Chapter 17: New Age

Disclaimer: The following is a fan base parody. RWBY is owned by Roosterteeth and Monty Oum. Please support the official release.

Today's the day when the people are one but many, sharing a dream, and all cheer in one voice for the annual Mistral Tournament, where warriors across Remnant gather. The enthusiastic young warriors put their pride on the line and sharpened their skills against one another. In Jaune's opinion, the tournament is a joke. Compared to other games he participated in the past, it was a hold-no-bar. To push competitors to the edge, with death rates. Of course, back then, they were both rare and accidental, where the winning side pays compensation and a fine for the deceased. Now, he's disappointed in humanity. It made them lazy, not valuing their life to go beyond their limits, making them weaker, and not involved in further progress for the future. The Kingdoms have expanded, but only slightly compared to the Kingsdoms in their past. The Kingdoms never grew to other lands or their people. They've become cowards, staying behind their walls to protect themselves without even knowing they made their own tomb.

The only thing he can admire is the people of the frontier villages. They show purpose, to improve themselves away from the chains of their Kingdom to make their own decision. Of course, such actions are prone to greater risk if unprepared or incompetent.

Humanity is supposed to continue to evolve for the better to go beyond its limit, not halt to the point of believing at its "Limit." Pinching the bridge of his nose with a deep sigh, regretting and questioning if it's not too late to be a politician rather than a hero.

The crowd roars in excitement, snapping Jaune back to reality, realizing where he is, in a long corridor in a line of other competitors, and seeing the doors before them opening leading to the stage. The competitors followed the staff leading to the location in two single-file lines until they reached the center of the stage, surrounded by a moat filled with crystal clear water, with the stands filled to the brim with the crowd roaring excitedly. Then, notice a platform flying across the stage, followed by two drone cameras, swooping toward the competitors like a bird to its prey. Taken by surprise, the crowd and the competitors watch and see a man dressed in a sharp maroon suit with tan skin and a bright pink top knot hairstyle with sharply pointed semi-rimless yellow tinted sunglasses. And if he doesn't look ridiculous enough, he's wearing a giant yellow bowtie. With a microphone in hand and an exciting grin spread across his face, he screams into the microphone for all of Remnant to hear. His lively, outgoing, and carefree attitude, loud and boisterous nature, and perpetual irritate those unfortunate to be close to him.

"MISTRAL! ARE YOU READY!" In response, the crowd roars as he laughs excitedly.

"THAT'S WHAT I LOVE TO HEAR, MISTRAL! I AM YOUR HOST MITSURU HITOKOE! AND WELCOME TO THE ANNUAL MISTRAL TOURNAMENT!" and on cue, large banners unroll down from the ledges from the VIP stand written in the large text of "35th ANNUAL MISTRAL TOURNAMENT!" followed by fireworks shooting up to the sky announcing the tournament to begin, following more roars from the crowd.

"NOW! AS PER TRADITION, I'LL EXPLAIN THE RULES FOR THE COMPETITORS AND THE KIDS BACK HOME! PAY ATTENTION, KIDDIES. THIS COULD BE IN YOUR NEXT TEST." He jests while he stares directly at one of the drones, emphasizing his looking straight at the crowd and directing the crowd's attention to the big screen showing a complete bracket roster with all thirty-two competitors' names, divided into four blocks labeled a,b,c,d.

"THE MISTRAL TOURNAMENT IS A SINGLE-ELIMINATION TOURNAMENT! MEANING IT'S ONE-ON-ONE OR WHAT THE KIDS WOULD SAY THESE IS PVP! THE COMPETITORS ARE DIVIDED INTO FOUR DIFFERENT BLOCKS, CONTAINING EIGHT COMPETITORS: A, B, C, AND D! OF COURSE, THEY ARE NOT DIVIDED RANDOMLY. THEY'RE DIVIDED BASED ON THEIR SKILLS AND EXPERIENCE UNDER THE STRICT JUDGEMENT OF THE MISTRAL TOURNAMENT COMMITTEE. AFTER ALL, THIS IS A FAIR TOURNAMENT, LIKE BLOCK A COMPETITOR! THEY'RE RESERVED FOR THE MORE EXPERIENCED COMPETITORS, INCLUDING LICENCES HUNTSMAN AND HUNTRESS! BLOCK B IS RESERVED FOR STUDENTS IN HUNTSMAN ACADEMIES WHO WISH TO PARTICIPATE! BLOCK C IS FOR THOSE WHO HAVE COMBAT EXPERIENCES, SUCH AS STUDENTS IN COMBAT SCHOOLS AND LOCAL LAW ENFORCEMENT AND MERCINARES. And finally, Block D, for the newbs. And let's be honest. Never in thirty-five years has a participant in block D ever won the tournament. Let alone make it past the quarter-finals. Hahaha!" he shouts excitedly, getting the crowd excited with anticipation till the end. He changes his tone in a very anticlimactic and laughs along with the public and the other participants, which earns a couple of tick marks from all the participants in block D, including Jaune. But he holds it in, not causing a scene, as it's better to show during the tournament, making them regret ever looking down on him.

"NOW! WITHOUT FURTHER ADO! LET THE TOURNAMENT BEGIN!" the crowd cheers as the competitors clear out the stage and watch from stands at the front row seats reserved for them, waiting for the first match to start as Mitsuru flies down at the center of the stage to begin the introduction for the competitors.

"NOW! LET'S START INTRODUCING OUR FIRST COMPETITORS, AND LET'S START THIS MATCH WITH A BANG!" he announces as the competitors enter the field while Mitsurs gives an introduction to the competitors.

"ON THIS CORNER, WE A HUNTSMAN WHO IS ALL TALK AND PROUD OF IT!" and on cue, a competitor emerges, revealing his long dark blue hair with teal tips and red bangs decorated with feather-like accessories at the end, golden eyes, thick eyebrows, heavy makeup which is notable with his violet eyeshadow and lipstick, gold earrings. He is wearing a long-sleeved blue navy jacket that passes his feet and drags along the floor, a turquoise feather boa around his neck, and a belt ornament of purple and green gems around his waist. Wearing high-heeled armored boots that look like the talons of a bird with small golden feathers protruding out of the heels. He heads toward the stage with pride in his beauty and elegance, expecting an excellent introduction from Mitsuru, befitting for his beauty.

"FROM A DISTANCE, HE MAY LOOK AND SMELL LIKE A POISONOUS TROPICAL FLOWER, BUT GET CLOSE ENOUGH, HE'S ACTUALLY A PEACOCK-PHEASANT FAUNUS IN HEAVY MAKEUP, OR SO THEY SAY, AT LEAST-." By the time he finished, he was interrupted by the competitor.

"I'LL SUE YOU FOR SLANDERING YOU PRICK!" the pheasant faunus shouted, insulted and flustered.

"-WE HAVE KIJI MITSUBA!" the crowd cheers, especially the now-name pheasant faunus' teammates cheering with a banner of his name, all wearing the same long blue navy coat as Kiji, and admittedly, they were all beautiful and handsome men in their own way. The women in the crowd couldn't help but stop and stare at them in awe and woe. Some girls in the stand approach them and ask if they would go out with them, but they gently and respectfully decline their invite. You would expect the girls to cry and be saddened by the rejection, but they were still in awe of how kind and respectable they were to them. Wishing that one day, they would meet that special someone. To show their appreciation to them by cheering for their leader, Kiji. While the opposite gender in the stand grumbles and curses, saying, "The pretty boys must die!"

"Go, Kiji!" a parrot Faunus with purple hair with streaks of yellow across his hair and sharp eyes.

"You can do it, boss!" a human with lime green hair, pale skin, and red frame glasses. For a moment, Jaune thought it was Emerald.

"Show'em your beauty!" another human with long black hair with green highlights, wearing a black officer's hat, shouted while holding and waving the banner with thick-frame glasses.

Kiji couldn't help but smile at his teammates cheering for him, completely forgetting the insulting slander from Mitsuru and waving to his team and the crowd as he made it to the stage. The crowd roared, with most of the public women squealing in awe of Kiji's beauty while some men couldn't help but leer in jealously. Jaune didn't really care about the situation. He only cares about how well the Peacock-pheasant will fight. He did meet a Peacock-pheasant in the past during the rights revolution. Thanks to their large and elongated tails, they were elegant fighters regarding distraction and misdirection, not only for humans but also for the Grimm. For some strange reason, they're intimidated by it. If Jaune remembers correctly, their tailfeathers can grow six to nine feet long. However, when it comes to fighting with a team, it causes problems as their tails would be the first ones to be targeted and would be in the way for allies to provide support, and the only solution they counter this problem was for the men to cut their beautiful tails off. Jaune refuses to let that happen, as it removes their identity and proves the Human's racism against Faunus traits of being inferior.

It took a while for Jaune and his Generals to figure out a solution for the Peacock-pheasant Faunus soldiers, as none would leave the army and continue their service in the war. They offer them a choice: leave the war and be sent to protect and guard civilians. After all, there wasn't any war treaty to protect innocent civilians (since the Faunus Rights Revolution is considered Remnant's first war), as the humans used unhanded tactics to demoralize and destroy the Faunus in one swoop and attack Faunus civilian villages. Or they could be a new independent scouting strike force to clear out Grimm while scouting for intel. For some strange reason, their tails scare the Grimm. It worked and was agreed upon for both parties.

"NOW! LET'S BRING IN AN ACTUAL COMPETITOR!" Mitsuru shouts excitedly.

"YOU PRICK!" Kiji shouts, and on cue, Mitsuru points to Kiji's opponent.

"THIS WARRIOR IS KNOWN TO ALL FOUR KINGDOMS OF REMNANT. KNOWN FOR HER BRAVERY, HER SKILLS, HER COURAGE! SHE'S THE INSPIRATION! THE PINNACLE OF A HUNTRESS! THE FUTURE OF REMNANT ITSELF! THE TWO-TIMED CHAMPION MISTRAL HERSELF! LET'S SAY HER NAME, MISTRAL!" Mitsuru points out to the sky in a pose, ready to shout out the name along with the crowd.

"PPPPYYYYRRRRRHHHHAAAA NIKOS!" Mitsuru and the crowd yelled her name so Mistral could hear it from the border. While Pyrrha slowly walked out of the walkway to the stage with her face flush red in embarrassment, with a forced smile across her face while waving to the crowd, Jaune couldn't help but laugh a little at Pyrrha as he rested his elbow by the rail, with his head on his palm.

Till their eyes meet, her flushed face disappears, her composure firm, and her heart races just by seeing the boy, who sees her as an actual person and not of her title. Seeing his smile, she couldn't help but be calm and composed.

"Hey, Pyrrha!" he called out her name, snapping herself back to reality and seeing Jaune calling out with a genuine smile and pointing at her with a competitive smirk.

"Don't forget! I'm a man who keeps his promises! I'll see you in the finals," he declares for everyone around him and Pyrrha to hear. She blushes a little in return for his declaration. She quickly shakes it off, smiles, and points back to him with her competitive smirk.

"And I'll be waiting!" she rushes to the stage with a smile of anticipation to win, not to win the tournament, but to face her first friend. Yet, her parents have mixed emotions about what they see not far from Jaune. Her father is fuming in rage as the protective father he is, and her mother is awed by such a sight and happy to see her daughter smile like that and maybe see a potential son-in-law. She needs Jaune's Mother's contact to make arrangements, although her fuming, protective husband might be a problem.

"ALRIGHT, MISTRAL ARE WE READY!?" The crowd cheers in response.

"THAT'S WHAT I LIKE TO HEAR! NOW REMEMBER COMPETITORS, I WANT A CLEAN AND FAIR FIGHT. BUT PERSONALLY, I PREFER VIOLENCE AND BLOOD. BUT WE HAVE KIDS WATCHING, AND WE'RE HERE TO SET A GOOD EXAMPLE." The crowd laughs at Mitsuru's joke as his platform flies between the two competitors in the middle of the stage.

"ALRIGHT, ARE YOU TWO READY!?" As he faces, he pulls out a flintlock pistol and stares at the two competitors, and both respond with a nod with their weapons drawn. As Pyrrha pulls out Miló in its sword form and Akoúo̱ her shield. Kiji pulled out two closed fans from underneath his coat and fully opened them to a sizeable bladed disk in each hand, forming chakrams with bladed hooks on its edge.

"THAN LET THE MATCH BEGIN!" he shouts, pointing the pistol to the sky and pulling the trigger, sounding the start of the match as both competitors charge with Pyrrha's shield and Kiji's chakrams disk slam together lock in position, pushing to overcome the other. Simultaneously, they push themselves back while attempting to attack with their other weapons. They clash with sparks flying. They kept their distance and circled each other, thinking, looking, and planning their next attack to win. Both attack and retreat, testing the waters of their defenses and gathering information to open their tactics.

"ALRIGHT! NOW WE HAVE AN INTENSE FIGHT ON OUR HANDS! AS ALWAYS, I'LL BE DOING THE COMMENTARY, BUT DON'T I'M ALONE. I HAVE TWO SPECIAL GUESTS WITH ME FOR THE EVENT." Mitsuru flew to the commentary booth with his arm outstretched, presenting his special guest.

"ON THE OUTSIDE, HE LOOKS LIKE THE WISE AND BRAVE AND HOLD GREAT STATUS LIKE A OF A MAGESTIC LION, BUT UNDERNEATH ALL GRITS AND FALSE BRAVDO IS NOTHING BUT A COWARDLY LION WHO USE ANY METHOD TO CRAWL HIS COWARDLY AS-I MEAN BUTT TO LIVE. WE HAVE THE HEADMASTER OF HEAVEN ACADEMY, LEONARD LIONHEART!" Mitsuru smiles like he didn't do anything offensive to his guest, while the Lion Faunus, a middle-aged man with a mane of gray hair and a beard, tanned complexion, brown eyebrows, and dark brown eyes. Wearing a brown greatcoat with a matching mantle with cross emblems on each side. He wore a white dress shirt under his coat and a Western necktie. He stares in disbelief and shock towards Mitsuru, like he has discovered his dirty secret. When Jaune finally sees the Headmaster of Heaven and sees the man responsible for those lives, he is taken of his cowardice and imprudence. He hoped Yae gave him something to suffer if he had to say anything.

Without wasting time, Mitsuru moves on to his next guest, as she's revered and respected.

"NOW WE HAVE A TRUE GUEST OF HONOUR OF A LIFETIME! NEVER IN HER SERVICE TO MISTRAL, SHE PARTAKES IN THE HOLY GROUNDS OF MISTRAL TOURNAMENT. BUT THIS YEAR WILL BE THESE COMPETITORS' LUCKY DAY TO SEE HER IN PRESENCE! SHE'S POSSESSED ELEGENTS, CUNNING! STATUS OF A MONARCH ABOVE MONARCH! THE BEAUTY OF THE DANCING PEDALS OF SAKURA BLOSSOMING OF THE GENTLE BREEZE! LADIES AND GENTLEMEN OF MISTRAL! I PRESENT YOU! THE HEAD SHRINE MAIDEN OF THE KITSUNE SHRINE OF TAMAMO NO MAE! LADY YAE MEKO!"

Instead of the crowd roaring in cheer, they all stood and turned their attention to the commentary booth, directly to Yae. They all bow with great respect as if they were in the presence of royalty. Even the competitor stopped momentarily and turned in respect to Yae before resuming the fight. Yae displayed a large black ribbon with a diamond brooch on her chest in her large elegant blue and black Yukata that would drag past her feet to the ground, with long sleeves past her wrist. And a decorative paper fan covering her lower face, only exposing her elegant, sharp eyes. Jaune wasn't surprised as he knew Yae's influence could affect the people and home she loves like a mother fox to her cub.

"Wait! Why is she the only one not berated!?" the Lionheart calls out but is too timid to argue. As Mitsuru faces Lionheart close with a gritted smile.

"CAUSE SHE LADY YAE! I MAY BE LOUD, BUT I'M NOT INSANE! BUT ALSO SHE PAID MORE THAN WHAT YOU IN THE COMMUNITY PAID ME! HAHA! NOW LET'S GET BACK TO THE MATCH!" Their weapons clash non-stop, trying to overpower each other, till they both jump back and throw their respected weapons of Kiji's chakrams and Pyrrha's shield clash and ricoche back to the owners. As Pyrrha caught her shield first and in a continuous fluid motion as she twirled her weapon, Miló transformed into its rifle form and began shooting Kiji. He hit on the mark of his chest where his heart is located and on his right knee just before he got his chakram back, with twenty-five percent of his arua gone.

"OH! FIRST BLOOD! THE GODDESS OF VICTORY ISN'T PULLING HER PUNCHES. IT SEEMS PYRRHA IS GOING FOR THE OFFENSIVE AND NOT HOLDING BACK. LADY YAE, COWARDLY LION! WHAT'S YOUR TAKE ON THIS FIGHT?" Mitsuru turns to his guest. Leonardo began to comment on his opinion.

"Well…this is interesting. In past tournaments, Pyhrra usually analyzed first and then attacked with a strategy. But no, she's more aggressive. And-" But before Leonardo could continue, he was interrupted by Yae's laughter like she had heard a joke.

"Oh, how naïve you are Lionhart. And here I thought that the Headmaster of Haven Academy of future Huntsmen and huntress would see through that clear as day." She taunts Lionheart while feeling attacked but doesn't argue due to her status. He's afraid of her, second to the Queen of Grimm, but this got Mitsuru interested and wanting to put more fuel on the fire, mainly roasting Lionheart.

"THAN LADY YAE, WOULD YOU GRANT US YOUR WISDOM THAT THE SUPPOSED HEADMASTER FAILED TO NOTICE? BUT I DO WONDER HOW HE WAS ABLE TO KEEP HIS JOB? IF HE WAS A SPINLESS COWRAD! MAYBE HE HAS A FRIEND IN HIGH PLACES IN VALE!? HAHAHA!" Mitsuru mocks the Headmaster while Lionheart's jaw gap opens like a fish out of water, questioning how Mitsuru knows so much, while some of the students of Heaven Academy snarl at the MC.

"Now, Mitsuru…there's no need to tease the Headmaster. He is more of a pacifist than a fighter. After all, being Headmaster in the office dulls a warrior's ability and perspective.-" Yae defended the Headmaster with his eyes shining with relief and respect for Lady Yae.

"After all, I wouldn't be surprised if he loses from a recent graduate from combat school. And dear Pyrrha isn't just fighting to win." She smirked, seeing Lionheart hunch over, sulking with pride at what was left going, while Mitsuru stared bewilderedly at Yae.

"UM…LADY YAE, COULD YOU EXPLAIN THAT IN FURTHER DETAIL?" but before Yae could reply, the sounds of gunshots rang on the stage with Pyhrra continued shooting Kiji from a distance, biting away his aura bit by bit. At the same time, Kiji slowly struggles to get close to Pyhrra for close combat, as he realizes Pyhrra's plan is to keep to him at a distance, lowering his aura till it's low enough for her to finish him off in close combat. And Kiji knows he is not prone to long-distance battles and can't use his semblance so carelessly, as it'll drain his aura faster before he could land a hit on the Mistral Champion. He continues blocking Pyhrra's bullets with his large chakram disk while closing in on the distance.

"Anyway, as I said earlier, Pyrrha isn't just fighting to win like past tourneys. She's more determined and focused, using every method that could benefit her. However, someone like Pyrrha wouldn't change her method of approach without cause and effect. So the question is. "Is she fighting for something or someone?" she smirked mischievously while Pyrrha listened with her face flushed red, and Yae was not the only one smirking mischievously. Pyrrha's mother also thinks the same while gazing at young Jaune with his white pet puppy resting its head on his shoulder, watching the fight.

As Kiji closed the distance, Pyrrha quickly transformed Miló into its spear form and threw it aiming for Kiji. Just as he saw the lance approaching him at high speed, he didn't react in time as the lace grazed his leg, and the spear struck close by his leg. His attention to the lance made him forget about the Mistral Champion, and he quickly saw Pyrrha in striking range of his chakram. The moment he is startled, he throws a jab with his weapon, but Pyrrha anticipates this as he leaps over Kiji, lands behind him, and pulls her spear off the floor in one fluid motion, thrusting towards Kiji's back. Just as the spear landed the finishing blow, a display of sizeable exotic patterns of feathers resembling his Faunus heritage spread apart, protecting Kiji's back as the feathers hardened like steel as the Pyhrra's spear was deflected away, giving Kiji a chance to counter-attack. Kiji twirls around with his tail feather like a paper fan gushing wind towards Pyrrha, pushing her back in one swing, losing her step and momentum. Kiji charged for the attack with his two chakrams and tail feathers, deploying and retracting back like a dance with a large paper fan as a shield and disorienting Pyrrha.

"OH! LOOKS LIKE THE TABLES HAVE TURNED MISTRAL! BUT IT SEEMS KIJI IS REVEALING HIS TRUE COLOURS! BOTH LITERALLY AND FIGURATELY! AND TO BE HONEST, IT LOOKS MORE A DANCE THAN A FIGHT. LADY YAE, LIONWART, WHAT'S YOUR TAKE ON THIS TURN OF EVENTS." Mitsuru turns to his guest for commentary as Lionhart speaks first of his opinion.

"The display shown by Kiji originates from his heritage as a Peacock Faunus; the technique he uses is commonly known as the Fan feather dance. It was founded by a special stealth unit of mainly Peacock Faunus during the Faunus War. It shows elegance and finesse with paper fans to strike or defend from opponents, which is fatal as most opponents underestimate the weapon of choice. But the real weapon is their great tails that can disorient and defend against their opponent and the Grimm-." The Headmaster continues his lecture as Mitsuru interrupts him.

"OK! MOVING ALONG! LADY YAE, WHAT'S YOUR OPINON?"

"ah-I-I was still talking…"

"I ASK FOR COMMENTARY, NOT A LECTURE! YOU LITERALLY BORED THE AUDIENCE!"

"Now, now, Mitsuru. Knowledge from the Headmaster is educational and could be learned from it at the same time..." she paused for a moment with Lionheart, awed by Yae's kindness towards him, but...

"...it can be exploited it." Crushing Lionheart's confidence like fragile glass.

"If he kept talking about Kiji's technique with Pyrrha listening, she might learn something to exploit it to her benefit. And for your commentary, Mitsuru. Pyrrha is determined and calculated initially, but she misses an important factor that she didn't put in. Her opponent would use their Faunus traits as a weapon. Not only his tail but also Kiji's semblance, iron feathers."

"IRON FEATHERS? OH RIGHT! KIJI'S SEMBLANCE IS IRON FEATHERS. AS THE NAME SUGGESTS, HIS SEMBLANCE ALLOWS HIS FEATHERS TO HARDEN AND BE USED AS A PHYSICAL SHIELD. WITHOUT SO MUCH LEAVING A SCRATCH A ON HIS BEAUTIFUL TAIL. BUT THIERS ALWAYS HAS A CATCH; THE MORE HE USES IT, THE MORE AURA HE BURNS UP. AFTER ALL, IT IS AN EQUIVALENT EXCHANGE."

The fight continues with Pyhrra on the defensive, as it feels like she's fighting two opponents. One with quick motion light attacks of Kiji's Chakram and the other with an extensive yet slow motion attack of his large tail feather. The crowd cheers with excitement at the entertainment of the fight. While Jaune is immersed in the battle, studying and calculating Pyhrra's fighting method. He notices strange anomalies in Kiji's attack in minimal instances that nobody sees but Jaune.

He couldn't help but smile at Pyrrha's strategy. Even though Jaune himself doesn't know how or what might be her semblance, he will admit she's good at hiding it in plain view. From what Jaune can see, she somehow alters Kiji's strike without him or the crowd noticing. His strikes were too broad or diverged from his intended target. However, those can be explained with simple theories of the participating parties, like their speed, skill, or user error.

But with Jaune's years of combat experience, it's definitely not user error from Kiji's side. From what Jaune can see, Kiji's skills are honed and elegant, showing years of training that he would make his ancestors proud, even Jaune himself. But not as him but as the Fallen Avian. Even though Jaune knows who will win the match from what he learns and sees. But the question is how?

It happened multiple times during the fight, mostly involving Kiji's attack delayed or pushed away, yet he didn't notice it. Kiji's last attack was a simple diagonal downward strike from his chakram aimed directly across from Pyhrra. She did block it with her shield, but that would've locked their weapons in place, as Kiji's hooked blade from his chakram would've grip on her shield, only for Kiji's chakram to scratch the surface of Pyrrha's shield. It was like Kiji's attacks were guided purposely to miss Pyrrha instead.

His mind was interrupted when someone sat beside him and called out his name like an aquatint.

"Jaune! It's good to see you again." He turns to the source, and to his surprise, it is Pyrrha's Mother, Hera.

"Mrs Nikos! Sorry about that. I didn't realize you were there." He greeted while scratching the back of his head.

"It's fine, dear. Although I couldn't help but notice you eyeing my daughter very intently." She gives a mocking leer, to which Jaune blushes red as he stutters his explanation.

"W-wait!? It's not like that, I swear! I was just trying to understand how Pyrrha fights!" he panics as Hera giggles at the young man's reaction.

"Hehe, I'm just kidding, Jaune. But out of curiosity, what did you learn from my daughter so far?" she looked at Jaune curiously as he explained his findings. Luckily, the crowd around them was too fixated on the match.

"To be honest, besides that, she's skilled and well-taught. She's good at hiding her semblance from plain view of altering her opponent's movement without them noticing." This gave Hera a wide eye of surprise at Jaune's statement. Jaune could ascertain Pyrrha's strategy with just one glance at the fight.

"H-how? What gave it away," she asked, surprised.

"Well, for starters, you kinda confirm my suspicion." He smiled as she gave a fake gasp of betrayal.

"Oh...Jaune, how could you?" She jests as Jaune smiles along with Hera's jest.

"Anyway, Kiji's skills are too honed and elegant, showing years of experience and training. So that rules out user error. They only occur when Kiji's attack slips past Pyrrha's defenses and are too late to catch up. At first, I thought it was luck and coincidence. However, I don't believe in coincidence, especially when it's an occurrence." Jaune explains while Hera can't help but give a wide-eye of surprise.

"Amazing, and you got all that from one sitting?"

"Sorry if that sounded disturbing."

"Oh, no, no. Don't fret about it, dear. In fact, I'm more curious about your analysis. What else you can tell me about my daughter from your view."

"Well, there is this one thing that is concerning." He creases his brow of concern, which Hera notices. However, she shouldn't take what Jaune says to heart. The mother assumes that Jaune is one of those battle-hardened battle fanatics, but the look he gives makes her change her mind. Like she is in the presence of a battle-harden veteran.

"And that is?" she asks curiously.

"Her fighting style and her movement are too fluid and excessive. She could've ended this match much sooner. Instead, she's wasting time and energy dancing around her opponent, prolonging the match longer than it has to. Trying to get the crowd to cheer for her more. Is she that arrogant to rub it to her opponent's face?"

Realizing what he had said at the end, he quickly turned to Hera and apologized, but in a stutter.

"W-wait! I-I mean- I didn't mean to say Pyrrha is arrogant!? It's just-" but as Jaune's face flashes red, Hera laughs, confusing the young man about why she's laughing.

"Sorry, I didn't mean it to be mean. It's just that you said exactly what Yae said to me." She smiles

"Yae? As in Lady Yae?" he asked, bewildered but under a gist to maintain his cover.

"Yes, believe it or not, she's actually Pyrrha's Godmother. Although she won't admit it, she is a doting Godmother to Pyrrha." She smiles fondly and then turns her attention to Yae herself.

"She never comes and watches Pyrrha's matches, ever since Pyrrha's first match. When she first saw Pyrrha's match, she just left disappointed. When I asked, she immediately stated that it was a waste of time and that if Pyrrha continued fighting like her father told her, she wouldn't last as a huntress." She sighs, remembering her visit with Yae.

"At first, I thought she was just venting like always. But hearing it again from another person, it's concerning." As they looked at the match, with Hera's mind seemingly open to the realization, she couldn't help but agree with Yae and Jaune. It seems more like a show than a fight.

Seeing weapons clash, Pyrrha twirls around to Kiji's back, with his tail fan popping out and hardening like steel thanks to his semblance. But what surprised Kiji was that Pyrrha somehow pierced through the iron fan, yet her lance didn't contact his back but felt the weapon pierce his iron defense. Even Jaune is surprised and begins re-evaluating how Pyrrha did it.

He quickly swings his chakram, but only for Pyrrha to jump over Kiji elegantly and gracefully. With haste, she threw her shield into Kiji's face, breaking his nose as it bled while he groaned in pain, and a good chunk of his aura reached yellow close to the red mark, seeing the blood on his hands. He grew furious and charged recklessly at Pyrrha as she continued dancing around Kiji as if mocking him. Dodging his attack until she noticed that Kiji's frustration slowed his movement and was more predictable. He completely forgot the use of his tail. Jaune frowns his brow before sighing in disappointment. He thought Kiji would show restraint and finesse like his ancestors, but it seems his appearance takes more priority than his duty. It didn't take long for Pyrrha to finish the battle. As she doge Kiji's last jab, she immediately swings her leg around to kick the back of Kiji's knee, forcing him to fall to his knees, followed by her staking her blade to the ground and use it elevate herself to land a solid kick across Kiji's face sending him flying for a couple of feet before he lands and with the sound of the bell signaling the end of the match. Seeing Kiji's Aura in a red zone while Pyrrha's is still on the green.

"WINNER! ARE STILL OUR CHAMPION AND MOVING TO THE NEXT ROUND! PYRRHA NIKOS!" Mitsuru roars while the crowd cheers as Jaune leaves his seat, which catches Hera's attention.

"Are you going to congratulate my Daughter?" she smiled while Jaune looked at her bewildered, then smiled.

"No. I promise Pyrrha, I'll see her in the finals. And I intend to keep my promise. And besides-" As on cue, his stomach growls loudly. Hera could hear it as Jaune blushed, embarrassed.

"I'm kinda hungry. I'm going to get something to eat at the stalls outside. Would you like me to get something for you?"

"Thank you, but no. We already had our fill." She smiled as Jaune nodded and took his leave as the tournament continued to the next match.

Stalls, games, rides, food, and drinks outside the stadium, with a festival atmosphere for the public. With a hint of nostalgia, his nostrils were invaded by the smell of traditional Mistral cuisines he had long forgotten. Every dish uses a wide array of spices and condiments to bring out a distinct flavor in the food, with everyday ingredients, like rice, garlic, onions, soy sauce, and seafood, cooked in different ways. While the dishes have the same components, the taste becomes different when they're stir-fried, deep-fried, and steamed. Jaune couldn't help but excitedly drool, hoping Mistral dishes would taste better than ever. He bought almost every dish in every stall, whether deep-fried or stir-fried, even drinks he never heard of or tried before. He took a spot by the tree with a good amount of shade and spread the food across within arm's reach. Fenrir finally plopped out of his hood and immediately went for the beef stir-fry as Raven flew down from the tree and began eating the stir-fry noodles. Jaune went ahead to indulge himself with the barbeque skewers. They enjoyed their meals till a stranger approached them.

He had long blonde hair reaching to his shoulders, slightly tan skin, emerald eyes, a notable small scar slash across his left eyebrow, and a small mole under his right eye. He is wearing the matching staff uniform he saw serving the audience their food and drinks, with a light blue polo shirt, black dress suit pants, and shoes with a waist apron tied around his waist, with his staff ID badge hanging on his apron and a black chocker around his neck with a metal plate at the front of his neck.

"Excuse me. Sorry to interrupt. But mind if I sit with you? everywhere else has been taken." He smiles while scratching his head, embarrassed with a smile. Jaune crooks his brow and stares at the waiter for a moment.

"Not at all." With his hand pointing to the empty space next to him, the young man gladly accepted, but as soon he sat down, Jaune immediately passed him a Bin mah sandwich, which caught the waiter by surprise. He looks at Jaune for a moment in surprise and shock till he sighs in defeat, and his tone and posture ultimately turn 180 of a different person. After all, looks can be deceiving, deceptive, and misdirective.

"Thanks, boss." His voice changed as he pressed the center metal plate on the choker to a recognizable tone that Jaune knew from the beginning. It was Mercury Black.

"How did you know it was me?" Merc asks while still eating with his mouth full, then Jaune points to Fenrir.

"Fenrir didn't growl at you. Fenrir is overly protective of me, usually barks at strangers, and knows the differences between friend and foe. If you masked your scent, Fenrir would've attacked you." Jaune replies while the assassin sweatdrops and prays his lucky stars.

"Anyway, I see you're enjoying your new toy?"

"hell yeah, I do! It's like my very own semblance. Just a bit of my aura, and boom! I can become anyone I want!" he smiles excitedly.

"That's good to hear. After all, a "well" place assassin is where the target will least expect it. Anyway, I'm sure you're not here just for a casual talk." As he finished the skewers and moved to the seafood stir-fry

"Nah, I'm here to give you the rundown of who might go up against. Your first match will be with Dew Gayl. From what I heard, she's from all the way from Vacuo just to "test" her mantle before entering Shdae Academy." And he finished his roll and picked up the tray of dumplings.

"Vacuo, huh….If she's from Vacuo, it could mean only two things. She's either battle-hardened or Resentful towards others who aren't from Vacuo." Jaune predicted, which surprised Merc.

"Ye-yeah…she's been talking smack ever since the tournament started. How did you know?" Mercury asked as Jaune gave a deadpan expression, saying, 'Seriously?' and finished the stir-fry and moved to the sushi platter.

"She's from Vacuo, known to be the harsh environment to live in, let alone survive. Grimm and Bandits will be the least of your worries. If they don't kill you, Vacuo will. The harsh heat and shifting sands make it impossible to navigate Vacuo's deserts, and the cold nights make sleeping unbearable unless you have a heat source. Anyway, I know how to deal with people like her. Who's the next opponent?"

"This one is kind of a flip," Merc replies, finishing the dumplings and helping himself to a cold can of soda while Jaune stares, confused about what he means.

"What do you mean?" Jaune pauses from eating and picks up a cold, refreshing lemon tea.

"Well, it is between Troye White and Tommy Germa. Tommy Germa is a seasoned fighter and competed in past Mistral tournaments but lost in every first or second round, but the word to the wise is he fell intended so his opponents could move to the next round for the right price, of course. Then we have Troye White, a rich spoiled brat, even worse than that Gelgoog Guy you beat up. I'm pretty sure you know who's going to win. Since Tommy is too greedy and Troye is too spoiled, there's no way he'll let an opportunity like Troye pass." Merc smiles at the Predictions while Jaune silently nods in disgust and to be sure to teach this disgrace of the true meaning of the word despair. Mercury picked up a rice dish with salty diced fried pork.

"Your third round, and hoping I'm right, I bet a lot of money on him," he said, surprising Jaune that Mercury betted someone other than him just as he finished the sushi platter and began eating the takoyaki.

"His name is Lone Grey. The first timer to compete but shows promise."

"Anything I need to know?"

"Nothing much, except that he is a wolf faunus, and he competed to advertise his Old man's dojo that is going under." Hearing his competitor's mission to help another caught Jaune's attention.

"Anyway, that's all I got." As Mercury stood with a few stretches, pressing the metal plate on his choker back to his disguised voice.

"I better get back to work to maintain my cover. I'll see you later, boss." As Mercury walks away, Jaune notices that he has left behind his favorite soda, which he always drinks.

"Merc!" he calls out as Mercury turns and immediately catches the soda can thrown at him by Jaune.

"Good job." He gave a complimenting smile while Mercury felt weirdly different. He has never experienced positive reinforcement before. Since joining Cinder's circle, he has only experienced constant threats to get the job done and given sarcastic compliments when said job is done. The Assassin never once relaxed, always on edge. But he didn't care, as long as he had been taken care of and on the side who was winning this shadow war. He doesn't care how many bodies will be buried or labeled as the bad guy. As long he lives, that is all that matters, and now, slowly, Jaune could be his winning ticket to survive this and maybe enjoy working with him.

"Thanks, Jaune." He smiles as he leaves, blending in the crowd till he disappears from sight just as Jaune finishes his last dish, followed by Fenrir and Raven.

"Alright, Fenrir, let's get back. And Raven. Keep an eye on the sky." They both nod as Fenrir leaps on Jaune's shoulder and back into his hood while Raven flies into the air, maintaining a watchful eye on the area and Jaune. Cleaning up after him, he looked at the time of his scroll with surprise as it was almost time for the D block competitors to start their matches, and lucky for him, his in the first match. And his opponent is from Vacuo. He couldn't help but smile, and if he knew anything about the residents from Vacuo, they knew how to give a good fight.

-/-

"WELCOME BACK LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! THE MATCHES OF THE FIRST ROUND OF BLACK A, B, AND C ARE COMPLETED! NOW IT IS TIME FOR THE MATCHES OF BLOCK D! NOW! LET'S FIRST INTRODUCE THE FIRST LOS-AH! I-MEAN ARE FIRST COMPETITORS!" The crowd cheered while some snickered, knowing what Mitsuru was meant to call the competitors. They saw these matches of Block D as a joke and never to be taken seriously, and the arena was in poor condition. Shown of damage caused by previous fights of craters, pieces of the Stage came loose and cracks everywhere.

The crowd cheers aren't as loud or supportive as the last matches. The majority of the masses have left the stadium to spend their time outside of the stage to enjoy the stalls of food, games, and rides of the vibrant festival and wait for the first-round competitors of Block D to get over as their only source of the event is from the large screen outside of the stadium, so they can know when to return to watch the popular Block A, B, and C.

Since the start of the Mistral Tournament, a Block D competitor has never passed beyond the semi-finals. The audience never took them seriously, leaving only a lot of empty seats. The remaining people who stayed and watched are supporters of the said competitors of Black D. Among them, to the audience's surprise, is Pyrrha Nikos with her Mother as her father left to fetch some food for them and not only because he was badmouthing a confident blond young man who they both find interesting. Or, in her mother's opinion, a potential in-law.

But in Pyrrha's opinion, she sees potential in Jaune to be seen as an actual rival she's looking for and maybe someone who she's been looking for. It's not every day for Pyrrha to be approached and called out by a challenger. Seeing their expression of overconfidence in their superiority, their abrase of action, and their heritage.

Of course, she smiles just to keep up appearances and not be rude, but that has limits. As her fathers always say, "An act of kindness has its limits, but an act can always lead to opportunity.". So she hopes to finally meet a true friend who sees her as who she is and not as a pedestal of worship and praise. Still, the more Pyrrha waits, the more she sees that wish distance itself from disappointment or surprise to see the "challenger" lose before they can meet at their match.

But that all changed when she met him, Jaune Arc. Of course, it wasn't the best impression she wanted, thanks to her father, who threatened Jaune just because he didn't know her. But that statement that he doesn't know or hear of her made her realize he could be the one she was looking for as a friend. A person who would treat her like an equal instead of an idol, and when he said he'd wait for me in the finals at the tournament. She was initially hesitant, but when she looked at him, he showed her a kind, gentle smile of confidence and compassion, and she slowly believed him. Then, it became more apparent when he defended her from Gelgoog, beat him quickly and effortlessly, and finished him in one punch. But she knew he held back a bit by the expression towards Gelgoog. He expresses a bored and stern attitude towards him as if he judges Gelgoog for his worth. At first, she thought Jaune was arrogant and underestimating him, but with the way he fought, the way he moved elegantly, and the stance Jaune took when he threw that punch, for a moment, she thought she saw a true Martial artist. At that moment, she knew he was the distant rival she had been looking for. Someone who would see her as a warrior, an equal, someone who wouldn't praise and give up hope so quickly just because she was the "Goddess of Victory."

"HAIL ALL THE WAY FROM THE BACKWATERS OF THE STINKING, HOT DESERTS OF VOCUO! SHE'S THE BRAWN WITHOUT BRAINS! BUT HAS THE BEAUTY TO MAKE UP FOR IT! HEHE! WE HAVE DEW GAYL!" Mitsuru announced while he pointed towards Dew.

A young woman with lightly-tanned skin, dirty blonde hair swept to the left, and violet eyes.

She is wearing a sleeveless green dress, a golden scale mail one-sleeved shirt reaching her neck underneath her skirt, a lighter green sarong tied around her hips, and a golden spaulder hanging on her right shoulder. Two thin chain loops run from the front of her spaulder around her torso. She is wearing a pair of over-the-knee scale stockings, armored calf-high boots that match her spaulder, though the rear of her calves is exposed, and a chain bracelet with a ring connected to it on her right hand as well as a brown band around her left wrist with two beaded bracelets.

While she stood on the field listening, Mitsuru's rants, with a visible tick mark on her forehead, teeth grit in frustration and anger with her arms crossed while gripping her spear tightly infused with aura. Her spear would've snapped if it wasn't made of solid metal.

"Don't let him get to you. That's what he wanted." A voice snapped her back to reality, and she saw her opponent, a young man the same age as her, with messy blond hair with a tinge of silver and a black shirt covered in armor of white with gold accents. The armor immediately reminds her of a knight. If it weren't for his sword in its leather sheath with its belt wrapped around his waist multiple times, it would look like he was wearing two belts and his shield carried on his back, enforcing the idea of a knight before her.

But she noticed he had been staring at her for quite a while after snapping herself back, not in a perverted way. More out of curiosity, specifically, her spaulder, to which the stare became annoying. Remembering those stares of wanting her precious spaulder. It's a family heirloom treasure passed down from parent to child since the Faunus War, and thanks to its history, it's highly valued as a war memorial and collectible if they know it was forged by the great Gitte Brigg. She had her calf boots forged based on her spaulder to ward off suspicion. But her opponent seems to be studying it to confirm his suspicion. Now that she thinks about it. His armor somehow draws out of a similarity to her spaulder.

"Hey! My eyes are up here, perv!"

"Sorry, I didn't mean to stare. I'm relieved that someone in this tournament knows the true nature of combat." He smiles, clearly trying to misdirect Dew, but she plays along.

"Oh? What makes you say that?"

"Unlike the other competitors, they all lack armor and rely heavily on their aura. And I would rather wear something fashionable and mind my language to women, no offense."

"None taken." Dew knew what he was referring to as she, too, found it annoying that someone would wear such clothing that proves no use in battle.

"Look very "skimpy." With no shame or respect for the battle." He pinched the bridge of his nose in an irritated tone.

"by the brothers, I know, right!? I thought I was the only one who noticed!" she smiles, finally meeting a true warrior, unlike these idiots in the tournament.

"at first, I thought I accidentally competed in a fashion contest! Names Dew, but you already know that." She smiles excitedly but blushes embarrassingly at the end.

"Nice to meet you, Dew. My name is-" When he introduces himself, Mitsuru interrupts him, announcing his name.

"NOW! ALL THE WAY FROM THE OUTSKIRTS OF THE FRONTIER! THE COUNTRY BUMPKIN WITH NO NAME! THE LARP WANNABE KNIGHT OF A RENAISSANCE FAIR! THE DEFINITION OF THE BLONDE DENSE IDIOIT! JAUNE ARC!" While Mitsuru called out Jaune's name, he smiled, believing he got underneath Jaune's skin. He gets a kick for trolling people, which he enjoys, insults people, and gets away with it as the crowd loves it. Seeing his victims' faces frown, agitated, and annoyed, he pumps them up to make dumb mistakes in the battle to make it more entertaining for the crowd and himself. But when I went to see Jaune's expression expecting the bumpkin to blush with embarrassment or agitated like the Dew girl. Instead, to his surprise, he sees Jaune scratching the back of his head with a smile of pride and not embarrassed, which annoyed him and Dew.

"Why are you smiling? The idiot clearly insulted you." She frowns, reconsidering her previous thoughts of him.

"I know. But like I said earlier. Mitsuru is trying to get a raise out of me, and I won't give him the satisfaction." Jaune looks off his shoulder towards Mitsuru as he snarks at him, while Mitsuru grits his teeth in rage to make a fool of himself and wants to give the wannabe knight a piece of his mind. But can't, as he has a job to do, to entertain his audience.

"NOW! ARE THE COMPETITORS READY!?"

Dew twirls her lance, showing Jaune her years of training and mastery, showing control and coordination, and finishing her display in a stance ready for battle. Jaune smiled, impressed by Dew's talent, but didn't draw his sword or shield. Instead, he raises his arms apart, his left hand reaching out and his right hand rearing back, ready to strike close to his hip and his left leg in front of his right foot. Yet this annoyed Dew, feeling like Jaune underestimated her and showing in her scowling face.

"Seriously!? I drew my weapon, and you don't! Are you mocking me? Guess I was wrong about you after all. You are the same as these arrogant losers in this weak kingdom." She sneers, but Jaune remains calm in her insults and smiles, like seeing an adorable puppy trying to be intimidating. No matter how he defends or explains, he knows he can't win against a woman's warrior pride. It'll fall on deaf ears. So he might as well show her that, after all, seeing is believing.

"FIGHT!"

Immediately, Dew charged in toward Jaune at top speed. She swings her lance directly toward Jaune's chest. She intended to swing her lance for the shaft to swing across his chest with intense force, enough to reduce a large portion of his aura. But even if he blocked the attack with his arms, the impact force would be the same or much worse. Putting a lot of strain on his arms and making him defenseless.

Notice Jaune hasn't moved. If anything, he looked utterly open, which infuriated Dew even further. It was one thing to underestimate her, but not taking her seriously like a threat is insulting, and she'll make sure to leave her mark on him to never forget this insult. As the shaft of her lance came swing with full force with a boost of the wind dust on the blade of her lance burst up more momentum, launching her lance into greater force, causing a large dust cloud behind her, blocking some of the audience's view, than the dust cloud form around both her and Jaune as her lance spiked with the sound of a direct hit but can't see due to the dust cloud blocking her view where she hit Jaune but Dew smiles in accomplishment and sadism.

The impact's sound can be heard and felt on the aftershock that Mitsuru almost fell off his mobile platform.

"WOOOAAAAHHHH! I ALMOST FELT THAT ONE! DEW ISN'T HOLDING BACK HER PUNCHES. BEFORE THE IMPACT, SHE ACTIVATED THE WIND DUST IN HER SPEAR TO PROPEL HER SPEAR FOR A MORE DEVASTATED STRIKE. MAN, I DO NOT WANT TO BE THE RECEIVING END ON THAT ONE. SADLY I COULDN'T SEE ANYTHING IN THAT SMOKE CLOUD! MAN, TALK ABOUT SUSPENSE!" then he noticed the dust slowly clearing, expecting to see the worst in Jaune's predicament with a toothy grin. But as the smoke clears, he spit-take in shock at witnessing something that defies all logic, and he's not the only one. In Dew's case, seeing the shaft of her lance being stopped by the forearm of her opponent and, worst of all, it isn't bruised of purple, or the bone snap off, they all still stand straight as if they weren't struck by Dew's attack. Realizing her conundrum, she isn't in the presence of a fool. No. She's in the presence of a real warrior.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMAN! I DON'T KNOW WHAT I'M SEEING. BUT DEW'S ATTACK WAS SUPPOSED TO LEAVE A DEVASTATING INJURY FOR THE BUMPKIN…IS…. BLOCKED WITH EASE! AND WORSE OF ALL, IT DIDN'T LOWER ARC'S AURA DOWN MORE THAN THREE PERCENT. HOW IS THAT POSSIBLE! THAT DOESN'T MAKE ANY SENSE! LADY YAE! HEADMASTER! WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS!" He cries in denial and turns his attention to the other commenters, but only to see Lionheart's jaw drop to the floor in shock at what he sees while Yae smiles behind her paper fan.

Snapping himself back to reality, Lionheart spoke his mind as he pinched his chin and his brow scrunched in uncertainty. "I am not sure, but I have a theory. It could be a defense semblance that is in use. However, if that's true, it should've been noticed upon activating and taken much more aura than a mere three percent. An enhancement-like semblance tends to take a lot in a person."

"INTERESTING THEORY! LOGICAL AND MAKES SENSE! LADY YAE! WHAT ARE YOUR THOUGHTS?"

"Fufu…interesting…" she smiles, catching both men in the booth.

"it's too soon to say….but if I'm right. We might be in the presence of another prodigy. But for now, let's watch as the young Arc defies the odds." She smiles gleefully and is predatory as she keeps her smile covered by the paper fan.

The attack was supposed to be Dew's "one-shot" strategy for her "weak" opponents and take a massive chunk of their aura. But to her surprise, Jaune parried her lance away with only his forearm. She froze in shock that the last time someone could block her attack was her master, a veteran Huntress, and she only received a few bruises and at least twenty percent of her aura. Still frozen in shock, Jaune took the initiative to punch Dew; snapping herself back to reality, she quickly raised her lance to block the strike. To her surprise, she was pushed away by a few feet. Clearly, seeing such strength, she cannot treat this match as a simple tournament anymore, like stealing candy from a baby. But instead, she's in the dragon's den.

Jaune followed Dew's movements but stayed in position, turning to face Dew. She circled around him as he moved his left leg. Dew revolves around Jaune, thinking of a strategy to beat him. As she now sees, he isn't some country kid in the frontier. No, Dew is in the presence of a true warrior who went through every form of battle to imagine; the lancer can't explain it, but somehow, when her aura flared and made contact with his, Dew felt a rush of the intent of battle, like it hungers for battle like her time in the Vocus desert against battle craze bandits. Except he is more in control and determined, she can't help but smile and is beginning to question her sanity.

However, instead of standing around, she'll use hit-and-run tactics as she's confident in her speed. She rushes to use her lance to attack Jaune to lower his Aura bit by bit and quickly retreats before Jaune can strike. She has to resort to this strategy, as it's the only option she can do. But her attacks were either blocked or pushed away easily, using the momentum of her attack away from him, like a strong current of water guided and pushed Dew's lance with such elegance and fineness. And all that he stayed in position within his drawn circle.

"AMAZING! MAYBE LADY YAE IS ON TO SOMETHING! WE MIGHT BE IN THE PRESENCE OF ANOTHER PRODIGY! THE FARMBOY ELEGENTLY DIEVERTED DEW'S LANCE AWAY FROM HIM! LIKE A BALLARINA OF BATTLE!"

"To be able to divert the thrust of Miss Dew's lance and her speed with ease and great precision, it's amazing. But to achieve such skill, it takes great hardship and training. Most competitors in past tournaments usually either block or dodge such attacks. Even other times, some tried to take the attack head-on-" Before Lionheart could finish his commentary, a chuckle burst out, interrupting him as both men turned to the Fox Faunus.

"Fufu! I knew he was different from the other competitors. This is going to be a massacre. I pity the ones who were unlucky enough to face him." She smiles sadistically and excitedly, frightening the two men.

"A-AH...LADY YEA, C-COULD YOU PERHAPS... CLARIFY WHAT YOU MEANT?" Hitsuru stutters in fright, surprising Yae with a mocking gasp.

"Oh my!? Did I say that out loud! Sorry, The young man surprised me with his skills. He surpassed my expectations."

"a-and when y-you said this-this is g-going to be a massacre...w-what do you mean by that?" The Headmaster stutters and sweats in fear.

"Oh, I meant that he doesn't belong in block D. It will be unfair to the other competitors. In my opinion, he should be in block A. There, he will have a better challenge." She smiles.

"HIGH PRAISE FROM LADY YAE! VERY RARE! PERHAPS SOME OF YOUR INSIGHT SHOULD SHED SOME LIGHT FOR OUR VIEWER TO UNDERSTAND."

"Well, for starters... I'm sure you have noticed the circle he drew around him since the start of this match. And since then, he has never set foot on the line. Right now, strategically, he's on the defensive, and my guess is he's studying his opponent. As for Miss Dew, she's aware of Jaune's skills in now resorting to hit-and-run tactics, as her speed is the only advantage she has over Mr Arc. So, as of this moment, it's a test of endurance. So the question is...who will rise and who will fall." Yae explains.

Jaune changed his stance, which caught some people's attention, especially Pyrrha. Jaune raised his left forearm, defending him, while his right arm pulled back, ready to strike. It's unmistakable it's the same stance as Pyrrha, a Spartan defense.

"Oh, it seems the young man is changing strategy. How peculiar..." Yae ponders as her eye slowly leers, trying to understand Jaune's strategy.

"Perhaps it could be that he's at his limits." The Headmaster suggests

"HE LOOKS FINE TO ME. IF ANYTHING HE LOOKS LIKE HIS GETTING SERIOUS." Mitsuru suggests that Yae smiles with a tiny hint of laughter, realizing Jaune's plan.

"I'm not so sure..." Yae smirks.

"LADY YAE-" Mitsuru asked but was distracted when he saw Dew charge in, thrusting her lance at Jaune multiple times, trying to land a hit, but only for Jaune to dodge and parry Dew's attacks with precise precision and accuracy with just only his left. He waited patiently for the right time to strike Dew, studying her movements. Looking for an opening. An opening to expose, an opening to exploit, and attack.

A small window of opportunity with her attack following through, he parried her lance away from him with Dew within striking distance for his right arm towards the side of Dew's head to stun her, followed up with a strike in her stomach. She could almost feel it travel through her back. Pushed her back to a distance away from Jaune as she dropped her lance and fell to her knees, gasping and coughing air.

"MERCILESS! ARC IS NOT HOLDING HIS PUNCHES! EVEN I FELT IT FROM HERE!"

Jaune took the initiative, not holding back, keeping the stance of his Spartan defense with fast precision of attack and strategy. Only attacking vital areas and openings. While the crowd cheers at what they see as the entertainment of the fight, the more experienced fighters they see as actual fighters. Jaune is precise and calculated in his attacks, giving Dew a hard time keeping up. But some are watching the match intently, studying Jaune's move, especially the Nikos family.

Hera watched in awe at how talented and skilled Jaune was while Pyrrha and her father voiced their opinion towards Jaune, as Leonidas grom his bread, analyzing Jaune's style.

"He keeps a constant defense with his left while his right is ready to strike in the shortest distance. The brat isn't fighting like a common bar rule brawler. It's as if he's equipped with a shield and...spear." As soon he realized this, he turned to his daughter and saw her intently studying Jaune's movements and stance.

"you see it too, Pyrrha?" her father asked with his gaze.

"Yeah, I do, dad. I don't know the reason. But I think Jaune teaching me something. Saying my way of fighting is obsolete or a waste." She looks down, slightly hurt, but can't argue as she can't help but agree to Jaune's method. This infuriates Leonidas, seeing Jaune's plan is superior to his, and he hears his wife laughing.

"Hera! This is serious! That brat is making Pyrrha look like a fool! Aren't you mad!"

"Actually, I see this as very enlightening, and I can see why Yae never watched the previous matches. Pyrrha, I expect you to take note of Jaune's method. This is how you should fight if you want to be a huntress. After all, bandits and Grimm don't play fair." Pyrrha nods and continues watching Jaune and analyzing him, visualizing herself in Jaune's position and understanding the advantages she could have compared to her style.

Like that instance, Jaune parried Dew again and charged forward to strike her across her face. Quick and efficient, not holding back. Compared to her, she would twirl out of the way till she's behind her opponent, then wait for her opponent to defend, follow up for Pyrrha to parry the strike, and follow up to strike her opponent down. Now that she thought about it, she realized it was too long and unnecessary and would've taken the fight a bit longer for the tournament but not on the field of a Huntress. She was so entranced by the battle that she completely ignored her surroundings. She didn't realize her mother was calling out to her till she grasped Pyrrha's shoulder, calling out to her.

"So, Pyrrha. Just by watching. What do you make of him?" Hera asks her daughter curiously, snapping Pyrrha out of her trance.

"Well, at the moment, his bare-knuckle fighting turned to weapons. There are no restrictions on kicks, holds, throws, and all. Yet, it is rooted in some honor code. It's illogical, yet it is so simple he can see every move coming. It makes me wonder, where did he learn such discipline?"

"Good because it seems Jaune is truly a man of his word." She smiles as Pyrrha and her father turn to her to see what she means, which Hera notices and smiles.

"don't you remember, at the start of your match?" She gave a close smile as Pyrrha remembered what Jaune had told her at the start of the tournament. With determination and declared towards her.

"Hey, Pyrrha!" he called out her name, snapping herself back to reality and seeing Jaune calling out with a genuine smile and pointing at her with a competitive smirk.

"Don't forget! I'm a man who keeps his promises! I'll see you in the finals," he declares for everyone around him and Pyrrha to hear. She blushes a little in return for his declaration. She quickly shakes it off, smiles, and points back to him with her competitive smirk.

Just remembering that she flushed red as her hair and hid in embarrassment, her mother couldn't help but giggle while her father frowned.

"I have to say it is very romantic. Especially when Jaune declared that he'd see you in the finals. If anything, that's a proposal. Oh!? I couldn't wait for grandbabies." she fantasized while her daughter and husband shouted in union. Both in embarrassment and rage in their respective views.

"MOTHER!?"

"HERA!?"

"Oh, hush, Leo. You and I both know if Pyrrha is going to marry someone. That person needs to be not only strong but smart to protect Pyrrha. And I see no better candidate than Jaune." She leans to her husband, as he froze in fear as he knows that not only his wife is right but also can beat him into submission. But he needs to make a stand. He cannot allow this.

"I'm against this, Hera! I disapprove of him." He shouts, causing a scene in front of the crowd surrounding them while embarrassing Pyrrha even further wish to die.

"Why are you so stubborn, Leo? Can't you see Jaune is fighting like a veteran? He could teach Pyrrha to be more than a champion. After all, he already had Lady Yae's attention. I wouldn't be surprised if she agreed with me." Hera sighs at her husband's disagreement.

"He's not strong!" he shouts, to which a tiny glint appears in Hera's eyes to which only Pyrrha notices and knows what's going happen and pity her father.

"Oh...you say he weak?" she smiles sinisterly as Leonidas shakes a little but stands his ground.

"Of course! He's not worthy of Pyrrha."

"Dad, please stop. You're going to embarrass yourself again." Pyrrha groaned to further embarrassment, begging her father to stop. She doesn't want to go through that experience again of comforting her father while her mother gives him a smug look. But he ignored her.

"OK, how about this. If Jaune makes it to the finals and wins the tournament. You will give Jaune your blessing and..." She leans in and whispers to her husband's ear, which makes his eyes widen like saucers, and his face light up in red.

"You. In bed. For your queen." She smiles seductively and intimidatingly, making Leonidas stutter, while Pyrrha turns green in disgust and wishes not to be here to hear that.

"F-fine! But if he doesn't make it. You will stop this nonsense with Jaune a-and..." Leonidas pauses and looks away, embarrassed, and he leans in and whispers to his wife.

"Awww...how cute." She awed with a mischievous smirk.

"It-It's not cute. It's supposed to be sexy! You've been spending too much time with Lady Yae." Leonidas argues.

"Mom, Dad, please! Can you not discuss this so openly! And don't I have a saying in this?" Pyrrha argues as Hera rolls her eyes with a scoff.

"Oh please, Pyrrha. You've been eyeing that boy so much that your father is spying on you. And we both know how your father is regarding these things."

Pyrrha turns to her father with her face flushed redder than usual, asking, "Is it true?" as she knows how overprotective and over-reactive her father is. But he just simply looks away to avoid conflict.

"Can we please just watch the match?" Pyrrha begs, entirely embarrassed and trying to diffuse the situation.

"Oh, we will..." her mother pauses but smirks towards her father.

"...till your father agrees to the terms. *sigh* Unless he isn't the brave man I fell for." She purposely probes her husband with a fake sigh of disappointment. Pyrrha slaps her forehead, groaning, expecting what's to come. Disappointed with what her mother is doing to get her father to comply, her father shakes her hand, agreeing to the terms, but leaves as he needs something to eat for the family. Leaving the mother and daughter alone.

"Mom, you know that was unfair for dad."

"haaa...I know, but your father is too stubborn. And I know you really like Jaune." She regrets mutilating her husband as Pyrrha looks away, denying her mother's theory.

"Love!? We just met! A-and I see him as a rival. That's all! It's just a simple rivalry between competitors. That's all!"

"I didn't say L-O-V-E, Pyrrha. I said like." Hera smiled mischievously as Pyrrha realized her mistake and cried embarrassed. At the same time, the crowd cheered at the fight as it got intense.

"Aw, my baby girl is all grown up!" Hera is awed as she hugs her daughter.

"you've been hanging out with Lady Yae too much." She cries.

Dew is getting nowhere. Her tactics aren't giving her the advantage over Jaune. Somehow, he could predict her movements, and she was running low on dust. Only enough to make a large tornado to blow Jaune to a ring out, but that's her last ace in the hole. But considering the situation, she can't lose the first round.

She twisted the handle of her lance, activating the dust on her spearhead as she raised her weapon in the air, twirling the lance as fast as possible until a tornado formed above her. The wind picked up and became stronger the second it almost dragged Jaune closer to Dew. But as the audience, they're holding themselves to their seat as the tornado grows. While in the commentary booth, Lionheart cowardly hides underneath the table for shelter, while Yae is unfazed by the event and stares at the battle with excitement.

"LADIES AND GENTLEMAN, FOR YOUR SAFETY, PLEASE STAY AT YOUR SEATS. IT SEEMS DEW IS NO LONGER HOLDING BACK AND BRINGING THE MIGHT OF THE WIND!" Meanwhile, Mitsuru struggles to control his platform and hold on to dear life. While seeing the crowd feeling unnerved.

"SO WHAT WILL THE POTENTIAL PRODIGY KNIGHT WILL DO!? WILL HE BE BLOWN AWAY BY DEW'S POWERFUL WINDS OR WILL PREVAIL AND OVERCOME THE FORCE OF NATURE?" he quickly continued his commentary to excite and calm the crowd to know it was still safe and keep the suspense of the match.

"BUT SERIOUSLY, DO SOMETHING KID! I DON'T KNOW HOW MUCH LONGER I CAN HOLD ONNNNN!" He cries as he and his floating platform get sucked into the tornado.

"it was fun, Jaune, but it's time to end this. DESTRUCTION WHIRLWIND!" she cast her tornado towards Jaune while picking up Debri of loose stone from the damaged arena caused by earlier fights, trapping him with said Debri and colliding with Jaune. Dew smiled triumphantly, turned her back, and slowly walked away without looking back, already knowing who had won the match.

But as the tornado slowly dies, Mitsuru manages to escape the torrential winds overlooking the battle. But still keeping the crowd entertained.

"WOOOHOOO! WHAT A RUSH!? MAYBE I SHOULD DO TORNADO SURFING MORE OFTEN!?" He jokes, entertaining the crowd, and continues watching the tornado die, and to his surprise, for the first time, he is speechless at what he sees in denial and shock.

"L-LADIES AND GENTLEMEN! I-I DON'T BELIEVE OF WHAT I'M SEEING! BUT...JAUNE ARC..." Dew's smile widened even further, expecting Mitsuru to declare her victory. It was apparent to her that Ace was powerful and spectacular to see. Not every day, you know, a tornado made with ease as she waited by the edge of the stage before stepping out; otherwise, she may accidentally ring herself out before the announcement.

"JAUNE ARC IS STILL IN THE FIGHT!?"

'wait, what!?' she turned in shock and saw Jaune pulling his hands out of the concrete floor, indicating he anchored his hands into the floor. Dew looked at the screen and saw Jaune's aura bar reduced to seventy-two percent.

Patting the dust out of his hands, in rage and denial, Dew couldn't help but tighten the grip of her lance. She spoke out softly, which caught Jaune's attention.

"...why...?"

"Hmm?"

"Tell me!" she shouts in rage, catching by surprise.

"do you see me as weak! I know you're not fighting me seriously. You were at ease, And you pulled back your punches! Am I that feeble to you!? Just tell me!? I would rather be dead knowing than be humiliated!" she shouts in rage, close in tears, not because of her defeat, but because of her pride and honor of warrior being looked down on. Which Jaune realized and didn't mean to belittle her.

"I-I so sorry. I didn't mean to belittle you, and you're right. I am holding back my strength, not to make a fool of you, I assure you! It's because-" By the time Jaune explains why Dew beat him to it.

"You'll win in an instance like you did to Gelgoog?" this shocked Jaune as he was sure no one knew his identity during that incident.

"Y-you know that!?" his face flashes red in embarrassment while Dew calmly smiles.

"I was there when you beat that poser." She smiles, remembering that embarrassing fight with Gelgoog, as Jaune sighs, quickly changing the subject.

"I see. If it's any consultation. You are the toughest of Vacuo I ever met. But I'm the strongest in the world." Dew's smile widened with excitement and motivation that she couldn't help but agree with him.

"Makes sense. I have to admit it was fun. Motivational too. Knowing there's someone stronger out there."

"I can appreciate that sentiment," he remembers his old allies back of the Faunus War with Kat in the middle of the group smiling towards him. But his mind was interrupted when Dew called out to Jaune, pointing her lance towards him.

"hear me, Jaune Arc! I want to witness true strength! From this moment forward, don't let up. Fight with your experience and instinct. Dew Gayl stands before you, no matter how briefly I want to feel it at its peak. So please, show me what you can do!" Her words may have sounded foreign to everyone, but Jaune knew those words and even the introduction. It was a challenge to a duel from Remnant of Old that Jaune Turly recognized very well.

He couldn't help but feel nostalgia with a sizeable feral grin on his face, which clearly showed off his excitement. He didn't know where Dew learned those words. Still, he didn't care anymore and acknowledged Dew's request and response of a true warrior. "very well, I'll give you a taste of my strength." he said, drawing his sword from its sheath and his shield from his back while slowly embers of his aura spark out like embers of an open flame. Sending a tingle down their spine to all the Faunus in the crowd, with their instincts telling them to run. While the humans were shaking in fear, even Yae could feel it, and not only her spine felt tingling. And Lionheart cowardly hiding under the table.

"Oh my, it seems Mr Arc is not holding back." Yae pants with a red hue across her face.

"YOU'RE TELLING ME! I DON'T KNOW WHAT HE DID, BUT THE CROWD IS LITERALLY FROZEN IN FEAR! EVEN I'M FEELING THE JITTERS!"

"Hmm...if Lionheart is any indication, it seems Jaune is pouring out his blood-lust."

"Blood-lust!? You mean Jaune is going to kill her!? We need to stop the match." The Headmaster panics.

"no need for that. What Mr Arc seems to be emitting is an intimidating tactic. Dew wanted a taste of his strength...well, she's going to experience the full course." She smirked excitedly as the true match was about to begin.

Omake: The Fallen

Two nights before the tournament.

It was a quiet and cold night, enough for Mercury to see his own breath. Enjoying the view from his small balcony with a soda in hand and his prosthetic legs resting on the rails. While overlooking the Kingdom of Mistral, he wonders how Lady Yae wants him to kill Lionheart. Mercury will admit he doesn't like Lionheart, not because of his cowardly nature, but of his brown-nosing just to save his own skin and openly admit it just so he can live another day. Just thinking about it now, he realizes why Prince Charming is not fond of the cowardly lion, and if he thinks about it, the Prince is right. If Lionheart wasn't such a toothless Lion, Mistral would've been theirs, and Salem would've had an army of huntsmen or a spy network through the huntsmen. Mercury will admit he may be lazy and easy-going, but he isn't a dumbass regarding potential assets that could achieve results. That's the reason why he follows Prince Charming.

At first, Mercury was so scared the Prince would kill him if the Assassin looked at him funny, even by accident. He kept his distance as he wasn't tasked with babysitting the Prince. That was Em's task, and it was Em, so the Assassin didn't bother or care, only knowing she would be the first to be killed by the Prince. He bet she would die within a day or two if she ever got caught. But after a few weeks, he noticed Em smile more often than usual, and it had nothing to do with her hero-worshipping crush on Cinder.

He was curious and followed her. To his surprise, peeking through the door to the Prince's room, she's with the Prince of Grimm, eating popcorn together and watching movies. Not just any movies. It is her heist movie collection. Oh, hell no. If the Prince of Grimm is going to experience the best movies, he will experience spy movies! Without a moment, he kicks open the door, surprising the couple, mainly the Prince, while Emerald's eyes literally scream bloody murder. From that moment on, it became their Friday night movie night. They each bring a movie to watch and criticize it.

Mercury hates to admit it, but it was fun, and he could see the Prince from another perspective with no filter as he was very open compared to Cinder. She expects us to follow her through with fear, but the Prince treats them as equals. They even saw the Prince cry in one of those old tragic love clips, but not in the recently made ones, as he argues it didn't show any connection to the couple, and their relationship wasn't developed enough. The young Assassin couldn't help but smile at such a memory till the knock on his door sounded. He looked at the time on his scroll, and it seemed to be the contact he was waiting for.

He opened the door and saw a young Shrine Maiden with a short black hair bowl cut, carrying a sizeable three-layered bento box. She bows towards Mercury before she helps herself. Closing the door behind him, the young shrine Maiden is already dismantling the package onto his bed. First was the uniform he would need for his disguise. Next was a blank card with a black chocker, a small metal plate, and a black box.

"Evening Mercury Black. I am Shen. I am to be your Quartermaster during your stay in Mistral till you complete the mission." The Young Maiden bows and introduces herself with a cold and distant expression, while Mercury is giddy inside with excitement. He has a quartermaster, just like those spy movies he loves. Then, Merc turns his attention to the items placed on his bed.

"these will be your equipment for the mission. First, the uniform of your cover, obviously." She pointed to the uniform.

"Next, is this the Obake. Now put this collar on." She pulled up the black chocker and handed it to Mercury.

"What!? I'm not putting that on! Not without knowing what it does. For all I know, it could be an explosive collar." He argues that Shen gave him an unimpressive look, saying, "You watch way too many movies."

"Just put it on. It'll be much faster to show you than tell you. Do you have your scroll on you?"

"Yeah, why?" he pulls out his scroll as Shen immediately snatches it out of his hand and hands him the Obake. He was about to argue but reluctant to play along and not prolong it any further. As the Assassin promises Jaune, he will be on his best behavior. Just as he clips the choker around his neck, he looks at himself in a full-length mirror and looks ridiculous, and yet, for some strange reason, he reminds himself of Cinder. Then suddenly, he felt a low hum coming from the choker and a bell sound he recognized from his scroll, and he turned to the Maiden.

"What did you do? Is this really an explosive collar!" he slightly panicked while Shen stared towards the Assassin of aloof.

"you watch way too many spy movies. First off, it's not a bomb. Secondly, I just link the Obake to your scroll as" By the time she explains, Mercury interrupts her.

"Which you still didn't explain what it does!?" he shouts as Shen sighs, annoyed and can't take it any longer.

"you know what, for an idiot like you, it's better to show you than tell you." she pressed on Mercury's scroll, and the Obake slightly lit up, blinding Mercury as he opened his eyes again but only saw nothing happen.

"it did nothing! But do a…light…show…Wait, why do I sound like a girl!" Mercury argues as he notices his voice sounds different and sounded more feminine.

"how about you turn around and look yourself in the mirror." Shen blankly states as Mercury turns around towards the full-length mirror. Immediately, his eyes widened, and his face became more feminine. Even his/her hair grew out to his/her shoulders. And worst of all, she/he is Hot! I even felt her/his face; it's smooth, warm skin. Hell, even the hair is natural.

"Oh my god!? What did you do to me!?" "she" screams as Shen nods and types onto her scroll.

"Voice modulator, facial and hair follicle structure in sync. All perimeters in green...and...Success...the Obake is online. Thank you for your participation. Have a good day." As Shen walks away with a still stun Mercury.

"Hey, wait! You still didn't explain how this thing works!? How do I turn back!?" Stop Shen as she huffs uninterestedly but complies.

"The Obake is the first of many projects that the Kitsune shrine of Tamamo No Ma made for infiltration and espionage to protect Mistral. Just press the plate to deactivate it." As instructed, Mercury is back to normal and amazed by such technology. He did see the tech at the Atlas, but they could never hold a candle to this. She moves to the other items on the bed, starting with the clothes.

"Your uniform. You'll go incognito as the waiter to get you close to the target you'll be serving." Then, he handed him the black card.

"To use the Obake, you'll need your scroll. On the screen, you will see an app titled Obake." She instructed as Mercury followed and tapped on the app. She opened and saw the face he turned into, followed by other faces of different races and genders, but one blank canvas and another titled random.

"As you can see, we already have six pre-made disguises, three for both genders. I was told to make it look like a character creation from a video game to simplify it for you, including audio options. Simply tap the blank canvas to create a new face and follow the prompts. To select a mask, tap the option and ensure the Obake is on. Give it a try." Shen suggested as Merc faced the mirror to see his reflections and picked the wolf Faunus option. Immediately, his entire face lights up and is replaced by what he could describe as a veteran huntsman. His grey hair turns ash blonde, with wolf ears sticking up on the top of his head, with a thick beard, his skin slightly tan with dark amber eyes, and three significant claw marks across his face. Amazed by such technology that isn't, Atlas is speechless but more excited as he remembers the blank card and is about to ask, but Shen beats him to it.

"You'll need a staff key card to get through security, which is why the Akeru. It should be able to get you through security with ease. However, you'll need the physical key card for the Akeru to copy and bypass the security system. Try it on the key card of your room."

"How do I do it?"

"Just place the item on top of the Akeru; it'll copy and bypass the security, and when finished, it will beep." As instructed, he placed the design of a black card with the hotel's name across the card in gold fonts on the card with a boarded frame decorating the card's edge.

After a few seconds, the Akeru beeped, and Merc took the key card away from the blank card of the Akeru. To his surprise, the Akeru became an identical copy of the keycard. Turning to Shen for an explanation.

"Like I said, it copies that include the physical appearance. And if the keycard has an identification of the person. The Akeru will immediately use the current mask of the Obake and give you a new name at random."

"amazing…" he awed until he noticed the black wooden box remain.

"what's in the box?" he points as Shen opens it, revealing its decorative content of a small silky purple pillow. On top is a small wrapped item of paper talismans with a thick red cord tied around the neck. Shen gently picks it up with both hands and presents it to Mercury.

"This will be the poison that Lady Yae has chosen, specifically for that coward." As Mercury picks up the vail while Shen continues her instruction.

"this concoction is the most potent that Lady Yae has ever created. Its effects are fatal with a simple whiff or contact on your skin. So be careful of its handling and avoid crushing it or getting it wet. Right now, it's in a compacted powdered form." After hearing the warning, Mercury panicked and quickly held it by the thick cord.

"A heads up would be nice!?" he argues, but Shen didn't acknowledge the young assassin and continued her instruction.

"Drop it into the coward's tea. The powder will break down and dissolve. However, since the powder has been deluded into the tea, it'll have a delayed effect before the poison would work." Shen sighed in disappointment while Mercury looked bewildered.

"wait, so the poison won't kill him immediately? Why?"

"Besides avoiding the authorities. Lady Yae wishes to be with coward's Final moments." This surprises Mercury. He was sure the Head Shrine Maiden hated Lionheart over the death of many Huntsman and Huntresses.

So why does she want to be there in his final moments?

He shook it off and tried to change the subject again, but this was more detailed on this new organization disguised as a temple. This could be a hassle to Cinder's plan, and he sure doesn't want to be on bitch duty.

"I've been meaning to ask, infiltration and espionage? I thought the shrine was a place of worship. Since when did the Mistral council have a secret service." Merc asks in both curiosity and glee. He expects Atlas to have a secret service due to their military background with no regard for the Vytal treaty. As all kingdoms didn't have armies, it seems it doesn't apply to Atlas.

"It is. But the council in the four kingdoms never see us as an organization nor to care. We are Mistral's true protectors. Not the huntsman, not the council, and especially Atlas."

"out of curiosity, how spread out is your organization?" Merc asked curiously, wondering if he could join. Shen stops and stares at Mercury, wondering whether or not to tell him. But she complies yet again as his "master" is a very close "ally" to her headmistress.

"We already infiltrated within the council of the four kingdoms, especially Atlas." Then she smirks in glee.

"For a kingdom to claim to be the most advanced kingdom of Remnant, their security is next to nothing compared to us. We didn't even "try" to hack into their CCTV tower, and they didn't even notice that we were monitoring them." This both frightened the young Assassin to see something so plain and dull to be more powerful and anomalous, yet in clear sight. The young Assassin begs a question.

"What are you, really?"

The Maiden smiles and slowly approaches the young Assassin. Her smile slowly grew, bearing his soul in fear, something he never experienced with Cinder. For Cinder, it's her threatening him with death to ensure his loyalty, like a quick death as if it's to get rid of garbage. But this before him, her smile, her animosity toward the world has become, she offers a fate worse than death. Beads of sweat form on his brow, his chest beats rapidly, and his breath shortens as if she's grasping his throat. His senses heighten in alert, saying run.

Finally, she spoke, yet her voice sounds slightly distorted and echoes of two souls talking to Mercury simultaneously.

"We are a necessary evil that shone in the light and dark. We will use any method to achieve our goal regardless of scheme or chivalry. We are the ones who paved the way for the future for all, not for humans, not for Faunus, or the unknown, for all..."

Shen places her cold hand on Mercury's cheek and shivers down his spine in fear. The shrine Maiden before him is an entirely different person. With his fear increased tenfold, he struggles to keep his knees from buckling.

"For…We...Are...The Fallen."

AN: Hi everyone, it's been a long time. No writing. First, I apologize for my lack of activity on this Fanfic. Due to daily life struggles, writer's block, and maybe traumatized from hurtful comments in the review section (even though I ask for it to help me improve, not abuse). It took a while before I realized who cares what they said. I already stated that this is a fan base parody. So, I write and share with everyone to show my creativity and ask for feedback to learn. But I should've expected much of the dangers of the internet. So, here's my advice to other and potential future writers.

"write to your heart's content, but be wary of people who do not share your level of creativity. People are different, after all. No one is the same; they may have similarities to you. But that's what they are: similar, not identical."

It may not make sense to some. But it does to me. But who am I kidding? I'm just an amateur writer who's doing this fun. Anyway, it's almost the new year.

"So Merry Christmas to all and Happy New Year for 2024" – Izzy out.