all the while cratering the ground from his impact. Both Blake and Yang blinked at the sight as he literally flew in from above and they had no clue where he could have possibly gotten such an angle to hit the Ursa for such a feat.
But it was dead.
And now it was three on three.
Yang quickly blitzed the Beowulf to right and Blake went to the one to her left. Naruto blurred out of existence and took the one that was behind them, dropping beneath it low and delivering a staggering kick to its jaw, shattering it and lifting it before spinning and landing another kick to its midsection snapping most of its ribs and slamming it lifeless against a tree.
Blake ducked under the Beowulf's slash and with a single slash of Gambol Shroud she sliced through the Grimm and the deed was done. Yang… Was not quick with hers. Blocking the strike with her Ember Celica, she began to repeatedly strike the wolf with her weapon firing before finally landing a blow to the head and blasting it clean off.
"Brutality… I approve." Naruto gave big thumbs before he was suddenly pushed back by a glaring Yang.
"You! Why am I ranked at the bottom of your book!" Yang narrowed her eyes before taking a step back and gesturing to all of her. "I should at least get points for this smoking hot bod!"
"Okay, Blake, bad. No telling about my book." Naruto blew a raspberry at the bow-haired girl who simply waved him off before turning back to Yang. "And what makes you think body gets points in my book?"
'Pyrrha would have been number one, no contest by the way my body reacts to her…' Naruto begrudging thought to himself at that.
"Besides… There is like a hidden group I didn't even rank so where does that put you?" Naruto added as Yang perked up after deflating hearing that her body didn't get her any points.
"Well, that just means I have to work harder!" Yang pumped her fist before she realized something. "Hey, wait, where is your partner?"
"Don't have one. We had an odd number group." Naruto stated and Blake narrowed her eyes as she had seen him go after Jaune and that meant someone had beat him to him. "Everyone else paired off so I'm on my own hunting Grimm as I make my way to get a relic. Think that was Oz's plan for me anyways."
"I did find it weird our group had an off number," Blake spoke up as that had been bothering her all morning when the rumors began, and they had been separated into groups. "So why you? Why do you think he's targeting you?"
"I'm good at reading rooms and clues given to me, that why. And he's been testing me the last month anyways so I wouldn't be surprised if he threw another one in my direction." Naruto responded as he noted Nevermore flying in the sky above and swore he felt multiple life presence in that general direction.
"Well, do you want to come with us then?" Yang added as she didn't mind all that much plus she now had a new mission.
To prove she didn't deserve to be on the bottom of his book!
"Eh, the Grimm have been pretty well thinned out, so I think I'm good to go with you. Not to mention while I was up there before making my entrance, I noted the temple isn't too much further out." Naruto agreed as he left a wake of destruction and carnage of Grimm behind him as he sought the negative beings out.
He was quite sure somewhere between sixty to eighty Grimm had met their doom by his hands as he bounced from fight to fight.
And he hadn't broken a sweat. Which was to be expected when they were all small fries but still… Where was the challenge?
"Sweet! Almost done with this thing then!" Yang cracked her knuckles as she followed where Naruto pointed and led the troops. "I've got this! Follow me!"
"Twenty liens she nearly falls off the cliff."
"I'll take that bet." Blake grinned as she watched Yang lead the charge. "I win either way."
"Ow, cold as ice."
"Why was there a cliff there?!" Yang growled as she nearly fell off a cliff as they reached the broken-down temple to see many pedestals set out. "You think this is it?"
"I don't see any other temples in the area, so yeah, I think this is it." Naruto sarcastically responded which earned him a death glare from Yang, even more so as he saw a transfer of Lien between him and Blake and she didn't like that in the slightest.
"Chess pieces?" Blake questioned as she looked around at the objects and realized what they were supposed to be gathering and had to wonder exactly why he had chosen this exact object.
Naruto however knew and made him growl. Very loudly. And it startled the two girls as he looked over at the pieces. "It's how he sees us. We're simply pieces in his game… Which explains that multi-color piece over there… Is meant to be mine."
Blake and Yang's attention was drawn to a pedestal set up slightly higher than the rest with a queen piece set on its color in with Naruto's signature confetti paint color scheme. And it was the only queen piece in the entire set, so it stood out…
"I don't feel like grabbing one of these now if that's how he sees us…" Yang muttered before shaking her head. "No, that can't be. It just has to be an artistic choice."
"Believe what you will." Naruto reigned in his emotions as he glared at his piece, knowing Ozpin was mocking him. "Phase three is definitely a go now you prick."
"Well, I guess we should pick out a piece," Yang stated and Blake just motioned for her to go ahead, and she grabbed a gold knight piece. "This ought to do. I liked those stories with heroes in them anyways. And a knight piece reminds me of Ruby thinking about knights in shining armor so…"
Blake was however focused on Naruto and why he hadn't made his move when she noticed he stopped a depressed tile a little further from a pedestal. "Wait… Is it?"
"Yep, Ozpin rigged mine so probably only I could get. Probably one of the unfortunate few that got here before us thought to try and grab the queen and got some of those darts to the leg." Naruto pointed to some darts embedded into the wall to his left before motioning to a light blood stain on the pad.
Suddenly the sound of an Ursa caught their attention and all three looked on as an orange-haired girl rode in on an Ursa, riding it into the ground with a pink electrical shock as it finally gave out. "Oh no! I broke my ride!"
Slowly exiting out of the woods behind her was her partner, who happened to be who Naruto thought it was going to be. Ren. "Can you… Not do that again…"
However, her focus was now solely on what the pieces were and one in particular. And Naruto caught her ankle and pulled her back as she was nearly skewered as spikes shot out from the ground. "I've called that piece. Plus, it's rigged. Take the castle."
Suddenly her eyes lit up and she saw the castle and immediately went for the golden castle with hearts in her eyes. "I'm Queen of the Castle! I'm Queen of the Castle!"
"NORA" Ren yelled from halfway across the clearing, still not sure how she cleared it that quickly.
"Coming Ren!"
Everyone else present just simply stared at what they just witnessed, unable to comprehend the sing-song nature of Nora. So they ignored it.
"Alright I'm going for it," Naruto said as he got up and cracked his neck as he took the first step.
And easily slid by a small boulder that slammed the pressure plate he was still on. The next step and spikes rose all around him, but he easily stepped between them like they weren't even there. Next step a bolas was slung out and he simply caught it with his foot, kicked up and he used it for his next step as he slung it at high velocity to form a shield to block all the darts that fired out from the next plate. And with the last step, he simply caught the two logs that would have slammed together where he stood and shattered them with sheer grip strength.
Naruto took the queen and turned around only for everyone there to look at him as he grew a second head, even Nora. "What?"
A loud echoing, girly scream filled the air at that exact moment and distracted everyone from Naruto.
"It sounds like a girl is in trouble!" Yang called out as it was the most obvious thing in the world.
However, Naruto's ears twitched and he almost had to laugh as he knew that wasn't the scream of a girl. And he would have laughed if there was the scream of another person that suddenly become more apparent. "Ruby!"
"Help me!"
"Why are you falling?!" Yang cried out as saw her little falling from the sky, partially in terror as Blake looked shell shock as she had noticed a moment before around the same time as Naruto.
Naruto simply leaped and caught Ruby before another realization hit him.
That realization was Jaune Arc being hurled at incredibly high speeds, his metal shoulder plate first into his ribs.
"What in the…" Naruto grunted at the impact before twisting his body to absorb the blow and in the same motion grabbed Jaune. "Alright, I've got both of you I guess!"
Landing with both in hand, Naruto grimaced as he put both on their feet and clutch his rib for a moment. "Well… You have one hell of shoulder tackle Jaune I'll give you that. Broke a rib for sure."
Yang immediately rushed over and hugged her sister. "I'm so glad you are okay! Don't you scare me like that!"
"Are you okay?" Blake came over and saw Naruto mildly clutching his chest and heard the snap when Jaune made contact with him.
"Dealt with far worse. Just wasn't expecting this one." Naruto applied chakra to his rib to help speed up the healing process, knowing it wasn't the smartest choice, but it might be necessary. "Hey, Ruby… Where's Weiss? I saw the two of you were paired up…"
"Um…" Ruby pointed up as Ren joined the group, panting as he ran the distance that Nora made seem short.
Everyone looked up and saw the Nevermore in the sky and on its leg was Weiss attached to its leg. Screaming at Ruby. "I hate you so much right now Ruby Rose!"
"Oh my god, I did sense two life forces on that bird earlier!" Naruto groaned in annoyance at the sight of the princess in danger. "Why would you ever think that was a good idea?!"
"Um… We were lost and I thought getting up high would allow us to see where we need to go? And considering how easily we landed I figured that would be the easy part." Ruby nervously laughed as she tried to reason why she thought riding the Nevermore was a good plan.
Suddenly the trees and brush erupted to life as Pyrrha suddenly rushed onto the scene. And then they exploded as a massive Deathstalker rushed in from behind her, leaving everyone was wide eyes at the scene before them as she barely avoids its massive claw.
"What is this insanity?" Naruto cried out as while his senses were working just fine when there were so many things going on at once that it was hard to keep track of everything.
How did Sasuke's sensor… What was her name… She was an Uzumaki… Karin! How did Karin do it?
Yang at that point let her Semblance blaze to life as her boiling point had hit. "I can't take this anymore! Will everything just calm down for two seconds?"
"She's going to fall," Blake stated as it was the most obvious thing in the world to further irritate Yang.
"Yup, gonna fall." Ren followed up as he watched Weiss lose her grip.
"What?!" Naruto saw Weiss scream she started to fall and he just wanted to smash his face into the wall. Repeatedly. "Oh for the love of…"
Taking a deep breath, Naruto leaped at high speed and focused on his target, snatching Weiss out of the air, and nothing this time was going to interrupt him. "Gotcha! Brace for the landing!"
At that moment Weiss' eyes had sparkles in her eyes as she looked up at Naruto's face as the wind breezed through their hair. Her entire perception had flipped on a dime and her arms delicately wrapped around the back of his neck as she hooked both of her legs around his hip like a perfect damsel.
And as they landed, he had completed the rescue of his damsel and all that was left for her hero was to plant the ki…
"Coming through!" Pyrrha cried out as she ran past them and the Deathstalker was suddenly on them.
"I am done with this!" Naruto roared as he jumped back and shifted Weiss entirely to one side and grabbed Pyrrha by the waist before leaping back to the rest of the group in a single bound.
And as both were set on their feet, Pyrrha was startled that she just got treated like a damsel, Naruto grimaced once more as his rib was starting to hurt. It was nothing he couldn't handle but this was annoying at this point.
All because he lost track of his senses and Jaune flew in from nowhere. Something he wouldn't have called if he was tracking with his senses anyways. Jaune's aura was so pitiful he could hardly track him until just now anyways. He absently wondered what caused that change but figured something like a chakra awakening occurred so he put that aside for now.
"Yay! Now the gangs all together so we can die together!" Yang announced both sarcastically and almost as if she felt like it was inevitable at this point with the number of ridiculous events occurring.
Not to mention a Nevermore and a Deathstalker at once was a tall task and this was being asked of Academy students.
"No one is dying… Done with doing that again." Naruto growled at the notion which unbeknownst to him caught a few of his peer's attention but it would have to be brought up later when a Nevermore and Deathstalker weren't literally upon them at once.
"I've got this!" Ruby cried as she rushed the Deathstalker, activating her Semblance, and blazed towards it with speed that seemed unmatched.
"Ruby, wait!" Yang cried out as she helplessly watched her sister rush straight into battle against a much stronger Grimm than anything they had been fighting.
Trying to jump over the giant scorpion, she tried to gain a boost of speed by shooting Crescent Rose but the Deathstalker just smacked her away with simplistic ease.
"I've still got this…" Ruby stated as she got back up and fired a few shots at the Deathstalker but realized they were doing nothing. "Uh-oh."
Trying to run, the Nevermore made its presence known from above with a caw and a flap of its wings sent feather arrows towards a fleeing Ruby, cutting off her retreat.
At this point quite a few members were trying to rush out to get to Ruby, Yang was out in front crying out to his sister with Weiss surprisingly shortly behind and Blake a step behind. But when one of the arrows caught Ruby's cloak and dragged her to the ground as the Deathstalker rushed upon her as the rest of the arrows pinned the three off, Yang looked on in horror.
"Ruby!" She watched as the tail struck down at her baby sister a cold pit was left in her stomach.
This was like the time she nearly got her and Ruby killed when they were younger but this time...
The golden stinger never made its target as blonde faunus stood between it and her, holding it back with a light grimace as his eyes glowed with a golden tint. "I'm not going to say anything you don't already know… Hell, I was just about to do the same thing so I shouldn't be lecturing you in the first place…"
"But like I said last night. It's going to take time and that time isn't quite now Rose!" Naruto growled as he held on tightly, not even budging as the Deathstalker slammed his claw into Naruto.
It only made him angrier. "So, let's take the time and get you there!"
"And say the hell with you and this god damn bird!" Naruto roared as he turned and with strength unheralded in Remnant lifted the Deathstalker by its tail and dug deep to throw it into the sky, right at the Nevermore.
And hit the bird right in center mass to drop it out of the sky and into freefall. But even as they fell out of the sky Naruto wasn't done as a blue orb erupted in his hand and he tracked their fall and his legs coiled before he leapt to meet their clumped bodies. When the orb met the clump it grew massively in size to match Naruto's intensity.
"ODAMA RASENGAN!"
The impact shockwave shattered the earth directly beneath it before the continued and knocked nearly everyone back and off their feet as the blue orb drilled straight through two falling Grimm, carving through their bodies like butter as he pierced through them like a bullet as he came out the other side and let the Rasengan fade as its job was done and quite frankly…
It was overkill in the end.
Several pieces of the Grimm fell to the earth below and Naruto finally landed in a crouch before slowly standing with his back turned at first as that was simply the direction he was facing. However, the view simply made his visage more epic in the eyes of those who saw it, especially Ruby who thought she was watching a fairy tale unfold before her very eyes.
And Ruby was simply chibified with hearts in her eyes as she bounced back in forth in place as the more leveled-headed, Blake and Weiss, surveyed the carnage and came to newfound respect and slight terror of the faunus that stood before them.
That was a level of power that was simply beyond words.
He was a literal force of nature.
Yang was in simple awe of what she saw before her and wanted it for herself. "Gimmie, gimmie, gimmie!"
And cliff far away, Ozpin simply clicked off the monitor as Glynda looked on in shock and horror at what she had seen, not even needing the monitor to witness such an event.
The tides were turning.
"Russel Thrush. Cardin Winchester. Dove Bronzewing. Sky Lark." Ozpin announced as the four boys, who Naruto ignore in their group, were called to the stage and shown on the auditorium screen. "The four of you retrieved the black bishop pieces. From this day forward you will be known as team CRDL led by Cardin Winchester!"
"So led by a racist bigot, got it. Good eye for leadership Oz." Naruto mimed under his breath and nearby Blake caught what he said and repressed a giggle despite agreeing with his statement as the four stood before the crowd giving an ovation before taking their seats.
Stepping back to the podium, Ozpin continue as new pictures replaced CRDL on the screen. "Jaune Arc. Lie Ren. Pyrrha Nikos. Nora Valkyrie."
Showing the four on the screen, Naruto already knew the four would be on the same team seeing the piece Jaune had grabbed for him and Pyrrha. "The four of you retrieved the four white rook pieces. From this day forth you shall be known as the JNPR."
Nora excitedly hugged Ren who almost had an exasperated sigh but with his emotive sensory he could feel the sense of relief within. Those two had a weird relationship and he wasn't sure how to classify it. But whatever worked for them.
What was next did surprise Naruto.
"Led by… Jaune Arc!"
"What?! Why?!" Naruto's voice was drowned out by the ovation and Pyrrha looked shocked for a second before she gave him a friendly shoulder bump that nearly bowled him over in the process.
He wasn't the only one floored by the decision as both Yang, Weiss, and Blake all nearby him were floored at the decision that Jaune was picked to be a leader of a team. Ruby was just sitting there cheering with the rest of the crowd.
"Yeah! You'll do great Jaune!"
Yang was the first to sum up her opinion. "They're all going to die."
Blake only nodded as she watched them line up for the crowd ovation before being sent to their seats.
As if you sense their shock Ozpin continued. "Blake Belladonna. Ruby Rose. Weiss Schnee. Yang Xiao Long."
The three snapped out of their stupor and followed Ruby up the stage as their images were broadcasted on the big screen above and stood before Ozpin. "The four of you retrieved the white knight pieces. From this day you shall be known as team RWBY. Led by…"
"Ruby Rose!"
As the ovation hit, Weiss looked absolutely devastated by the news. She could not believe that the young brat was being given responsibility for their team. Was Naruto right and the headmaster just an incompetent buffoon?! Should the blonde-haired witch replace him as the headmistress?!
Blake didn't have a thought either way and Yang was simply ecstatic and squeezed her sister into the biggest hug. "I'm so proud of you!"
Ozpin simply smiled as he let the girls stand before the standing ovation before he stood at the podium one last time. "Now before we close out here tonight, we have one last student… A special case… One who will be granted their Hunter's license while still attending classes this year."
Narrowing his eyes, Naruto's ears twitched, and he growled. "So that's the game we're playing… Going to put me to work now that you know a little of what I can do?"
The crowd fell silent. This was simply unheard of. A first-year student doing something so incredible that they were immediately getting their license but still attending Beacon?
Naruto simply started walking to the stage, annoyed that he was being put on a pedestal, but he would play this game. Oz wanted to trumpet him, so be it. He was fine at seeing how this played out.
It wouldn't be boring at the very least.
Everyone was at a hush as he walked onto the and his visage was shown on the big screen and suddenly confetti bombs went off next to Ozpin as if to mock the faunus. "Naruto Uzumaki, you retrieved the trapped queen piece while displaying exemplary leadership and care for the safety of others despite not having a partner of your own."
"From this point on you are now a Hunter of Remnant but I still expect you to attend classes unless you are out on assignment." Ozpin smiled but the message was clear to Naruto.
You work for me now.
And he hated that.
However, the silence was broken by one Ruby Rose. "YEAH! WAY TO GO NARUTO! WOOP-WOOP!"
And that was all it took for the damn to burst and the ovation to come rolling in. Naruto stared at Ozpin, glowering at him for a moment longer before hiding his emotions and taking his place before the crowd and giving a smile.
This was going to be troublesome.
…He wondered how Shikamaru was doing right now.
Path Altered.
...
Course Unable to Be Corrected.
Charting.
...
Rerouted.
A/N: Starting with the obvious here, this was planned from the start. I wanted Naruto to be a Hunter, so I'd have flexibility with my story but also have the comfort of going back to Beacon for the major scenes and character development, which is a lot of what I have planned. Yet I still wanted him to attend classes and learn about the world and have that constraint so what better way than to be under Ozpin's thumb as a Hunter?
As I was writing some of the scenes and character developments and my road map start becoming clear I had a startling realization… I might actually be writing a harem story and that is the last thing I want. So, I'm going to try and snuff that out as I really do just want a single pairing or at worse a threesome pairing. If it happens… It happens and I'll simply be disappointed in myself.
I also just find it funny in my mind that Naruto is just instinctively attracted to Pyrrha and he's fighting against it. Meanwhile I can hear Kushina's voice somewhere inside his own instincts speaking like Darth's Sidious going "Do it. Give me red haired grand babies." I might just make an Omake of that here shortly as that thought it rattling in my brain.
If anyone gets the "From the Heavens" reference… Bonus points for you. I will give a hint. It is not anything anime or movie related but it is TV related. I just couldn't have Naruto use the same move as it would have been very impractical to use on a standing Ursa. Maybe if it was laying flat on its back…
Regardless, see you next time.
Peace Out