Okay, so it's going to be a 5 chapter arc instead of a 4 chapter arc. I ended up adding a lot more to this chapter than I intended to because I felt like I was rushing through the intro arc way too fast.
You could probably tell that by the last chapter, where I introduced a character and killed them within a span of 9000 words.
As such, I'd like to ask you guys for something I generally don't ask for
Input.
This chapter is a better idea of the pacing I want to push, taking more time to develop characters and threats than I usually do. I have the bad habit of speedrunning the more boring parts of my stories, and this chapter is an experiment in trying to give more time to characters and less to plot progression.
So please let me know if this kind of chapter makes the story more interesting to read, or whether you prefer the older, faster pace I write stories at.
Hell, if you like this kinda chapter more, you can even tell me to slow down further. Your input - for once - will be appreciated!
Also, I'm kinda surprised this story is doing as well as it is. This is more of a 'me' story, and I'm going to end up trying to include more themes that I like, like personal growth and self-forgiveness. Skipping the villain arc. (Think Vinland Saga/Vagabond/Sun Ken Rock)
Hopefully, once the story REALLY goes off the rails, you'll enjoy the chaos that I cook up!
The atmosphere was tense.
After burying DIamante and setting fire to a pile of Legion corpses, Jaune finally convinced Jade to return home. One hour, she'd sat at Diamante's grave, and another two were spent in silence at the table. Neither was willing to speak. One had lost a tutor, the only 'mentor' he had ever met in his life, and the other? She'd lost what little she had left of her family.
It wasn't till Jaune offered her a cup of coffee that she finally decided to speak.
"The Legion has to go." She started, her hate-filled gaze boring imaginary holes in the coffee cup in front of her.
"On that, we're both in agreement," Jaune spoke, pouring out a cup for himself. "But killing them all makes zero sense. They can't all be bad people."
Jade looked up at him, and he realized that try as he may, he couldn't meet her gaze. "They sit at the borders of our country and leech off us like parasites. They dug their graves, all I'm going to do is bury them."
Jaune took the seat across from her, still unable to meet her gaze. "A lot of them didn't have a choice. From what Diamante told me, the Legion is a home for those who were burned by their superiors, by the nation."
Jade scoffed. "They came here before I was ever born. Their 'grand plan' was to set up a new kingdom in the wastes west of here. Lau Ka Long even planned to conquer the Forbidden Continent once the excursion into the mountains failed. So much for that."
"Speaking of, even if you somehow manage to deal with the Legion, who - may I point out - are all trained huntsmen with multiple years of experience under their belt. What is your plan for Lau?"
Jade was silent, and for good reason. Lau was a legend whose name was plastered over Atlesian history books, the same as how Jaune's grandfather showed up in Valean books.
"Your invisibility is good. If you played your cards right, you could take out the Legion slowly, one by one." Jaune theorized. "Your weapon makes you excel as an assassin. One shot, one kill. It's pretty good in the ideal scenario, but the Legion are not amateurs. There's no way they're sending huntsmen out alone. You'll take out one, but if there's a single person in their team who can track well, that's it for you."
Jaune put down his cup, finally meeting her hate-filled gaze with a frown. "Under the worst case scenario, the person you shot at would have enough aura to live through your shot, and all that would happen is you giving up your life for nothing. No revenge, no higher cause, just an exercise in futility."
"And what of it? What do I have left?" Jade's voice wavered as she started to shed tears. "The frontier took my parents, the Legion took my grandfather, what do I have left?"
"Your life, for one," Jaune answered. "The intricacies of 'revenge' are something I'm learning to navigate myself." He sighed. "Before coming here, I thought I had a straight path to the future I wanted. Yet, I was betrayed. I was left out in the cold my entire life, and when I finally had something concrete, I was shafted because I trusted the wrong people."
"Still, I came here, and I found a mentor, the first mentor I've ever had. I found a confidante, a friend." His grip on his cup became painful as he choked out the words. "And I lost him. I wasn't fast enough, I wasn't strong enough. All this strength, yet I could do nothing. Trust me, I want to kill them too. I want to make them bleed, but I know that I need to be smarter. Even with all this power, I'm not infallible, and I'm not sure how I match up against a literal legend."
"He has an army. I can't protect Ingress from an Army." He breathed, unable to control the tears that threatened to fall. "If something happened to you, how would I ever be able to face your grandfather in the afterlife?"
"The blame isn't yours, Jaune," Jade spoke, her gaze softening as she reached out and cupped her hands over his own. "You coming here was a blessing. I've never seen da so… animated. There's life in Ingress because you were able to cull all the Grimm in our vicinity, else the town would've been lost once the turrets went down. You did the best you could."
"It's still not enough. I'm still not enough." Jaune spoke.
"You're no god, Jaune. It's okay." She finished, and for a minute, they both sat there in silence.
"I want to speak to Lau Ka Long." Jaune finally spoke. "I need to know why."
Jade was silent for a moment before she finally caved.
"I know where we can find him."
Thirty miles from Ingress is where they found Lau Ka Long.
It was a clearing between the conifers, easily the size of a stadium, covered completely in crudely made tombstones. Lines of said graves ran parallel to each other. There were hundreds of them.
All made by one person, who was in a corner, planting yet another.
Jaune was surprised by his appearance. He looked middle-aged at best, his body was well-built, and his hair was dirty blonde. He wore a light beige coat with a strip of black fur all around the collar and down the front. It was left unbuttoned, revealing his muscular chest. As they approached him, Jaune got a closer look at his facial features. Other than the short scar running from his right cheek to his lip, there was something odd that stood out.
He looked… familiar.
"You look familiar." Was all the man said, standing up to his full height. Even with the changes brought about by the system, Lau was both taller and far better built than him. His presence was what legends were made of. Just standing across him, Jaune felt pressured to capitulate.
It reminded him of his father.
This was a monster in the skin of a man.
"I could say the same about you, although I can't say why." Jaune countered.
"Well, I can. It's been decades since I last met an Arc, not since Julius's funeral." He spoke. "Though I have to admit, you're a spitting image of him when he was younger."
"I've been told that before." Jaune spoke. He still couldn't place it. Why did Lau look so familiar to him?
"Well, since you are here. Mind helping an old man out?" He motioned towards the gravestones lying in a pile. "My back isn't as good as it once was, you know."
Jaune was silent for a moment. "Sure, but where are the bodies?"
Lau shook his head. "In our business, you don't often get a body. This is merely symbolic," he spoke, lifting a gravestone and planting it into the ground with ease. "That doesn't make it any less important though. These men served under me. The least I can do is make sure their deaths are respected."
"A noble effort," Jaune spoke, letting some of his irritation seep into his voice. "Pretty sure you don't make these for the innocent men your people kill, do you now?"
He noticed Lau flinch for just a second at that. "Pray, tell me what you mean?"
"A team of yours ambushed a dust shipment from Atlas earlier today. After they got the dust, some of them ended up running into a friend of mine. " He spoke, not an ounce of emotion in his voice. "I didn't know you buried them, else I would've brought their mutilated corpses to you instead of setting them on fire."
Lau was silent for a moment as if lost in thought. "So that's where they got all that dust from." He whispered. Then, his gaze shifted to a tree at the edge of the clearing. "And I presume your 'friend' perished in the battle too, which is why Diamante's granddaughter currently has her rifle aimed at my head."
Jaune's blood ran cold. Jade had led him here, but he'd asked her to go back and wait for him. It was foolish of him to believe she'd leave him alone, but he'd assumed her Semblance would keep her safe.
He assumed wrong.
"Jade, please stand down." Jaune spoke. He heard the rustling of leaves, and Jade popped out of her invisibility, landing at the edge of the clearing. She walked over, her gaze locked on Lau.
"The little one's livid. She hates me." Lau spoke, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "So… my huntsmen ran afoul of Diamante then. You have my condolences."
"Your condolences won't bring him back." Jade stated.
"That…is sadly true." Lau spoke, and for a second, Jaune could have sworn he heard a tinge of regret in the man's voice. "I can onlu hope his spirit finds peace in the afterlife. He was a good man."
"It was your people that killed him," Jaune spoke.
"And he killed them in return. One life for over a dozen. Is the price not paid in full?" Lau asked.
"One innocent life trying to save a settlement cannot be compared to even a thousand parasites." Jaune countered. "Tell me, was it your order to hijack the dust?"
Lau shook his head. "I asked my huntsmen to gather dust for the second expedition. I left the methods of procurement up to their discretion." He sighed. "It seems some of them got… overzealous."
"Second expedition?" Jaune asked.
"To the mountains. The last time, we were weak, undermanned, unprepared. We won't make the same mistake twice." He answered. "We can't afford to."
"You'd break your peace with Ingress just so you can go for round two with whatever's up there?" Jaune questioned, and to his surprise, Lau laughed.
"Oh kid, it's not a matter of 'wanting' a round two. The Legion has grown past the cumulative purchasing power of these settlements. We're over two hundred strong. We need to expand, or we die." He answered.
"You could disband as well. That's an option. A safe option at that." Jaune offered. He expected Lau to be put off by the question, yet all the man did was wave him off with a cocky smile.
"It's not that easy kid. The Legion isn't just an army. It's an ideology." He stated, throwing his arms out wide. "It's a home to people who the kingdoms have done dirty. It's a reminder that even when betrayed and hurt by the nations we served, we're still strong together. It's an ideology based on survival, based on belonging."Nations have formed off weaker ideologies."
Jaune frowned. "That's your endgame? To claim the dust deposits in the mountains and build a nation around it?"
"Oh, child. You wound me." He chuckled. "The mountains are naturally defensible. With an endless supply of dust behind us, and an ever-growing army of huntsmen that can hunt, forage, and even grow enough food to be sustainable, we can fight against Atlas as long as we need."
"And disillusioned by Atlas's ability to take down a small militant group, you'll gain more recruits, who you will welcome with open arms." Jaune put two and two together. "But the mountains cannot hold a kingdom… you plan to colonize the forbidden continent…"
"And now you see the bigger picture. We failed in the mountains, and we failed in the forbidden continent. We were overconfident, there were thirty of us, and we were strong. Just, not strong enough." He spoke. "That creature in the mountains. It's no Grimm. Still, it bleeds, and hence, it can be killed."
"The…woman on the forbidden continent, however, is a problem for later." He finished.
"The woman?" Jaune asked.
"Our expedition to the forbidden continent was… short and brutal. We met a woman, and while she wasn't my match in combat, no matter how much I injured her, she simply refused to die." He answered. "I lost six good men to her. Next we meet, I'll pay back that debt twice over."
Jaune was silent for a moment. "So, between the immortal woman and the creature in the mountains, you've chosen the creature," he stated. "And what happens to the frontier settlements?"
Lau shrugged. "Well, they'll be stuck between us and the Atlesian forces. The smart will run, the smarter will join us. Those who don't? Well, life isn't easy in no-man's-land."
All emotion drained from Jaune's face. "So, you would sacrifice the settlements just so you can have your pretend kingdom?"
Lau laughed. "Kid, the only reason those settlements still stand is because we've been gracious enough to slaughter any Grimm that would come within miles of them. As far as they are concerned, they were doomed the moment my men decided to raid that Dust transport."
"What do you mean by that?" Jaune asked.
"Those automated dust carriers? They're super high security. I wouldn't be surprised if a team of Atlesian specialists decides to scope us out soon." He answered.
"The frontier settlements are a sign that everything is okay on the border, If they are threatened, then the peace of mind of the Atlesian populous is threatened. The Atlesian army will soon follow." Jaune connected the dots.
"Glad you have a brain in that little head of yours. As far as smarts go, you're definitely a cut above ol' Julius." He finished.
"So you'd sacrifice hundreds of people for your foolish dream?" Jaune asked, his hand reaching into his inventory to draw his sword.
Lau laughed. "Necessary sacrifices, kid. I'll be creating a new kingdom, one with access to the largest dust deposits we've ever seen. I'll be colonizing a new continent. A kingdom of Huntsmen, we'll be invincible!" he stopped, locking his gaze with Jaune. "It IS a foolish dream, but a real man ought to be a bit foolish, don't ya think?"
"You think we'll let you go ahead with this?" Jade spoke, the anger on her face had faded, replaced instead by a look of pure bafflement. "You're saying my grandfather died for this pipe dream of yours?"
Lau laughed again, hysterically so. He didn't stop for a good minute when he had to wipe the tears out of his eyes. "Oh, that's rich. Kid."
"What do you think two teenagers can do to stop us?"
Jaune's senses flared as Lau closed the gap. He could barely follow the man's movement. He lashed out, drawing Goliath's Ivory from his inventory. He could see the surprise in Lau's eyes, which was a problem in itself because that meant the hulk of a man was very much in his personal space.
Jaune didn't even see the punch coming.
Jaune had been hit by a Goliath's trunk before, and the Goliath had nothing on this man's strength. Jaune's swing did nick Lau's aura, but the fist was enough to send Jaune flying into the tree line.
He got up shakily, that one punch had cost him a good sixty per cent of his total Aura. The worst part was that he knew Lau wasn't trying.
If he was, then he would have grappled Jaune instead.
Even now, the man was simply dodging shots from Jade's rifle as he slowly walked towards her. The poor, terrified girl was backtracking.
Jaune couldn't allow that. Diamante would never forgive him.
He fired all six blades of Dies Irae at Lau. The man saw it coming, and his hands moved fast, deflecting each blade as it came. The blades landed in the snow around him, kicking up snow..
That was fine by Jaune, the blades were meant to be a distraction anyway. Activating Free Running and Domination, Jaune sent himself flying towards Lau. With Eyes of the Golden Emperor active, Jaune could see perfectly through the snow that surrounded Lau. With every possible advantage, he channelled his Aura into his blade, ready to unleash an Aura Blade from above. Only for Lau to sway out of the way at the last second.
It was at that moment that Jaune realized just why Lau felt familiar to him. He'd seen the same movement before, every week, in combat class. Admittedly, the version he'd seen was far less smooth, far less experienced, but compared to a legend's skill, of course, a Beacon student would be found lacking.
Lau Ka Long
Yang Xiao Long
It was his experience, having not only seen but having been on the receiving end of the coming attack before that saved Jaune's skin. As Lau's fist descended, the blades of Dies Irae flew up to intercept it.
"Oh? You've met someone from my old clan, I see." Lau spoke.
"Yeah, and as much of a bitch as you are, she's worse." Jaune quipped, swinging the still-charged Aura Blade at Lau's exposed sternum.
Lau tried to block, getting both his arms to cover his mid-section before the blade made contact. The attack landed, and in Jaune's mind, victory was sealed.
Till he realized that his Aura Blade, the same attack that could slice through an Alpha Sphinx's armored neck like a knife through butter, couldn't even make a dent in Lau's Aura.
The physical impact of the attack was still enough to throw Lau back a few dozen meters. He even regained footing perfectly. The patch of contact on his arms was smoking, and rather than looking angry, Lau looked intrigued.
"That was an impressive attack. I don't know what they're feeding you kids these days, but damn, you sure are a monster." He commented, shaking his arms. "Felt that to the bone, damn!"
Jaune was at a loss for words. That was his strongest attack, his trump card, and Lau just shook it off. He couldn't help but wonder just how much Aura that monster shaped like a man had.
Looking at his stunned visage, Lau laughed. "Oh, kid, little 'ol me didn't make it onto every history book worth reading just because of my charming looks," he spoke, a wistful smile on his face. "Your great-grandfather had a similar attack back in the day, except his version could cleave a mountain."
"I blocked that attack too, thrice."
Sheer pressure rolled off Lau as he allowed his Aura to manifest full-blast. The physical presence of his soul was both terrifying and beautiful. It was like the sun had descended onto the little graveyard.
A sun that shone as the heart of the Legion.
He walked up to Jaune, who was still unable to form a coherent sentence. "I have no ill will towards you, but like it or not, the Legion will press ahead with our plans. You couldn't stop us if you tried."
He then looked over to Jade, who was trembling, her legs were not moving. Her face was locked in a look of abject fear as she tried and failed to load a new magazine into her weapon.
"As for you, girl." He locked eyes with her, and his intensity mellowed slightly. "You have my apologies. Diamante - while not a friend - was a reliable associate to me. You may hate me for my hand in his death, but going up against us is suicidal. Leave Ingress and go to Atlas. Learn how to be a huntress and maybe - one day - I'll meet you again, be it as a new comrade or a mortal enemy."
"That's all the time I have for the two of you. Flee, save yourselves, and get out before you get caught between me and Atlas." he finished, walking out of the clearing.
And at that moment, Jaune knew weakness again.
They walked home in silence.
What was there to be said? They were a defeated duo. One who had become complacent in his newfound strength, and another who froze up in the face of her revenge.
They couldn't meet each other's eyes. Jaune had gone in expecting it to be somewhat of a challenge. Sure, Lau was a legend, but not one he'd ever heard of. Surely his great-grandfather's abilities were overblown? Cleaving a mountain?
From what Lau's Aura felt like, sustained carpet bombing wouldn't even dent it. He'd claimed to have blocked a mountain-cleaving strike thrice, and Jaune was inclined to believe him.
Meanwhile, Jade couldn't even muster the guts to look up.
It wasn't till they got back to the gates of Ingress that Jaune spoke.
"We need to talk to the Mayor." he whispered. "We need to warn them, tell them to vacate the settlement."
Jade didn't react for a moment, and Jaune was scared. Was Jade going to insist on staying? Was the experience of facing Lau not humbling enough for her?
When she finally locked eyes with him, he was surprised to see the shocked expression on her face.
"Yes! Mayor Ramos! Of course, he would know!" Jade exclaimed, breaking out in a run towards the Council building. Jaune ran after, catching up to her as she entered said building.
"Jade! Wait up! What do you mean?" Jaune asked as Jade walked straight past the unfazed receptionist into the Mayor's empty office.
"Mayor Ramos was one of da's friends from the war. He was one of the founding members of the legion. He left because of some ideological reason, but Lau never came for him. If there's any way to beat Lau, then he would know!" Jade answered.
"Jade. You saw what I saw. There's no cheat code to beating someone whose aura can light up an entire battlefield!" He answered.
Jade shook her head. "There's no way someone's aura can be that large naturally! You're already an anomaly with how tough your aura is. What we saw is impossible, even if he's some sort of legend!"
Jaune was about to deny her before he realized how much sense her words made. He'd seen the professors at Beacon. He'd been raised in a household of monsters. He'd sat in his great-grandfather's lap as a kid. None of them had Aura that could even match up with what Lau had shown.
"You… you might have a point. But what if he's just got a semblance that multiplies aura? He took my strongest attack and barely flinched!" He countered.
"That's why we need answers! Mayor Ramos has no love for the Legion. He's our best shot!" Jade answered.
"Even less now that I've heard what happened to Diamante. You have my condolences, Jade."
The man who walked in was no less ancient than Diamante. He was taller, yet he was well-built. His white beard was trimmed and well kept, and his hair was combed over. He had the presence of someone you didn't want to fuck with, masked under a look so cold it could freeze the desert.
"Mayor Ramos." Jade gave him a well-practised bow.
"Jade." He nodded once at her. "I'm glad you haven't gone ahead and done something stupid like assaulting the Legion home base." He walked over to a small bar and pulled out a bottle of whiskey. "Though going after Lau himself could be considered an even dumber move."
"We only wanted to talk to him. The escalation… there were other reasons for that." Jaune interjected.
Mayor Ramos finally looked over at Jaune, his eyes sizing up Jaune like he was preparing for a fight. Once satisfied, he sighed, pouring out a glass of whiskey for Jaune.
"Never thought I'd one day be sharing a drink with Julius' descendant. Brothers, looking at you brings back some memories." He commented, downing his glass in one shot.
"Believe me, sir. Earlier today, I thought I'd be ending My great-grandfather's lineage. I knew a legend would be tough, but he was beyond my wildest expectations." Jaune answered, sipping at his drink.
The Mayor's intensity dulled a bit as his frown eased up. "You wouldn't be the first. Every few years some jumped-up Atlas graduate decides they've got it in 'em to take on a legend. Some end up joining the Legion, most end up dead in the snow."
"You don't stop them?" Jaune asked.
"Like I didn't stop you? Yes. I did call them 'jumped-up' didn't I? Nothing I can say can persuade them. Most don't even make it to Lau. The Legion isn't lacking in talent even beside him."
That brought forth another realization. The Legion wasn't just Lau. It was an army. There were bound to be other huntsmen of great calibre in there. It wouldn't have lasted this long in the unforgiving tundra otherwise.
"You, though. I didn't stop you because Diamante himself said you had the best shot of beating him since Julius." Ramos continued, putting down his glass and glaring at Jaune.
"I can see it too. You're strong. You're smart. The fact that Lau didn't want to fight you for long proves that."
Jaune shrugged. "He took my best blow and came out unscathed. I think we weren't worth his time."
Ramos grunted. "Tell me everything that happened, kid."
And Jaune obliged.
"That's… troubling to hear," Ramos spoke. He'd downed three glasses of whiskey as Jaune recounted his meeting with Lau. "I knew Lau had designs for another expedition, but this goes far beyond anything I could have foreseen."
Jaune nodded back, "He's willing to risk open war with Atlas for the sake of his dream."
"Considering the nature of his semblance, it also explains why he was willing to let you go. Otherwise, just the fact that you're Julius' descendant would make him want to fight you more than anything else."
"He really hated my great-grandfather huh?" Jaune asked.
Ramos smiled at that, momentarily dispelling his hardass visage. "Oh son, you don't know the half of it. Lau was to Mantle what Julius was to Vale. They clashed thrice, and each time, Julius let him live. Lau even abandoned his clan when they switched sides just so he could keep fighting Julius. They were rivals, and after the war, they were friends."
"So he wants to fight me to rekindle some old-timey rivalry?" Jaune asked, surprise etched on his face.
"Nay, son. Lau's only equal on the field of battle was Julius. Yet, unlike him, Julius removed himself from the field of battle. He met a girl and settled down. Lau - on the other hand - couldn't do the same." Ramos sighed. "Julius was the only man who could challenge Lau and win. He wants that feeling again, to go into battle without knowing if he'll win."
"Of course, such a thing is hard to find. You know what it takes to be a legend, kid?" Ramos posed a question, one that Jaune should - by all rights - have an answer to. Ramos' gaze held expectation.
Jaune sat up straight, not cowed by Ramos' gaze. "Strength, empathy, and guts."
Ramos shook his head. "Those are the hallmarks of either a hero or a martyr. A legend is someone who has all those values in spades and also wins every genetic lottery possible. A perfect body for war, a perfect mind for strategy, and most importantly, a semblance so broken that once you learn how it works, all you can do is complain."
"You spoke earlier about the 'nature' of his semblance. I assume you know what it is that makes Lau so strong?" Jaune asked.
"Well, yes. He was pretty forthcoming with it. Everyone who served with him knew. It was - in some ways - a morale booster for the more patriotic members of his squad." Ramos leaned back, breathing in a deep sigh. For a second, it felt like that was all he'd give Jaune, but then, a look of determination passed over his face.
"We called his semblance "Soul Killer". If you die around him, a small part of both your aura and lifespan get added to his own." Ramos stated, and suddenly, it all made sense.
"That's why his aura was so massive…" Jaune commented, getting a nod from Ramos.
"Julius was the very opposite. His semblance was called 'The Emperor'. For every man that followed him, he gained power. While Lau's semblance only increased the total size of his aura, Julius' boost was all-encompassing. It wasn't till Lau gained enough aura to start utilizing it as a weapon that they were evenly matched." Ramos explained.
"Using aura as a weapon? Wait, do you mean something like this?" Jaune asked, drawing his sword and channelling Aura Blade.
Ramos observed it for a second. "That's… closer to Julius' 'Great Cleave' than Lau's 'Mandala'. I still remember his last fight with Julius. Lau was able to fire massive bolts of aura, cover himself in a burning cloak of light, and even manifest six gigantic arms to attack and defend for him."
"So, what's the downside of his Semblance?" Jaune questioned, and Ramon chuckled.
"Go on, guess. Your ancestor figured it out, and he was dumb as bricks." Ramon countered.
Jaune gave it a thought. Lau could store aura from dead comrades. He could also use his Aura as a weapon. What weakness could there be?
"Wait, if that aura isn't his own, would it regenerate like normal?" Jade piped in, and Jaune could swear he saw a prod smile flash on Ramos' face before it returned to normal.
"The apple doesn't land far from the tree, it seems. Diamante also knew of this weakness, and he figured it out before even I did." Ramos stated.
"The aura he stores isn't his. While his semblance allows him to use it, it isn't part of his soul. Every bit of it he uses, he cannot replenish till someone around him dies." Ramos shrugged. "It's only a weakness in theory. He has had the better part of a century to store up aura. I'd wager he's stronger now than he ever was during the war."
"Still, you're saying he can be beaten in a battle of attrition. If we can get rid of his cronies and attack him repeatedly, he can be brought down?" Jade questioned, her voice sounded desperate.
"In theory, yes," Ramos answered. "Though you'd be a fool to assume that such strategies haven't already been used against him. Yet, he's still alive."
"It also explains why he wasn't willing to waste any aura fighting me. He needs it all to face whatever monster sleeps in the mountains." Jaune added.
"You said you hit him with your best shot, and that's when he decided to call it, right?" Ramos asked, getting a nod from Jaune. "Then yes, you are correct. If your attack gave him pause, then he must have wasted a significant amount of aura to nullify it. Sure, he could have gone all-out and maybe even killed you, but the cost would have been astronomical."
Ramos huffed, "And he doesn't have much time. I got a call from Atlas a few hours ago. They're sending out a team of specialists to scope out the Legion base. The frontier will be a warzone in less than two weeks. Four if he goes out of his way to eliminate the specialists before they can report back."
"He knows the specialists are coming. There's no way he lets them live. He needs all the time he can get to prepare for the expedition." Jaune stated.
"We've got to warn them!" Jade shouted.
"We will warn them, and like all Atlesian specialists, they will ignore our warnings," Ramos explained. "Atlas isn't Mantle, and the leadership does not remember the war. To them, Lau is simply a relic of the past that helps them cut down on defense spending for the frontier. While the specialist team will avoid any confrontation, they are unlikely to run if Lau decides to fight them. He may be a storied legend, but he is also ancient."
"They will die!" Jade spoke.
"That they will, and it will be a catalyst for the war that Lau wants." Ramos finished.
"Goddammit! Is there no way to avoid this blasted war?" Jade yelled, her face locked in a rictus of anger.
"Theoretically, there is a way." Ramos glared at Jade, forcing her to sit back down with the sheer force of his presence.
"Theoretically, if a small team of the Legion was waylaid by 'Grimm', it would make Lau leave for the graveyard again. If in this short window, someone were to kill every member of the Legion, then Lau would have two options left. Fight or flight." Ramos explained.
"Take away his manpower, make his expedition an impossibility," Jaune added, getting a terse nod from Ramos. "We're talking about killing over two hundred trained huntsmen in the span of a few hours at best. Plus, Lau will know that the people who did it couldn't have gotten far, he'll chase after them till the end of time."
Ramos frowned. "For all his faults, Lau cares deeply for his soldiers. An action like this would put him on the warpath. He'd have his revenge, then disappear and set up somewhere else."
"And the cycle will begin anew," Jaune added. "That, and the first place he would check for his enemies is the frontier settlements."
"So, unless he's killed, there's no saving Ingress. We're doomed either way." Jade stated, her hands balling up into fists.
"To fight Lau, we need a Julius. We need someone who can take him down cleanly after dismantling his army." His gaze fell on Jaune. "While you're no Julius, Diamante believed you could go toe-to-toe with Lau. Why is that?"
Jaune shrugged, "If he had such faith in me, he never told me. He could be overestimating me?"
Jaune denial sent Ramos into a laugh. "Kid, Diamante's semblance was called 'danger sense'. He was able to accurately gauge someone's ability just by taking one look at them. If he said you could take on Lau, he meant it."
Jaune shook his head. "Maybe a few years into the future, yes. My…semblance, it allows me to grow endlessly from fights. Maybe in a year or two, I could amass enough strength to take on Lau. As of now? I could do some damage, force him to waste significant chunks of his aura, but it would be a suicide mission at best."
Ramos was silent. He crossed his arms and leaned back into his chair, his gaze locked on Jaune. "Growth from fights… that… might be even more broken than Lau or Julius. Is the growth permanent?"
Jaune nodded. "As far as I know, yes. It's a complete boost, but it happens in small steps. Initially, it was fast, but as I grow stronger, I need stronger opposition to keep up the pace of my growth."
Ramos cupped his chin, lost in thought. "Say, if I could hold back the specialist team for a week, how much could you grow?"
Jaune thought about it. He was at the frontier. While he'd cleared out most of the Grimm in the vicinity, the further west he went, the stronger the Grimm would get. While levelling would still be slow, he had…other avenues of growth.
He'd learnt Aura Blade via experimentation. If Lau could weaponize his soul, the system could do it too.
There was also the fact that his skills grew stronger the more he used them. The aura cost also dropped significantly as he got used to them. How far could this growth be taken? Could skills evolve?
His mind went back to the herd of Megoliaths he'd seen on his way to Ingress. He'd decided not to fight them. It wasn't safe enough. He could lose his life.
He'd taken a risk when he levelled up in the forest. Without risk, could he truly grow?
"Three weeks… I could grow exponentially in that time." Jaune answered.
"Could you grow enough to kill Lau?" Jade asked.
"That… that I do not know," Jaune answered. "It depends on certain factors outside my control. At worst, I'll become slightly stronger than I am currently. At best? Who knows?"
"You're cautious. That is good." Ramos spoke, refilling his glass. "Which leaves only one question."
'Will you do it?' - the unsaid question hung in the air. Ramos's face was unreadable. Jade's on the other hand…
There was a look of longing on her face, and Jaune could read it like a book. It wasn't the hatred that stemmed from revenge. It was desperation borne from the impossibility of saving her home. He was her only hope.
In his mind, he could barely equate this Jade to the emotionless Jade whom he had come to know during his brief time in Ingress. She had opened up, just as Diamante wished she would.
All it took was the old man's life.
"Jade," He spoke. "I'll do it on one condition."
Jade nodded, picking up her rifle. "Anything."
"After this is over, whether I live or die, you'll go to Atlas. I cannot let you stay here, this is no place for a child to grow up." He spoke.
Jade's eyes widened, "This is my home, Jaune! If I leave, who's going to keep it safe?"
Ramos coughed, drawing their attention. "We protected Ingress before you were but a twinkle in your parents' eyes, kid. We can keep it safe without you too."
"But it'll be safer if I'm here! Without the Legion we-"
"We'll learn to get off our asses and do what needs to be done." Ramos interrupted. "Ingress stood before the Legion arrived, and it will stand long after the Legion is dead and buried. A child like you should not rot in a place like this where old men come to die."
"That…I can't do that. Father's workshop is here. My home is here…" Jade whispered, on the verge of tears.
"Yes, they are. There's a workshop here, and there will be another in Atlas." Ramos spoke, his expression softening as he continued. "Jade, you've never met a child your age. You've been hunting since you could form coherent sentences. This isn't the life of a child. Diamante wouldn't want this."
"I don't care about what he wanted! He could have run when he realized what the Legion was doing! He could have come home safe!" She spoke, tears dropping from her eyes. "Why did he have to die for that madman's stupid dream?"
Jaune reached out and petted her head. She didn't object. "Diamante would never be able to forgive himself if he did that. He would never be able to face you if he did."
"He-he should have done it! It would have been better than this!" Jade seethed.
"It's too late for what-ifs, Jade. He made his call. Had he not gone out to find the transport, we'd have known of Lau's plan too late. We'd be dead either way." Ramos spoke as Jaune pulled Jade into a hug. "Listen to Jaune. He's right. You deserve a better life. For Diamante."
Jade responded by squeezing in closer to Jaune. Her tears wet the sleeve of his jacket, but he didn't care. She sobbed for what seemed like hours, as Ramos looked on with a pitiful expression on his face. She finally pushed away from Jaune, wiping her tears with the cuff of her jacket. She locked eyes with him, Puffy and red as they were, he could see her determination plain as day.
"Fine. I'll do it." Jade spoke. "But you're not going to die. You're my da's pupil. You're the only one I have left."
Jaune petted her head again. "I don't plan to die. I have to introduce you to my sister, and my nephew! I have a feeling you're going to love them!"
Getting a nod from her, Jaune stood up. He looked over to Ramos.
"How much time can you buy me?"
Winter was nervous.
Anyone who knew Winter would call bullshit on that, She was Atlas's best fighter. She had made Ace Ops right out of the academy. She had over thirty missions under her belt. Anything the world could throw at her, she had dealt with.
Winter Schnee didn't get nervous.
Yet a single name, uttered once in fear by her respected grandfather, had reared its ugly head once again.
Lau Ka Long, the dragon of Mantle. A hero of the great war, one who had been gathering a militia at the edge of the kingdom, had attacked multiple Atlesian dust transportation drones. The council was content with this man building up a base of strength for years, but attacking the dust supply was the final straw.
The man's name held power. While it is a well-known fact that the local propaganda machine was… rather loose when it came to giving old war heroes titles, the 'dragon of mantle' was a title given not by those of his own country, but instead by his enemies.
Of course, the council called him a relic, called him old and decrepit, but she could see through their lies. They couldn't afford to overestimate him. Their pride as a nation didn't allow them to see him as anything more than a minor nuisance, a relic of a forgotten past, trying to cling to dying vestiges of relevancy.
Winter knew better.
When she was but a child, she remembered her grandfather telling her war stories. Nicholas Schnee was a survivor. He'd faced the worst of the worst in the war and lived to tell the tale. He'd fought in the battle of Vytal, he'd stormed the plains of Solitas. He'd been there, done that, and was more than willing to tell stories of his exploits to this doting granddaughter.
Sometimes, he'd clam up. He'd be recounting a story from the war, regaling her with tales of bravery and valour, when the trauma would catch up to him. After all, for every great conquest, for every story of liberation, there were dozens of disasters, of bloodbaths that he'd never wish her to see in her life. Most of those stories began and ended with the same name.
Lau Ka Lung.
She looked around at her team. The journey to the frontier was a long one, and they had made themselves comfortable. Marrow, Vine, Elm, and Harriet were playing poker, while Clover - ever the gentleman - was sitting on his chair, staring out at the ever-changing snowy landscape below.
They didn't know what they were going to be up against.
Sure, in the best-case scenario, they'd be in and out in a day or two. The mission was simple. Go in, photograph the base, try and get a headcount of the 'Legion's numbers, identify any people of interest, and then exfil and report back to base. From there, a few bombing runs would take care of the dissenters.
Her motto, though, had always been 'Expect the best, prepare for the worst.'
And when faced with someone whose very name gave her late grandfather daytime terrors, she was expecting nothing but the worst.
For one, his actions didn't add up. After half a century of building a militia, why was it now that he'd decided to openly steal from Atlas, knowing that his actions could be construed as an act of war?
She couldn't claim to know any wartime legends. Sure she knew some remainders of the Human-Faunus war, but that war was more akin to a civil war. It was a war fought in small skirmishes, in guerilla assaults. There were no legends in a war built around civil ideologies. The only 'heroes' were those pacifist few that helped regain peace, however tenuous.
What she could say with complete surety was that Lau Ka Long was no fool. The only reason he'd so brazenly destroy Atlas property was because he believed he could take them on.
The council said it was an act of desperation, but that made no sense. A militia - no matter how small - could have easily gang-pressed the frontier settlements into forking over their dust supply. Sure, the result would be the same, but Atlas would no longer be involved.
It was a declaration of war, and Winter could not fathom why.
"Holy shit? Is that guy going to fight those Megoliath?"
Winter was brought out of her ruminations by Harriet's shout. She leaned over, looking out of her window, and on the ground, there was a blonde man - no, kid - standing in the path of the largest herd of Megoliath she'd ever seen.
"There's no way! That's suicidal!" yelled Elm, and she wasn't wrong. She quickly unbuckled her seat and made her way to the pilot's cockpit.
"We need to lower altitude. A kid is trying to commit suicide!" She yelled. The pilot gave her a nod of acknowledgement before the bullhead started to dip.
"No, look at him. That boy's prepared for this. He's no quitter." Vine interjected, his face glued to the window, and on a second glance, he was correct. The boy drew a longsword out of thin air and adopted a combat stance. Six triangular blades detached from his back, floating around them.
"Prepared for this? There are at least six alphas in that pack! We have to jump now!" Clover was distraught. Winter winced. As much as she trusted her leader, he was too nice. They were much too high to jump, even with perfect landing strategies, there's only so much force one's aura can absorb.
It was then that a golden flash lit up the world around them. Winter had to look away, lest she be blinded. What followed was the noise of something large and heavy crashing to the ground.
"H-how! What the fuck!" The ever-verbose Marrow yelled, pointing at the window like a monkey, and for once, his hype was justified.
Whatever the kid had done, it had cleaved through an Alpha Megoliath, cutting it into two clean halves, armour and all.
The kid didn't stop there. He steadied himself, and while Winter couldn't see his face from this distance, she could imagine the look on his face. The same look of confidence that had become her trademark.
Then, he moved.
She didn't even see it. The boy disappeared, appearing beside another Megoliath, this one not an alpha. His blade moved, gouging deep into the Megoliath's flank. The attack had barely ended, when it was followed by the appearance of a dozen other cuts, not inflicted by his sword, but just as deep. It shredded the Megoliath, showering the ground with its gore.
Another Megoliath ran at him. It couldn't even get close before the blades floating around the boy started raining golden hell on it. Bolt after bolt of explosive energy was rapid-fired at the Megoliath, vaporizing its armor and destroying its face, slumping it into the snow.
As the bullhead lowered, the kid's actions became more and more absurd. He was able to obliterate a Megoliath's face with a single punch. He was able to dodge a dozen attacks aimed at him, all the while slashing away at the monsters around him. His feet kept moving, perfectly dancing over the snow.
It was like watching art.
The back hatch of the bullhead opened, signalling that they were almost at jump height. They all crowded to the back to get a better view, fighting the cold polar winds without a second thought.
It wasn't until they had the view afforded by the opener hatch that they realized what he was doing.
"He's… corralling them into a line." Winter breathed out.
It wouldn't have been obvious from the ground, but from the skies, it was very noticeable. His satellite blades were breaking the ground around the Megoliaths, while he danced between them, dodging everything they threw at him. He was pushing them closer, taking advantage of their monstrous size to cut down their mobility.
As they jumped, they realized that he'd accomplished what he'd set out to do.
The boy practically teleported to one end of the 'line' he'd created, just far enough to be out of range of the Megoliaths. His blades came to rest in front of him, spreading out in a floral pattern.
He brought forth his blade, a pure white longsword that could put her own specially crafted blade to shame, and the world drowned in gold.
She realized, as orbs of gold coalesced at the tips of his blades and sword, that this boy was weaponizing his very soul.
As the orbs grew, interlinking arcs of gold appeared between them. The Megoliaths turned, realizing their quarry had retreated out of their reach, but it was too late.
A massive golden beam shot out, and everything in its path was glassed.
Dozens of Megoliaths, each powerful enough to give her a run for her money, acres of conifers, and even the snow-covered land in front of her, were disintegrated. The beam left a line of destruction in its wake, something even the greatest of Atlesian artillery couldn't accomplish.
All gone.
She used her glyphs to land lightly, right behind the boy. He was holding something in his hands. A mask. For a second, she considered drawing her blade, assuming the worst.
White Fang.
Yet, on a closer look, she realized the boy had zero animalistic features. The mask disappeared from the boy's hands, vanishing into thin air. Even his sword and blades were gone. The boy was trying to make sure he wasn't registered as a threat.
Had circumstances been different, she would have laughed. Sure, the Ace Ops of Atlas were some of the best huntsmen in business, but to her knowledge, there was no single huntsmen who could take out a herd of Megoliaths alone.
What did this boy have to fear? If he wanted, he could have shot them dead before they landed.
"Who are you?" She asked, and the boy turned. Just as she'd guessed, the boy was young. He couldn't have been much older than Weiss, yet here he was, killing settlement-crushing Grimm in the frontier, alone.
"Isn't it common courtesy to introduce yourself first?" He asked, yet, she could sense a hint of recognition in his expression… even some annoyance, if not hate. The fact that he didn't meet her eyes drove that fact home.
"I'm Clover Ebi, leader of the Atlesian Ace Operatives team. We've been dispatched to the frontier settlement of Ingress and were hoping for a guide." Clover spoke, walking forward. He still had an awestruck expression on his face, and she couldn't blame him for it.
"...Jaune." The boy answered, and Winter's mind blanked.
Jaune Arc
The Jaune Arc her sister mentioned.
The same Jaune Arc who was expelled from Beacon for having forged transcripts.
The very same Jaune Arc whose face was plastered all over the news as a testament to corruption within Beacon.
"Like… the expelled dude?" Marrow chimed in, and for his efforts, he got a blank look from Arc.
"Yes, the very same. So I made the news huh? Didn't think I'd get my five minutes of fame this early in my career." Jaune answered.
"... weren't you supposed to be a liability to your team's safety?" Harriet commented, pointing at the mile-long scar he'd left on the earth behind him. "Since when do liabilities do that?"
"Since Beacon decided a piece of paper is more important to them than a student's potential." He deadpanned. He looked back over to Clover, who was still awaiting an answer.
"Ingress is three days away that way if you're going by foot," Jaune answered. "Though I'm pretty sure your bullhead can take you there faster."
Clover chuckled nervously, "Ah, about that. The Bullhead won't be back for a while. It was only supposed to drop us off. There aren't any refueling stations nearby and they do have to make a round trip."
He wasn't lying. Bullheads expended an incredible amount of fuel in hover mode, and even more to land and takeoff. There was no way the bullhead could land, pick them off, have them jump off at Ingress, and then make the trip back without refuelling.
"Tragic." Jaune monotoned. "Well, I hope you're accustomed to walking. I don't think you're likely to run into any Grimm on the way back. I think I got them all" He pushed back his hair as he spoke, and Winter was forced to reckon with the fact that the same Jaune whom Weiss had called a 'lying loser' was one of the most gorgeous men she'd ever seen.
Hell, Elm was a lesbian, and even she was admiring the goods. Harriet was practically ogling the boy.
Still, it made no sense why Weiss would lie to her about someone as tangential to her existence as Jaune Arc. He looked very average in the photos the media plastered all over the internet as well.
She could see the similarities as well. He was essentially the same boy, just… more 'perfect'.
No! Bad Winter!
"I was hoping you could guide us there." Clover pressed.
"Just follow the trail. You all look trained enough. I'm on a bit of a time crunch." He spoke, and Winter noticed that while he was confident enough to match gazes with all her teammates, even maintaining an amiable visage, he was trying his best to avoid her.
"Didn't you just say you've 'got' all the Grimm around here?" Winter stated. "I'm sure it would weigh on your conscience to just leave us out here, cold and alone?"
Jaune finally locked eyes with her, and this time, his irritation was far more pronounced. "I don't hold any obligation to help a suspicious, armed group of people who just dropped out of the sky, do I?"
It was certain, the boy had something against her, or her family. Again, an image of the mask he was holding when she found her flashed through her mind before she remembered something she'd forgotten.
Weiss was rather… proud of her involvement in getting him expelled.
…her stupid sister had brought her the ire of a monster like this just because they looked similar.
She considered setting the record straight. Her sister's misguided actions had nothing to do with her, yet, could she say that she wouldn't have done the same as Weiss? Capabilities notwithstanding, the boy had lied his way into the most prestigious Huntsman Academy on Remnant.
That said, she was a realist. Any nation would bend over backwards for a huntsman that powerful. Considering she'd met the 'best and brightest' huntsman in Ozpin's employ, she knew for a fact that the crusty drunk couldn't hold a candle to the boy in front of her.
Jaune proved to be a lot more perceptive than she gave him credit for. After his initial bout of irritation subsided, he did face her.
"You're Weiss' prized sister, aren't you?" He asked. "She never shut up about you back in Beacon. I can see why."
Winter nodded. "Winter Schnee, at your service. I hope the bad impression Weiss left on you won't be a cause of concern for us?"
Jaune chuckled. "I fail to see how a little resentment and awkwardness would be a concern for you."
Completely ignoring the fact that he wasn't even winded after blowing up miles of land.
"Let's just say that my sister's views are not my own, and while I don't condone entering a huntsman academy with falsified records, I'm not blind enough to not see value when it so blatantly presents itself." She spoke, taking a slight bow, which made Jaune smile.
She felt her heart skip a beat. How could someone be that gorgeous?
"Okay, I feel I'm missing a lot of context, but can we please hurry on? I'm freezing out here!" Harriet chimed in.
"Mr Arc, we could use your help. When we saw you fight the Goliaths, we had to change the course of our missions because we assumed you'd need help." Clover reasoned. "We don't have the resources or the know-how to brave the frontier for three days."
It was a bold-faced lie, but a necessary one. An anomaly like Jaune Arc would be of great interest to Atlas, and every one of them knew it.
Jaune didn't respond for a moment, lost in thought. Finally, he sighed, crossing his arms in front of his chest. "Fine, but we're going to make the journey in a day. I hope you all can move fast in the snow because I'm not going to slow down for any stragglers."
"We appreciate it!" Clover replied
As they broke into a run following Jaune, Winter still didn't understand one thing. The media reports showcased recordings of Jaune's failures in first-year combat classes. He was untrained, unskilled, and weak.
What kind of person goes from that to this in a matter of months?
She wanted answers, and as she tried her level best to keep up with the blonde blur running ahead of her, she resolved that she'd have the answers she wanted.
No matter what it took.
Well, canon characters have been introduced! if you're getting tired of OCs, don't worry, they're just to set up an intro arc away from the main story. Most - if not all - of the main story will revolve around canon characters.
Anyway, I wrote what all I needed to in the intro at the top. Hoping for some good feedback!
-Cold Daylight