Disclaimer: See first chapter.
Chapter 5:
Watchful eyes paid special attention to the cameras as the few remaining students began pairing up within the Emerald Forest. Weiss Schnee and Ruby Rose...the heiress and the special case. It would be interesting to see how the two contrasting personalities would mesh after being given time to bond. Though the red and white pair had vanished from view and could not be found...which was an oddity in and of itself. Yet they were both strong, albeit stubborn, and there was no doubt in mind they would reappear in good health.
Yang Xiao Long and Blake Belladonna. Noise and silence. There didn't seem to be any noticeable problems with this partnership although it was possible there could be eventual friction between them. The blonde was pushy and loud while the other enjoyed peace and quiet. But it was too soon to tell as of yet.
Nora Valkyrie and Lie Ren...Ozpin could already hear Glynda lamenting over how unlucky that poor boy was. The older man could see her side of the discussion though. The girl had just corralled an Ursa into being an unwilling taxi before dragging Mr. Lie along for the very bumpy ride. It was most likely a sign of the sorts of things to expect from her.
Jaune Arc and Pyrrha Nikos. Now that would be something to pay attention to. The celebrity/combat champion and the student who thought he pulled a fast one on the ol' headmaster. Jaune actually did well in counterfeiting the proper forms but this wasn't the first time someone attempted to infiltrate the school. But why did Ozpin not call him out on the obvious fakery? Because it wasn't the first time something like this happened and there was always more to it than meets the eye.
Beacon was a school for training specialized warriors. Only those with the proper requisite conditioning from lesser schools were allowed in. Or, that was what the rules stated. But the difference in thinking between Ozpin and the other bosses of the academies in his fellow kingdoms was the fact Ozpin liked to take chances. Why should Ruby Rose, a skilled Huntress apprentice, be forced to wait two more years at a place that would continue to treat her as a mere apprentice and allow her talents to stagnate? It was wasted opportunity.
Same with Jaune...although this was based off the potential the Arc supposedly had because of his past family members.
Sure, he hadn't expressed much ability in a fight yet but he was willing to learn. His personality needed plenty of hardening though. Soldiers were molded here, no matter how much someone prettied it up to justify a job based around extermination. All of humanity was in danger of the Grimm menace and they couldn't be finicky in who they chose to fight. Yes, Huntsmen and Huntresses were tasked with protecting mankind and killing the monsters but essentially it was more of a job title with incentives attached to the name. It's not like they were the only ones who could fight the creatures of Grimm. They were simply trained better to lower their own chances of death.
If this was what Jaune was willing to stake his life on, to fight like his forefathers and subsequently go through the tedious trouble of faking transfer papers, then his heart was set on becoming a Huntsman despite the stickler requirements of the predecessor schools...of which the blue-eyed boy most likely didn't meet. Combat capability wasn't all that Beacon looked at though; leadership and quick thinking was also a must. And besides, it was better that he discover how demanding this lifestyle was while there was still a safety net to fall into should something go horribly wrong.
Call him cruel but Ozpin had been at this for years. Pyrrha Nikos was the best partner Jaune could have gotten and as luck would have it, he did. Ozpin expected great things of all his students. The challenges ahead would make or break the boy, and either let him grow stronger...or find himself unable to cope with the danger.
Unlike every other Grimm in the valley/forest area outside of Beacon, the Deathstalker chasing after the frantically sprinting Pyrrha was too focused on catching its prey to make the choice to break off its attack. She, and the foolish boy who was sent rocketing through the sky with one flick of its tail after escaping from the cavern, had disturbed its rest deep within the underground grotto. Due to its immense size this Grimm was one of the older and experienced types who survived the Hunters' oppression over the years to amass its current power. So it already knew that every lesser Grimm in the territory was currently zeroing in on the abstract source of power like grains of metal to a magnet. There was no need to mention how they would jump in even if Naruto never became overwhelmed.
Once it destroyed the insignificant redhead and the others who were now attempting to help the human, then it would seek out the intimately familiar energy and take it...because while the creatures of Grimm easily followed the stereotype of wanting to destroy the aura-users...there was always a greater purpose for everything.
Blake, Nora, Yang, Pyrrha, Ren, and a slowly recovering Jaune unfurled their weapons when the Deathstalker cornered them near the old rundown temple and the remaining chess-shaped relics waiting within. As it hissed and clicked its pincers, whitish armor cracked and covered in patches of grass from its years hibernating underground, the blonde boxer raised her Ember Celica shotgauntlets and wondered where in the world her sister could possibly be.
'Be safe, Ruby.'
The three sets of partners took off as the large stinger shot forward in a sign of aggression, and the battle was on.
The six teenagers began to run knowing it was too strong to face straight up without any plans. But these old abandoned ruins still had a multitude of stone pillars and damaged walls standing about, things that they could use to their advantage. Without a word they broke further into two groups of three and ran in different directions: Nora, Jaune, Pyrrha and Ren, Yang, Blake.
Unable to follow the both of them the Grimm decided to go after the ones who disturbed its rest. Pincers lashed out as the insects it hunted jumped and rolled through the gaps in its swings, the blond one screaming a bit while doing so. Jaune was booking it as fast as he could, Pyrrha at his side with a look of determination in her bright green eyes and Nora on the other with her incessant giggling. Making a giant leap forward the ginger-haired Valkyrie spun around and raised Magnhild before planting her feet, tensing her muscles, and swinging the large hammer upwards in a powerful sweep.
The flat head slammed into the bottom of one of the Deathstalker's limbs and knocked it skyward with ease, the show of physical strength surprising those who didn't know Nora well enough yet. It worked so well in fact that the scorpion staggered back unable to stop its pincer from moving involuntarily and leaving itself wide open.
The moment the Xiao Long came out of her somersault and saw the Grimm stagger she began throwing out punches one after the other. With every thrust of her fists a gout of fire shot forth. Despite being a 'shotgun' style of firearm, the fireballs did not scatter into bits and flew in a straight line that could travel farther than regular shells. Plus they exploded on contact. So Yang started hitting it in a spot she believed might cause some damage...its ass. The Grimm's back was to her and though its underside were similarly armored, it still was much thinner than the plates over its topside.
The Grimm shrieked and slapped out with its tail, awkwardly twisting and hitting Blake who was in the wrong place at the wrong time. Ren was barely able to leap back with guns blazing. "Sorry!" Yang yelled as her partner grunted and spun away, receiving a glare once the ravenette righted herself and hobbled back into the fray. It was a perfect example of how inexperienced they were as a team, and as the young woman's amber eyes watched Pyrrha pull a frantic Jaune out of the way after he miraculously used his shield to deflect a hit and let it slide off to the side, she knew something had to be done before they inadvertently helped the Deathstalker finish them all off.
They could kill it, sure. But all their experience was from facing smaller Grimm in controlled environments. Blake's former affiliation meant there had been occasions where tougher Grimm were fought and destroyed, usually when they showed up during a mission, but it was with others she had known for years. Right here and right now it would take on-the-spot planning and the complete compliance of new comrades she barely knew.
A metaphorical light bulb clicked to life above the girl's head as Yang's body lit up with a fiery aura when her Semblance activated, allowing the now raging blonde the extra strength to wrestle with one of the creature's pincers and keep it from moving. Her boots dug into the ground and ripped up sod but the Xiao Long did not budge any further. Her muscles tensed and Yang grit her teeth tightly but the Deathstalker's arm remained firmly locked, even as its owner tried to free itself. A few quick slices from the magenta-eyed dual-wielder blocked the tail from penetrating Yang while she was otherwise occupied.
However...
"That's it." the shadowy Huntress-in-training murmured before her head shot up and she began to run. What was the orange-headed one's name again? "Nor-um, Nora! Follow Yang's example and keep its other pincer from moving!" Because if the girl could use her weapon to knock the beast for a loop with one swing, then Ren's partner was incredibly strong and had the power to also do what the pretty blonde was currently doing.
"Got it!" came the cheerful reply before the Valkyrie swung Magnhild yet again and prevented large claws from piercing through the lone blond male's neck as he backpedaled. With a dangerous roar she spun on her heel, simultaneously rolling the explosive war hammer behind her back, before delivering a second blow to the top of the Deathstalker's limb and planting it solidly in the dirt. Every time the aura-less creature tried to lift it the shorter girl pulled the trigger and used the leverage to knock it right back down again.
Meanwhile Blake's durable ribbon slipped around the junction between the stinger and segmented tail while the other two fighters kept their burdens in place; Gambol Shroud moved like the chain scythe she expected and Ren was there to catch it after the length tied itself up. The concealed Faunus now gripped one end while the stoic boy held the other. By themselves, their muscles weren't enough to stop the thing limb from lashing about. Even combined, the most the two teenagers could do was keep it elevated, and that was with the addition of their aura. Plus this was as far as she had foreseen doing. Take away its biggest weapons and leave it unprotected. Finishing it off would still be difficult and four of their six party members were stuck in a stalemate.
But it was enough.
Jaune and Pyrrha rushed in towards its unprotected face, the male having caught onto what the dark-haired girl had in mind once he noticed they were effectively de-fanging the scorpion. It wouldn't last forever, and the amateur tactician in Jaune understood this, so by the time Nora, Yang, Blake, and Ren were scuttling into position he had already gathered the feminine gladiator to his side and quickly explained what he believed Blake was attempting. By binding its limbs and keeping the Grimm in place it could not use them to attack.
The Arc however took the preparation one step further.
By its size and patches of flora growing along its armor, the Deasthstalker had been around for quite some time. By the scars and way it seemed to think instead of instinctively react, it knew how to fight multiple people at once and remain standing. Its entire body was hardened and there were barely any weak spots to take advantage of. Yet one thing Jaune understood was that no matter who or what you were, the face was one of said weaknesses. Videogames, movies, television...hell, even in real life obviously. No matter how tough a person or animal was their eyes were just fragile little things. So was the fleshy inside of the nose if they had one...
...and the inside of the mouth.
Jaune really would have loved to let Pyrrha take the lead but he was trying to use Beacon as a way to man up. So he was right there at her side as they rushed in close with their blades held out in front of them with the sole intent of stabbing them inside the Grimm's vulnerable mandibles. The reinforced carapace was meant to protect the inside. Bypass that and even the most durable of things would find itself incapacitated, or worse.
The renowned Nikos had slightly longer arms due to her taller frame and therefore a greater reach. Add in the length of Miló and anyone could have guessed that Pyrrha would hit home first. Her sword pierced through the upper half of its inner mouth and then further in, to where its brain would be. The blond knight was but a moment behind as he too thrust his weapon in with a yell. Ironically the scorpion's fangs did absolutely nothing to stop them. They were dangerous, yes, but mostly aesthetic. Had it been something bigger like an actual body then the Deathstalker could have clamped them shut to hold the object in place. But it was just two thin little arms and the swords held by them. Jaune and Pyrrha were back to back with shields out in case it got one a limb free. There was enough space to remain away from its last line of defense.
Under the obvious deathblow the creature of Grimm shrieked, convulsed, chittered something, and ultimately fell heavily to the earth and moved no more.
The six teenagers breathed a sigh of relief as their greatest enemy finally died. Silence reigned as they each collected themselves before Nora suddenly gave a whoop and automatically high-fived Yang (who was waiting for someone to not leave her hanging) before they all began congratulating Blake and Jaune on their contributions. Both looked equally flustered: the beauty because she preferred being out of the spotlight and the gangly swordsman because getting prominent praise like this was a new concept for him.
"So has anyone seen Ruby? Short, big scythe, red hood?" the developed fist-fighter asked now that the danger had passed, hoping to hear some news about her baby sister. No others had though and when the Arc piped up about an equally missing heiress, Yang found herself growing worried. Her protective instincts over her sibling were kicking in because it wasn't like the younger girl to miss out on something big like this. With her speed Semblance, she'd have appeared at some point by using it to show up after likely hearing the pitched battle.
They were also still in the immediate area of the relic sight. It was possible Ruby (and Weiss) had already nabbed their prize and left...but she highly doubted that. Something felt off. Face scrunching up, the long-haired warrior turned and began jogging back towards the other relics and grabbed the knight piece that matched hers and Blake's. Just in case, ya know. She might not have been the smartest of the bunch but even Yang Xiao Long understood that there were two copies of each piece and therefore there had to be some significance.
When a massive boom and accompanied pall of smoke exploded off in the distance, somehow...someway...Yang believed her sister was involved. Call it family intuition. And the fact trouble was usually drawn to one of the sisters on a regular basis. Just look at her scuffle at Junior's bar, and Ruby's excitement at the Dust shop only a few days prior. Since the older blonde was over here and the detonation was waaaaaaaay over there...then signs pointed towards the second of the two daughters being implicated.
Oh great.
Breaking into a run, Yang didn't heed her partner's calls to stop even as Blake began chasing after her. The others looked confused until it was quiet Ren who pieced together a fact that caused the remaining Hunters to decide to follow the hotheaded teen's lead.
"...she's moving in the direction all the Grimm were fleeing towards."
It wasn't long after that Ren, Nora, Pyrrha, and Jaune reluctantly followed out of curiosity and worry over the well-being of their peers. There was safety in numbers after all. And there was a Nevermore currently circling the airspace over the explosion. With what they accomplished against the Deathstalker, it looked like the additional help would be highly appreciated.
Things would easily be taken care of but none of them actually knew that yet.
Ruby could hear Weiss' cry of incredulity but by then she was too far away to do anything about it, falling like a stone after willingly letting go. There was literally nothing else either of them could do and the Grimm had at least descended enough that she wouldn't shatter every bone in her body and/or die on impact. So long as she found something to break her fall then at least her aura could cushion the drop and heal some of the damage.
The large pile of Beowolves down there looked like the perfect target...so long as she missed the sharp spines jutting out from their figures.
Aiming for the largest collection of the creatures she hoped her luck held out, falling spread eagle to try and slow her speed as much as she could. A cry of fear slipped out from between her lips, wishing Yang was there in some way, shape, or form to inspire confidence like her older sister was so good at doing. Oh...she was going to get such an earful later. And this was going to hurt so much!
Or it would have until something hooked around her midsection and abruptly stopped the two-toned adolescent from splatting against the Grimm. A pair of abnormally warm arms hugged against her as she blinked in confusion, the breath she lost while screaming quickly returning to her lungs as she greedily gulped down air. Ruby wasn't exactly falling anymore...in fact, she was going back up. It sort of felt like the vertigo similar to the time she jumped on a trampoline and bounced really high. The escape from the planet's pull, when you could no longer rise but gravity had yet to take hold... yeah, it was similar to that.
"Ruby? What are you doing here?" A familiar voice asked in her ear as they simply floated over the valley, while said girl automatically returned the question after realizing who it was.
"What are you doing here Naruto?" They were so high up and- "WHAT'S WRONG WITH YOUR ARMS?!"
The blond chuckled at her sudden screech. Wasting no time she frantically ran her hands over the limbs holding her close and marveling at the way they burned without searing anything. The dark flames were an odd touch although Ruby was surprised she didn't feel any pain from the fire. "There's nothing wrong. I'm just in the middle of Grimm extermination. You're the one who shouldn't be here. Oh, wait a moment."
They were starting to fall again but instead of looking towards the ground Ruby wiggled about to try and see what he was doing. Naruto's focused face was one thing but she found herself captivated by the rest of the immense transformation he had undergone. While looking inherently the same...the ninja just was lit up like a star with thick black markings all over his form and orange eyes split by weird pupils. A weak whimper of amazement and a matching expression of awe overcame the short student when a large clawed arm erupted from his back and lashed out towards the sky like a fishing line cast out from the reel.
A screaming Weiss was safely brought down into the fold, blue eyes wide from shock as she tried to comprehend what was going on. Her head jerked towards Ruby from her spot in the faux limb's grasp and, in typical Weiss fashion, she covered her emotions with a practiced air of angry superiority. "You left me!" she accused before rounding on her savior. She didn't question his big transformation because the things he did were just so dubious by now and and expecting him to act normally was a chore. "And why are you here too?!"
"You're welcome!" the jinchuriki shouted back before raising a thumb to his lips and biting down to draw blood. Many of the Grimm had amassed underfoot while waiting for the blond to return to the earth and it gave Naruto a grand idea of removing a large amount at once. He'd already thinned the herd and this would wipe out nearly the rest of them while simultaneously allow him to do something he'd been meaning to do since yesterday. The scythe-fighter stuck out her tongue in disgust at the sight of the reddish liquid before he released her from his embrace, only to follow the heiress' example and be grabbed by a second chakra limb. "Get ready for a bumpy landing you two! Kuchiyose no Jutsu (Summoning Technique)!"
The handseals were finished in a flash before the bloody runes defied physics and spread out from his palm in midair; a rapidly expanding mass erupted underneath the trio in the blink of an eye and every unfortunate Beowolf in the wide expanse of the landing zone were crushed flat in mere seconds. A loud explosion was followed by the land shaking under the immense weight of a large toad holding a tanto acceptable for its size and smoking a huge cigarette. With dark rusty orange skin, a sleeveless blue jacket, belly wraps, and a beaded necklace, Gamakichi looked around in confusion before realizing his hindquarters were throbbing with a dull pain.
"Ow! What is this?! Who summoned me?!" Because the only one left alive on the contract was... "...Naruto?"
"Hey 'Kichi!"
The amphibian's golden eyes screwed upwards to look at the boy riding atop his head, thick irises noticing the extra pair of bodies tentatively standing atop his pebbled scalp. "You have a lot of explaining to do asshole!" he boomed, deep voice echoing across the valley before casually stomping on a rare surviving Grimm that bit him. "Last I saw you was when we were collaborating against the Juubi, and then later on we received a messenger from the slugs stating you finished the job but were blasted through some sort of portal! Do you know how worried Ma is? No one can reverse summon you because of your amount of chakra, not even Pa!...and what the hell did you call me into this time?"
Another unfortunate Grimm was smashed into a pancake by the butt of Gamakichi's sword as it attempted to claw his toe.
"Ooooookay...we are on top of a giant...talking...w-whoa there!" Ruby couldn't finish the sentence as she wobbly attempted to find solid footing as the toad's head moved. Weiss wasn't faring any better and had given up all pretenses of looking professional to keep a death grip on the edge of Naruto's flowing jacket after being released from his unexplained extra arms. He stood without fear and didn't stumble whenever their new perch adjusted itself and therefore he was the one who would keep the silvernette from tumbling over the side.
Naruto looked over the edge of the summon's brow ridge and counted the amount of remaining Beowolves left. Only six when they originally numbered around sixty...which was supposedly a lot concentrated around one small area. But they still had the Nevermore to deal with and more black shapes were beginning to appear on the periphery; extra Grimm from the Emerald Forest were migrating towards the chakra-using animal and, more specifically, the powerful human riding on its head. "Well...it's like this: the Sage of Six Path's mom was sealed away inside the Ten-tails but we were able to stop her when she took over Madara after he became the Juubi's jinchuriki. But the bitch had some kind of technique that opened holes between dimensions and she slapped me through one before the end. I wound up here, some place called Remnant that reminds me way too much of the Elemental Nations in some ways. But since I have no idea how to get back home I found a way to at least make a living for the time being until something positive comes my way."
"And that involves these annoying little animal things?" Gamakichi backhanded a few roaring Ursai and sent them skittering like sacks of grain back towards the trees. He rose up slightly, causing the girls to squeak, and looked underneath his former seat with a grimace. "You son of a bitch...I'm gonna be picking their thorns out of my skin for days!"
Naruto couldn't help but laugh. "Oh come on, we never even got to do a proper Yatai Kuzushi no Jutsu (Food Cart Destroyer Technique) before and now you're complaining?! And anyways they're like...the Zetsu clones I guess if you want an example. Want to destroy humanity and such. I was tasked with getting rid of a bunch of them but more keep showing up."
Despite his annoyance Gamakichi blew out a large cloud of smoke and sighed. "I see. Do you need my help then?"
"Well since you're here if you don't mind taking out the flying one then, that'd be great. I'll mop up the stragglers. Their bodies are tougher than they look so be mindful of that. But it's nothing we can't handle."
"I-I'm going too! You are not leaving me up here on this frog!"
"...well I don't want you on my head anymore either, girly! Get my species right!" Weiss screamed again as the summon dipped its skull and momentarily caused the 'ground' beneath her feet to disappear. He had been forced to draw its sword and deflect projectiles sent their way from the Nevermore, making him eye the flying beast in distaste. The monsters at his feet finally learned it...probably wasn't such a good idea to attack the huge animal but the bird still had distance on its side. "So who are your lovely new friends?"
"The loud one is Weiss and the fascinated one is Ruby. Technically they should be over there-" He pointed off towards the outlying forest where a few distant explosions had finished tapering off.
Ruby quickly tugged on his ethereal sleeve. "You're right! We really need to get back over there Naruto! I don't want to fail!"
The glowing blond bit his lip at her words, eyes dropping into slits as he concentrated, before the ninja smacked his fist into the other palm. "Okay. I got it. 'Kichi, get ready to move out. You two..." Naruto wrapped an arm around the girls' waists despite their protests. "Can you wait a little bit longer?"
And then he jumped over the side with two surprised Huntresses in tow.
The moment the brightly illuminated shinobi slipped past Gamakichi's eyes the toad clapped his spindly hands together and molded his chakra. Expandable cheeks puffed out as the energy was given elemental form before it shot forth from the amphibian's mouth with the strength of a fire hose coupled with the speed of a rifle bullet. It might not seem like too much against an experienced Grimm...but once again this was something proportionate to the smoking toad's incredible mass.
"Mizame Teppo (Starch Syrup Gun)!" One moment the Nevermore was deciding how it should attack again, and the next its left wing was broken at the joint as several tons of sticky concentrated water impacted its limb. The blast was originally meant to strike it dead center but the avian had reacted just in time to avoid the deathblow...however much good that did. Still, the wing was no longer a viable option for flight and its huge body began losing altitude against its will. Twisting around, the Grimm was able to flap its unbroken arm and send another round of dangerous quills towards the toad but the spot it formerly occupied was empty since its tenant had already moved. At a speed no one that large should have been able to achieve Gamakichi had already jumped high enough to get in the Nevermore's masked face with his tanto drawn (due in part to the toad's incredibly strong legs). Using the momentum of his leap, coupled with the swing of the blade...well, the Grimm wasn't around for much longer.
Gamakichi poofed away in midair after bisecting the creature, the echoes of his voice saying he'd explain what was going on with the blond to the other toads. Naruto was thankful for his friend but had become too engrossed in finishing his task to respond with anything more than a grunt. Weiss and Ruby stood off to the side with their weapons drawn but the response was all for naught; none of the Beowolves or Ursai or even the lone King Taijitu that appeared were paying them any mind. They seemed to be only focused on attacking the boy...which suited him just fine. Although their numbers had grown again with the reinforcements, it literally did them no good.
Naruto had no sort of specialized techniques which involved handsigns to attack at a range. Thankfully the rotating maelstrom of the Rasengan was more than enough to grind through their defenses when they moved close enough and he could always throw them now if prepared properly. It wasn't just the orbs which worked though. With his high speed and power already bolstered by Kurama's energy his physical strikes were far more than enough to send them flying away with shattered bodies.
He punched one right in the gut and it folded over his arm before something within it snapped and it simply stopped moving. Its pitiful moan did nothing to stop the rest from attacking, however. There was a threat, a human, with abnormal energy that called out to them. He had to be destroyed and his power taken like all those unfortunate people that came before Naruto who fell to the dangers of the Grimm.
...that was actually a problem though when their target could move in the blink of an eye and seemed completely unaffected by anything they did. Even with the few additions from the forest there just wasn't enough to do anything significant. Having most of their numbers crushed flat in one fell swoop didn't help in any way either.
Naruto grabbed one by the leg as it leapt at him, swinging it into the ground where it steadily remained before he was already back in action with twin Rasengans in his palms. With their group dwindling fast it was only a matter of time before the Glynda's job was done. A wolf was downed with fresh spiral marks ground into its stomach. Another was hit by an invisible punch and sent barreling straight through a tree...thirtyfeet away. Three were destroyed via the Rasenkyugan (Spiraling Absorption Sphere) prior to the ninja reacting to a disturbance and catching a spinning buzz saw with one of Kurama's chakra arms that came shooting out of nowhere, before crushing the odd piggish Grimm like a brittle stick.
It was all so very brutal, with the jinchuriki fighting in a way he never had before save for the few times he lost control of the Kyuubi's chakra and hatred overcame him. But the creatures of Grimm were monsters, plain and simple. He didn't have to show them any mercy since it wouldn't be considered inhumane but the blue-eyed boy was still being careful. He had his watchers after all, and Ruby and Weiss were off to the side. It would be a problem if they got caught in the crossfire so the blond made sure to keep a little bit of awareness centered on them all in case something happened.
Materializing Kurama's head, the construct bit down onto an Ursa and chucked it away before the human within socked another in the jaw that put it permanently out of the fight. Grabbing two more of the malevolent beasts he slammed them together in a way similar that Sakura once did to him and Sai when she was angry. But the two shinobi were left sporting bruised skulls...while the Grimm were far worse off. Leaving them behind, once again a claw rocketed from his back but instead grabbed a spot of grass in front of a rare King Taijitu in the valley. The limb pulled and Naruto answered, his glowing form being yanked forward before he planted an illuminated sole in the side of the white half of its serpentine body and turning it into an injured, scaled rocket.
He then spun to face the last living Beowolf from the pack.
The last one alive out of the entire group, really.
It was on all fours with the rigid fur of its back raised dangerously and growling at the male. Naruto stood there, his fake jacket fanning out behind him despite the lack of wind, before he took a step forward. The simple action spooked the creature and the Grimm canine started to run. Somewhere in that lowly intelligent mind it had, the sense of self-preservation was blaring like crazy. But sadly that just couldn't happen. Naruto appeared in its path and used a spinning kick to send the Beowolf flying back towards...Naruto.
He caught it by the neck as his clone popped but there was no reason to do anything else. The monster was already starting to dissolve and finally there were no more Grimm to deal with as he let it drop. They weren't even considered living beings but this just seemed...sort of wasteful. But he was protecting others by doing this and that's what really mattered.
Mission accomplished.
Weiss and Ruby were completely engrossed in the fight the moment Naruto released them from his hold and jumped right back into the fray.
A few of the stragglers just now reaching the devastation began thinking twice about joining the one-sided slaughter. Three Ursai, a Boarbatusk, and another Beowolf pawed the ground and tried to decide how to proceed without getting destroyed. But...standing and watching with their backs turned were two other humans completely unaware that the enemy was in their blind spots. The armored pig was the first to reach a judgment, body curling inward into a ball as it began rotating at high speed like a toothy tire. Ruby's aura awareness was the first to realize something was amiss as the fine hairs on the back of her neck prickled and she tackled Weiss out of the speeding swine's way just in time.
"Look out!"
The snooty fencer's offended cry about being shoved barely registered on the younger girl's radar as she rolled and un-slung Crescent Rose; the blade of the scythe dug into the ground as Ruby used it as a makeshift tripod. Grayish irises met with icy blue for a moment before breaking the silent connection to look down the sights of her sniper rifle attachment. However, instead of coming around for a second shot as Ruby expected the Boarbatusk continued spinning away on a straight path towards Naruto. She blinked in confusion at the way the beast didn't come back to attack again after clearly missing the mark.
Why did the patterns all the Grimm were exhibiting not match anything she ever studied before?
A wall of ice stopped Ruby from discovering what it felt like to have a set of claws in her back as Myrtenaster's Dust chambers clicked and rotated around their base. "You need to pay attention!" Weiss scolded over her partner's momentary lack of concentration, lifting her rapier from where it was stabbed into the grass. With the blade now pointed forward she used her aura to essentially to essentially create a thin trail of frost beneath her boots that allowed the petite woman shoot forward like a spear. Her lunge caused the Beowolf to fly back after taking the hit; the momentum of her movement gave Weiss the speed to jump, slash, and finish off the airborne beast before it ever hit the ground.
The Ursa next in her sights was just as unlucky and received the tip of her thin weapon right through the center of its thick chest...after the other girl made sure to blast its legs out from under it of course. The icy heiress shot Ruby a glare for thinking she would require help and said partner gave an awkward wave in response before jumping away from another attack. The Grimm may have been attracted to Naruto for some reason but they still always had time to kill them some humans.
Weiss twirled and her weapon chattered in response. From the air where her sword passed through, shards of light shot forth like bluish fireflies before impacting the two remaining Ursai squaring off against the pair of women, rattling the bears as the lights hit them hard and crystallized into more ice. While it did not kill them outright it inevitably left the duo open to a few slashes that ended their soulless lives.
Meanwhile Naruto was still smacking the few remaining Grimm around like they were ragdolls.
"How...how do you think he's doing that?" Ruby questioned quietly once her adrenaline ebbed, occasionally scanning around in case another newcomer decided they were easy pickings.
"I do not know. But it's rather fishy." Weiss remarked as Naruto's cloak split apart into two tails that grabbed a pair of the remaining Grimm and slammed them together with enough force that neither got back up. He then kicked the single King Taijitu away and, somehow, it miraculously didn't get pulverized like the rest of its brethren.
As it shook its heads to regain its senses the big snake had its own version of an epiphany. Perhaps remaining in the area wasn't such a good idea anymore. But as it turned to slither away there stood two humans in its path. They were rife with negativity, albeit on a smaller scale: confusion, nervousness, and touches of jealousy with how easily the glowing blond utterly destroyed its kind with ease. It could go around but none of the Grimm were being shown any leniency, and that would draw attention to itself and draw a target on its back.
As one final Beowolf groaned out a pathetic cry behind it, Dust bullets exploded against its scales while the Taijitu started crawling towards the girls. It was injured and so its pace wasn't as quick as it liked but there was still enough flexibility to plow through a pair of weak little students without difficulty.
"...have you ever faced one of those before?" the red-loving gal asked with a sense of urgency.
"No. But I have however read up and studied all relevant information relating to King Taijitu and completed multiple training scenarios regarding them."
"So that helps us how?"
Weiss sighed and raised Myrtenaster as she slipped into her form. The beast was fast approaching and it was a rather large one...something she was really conflicted about. Snakes were disturbing and unpleasant creatures in her opinion and massive ones just made it all worse. "That means theoretically they are no match for me."
She then back-flipped out of the way as the serpent's large weight attempted to smash her into a frigid pancake. The rapier's reinforced edge did little to pierce its resistant hide and Crescent Rose barely did any better. And yet the Schnee's frosty projectiles were somehow able to get through the first layer at least of the Grimm's flesh, though even that was more of a superficial thing.
Upon noticing such a detail however Ruby's face lit up and she dashed over to her grumpy comrade to explain how they could win. This way they got it done and the two of them would be forced to work together instead of gradually picking away at it until it died. Yet as her plan unfolded, Weiss looked less than thrilled. Was she serious about all this? Unfortunately, the shorter girl in the large red hood stared her down with a defiant gaze and staunchly defended her ludicrous idea.
"Listen Weiss. I'm still willing to make this work, even if you seem to hate me. But Naruto's still preoccupied and it doesn't feel right asking him to help us during our test."
The silvernette still disliked her partner but...ah, she detested having to admit that the young Rose was rather good at thinking up things on the fly and adapting to the flow of the fight. Plus it really could have been worse. She could have been stuck with Jaune of all people. Closing her eyes, Weiss clenched her jaw and then matched Ruby's look with one of her own. "It's a terrible idea and in those few scant seconds we'll be left defenseless should any other Grimm sneak up on us." She then sighed again. "But...if we're going to survive these next four years without driving each other insane then it'll take both of us to make this partnership work."
Ruby's serious look was lost as it warmed up into a happy, albeit childish, smile. Nodding furiously she spun her transforming scythe into its firing mode and took aim while Weiss created a Dust-fueled glyph right in front of the barrel. It was a bit more difficult due to the intangible floating sigil in her crosshairs but the King Taijitu was so big and close that it didn't really matter anyways. "Preparing to fire. Keep it up until I say so."
"Yeah yeah, just don't miss." In that moment the rich, aristocratic girl's arrogance vanished and her focused features slackened and settled into a minuscule but kind smirk. "And for the record I don't hate you at all. You actually have some skill despite your age and are willing to prove you have what it takes to be a Huntress."
"...thanks, Weiss." The black/redhead felt oddly touched in that moment while her finger tightened against the trigger. As if they finally made some leeway in their 'friendship' despite the circumstances.
"I do, however, think you're an annoying dolt still in need of a large amount of maturity. And a gag over that mouth of yours sometimes."
"You could have stopped there, you know." Ruby mumbled to herself before the kickback of her gun made her close her mouth lest she bite her tongue. Shot after shot erupted from the scythe-sniper's thick barrel and traveled through the Schnee's Semblance without losing any momentum. However each Dust round became encased in a sharpened icicle as it flew. Ruby's bullets blew up on contact but couldn't make it through the Grimm's skin. Weiss's ice could pierce the scales, but barely did any damage.
Sooooooo...
As Ruby fervently hoped, the combination (plus the additional speed gained from her gun) was able to dig into the snake's flesh and then explode while bypassing most of its innate defense. Thick gouges were made in its body before the ones embedded in its skull caused enough irreparable damage to stop the King for good. She cheered and even Weiss looked satisfied over a job well done before the older girl simply had to bring up a point festering in her thoughts.
"Now while that worked, thanks to my judicious use of Dust, I would like to know why you were so adamant about using our powers together like that."
"Well...I wanted to team up together. All we did was argue. But it worked didn't it? You even complemented me." Ruby said in slight embarrassment, scuffing her boot against the ground while the white-wearing teenager set her hands against her hips and shook her head.
As her ponytail swayed Weiss eventually shrugged and tilted her head to peer at Naruto. "Whatever. It worked. Yay. Now can we please get back before anyone notices we're missing?"
Oh...right...Ruby became so engrossed in making any progress towards a better time here at Beacon that she momentarily forgot they weren't even in the bounds of their test anymore! She began to wail in horrified realization while the whiskered male stood there with one arm extended, the last Grimm of them all held aloft and un-moving in his grasp. The Uzumaki dropped the carcass as it already started to decompose in that odd way all Grimm seemed to undergo in death and turned towards the two girls while surveying his handiwork.
There was a mountain of corpses littering the valley, all deteriorating into red and black dust. He'd held back somuch but the vale still showed signs of something overpowered running through it. Craters, and plow tracks, and a few demolished trees, but suffice to say it looked a lot better than it could have been. What really caught the jinchuriki's attention though was the Grimm's residual energy. Even in death it lingered and seemingly dissipated into nature. He could feel it now thanks to sage mode and how there wasn't some other pressing issue taking his attention at the moment.
Pretty interesting.
Hopping over the corpse of the big snake (now missing chunks of its face) he jogged his way towards Ruby and Weiss while both woman looked a little winded themselves. "Okay, let's get you back. I feel Yang's energy so that's as good a place as any." Touching both girls on the shoulder, they barely got a syllable out before all three vanished on the spot. Silence reigned in the clearing except for the faint hiss of the Grimm vanishing, and the eventual sound of clicking as Fox tapped his fingers against his Scroll's holoscreen. The four members of CFVY met in the middle near the deceased Taijitu and quietly met each others' eyes.
"Well...you don't see that every day." Yatsuhashi spoke, feeling approval at the strength shown by glowing enigma. He himself could crater the ground and create a large shockwave with one swing but it took some focus on his part. Naruto was blowing things up with relative ease. And those spheres of his were so incredibly destructive and versatile.
Coco sighed. She felt like her team had just been front row at the filming of an action movie where everyone did their own stunts and it all miraculously happened in one take. "Gotta love a man who can one-shot a Grimm." the girl said blandly before her own Scroll blinked to signify she'd received a message. It was the videos Fox, Velvet, and Yatsuhashi recorded all bundled together. Adding her own she sent them off to the Ms. Goodwitch with a short accompanied text explaining how everything was finished up on their end.
He didn't need any backup.
"Should we tell her that there were a few unexpected extras?"
"No. Our copies will be enough evidence of that." Tapping the thin object against her palm, Coco's face took on a thoughtful look as her and her team began their trek back to Beacon. "I don't think they'll be marked down too badly anyways. I'm going out on a limb here and saying it wasn't their fault they were dragged away from the training area. For being new students Red and White showed a fair amount of teamwork from what I could tell, and discovered a way to defeat the Grimm when otherwise they couldn't do so."
Fox nudged his taller buddy as said man smiled. Something similar had happened to them back when they were raw recruits on their own test. A big old Ursa with plenty of scars and a mean streak a mile long. But the two sure showed it why it couldn't claim last year's relic site as its territory.
Reaching the edge of the forest, each person felt the need to take one last look at the former battleground. So much destruction in so little time, and yet still with enough control to decimate an ever increasing amount of Grimm with ease. If any of them could do half of what Naruto just did...the continued extermination of the monsters would be so much simpler.
"Yang, slow down!"
With her long hair waving behind her as she ran, the boxer punched right through a small tree trunk instead of taking the few extra seconds to go around it. She was just that sort of woman, and one that was in one hell of a hurry. "You can stay here if you want but that explosion and screaming TOAD of all things involves my sister somehow! I just know it! You heard what it said!" With its voice booming all the way to the Emerald Forest, they heard it mention Naruto clear as day as well as something about 'friends'. But what really had Yang in an uproar was that Nevermore the amphibian sliced in half like butter; before it died a speck of red fell away from it, standing out heavily against the bright blue sky. Something vibrantly white also followed the free-falling crimson dot before both were snatched up by something gold.
Blake bit her lip and vaulted over the remains of her partner's destroyed tree. The buxom girl was incredibly stubborn and seemed to become rather blind to other things when her sister was involved. She didn't know the story there but chalked it up to a lack of relevant info regarding Yang as well as sibling protectiveness, something she had no experience with. The Faunus had cared for the safety of her White Fang comrades but there was no familial love there despite Blake's back-story regarding the group. She'd always wanted them to come back from missions safe and secure, even rushing off sometimes when intel reported a bad turn to stupidly put herself in danger and lend a hand...but it was nothing like the bond between sisters or any other family members.
The amber-eyed girl was then forced to stop and jump back, automatically drawing her weapon before gasping at the sudden intrusion of both Ruby Rose and Weiss Schnee. Both sneaked up on her somehow and the youngest of them all was quickly pulled into a death grip as Yang checked her out for injuries and started questioning her without pause. Who cares if Ruby was quite capable of taking care of herself? Some kooky shit just went down involving something she'd never seen before and intuition said the fifteen year old had been there in spite of the test completely taking place within the forest.
Blake's head snapped up as the branches above them rustled and a golden, caped Naruto Uzumaki landed in the clearing. His passengers were in familiar hands now after he brought them to Yang's aura signature and, nodding once to a surprised Blake, vanished in a slip of light.
"-nd you've got to tell me everything!"
"Yaaaang! I'm fine! Weiss and I worked together and we're perfectly okay!"
"Then why did you just appear out of nowhere?!"
"It was...it was crazy." Ruby said with finality. "I'll tell you all about it later, I promise."
"You better. I know you're a tough kid but mama still worries, ya know?" Yang grinned slightly and jerked a thumb to her chest. Ruby made to say more but Weiss pushed her way between the pair and held out her arms with an impatient look gracing her beautiful face.
"Talk later! We still have a test to finish in case you all forgot!"
Yang blinked before sticking her hand in the bulging pack hanging off her hip and pulling out a large chess piece. "Here."
"...what is that?"
"The relic we were supposed to collect. Blake has ours and since I wasn't sure what was going on with you, I grabbed the matching horsey just in case."
Ruby cheered and hugged her sister gleefully before snatching the knight and holding it aloft. "Yay! That means we passed!"
"...put it on record that I'm not okay with this."
Blake's pale lips turned up slightly at Weiss' troubled expression over the situation. "Technically speaking, all we were tasked with doing was finding a partner, discovering the relic location, and then taking one back to the school."
"I said I'm not okay with it, not that I wouldn't do it." The heiress snapped, causing the concealed feline to frown. In spite of her inherent dislike for people named Schnee she was still trying to be polite.
Weiss was making it rather hard to do though.
"Anyways, Blake is right. We did what we were tasked to do. Fighting the Grimm was just a side objective not actually relevant to passing."
Rubbing the space between her eyes, the fencer reached over and pulled the oversized game piece out of the hooded girl's hands and started to walk away just as the other four students in their little grouping finally tracked down Yang and Blake. Jaune's face lit up at the sight of Weiss but she walked right past him in a huff. "Except that they're going to know we didn't find the relics and take one for ourselves. But I don't care anymore. Let's just go. I just want to get out of this stupid forest." she grouched while stepping away.
Well. There was too much madness going on when it was merely supposed to be an initiation test for possible Hunters...so Blake agreed with the silvernette on that point at least.
Blake and Ruby stood at attention in front of Ozpin's desk, the younger fidgeting in her boots while the older wondered what could possibly be the reason for their summoning. The teams announcement was literally minutes away and they were expected to, you know, be in the auditorium for that very reason. The headmaster too, but he was sitting there with his hands clasped in front of his face watching the two females with cool eyes.
"Since we're short on time I'll keep this rather brief. Ruby Rose. Blake Belladonna. Normally you would learn about your fate here at Beacon Academy with the rest of the students but on the rare occasion there comes a time where things do not fit with protocol. Besides that, I believe you can keep this a secret, at least for the few moments between now and our journey to join with everyone else so I will not mince words: both of you will be on the same team. Congratulations."
Ruby fidgeted again but she was trying not to smile. So she and Yang were going to be together anyways! Blake too, which wasn't so bad.
...and Weiss.
However her counterpart just appeared quizzical. "I don't understand why this couldn't wait, sir."
"No, I expect you wouldn't but allow me to elaborate. Based off your trials, as I said you and your partners will be on the same team. The problem we've run into is the fact that both of you have shown the most leadership out of you four and therein lies the problem. On the rare occasion this sort of occurrence happens and we cannot decide on who would be the more appropriate leader, I simply leave it up to those involved. So." Ozpin finally lowered his hands and leaned forward. "Which of you would like to be in charge?"
He seriously expected them to choose just like that? With such a small span of time? Ruby squeaked in surprise, more so from the fact they believed she was director material and Blake's jaw fell open. This was an incredibly heavy decision.
"W-why do you think I'm fit to be a leader?"
"Reviewing the footage of your fight against the Deathstalker-"
"You fought one of those?!" Ruby snapped her head to the right as she gazed wide-eyed at the ravenette.
"-it was you who coordinated everyone together to keep it immobilized."
Despite her aloof persona, the teen felt her face heat up. "I just had the idea to stop it from attacking. Jaune was the one who figured out how to finish it off based on what we were doing. I didn't exactly think that far ahead."
"Regardless, you still showed the aptitude for leadership. It's why you're here after all. To learn. I don't expect any young student in my school to already possess ironclad experience in coordinating teams."
"What about me sir?!"
The pale-haired man tilted his neck and regarded Ruby quietly before a small smile touched his lips. "Your case if similar to Ms. Belladonna's. Though it was on a smaller scale, and with only one other person instead of a squad, you matched each others' styles to take down a larger Grimm which otherwise would have caused you trouble by yourselves."
The hooded teen felt warmth in her chest at the compliment but that suddenly turned to a pit of ice upon realizing he'd known they left the boundaries of the test. Yet...he wasn't telling her she failed? Something didn't seem right, and her face must have showed it because the man chuckled.
"We monitor our charges, remember Ms. Rose?" Although he kept the mystery of 'how' he and Glynda knew so a secret. Ozpin had the feeling Ruby and her new friends would find out soon anyways. Steeling himself, his voice remained light but the atmosphere around the headmaster seemed to thicken. "But it's now time to decide. So...which of you believes they have what it takes to lead your squad?"
Blake stared at Ozpin. Ruby stared at Ozpin. Blake turned to Ruby. Ruby copied her motions and five seconds later the two opened their mouths and ultimately decided their fates.
"I do."
"Not me."
The girl with red and black hair jerked in shock. "W-what? You don't want the job Blake?"
"No. I may be able to think up tactics but I just don't think I'm leader potential. " The monochrome Hunter's face fell the barest of margins and she looked conflicted over her own choice of words. "I'm...not really one for being in the spotlight anyways."
"Then it's settled." Ozpin said before Ruby could comment on that look. "Congratulations Ruby Rose on your promotion. Remember to act surprised at the ceremony, and listen to your second-in-command here. A good captain may take the lead, but still knows when to pay attention to her friends and subordinates."
He then promptly ignored the cat-girl's sputtering over her own advancement and ushered the two into the elevator. Did she really think he would just let the potential she showed fade into the background? This little conversation in and of itself was a minor test as well. The man wasn't lying when he stated it happened before and he'd let the students figure it out between themselves. Like Blake said herself, she could plan but didn't want such burden on her shoulders. Ruby was young but willing to still take the risk to grow as a leader. Right there proved which of them had a better mindset expected of a team captain.
But if Ms. Belladonna didn't want to coordinate from the front, then she'd do so from the sidelines.
He really was a devious bastard...but Ozpin had knew what he was doing.
"Russel Thrush. Cardin Winchester. Dove Bronzewing. Sky Lark. You four retrieved the black bishop pieces. From this day forward you will be referred to as Team CRDL (Cardinal)...led by Cardin Winchester." Ozpin announced to the cheering crowd as the four new members of CRDL stood at attention. Their faces were imposed on a pair of large holographic screens floating above the podium, for those in the farther seats of the darkened auditorium unable to properly make out the proud freshman on the wooden stage.
As the screen wiped, the four males made their way off the stage while Pyrrha, Nora, Ren and Jaune stood at the edge of stairs in varying degrees of nervousness. The orange-head girl showed the most excitement, wiggling her behind back and forth with a wide smile. Ren and Pyrrha looked the most composed, and the lone blond was doing his best to not lose it. He was in control but internally he hoped nothing would happen to embarrass him.
The group finally marched their way up once the headmaster looked directly at them. Taking the spots Cardin and his friends stood in only moments before, they followed their lead and stood with their backs straight and arms behind their backs. "Jaune Arc. Lie Rien. Pyrrha Nikos. Nora Valkyrie. The four of you retrieved the white rooks and so you all shall be known as Beacon Academy's Team JNPR (Juniper)...led by Jaune Arc." Leaning in slightly Ozpin lowered his voice. "Congratulations young man."
Nora giggled and hugged her best friend while at the other side of the line, Jaune looked completely taken aback. The redhead at his side smiled proudly before giving him a gentle punch on the shoulder...which still sent the male tumbling to the ground. She gasped quietly as Jaune looked up at her from where he now sat as a few rumbles of laughter came from the crowds. Feeling sheepish, Pyrrha helped the armored teen to his feet before the newly minted Team JNPR vacated the stage.
Ruby was bouncing on the balls of her feet as her friends strode by, nearly charging onto the stage when the time finally came for the last announcement of the school year.
"Finally, we have Blake Belladonna. Ruby Rose. Weiss Schnee. And Yang Xiao Long. You four retrieved the white knight pieces and so from today onward you shall take the name of Team RWBY (Ruby)...led by Ruby Rose." Yang pulled her sister into a hearty embrace while Weiss' head snapped to the side. She was incredibly surprised but the joy at passing tempered the envious feeling worming its way through her heart. She dearly wanted to be in charge...but for now, at least, the heiress would let this turn of events play out for awhile.
Naruto clapped along with the rest of the students, somewhere in the middle of the throng of upper-level Hunters while he watched the proceedings with a curious eye. At the moment the ninja was somewhere between paying attention and being lost in the realm of his own memories. It was just like team assignments back at the ninja academy and pangs of remembrance kept a soft smile on his face. It was only about four years since that day but still seemed so very long ago. Back when he couldn't ever do anything right. Sasuke's biggest goal was to kill Itachi and nothing more. And Sakura had no talent in anything but book smarts.
Now look at what they had accomplished.
As the masses started to disperse Naruto turned on his heel and started making his way back to Ozpin's quarters for the umpteenth time. Glynda has sequestered herself in the office while the headmaster was doing his job, going over footage taken that Naruto hadn't even been aware of. He thought those people staying out of the fight were there to watch him and perhaps lend a hand if he was overrun but apparently there had been more to it than that. But surveillance? Really? It's as if no one had any faith in Naruto's ability!
He kinda wanted to see what his asskicking looked like from an outsider's point of view though.
It had to be awesome sight.
Hooray, a new chapter. Sorry for the wait but my fall semester was rather homework/essay-oriented and I really had no time. One more semester though...another busy one. But despite my Bachelor's in Criminal Justice I'm interesting in becoming an author. I already started a manuscript for a novel but I simply have the prologue written so far. The plot is there, just not much time to write it so far. Plus there's so many different ways I've seen to format the documents I hope I get it right.
I might have either the next chapter of Mages or Skill Set done before the new year...but it really depends. Regardless, merry Christmas or whatever you celebrate and thanks for reading my stuff.