AN; Hey all, I have edited the chapter in an effort to make it a little more readable, if you'e still having trouble reading it then there is little I can do for you.

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Jaune gulped as he readied himself in front of the katana wielding bandit who faced him. He forced a neutral expression out of habit while his mind screamed how much trouble he was in. His instincts kicked into overdrive as her blade blurred diagonally towards him. He flew several feet backwards and fell on his back, he glanced at his shield and noticed a deep indentation on it, but brought it back up as she came at him again in an overhead strike that would have killed him if something hadn't kicked in at the last second propelling him between the ladies legs as she decimated the pavement he was previously lying on and 10 square meters around it. He skidded a few feet then bounced to his feet bringing himself into a ready position facing her as quickly as he could.

She stood there, her expression still unreadable behind her partially broken mask and slowly turned to him with the swagger of a predator toying with it's prey. Analysing him, assessing him and no doubt picking which weakness in his poor excuse for a defence to exploit. If he had any hope of winning, nay surviving, he would need to use all the tricks in his book.

"Black lace thongs don't really suit you." He casually said. She didn't respond. "Or is it that your ass is so fat it causes your panties to fold in on themselves?" Again she didn't respond, only finish turning.

'Ok so she is calm and super composed, and clearly doesn't think much of me at all.' he watched as she causally brought up her blade like it was just another day for her. 'She's probably just going to kill me then forget about me almost instantly as just another blond man she murdered.' She lunged at him with almost legendary speed he reflexively brought his shield up only for her blade to skim off the top and make it's way to his throat. He pushed with his shield upwards and the blade scrapped his forehead, and swung his sword in an upward diagonal arc toward her midriff.

She dodged backwards and spun to his right as his sword finished it's arc leaving his back exposed to her. Jaune screamed as her blade cut a large chunk of aura away and left a rift in his back plate. He turned around as she spun swinging her katana horizontally. His reflex kicked in again, he screamed "MUDA!" as his right leg kicked outwards connecting with the woman knocking her a foot backwards her defences compromised.

'NOW!' his mind screamed and he hefted his sword above his left shoulder and made a diagonal swing downwards, her blade intercepting it and deflecting it to his left. She riposted and swung her blade to his midsection. He forced his shield down just in time to stop the blade and forced his sword onto it. The blade of her katana snapped a second later with the force he put on it causing his sword to back to his right side tearing though his jeans in the process.

He gave a clumsy follow up swing that she had of course easily dodged with her great speed. He watched her as she stood up and looked at her broken sword, only 6 inches of sharp edge remained that mask still hiding her expression, oddly enough his surrounding somehow became more colourful as if some of it was drained then came rushing back.

"Give up! You're bladeless!" He yelled 'Real smooth Jaune. Real smoooooth.' his mind taunted.

She looked at him and with a click the broken blade detached itself from the hilt and she slammed it into the scabbard. The thick part rotated a couple times and this time she drew another identical blade from it, it expanded to twice it's length in a split second and she readied herself as if nothing happened.

"OH COME ON!" Jaune yelled as the lady lunged at him.

Color faded as he made a clumsy parry and the blade bounced off Crocea Mors, she made another swing form a different direction and he blocked it with his shield, he kept parrying and blocking her strikes, the adrenaline or instinct must have kicked his reflexes into overdrive as he managed to block every strike, either out of desperation or fear of being cut down for what felt like minutes, then hours, stopping only when he suddenly saw an opportunity to strike. He deflected a strike with his shield then lunged foreword smashing it into her mask causing it to break further while she recoiled.

Half of her mask broke off and fell to the ground revealing enough of her face for him to see. She had pale but fair skin, piercing red eyes that stared into his very soul, but had slight age lines under them that betrayed her age to him. She was beautiful in a very dangerous and sexy way and he would probably fantasize about her if she didn't kill him in the next few minutes. What troubled him was that her expression told him that this fight was more an annoyance than anything else. He groaned internally as his muscled burned with a hellish passion while she wasn't even sweating.

"Time for my ultimate plan." he said with a smile. That caught her attention as her gaze sharpened and focused on him. "One I guarantee you cannot beat." he said with more confidence than he thought possible. For the first time she smiled as she readied herself for combat, he could see her muscles tense up meaning she was going to use all her strength for this, but that didn't matter as it was her speed that worried him, how quick would she be to react to him. Despite how tired he was, he felt confident he would see her coming and however she approached him, he would be ready. He readied his shield, lifted his sword and charged, the other direction probably screaming like a girl.

He looked over his shoulder and focused his vision on her as he ran, the woman's gaze was hollow, the smile gone, her shoulders slumped as he got further from her and her muscles relaxed. 'YES! My plan is working wonderfully!' then he saw something that made his throat go dry. Something materialized from her as she brought her sword up, it looked like hundreds of dangling parts made from metallic lines each shining their own metallic color or shade but vanished when she swung her blade down some kind of worm hole or portal appearing in it's wake. 'Oh thank Dio she's leaving.' he thought as she stepped through it.

As he turned foreword he saw her in front of him swinging her katana at neck level. He reflexively brought his shield up and it slammed into his own face causing him to fall foreword while bending over backwards as the high impact of her katana and the low momentum of his body caused him to flip through the air, he did manage to kick himself off her curiously discoloured shoulder and land relatively safe several feet from her through a shop's window, he landed hard on a table and wished he hadn't. It was a nice table and now everything but it's legs were little more than splinters.

He groaned as the door smashed open and a pair of boots leading up to the luscious legs of the middle aged beauty took up his vision. He looked up to her disappointed face as she watched him as though he were an insect about to be crushed. The metaphor seemed appropriate as she slammed her foot onto his chest and brought her half-way collapsed blade upward in a stabbing position.

"Was that a stand I saw you use back there?" She hesitated and he continued "I saw a metal form materialize out of you when you summoned the portal. Is that it's ability?"

She smirked "So you can see them?" The words came out like silk, far too silky than a bandit's had any right to be. "No matter." She thrusted her blade downward towards his heart.

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Stand name: ?

Destructive power; ?

Speed; ?

Range; ?

Durability/staying; ?

Precision; ?

Development potential/Learning; ?

User: Raven Branwen

Abilities: Uncertain

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His adrenaline must have kicked in hard at that point because she moved a lot slower than she ought to have and his strength practically quadrupled as he pushed her oddly discolored boot off his chest throwing her off balance. He saw it in slow motion as a surprised expression danced across her face and her arms involuntarily swung out in differing directions in an instinctive effort to grab onto something before she fell and possibly hurt herself. He swung his fist upwards and connected with her crotch, a foul and dirty move by any honorable standards but against a bandit about to murder him he would take dishonor over death any day and was rewarded when he heard part of her pelvis pop in the typical way his joints might when he cracked his knuckles or stretched his neck. She screamed as her hands came down to her crotch, seeing the opportunity he jumped up and grabbed a leg from the broken table with his left hand and swung with all his strength, he saw her eyes slowly widen as she brought her sword up to late. "Muda!" he yelled as it connected with her temple knocking her to the side.

"Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda!" he cried over and over as he wailed on her with Crocea Mors in his right hand and the table leg and shield in the other. She only managed to block half of the strikes before she cut through the table leg. "MUDA!" he roared as his foot come out and landed in her stomach while she blocked an overhead strike. She coughed hoarsely as her head collided with the broken window frame and slumped over. He stopped and dropped the useless table leg to the ground as he panted not noticing the color returning to the world around him. He did it, he had beaten her! He turned around and made for the remains of the shop's front door, pride swelling in his chest. Of course he beat her, what was a mere bandit to an actual huntsmen -in training- who worked to protect people?

"OH GEEZ!" he yelled as something red swung where he was just a split second ago destroying the door frame and collapsing part of the shop on it, rendering it inaccessible. He looked back and saw the woman force herself to her feet, a snarl present. Thankfully Dio had tutored him about facial expression and how to read them to the point where reading them became second nature to him. The lady's face had focused eyes, a toothy snarl, with the majority of the muscles around her mouth, eyes and nose visibly tense as her brow narrowed with the ends pulled up almost to her hairline. He was certain, this woman wasn't just angry, she was practically in a frenzied state brought on by the pain and humiliation of being defeated so sudden and practically effortlessly just as she was about to have what was supposed to be an easy victory, her pride and ego demanding that she not let this stand.

She yelled a cry of primal hate as she swung at him. It lacked any of the grace or precision a trained swords-woman would have and instead was replaced by the savage swing of a berserker trying to kill her enemy at all costs. He brought his shield up and gasped as her katana blade sheared through it thankfully several centimeters above his arm and jumped back just as she made a follow up swing that ripped through the wall towards him. He flipped over the store counter the sound of plates and other kitchenware sold here rattling as he collided with the floor.

She leapt over a second later and swung at him again in a downward strike. Color again fading and she visibly slowed, seeing the opportunity he launched himself foreword his head colliding with her nose while his shoulder landed on her sternum pushing her back and disrupting the strike causing the pommel to slam with less power into his side. Before she could react again he brought up a kitchen plate in each hand and slammed them into the sides of her head, before kicking her backwards into the wall. If his mother could see him now she would be disappointed, but given the circumstances he figured that she would forgive him. He countered her next strike with a teapot to the face, shattering it and silently wishing that hot liquid spilled out to distract or damage her further before she slumped onto the floor.

He landed softly on the pavement outside as he climbed out the window. Any and all sounds of combat were gone now oddly enough there didn't seem to be anyone in sight although he could faintly hear voices in the distance. He elected to report the lady to the local militia, they could deal with her while he continued to Vale and as an aspiring huntsmen he had done his duty to make sure the town was bandit free before he returned to bed.

As he rounded the corner his heart throbbing, muscles burning and very weirdly tired he noticed 4 oddly dressed people hovering over a large group of tied or otherwise restrained prisoners. He ducked into an alleyway to eavesdrop on them, they could be militia, but at the same time they could also have been bandits. Although it didn't make sense for bandits to wait around like that unless they were waiting for something. He decided to risk it and casually strode up to them

"Hey you guys militia?" he asked. If they were then they would have most likely made note of him coming into town last evening sometime before the bandit attack and likely not attack him.

"Militia?" the lead one asked then responded "Ha, he, no." before pointing his pistol at Jaune's face and pulling the trigger.

Despite the fading color all around him, all Jaune could focus on was the dust round approaching his face curiously slower than it should have. He moved his head to the side and it grazed his cheekbone and he swung Crocea Mors to the bandit's mid section. The bandit jumped back just in time and 2 more moved to support him 1 swinging at Jaune's head from the right, another moving for Jaune's feet from the left. He awkwardly parried both and kicked the left one in the knee. A third bandit coming for a stab at Jaune's face as his friend fell to 1 knee. He twisted his shield forcing the blade and subsequent bandit on his left where the others were and consequently the last one was moving at him from having little choice as the clump of prisoners were to his right.

3 blades came at him and he stopped them with his sword, to his surprise they locked around his sword and twisted forcing him to let go of his sword or loose balance, something which in this fight could have cost him his life. As he recoiled another sword entered his guard, forcing him to dodge to the right and unfortunately collapse his shield into it's sheath form and fly off his forearm as the edge pressed the button used to switch between the 2 forms leaving him practically defenceless.

"Sorry kid." the lead bandit called as he and his 3 blade wielding companions lunged at Jaune.

"MUDA!" Jaune roared as instinct took over again, his fist connecting with lead bandit's face sending him spinning almost a foot backwards. "Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! Muda! MUDA!" Jaune yelled as his body moved without instruction pummelling the other 3 into submission and sending them all flying with a final strike that knocked all 3 of them out simultaneously. A smile along with the feeling of a strange savagery and superiority blossoming through his body before control, fear and shock over what just happened returned to him.

He paused to look at his shaking hands. That had never happened before. His instincts would occasionally make him strike out at opponents sure, and even if Dio's boxing lessons were so deeply ingrained into his muscle memory, it had never done anything like that. What frightened him the most however was how he felt immediately after that. Did he subconsciously enjoy hurting people? Was he a monster?

Speculation could wait however as the lead bandit got back up, both pissed off and eager for blood. He lunged weakly at Jaune who avoided the strike, grabbed the man by the back of the neck and threw him in the direction of the shop he came from not realizing the red blur that sliced the man diagonally in half from hip to shoulder. In slow motion it looked like an execution scene from a horror movie that traumatized him as a child. He gasped realising that the blade was coming to him still and the unfortunate man was just in the way. His reflexes kicked in again as he ducked under the blade and jumped towards his gear, grabbing both and rolling away and onto his feet just as the spot he was practically exploded a second later. To his shock it was the bandit woman from earlier, but he defeated her, she should have be-

His shield suffered more as he blocked her next strike. Peeking over his shield and began his analysis of her expression and body language. She had a curious calmness to her face despite the furrowed brow. She was positioned in a way that would allow her to react to anything that he could do, her stance suggesting that she was going to ignore all but him. Her focused eyes promising to deliver retribution at any cost. He didn't want to receive that retribution so he pushed his legs as hard as they could go toward any sign of safety at the first chance he got. He ran as fast as he could for a time the lady not using her ability to teleport instead electing to chase him as he was practically within reach of her weapon at almost all times when he realized something. He was approaching a familiar road with familiar buildings and sights. A plan suddenly formed in his mind. It was stupid, a long shot but it was the best he had.

He spun on his heels and blocked the katana with his shield, then a second strike and a third before jumping backwards and noting the damage to his shield. At it's current state is was almost useless to him, almost. He pulled Crocea Mors to his side as he blocked a strike to his right the metal sparking as the lady put more effort into trying to cut through his defenses. He threw his left arm backwards and swung foreword, she ducked as his fist sailed harmlessly over her and proceeded to flip him over onto his back. He blocked her finishing strike with his sword, his very damaged shield gone from sight.

More color faded as Jaune swung his foot out catching her by the back of her left knee forcing her down as he let go of his sword grabbing her right hand with his left locking the hilt in place and her throat with his right. She gasped at the suddenness of this move and tried to pull away inadvertently pulling him to his feet as she got up from her kneeling position, she grabbed his throat with her left hand baring her teeth as she squeezed.

He fumbled and managed to click her katana blade out of it's hilt and toss it to the side. She took the opportunity to kick him in the groin, Jaune squealed and let go of her throat and reached down for her leg as he started bending foreword. She twisted her hilt around to resheath it and lock another blade into place as something hard landed on top of her head, the distraction causing her to slam the hilt into Jaune's back forcing him to his knees and putting his body in between her and her supply of telescopic katana blades. She looked up and saw it was one of the cities street lamps, Jaune's shield lodged into the base causing it to fall over and onto her.

"Now!" She heard him yell out followed by the sound of mass gunfire.

She put her arms up defensively. She growled as she took notice of the previously captured militia that had not only freed an rearmed themselves but had took up positions surrounding her, without her blades to defend herself properly and the boy keeping her in one place she was an easy target even if they were hitting her less than half of the time, what they lacked in accuracy they made up in enthusiasm and determination. This was too much, she had to get away or she would likely die or worse be captured.

She focused her will and despite the pain her stand The Black Keys materialized next to her. It resembled a metallic ball made of hundreds upon hundreds of keys all were various dark metallic colors, each had unique designs for each location she had visited. She willed the first key she saw to extend and leave the bundle, it didn't matter which one. It froze in midair a foot away from her and turned, a wormhole suddenly appearing in it's place.

She made a move for it and kneed the boy as hard as she could, after all she just needed to get away. He let go and reached out for her as she sailed toward the safety of the wormhole. She smiled, he was a worthy opponent if he was forcing her to retreat like his, a little unrefined but he could benefit her tribe nicely. He smiled back at her as his hand slowly got further from her despite their relative close proximity and she realized that he was moving to attack her, he was going for her stand directly! She couldn't will it out of existence unless she wished to close the portal prematurely and trap herself here, but if the boy couldn't touch her stand then the damned thing would do what it always did and follow her in the wormholes and ensure they closed behind her.

She cried a denial as a smug smile spread across his face and he wrapped his hand around as much of The Black Keys as he could and crushed them with a ghostly white aura that wrapped around his hand. Raven's eye twitched as she felt a popping sensation in her head. Despite her lack of proper knowledge of the human brain she knew that the popping originated from where scientists believed that memory was stored, his smug face burning itself in her mind as she flew through the worm hole and away from him.

Raven landed hard with a pant, she alone was on a cliff overlooking the ocean, her eyes twitching furiously and her body failing to respond to most of her commands. She growled as she slid back onto the soft grass. She willed herself not to have a seizure and instead focused what was left of her aura on recovery. He had damaged her stand, he hurt her in ways few have ever done so. He had beaten her, he destroyed much of her memory of the places she had visited and probably caused some brain damage in the process all in the time it took her to jump to safety. This shouldn't have happened, yes her stand was weak and she only materialized it when she needed a quick and safe mode of transportation, but despite her martial prowess and strength she was still beaten by a child old enough to be her son.

She groaned as she fell again, she grew arrogant, her superior skills and strength allowed a delusion of invincibility to take root in her head and now she was paying the price for it. It was more luck than strength that allowed her to survive the encounter. If any of her enemies found her now she would be incapable of defending herself, she was weak, she would die if something attacked her as per the rules of her philosophy.

She growled as her face met the dirt again and his smug smile flashed in her mind, he could see stands, he could interact with stands, he could use it's ability and attack her stand directly with only minimal materialization, if he even needed to materialize it at all. She only saw the ghostly while aura around his hand, nowhere near enough to even begin guessing what kind of stand it was. He was foolish however in revealing it's ability to her. It made him move at ridiculous speeds, no that was wrong, his apparel and hair didn't move with the same motions as someone moving at high speeds, she would know. His stand's ability didn't make him fast, it made everything else slow.

/===Raven Branwen temporarily retired===/

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Stand name: The Black Keys

Destructive power; N/A

Speed; E

Range; A

Durability/staying; E

Precision; A

Development potential/Learning; A

User: Raven Branwen

Abilities: Creates a wormhole to any location of Raven Branwen's choosing that she has visited before. This method of travel is both safe to use and efficient for her. However it seems the stand possesses no offensive capabilities.

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AN; *Gasp* The weak, poorly trained and inexperienced Jaune Arc defeated Raven Branwen; a strong, highly trained and experienced huntress? What a bizarre turn of events! And to be fair if you were forced to fight an opponent better than you in every way, you probably would do much of what Jaune did in your own attempt to win. More to come next time on Jaune Arc's Bizarre adventure.