Once the last recruit limped his way out of the arena Ruby and Richard entered.
"Think you still got some fight left in ya?" Ruby asked greeting Weiss.
"And you are?" Weiss glared at Richard.
"It's me Richard, Richard Kenway," Richard answered.
"The Richard Kenway I knew died three years ago in an earthquake," Weiss stated coldly.
"Well, I'm just gonna head back to the observation deck, you two just start whenever you're ready," Ruby said as she slipped back through the gate of the arena.
A short silence filled the arena as the gate closing left an echo throughout its walls. Weiss only exchanged a stare at him as the two stood still.
"You're right you know," Richard stated.
"About what?" Weiss now questioned.
"About Richard Kenway dying in Atlas three years ago," Richard explained.
"Really now?" Weiss doubted.
"I've seen what the White Fang have done first hand, I know what you fight for, and I know the mistakes I've made," Richard began to elaborate.
"Then you know I'm not going easy on you," Weiss warned as she got into her fighting stance.
Richard changed Shadow Striker into its sword form and unsheathed Chaos and switched it into its tomahawk form.
With a flash of white Weiss zoomed right in front of Richard with her fist meeting his stomach. The impact sent Richard a few feet back as he grabbed his stomach to endure the pain. Richard let out a sigh, 'Here we go again,' he thought to himself. He got back into his normal stance, but when he looked up Weiss had moved from her position. Richard quickly looked up to see Weiss already hurling down towards him. Richard barely managed to jump back to dodge the attack. Weiss's recovery was quick as she instantly was able to bounce off the floor and lunge at Richard with her rapier.
Richard was beginning to get caught off guard already, he was used to Ruby's speed three years ago, but since then he hasn't sparred with any of team RWBY. Weiss had definitely sped up from before, now he could only imagine what Ruby's speed at this point would be like. He couldn't think for too long as Weiss charged him once again, he managed to bring his sword up to deflect Myrtenaster. Weiss shot passed him creating a few sparks as their swords scrapped each others.
Richard quickly turned around to prepare for the next attack. Weiss turned around and turned Myrtenaster's revolver, she then thrusted it forward as five projectiles shot towards Richard. Richard changed Chaos into its pistol form. He started firing at the projectiles, trying to hit them mid-air, He managed to hit one as it burst into a cloud of smoke. Richard continued to fire and managed to score another hit until the clip had finally emptied. Richard rolled out of the way to avoid getting hit by the other projectiles. They barely missed as they shot passed him, hitting the wall behind him he saw as they froze the wall in ice.
Quickly returning to the fight at hand Richard once again entered combat with Weiss as she once again rushed him to get the upper hand. Richard needed to think of a plan and quickly, he switched Chaos back into its tomahawk form and managed to redirect Weiss's lunge to miss. Weiss swung her sword around to slash from the other side, but Richard used shadow striker to guide her swing over him to miss. Richard attempted to strike back with a swing to Weiss's side with Chaos. Weiss brought Myrtenaster close enough to block that attack. Richard went for another strike with Shadow Striker only to be knocked back.
Richard retreated a bit before he threw Chaos at Weiss. Weiss brought up a light blue glyph in front of her, when Chaos made contacted it bounced off and fell to the ground. Weiss brought down her glyph and when she did two red tipped arrows landed at her feet. She looked up to see Richard drawing back a volley of three arrows each now with a different colored tip. Richard released the arrows as the shot towards Weiss, once landed in front of her, another Weiss cut in mid air, and the last shot passed missing. Weiss retaliated by once again turning Myrtenaster's revolver and shooting several projectiles at him. Richard began to strafe to the left as he kept moving to avoid getting hit from Weiss's shots and continued to fire his arrows hitting the ground around her, but not exploding.
As the two continued to takes shots at each other Richard was about to fire another arrow when he reached back at his quiver, but all his arrows were depleted. Weiss taking advantage quickly dashed towards Richard. He only just managed to switch Shadow Striker into its sword form. Richard had both hands on his sword since he had thrown Chaos earlier. Richard stayed defensive as he redirected or blocked each of Weiss's jabs or swings at him.
Richard blocked another swing from Weiss and after which he rolled over Weiss to get on the other side of her. He quickly attempted to get a hit in, but Weiss blocked her blind spot quickly. Richard now moved back to being defensive as he stepped back with every one of Weiss's strikes. Weiss took a step back and made a powerful lunge forward knocking Richard back several feet and causing him to roll over on his stomach. Weiss relaxed a bit as she saw Richard slowly try to raise himself. He held his hand behind his back as he did so.
"I have to say, I expected more for some reason," Weiss said as she was about to sheath Myrtenaster.
"Oh come on now heiress, you think I'm giving up already?" Richard said as he pulled himself up to rest on his knee.
"Give up or not, you'll need to outsmart your enemy to win," Weiss coldly stated.
"Who says I haven't?"
Weiss gave an intrigued look at Richard as she tried to think what he could've been talking about. Then she had a sudden realization, none of the arrows Richard shot exploded, she looked down around her and saw that she was surrounded by dust tipped arrow of all sorts.
Richard brought his hand around him, Order was in it and shaking furiously as it was fully charged. Richard aimed and let go of the trigger as quickly as possible. Time seemed to slow down as both Richard and Weiss watched as the bullet traveled across the arena heading toward a red tipped arrow. What seemed to take an entire minute to occur was followed by a huge explosion followed by another and another as a chain reaction began to go off blowing dust and fire and lightning all over the arena.
Richard was still kneeling down as a huge gust of wind blew towards him. He struggled to hold his ground, but it pushed him back sending him rolling once again, this time he landed on his back. Several seconds later the arena cleared up showing burn marks on the floor and walls and a bit of smoke rising. Richard leaned up after everything cleared up. As he did he saw Weiss move to stand over him, he pointed Order as Weiss pointed Myrtenaster down towards him. The two stared at each other for a minute or so waiting. Richard saw as Weiss's cloths had received some soot on them taking away their white shine. Richard, then, finally broke the silence as he pulled the trigger to Order, but it only greeted them with a click as its magazine was empty.
"Oops," Richard said nonchalantly as he lowered Order.
Weiss sheathed Myrtenaster and extended a hand out to Richard. He received it with a smile.
"Welcome to CREED," Weiss said as she raised him up.
"Soo…that's it, no more kicks or punches?" Richard asked, remembering his encounter Yang.
"No, the test's over, you did better than most, I have to say you surprised me with your arrows."
"Well, I better restock I used them all up."
Around that time Ruby re-entered the arena and approached them.
"Well that was a fireworks show if I've ever seen one," Ruby sated as she walk in. "So how'd he do commander Weiss?"
"He's a bit rough around the edges, but he'll do as a spec ops operative," Weiss answered.
"Well then I think it's time for a well deserved rest," Ruby finished with a yawn.
"I couldn't agree more," Weiss smirked.
"Oh, that reminds me," Ruby said as she pulled out a slip of paper, "your quarters for the time being before we set you up properly."
Richard received the slip and gave a quick glance as Ruby and Weiss began to walk out.
"Oh one last thing," Ruby said as she turned around, "You'll report in the armory tomorrow at O'600, from their you'll be given orders from the head of Special Operations herself, G'night."
She turned back and continued walking with Weiss out of the arena. As soon as they exited Richard collapsed on the floor from exhaustion, it has certainly been a long day. A guard of the arena walked up to Richard sitting on the floor.
"Your belongings?" He said holding up the bag.
Richard looked up, "Just leave it there," he said as he moved his arms back to support himself.
The guard dropped the bag and walked back to his post. Richard didn't know the time, but he assumed it was getting late. He picked himself up and grabbed his bag as he walked out of the arena. On his way out he checked the paper Ruby gave him. He read 'Barracks: R1 Block: 4 Room: 3' on the slip.
"R1, 4, 3," he repeated to himself, "Now, where is that?"