Hey guys, long time since my last update of this fanfic.

Hope you have enjoyed the read so far. Now enjoy the new chapter.

Chapter Cover: Ruby holding her Scythe as red energy surged from the weapon that was in her hands.

Chapter Seventy-One

The True form of the Released Crescent Rose

Ruby knew she had felt that power surge from Yang and she had seen the large flames that had been burning everywhere out of the corner of her eyes but now, she was going to be able to fight against the enemy that she was fighting against, the young girl's Aura made weapon was spinning in her hands as she used her speed to attack, growing even more powerful than before as she launched at him.

So far the young man had been able to match her power quite considerably and she had been surprised that he was able to match her speed so easily. Ever since that mask had appeared upon his face it was like all of his power had went through the roof and he was even more powerful, pushing her back despite she had her Soul weapon Released and the large amount of Aura that she was unleashing. This battle was getting dangerous for her and Ruby had started to feel herself starting to grow weak as the battle continued to rage on. This enemy was not like the White Fang and it was very similar to how the Grimm's darkness felt like but…

Looking at the man across her, she couldn't believe that someone would have willingly walked into that and become whatever monster that they had decided to become. Ruby huffed lightly as she held her stance, staring at the enemy as he was spinning his staff in his hand and then he launched an attack at her, and she pared against it causing her to grit her teeth at the weight behind the attack. There was something more about this as the power surged through the staff he was holding and Ruby's silver eyes widened in surprise as she was completely engulfed within the attack that came at point-blank range.

Ruby let out a yell of pain as she was completely covered into the ground as the area shook with the blast of power that was released. The young girl rolled down upon the ground as her Aura shaped Scythe dissipated into nothingness and she let out a soft groan of pain as she pulled herself back up to her feet.

She stared at the enemy across her and he was coming at her and then Ruby stared back at him.

His speed is even greater than mine, she thought, Even in my released State, I am having trouble with him. Could it be that I haven't gotten any better since the battle with the White Fang? It was like everything I do…

Ruby narrowed her eyes.

No…If I continue to think like that, I won't be able to do anything, she thought, I need to focus on my enemy, focus on any weakness that I can exploit because as a Huntress, I can't afford to have anything happened to me here I won't be able to walk with Yang and Weiss…

The young girl had petals spinning around her as she stood there with her dark red Aura surging through her…

Flashback

"A different way to use your Scythe?" Weiss said staring at her with a light frown.

It was nighttime and they had spend most of the day training thought, Ruby had spend most of the day fighting against Yang and she had been surprised at how strong her sister had gotten. All of the attacks she did on Yang ever seem to strengthen the blonde.

"Yeah," Ruby said, "I wonder if you knew any tips that you could give me?"

Weiss shook her head.

"Sorry," she said, "But I can't help you on how to become stronger like that."

Ruby looked surprised.

"Why not?"

"Because you already have a teacher that can teach you that," Weiss said, "And that person would do a far better job than I ever could."

Weiss placed a hand upon the girl's shoulder.

"I'm sure you already know of whom I speak of right Ruby?"

Ruby looked down as the image of the white cloaked figure appeared within her mind. She wasn't sure if she could ever contacted her to help. She didn't know if that person would be able to help at all but if she wanted to get stronger like Yang had been, she is going to have to be able to ask her for help.

"Thanks Weiss," she said.

The white haired girl only gave her a light smile at the result of that.

When the girl had gotten home later that night, she lied down in her bed with a light frown upon her face as she focused back into that white world that she had seen within her mind, the last time she had met Crescent Rose and then before she knew it, Ruby Rose was standing in the exact same open area that the large white moon was shining down form the cloudless sky.

The girl glanced around herself for a few moments searching for Crescent Rose when the familiar voice spoke out to her.

"You want to become strong…Ruby Rose?"

The white cloaked figure was standing behind her, the hood shadowing her face as the white cloak completely covered her entire body. She looked oddly similar to when she had first saw her, but unlike that last time, she could see the lips that were moving as she spoke.

"Yes," Ruby said, "With what we're probably going to be facing when we go attack that Las Hazard place. I have a feeling that it's going to be a whole different story than the one we faced against the White Fang."

Crescent Rose stayed silent for a few moments.

"You know what you can do when you Release me," she said, "What does your weapon became when you have entered that State?"

Ruby had a light frown upon her face at that.

"It became…an Aura like weapon," she said, "Almost like…"

"It had become one with your Aura," Crescent Rose finished.

"That's right," Ruby said tapping her palm with her fist, "Wow, you're really on the money with that one."

"Considering that I am your weapon," Crescent Rose snapped, "Of course I would know that."

Ruby scratched the back of her head.

"Sorry…sorry," she said.

Crescent Rose let out a small sigh before speaking again.

"In a released State," she said, "I have no physical form Ruby."

That caused the girl to blink in surprise.

"What?" she repeated, "But…I could hold the weapon in my hand whenever I did it?"

"Can you really?" Crescent Rose said, her tone taking a light mocking one.

She raised her hand and then the large Scythe Ruby was so familiar with appeared in her hand. It wasn't a released blade either and a light surprise appeared on Ruby's face at that.

"Summon your weapon Ruby," she said, "I'll show you the truth that your mind hasn't accepted yet."

On automatic, Ruby raised her hand to the side and in her hand, Crescent Rose appeared within her palm. She stared at the weapon she was holding in surprise for a few seconds. Suddenly a large wave of power came from the direction of the white cloaked figure and Ruby stared as the red Aura surged around her as the Scythe she was holding transformed into Aura as well.

"Let me show you the true might of this Released Soul Weapon," she said and to Ruby's surprise the weapon had disappeared from her grip, "Now attack me."

Ruby stared at her shocked.

"You want me to attack you when you don't even have a weapon?"

"I thought I just told you that my Released state has no form," Crescent Rose said, "You want me to teach you how to get stronger…I will do it. I will show you how to be strong and also, how to really use your Weapon in its released State."

Ruby stared at her for a few seconds before taking a stance with the Scythe in her hand before launching forward. It didn't take long before Ruby was the one on the ground defeated while Crescent Rose was standing above her and staring at the girl.

"H…How did you do that?" she said shocked, "I couldn't see the attacks coming at all…"

"That is the true power of your Soul Weapon in it's released form. Do you want to learn on how to use it?"

Ruby stared at her before a small smirk worked it's way upon her lips.

"Yes."

End of Flashback

Ruby stood up from where she was as her Aura surged around her and the girl took a stance as the enemy approached toward her. The girl narrowed her eyes lightly at him as she stood there with both of her hands raise up as if she was getting ready for a fist fight which made the enemy lean his head to the side probably wondering what she was doing.

But he attacked her aiming her staff straight toward her but Ruby actually avoided the attack with the level of speed that surprised the enemy that she was fighting against as the girl was now lowered down on the ground letting the attack pass above her. Then her Aura surged around her hand which she launched upward straight at him.

Blood appeared upon his body as her Aura covered hand reached upward toward him and then when it got close to him Ruby spoke.

"Crimson Wave,"

The blast of red Aura surged from her hand completely covering the man's body as the attack took hold of him point blank range. He was suddenly pushed backward from the sudden attack as he slid away from her and blood was dripping from his outfit and even part of his mask had cracked from the attack.

Ruby was standing there with her hand raised as her Aura surged around her with curved tips around the end of them. The silver eyed girl was staring at him with this deadly look upon her face.

"The reason why Crescent Rose doesn't have a form when I am in my released State is that your very Aura became Crescent Rose," the voice echoed within her mind, "the form it took when you released it was something you subconsciously did because it was something you were familiar with but it also hindered it's full potential. Now that you have that knowledge within your mind…you have now become the Huntress once more."

Ruby stared at the enemy across her before launching forward, aiming straight at him her body blurring with the level of speed she was moving but the man spun his staff releasing a wave of darkness from within the weapon but with a Light Step technique, Ruby had disappeared from sight as rose petals danced around the enemy who stood there surprised at he had missed her. The red petals around his form as they started to spin and then pain surged through his form causing blood to fly everywhere as her attacks rained down upon him from all direction.

"Dance of the Petals," Ruby said as she landed down upon the ground in a crouch staring at her enemy.

The masked figure let out a small grunt of pain as he turned toward her raising his hand toward her and a black ball started to gather there, launching the blast straight toward the girl. Ruby raised her hand to the side as her Aura formed a ring of red before she launched it straight toward the oncoming attack causing the two to clash against each other and she said, her hand still aimed toward where she had launched the ring of red.

"Double Crimson Wave," she said.

The spinning ring suddenly unleashed a large wave of spinning Aura as it completely destroyed the large attack that was coming for her causing the area round them to crack and shatter as the sudden release of power surged through them, shattering the large cages that were nearby and even the failed Grimm experiments were taken hits and destroyed as Aura launched everywhere from Ruby's Double Crimson Wave attack. The girl stared up at her enemy in front of her and noticed that he was staring her and that his mask crack had fallen off revealing the yellow eye beneath it.

Ruby narrowed her eyes at him as she launched at him and the young man stood still waiting for her and Ruby summoned her aura as she launched the sliced hands toward him but he had dodged her moving backward but at the same time, he had raised his other hand and launched a faster blasts toward her something she had seen coming.

The young girl pared the attack as it pushed her back causing her slid backward upon the ground and then she felt the tip of the weapon against her back causing her to glance at it. A large wave of darkness completely covered Ruby's form at that as the attack caused a large explosion within the area they were fighting in.

Then two spikes surged from the smoke and stabbed the man through. When the smoke cleared, a wall of Aura was standing between the two as Ruby was still in her crouch as the hexagonal shape protected her from the attack and from the same wall two spikes of Aura had stabbed through the enemy's form.

As a Huntress you have to know fear…as a fighter, you have to know death…and as a killer you have to be merciless…

The words from Weiss echoed in her mind as she stared at her enemy, her silver eyes empty of all feeling and Ruby only said, "Dance of the Red petals."

Blood dripped everywhere as the enemy was torn by the petals that had surged from the spike of Aura that had stabbed him.


Weiss let out a small smirk.

Seems she followed my advice, the girl thought to herself as she was holding Myrtenaster in her hand. Ice was growing around her hand as well as her shoulder which was covered with the substance and even her hair had icicles in them.

"Well then," she murmured.

The young woman then turned her gaze toward her enemy who had ice growing all over his body as glyphs were glowing all around them. The young woman stared up at him, her blue eyes glowing with power.

"It's been quite a while since I have used that power," she said, "I remember how much I hated the nickname I had gotten because of it and I had avoided using it whenever I can but…in this battle, I can't afford to be picky here and it had been a while since I have used it."

She approached him before coming to a stop in front of the frozen enemy.

"Myrtenaster is quite a cruel mistress," she said, "Her ability to freeze literally anything can be quite deadly as I am sure you have become aware. You were a strong opponent mind you and I had been having some trouble but…I am also the youngest person in all of the history of my Clan to become Captain Level at thirteen years old…"

She raised the weapon toward her frozen enemy.

"I can only imagine the pain you are feeling of having your veins, body and Aura turning into ice," she said, "So allow me to end your pain…"

She stabbed her sword straight through the masked face and it shattered into little pieces like glass, the entire body shattered in front of the Schnee girl. Weiss smirked as she turned away from the destroyed body.

"Well then…," she murmured, "Time to find Saddler and bring him in for his crimes."

Weiss's move forward to find Saddler...

Next Time: A reason to hope

Jacques0 out.

R&R