AN: Hey guys! Sorry for the wait, lots of crap happened, especially regarding school and personal issues so this has been slow in coming. That being said, I've finally graduated from high school! But that's irrelevant. To Business!

I have decided which universes the group will be seeing for the next few chapters in no particular order. Some of them will be easily understood, others not so much.

The main idea is that the first 7 or so chapters will be getting them used to the idea of the Multiversal Theory using crossover ideas (RWBY characters in different franchises), and then we'll be getting into more and more of the stories that either mix different characters and franchises in, or simply alternate timelines.

Also, I'll be putting up polls for if you guys want me to continue a certain part of the story or not. For example, if you guys want to see the next part of "The Sound of Drums" (I will be doing that at a later date, considering I said it in the last chapter but the point stands).

Speaking of polls, I will say that JoJo's Bizarre Adventure will be a universe that we see in one or more of these chapters. I will be posting a poll as to which Part you guys want, considering I couldn't decide which would be best. After that, you guys can tell me which fights and such from said Part you want me to include!

With that all being said, let's begin!


Disclaimer: I, Beowulf the Divine Emperor, do not own RWBY or any crossover material that is used in this story. I only own my OCs and my own twist on the genre of Reaction Fic. RWBY is owned by the late, great Monty Oum and Rooster Teeth. All other material falling under "crossover" belongs to their respective owners. In this case, Asura's Wrath belongs to Capcom.

Special Thanks to Sixsamchaos for pain-stakingly beta reading this!


The more...bombastic of the audience (namely Nora, Yang, and Ruby), were practically bouncing in their seats over a more action-y universe. The rest of the students, especially Blake and Ren, were more reserved but still excited. Weiss, while slightly interested, didn't seem to be looking forward to it. The adults however, were mostly looking bored.

Beowulf, who had been stuffing his face with popcorn, looked at the senior hunters (and Weiss) quizzically. "Something wrong?"

Ironwood scoffed a little, his lips pressed in slight distaste. "All these action movie types are so foolish. None of them know what a real fight is like."

The others nodded, some agreeing more than others. Weiss simply frowned a little. "They're all such boring, mindless stuff."

Yang snickered as she dove into her popcorn. "Only you would be disappointed with 'mindless stuff,' Weiss-cream."

Weiss glared at the blonde bombshell while Summer and Taiyang smiled at their daughter. Jaune and Pyrrha chuckled a little, as did Beowulf.

"Ah, to be young again..." Ozpin gave a small smile.

Beowulf smirked at the two Atlesians, grinning slightly. "I think you'll enjoy this one actually. After all, it's not every day you see demigods do battle."

Ozpin looked up a little, quirking a brow. "Demigods?"

"Quite. This world is very different from yours, and yet, so very similar..." The man mused softly.

The drunk of the audience, Qrow, smirked and waved his hand somewhat mockingly, waiting for Beowulf to elaborate. "And..?"

Mismatched eyes narrowed at the man, a mischievous smirk curling his lips. "Are you mocking me Qrow Branwen?"

Qrow simply smirked before pulling out his flask of whiskey and taking a sip. His eyes suddenly widened before he coughed hard, as if choking on something. He keeled over a little in his seat, hitting his chest to dislodge whatever was in his throat.

Taiyang and Summer started to look concerned. "Qrow...?" The blonde reached toward his friend to help.

With a final hacking cough, the alcoholic Hunter spat out a massive hunk of grain. "What...the hell is...?"

Beowulf smirked, "Barley, a key ingredient in the whiskey you drink. Tread carefully when you try to have battle of wits with me Branwen. You'll find that I hold the cards." He snickered as Qrow glared at him for messing with his precious booze.

Ironwood and Winter, however, grinned inwardly at the uncouth man's humiliation.

"Uh...how did you...?" Jaune pointed at the barley on the floor questioningly.

The young man shrugged. "Transmuted it back into its former ingredients. Pretty simple stuff when you can warp reality itself." He grinned suddenly, clapping his hands together. "But enough of that! Context first."

"This version of Remnant is known as Gaea." He spoke, summoning a large replica of the planet and its moon, surprisingly unshattered, in front of them. Oohs and aahs were shared as they looked at the alternate version of their own world, surprised to see that none of the continents were very alike. "Grimm exist here, but instead of Auras, they have an energy called Mantra, formed from prayers offered by Humanity, as well as their souls upon death."

"Are there faunus in this world?" Ghira asked, stroking his beard while observing the holographic planet.

Beowulf shook his head. "No they do not. But anyway, this Mantra is harnessed by another race: Demigods." A few visuals of strange but intriguing beings flashed across the screen, humanoid, but unlike any faunus or human they'd ever seen. It was if skin had merged with a form of metal.

But one scene in particular stood out. A scene with eight people in it, all familiar, yet different.

One was a large, admittedly fat man with a massive golden arm/gauntlet, carved with intricate engravings. He wore an open vest, rich with design along with baggy pants colored red and gold. His face however, was unmistakable. A face with a large, golden mustache that appeared to be made of metal as well and golden hair with a similar tint to it. A cocky smirk curled his lips.

"Professor Port?!" The students shouted in surprise, while Ozpin and Glynda looked at the man's other in curiosity.

"Huh...Peter's put on some weight," Qrow quipped, taking another sip from his flask, this one smaller due to wariness towards Beowulf.

Tai looked at the man's massive gauntlet in awe. "Damn! He must have one hell of a punch..." Summer chuckled a little at that.

The next man of the eight was tall and extremely well muscled to the point of bulkiness. He had intricate red, tribal-looking markings all over his upper body, which was plainly on display for all to see. His hair was wild and white and a wild grin that reeked of battlelust was on his features. His eyes were strange, pure white with no pupil or iris, and glowing slightly. He had silvery metal gauntlets covering his hands and forearms and wore baggy white pants covered in remnants of armor. A massive katana was sheathed horizontally behind him at his waist.

Ruby squealed a little before looking at her uncle. "Uncle Qrow! Look, it's you! And look at that sword!"

Qrow spat up his whiskey in shock, looking at this behemoth of a man who was apparently his other. "Well Oum damn..."

Willow and Winter, however, were more interested in the other's eyes. "His eyes are white...is Qrow blind in this?"

Beowulf nodded, grinning at the catch. "Indeed. He's blind, not that it matters much when it comes to his efficiency in battle and in life."

The drunken Hunter smirked at everyone, "Looks like I'm a badass huh?"

"Next I'll change your whiskey into a fish. Fitting considering how much you drink."

"..." Qrow slumped back into his seat, grumbling quietly.

The third man was also tall and muscled, but much more lean and young. He had long black hair, shoulder length with much of it in a bun, and a small pointed beard. He wore very intricate clothing, as well as armor, unlike most of the other eight, colored black with hints of gold. He had two long white scarves trailing behind him, fastened to his collar. He also had tribal markings on his body, though much more muted such that they didn't stand out immediately. His eyes and face were the definition of impassive, with a hint of Melancholy, though unmistakably one of their own.

Nora smiled widely, tugging on Ren's sleeve and pointing. "Look Ren-Ren! It's you!" She blushed slightly, making a mental note to get rid of Ren's razors.

Ren himself raised an eyebrow, taking in his alternate's appearance. "...huh..."

Glynda looked on in intrigue. "Everyone has carvings and markings of sorts on their bodies so far. Why?" She asked, turning to Beowulf.

The man simply muttered quietly to himself before shrugging a little. "Irrelevant?"

She frowned at the unhelpful explanation before everyone moved onto the next person. A smaller, more effeminate man compared to the last two, he had purple eyes and long light purple hair. His lips curved in a vain, sociopathic sneer that set everyone uneasy. He wore extremely flamboyant clothing of purple and gold; if anyone were to look at him in abstract, they'd think him a royal prince. Once again like the others, he had odd markings on his body.

Ozpin leaned closer, narrowing his eyes curiously. "Who would this be...? I can't recognize him."

Beowulf growled in a mix of rage and disgust, his sclerae flashing blood-red. "Vermin..." He snarled in a voice as if thousands of people were speaking through him, overshadowed by the voice of a demon. (1)

Everyone flinched at the angry, almost vengeful tone, looking at their host in surprise as to what could cause such disgust. They were also extremely surprised to see Beowulf's eyes turn red as blood, shivering a little at the man's surprising presence.

The man quickly regained control of himself with some effort, though his mismatched eyes still glared at the man in question on-screen. "To answer your question Ozpin...that is a man named Tyrian, one of Salem's underlings in your timeline. And the definition of chaotic evil..." Beowulf growled with barely-concealed hatred.

Jaune stared at the now named Tyrian with blatant suspicion and disgust. "He...he doesn't seem right...at all."

Ruby nodded and shivered uneasily. "Agreed..."

The next person was a definite odd one, a very old balding man, relatively dark skinned with a long white beard, that connected with his hair and his hair to his eyebrows. He had a golden prosthetic eye with the other eye being a glowing white and wore what appeared to be monk's robes. His markings were much more prominent than the previous two, colored gold and circular like circuit boards. He seemed to be sitting/clinging to a strange staff that had wheels.

Ruby tilted her head confusion. "I don't recognize this guy either...is he another one of Salem's?"

Beowulf leaned forward, resting his chin on his knuckles. "Actually no...this person is an exclusive to this universe. His name is Kalrow."

Everyone nodded and continued looking through the eight.

The next person was a woman. Fair and beautiful, she had long white hair and a perfect hourglass figure. She wore an ornate dress of golden armor, a chestplate that opened up to show her midriff, as well as armored skirt that went to her knees and high-heeled boots with leg guards. Her face was certainly beautiful, but had a noticeable scowl. Curiously, she was the only one that did not have any markings on her.

Qrow spat his whiskey out in a spit-take, gawping at the screen alongside Ironwood and Tai. Glynda blushed only slightly. "Oh...so that's me."

Beowulf gave a fanged smirk at her. "Quite."

Kali covered her smirk while Ghira smirked openly at the three men.

Summer huffed and lightly smacked her husband upside the head.

"Moving on..." Glynda said quickly, trying to get the spotlight off of herself.

The next person was a tall, older man with dark-ish skin and white hair, slicked back with a white beard and gold placated goatee. He wore white shoulder pauldrons and guards on top of a cape that fastened at his throat and draped over his upper body. Underneath was a tuxedo-like outfit with golden markings, golden armor on top of it, and had clawed gauntlets, much like Beowulf's. He had markings on his face that resembled flames and his lips were pressed in an impassive expression of sheer pride.

Ironwood raised an eyebrow in intrigue. "Oz that's you?"

Ozpin looked on in similar intrigue, confused. "No, I thought that was you?"

Beowulf stepped in to clarify. "He's a fusion of sorts between the two of you. Both in mind, and body, more or less." (2)

Everyone looked between the two. "Huh, what do you know?" Ruby said with a hint of surprise.

"No offense Professor-and-Mr.-Ironwood, but you look like a jerk." Yang stated bluntly, with many of the students nodding in agreement, some more than others.

Glynda gave a glare worthy of her title as Beacon's disciplinarian. "Behave children." She spoke sternly over Beowulf's quiet snickering. Ozpin sighed quietly, admitting to himself that he indeed looked like a jerk. Ironwood simply grumbled in annoyance.

The final person was one who caught everyone's attention. He was a very well built young man, maybe about the alternate Ren's age. Muscular and with etchings into his body, he was bare-chested and had whole arms made of a gold metal, carved beautifully. He wore a white and red patterned hakama that was neatly tucked into a pair of golden greaves and had a white sash. He had white hair and red eyes, and his teeth were bared in an angered snarl.

Pyrrha pointed at the man. "Look it's Jaune!" She said, blushing a little at the extremely well-built version of her crush.

Ruby blushed a bit as well, but noticed his angered state. "What's he so angry about?"

Beowulf scratched at the back of head, wincing slightly. "Honestly? A lot in this universe..."

Snapping his fingers, he made the image vanish before the screen restarted its glow. "I'll explain more as we watch. So are we ready?"

They all nodded and got comfortable in their seats as the white glow faded to reveal the scenes they would watch.

The scene opened to a shot of Gaea in the depths of space, slowly zooming out until the landscape of the Moon was visible. Panning out further, it showed two men standing at a distance from each other, Qrow and Jaune.

Jaune was hunched over in a combat stance, snarling at Qrow angrily. His clothes were different, wearing a black hakama that was torn and uneven, one side covering his greaves while the other was tucked in. But strangely, instead of the red irises, his eyes were pure white, giving him an aura of savagery.

Qrow, however, was relaxed, his arms crossed and standing tall with a smirk on his face.

"...They're on the moon?!" Weiss exclaimed. eyes bulging at the impossible sight.

Ruby looked at the screen before shrugging. "I mean, they are demigods. They probably don't need air."

"That doesn't explain how they even got there!"

Beowulf coughed slightly. "I did mention space travel right...?"

Weiss sunk back into her seat, grumbling in annoyance at the oddness of it all.

Pyrrha noticed that the alternate Jaune's eyes were white as opposed to the red. "What happened to Jaune?"

Beowulf simply gestured towards the screen.

Classical music began to play as Qrow smirked a bit more. "Ahh...this will do. It's just you...and me." He spoke in a low, almost growling/gravely voice while gesturing with his hands. "Time to raise some hell!" He grinned widely, his white eyes widening as well with a hint of battlelust.

Jaune got more into his stance as he prepared, for the Final Lesson.

Jaune raised an eyebrow in intrigue. "I was Qrow's student?"

Glynda, Winter, and Ironwood stiffened, images of this version of Qrow having the responsibility of a student flashing across their minds before shuddering.

Ruby and Qrow noticed this and pouted/grumbled respectively. "He's/I'm not that bad..."

Beowulf chuckled. "He was a brutal taskmaster and a great teacher...if a little...battlehungry." It's not like Beowulf could get on his case about it. That would make him quite the hypocrite... (3)

Blake however, focused on something else. "What's with the music?" The feline faunus asked curiously, her cat ears twitching slightly under her bow. She kind of liked it.

The mysterious host shrugged again and smirked. "Think of it as a backdrop. Definitely makes things much cooler though." He said as a copy of the music used dropped into Blake's lap. "Dvorak's Symphony No. 9 in E Minor...'From the New World'...I've never heard of this before. Strange..." (4)

"Now that I think of it, the last time we fought like this..." Qrow chuckled, "you were still my pupil. You were wild, unfocused, and had the eyes of a beast."

Jaune seemed to be itching to fight, gritting his teeth and clenching his fists as Qrow spoke.

"Even then, I knew that someday, you'd become the opponent I had been waiting for! I hope you don't disappoi-" Jaune launched forward with a roar, having lost his patience, punching Qrow in the face hard enough to create a small shock-wave around them. Qrow didn't even budge.

Qrow whistled a little. "Oum damn. This other me is a badass."

"Shut up Qrow." Glynda glared at him in annoyance, before turning to Jaune. "I'm sure you know that you shouldn't be as reckless as the other you in battle, correct Mr. Arc?"

Jaune scratched at the back of his head in embarrassment. "Heh, yes Ms. Goodwitch..."

Beowulf however, frowned at this slightly, quietly disagreeing.

He even cracked a grin as he swept aside Jaune's fist before landing a punch in Jaune's face such that it distorted his face and sent him flying. Poor Jaune even skipped over the Moon's surface a few times before smashing into a raised part of the ground, falling to his knees.

Everyone winced slightly, impressed at Qrow's monstrous strength, but worried for this other Jaune.

"Jaune seems more like a berserker than anything that we know. What's wrong with him?" Ren asked, concerned for his friend.

Beowulf winced slightly. "You'll see..."

Pyrrha just looked on in worry, wondering how Jaune could possibly triumph over Qrow.

Jaune slowly got to his feet, before a massive pillar of red, roiling energy erupted around him as he stomped his foot into the ground, settling into his battle stance. His eyes glowed with rage as he brought his arms in and let them out, somehow forming four more metal arms in a burst of red-tinged power. "QROW!" He growled loudly at his foe.

Everyone blinked. Once. Twice. Three times.

"What?" Jaune deadpanned.

Ruby and Yang were now cheering loudly for Jaune alongside Nora while everyone sat in shock, their mouths hung open. Qrow blinked before slumping over, a rain cloud above his head as his nieces cheered against him.

Beowulf simply snickered at the avian Hunter's turmoil while continuing to stuff his face with popcorn.

Qrow launched himself through the air before crashing down on the moon's surface in front of Jaune, not a scratch on him. He smirked as the battle began.

"Kick his ass Jaune!" Yang cheered, as Qrow slumped further.

Glynda frowned, but let it slide. "I'm rooting for Mr. Arc here as well."

Ironwood smirked. "Me too."

Winter chimed in as well. "Me three."

"I hate you all..."

Right off the bat, Qrow shot forward, orange-yellow energy surging around him as he tried to knock Jaune down. "I've waited a long time for this!"

Jaune dodged before striking him with a vicious uppercut. "And you're going to get what you deserve!"

The six-armed warrior fought with an unmistakable brutality as he punched at his foe with all six arms, knocking his former mentor down. Jaune snarled as he cocked three fists back and hit him with a triple-fisted uppercut, followed by another triple-fisted uppercut.

Qrow was flung into the air with a groan of pain, but recovered quickly, leaping back away from Jaune before charging forwards with such speed, the ground crumbled under each step, He slammed his former student in the ribs, sending him flying once again.

Once again, Jaune recovered quickly, dodging and blocking as Qrow launched into a combo of energy-charged strikes that shattered the ground.

The audience ooh-ed and aah-ed at the battle taking place on the screen. Yang in particular was on the edge of her seat, punching at the air in excitement.

"Come on! Clap his ears with six hands! Uppercut him with three fists! Beat his ass!"

Summer and Taiyang watched her with sweatdrops. "Guess we know what else she got from Raven..." Taiyang muttered to Summer while glancing at Qrow.

The avian Hunter looked at his niece with a slight sense of horror.

Jaune roared as he began to somehow fire energy blasts from his fists at Qrow, not that it did much good. Qrow grinned. "This is fun! It's like hunting!"

The multi-armed berserker snarled as he continued his energy barrage. "And you're the game!"

Qrow launched himself forward once again, throwing a hard punch at Jaune.

"How would you like to die pup?"

Jaune caught the punch with two of his hands while Qrow threw another punch, once again caught by two other hands.

"Don't make me laugh!"

With a roar, Jaune drove one of his free fists into Qrow's chin in a brutal uppercut, sending Qrow skidding back.

Suddenly, Jaune unleashed a massive burst of red energy, before charging at his enemy. "RAAGGHHH!"

Nora cheered as she jumped up and down in her seat. "Geez this battle's really heating up!"

Beowulf smirked as he leaned forward. "You ain't seen nothing yet."

Jaune slammed three fists into Qrow's face, sending him sliding back a bit before he pressed the attack, throwing another punch.

Qrow struck with a punch of his own, meeting Jaune's fist midway with a shockwave. The area around them was charged with orange and red energy wafting off the two combatants.

With another roar, Jaune threw another punch which Qrow stopped in the same way, another shockwave shaking the ground.

Qrow smirked and gave a small chuckle while Jaune gave another battlecry and pressed his attack.

Jaune unleashed a massive barrage of punches, his six arms and fists merely blurs while Qrow countered with his own barrage. Every punch met fist to fist midway between the two combatants, almost leaving them matched, blow for blow.

By now, everyone was jaw-dropped at the sheer savagery of the battle on the screen. This wasn't just two demigods fighting just for the hell of it. This was a fight to the death.

Ren asked once again, his parents also concerned. "What happened to Jaune to make him so angry?"

Beowulf sighed and pointed to the screen. "It would be better to show you instead of saying it. Keep watching."

Suddenly Qrow's fist slipped past Jaune's barrage, slamming him in the face. "You're beaten!" Jaune simply gritted his teeth, straining against the punch.

He fell back slightly onto a back foot, before roaring in anger and giving Qrow a crushing blow to his cheek in retaliation. The punch on his face pushed the older demigod back a few feet, but he simply shot back into the fight.

Once again, the screen was populated by the savage clashes of fist-to-fist battle, shockwaves shaking the dust and ground.

"Geez, they're really getting into it!" Ruby gasped/yelled out as she watched the battle on the screen.

Jaune chuckled a little. "I'll say..." He admitted, while he watched his other on the screen with a sudden sense of disappointment and self-loathing. "Wish I could be as strong as him..."

What he didn't notice was that Beowulf had spotted this and frowned slightly.

"Fall! FALL!" Qrow bellowed as he smashed his knuckles straight into Jaune's face, pushing him back. Jaune recovered just as before, pushing off with his back foot for more force.

"RRRZAAAGH!" Jaune struck hard, slamming three fists into Qrow's skull in a brutal counterattack and sending him skidding back a bit off balance, but he recovered fast and shot back in to continue the barrage deadlock.

Qrow yelled out once again as he hit Jaune with a ruthless uppercut. "Scream for me!" Jaune gritted his teeth and strained against the uppercut and succeeding slightly. He snarled at his former mentor as they stared at each other with battlelust.

Jaune suddenly disengaged from the deadlock before rearing back three fists and giving Qrow a uppercut of his own. "HRAAH!" Qrow flew back, using the momentum to flip back onto his feet and reenter the battle with a flurry of punches. Jaune obliged without question with his own fists.

Both of the two warriors clashed in their display of brutal combat, fist striking fist with shockwaves reverberating in the ground, until...

"RRRAAUGH!" Jaune let one fist slip right past Qrow's, smashing it clean into his skull and following through into a spin. Qrow flew back head over heels, skidding on his back before slamming into a few boulders. He collapsed onto a knee, panting slightly.

"He did it!" Pyrrha cheered as she hugged Jaune with a wide smile. Jaune, however, narrowed his eyes slightly in suspicion.

Blake bit her lip slightly. "I wouldn't count Jaune's enemy out just yet...he's still there after all."

"But surely he'll stay down after a fight like that! Right...?" Willow argued as she glanced around at the room.

Beowulf gave a bark of laughter. "You thought that was the actual fight?" He smirked at the astonishment on their faces.

"Wh...what are you talking about?!" Winter shouted in surprise.

The Plasmator smirked as he turned his attention back to the screen. "That was just the warm-up." A battlehungry grin split his face, revealing his fangs while he pointed to the screen.

Ozpin quirked an eyebrow at Beowulf's expression, but shelved it and focused on the screen.

Qrow slowly got to his feet as a gold, ornate ring seemed to form and float behind him. He smirked as he stood tall, his orangish-yellow energy surging in a pillar around him. He breathed heavily even as he grinned. "I have had carnal knowledge of the fairest maidens in Heaven..."

All of the adults gave Qrow a dirty look, especially Glynda and Winter. Yang burst out laughing, Weiss glared at the avian Hunter, Blake was blushing slightly, and Ruby looked simply confused.

Jaune was similarly confused while Nora and Pyrrha looked at each other with blank faces. Ren simply pinched his nose in annoyance. "Oh this can't be good..."

Qrow chuckled awkwardly while scratching at the back of his neck. "Ehehe...for the record, that's not me..?" He said, almost trying to appease everyone who was staring at him.

Winter smacked him in the back of the head. "Uncouth idiot..."

Yang wiped away a laughter tear as she smiled. "Ah that was great..."

"Yang, what does carnal knowledge mean?" Ruby asked innocently. Yang flinched and gawped like a fish out of water. "Uh...um..."

Beowulf, who had been chowing down on his popcorn, suddenly choked before laughing in earnest. "AHAHAHAHAHAHA!"

"I'd like to know too..?" Jaune said uncertainly, before Pyrrha clamped a hand over his mouth, whispering a quiet "later" into his ear.

Yang looked to her parents pleadingly before turning to Ruby. "When you're older okay...?"

The silver-eyed Huntress-in-training pouted a little. "Fine..."

The elder demigod grabbed his nodachi that had been on his back, spinning it in his hands, "...and tasted the finest wines of Gaea." He held the scabbard close to the guard of the sword with one hand, with the other on the sword's handle. "But none of it..."

He slowly drew his blade, the name of his sword appearing on the screen. It's name: Wailing Dark

"None of it-" He drew his sword in full, "excites my blood more than using my blade!" He threw the scabbard away, where it embedded itself into a rock.

Qrow's grin turned downright bloodthirsty as he laughed. "HAHAHA! Prepare to meet your end, Jaune!" He roared in bloodthirsty glee as he raised his blade to the sky, his energy surging even higher than ever before.

"...That can't be good..."

The scene suddenly switched to a semi-large throne room, focusing on Ozwood and Ren, now with a visor that resembled a hawk's beak. This was the throne room of the Head Deity, Ozpin. He led the Seven Deities, once known as the Eight Guardian Generals before they had betrayed Jaune. Though now their number had dwindled slightly, as out of the Seven, only Five remained: Ren, Qrow, Glynda, Tyrian, and Ozwood himself.

The four mentioned there winced at the fact that they had betrayed Jaune in this universe, bowing their heads slightly in shame. Jaune smiled reassuringly at them. "Hey, it's alright. Different universe, remember?"

Ozpin did not agree. His old heart grew heavy. "How many times have I sacrificed people in this war against Salem? Is it something similar here...?" He glanced at Beowulf, who seemed to be intentionally avoiding his gaze.

Ironwood grimaced slightly, feeling a bit of guilt himself. Betrayal was one of the worst things out there, and one that he guarded against fiercely. One of the many reasons he was so cold often times. Tin Man without a Heart indeed...And this version of him and Ozpin had done it to someone else? He closed his eyes and sighed, quietly disgusted with himself.

Beowulf sighed quietly, pinching his nose as he paused the viewing. "More context might be required here. Mantra as an energy is essentially cosmic energy produced by emotion, made from the prayers or souls of mortals. Each of these...now former generals, have their own aspect of Mantra that they control. Each corresponds to an emotion or part of Mortal Nature. Port was Violence, Qrow is Greed, Ren is Melancholy, Tyrian is Vanity, Kalrow was Sloth, Glynda was...erm, Lust, Ozwood is Pride, and Jaune is Wrath. Make sense so far?"

Everyone nodded in understanding. "I see...so that's why Jaune is so angry?" Ren asked curiously.

"Erm...sort of..." Beowulf gave a half-answer, much to Ren's disappointment.

Qrow chuckled slightly as Glynda turned a faint shade of red. "Lust huh? Is there something we should know Glyn?"

If looks could kill, Glynda's stare would have been charged with war crimes. Beowulf chuckled, before becoming somber. "Ozpin's pride led him to betray Jaune and...kill him in order for him to remain out of his plans. Said plan is called 'The Great Rebirth' where all of the Grimm will be destroyed by killing the source."

The headmaster was shocked. "What? I killed him? And what do you mean 'the source'?"

Beowulf grimaced. "Jaune managed to resurrect himself, but you don't need to know that right now. And the source..." He waved a hand, summoning an image. "...is that."

Everyone's jaws dropped in awed horror.

A massive face, large enough to take up a continent and formed from lava, bone, and black Grimm fluid engulfed the side of Gaea, with enormous black snakes erupting in a ring around it. The snakes were huge, with bonelike structures on their heads, lava red eyes, and power floating from their mouths. The face itself resembled an ape's fused with a wolf's. It was simply horrifying. (5)

"What...the hell...is that?!" Ironwood stared in horror at this...this...abomination!

"That, is Vlitra. An embodiment of the Planet's rage and negative emotion. That is what Ozpin seeks to destroy." Beowulf clicked his fingers, the image vanishing in an instant. However, out of sight did not mean out of mind. Shivers ran down their spines at the visual they had seen.

"But I digress. Let's continue?" The Plasmator asked as he resumed the viewing.

Ozwood sat upon his throne quietly, Ren standing by his side. He suddenly looked up, sensing the tremendous fight on the moon. "Jaune forced his hand."

Ren seemed somewhat impressed by this, though it was difficult to see any form of emotion behind the visor. "The only person Qrow has ever drawn his sword against is you, my Lord. ...Is he that powerful...?"

"Hmph...how interesting..."

Meanwhile, Qrow raised his mighty blade as the music began anew. He gave a mighty roar as his Mantra surged around him like a coiling pillar of strength and power.

Winter was somewhat skeptical. "Why would it be such a huge deal for him to be using a sword all of a sudden?"

Ironwood leaned forward, resting his chin on his metal fist. "It must be something...after all, if it's so important as to be named and if Ozpin, the Leader seemed to have trouble with it, there must be something strange about it..."

"Pffft, come on, it's just an ordinary looking katana! It doesn't even have any mecha-shifting or whatever!" Yang laughed a little.

"RAAH!" Qrow swung his blade down, sending a blade-like column/wave of energy slicing through the air and ground in front of him. It cut like a hot knife through butter as it cleaved through the terrain, Jaune barely dodging it as it zipped past him. He gritted his teeth as his hands clenched into fists.

The old swordsman grinned. "Show me what you're made of." He taunted loudly, before disappearing in a split second and reappearing above Jaune. His sword was raised high, ready to split Jaune in two.

"Jaune!" He roared as he brought the blade down without hesitation. Acting quickly, Jaune stopped the with all six hands, clapping them around the blade to keep it from bisecting him down the middle. He grimaced as the sword's orange-yellow edge shimmered with power, as if singing for a taste of his blood.

With a groan of effort that morphed into a battlecry, he strained against the blade, slowly pushing it to the side before letting go and letting the sword hit the ground beside him.

The entire terrain shifted as the blade cleaved through the ground effortlessly, slicing clean through a hundred yard portion of their battlefield and shifting up into some form of wall.

As the dust cleared, Qrow kneeled in a warrior's pose, his sword in his hand behind him. Jaune landed a few meters away from him, getting to his feet while his lips bared his teeth in an expression of rage and slight awe.

Everyone slowly turned to stare at Yang, who was gawping at the awesome power of Wailing Dark. "Just an ordinary sword huh?" Blake deadpanned, quirking an eyebrow somewhat mockingly.

"...shut up..." Yang grumbled quietly, crossing her arms.

Ruby squealed with stars in her eyes. "GIMME GIMME GIMME!" She exclaimed as she made grabby hands at the screen.

"Maybe later Ruby," Beowulf said in a soothing tone in order to calm her down.

Qrow smirked as he began to show just why he was considered one of the most powerful of the Seven Deities, and the greatest swordsman...period. "Don't die yet!" He taunted as he unleashed a ring of blade-like columns around him, expanding outwards.

Jaune dodged and weaved in between them, firing off Mantra blasts from his fists with a snarl curling his lips. "You wish!" He rushed forward in a flare of red light, pummeling the swordsman with six sets of metal knuckles.

The elder demigod simply vanished before appearing above Jaune, his nodachi raised in an overhead strike.

"You are worthy of my blade!" He shouted as he brought the sword down. Jaune simply slipped out of the way before countering with a barrage of strikes to his side, knocking him back. "Go to Hell!"

Recovering with haste, Qrow sent a cutting wave of Mantra energy at Jaune, roaring with laughter as he reveled in the thrill of battle. "You need to enjoy this a bit more!"

Jaune just leapt clean over it, his face contorted in fury. He bellowed as he once again pummeled his former mentor, alternating fists to devastating effect before smashing into him with all six. "You need to shut up and DIE!"

Qrow was sent flying, but recovered quickly, launching wave after wave of cutting orange-yellow Mantra from Wailing Dark. Jaune dodged and weaved through them, snarling as his fists clenched and opened, each one of them eagerly awaiting the chance to brutalize their user's foe.

By now, even Weiss was starting to get into the action of it all, cheering for the Jaune on-screen, albeit in a more subdued way. "Even with that sword, there's no way Qrow can beat Jaune as he is now. He's just launching waves of energy with it!"

Blake, however, didn't think so. Her bow twitched as she scrunched up her nose in suspicion. "It feels like he's hiding something, I wouldn't count him out just yet. After all, he's supposed to be Jaune's former teacher, and considering how powerful Jaune is...well yeah."

Qrow simply took sips from his flask, both smirking at being such a badass in this universe and semi-pissed that no one was cheering for him.

Beowulf chuckled as he stuffed his face with popcorn alongside Ruby, Yang, and Nora.

Suddenly, Qrow's energy surged as he gripped his sword in both hands, raising it high above his head. Wailing Dark's blade extended outwards, easily reaching 100 meters in length as the energy swirled around it. He grinned almost maniacally at Jaune, who simply growled. "Just die already Old Man!"

"I'm just getting started!" The swordsman cleaved downwards, intent on splitting Jaune down the middle.

Jaune clapped four hands together, stopping the blade just above his head, and roared a rousing battlecry before rushing forward, his metal arms screeching against the blade's sides. He was swift in his rage, pushing the sword aside and landing three ruthless punches to Qrow's temple, all arms on the same side of his body.

Jaune gave a low whistle. "Damn, that's a good counterattack."

Qrow recovered quickly, moving with a swiftness that surpassed even Jaune's sight to track, landing brutal slashes on his foe's torso.

Jaune grimaced as he disengaged, looking down at his body to see a few cuts, baring circuitry and metal instead of blood and gore.

"Wait what?! Is Fearless Leader a robot?!" Nora shouted out, her eyes wide in shock. Everyone else looked on with similar expressions, though some were more concerned with the cuts themselves.

Beowulf made a 'so-so' motion. "Eeeh...I'm not too sure. Frankly, my theory is that the Mantra, when manipulated over a long period of time, like the demigods do, it slowly converts their bodies into metals and robotics to withstand their power. Just a theory though, but it makes sense considering the other things..." His voice trailed off into muttering before he shook his head. "But anyway, let's continue."

He looked back up with a menacing snarl, launching himself forward with a burst of red Mantra energy. Rearing back three fists, he bellowed in rage before driving all three into Qrow's face, chest, and lower torso.

Qrow flew back, crashing into the ground. He quickly flipped back onto his feet, skidding back with his blade to the side before looking up with a savage grin. "HA HA HA! This is what I LIVE for!" He brandished his nodachi with his energy surging around him again, "this is why we exist!" He then leveled the tip of his blade at Jaune in the distance.

"But all good things must come to an end! You knew this was coming!" The blade was still for a moment, before shooting out, extending at an alarming rate towards Jaune, the orange-yellow energy of Greed Mantra dancing along the edge.

"OH SHIT!"

"Language Miss Xiao-Long!"

"Move Jaune! Move!" Pyrrha cried out, almost sure that she was going to see her crush be impaled.

Jaune seemed to chuckle nervously. "I would be but my other...I don't think he's the type to run."

As the blade accelerated towards him, Jaune gritted his teeth in anticipation, readying himself. He reacted quickly, stopping the blade's tip just centimeters from his face with all six arms. "HRAH-ARGH!" He grunted as he kept the blade from stabbing him through the face, even as it pushed him back with its continued extension.

He struggled for a foothold to halt himself, but no such luck. Jaune's feet lifted off the ground as the blade pushed. Qrow had both hands on his sword's handle, panting a little but still grinning his bloodthirsty grin. "This is where real men belong! In the fight!"

"I don't give a damn!" Jaune shouted back, his metal arms creaking and groaning as they struggled against Wailing Dark, a form of blood-like oil sputtering out from the hands. He continued to struggle with his feet, scraping across the moon's surface.

"Only the strong survive!" Qrow thrust his sword forward, the blade continuing to extend. "I taught you that much!"

"That is not for you to decide!"

A horrible metallic groaning was heard before two of Jaune's arms, the upper two, finally gave in to the pressure, flying off at the shoulder stumps in a shower of golden-red oil. But Jaune refused to give up, and continued to hold the blade back with his remaining four arms.

Everyone gasped in horror of Jaune's apparent dismemberment. "His arms!" Ruby yelled as she hugged Yang a little.

Ironwood gripped his metal arm, grimacing slightly. "That's not good, at this rate he'll...!"

"He can do it. I know he can." Ren stated quietly and calmly. Li nodded in agreement with his son. "Jaune Arc won't go down that easily."

Weiss was more concerned with something else. "WHAT THE HELL IS HAPPENING?!"

"How long is that sword, geez?!" Taiyang whistled in amazement.

By now, Jaune was off the ground, hurtling towards Gaea as the blade pushed him back. Qrow rushed forward, his energy wafting around him before he leapt towards the planet as well.

Jaune's body was starting to heat up as he began to enter the atmosphere, a trail of forming around his body. He gritted his teeth as the heat seared his pain receptors.

"Ha ha ha. Only one fighter can walk away alive!" Qrow shouted down to him with a grin.

"I'll rip out your blind eyes!"

As his body heated, the strain became too much, and the two other arms ripped away from Jaune's shoulders, incinerated by the sheer heat of entry. By now the sword was ridiculously long, reaching at LEAST 300,000 kilometers at this point.

Everyone's jaws were on the ground in awe at this point.

"Holy Oum, I take back everything I said about this universe being boring."

"Same here."

"Agreed."

Beowulf grinned as the semi-pompous Atlesians ate their words.

Qrow braced himself against the heat of entering the atmosphere, bellowing once more. "I don't fight for good, and I don't fight for evil. I just fight!"

"I will say it once more...I am you, and you are me!"

Jaune's eyes widened in shock before he thought to himself.

What was he fighting for? Just for the sake of fighting like his former mentor? No! He knew in his heart what he fought for, his redemption! His revenge for being framed by Ozpin of killing the emperor! But no...it was deeper than that.

Visions and memories passed through his mind.

He saw his family, his wife Blake and young daughter, Ruby. They smiled as he greeted them in front of the house, and he smiled back with his old red eyes. He held his daughter in his arms and knew that no harm would ever come to her. He swore it.

Jaune's eyes bulged in shock as he stared at the screen. "WHAT?!"

Blake blushed fiercely, her ears twitching erratically under her bow and her face turning red. "I'm his wife?!"

"Yep! It's funny honestly, you were one of the few who could keep him under control in this universe." Beowulf gave a mischievously toothy grin. Pyrrha stared in shock, before glaring at the cat faunus, her green eyes smoldering in jealous rage. Blake gave her a nervous chuckle. "Erm...not me?"

Pyrrha continued glaring at Blake, who wilted slightly under her stare. Beowulf smiled again, his eyes twinkling in amusement. " Now now, play nice! I did say that he would have many relationships throughout these universes, didn't I?"

The red-haired spartan frowned deeply, but relented with a sigh. After all, she couldn't expect Jaune to love her in every universe. The feline faunus sighed quietly, her eyes conveying a silent sense of relief to the Plasmator.

Ruby looked at the screen curiously, before smiling. She did see Jaune as the older brother she never had, so this wasn't much different. She smiled at Jaune. "You'd make a great dad Jaune!"

Jaune went red as steam blew out his ears while Pyrrha blushed as well, quietly scheming in her mind.

He saw his wife, Blake, dying in his arms with him helpless to stop it...he could see her pain even now as her lifeblood drained from her. "Jaune...Save her..."

"I will..."

He saw her smile, one last time, before her eyes grew dull and lifeless. His rage, his grief burning red in his heart...

He saw his daughter Ruby, the High Priestess who could amplify Mantra, a key part of Ozwood's plans, his "Great Rebirth", crying as she was trapped in the cryochamber, helpless as he died at Ozpin's hand.

"No! Father!"

Ozwood's smirk as he fell from Orbit fueled his rage. "Let her go! I SAID LET HER GO!"

He felt the pain of reentry as his body burned. His rage burned even more. "RRRAAAUGH! I WILL HAVE MY VENGEANCE!"

He saw himself awakening in Naraka, the Spider whispering in his ear. And the crying...his daughter was crying and he could hear it...he could hear it! He would make it stop! He had made a promise! He had made a promise to Blake! (6)

The mood had changed drastically, turning somber. It was like watching the universe with Jaune as the Master all over again.

Beowulf sighed quietly, turning to Ren and Pyrrha. "You wanted to know why he was like this and why he was so angry. That, is why."

Pyrrha was at a loss. Tears ran down her cheeks as she stared at the screen. "Poor Jaune..."

Ren was similarly in shock, staring blankly at the screen. How could his alternate do this do Jaune?

Ozpin's heart sank. He had been right. His foolishness had done it again, and had ruined lives once again with his plans. Beowulf frowned at him, but said nothing, opting to speak to him later.

Ironwood paled in horror. It was no secret that he had plans and strategies of his own and that he was often straightforward to the point of brute force...but this? This was madness! This was...sickening...

Qrow was disgusted with his other's actions. Plain and simple. To follow and go through with all of this cruelty? "Disgusting..." He spat. Taiyang nodded in agreement, gritting his teeth at seeing his daughter's alternate shedding tears.

Jaune's eyes burned with justified rage. No one was allowed to toy with his family. With his seven sisters, he knew the value of family, and even though this was another universe, he knew that his other would make. Them. Pay. He saw the tears on Ruby's face and his heart clenched.

Ruby watched with horror as she saw Jaune fall, hugging Yang close. Yang was furious as the Ruby on-screen cried out in despair, but she could do nothing but comfort her own version.

Beowulf noted all of this quietly, resuming the viewing without a word. "Better to toughen them up a bit for what they would have to deal with against Salem."

He snarled as he returned to the fight at hand, his eyes flaring with newfound rage. "I am NOTHING like you!"

The scene suddenly cut to a visual of reentry, a burning hot ball of fire falling down to Gaea with the sword appearing like some sort of tail. One young onlooker watched and opened her mouth in awe as the object fell.

"Wait...that's Ruby though!" Summer shouted, pointing at the screen with her eyes wide in confusion.

Beowulf shook his head. "Actually no. She's...um..." He muttered to himself, scratching at his head before continuing. "It's actually just a coincidence. Don't worry about that."

Summer didn't seem convinced, but let it go.

Jaune slammed into the ground violently, cratering the area around him due to his reentry. Unfortunately, the impact broke off one of his remaining two arms, shattering it like glass. Wailing Dark's blade pierced through his stomach and he could hear metallic screeching as it slid through his body. He gasped and grunted in pain, his eyes widening.

"Jaune!"

"NO!"

Jaune growled as he hit his armrest. "Don't die here damn it!"

The scene cut again to the other side of the planet, as the tip of Qrow's blade erupted from the ground. Wailing Dark's blade was now so long, it had literally skewered the planet itself!

Kali gasped in awe. "Dear Oum..."

Qrow yelled as he gripped his sword, falling towards Jaune with frightening speed. "Then tell me! How are we so different?!"

Jaune grunted in pain, gritting his teeth as a vision came to him again.

His daughter Ruby, looking at him with hope and worry. His promise!

"...You wouldn't understand, even if I send you to Naraka!"

"Such resolve..." Glynda watched in awe as the alternate version of her student stood strong and unrelenting in the face of danger.

Beowulf nodded. "It is a trait that Jaune has in many, if not all universes. Willpower in spades."

Ozpin smiled, "My choice for a leader of JNPR was sound indeed."

Glancing at the rest of the group, Beowulf could see that everyone was awed by the Demigod Jaune's actions and will. He could see a resolve of their own start to form within them as well, and he smiled inwardly. "Perfect. They'll need that if they want to save their world...now we'll have to strengthen it further."

Ruby punched at the air, cheering loudly. "Kick his butt Jaune!"

Qrow's eyes widened in glee. "HA HA! Ha ha ha ha ha...then make me understand with your fists, Jaune!" He goaded as he hurtled down towards Jaune's impaled body.

Jaune gritted his teeth as he slowly raised his head and remaining arm. He snarled as he clenched his fist, rearing it back as far as he could before letting it fly. "RRRRAUGH!" He slammed his fist into the blade.

The blade shattered a few inches above the guard, along with his own arm. Qrow suddenly lost his grip on his nodachi's handle. It spun in the air as Jaune got to his feet. He was now armless, but he was free. Free to finally end this!

Jaune rushed forward, grabbing the handle in his teeth and moving himself into a spin. Building up speed, he swung the blade into Qrow's stomach without mercy. Oil gushed and sprayed out from the wound as Qrow gasped and grunted in pained shock.

Metallic screeching could be hurt as Jaune pushed further, ripping through his foe's torso as he followed through on his slash. He finished his spin, turned away from his enemy as Qrow fell to the ground, oily ichor spilling from his wounds.

He panted heavily before turning back with the sword still in his teeth, to his former mentor, now laying on the ground. Qrow had been defeated.

"He did it! He beat him!" Ruby and Pyrrha cheered as everyone clapped in joy. Jaune smiled and leaned back in his chair, somewhat satisfied.

"Ha ha...ha ha ha..." Qrow gave a satisfied, croaking laugh deep in his chest. He smiled as he panted in exertion. "Yes...that was one hell of a battle!"

He slowly pushed himself up a little to look at Jaune, who spat out the sword. "What now? Where will that anger take you?"

Qrow's breathing began to grow heavy. "You are not me...yet you continue to fight..."

Jaune looked back suddenly, noticing that the village girl who resembled his daughter so much had come. She smiled softly, whispering some form of encouragement that couldn't be heard.

The elder demigod collapsed a little as his breathing grew heavier and weaker. "You no longer need my training..." He spoke, reaching out a little as if giving his blessing. "The one who stands in the end, is righteous..."

Jaune's face, once filled with rage, was now impassive. Qrow was his enemy, but he had also been his master...his teacher...a friend and a father in some strange way. He watched Qrow carefully, taking in every word.

Qrow's lips curled into a different smile now. Not the bloodthirsty grin, or the cocky smirk, but a true smile of pride. His breathing was now thready and weak. He would die in only a few moments. "Jaune...walk the path that you must..."

The hand that had been outstretched fell limply to the ground. Qrow, one of the strongest of the Seven Deities and former Guardian Generals, was dead. He smiled in death, his body slowly vanishing in a swirl of light.

The audience couldn't help but watch with a sense of sadness as the old demigod breathed his last, imparting his final wisdom to his pupil. "What do you know?" Qrow said quietly, drawing everyone's attention.

"Looks like the other me did have some honor...still, never thought I'd be cheering when seeing someone kick my ass."

Everyone chuckled and smiled, the mood lifting considerably.

Pyrrha smiled at her own Jaune. "You did it Jaune. You beat him!"

Jaune smirked playfully with mock cockiness. "Yeah, I did. Guess I'll have to train harder if I want to beat things like that huh?"

She giggled softly and he smiled. "Wow her giggling is cu-nope! Bad thoughts!"

Jaune watched as his former teacher dissipated into tiny motes of light, solemnly. Suddenly, a clap of thunder shook the ground, startling him. He looked around, searching for the cause, before turning around. The girl had run down to stand next to him, her arms close to her chest in worry.

The demigod's eyes narrowed in hatred. He had found the cause.

A massive lightning storm was underway, thousands of miles away. But what had caught his attention was what was underneath the dark storm clouds.

Its footsteps shook the ground as it walked. It was enormous, easily a skyscraper's height and just as wide. It had the body of a land turtle, its feet tipped with claws and a long tail swaying behind it, and the head of a cobra, it's hood blotting out the sunlight and hissing menacingly. The shell on its back was black, along with most of its body, except for spikes that jutted out, tipped in bleach-white bone. It had similar white markings on its hood and its eyes glowed a hateful red. (7)

Everyone paled in horror as they beheld the new abomination of a Grimm. "Brothers above..." Ghira swore as he watched the screen.

The girl fell to her knees in despair, her face saying everything. Her village would be destroyed if this thing wasn't killed...

Jaune growled softly.

Yang chuckled. "Trust Jaune to not leave anyone behind and to do whatever it takes to help."

Everyone agreed wholeheartedly, with everyone smiling at the young knight. Jaune blushed faintly and looked away.

He stomped his foot on what remained of Wailing Dark, sending it spiraling into the air before grabbing it with his teeth. "I'm borrowing this..." He muttered as he walked toward the beast, before starting into a run. With a growl, he charged straight into hell.

The lights grew in brightness again as the screen dimmed. The orb pulled itself out of the screen with a little ripple before floating back to its proper place in the walls.

"That...was...AWESOME!" Nora cheered as she clapped.

Beowulf gave her a toothy smirk. "Glad you liked it Nora, considering that you're the one who picked it."

Jaune was a bit more subdued. "It was alright, but a bit weird. Almost seemed like it was ripped out of a video game."

"Pffft..." The godlike being seemed to pale for a second before shaking it off. "Very funny Jaune."

"I do feel bad for that version's backstory though. To lose one's wife and child to such betrayal..." Willow spoke softly, feeling sorrow deep in her heart.

"Don't worry, there's a happy ending. We can revisit this universe later if you like?" Beowulf spoke kindly, his mismatched eyes twinkling.

Surprisingly, Weiss nodded in approval. "I know that I would like to see it again." Winter agreed, albeit with more subtlety.

Yang smirked teasingly. "Awe, and Weiss-cream over here was so against seeing this universe!" Weiss glared at the blonde brawler, who laughed.

Beowulf grinned at the children having fun, absent-mindedly pulling a crystalline pocket watch as it buzzed slightly from the inner pockets of his coat. Clicking it open to check inside, his grin vanished, his eyes narrowing as his sclerae flared red. He clicked it closed, putting it back into his coat and composing himself.

Ozpin, Ruby, and Jaune had noticed, but decided that now was not the time to mention it.

The headmaster of Beacon was pensive, looking down at his feet. This universe had been something of a wake-up call. His other had created a plan to save humanity and the world from the Grimm, but he had done so at the expense of many. He had done it simply to remove a possible obstacle. Had he done something similar..?

His heart sunk as he realized, yes. Yes he had. True it had not been as cruel or bold-faced as his alternate had done, but he had sacrificed people in his secret war on Salem. Ozpin's grip on the armrest tightened. "No more. This secret war will end and I will do it right. No more secrets like this, no more sacrificing 'pawns'. I am not Salem."

Looking back up and turning to Beowulf on his throne, he saw that the man was regarding him with impassivity, his face an expressionless mask. He tilted his head curiously, before nodding, as if seeing something that he approved of.

Ironwood had gone through something similar to his friend. "I cannot be so thick-headed and brute forced from now on. I understand now why Ozpin and the others don't always agree...I cannot do something such as what I decided in that universe."

He didn't notice Beowulf glancing at him and nodding in approval.

"So how many more universes are we watching before we take a break?" Blake asked, currently occupied with her new piece of music given by Beowulf.

He 'hmmed' softly, resting his chin on his fist. "I think we'll see three more and take a break. That sound fair?"

They all nodded and the fanged entity grinned. "Great!"

Beowulf plopped himself down on his throne, closing his eyes and holding a hand out as the orbs embedded in the walls and pillars, pulsated with light.

"No...no not that one either...nope...definitely not...heh maybe that one later...ooh this one is good!" He exclaimed as his eyes opened. One orb pulled itself free from a wall and zipped into Beowulf's waiting hand, hovering quietly.

He peered into it with a grin, the color of the orb shifting and flashing in a chaotic array of colors. "Yes, you will do quite nicely..." He seemed to giggle almost maniacally.

"...should we be worried?" Jaune asked, somewhat concerned.

Beowulf chuckled and waved him off. "Oh no, no no...let's just see how...quick, you all are at taking in information! Hope you all don't have epilepsy though," he finished with a grin.

Glynda sighed and rubbed the bridge of her nose. "This cannot end well..."

The students laughed at the deputy headmistress's expense and Beowulf smiled. But in the corner of his mind, the message that had been in that "pocket watch" weighed on his mind more than a little.

"Chaos stirring from slumber. Talk soon."

N (8)


AN: ...I'll be honest with you, that ending seems weak to me, but I honestly can't think of much else. Again, sorry for taking so long for this one, but you all know how school is.

Also, this next universe is based in certain series of stick-man flash games, and I'll be setting up a poll on which one of the series I should choose

Anywho, thanks for reading and I hope you enjoyed the chapter!

Reviews and constructive criticism are the fuel of my creative engines!


Footnotes:

(1) Another glimpse at the "Monster" that Beowulf thinks of himself. How intriguing no? You'll get to see more of that during the break chapter I'm sure...as for what he sounds like, imagine a Blood Angel Space Marine, but combined with with Mordekaiser from League of Legends, remove some of the mechanical sound, and add in a thousand voices as if multiple people speak through him, and amplify till intimidating. Yeah.

(2) For those who have played the game, I found that Deus was very similar in more ways than one to Ozpin and Ironwood. Ozpin tends to make plans that are very far-reaching, chessmaster-ish, and has a penchant for being mysterious and all, while Ironwood responds with brute force and tends not to care for potential consequences. Both of these seemed to fit together pretty well to serve as a substitute for Deus.

(3) Will be expanded on later, see (1)

(4) Blake seems to be a bit of curious cat here. She'll get her answers soon enough as to why she can't recognize it...

(5) Look up a picture of Gohma Vlitra from the game, but give it a Grimm look and you get the gist.

(6) This wasn't in the original fight but I wanted to add it in to give context for the group as to what had happened to Jaune in this universe and why he was so full of rage.

(7) Same deal as Vlitra, look up a Gohma Striker, but add a Grimm aesthetic to it.

(8) Hmmm...more Plasmatores? Or maybe just allies of our host? Something big is coming though, it looks like.

Welp, that's that! Thanks for reading guys!

Toodles,

Beowulf.

Next Time:

"Genshin Impact is a game, which has sucked away my soul and killed my dog."