COMBAT CLASS
The next morning, I once again walk toward the dorm of the first years, Glynda said I will always do this from now one. Like, what the hell? Just like the day before, I could see ruckus from the inside of the first room, but when I knock it immediately went silent. After a few second, the door finally open, the blonde was the one open it this time.
"Sup kids, I just want to remind you guys that you have Glynda lesson at 9, so you don't be late just like before." I said while leaning against the door. "Understood?"
"Of course, don't you see, we are ready to go!" The blonde proudly said with a wide grin on her face. Just like she said, she already wears the uniform, just like the other three behind her.
"Good." I nod in approval.
"Sir! Good morning!" The three girls exclaimed from behind the blonde, with their own tone in their voice. The black haired girl, Blake, looks like still suspicious of me, her glare give it all.
"Mornings kids, seems like all back to normal, huh?" I glance at both Ruby and Weiss, making the both girls blush.
"Yes, we have talk and-"
"And everything is back to normal!" Before the Princess could finish her sentence, her partner cut her and hug her tight from behind, almost tackle her down on the ground. She obviously looks annoyed but at the same time happy about it.
"Good, just like the old saying, Communication is Key!" I said giving a bit of pride at it while thumping my chest. "Now, you are less troublesome for me to handle and I can take it easy at least for now."
"Is that….. really the reason you mend us, sir?" Weiss asked, a little bewildered by my words.
"Yup, and I hope you can keep it like that." I nod at her before a door from the other side of the corridor open and reveal a blonde boy getting tackled down by a girl with orange hair. The two continue to struggle, looks like fighting for the chocolate cupcake in his hand. "Because I have other problem I need to take care of. Well, that is all! I'll have to wake up the others as well!"
In another lecture hall, Glynda was standing in front of rows of students with I standing behind her. She look at tablet in her and looks at the students.
"Welcome to your first combat lesson." Glynda open the class, she is standing from the center of the podium with me behind her. "All of you are here because you are expected to become our next generation of huntsmen and huntresses. However, looking back at your performance in the initiation, all of you are nowhere near adequate to join the ranks of Vale's huntsmen; your skills are still in need of further polishing."
Glynda sighed through her nose as she expected the students to fall into silence; her speech was not actually motivating.
"That is why, today we will have an assessment of your performance." She looks at me and continue. "Mr. Yussuf here will help me to grade you fighting prowess and point your weakness for your improvement in the future. That concludes the briefing. Any questions before we begin?"
"Any particular rules of the match that we should know about?" It was actually Weiss who asked the question, as eager and perfect student as ever.
"Any tactic is acceptable and you are allowed to use any weapons, either your own or the training weapons provided by the academy. You will be fighting for survival in future, so underhanded methods will not be forbidden. Your aura levels will be monitored; and the match will end once your aura readings turn red, your opponent is no longer able to fight, or when I say so. Of course, you are also allowed to forfeit if you deem yourself unable to continue the match. Any other question?"
The room fall silent as no one has any other question. Some even looks to eager to start with the combat lesson already.
"Is that all?" Glynda asks the final question before continuing to look at her tablet. "Alright, for our first assessment, Miss Ruby Rose please prepare you equipment and come forward to the podium."
"Good luck, Rubes!" The blonde said to her little sister before she left to the podium. "But fighting a professional hunter, huh?"
"Can we even win?" The black-haired girl asks to herself.
"But this is a chance for us to learn how a professional hunter moves!" Pyrrha who sit beside Blake said excitedly.
"I wonder what kinda weapon he use?"
"Doesn't he carry a sword?"
I could hear murmur from the bench rows, seems like the student are talking about my weapon. I ignore them and walk toward the podium with my weapon at hand, focus on the battle as I watch the girl walk up to the arena. From what I could gather from her performance, she is quite talented and excel at her agility and speed. But compared to her parent, she stills green in her technique and movement.
"Ehhh! You use a scythe?! I thought you use some sword?! I also a scythe you know?!" The little sister exclaimed when we walk on the podium, almost too fast for me to understand. She even showing her black High-Caliber Sniper-Scythe called Crescent Rose.
"Yes, yes and yes." I said to her flat, playing with some scythe I take from the storage in my hand. This should be enough of a handicap to fight some student who barely know fighting. It is simply a metal scythe, no gun, can't change and no special effect.
"What can it do? Is there any special mechanism? Where did you learn to use a scythe? Did you know th-"
"Ehm, Miss Rose, please keep those question for later." Glynda finally cut Ruby's blabbering, a blush could be seen on her cheek. Yup, just like her mother, a weapon maniac and a lot of airhead. "Remember, the fight will be ended when one of the fighter Aura deplete into red, which you could see in this monitor."
Glynda point into the giant screen that hover above us. There is Ruby's and my aura still in the green, at least what is shown.
"Are both participant ready? Then, you may begin!"
Ruby immediately runs at me, activating her semblance that apparently are speed. But that won't be enough to caught me off guard. She swings her scythe aiming at my neck but I was faster to dodge into the side. I swing my own scythe into her defenseless back, but she easily dodge in by her running further pass me.
We look at each other for a second, before once again running toward each other. She swings her scythe toward my ankle but was easily parried and that's how her other move has been ended as well. Every move, every attack, was easily parried by me.
We have the similar techniques for some reason. No, it is more appropriate to say that we have the same movement set and those who watch our match must think the same. Looks like Qrow and Tai teach her well enough so she know the basic of fighting. That's enough off that, let's keep up the speed.
I swing my scythe faster, startling my opponent. I keep attacking her and doesn't let her have any moment for her to relax. Before, she was the one who lead the confrontation, but now I'm the one who control the dance. I jump behind her and swing attack her back, she couldn't dodge fast enough and my attack land at her back. Her aura protects her but because of that she fell forward and lose her footing. I keep attacking her, her defense startled to crumble; my every attack is landing, depleting her Aura to the yellow almost to the red.
Realizing she couldn't win from direct fight; Ruby jumps back a few feet behind her. She changes her scythe into a High-Caliber Sniper and shot a few rounds, only to be dodge so easily. But she doesn't give up, she keeps shooting at me, trying to prevent me from closing to her while also aiming at my weak point. But to surprise for everyone, I parried the high caliber bullet and turn it around toward the owner. The bullet graze her cheek, her aura protects her but not completely. A small red liquid could be seen on her cheek, a drop of blood, depleting her aura to the red.
"That is enough!" Glynda shout from the side line. Both Ruby and I walk toward the center of the podium and wait for Glynda to continue. "What a great performance, Miss Rose. While your techniques are still limited, you show a high adaptability and instinct toward a disadvantage situation. Mr. Yussuf is there anything you want to add?"
"Yeah…. your semblance is useful but the fact you cannot turn or maneuvered when you use it is a weakness you need to be aware off." I word my advice nicely, doesn't want to be yell at by Glynda that stare bore behind my head. "Practice more with your semblance so you cover those weakness. That is all from me."
"Yes!" She nods with a smile from our comment, hope that's help her.
"Alright then, Miss Rose, I hope we can see progress of your performance in the future. For now, you can get back to your seat, thank you." Ruby smile after hearing our assessment and went back to her place, beside her big sister. Before the kids could talk between themself, Glynda continues. "For the next student, Miss-"
And that's how the day went own, every single student fight me and have their performance assessed by both me and Glynda. There is no extraordinary performance nor are there a really bad example. Every single one of them have their own advantages and disadvantages.
Those who caught my attention is Blake Belladonna and Lie Ren. They are more focus on agility and swiftness. The aura I get from them is that they have some experience with real combat and has at least face some near death experience. Their move is calculated and have some weight at them, always aiming for the killing blow. While I say that, they're still green after all, committing some mistakes that can kill them in a real fight.
"Miss Nikos, please ready your equipment and come to the podium." Glynda said, proceeding the today class.
Between every student there are, Pyrrha Nikos had been to be the most excited. The girl arrived on the stage with her weapon choice, a javelin-sword-rifle called Miló and shield calledAkoúo̱. Her demeanor is calm but her enthusiastic is shown in her eyes.
"You seem excited?' I ask her, making her shown her smile that she was hiding the whole time.
"Yes sir, your movement have been really efficient and to the point! I hope we can a good fight!" She said, now completely show her excitement.
"I see, a battle maniac then." My remark makes her blush, embarrass that her true nature is shown. Glynda then regarded both combatants for a second before speaking.
"I will repeat once again; the match will end when your aura goes red, one of the combatants unable to fight any longer, or one of you forfeit. Any question?" When no words were spoken from either combatants nor spectators, Glynda nodded and left the stage. "You may begin!"
Pyrrha assumed her stance - Akouo up at the front with her Milo ready behind the shield, while I just simply adjusted my footing. A second pass, Pyrrha then charged forward and swung her Milo towards me. The stage was soon filled with the sound of clash of steels, with me dodging and meet each of Pyrrha's strikes with my scythe.
I'm impressed; she was fast and agile, her strikes had weight on them, her every movement was focused and almost not wasted. She has a balanced speed and strength. without a doubt, this girl, Pyrrha Nikos, had been proficient with fighting. She is not only a good fighter but she is a veteran.
Soon, the girl also used her shield for her attacks to catch me off-guard with a blunt force, trying to dismiss my weapon from my hand. However, I prevent that to happen and soon followed by a round-house kick to her temple. The girl managed to raise her right arm and her Milo to shield the counter-attack, but the force still caused her to stumble, not to mention that it was not her Akouo that defended her. She quickly re-adjusted her footing and gained some distance. She moved her neck to pop some cracks and shook her head to rid her sense of vertigo.
Let's keep up the speed, both of us then charged forward, and began another, yet fiercer exchange of blows. Her attack was relentless, not missing a beat even once but I was faster. I parried her every attack. Her defense is good as well, I couldn't land any effective blow. However, Pyrrha stumbled back as soon as I slammed my scythe onto her shield. Seeing the chance, I kept my momentum by pushing Pyrrha back, not giving her any chance to retaliate.
But suddenly, my scythe completely misses her. Not because she dodges it, nor I was missing her. No, my weapon moves on their own and miss its target, like some invisible force move it before it could have connect. Is it her semblance? There are some variant of semblance that can do something like that. One of them is Glinda's telekinetic and Qrow's bad luck. But there is a lot of other semblance out there in the world that I can names if it just from that single instance. I need to try something else to narrow it down.
I swing at her again and my attack miss by a large margin just like before. Looks like she know her semblance well and can use them rather effortlessly unlike the other.
Seeing the chance, the girl jumps back a few feet distancing herself from me. As soon as Pyrrha had recovered her posture, she then charged forward toward me. She used a block-and-counter combination as she would catch my attack with her Akouo before immediately countering with her Milo. But that is not enough, we ended up in a stalemate when no one could land any blow toward each other.
That's long enough, lets keeps up the beat. I increase my pace than before, surprising her. Unable to keep up with my movement, I hit her shield with the back of my scythe, shoving it off from her hand. Seeing an opening, I swing back my scythe toward her, aiming to end this once and for all. But once again, the invisible force moves my weapon and making it fly over her, not even graze her what so ever.
But that is in my calculation, I release my weapon and move closer toward her. Looks of surprised can be seen on her face, then a sudden of realization flash in her eyes. I punch her in the gut that sent her flying toward the wall. A gasp of surprised could be heard from the crowd.
"The match is over!" Glynda's voice rang through the ring, after Pyrrha aura deplete in to red. I walk toward the girl and lend a hand to help her to stand up.
"You alright?" I ask her, she replied to me with a smile and accept my hand and stand up. She seems alright, just a little dazed by that last attack. I made sure I won't kill her but I guess I put to much strength into it.
"That was a great move, it completely caught me off guard." She commented, smiles still could be seen on her face, she is telling the truth. She actually amused by her defeat. But before I could give my own answer, Glynda talks.
"Miss Nikos, your performance reflects your ability to adapt in the face of a superior opponent, well done." She commented at the younger girl, who nodded in thanks. "For now, just focus on improving your techniques and learning new trick. I can say this for sure, you are one of the best fighter among your peers."
"Thank you, Professor." The red-head nod and look at me as if knowing I gonna say something about her performance.
"From me," I continue my own assessment. "I agree with Glynda, your performance is better than anyone in this class so far. You also can use your semblance in an effective and efficient way, but please be more wary. From what I can guess, not all attack can be hindered by your semblance, am I right?"
"Yes, sir!" She said, still with a smile on her face. "Thank you for your input!"
"As for you, Mr. Yussuf…" Glynda then turned towards me, but she stays quiet for a few seconds, eyes behind the lenses narrowed slightly in small scrutiny. "...Please hold yourself a bit, I know you enjoy a good fight but went overboard toward a student is..."
"Hey, it's not like I went serious and all out toward her. If I do that, it won't end pretty..." I glance at Glynda before look at Pyrrha once again with a smile. "Good fight."
"Miss Nikos, you can get back at your seat, thank you. Alright then, lets proceed to the next person, Mr. Arc, please prepare yourself and come forward to the podium." Pyrrha then walk back toward her seat and switch with her male partner. But, unlike her partner, the guy doesn't have and amused expression. No, he was flustered, really flustered.
"You alright kid?" I ask him when he arrived at the podium. He only nod at me and smile nervously. "Oh yeah, are you really come from the Arc family?"
Looks surprised by my sudden question, he nod several time from my question.
"Y-yes sir."
"Is that's so? Well then, Glynda." Glynda nodded and left the stage.
"If both of participant ready, then you may begin!"
The boy hold his weapon, Crocea Mors and ready his stance. But there is something wrong. No, it was obvious what is wrong here. There were tons of opening in Jaune's stance, his footing was not steady enough, and the way he held his sword and shield - Crocea Mors was just…. awkward.
One might have thought that Jaune's awkward stance was a bait to some kind of trap, but I quickly dismissed the idea as he took another look at the blonde's face. The kid was a nervous wreck, I could even see the subtle shaking of his limbs. Is this kid for real? I know the other students are weak as fuck but this is kid…..
"Are you really okay kid?" I ended up asking once again; after all, there was still a chance that the kid might be under the weather. Let just hope he is just nervous performing in front of his friends.
"Huh?" Jaune blinked as if he just snapped out of a stupor. "Oh, um… Yeah… Yeah, I'm good."
His grip on his weapon tightened, his feet shuffled a bit, but his stance was not turning any better. I gave him a sign to start away, with a roar he run at me. So slow, is he really using his sword? Why is he flailing his shield like that!? I then try to hit his sword with my scythe only for it flying ever so easily.
"Alright, stop right there!" I grab his shoulder and make him stop on his track. Not only kid, but the rest of the students blinked at my sudden outburst. Glynda, on the other hand, simply showed a curious expression. "The hell you are doing kid?"
I angrily asked and used my legs to push Jaune's own feet a bit more apart, and used his hands to fix Jaune's posture.
"First of all, your stance is completely wrong. You put your body weight to high in the air. Open your leg wider and makes your body relax so center weight get closer to the ground." I walk away from him and grab his sword that is laying not far away from him. I hand it to him and make his grip tightly, raising the weapon in front of his chest.
After done correcting his stance, I back away a few steps.
"This way you'll have more balance and grip to the ground making it harder for you to fall." After making sure his stance is okay, I then proceed. "Now you are ready for some beating. Up!"
I dash toward him and swing my scythe at him, aiming his head. Out of instinct, Jaune positioned his sword upward, ready to block my strike. The impact push him backward a little but he successfully block it without losing his sword this time.
"Now that's better." I nodded; there's still hope for the kid, he is the descendant of him. I guess something like this run in the family. "Okay… let's try again. Down. Middle. Up. Middle. Up…."
For the next few minutes, it was filled with me sending barrage of attack to him. His stance is better, meaning his block is better as well. But I have to give it to the kid, he has a massive aura. It needs more time to depleted his aura to the red, not because he was holding off, but because his aura was.
"That is enough." Glynda proclaimed. "Mr. Arc, from now one please polishes more of your basic skill like stance and movement. There is too much opening and weakness from what you have shown."
"I don't know where you are come from Mr. Arc, but for the next few months please ask your partner there to improve you fighting prowess. You know what, Pyrrha Nikos, please help your partner here with whatever you think he need. You will know. That is all from me, Glynda?" I call out the redhead from the crowd, causing her to nod.
"Alright then, Mr. Arc, you can get back at your seat. We hope an improvement from you, thank you. Let's proceed to the next person, Mr. Winchester, please prepare yourself and come forward to the podium." Jaune Arc walk back toward his seat weakly, completely defeated by what just said toward him. You could even say he seems depressed but if that already affect him in a bad way, then he has no place in Beacon.
I narrowed my eyes critically at the predicament before me - an awkward-looking blonde teenager holding a sword and shield. It was another day of Glynda Goodwitch's combat class. It has been a month since the last assessment and right now Jaune Arc is fighting Cardin Winchester
Cardin Winchester with his weapon, The Executioner, which really weird name for a weapon, perched on his shoulder and Jaune Arc opposite him with Crocea Mors drawn, leaning on his weapon as if exhausted, in the spotlight shining on the Beacon Academy auditorium stage.
He looks at Cardin, who laughs at his opponent's tiredness, and Jaune gathers his strength to charge forward and swing his blade at Cardin, only for him to jump out of the way. Jaune looks back, surprised, as The Executioner sends Jaune's shield and the kids flying back. Now only armed with his sword, Jaune continued to try and attack, but is blocked by the mace's hilt. Their weapons locked, Cardin forces himself up, towering over a struggling Jaune.
The kid is cut short as Cardin knees him in the gut, making The Kid to drop his sword and fall to the ground in pain. Cardin raises his mace and is about to slam it down on a worried Jaune just when the buzzer rings, the lights come back on and Glynda voice causes him to stop.
"Cardin, that's enough!" Glynda turns her head to look at the losing warrior as he pulls out a smaller tablet with his low, blinking stats and that of his entire team. "Mr. Arc, it's been weeks now. Please try to refer to your Scroll during combat. Gauging your Aura will help you decide when it's appropriate to attack or when it is better to move to a more... defensive strategy."
Seems like the kid didn't improve at all, either he didn't try hard enough or he is just that bad. Our suspicious is true after all, from his first performance in the Emerald Forest I can immediately guess he is barely have any prior training. Forget utilizing his aura, he barely can hold his weapon correctly. How did the boy even get to Beacon in the first place?
I watch as the kid regroup with his teammates, drawing some laughter by that Nora. But this is not a laughter matter and looks like his other teammates realize this.
"Mr. Yussuf, would you mind accompanying me back to The Headmaster's Office? There is some talk I wish to held." Glynda approach me, sounding so serious. I know exactly what she want to talk about and why its has something to do with me.
"Sure." I nod at her and we immediately leave the room before walking pass the JNPR group. The for of them nod to show respect but only one of them is really looks nervous. Looks like he already realize his fate is coming to and end. Good, it will making it easier for him to swallow.
"Ozpin, I really think we should rethink about Mr. Arc situation!" Glynda storm into Ozpin's room while I just silently follow her from behind. I simply nod at him when his gaze fall on me, rather not ignore Glynda beast mode.
"What is the matter, if I may ask?" Ozpin didn't even flinch with Glynda sudden appearance. He just sit there, a cup of hot cocoa. Bastard, where did he get that? I look around the room and found a thermos on the table in the corner of the room. I'll let these two handle it while I enjoy myself.
"He haven't shown any progress, Ozpin. Not only his performance is on the level of newbie but in this one week, he haven't shown any improvement." Glynda yell at the man before realizing few seconds later she have increase her volume and basically scream at her boss. She cough several time into her hand. Not that she is more calm, just make it more appropriate as she usually does. "I still believe it'd be for the best if we have Mr. Arc to enroll again next year."
"While I agree that Mr. Arc performance haven't shown any improvement, that doesn't mean he have any talent." He looks at me with a faint smile in his face while I continue to pour the hot cocoa into my own cup. The expression on the old fart means that he has a crazy ide again and it all will fall on me. "Isn't that right, Mr. Yussuf?"
"Nope, don't you dare Ozpin!?" I point the metal thermos at him, ready to make it as an assault weapon.
"I believe you are the one most suitable to help Mr. Arc with his problem. After all-"
"Nope, let me stop you right there. He is bad, so bad. Even a baby would perform better than him in a combat situation." I sip the cocoa in my hand and continue.
"But you know him best. You kno-"
"I know his ancestor doesn't mean I know him. Heck, their name maybe similar but Jaune Arc is not Jeanu D'Arc." I keep pointing at him while I take a sit not far from the door. "Being a decedent of a hero doesn't mean you are a hero yourself. And you know Jeanu more than me, you should handle this problem then."
"How about this then, I will give you the access to my bank account for a few months."
"Did you really think that yo- Wait, few months?" The realization finally come to me and he only nod to my question, his faint smile still last on his face. Silent...… this can be a chance for me to let loose and goes crazy. I have been feeling a little guilty for keep asking money from Nicholas… "How many months are we talking here?"
"Take it 2 or 3 mont-"
"Make it 6 months and we have a deal."
"It is a deal then."
"Sir, are you sure this is a good idea?" Glynda finally speak once again after keeping her silence as we banter.
"It's okay Glynda, Yussuf is not that childish and have sel-"
"I'm gonna stop you right cause I'm gonna be frank, you better add another metode of income if you want to keep your bank account active." I smirk at him who froze in his sit. I gulp the rest of my cocoa before standing up and walk out of the room. "This is gonna be a good few months, Oz… A great and long months."