Ozpin, Ironwood, and Glynda Goodwitch were all in Ozpin's office at Beacon, all looking at a computer screen. On it was a map of Remnant, and within one of Vale's forests, a dot pulsed.

"It happened a few days ago," Ozpin says to the others. "Something out there began transmitting a signal at regular intervals."

"Do we know the nature of this signal?" Ironwood asks.

"No, only that it's unusual. And it's not even broadcasting anything interesting, just...pulses. Like something, or someone, wants to be found."

"But what's even out there?" Glynda asks as she watches the dot seem to move around. "What else do we know?"

"Prior to that, the Cross Continental Transmit System was accessed from about this location," Ozpin continues. "Again, how is unknown. But what's stranger is what was accessed," he continues as in a separate window he pulls up a list of sites. "Mainly the online encyclopedia. And only the basics of Remnant. If it was Her, or anyone working for Her, there would be no reason for this basic level intel."

"Hmmm," Ironwood says as he also checks his report. "I've also gotten reports about Grimm moving into that area, attracted by something. Something strange is going on in that area."

"We're sending someone to investigate this, right?" Glynda asks, adding "I know that you might think it's a trap. I am 110% aware this could be. But you have to admit, it's a strange trap. And besides...we'll never know, unless we look."

"All that is true," Ozpin says. "Likely means I'll have Qrow investigate the area."

"Question is, could that drunkard fly straight enough?" Ironwood asks. "Or even follow an electronic signal? I suggest that either we send Winter instead, or have them work together. Besides, do we really want Qrow's Misfortune to get in the way?"

"As if they would," Glynda scoffs. "They're always at each other's throats."

"I'm sure they'd cooperate if we made them," Ozpin says. "Qrow can fly there, and Winter can take a bullhead most of the way then approach on foot. And Winter can hopefully balance out Qrow's Misfortune," Ozpin says as he glances again at the screen.

A few hours later, Qrow was with Winter in a bullhead flying towards the forest. "We're coming up on the source, so set me down...there," Winter says to the pilot, pointing to a clearing. After getting off, she checked her tracker, heading deeper into the forest as the bullhead took off. "It's this way," she says to Qrow.

"You've got the tracker Ice Queen. Besides, flying for too long is exhausting," Qrow responds as they head in. Soon enough they hear something. Or rather, multiple somethings.

"That sounded like gunfire," Winter says as she draws her swords. "And...what is that?"

"That sounds like music," Qrow says as he listens in. "Heavy metal?" He asks rhetorically, even bobbing his head. "I can't say for sure who, or what's out there, but this music is killer," he says with a smile, earning a slap on the back of the head from Winter.

"Focus Qrow," they say as they rush forward, ready for anything, or so they thought. What greeted them was a large clearing, with a lot of Grimm all rushing forward towards something they couldn't see at first, but seemed to be the source of the music. Then a man in strange green armor, killing them all. Brutally too, the pair could imagine how bloody he and the ground would be, if Grimm bled.

"We need to help him," Winter says as she rushes forward, but is stopped by Qrow.

"We should watch first. All these Grimm are focused on him, and none of them have noticed us yet, and we need to learn how he survived," he says as they watch the strange man kill Grimm like they were nothing to him. "Unusual, he only has a gun...wait, what?" Qrow asked, as the man's weapon faded from view, replaced by a different weapon. "How did he DO that? His shotgun got replaced by a...is that a rocket launcher?"

"And he's not slowing down!" Winter says as she watches in amazement. "He won't hold still, won't stop moving, and yet he seems to carry that thing like it weighs nothing to him! And...is he double jumping? Dashing?"

"Wait, now he's pulled out...what IS that?" Qrow asks as the man pulls out another strange weapon, notable for a square muzzle, firing blue balls into his target. "Is that...energy?"

"I think...I think it's plasma," Winter responds. "And look at his armor! He has a knife on his left arm! Why isn't he...oh, now he's using it," she says as the blade on the man's left arm extended, and he stabbed a wounded Grimm with it, blade then retracting. They also watched as the device on his left shoulder fired a grenade into a group of Grimm.

"What all is IN that bag of tricks?" Qrow asks as the man now pulled out what appeared to be a minigun, reminding him of one of Beacon's second year students. "Well, I'm pretty sure we can say, THIS guy is what we're here for," Qrow responds as he backs up. "I'll go see if anything's in the area. I think you should...make your presence known," he says as he transforms into his bird form, and flies overhead. Once the Grimm's numbers died down, Winter approached the strange man.

"You there! Why are you out here?" She called out, as the man turns towards her. She couldn't see the man's face, only a visor blocking her view of it. Yet, she had the feeling that the man inside was angry, a deep seated loathing that no man could match. "Why did you signal?"

A somewhat deep, gravelly voice cleared its throat, and responded, as the man looked her up and down, and she had the feeling he was assessing her, to see if she was a threat or not. "For a pickup. I'm assuming you were sent out here, to investigate me? Assuming I heard correctly, your ride is nearby. Got room for one more?" He asked. "Or do I get to keep working out?" She sensed that he was likely smirking under that helmet. A work out? He's been killing humanity's mortal enemies and he claims it's a WORK OUT? Is this all a game to him?

"I beg your pardon, but Grimm are nothing to laugh at," Winter says with a huff. "They are the mortal enemies of mankind, seeking nothing more than our destruc—"

"Yeah yeah. All the demons of Hell wanted to kill off humanity too. Rendered their armies, their best technologies, useless. I, and I alone, stopped them," the man said casually, as if waving her off, and extended his arm blade, and she noticed then some old blood. "I even killed the devil himself."

"Demons? Hell?" Winter asks, but hears more Grimm coming their way. "Later," she says as she prepares for battle.

"Good, fresh prey," the man says, and she could practically FEEL his grin under that helmet. "Meathook?" He asked, but before she could ask what that meant, fresh heavy metal blared loudly from him, as they were attacked. She used her glyphs to summon a Beowolf, while the strange man lept around firing away. "So, you can summon too huh? Just like an Archie," he says, further confusing Winter, as they fought off the Grimm together. As she paused occasionally to watch him work, in between attacks, she thought she was beginning to understand, especially as the heavy metal blared loudly. This man THRIVED on violence. This man was a predator that hunted other predators. His guns were his claws, the music his roar. This was a man who would not stop, not until all of humanity's predators lay dead at his feet, or he was dead himself. In other words, a VERY dangerous man.

The last Grimm of the current wave fell, and she could see Qrow approaching in his bird form, as well as the bullhead, as she caught her breath. "H-h-how is your Aura?" She asks the stranger while panting.

"Non-existant," the man answers, and again, she thought he was smirking, as the man didn't even seem phased by the great battle he had just taken part in, which still shocked her, and she even held up her Scroll to confirm it. It detected his presence, but no Aura whatsoever.

"H-how in the world can you fight, be this strong, and have no Aura?" She asks, and he just shrugs.

"As I've said, I have experience. But I'll make a deal with you. I'm quite certain you have bosses to report to," he says, giving her another up and down look. "Your CO is likely VERY interested in my existence. I'd rather NOT repeat myself, so I'll explain it all there," he says, and she nods in understanding as Qrow lands next to her, resuming his human form.

"Woah," Qrow says, the stranger also seeming shocked at what he just saw. "Did I hear all that correctly? See all that? You have no Aura?"

"And you can become a bird. The wonders of this world never cease," the man says as he glances up at the bullhead. "So, how are we getting up there?"

Winter puts a hand to her ear, and in her earpiece the pilot says that the clearing is too small to land in, explaining this to the others.

"Well then I have a solution," the man says, pulling out what looked like a double barreled shotgun, but with a claw on the end. "At least for me. Bird boy, your method's obvious. But as for you sword girl, well...forgive me for this," he said as he walked up to her, and as he did so, she realized just how tall he was, easily a good foot above her. She was used to tall guys, and there were those taller than this man, but somehow, none were as intimidating.

"Listen here, I am not a 'bird boy', now what are you planning on doing with Ice Queen?" Qrow asks angrily, but is answered when in one motion, the stranger took Winter up in one arm, ignoring her complaints, then aimed his weapon at the bullhead and fired. Or rather, he didn't fire the barrels, but the claw shot out, attaching itself to the roof of the cabin, pulling Winter and the stranger along up towards it, as they landed neatly inside, Qrow soon following in bird form.

"Never do that to me again," Winter says as the pilot flies off. "Now, can you give us anything?"

"Only that if you search the area, you'll find a stone sarcophagus, with a lid nearby, in some ruins," the man explains matter-of-factly, pointing to his helmet, or rather, a symbol on his helmet. "My mark is on the lid," he continues.

"Wait...sarcophagus?" Winter asks, but the stranger waves her off.

"As I said, later sword girl, once we're around your bosses. Speaking of, you should probably go ahead and tell them about me," he says dismissively.

"Ok, first off, I'm not 'sword girl.' My name is Winter Schnee, my associate is Qrow Branwen, not 'bird boy,'" she noticed Qrow mildly flinch at "associate." "And you sir, are quite annoying with these nicknames of yours!" She says with a huff, but noticing that he gave her a second look upon hearing "Schnee," but says nothing.

"Ah, no wonder he calls you 'Ice Queen,'" the stranger says, and Winter notices that it looks like his visor was becoming more transparent, enough that she could see his eyes, twin green orbs piercing into her. "And to get the introductions out of the way...where I come from?" This time she could actually SEE him smile this time, but it seemed an evil, sadistic smile. "Those who've tasted the bite of my sword," he holds up his twin barreled shotgun, before it fades away, "named me...the Doom Slayer," he says in a low voice, in such a way that a shiver ran down her spine.

Doom Slayer? Why do I have the feeling that he has fully earned that name? She thought, even as she dialed up Ozpin and Ironwood on her Scroll.

"Yes Winter?" Ironwood asks. "Have you found the source of that signal?"

"Yes sir," she responds. "And well..." She holds it out, so the Doom Slayer could see the Scroll, and they could see him. The Slayer himself just smiles under his helmet, and waves. "He calls himself the Doom Slayer sir," she says as she holds her Scroll closer to her again.

"A man?" Ironwood and Ozpin asked together. "Well, that can explain some, but not a lot. What was he doing out there?"

"He says he wants to explain 'to my bosses,'" she explains. "Which I understand. I can tell you this. He has no Aura, yet kills Grimm like it's nothing, all with multiple weapons he can pull from nowhere, and with heavy metal blaring from his suit."

"Curious," Ozpin says while stroking his chin. "What's your ETA?"

She double checks the time, and where they've flown. "It'll be a few hours sir, we'll arrive by tonight. Students might be in bed, which can help with secrecy."

"Good, then see to it," Ozpin says, as he ends the call.

She glances back at the Slayer, standing near the door, looking out over the scenery as they flew. A few hours later, they were at Beacon Academy, and got off the bullhead as it landed.

"Let me guess, we're headed for the top?" The Slayer asks, as the 3 of them head inside.

"Yes, this is Beacon Academy, and you're about to meet the headmaster Professor Ozpin, and my direct boss, General Ironwood, from Atlas," Winter explains.

He hums a tune she didn't recognize, as he looks up at Beacon. "Never got my Hogwarts letter, this will have to do," he says with a chuckle, Winter's eyebrows rising. "Now I'm curious if this Ozpin has a beard like Dumbledore. Or does he take after Charles Xavier more?" He asks as they head inside, soon meeting Glynda on a patrol, who stops and glances up at the Slayer. "Hello Goodwitch, this is who we were investigating, he calls himself—"

"The Doom Slayer," he says, extending his hand, which surprised everyone, but Miss Goodwitch took it, and the Slayer shook her hand gently, but Goodwitch could still feel his grip was firm, but he also seemed worried, as if he would crush her hand.

"Then follow me," she says and the 4 of them head up to Ozpin's office. Ozpin and Ironwood both look at the Slayer with wonder. They had the fortune of being about as tall as he was, Winter estimated they were only shorter by 1-2 inches, and it was possible not even that if it wasn't for the Slayer's armor. Yet the Slayer carried with him a confidence the others lacked. This was clearly someone who at least BELIEVED he was the alpha in the room. Ozpin and Ironwood introduce themselves, and the Slayer shakes both their hands.

"Doom Slayer," Ozpin says quietly, as everyone looks at him. "Now, who are you, and why were you out in the forest?"

"Well, as much as you're not likely to believe it, I'm not from Remnant," he explains simply. "I'm from...well, many different places," he explains. "Earth, Argent D'Nur, Hell, Urdak..I've been to them all. Well, ok, Earth as one dimension, when I've been to Earth, Mars, Phobos and Deimos. Correction, I've actually been to 2 versions of Earth and Mars," he explains, getting confused looks across the room. "Here, I'll show you," he says, walking over to the central computer, and placing his hand on it. The screen flickers, and video plays, footage taken from his helmet as he fought monsters that nobody in the room but himself had ever seen before, all alone, nobody to help him, yet he prevailed nonetheless.

In one segment, he was standing on a ruined skyscraper, while something even taller than said skyscraper stood over him, trying to smash him with its fists, yet its armor, and even flesh, all got destroyed by the Slayer, who finished the beast off by sticking a sword of glowing red energy into its head, then breaking the blade off. More footage played, of more battles, including one where portals appeared behind him, as reinforcements of all types poured through, and the Slayer making his way all the way to a fight with a man in giant red armor, and finally, as said man was stabbed in the heart. They watched as he was put away in the sarcophagus, and then as he woke up, and got himself out.

"Well, that's enough for now," the Slayer says, pulling his hand away. "There's...well, Ok, my story is VERY long. Longer than we have time for. But either way...now that I'm here, I want to ask, where are the Grimm thickest? Also...where's some Dust? A workshop? If I'm to fit in here, I must take advantage of the resources available to me."

The others were shocked as they had watched the footage, watched him slay monsters large enough that would be otherwise unkillable to them, and at his requests that he made so matter-of-factly, as if such things were easy to come by. "What you can do is impressive Slayer," Ironwood says. "But the situation in Remnant is tenuous at best. It's not as simple as humans and Grimm. The White Fang are abundant, and are causing chaos. And it's not as simple as us having all the intelligence, and being able to act," he continues to explain, to the Slayer's disappointment.

"Fine, then at least give me a workshop. Somewhere I won't be disturbed. Thanks to...an event in my past, I have no need for food nor sleep," he says, causing further gasps of disbelief.

"We'll find somewhere for you," Ozpin says, as Glynda leads him out, and too one of the rooms.

"You didn't tell him," Ozpin says to Ironwood after they've left.

"There's no need right now. He only seems to know surface level intel, so that's all he needs," Ironwood says. "Do you think it's true? Not from Remnant?"

"I'm not sure," Ozpin replies, adjusting his glasses. "What he showed us is compelling, I'll admit."

"It would make the sarcophagus line make sense," Winter says, and all eyes turn to her as she explains what the Slayer said in the bullhead. "Permission to go out in the morning and look for this sarcophagus, sir?" She asks.

"Granted," Ironwood responds. "We'll need to send the heavy lift gear," he says as Winter and Qrow leave.

"So what do you intend?" Ironwood asks Ozpin.

"For now, keep him here. Under observation. Keep as close an eye on him as we can. Give him as little information as possible, in case this is all a trap. Oh...and keep the students away from him," Ozpin says. "A man like that would be a danger to them."

"Agreed," Ironwood repies. "We know at least, he's no friend to the Grimm. But is he truly humanity's friend? We need time to answer that."