chapter 4:The bird hunter

This story is a work of fanfiction based on the RWBY series. I do not own the copyright to the original series mentioned. This work of fiction has been created in order to explore the vast possibilities of the imagination and, above all, provide entertainment. I hope you find pleasure in reading it.

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When you come across enemies you didn't even know existed, it's like a bucket of cold water falls on you. You have two options: either you get your act together and face this new rival without throwing in the towel, or you focus on the usual enemies and ignore the new ones, because after all, they have been there in the shadows for a long time.

But what if your role in life is to fight against the evils of humanity? For hunters, dealing with the Grimm is already risking their necks. And it's not that the Grimm are just a bunch, which would be quite annoying, but that they are varied, each with their own way of being dangerous... I would love to say that those differences between those beasts are just that, but the truth is The thing is that some are so bad that there is no hunter training that is worth it, it is impossible to kill them alone.

So what's all this about? Well, it's like saying that the world of Remnant is a really fucked up place to live. Humanity has always been on a tightrope, since it began to take its first steps as a civilization. If you look at the big picture, you realize that humanity has had a lot of dogs.

For teams RWBY and JNPR, this is the harsh reality they have assumed, even if unintentionally. They chose to be hunters to protect the innocent from these creatures of hell, they have spent their lives training for this, they knew what they were getting into.

But in... how long did this video last?... 5 hours, yes, in those 5 hours that were spent gossiping about the private life of someone who they believed was a colleague, a loudmouth, a cheap wrestler, a singer of shower and, well, I've said it before but it's worth repeating, an idiot, all it took was that for them to realize that there are hidden enemies in Remnant

Weiss was in shock, blinking as if she expected that when she opened her eyes everything would be different.— "Girls, this has to be a dream, right? Tell me it's not real, that it's just a nightmare from having had a heavy dinner and now I imagine Jaune as a megalomaniac with a desire to control the masses and who also hunts vampires."

But Yang, with a seriousness that was not seen even in the exams, dropped the bomb: —"This is real, Weiss."

—"hahahaha!" ,Nora let out a laugh that echoed in the room. Even to her, the idea of hidden vampires sounded like a B-movie script.

Blake, who didn't stop moving from one place to another, was trying to bring some sanity,—"Better to take it with humor than to start shaking. But this isn't cool at all, Jaune isn't crazy. I was planning to teach him a good lesson for nonsense", that he did in Menagerie, but now it turns out that what he was looking for there could be true.

Ruby, eyes wide, jumped in with her theory,—"We should arm ourselves with crucifixes and stakes, it's not out of fear, but in the video Jaune found a nest with hundreds of vampires. If vampires exist,...who "Does she say there are no elves? Would that explain why she always found the cookie jar empty when she was little?"

Yang, with a mix of guilt and shame, scratched the back of her neck,—"Uh...the truth is, I was the one who ate your cookies, Ruby. I'm sorry, I never wanted to admit it."

—"Yang!" ,Ruby couldn't believe it, she was amazed to discover that the mystery of the missing cookies from her childhood had such a simple explanation.

Ren, with a seriousness that belied the situation, said,—"We need garlic, holy water, a kilo of meat with its good mixture of fat and lean, basil, tomato paste, noodles and mozzarella cheese" .Everyone stared at him, waiting for him to say something else.

—"The ideal is for the water to be blessed by an archbishop. If you eat this recipe three days in a row before facing a vampire, you become immune to becoming one of them, and on top of that, the vampire becomes intoxicated. But be careful,— "This only goes for second-rate vampires".Ren finished, closing Jaune's journal.

—"And the holy water? Does it have to be from any particular religion?" ,Pyrrha was trying to understand the logic behind all of that.

—"According to this, any holy water is fine, no matter the religion" ,Ren explained.

—"And what else does it say there?", Nora was intrigued, she wanted to know all the tricks to be immune to vampires, and Jaune seemed to know a lot about the supernatural.

—"That vampires are quite intense in their relationships... and not just emotionally" ,Ren said, and when he turned the page of the diary, he showed a drawing that made everyone blush and look away.

—"Yuck! How disgusting! Why is it so well drawn?!" , Weiss couldn't believe what he saw.

—"And that tongue? Why is it so long?", Yang couldn't take her eyes off the drawing, fascinated and horrified in equal measure.

—"Okay, let's leave the topic. Vampires are real and scary, but what I want is to see how Jaune managed to get out of that cave full of vampires",exclaimed Ruby, who despite her fear, couldn't contain her curious to know how his friend had survived.

—"Well, he managed to escape," Weiss said, with an expression that left no room for doubt.

—"That's clear, in the video it seems that he is about six or seven years old. What was he going to do? Face them? At that age he would barely be starting his training as a hunter, he would be as weak as any child," Yang commented with a smile, pointing out the obvious. Even she, at that age, would not have dared to confront anyone who was clearly above her level, including civilians.

Weiss, with that determination that characterizes her, sat back in her seat and pressed play. They were all glued to the screen, waiting to see Jaune's next move.

—Inside the video—

Jaune Arc, with that surprised face that made him look younger than he was, couldn't help but smile. The tension in the atmosphere was cut with a knife, but he transformed it into something similar to the excitement you feel when you enter a roller coaster.

— "Wow, what is this? A horror amusement park? Don't tell me I have to pay an entrance fee on top of that ," Jaune joked, trying to lighten the atmosphere. The vampire who had brought him didn't say a word, but that didn't take the smile off the boy's face.

In a subtle movement, almost as if it were a magic trick, Jaune slipped his left hand under his camouflage cloak and grabbed a ring. He handled it deftly between his fingers and placed it on his ring finger, like someone preparing for a final trick.

—"I didn't imagine my day would end like this, to be honest. I thought I would have you between a rock and a hard place, but this... this is another level," he told the vampire, keeping the calm in his voice.

But inside, Jaune was a whirlwind of thoughts, his brain working at a mile an hour. He scanned every corner of the cave, every shadow, looking for a way out, an escape. It was as if he were playing chess with death, and every move had to be calculated to the millimeter.

The vampire woman's voice echoed through the cavernous space, her stern tone and enigmatic beauty imposing a reverential silence.

— "Bartholomé, what reason leads you to bring a human to our sacred sanctuary?" ,he asked from the top of his throne in the castle, his presence as imposing as the night itself.

Despite the distance, his voice was projected with crystalline clarity, as if the very walls of the cave were his faithful speakers, carrying his command to every shadowy corner.

Bartholomew, with a deference he had not shown before, bowed before his queen. — "The gossip of a hunter is whispered, a shadow among the trees, whose traps have been the end of many of our people. And most intriguing, his hunt seems to focus on our lineage," he revealed with a voice that exuded respect. almost palpable.

Jaune, for his part, was immersed in his own thoughts, a sea of doubts and conjectures. — "How curious ," he said under his breath, — "my traps, activated but empty. Have vampires learned to outwit them?"

In the vast immensity of the cave, Jaune's surprise unfolded like an ancient scroll, revealing a labyrinth of unknowns and uncharted paths.

— "It's true, I had heard rumors of a bold being, a human who dared to challenge our eternal existence. My curiosity was piqued, I wanted to see with my own eyes the one who wove such deadly traps. But what a disappointment, what a disappointment, that no be more than a child," expressed the young man, who seemed to be the scion of the royal couple, his voice distilling a mixture of disdain and surprise.

Jaune, with an unexpected fire in his voice, replied,— "Forgive me if I do not live up to your expectations. I may be no more than an apprentice in your immortal game now, but give me time. When I return, I will be the master of this board, the supreme hunter who will not be underestimated."

The silence that followed was broken by the voice of what seemed to be the ruler of those beings of the night, the Monarch of the vampires. With a voice that resonated like an echo across the millennia, he spoke, —"A vampire hunter, after a thousand years, you set foot in our domain again. In ancient times, your species was as rare as the shooting stars in the me, young hunter, of what noble and brave line are you descended?"

With a bow that denoted respect and a hint of cunning, Jaune bowed his knee and lowered his head, only to raise his gaze towards the majesty of the castle that stood before him. — "My apologies for the lack of courtesy, lord of the eternal night. My name is Carlo Magno, and I must clarify that I do not belong to any lineage of vampire hunters. My presence here is the result of chance, since my intention was to hunt partridges in the forest. If in my ignorance I have hurt any of your subjects, I offer my most sincere apologies " ,Jaune expressed with a humility that bordered on theatricality.

The lady with hair as dark as the night itself, whose beauty was as severe as her expression, replied with a voice that seemed to carve each word in the air. —"Do you hunt partridges, even at this hour of the night?" Her face, already imposing, hardened even more, like steel tempered in the flames of suspicion.

— "My story is that of an orphan, a lonely soul who lost his home at the hands of the Grimm. Hunting is my only means of living, and fortune has not been my ally. I could not afford to return from the forest with my bare hands. empty, for hunger is a cruel companion," Jaune confessed, his voice loaded with a sincerity that seemed to emanate directly from his heart, which we know was a lie.

The woman's response was a whisper that hung in the air, a smile that for an instant flashed with malice .—"What a tragic tale, young hunter. I perceive the truth in your words; there is no deceit in your voice."

Jaune, with a boldness that defied his precarious situation, responded with charming boldness. —"Your beauty, lady, and the melody of your voice make my heart beat with an unknown force. I beg you to forgive me for my impertinence, but I implore you to remain silent, for I fear that your voice will condemn me to a sweet dependence," he declared, his tone infused with a poetry that sought to appease the beings of darkness.

The crowd of vampires, with their eyes open like full moons, reflected a mixture of amazement and admiration, even Bartholomew could not hide his impression at the young man's recklessness.

The vampire lady's laughter, light as the wind through the leaves, filled every corner of the cave .—"Oh, what a charming young woman. Do you think I am beautiful?"

— "You surpass any other lady in these lands in beauty," Jaune responded with conviction.

— "What words could you offer that have already been whispered by others?" the vampiric monarch inquired, her voice a whisper of seduction.

The two males at his side remained silent, observing the scene with imperturbable calm, although the younger one showed signs of irritation.

—"I imagine that many have tried to win your favor, showering you with unimaginable gifts and promises of eternal love. But your hair, black as the cloak of night, hides the secrets of the wicked, and your eyes, dark as obsidian, are unfathomable abysses, so complex and deep that they defy all understanding " ,Jaune continued, his voice rising in a crescendo of praise.

—"Go on, what else do you have for me?" the woman insisted, her interest stoked by the hunter's words.

Jaune, whose smile was a mask that hid his restlessness, took a deep breath, searching the depths of his wit.— "Your mouth, lady, is like the most exquisite fruit of Eden, whose crimson lips promise sweetness in every kiss. But they are like distant stars to me, beautiful and desirable, yet eternally out of reach," he said with a mixture of admiration and resignation.

—"Go on, don't stop," the woman encouraged, clearly delighting in the boy's play on words.

Jaune, finding courage in his own performance, continued. —"Your laughter is the melody I would like to hear at dawn, the sound that could make the sun rise with envy. Your gaze has the power to stop time, each blink is a century, each wink an era. And your skin , softer than the velvet of the night, is the canvas where the moon and the stars wish to leave their mark.

—out of the video—

the scene was a mix of disbelief and amusement. Yang, with a raised eyebrow and a smile that teetered on the edge of laughter, couldn't help but express her astonishment, — "What's going on here? Is Jaune trying to seduce a vampire?"

Nora, with a spark of amusement in her eyes, compared the situation to Jaune's clumsy attempts with Weiss,— "It's like we're seeing Jaune in conqueror mode, but this time in premium version. Now this is flirting with style!".

Blake, equally impressed, couldn't help but make a pointed observation, —"Wow, with Weiss it's just pretty words, but this... this is poetry. It almost seems like with Weiss she doesn't try as hard, as if it were a rehearsal for the teacher. great act."

Pyrrha, struggling to remain serious amidst so much suppressed laughter, tried to analyze Jaune's strategy,—"Heh, I think I get what Jaune is trying. He wants to gain the vampire queen's favor to get out of this. It's not the most sensible tactic. brilliant, but it has its logic."

Ren, observing the vampire's reaction, could not hide his impression, —"It seems to be working for her. Look at her expression, she is totally bewitched by Jaune's words."

Nora, with a disappointed pout, expressed her desire for action,— "What a scam! I wanted to see a battle, not a talk. I demand a fight!"

Ruby, impressed by her friend's skill, reflected on the situation,—"Maybe it's better this way. Jaune is only 7 years old in this video. It's amazing how he handles the situation without needing to fight the supernatural."

Weiss, in a tone that bordered on jealousy more than disgust, murmured with a wry smile,— "It's surprising how convincing he can be. There he is, flirting with a woman who's been around for millennia, and she falls for him. How easy".

—Inside the video—

The tension was palpable in the air, like a dense, electric fog. The congregation of vampires, sunk in stony silence, was captivated by the verbal duel unfolding before them. Bartholomew, an ancient being who had witnessed the incessant turning of the celestial cycles, could not hide his amazement at the audacity of the young human who dared to defy eternity with his mere presence.

The vampire lady, whose smile was a glint of malice in the gloom, issued a veiled challenge. —"Oh, young hunter of birds and dreams, your words distill the essence of the oldest wine, intoxicating and full of veiled promises. But tell me, if you had in your hands the power to touch the untouchable, what would you do with such a gift? ".

Jaune, feeling the game of seduction intensify into a dangerous dance, responded with a confidence that seemed to well up from the depths of his being. —"If such power were granted to me, my lady, I would seek the wisdom to discern the appropriate moment to exercise it. For there are beauties in this world that must be contemplated from a distance, like a lighthouse in the storm, and yours, undoubtedly, It is one of those eternal flames that illuminate but can also devour.

The vampiric monarch, now completely enchanted by the poetry flowing from Jaune's lips, leaned forward with a grace that defied gravity. —"So, young hunter, do you define yourself as a poet or as a warrior? Your words are a double-edged sword, they cut the air with the precision of a sword and caress the soul with the delicacy of a petal."

Jaune, with a bow that reflected both respect and cunning, concluded his masterstroke. —"I am neither a warrior nor a poet, my lady. I carry no weapons in my body, nor verses in my spirit. But at this moment, my struggle is with the word, my combat is to obtain your approval, if only for a ephemeral flicker in the immensity of your immortal existence."

A silence thick as darkness itself hung over the cavern, each sigh seemed to be devoured by the expectation that filled the air. All those present, with their gazes fixed on the figure of the vampire sovereign, awaited with bated breath her verdict in response to the young hunter's bold words.

—"You have a skill with words that defies age, a tact worthy of a knight of yesteryear. You are an enigma, an unusual child... Tell me, has my beauty captivated you?" asked the monarch vampiric, again, her voice tinged with seduction and her laughter resonating with an echo that seemed to caress the walls of the cave.

—"To an extent that no other could reach," Jaune responded with a certainty that seemed unwavering.

—"Do you long for me?" she asked, her curiosity palpable in the charged air of the cavern.

—"Since the moment our paths crossed," Jaune confessed, his voice a firm, sure murmur.

—"Describe the beat of your heart," the vampire challenged.

—"Roars with the force of an engine at its maximum splendor," declared Jaune, although his heart revealed a calm that contradicted his words.

The monarch's laughter, previously light and flirtatious, gradually transformed into a mischievous, malevolent, and downright cruel expression. — "How peculiar, because I don't perceive that frenzy in your pulse."

Jaune, allowing his mask of calm to fade for a moment, opted for silence, maintaining his composure.

—"Your heart beats with the serenity of a clock, not with the fury of an engine. I do not detect falsehood in your words, but the eyes can deceive, the body can simulate sincerity, and the voice can imitate nervousness, but the heart ...the heart does not lie. You are an exceptional liar, Carlo Magno. You could have fooled anyone, but I hear your heartbeat; you are calm in a situation that should terrify you," the vampire monarch revealed with a malicious smile, having discovered Jaune's lies.

— "I should have imagined that vampires possess abilities beyond my understanding, but discerning the truth... that is something I did not anticipate ," Jaune admitted, standing up, his expression a mix of amusement and fear.

—"Do not grieve, child. Even my subjects could not discern the truth in you, but I do not allow myself to be seduced by flattery. Among all vampires, my husband, my son and I are unique, we are above," said the woman with a coldness that cut like the winter wind.

— "I guess they won't let me go." Jaune concluded, his voice resigned from him.

—"Your assumption is correct, child," the monarch stated with authority.

—Out of video—

The tension in the room was palpable, like a violin string stretched to maximum tension. The girls, with their eyes glued to the screen, had believed that Jaune had everything under control, that he could get around the situation without resorting to violence. However, the cunning of the vampire monarch had exceeded her expectations, something that, given its millennia of antiquity, should have been foreseeable.

—"It's incredible, she can discern heartbeats from such a distance, that's really impressive," Ruby commented, her voice filled with awe and a touch of fear.

Weiss nodded, her face reflecting admiration and concern. — "And his intelligence... deducing that someone is lying simply by listening to the rhythm of his heart is something worthy of note."

Yang, anxiety marked in her voice, wondered aloud, —"What is Jaune going to do now to escape this?"

—Inside the video—

The scene became gloomy.— "Bartholomé, finish off the child ," the vampire monarch ordered with a coldness that chilled the blood.

Bartholomew, with a speed that defied human perception, positioned himself behind Jaune, crouching down and holding him by the head, preparing to sink his fangs into the boy's neck.

—Out of video—

Pyrrha put a hand over her mouth, unable to contain her shock. The image of that grown man holding Jaune, still a child, and biting his neck was a vision of pure horror.— "Oh, no..."

Ruby screamed Jaune's name, her voice heavy with stress and fear. She couldn't stand seeing her friend, or anyone, in danger.

Nora, with a mix of confusion and fear, posed the question on everyone's mind,— "Fearless leader! ...If Jaune was bitten by a vampire as a child and is here with us, does that mean... .?"

Ren responded, his logic trying to make sense of the situation. —"That Jaune is a vampire. But that doesn't make sense; we've seen him under the sun and he doesn't burn."

Yang joked, trying to lighten the mood. —"Maybe, like in those Twilight movies, vampires glow instead of burning."

Weiss expressed her confusion logically and cautiously, —"I've never seen Jaune shine in the sun. If he really was bitten by a vampire as a child and is still among us, there are too many loose ends that need explaining."

Blake, with a hint of sarcasm, questioned the reality of popular fictions,— "Are you implying that the Twilight movies could be real?"

—Inside the video—

The cave was filled with tension that could be cut with a knife. Everyone expected a cry of pain from the child, but instead, only an annoyed expression was seen, as if the act of biting was simply uncomfortable and not painful.

Surprise washed over everyone when the boy did not bleed and Bartholomew stepped back with a growl of frustration, his face reflecting pure astonishment.

—"What's wrong, Bartholomew? Why is the child still breathing?" asked the vampire monarch, her voice tinged with disbelief.

—"My lady Beatriz, her skin is impenetrable ," Bartolomé responded, his voice full of bewilderment.

Astonishment spread like a wave among the vampires in the cave. How was it possible for human skin to resist a vampire's bite?

Jaune, with a cunning that belied his age, discreetly reached through his clothes for a wooden stake.

The vampire monarch, impatient, ordered,— "It doesn't matter how, but finish him off."

Bartholomew, with a speed that defied sight, struck the boy, sending him flying meters away until he hit a rock, creating a deep crack in its surface before falling to the ground. Such an impact should have been lethal to a human, especially a child.

However, to everyone's surprise, the boy slowly got up, shaking the dust off his back with a grimace of pain.

—"Idiot, I'm going to call child protective services. Although, I'm not sure how that law would apply to vampires, technically they're not humans. Do you have laws or something?" Jaune asked, his tone casually defying the gravity of the situation, as his eyes scanned the cave for an escape route, needing only a distraction to flee.

—Out of video—

Weiss, with a mixture of disbelief and concern, could not understand how Jaune had withstood such a devastating impact.— "This defies all logic! How could he have survived that blow?" .The surprise in her voice was palpable; The young Jaune seemed immune to an attack that would have left any hunter unconscious, but he stood up as if from a light push.

Yang, with an exclamation full of astonishment and confusion, questioned the reality of what her eyes saw.— "How is it possible that that vampire's fangs have not pierced her skin?! It's unheard of!"

Blake, watching the scene with eyes widened in shock, couldn't believe Jaune's supernatural stamina. —"The force of that blow should have been enough to decapitate him; this is beyond impossible."

Nora, known for her optimism and energy, also had to admit that what they were witnessing was inexplicable.—"Even to me, this is a total mystery."

Ren, always the strategist and thinker of the group, expressed his bewilderment at the abnormality of the situation. —"At only 7 years old, how was Jaune able to withstand such an impact? This is not typical of a normal child."

Pyrrha, silently reflecting, remembered her first encounter with Jaune, who back then lacked an aura. — "It's impossible... When I met Jaune, he was a civilian with no aura training. How could he even stand up after that? A blow of that magnitude should have been lethal."

—Inside the video—

The action intensified. Bartholomew, with the speed of lightning, launched a fist with the intention of impaling Jaune's head, but the boy, with agility that defied his age, dodged the attack, causing the rock behind him to disintegrate as if it were made of clay.

The vampiric monarchs, from their perch in the castle, watched with a mixture of surprise and curiosity. This child, who was nothing more than an ordinary human, was displaying stamina and agility that defied explanation. He was not a Grimm Slayer, and at his age, he would be barely learning the basics of aura, which would make him indistinguishable from an ordinary civilian.

Yet there he was, dodging every blow, kick, and claw from Bartholomew with a skill that perplexed everyone present.

Bartholomew, frustrated by the boy's evasiveness, grabbed him by the camouflage blanket, lifting him into the air and throwing him against another rock. Then, with a force that seemed capable of moving mountains, he lunged towards Jaune, intending to deliver a direct blow to the chest that would surely pierce the young man.

In an unexpected turn of the battle, Jaune, with the agility of a feline and the cunning of a veteran warrior, dodged Bartholomew's fatal blow.

The difference in size between them was abysmal, but Jaune knew that their advantage lay in intelligence and strategy.

With a movement that defied the strength expected of a child, he struck Bartholomew's knee, forcing him to kneel before him, thus leveling the battlefield.

With lightning speed, Jaune pulled out a wooden stake that he had hidden in his clothes. Without an ounce of hesitation, he lunged forward and drove the stake into Bartholomew's chest with surgical precision.

He jumped away, watching the consequences of his action with a mixture of surprise and relief.

Uncertainty had accompanied him until that moment; legends and ancient books were the only reference to him in this fight against a creature of the night, and there was no guarantee that the myths would align with reality.

However, what happened next was worthy of the darkest fables. Bartholomew began to gasp for air, his skin darkening as if the shadow of death loomed over him. Holes appeared in his flesh, as if an invisible artist sculpted his destruction with brush strokes of nothing. The flesh disintegrated, falling into putrid pieces, until only the skull remained, a mute witness to Bartholomew's mortality.

Jaune, with an expression of shock and fatigue marked on his face, couldn't help but comment, —"Wow, I was afraid it wouldn't work."

The battle had been brief, but intense, and although his body was still that of a child, his spirit had shown unusual strength.

In the cavern, a murmur of wonder and fear spread among the vampires, their whispering voices filled with bewilderment. —"What kind of prodigy is this? How did a simple boy manage to defeat Bartholomew?" The question hung in the air, impregnated with a reverent fear towards the young man who had challenged the impossible with unprecedented bravery.

—Out of the video—.

The amazement was palpable. The girls watched, wide-eyed, unable to process the scene before them. His friend, known for not exactly being an accomplished fighter, dodged blows with an agility that defied reality, an agility that even they would find difficult to match.

—"He's done it, he's defeated the vampire," Ruby murmured, her voice tinged with fascinated horror. Even though her opponent was not human, Jaune's lack of remorse, his impassiveness towards the act of killing, was something she couldn't ignore.

—"This is inconceivable. I have trained with Jaune and he has never shown such skill or strength," Yang exclaimed, her voice filled with disbelief.

—"Yes, look at how he dodged those attacks, how he reacted and blocked. Jaune has always been considered the least skilled among us, but he has defeated someone with speed comparable to Ruby's and strength similar to yours, Yang," Nora said, her surprise evident in every word.

—"And let's not forget his resistance. He has endured blows that would have fractured the aura of an experienced hunter, and yet he is still standing... I have not seen his aura flicker even once in the face of those impacts," commented Ren, his serious tone reflecting his shock at his friend's resistance.

—"And that combat technique... he has never shown such proficiency in hand-to-hand combat. He is not even particularly skilled with his sword, which is supposed to be his main weapon... Has he been hiding all these skills from us?, Why?" ,Pyrrha mused with a hint of pain, realizing that Jaune had been hiding combat capabilities that were, frankly, impressive.

They all had to admit, it was amazing that Jaune, at the age of 7, showed such grace and mastery in his movements, an ability that would be enviable even for them. Now, the question ringing in their minds was: how formidable would the current Jaune be? They did not know the true magnitude of the lethality of his friend.

—Inside the video—

Applause echoed through the cave, silencing the vampires' murmurs. They came from the vampiric monarch, Beatrice, whose shock at the young man's feat was evident.

The majestic Beatrice, ruler of the night, watched with eyes that had seen empires rise and fall. Her voice, an echo of the eons, echoed in the cavern,

—"Oh, truly impressive. What kind of human are you? No one could have survived those blows, much less move with such speed and react with such alacrity." His curiosity was not merely rhetorical; she was a thirst for knowledge as old as her lineage.

Jaune, with the smile of someone who knows ancient secrets, accepted the compliment. — "Your words from him are well received, miss."

—"Carlo Magno, tell me who you really are. In this era, vampire hunters are forgotten legends, and yet, you have found us where many others have failed. Tell me who you are, I command you," Beatriz demanded, his authority vibrating in the air, a pressure that could break wills.

Jaune felt the pressure, a force that threatened to crush his mind and spirit. The place seemed to tremble before Beatriz's will, although only he felt the overwhelming presence, the need to obey her command.

He fell to his knees, a gesture of submission to a power that transcended mere physical strength.

—Out of video—

Confusion took over the girls. —"What's going on? Why is Jaune kneeling?" Ruby asked, her surprise reflected in her voice. The scene had changed in an instant, and now Jaune was kneeling at Beatrice's demand.

Although subtle, even they felt a chill run over their skin, a tension in the air, as if something dark and corrupt was hovering over them.

—"There are many legends about vampires, creatures of supernatural strength, speed, and eternity. But I've also read that they can hypnotize people, impose their will on them," Blake murmured, her voice low, contemplating the possibility that Jaune was under such influence.

—"How will our fearless leader get out of this?" Nora asked, her tone filled with doubt but also emotion. Jaune was incredible, he had risen in his esteem, becoming a legendary character, second only to Ren in his heart.

—"I hope he acts quickly. I don't know how he will counteract that psychic attack." Ren commented, his concern thinly veiled by the excitement of seeing his friend face such a formidable challenge.

—Out of video—

Beatriz's insistence intensified.— "You resist, but it's useless. Who are you really, Charle magne?"

Beatriz's will was like a storm that sought to sweep away Jaune's very essence, a relentless pressure that threatened to unearth hidden truths.

—"I am Carlo Magno, a humble bird hunter," Jaune whispered, his voice a murmur of resistance against the oppressive tide. Despite his struggle, he felt himself growing weaker, his will faltering before the overwhelming power.

—"That is a lie. Reveal your identity, your true name, your lineage," Beatriz demanded with an authority that resonated in the confines of the cavern.

Jaune raised his voice, pronouncing old words about power and protection. —"Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus, omnis satanica potestas...".

Hearing these words, a lightness took over the air, and the surrounding vampires felt a stinging discomfort, an discomfort that transcended physical pain.

—"What dialect is that? I demand that you reveal your identity!" Beatriz shouted, her voice a thunder of desperation.

Jaune's words affected her deeply, making her feel vile and corrupted.

Jaune continued, his voice now a song of challenge. —"Ergo, draco maledicte et omnis legio diabolica, adjuramus te...".

With each syllable, Beatriz's influence dissipated, her will vanishing like fog before the rising sun.

—"Silence! I, Beatrice Corvinus, ruler of House Corvinos, order that you reveal to me who you are, you damned lying rat!" Beatriz's demand was a desperate cry, a last attempt to impose her will.

But Jaune didn't give in. — "¡Vade, satana, inventor et magister omnis fallaciae...!" Her proclamation was a cry of liberation, and with a suddenness that left everyone stunned, Beatriz's pressure dissipated.

The beautiful woman recoiled, struck to the depths of her immortal being, her hatred for the boy burning like an infernal flame. Her features, previously porcelain white, turned a pale, dead gray, her teeth elongated into grotesque fangs, and her eyes darkened to the sclera, her face contorted, disfiguring her face. beauty she once possessed.

— "Beatriz, don't lose your cool, I'll take care of this, dear," resounded the voice of who Jaune assumed was the Monarch of the vampires, a tone that promised control and power. His presence was enough to calm the storm that was Beatriz at that moment.

—"Alexander, kill this abomination," Beatriz ordered her husband, her voice a command that brooked no disobedience.

—"I will gladly bring his head to your feet," Alexander replied, his voice full of deadly promise.

In an instant, its shape changed, revealing the vampiric beast that lay within.

He was no ordinary vampire; He was a creature of epic proportions, with wings that spread like shadows at dusk, his skin turning pitch black. He flew towards Jaune with a speed that defied perception, only to land with a grace that belied his bestial form, transforming back into a man.

—Out of video—

confusion and emotion were intertwined among the spectators.

—"What the fuck with what Jaune said? I've never heard anything like that," Yang asked, her brow furrowed in confusion.

Blake nodded, repeating the strange words. —"It was something like 'Exorcizamus te, omnis immundus spiritus...' It sounded like some kind of spell or something out of an exorcism movie."

Nora was freaking out, —"Jaune is so cool! He's like an old-school exorcist, casting those ancient spells to send demons flying. Sorry, Ren, but Jaune just rose to the top of my list." .

Pyrrha was flipping through a journal, looking for some reference. —"This is not here... Maybe in the other newspapers there is something about that mysterious language."

Weiss exploded, frustrated. —"That very smart fool, it's just that he annoys me! Jaune has been playing clueless all this time. How many times have I explained things to him as if he were a child and it turns out that he got it all! He's been being too smart , making me feel like a fool."

Ruby couldn't help but laugh.— "Looking at it like that, you looked like a babysitter explaining to a baby. What a laugh!"

—Inside the video—

Jaune backed away slowly, maintaining his composure in the face of Alexander's imposing figure.

—"Listen, old man, it is a true privilege that you deign to descend from your high pedestal just to try to finish me off. But, you know, I would prefer that you leave me alone and allow me to leave," Jaune expressed, his casual tone in stark contrast. with the seriousness of the situation.

—"I never intended to leave you alive, from the moment Bartholomew brought you before me, your fate was sealed," Alexander replied, flashing an evil smile. —"That strange language you used, what corner of the world does it come from? I have never heard anything like it, not even at the dawn of humanity."

—"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but that's a professional secret," Jaune responded with a sly smile.

—"Well, it won't matter soon, since that disgusting dialect will die with you. I will decapitate you, drink your blood and delight in devouring your remains," Alexander threatened fiercely.

And that's when it happened, it happened so quickly that not even Jaune's heightened senses could register the movement. Where Alexander was, the ground cracked, forming tiny cracks, and his figure vanished in the blink of an eye.

Out of pure instinct, Jaune raised his arm in an attempt to protect his chest, and just at that moment, Alexander reappeared, delivering a withering blow to Jaune's arm.

The impact resonated like a drum in the cavern and the young man's body was thrown several meters away, hitting a rock that disintegrated on contact. The force of the blow did not stop there, but continued its path through the rocks, leaving a path of destruction and raising a cloud of dust that momentarily blinded the vision of everyone present.

—Out of video—

—"Oh, no! What was that? I couldn't see it," Ruby whispered, watching in shock as Alexander suddenly disappeared. The camera failed to capture Alexander's movement; It was as if he had teleported next to Jaune to deliver a blow so devastating that Ruby honestly never expected to witness such strength in one person.

—"No, Jaune!" Pyrrha exclaimed, her voice tinged with terror. With all her years of training, she had never witnessed speed like Alexander's; It was so devastating that not even she, putting herself in Jaune's shoes, would have had a chance. The blow was so brutal that, if she received it, it would have been the end instantly.

—"Fearless leader!" Nora shouted, although deep inside she knew that if she had been on the battlefield, she would have run without looking back. She always thought the Vampire Monarch was strong, but this was another level of power.

—"Come on, Jaune, what are you going to do now? Get out of there now!" Ren shouted towards the screen, as if he hoped Jaune could hear him, losing that calm that rarely left him.

—Inside the video—

Jaune emerged from the rubble, the dust raised by his body crashing into the rocks clouding his vision.

Jaune staggered, glancing at his left arm which was hanging at a grotesque angle, almost impossible to look at without feeling a chill; His bone protruded, breaking the skin. But, somehow, this gave him an advantage.

He resisted the urge to scream and, with a quick and stealthy movement taking advantage of the smoke screen, moved towards what he hoped was an exit. Although he also noticed that the shadow of Alexander, the Monarch of the vampires, was chasing him. And then, the recording cut off.

—Out of video—

—"Come on, how do you cut yourself right there? Don't do this to me!" Nora shouted, desperate. She wanted to see how Jaune ran away from the vampire ruler, she wanted to see what ingenious strategy she had to escape, but the video ended right at the most exciting part.

—"Come on, whoever is recording this must be completely useless!" Yang exclaimed, just as frustrated. She wanted to see the entire escape sequence, but the video ended abruptly.

—"My God, did you see how Jaune's arm turned out? That was horrible," Ruby pointed out. It was devastating; Jaune's arm fractured as easily as if it were made of paper.

—"That's days of recovery, even with the Aura. I'm very impressed that he didn't scream in pain," Weiss commented with a grimace of disgust when she saw Jaune's severed limb. Not even she, in her long training sessions, had received such a severe injury, just a cut that left a scar on her eye, but it was almost imperceptible, nothing like breaking a bone.

Pyrrha was horrified. She knew very well that Jaune had no aura, so the severity of that injury was much greater; she wouldn't take days to recover, but months.

Weiss then played the following video.

—Inside the video—

Jaune, this time a little beaten up, ragged and dirty, was seen in his room at his Aunt Sofia's house. He had taken off the camouflage blanket and you could see the clothes he was wearing, or what little was left of it, he was also stained with blood and his mouth had traces of blood.

—"Yes, I know, guys, I don't look good at all. I barely managed to escape from that place," Jaune said with an amused laugh, as if he hadn't been about to die at the hands of Alexander, the ruler of the vampires

—"In any case, that didn't stop the idiot from biting my neck," he said, showing a bite on his neck.

—"Well, I'm officially a fucking vampire," Jaune said, —"And I have to say, it's not that bad. The regenerative abilities are impressive."

—Out of video—

—"Look at that, his arm is like new! Now Jaune is a vampire," Yang exclaimed with a mixture of amazement and excitement. He remembered seeing Jaune's arm shattered by Alexander's blow, but now he was completely healed. Deep down, Yang felt like facing Jaune again, this time to see up close how he regenerated after breaking some bone.

—"I'm going to break his legs next time, it's going to be epic. There's nothing wrong, he'll heal right away," Nora said, excited. She used to hold back when fighting with Jaune for fear of hurting him, but now she knew he would be fine.

—"It scares me a little to think that Jaune is a vampire. Maybe that's why he gets so close to me. They say that vampires look for the most beautiful maidens to drink their blood, and it's not for nothing, but I'm the most beautiful of all of us," Weiss commented, running her hand elegantly through her hair.

—"Oh, please, Weiss. Jaune is just teasing you. If he wanted the blood of a beautiful maiden, I would be his first choice. Look at me and then look at yourself. You are pretty, but I am what men would consider attractive in When you have something like this, you'll be able to compete with me," Yang replied, patting her chest and shaking it slightly, hinting that Weiss wasn't as good-looking in that regard.

—"Do you consider yourself a maiden, Yang? I don't think that word describes you," Weiss said sarcastically.

—"And I doubt that such a bitter woman would be considered a maiden. Rather, she would be a miserable witch," Yang responded to Weiss.

—"Are they really arguing about that?" Blake asked, with an expression of disbelief at her friends' absurd fight.

—Inside the video—

—"But now there is a problem... I am no longer human, I have become something... supernatural," said Jaune, raising his left hand that held a tube full of blood, and began to drink it with pleasure, as if was his favorite treat.

—"Ah, this is delicious, I have no words to describe the taste of blood. I know that normally it should taste like iron and other things, and it definitely shouldn't be pleasant, but as a vampire, it has a unique taste, like chocolate mixed with strawberries... it's strange, it tastes different every time and better and better," Jaune explained as he tasted the blood.

—Out of video—

—"Gross! So, the blood on his clothes... it's not his!" Weiss exclaimed, grimacing in disgust as she saw Jaune drinking blood as if it were water.

—"Does it taste like strawberry chocolate?" Ruby asked, showing curiosity.

—"It looks like he's enjoying it, it's weird but... cute," Pyrrha commented, although deep down she wasn't completely convinced.

Then, they all turned their gazes towards Pyrrha as if she were crazy. In the video, the least Jaune looked like was adorable; he was rather terrifying.

—inside the video—

—"Sorry, I got a little off topic. You might be wondering where I got the blood from, right? Well, before I got to my aunt's house, I made a stop at a blood bank. I was ravenously hungry , " Jaune said as he opened the serum full of blood and began to lick what was left with a greed that gave chills.

—"As I said, I'm no longer a simple mortal, now I'm a vampire. And you'll think, what's the problem? Now I have superhuman strength, speed, agility and I can turn into a beast. It all sounds great, but the detail is I liked being human. Besides, it's not like I can go raiding blood banks every time I get hungry, let alone thirst for fresh human blood," Jaune explained, listing his dilemmas.

—"So, the question of the day is, how do I become human again? According to the little I know, and this is pure theory, there are three ways to reverse this. Two are simple and the other... well, it's the most complicated," Jaune said with a smile that couldn't hide his concern.

—"First, I could try making an anti-vampire serum. The problem is that I have no idea how to start, and it could take years."

—"Second, I could simply end my life and thus my vampire state would disappear. But, of course, my state of...being alive would also disappear. Not to be delicate, but I would prefer to continue breathing."

—"And the third, the most convoluted, would have to eliminate the one who turned me into a vampire. This wouldn't be a big problem if the culprit were any vampire, but we're talking about the sovereign of vampires himself!" Jaune exclaimed between incredulous and nervous laughter.

—"You saw it, that guy is a beast, he makes other vampires look like mere mortals in comparison," he continued.

—Out of video—

—"That's a problem," Ren commented with concern.

—"But why would I want to be human again? Being immortal and having vampire powers sounds great," Yang reflected.

—"He hasn't turned into the dark being we saw before yet. He just doesn't want to hurt anyone because of his thirst," Pyrrha explained.

—"It's true, this Jaune still retains his ideals, not like the one who manipulated others for a coup d'état in Menagerie," Ruby said, hoping that Jaune could find the right path again, like the boy they saw in the screen.

—Inside the screen—

—"Anyway, I'm running out of time. In two days I have to go back to Hansel and get back to school life, what a bummer," Jaune lamented, apparently more annoyed by school than by facing a vampire.

—"My aunt is under a sleeping spell that I cast this morning, but it will only last one day," Jaune revealed.

—"So I have to finish off Alexander tonight. It's not going to be a piece of cake, because not only do I have to face him, but also his legion of vampires. I always get the hard part, shit," Jaune said with a laugh. resigned

—Out of video—

—"That little Jaune already had a dirty mouth," Yang commented with a somewhat disconcerting smile of approval.

—"When he returns, I'm going to have to teach him good manners and how to speak properly," Weiss promised determinedly.

—"Spell? Are you saying that magic really exists?" Ren asked, incredulous.

Soon, all the girls looked at each other, eyes wide. Magic was a word they could hardly believe; maybe when they were children, but now they were adults and the magic didn't seem real.

However, Jaune had accomplished incredible things and revealed mythical creatures. The idea of magic no longer seemed so far-fetched. For the moment, they decided to put that doubt aside and would resolve it later when they confronted Jaune.

—Inside the video—

—"Now I have to get ready. As a vampire, there are certain things I can't use: sacred chants affect me, crucifixes are a no-go, and interestingly, silver hurts me, although other metals don't, so it's not a problem. a big problem. I'll bring holy water in glass jars," Jaune explained.

—"The truth is that this Ring of the Nibelungs is a marvel," Jaune confessed, proudly showing the silver ring that adorned his finger, sparkling with a gem that radiated a mysterious shine. —"For those who don't remember, I discovered this treasure among the ruins of an ancient kingdom. Not only does it give me extra strength, even if it is modest, but the most valuable thing is the superhuman resistance it gives me. It was my salvation during the fight with those creatures".

—Out of video—

—"Wow, what a beauty!" Weiss exclaimed, captivated by the glow of the ring.

—"Are you implying that thanks to that ring he was able to resist the attacks? That the fangs didn't pierce his skin because of that?" Blake asked the question that everyone was considering, although the answer already seemed obvious.

—"Exactly, that explains how he was able to withstand those blows without falling apart," Yang stated, impressed by the revelation.

—"Spectacular! I'm going to convince the intrepid leader to give me that ring. I'm sure he won't be able to resist my charm, he always ends up giving in," said Nora, excited at the idea of possessing something that would enhance her resistance and strength.

—"He will hardly give it to you. It is a magical artifact, and although I refuse to believe in fairy tales, after what we have witnessed, there is no choice but to accept reality. And even less, Jaune will not part with something that It gives you an advantage on the battlefield, especially if you ask so directly," Ren argued with a level-headed tone.

—Inside the video—

—"But this is not enough, I need extra power."

Jaune stood up from his chair and walked over to the suitcase he had brought to his aunt's house. He opened it and, after rummaging through her belongings, he pulled out a peculiar object.

He showed it to the camera: a piece of octagonal rock with the figure of an ox engraved on it.

—"Apparently, it is time to test the limits of this stone, the ox talisman, which supposedly grants colossal strength to whoever possesses it," Jaune said with a smile that bordered on malice.

—"So, guys, tonight I'm going vampire hunting. It promises to be a busy evening."

Suddenly, his stomach growled. —"Great, I'm so hungry... But I don't want just any food, what I crave is blood ," Jaune lamented, facing that damned thirst again.

—"Damn, where do I get blood at this hour? My aunt looks very appealing, I know, I know..., I know how that sounded."

—out of the video—

—"Hey, that was super weird," Ren commented, frowning.

—"Totally weird," Yang agreed, nodding with a grimace.

Nora, for her part, was jumping with excitement. —"I can't wait to see our brave leader take down that vampire! It's going to be epic!" she exclaimed, imagining a movie battle with special effects and the whole package.

Weiss intervened with her relentless logic: —"Nora, let's face it. Jaune doesn't stand a chance against Alexander. It's like comparing a kitten to a tiger."

Pyrrha jumped to Jaune's defense, waving a talisman with an ox drawing on it. — "This amulet supposedly gives him more strength. Maybe, just maybe, he will have a chance," she said with a thread of hope, although deep down she had doubts about herself. —"Will this talisman be the key to defeating a vampire as powerful as Alexander?"

Blake intervened with her usual serenity: —"Well, if Jaune had really won, let's just say we wouldn't see him tanning on the beach. And so far, we haven't seen him turn into a bloodthirsty vampire."

Ruby, always looking for solutions, suggested,— "Maybe Jaune has some secret artifact that allows him to walk in the sun without turning into ashes, or something that quenches that bloodlust. Because, let's face it, facing Alexander is like trying to win. a race tied to a rock".

Everyone knew that Alexander was a force of nature. With a single blow he had proven himself superior to all of them. His movements were so fast that they couldn't even follow them with their eyes. They didn't want to say it out loud, but if they had to face someone like Alexander, they would be dead in seconds.

—Inside the video—

The camera captured Jaune, who was walking through some movie caverns, with a look that screamed adventure: an orange scarf around his neck, a black cape with touches of coffee that gave him a mysterious air, a white shirt that had not seen the washing machine. in days, and black pants that held more secrets than pockets.

—"Hey, it's not for nothing, but this smells like a funeral ," Jaune said with a smile that didn't fool anyone. —"There is a 70% chance that they will turn me into a vampire buffet."

—"The truth is, I wanted to meet a vampire under different circumstances, you know? I thought of something more... commercial. Exchange trinkets for ancestral secrets, discover places that not even CCT Maps knows about," Jaune rambled, hoping for the soils.

—"And well, if in the process I kill one or another bloodsucker and do the autopsy, then even better. But those plans were worth it," he sighed, as if talking about dissecting vampires was as normal as ordering a pizza.

—"We're here," he announced, as they reached the entrance to the cavern that was now more illuminated than a concert stage.

The vampires, sensing Jaune's vibe, turned around as if someone had screamed.

"Free tacos!".

—"What's up, gang? I haven't seen you since yesterday. How about you step aside a little and let me kill king," Jaune said with a confidence that not even he believed.

—Out of video—

—"But what bit him? Is he crazy or what?" Weiss exclaimed, not being able to believe Jaune's 'master plan'.— "Is that all? Please! Why am I even asking? , He's crazier than a goat!"

And so, everyone in the room shared the same idea: they thought that Jaune had some trick up his sleeve to face the legion of vampires. But no, the boy simply stood in front of everyone and issued the challenge to fight the fearsome Alexander.

—Inside the video—

Laughter echoed in the cavern, mocking and defiant.

From the top of the castle, Alexander made his triumphal entry, flanked by Beatrice and her son, whose name was still a mystery.

—" Wow, wow, Carlo Magno," scoffed Alexander .—"You should be grateful. I took you out of human misery and turned you into something more, something even hunters can't dream of. And now, you want to kill me?"

Jaune wasn't far behind. —"And aren't you grateful that I came to fight you? Your wife wanted my head and here I am, free as a bird. I bet they had an 'interesting' talk after that, or are you okay?,the masochistic thing?" he replied with a mocking smile.

The murmur of laughter turned into angry grunts. Alexander frowned, as Beatriz struggled to contain her amusement.

Suddenly, a vampire launched himself at Jaune, lifting him into the air and throwing him against a wall. But Jaune didn't flinch. With one agile gesture, he crushed the vampire to the ground, knocking him out.

Silence took over the cavern. Everyone was speechless. Jaune had knocked down a vampire with a single blow, something even the most experienced hunter couldn't do.

Jaune stood up, looked Alexander directly in the eyes and pointed at him.— " I'm coming for you bitch."

—Out of video—

Weiss mouthed a —"what?", so slow it seemed like a slow motion recording. Disbelief was evident on his face.

—"No way," Yang murmured, impressed by Jaune's enormous strength. — "She has left a mark on the ground, and I couldn't do that without my likeness."

—"Did you see him? He didn't even try," Ruby commented, amazed.

—"Come on, boss! Finish them!" Nora encouraged, vibrating with excitement. The battle promised to be epic, a direct confrontation, without strategies, just fists and courage.

—inside the video—

Jaune's provocation echoed through the cavern like a challenge thrown in the middle of a boxing ring. The vampires, except the three Monarchs, descended on him like a swarm of hungry flies on a feast of flesh.

They were legion, and for a moment, Jaune felt the pressure, but his smile did not falter. With determination, he charged against the tide of nocturnal creatures.

—"¡Oh yes, Baby!"

The confrontation was like watching a hurricane destroy everything in its path, or like a hot knife cutting through butter. Jaune made his way through the vampires, and those unfortunates who crossed his path were thrown in all directions.

The vampires struck, but Jaune was like an immovable rock. He returned the blows with brutal force, and the vampires' bodies crashed against the rocks, leaving marks and cracks.

The scene was rawer than words can describe. With each punch Jaune made, not only did bodies crash against rocks, but limbs flew through the air, as if someone had put fruit in a blender without a lid.

Jaune rejoiced in the battle, although he was frustrated that no matter how many blows he dealt, the creatures regenerated their limbs with astonishing rapidity. But then, he had an epiphany.

—"Die, damn human!" a vampire shouted, hitting Jaune with a punch straight to the jaw.

But Jaune didn't give up. With one agile movement, he struck the vampire's leg, fracturing it, and with a well-aimed punch, he detached the supernatural being's head, which flew into the air.

Jaune understood that vampires couldn't regenerate their heads. From that moment on, that would be his goal.

—"Fool, now I'm a vampire too," Jaune mocked.

—Out of video—

The battle was not what they expected. They had fought against the Grimm, whose black blood disintegrated upon contact with the air. But seeing Jaune, only 7 years old, face vampires with enormous strength and pass through them as if they were insignificant flies, was something that left everyone speechless.

Nora and Yang were amazed at the skill and power of their colleague Jaune.

Ruby couldn't believe it, freaking out like a child in her first superhero movie.

Blake and Weiss, although they had a hard time admitting it, were equally impressed. For a second, they actually felt wary at the thought of facing Jaune. They had crossed blows with him in combat classes, but now, seeing what the boy was capable of doing at 7 years old, they didn't even want to imagine what would happen if Jaune let himself go completely, if he stopped pretending. It was clear that he wasn't going to be pretty, and Ren and Pyrrha thought the same.

But amazement and surprise soon turned to horror and repulsion. Limbs flew like confetti at a macabre party, and blood splattered on the ground, staining Jaune a deep red.

—"Weiss, are you okay?" Ruby asked, although she herself was making superhuman efforts.

—"Yes... I'm fine," Weiss replied, turning greener than a pea with each passing second.

—Inside the video—

Although it seemed like Jaune was winning the battle, they were actually in a technical tie. He was receiving as much abuse as the vampires.

Suddenly, a hand grabbed Jaune by the face and lifted him towards the ceiling of the cavern, slamming him against the rocks. He was the son of Beatriz and Alexander, who had grown tired of being a mere spectator and decided to take action.

—"That's all you have?" mocked the son of the Vampire Monarchs.

—"Well, more or less," Jaune answered with a half smile. He raised his hand and showed a crucifix, which upon seeing it, the vampire felt as if needles were being stuck into his brain. He let go of Jaune, they both fell to the ground like a sack of potatoes.

—"Are you crazy?! That affects you too, you moron!" the vampire shouted, furious and in pain.

—"Of course, but I needed the crucifix for this," Jaune said with a mischievous smile. He threw a glass vial at the son of the Monarchs, which when it exploded in his face, released a liquid that burned his skin like acid.

— "Ahhhhhh!", the vampire's cry of pain echoed throughout the cavern.

Jaune, without wasting a second, searched his pockets and took out some marbles that he threw on the ground. Pink smoke spread throughout the place, and the vampires, including Alexander and Beatriz in their luxury castle, began to inhale it. But nothing, not even a sneeze.

"What's the deal with the smoke?" the girls asked themselves while watching the video, thinking it was the most useless smokescreen in history.

Suddenly, two hands grabbed Jaune by the neck. Alexander and Beatriz's son was fuming, and not exactly pink. Jaune, with the agility of a contortionist, twisted the vampire's hands as if they were made of clay, and with a ninja blow, sent him flying against the ceiling of the cavern.

But the truce lasted less than a candy at the door of a school. Two giant claws dug into Jaune's shoulder, and Alexander, in beast vampire mode, threw him into the air until he slammed into his deluxe gothic castle.

Jaune, with more effort than a Monday morning, stood up and took a look at the castle . —"What an ostentatious decoration," he thought. But before he could get a good look at the castle, sinister laughter echoed through the walls.

— "Oh, mother ," Jaune whispered.

He turned on his heel and wham, Beatriz grabbed him by the neck and lifted him up like he was a rag doll.

—"An insect," said she.

—" Mrs. Beatriz, how is everything?" Jaune gasped .—"Hey, I don't have anything personal against you, I just want to kill your husband."

—Out of video—

—"Hahaha, that sounded terrible," Yang laughed.

—"But what did you think?" Blake exclaimed, incredulous.

—"Are you making a joke at a complete numerical disadvantage?" Pyrrha questioned, with an eyebrow in orbit.

—"Well, she's not kidding, she really came to kill her husband," Ren commented, seriously.

—Inside the video—

With a roar, Beatriz threw Jaune towards the ceiling, and he passed ceiling after ceiling and stopped on one, and it bounced from corner to corner like a pinball until landing on a bed.

And as if by magic, Beatriz appeared on top of him.

—"Oh, Mrs. Beatriz, what passion, but be careful, your husband is at home," Jaune joked, with a forced smile.

Beatriz, with the same excitement as a robot in energy saving mode, kicked Jaune that sent him back to the room as if he were a soccer ball.

The poor kid barely had time to catch his breath when Beatriz reappeared, grabbing him by the shirt and pulling him close until their noses were almost touching. —"You're impressive, kid. For a second-rate vampire, you hold up pretty well. You're cute, and in a few years, you'll be gifted with great beauty. Why don't you join us?" he whispered with a smile that I intended to be seductive.

—"being my servant you might like."

—"I'm sorry, miss, but even though I said you're beautiful, you're not my type," Jaune blurted out, artfully dodging the topic.

Beatriz, who went from zero to furious in a nanosecond, slammed Jaune into the ground, causing a tremor that was surely felt even in the neighboring town. Then she kicked him, sending him flying out of the castle and landing on the hard floor of the cavern.

—"Oh, women, who understands them?" Jaune complained, trying to understand the feminine world while he recovered from the blow.

And when he least expected it, a hand grabbed his ankle and lifted him up. Alexander looked at him as if he were an undercooked steak.

—"Hey, this... is not what it seems. Your wife started it," Jaune tried to explain, looking for excuses.

Alexander, who was not up to any nonsense, threw a punch that sent Jaune into a forced landing against another rock.

—"Okay, maybe it wasn't the best idea to come fight face to face, but at least..." , Jaune interrupted himself when he saw Alexander approaching, —"...I've already pissed you off enough."

And there, as if pulling an ace out of his sleeve, Jaune performed a magician's move and took out a white flute, so rustic that it seemed carved from bone.

—Out of video—

—"But what's going through his head, thinking he can handle a legion of vampires by himself!" Weiss exclaimed, on the verge of a nervous breakdown.

—"And that flute? What is it supposed to do, give them a concert?" Yang asked, confused and amused.

The truth is that the scene was ridiculous. Jaune, in the middle of an epic battle, pulls out a flute. What was he going to do? Imitate the Pied Piper of Hamelin and make the vampires dance? Come on, that only happens in fairy tales.

—Inside the video—

Jaune, with hope hanging by a thread, brought the flute to his lips and began to play. The melody that emerged was bittersweet, with notes that spoke of lost loves and forgotten heroes. It was the kind of song that makes you want to hug your ex and at the same time block them on all social media.

And, against all odds, the music began to take effect. The vampires, those beings of the night accustomed to blood and terror, began to sway as if they had had a few too many drinks. One after another, they began to fall to the ground, falling into a deep sleep, leaving more than half of the vampire legion snoring on the cavern floor. Even Alexander and Beatriz, the royal horror couple, seemed to be struggling with the effects of the improvised lullaby.

—Out of video—

Weiss was delighted, she had never heard anything so beautiful and melancholic. Her melody wrapped around her like a warm blanket, inviting her to daydream.

Ruby, for her part, was excited. — "That flute is incredible!" she thought, already imagining asking Jaune to teach her all those tricks.

—Inside the video—

Jaune couldn't believe it. —"It worked!" he shouted, more surprised than anyone. The flute, that magical instrument that had failed in the past, had finally demonstrated its power.

But Alexander was not up for celebrations. With a growl of frustration, he lunged at Jaune and covered his mouth, preventing him from playing any further.

—"Enough of the games, Carlo Magno. You are the most irritating human I have ever met," Alexander growled, clearly annoyed.

—"I'm flattered," Jaune responded sarcastically, as he pulled a wooden stake from his clothes and stuck it into Alexander's chest with the precision of a mad surgeon.

With a smile that would freeze the blood of the bravest, Alexander mocked —the useless stake stuck in his chest. A wooden stake? Please, that's for beginners," his triumphant look seemed to say.

—Out of video—

Ruby was on the edge of her seat, wondering what the hell Jaune would do now. The stake, which should have been any vampire's kryptonite, had not even tickled Alexander.

Pyrrha, with concern painted on her face, doubted that Jaune could still stand after the beating he was receiving.

—Inside the video—

Jaune, who had already spent his master card on the magic flute, knew he couldn't count on it again until the next dawn.

Vampires, those creatures of the night as stubborn as garlic, were not going to fall so easily into a deep sleep over a simple melody. But Jaune had an ace up his sleeve: he didn't need to defeat the entire legion, he just had to take down Alexander.

With no more tricks in his pocket, Jaune stood up and, with the supernatural speed granted by his newly acquired vampire status, dashed towards the exit. Alexander, furious as a bull in a bullfight, was in close pursuit.

In an act of desperation, Jaune pulled a glass vial from his cloak and drank its red contents like someone taking an energy shot before a marathon.

— "Damn, I should make these blood vials work faster," he muttered, feeling the strength return to his body.

A blow from behind made him stumble, but it wasn't enough to stop him. Alexander grabbed him by the cloak and used him as a wrecking ball against the rocks of the cavern. With a final hook, he sent Jaune to kiss a rock.

Jaune was lying on the ground, it seemed like he couldn't take it anymore. But suddenly, bam! His eyes widened. The vial he had taken took effect and he stood up as if nothing had happened, ready to dodge Alexander's lethal attack.

— "Wow! I love this feeling of being at my best again," Jaune exclaimed with a smile.

— "But what a weirdo are you? You use magical artifacts that I haven't even heard of in stories, you speak in strange languages, and it turns out that you don't have Aura, something that novice hunters have open," Alexander marveled.

— Outside the video —

— "Wait a minute! Jaune doesn't have Aura?" Nora shouted, her eyes wide.

— "Have you been fighting all this time without Aura?" asked Ren, who even with his usual serenity, could not hide his astonishment. — "That's not surprising, it's crazy. I thought I at least had that going for her to fight, but it seems like she hasn't awakened his Aura yet."

— "He's just a human, a civilian," Ruby murmured, her voice thin.

— "He's just a human who uses magical artifacts... That's brutal, incredibly cool," Yang admitted, although she had a hard time admitting it. What Jaune had done, being just a civilian, was something that not even she, with all her boldness, would dare attempt.

— Inside the video —

— "Ah, yes, the Aura. The truth is that it wouldn't hurt me to have access to that power," Jaune said with a mischievous smile. —"But I don't want them to give me everything chewed up. If, being a simple human, I can beat you up with my wits, imagine what I would do if I had that power."

Alexander growled like a beast and transformed into a real vampire, wings and all. He lunged at Jaune, and the fight turned wild. The vampire's claws sank into the boy's flesh, and outside the video, the girls screamed in horror as they saw how Jaune was torn apart, although they also saw how his wounds healed instantly. That didn't make it any less creepy, though.

Jaune, with surprising agility, kicked the vampire in the jaw, just as he had him grabbed.

He made space and, taking out from his clothes a small piece of wood with a blue stone on the tip, he pointed it towards Alexander.

—"Expelliarmus," he pronounced, and a blue beam came out of the stone and hit Alexander squarely, who let out a cry of pain and disbelief before being thrown into the air.

— Outside the video —

—"Pure magic, Yang! Did you see that? That was epic!" Ruby exclaimed, bouncing with excitement as if she had swallowed a trampoline.

—"Of course! That was amazing! Let's go look for branches in the forest, now!" Nora shouted, shaking Ren, whose surprised face was a poem.

—Inside the video—

—"This doesn't make sense... magic... shouldn't..." Alexander stammered, looking at Jaune with a mixture of hatred and confusion. —"How is it possible?! Humans can't do magic! The gods took that gift away from them!"

Jaune, with the calmness of someone who knows he is master of the situation, replied: —"Yes,... I didn't know about the gods taking gifts, and you're right, humans can't use magic, but, do you know what?,A good catalyst can change the rules of the game."

The stone at the tip of the branch went out, its bluish light fading until it was as gray and dull as a winter's morning.

—"The problem is that these mana stones have less autonomy than an old cell phone," Jaune commented with a resigned smile.

—"Mana stones... They can't be! They no longer exist! Where did you find them?!" Alexander exclaimed, almost beside himself.

Jaune shrugged nonchalantly. —"Over there, in the market of the impossible ," she answered with a mischievous smile.

—"I'm going to destroy you, human!" Alexander roared.

Jaune laughed. —"Wow, aren't I half-vampire too? But I'm afraid you won't have that chance."

Jaune's confidence disconcerted Alexander, who did not understand the source of such confidence. Then, Jaune touched the rock wall and revealed his ace: —"You may not have noticed, but we've been fighting all night ."

He pointed towards the pink smoke still hanging in the air. —"That smoke alters the perception of time. The fight has lasted longer than you think, which means..." With a well-aimed blow, Jaune crumbled part of the wall, and the rays of dawn flooded the place. —"It's already dawn."

For Alexander, it was like receiving a kiss from fire. His skin began to sizzle, and his screams of agony echoed through the cavern as he attempted to flee into the shadows, but an energy barrier had trapped him in its fiery fate.

—"This burns, it burns!" he shouted as his body charred, his life vanishing like the smoke that rose from him.

With a desperate laugh, Alexander searched for the same despair in Jaune, hoping to see him burn under the relentless sun.

But no, there was Jaune, as calm as if he were on a beach enjoying a light tan.

—"Impossible! Why aren't you burning?" Alexander shouted, disbelief coloring his voice with panic.

Jaune wiped his ear and yawned, —"Oh yeah, I have good SPF against the heat ," he said nonchalantly.

—"Who the hell are you, Carlo Magno?!

—"Please, I had already mentioned it before,...I'm just a bird hunter."

And so, Alexander was consumed by flames, leaving only a pile of bones as a mute witness to his existence.

The smoke surrounding Jaune cleared, and the marks on his neck disappeared. He was human once again.

With a sigh of relief, he fell to his knees, breathing heavily. —"Hehehe, for a moment I thought I would be roasted, but it seems that this curse has its advantages."

He stood up, dusting himself off. —"Well, I better hurry before my aunt wakes up."

Before taking the first step, Jaune pulled out a folding staff from his robes and tied a piece of cloth to the end. He stabbed the staff into the ground determinedly and looked at the horizon, where the cloth he had tied was a flag with the Arc symbol.

—"This place has been discovered and I proclaim it the land of the explorer," he announced proudly.

The screen flickered and showed Jaune back in his aunt's room, confident and smiling, as if nothing had happened.

—out of the video—.

Weiss crossed her arms, her frown reflecting the disbelief she felt. —"This doesn't make any sense. Since when does Jaune know how to do... that?"

Yang, with a smile from ear to ear, couldn't contain her enthusiasm.— "Jaune is a hero! And a wizard! Who would have thought?"

Blake, always the more reserved one, looked at the screen with a mixture of surprise and reluctant admiration. —"Never underestimate someone who reads so many comics. Maybe he learned a trick or two."

Ren, with his usual calm, nodded.— "It's impressive, but I wonder how he didn't get sunburned. That's what vampires do, right?"

Nora, who had been bouncing in her seat since the action began, exclaimed, —"Maybe it's a special vampire! A sun vampire! Is there such a thing?"

Pyrrha, with a warm smile, added,—"It doesn't matter what kind of vampire he is, the important thing is that he won. And that's something to celebrate."

Weiss sighed, shaking her head. — "Well, at least now we know he can take care of himself... sort of."

Yang stood up, striking a heroic pose. —"Let's train! If Jaune can do magic I want him to teach me, I want to throw laser beams!"

Blake added, —"I think we should find out more about those...catalysts first."

Ren looked out the window thoughtfully. There are many things we still don't understand. But for now, it's a mystery for another day."

Nora jumped out of her seat, ready for action.— "I say we go find adventures! Like Jaune!"

Pyrrha stood up, extending her hand towards her friends.— "So what do we expect? Let's make this day count."

Weiss finally relaxed, letting out a smile that was rarer than a unicorn in a thrift store. —"Okay, but if we run into a vampire, I'll take care of it. And no, I don't accept returns."

Yang let out a laugh that sounded like she had swallowed a duck. —"That's the attitude, Weiss! Let's give them a hard time! And if it's with garlic, even better."

—"But we haven't finished the video yet," Ruby pointed out, her eyes glued to the screen like gum on the sidewalk.

They looked at each other, infected by the excitement of seeing Jaune face supernatural beings, emerge triumphant and, above all, look spectacular with his combat-proof hairstyle. That prompted them to want to seek out those legendary creatures as well, even if it was just to ask them for fashion advice.
— "You're right, let's watch the end and then go train," Yang proposed, raising her thumb as if she were hitchhiking for an adventure.

—"Weren't we looking for vampires?" Nora asked, confusion painted on her face like graffiti on a white wall.

—"Well, we're not going to go right now, maybe another day. We have to be prepared," Weiss clarified, sounding more serious than a teacher on exam day.

—"Besides, we don't even know where to find vampires," Ren added logically, as if he were explaining why you can't put an elephant in a refrigerator.

—"Okay, let's finish this and see what else Jaune does," Blake suggested, curiosity shining in her eyes like neon lights.

—Inside the video—

The camera focused on Jaune, who was holding a skull in his hands as if it were the last donut in the box.

They didn't need to make assumptions; They knew perfectly well who he was: Alexander, the lesser-known vampire than Dracula's distant cousin.

Jaune licked the skull and then made a disgusted face, as if he had just tasted the worst pineapple pizza ever.

—" Yuck, why did I think it would taste different? It's like any skeleton, it doesn't have magical powers... I guess, hehe. Unless, of course, you crush it, turn it into powder and sell it as an aphrodisiac. Surely some fool he'll go down and pay me a fortune for this," Jaune laughed, with a madness that would make the Joker pale.

—"Oh, no, why? Thinking about money again. I don't need it, I already have enough," he murmured, sounding more contradictory than a vegan at a barbecue.

—out of the video—

—"What the hell is wrong with her?!" Weiss shouted, so surprised that she almost dropped her ice princess crown.

—"True, this is the question I'm always asking myself, where does Jaune get all that money. As I understand it, his family is dedicated to agriculture, his house is modest and so is his aunt's house. But he was carrying a bag full of gold ," Yang said, with an impression that could fill a photo album.

—"Damn, I can't look at Jaune the same way anymore," Ruby said, with disgust and also with a laugh that sounded like she was chewing sour candy, also relieved that there was someone as strange as her.

Although Ruby should be confusing definitions. She's just socially awkward, Jaune is just weird to a fault, like a barking cat.

— Inside the video —

Jaune, with a smile that defied logic, proclaimed,— "Well guys, it looks like the curse on me kept me from turning into ashes. I never thought I'd be grateful to be cursed, but here we are."

— Outside the video —

Blake, with a raised eyebrow, mused aloud,—"A curse? What kind of curse makes you immune to the sun when you should be frying like an egg in a frying pan?" .

Nora, without mincing words, said: —"The real question is, who could have disliked Jaune to give him a curse? He must have screwed up to the core, as always."

—Inside the video—

Jaune, with a laugh that bordered on serenity, commented,— "But let's leave the past behind. I have to admit, I came out of this pretty well. It's been a while since I took a beating like that. It was like that time I fought with Smug." "

He corrected himself, —"No, fighting Smug was, 10? No, 30 times harder."

— Outside the video —

The girls looked at each other, feeling a shiver run down their spines. The idea that Jaune had faced someone even more dangerous than a vampire like Alexander was disturbing.

Pyrrha, with a barely perceptible tremor in her voice, said, —"I don't even want to imagine what kind of monster that Smug guy is."

The mere thought of facing Alexander, the vampire, was enough to make them doubt their abilities. If he was that difficult to beat, what would someone Jaune described as 10 or 30 times more difficult be like? It wasn't exactly an encouraging thought.

—inside the video—

Jaune was scratching his head, with that 'I've gotten myself into quite a mess' look. —"The truth is that I should have thought twice before going headlong into those vampires. It was crazy, and if I'm honest, it was more luck than skill that saved my skin. I know, I know, I'm a hardhead who doesn't think before acting, but what am I going to do to him? Adrenaline can kill me."

— "I have to get tough and be smarter in my battles. I'm not always going to have a four-leaf clover in my pocket, and I'm speaking literally and metaphorically."

—outside the video—

Weiss ran a hand through her hair, trying to process what she had just seen. — "At least Jaune realizes his blunders... Should that comfort me?"

Blake nodded, with a half smile. — "It's good that he is aware of his mistakes since he was little... Although that doesn't change the fact that sometimes he is a real idiot."

—inside the video—

Jaune was pulling his hair, dramatizing his dilemma. —"Tomorrow it's time to go back to school, to boring Hansel. There's nothing there that catches my attention, really. I've told my old man a thousand times that I want to do something different, but he insists that I'm not old enough to decide. for myself. If only he knew the things I do when he's not looking..." He laughed, mischief lighting up his face.

—"At least the history teacher is hot. Someday I will win her over and we will get married."

—outside the video—

Yang couldn't help but laugh. —"Hahaha, Wow! For a moment I had forgotten that Jaune is still a child. In love with the history teacher? That's new! And for blackmail"

Ren's laughter added to the atmosphere, so genuine and infectious it could have woken up a hibernating bear. — "A childhood love, as tender and normal as any child's. It's a breath of fresh air to see that, despite her eccentricities, there are moments when Jaune is as innocent as any other child."

—outside the video—

Jaune, with a mischievous smile, said one of those phrases that make you question his innocence. —"That I'm married is just one more detail in the story. It's not an obstacle, it's a challenge, that doesn't stop me," she said, wiping the drool from the corner of her mouth with a gesture so quick that it almost got lost in it. the flicker.

—out of the video—

—"You know what? We'd better leave it at that," Yang exclaimed, giving up on the idea that there was any innocence in Jaune.

—"Where does he get these ideas from? If I find out that any of his sisters, or worse yet, his parents, have something to do with his cheeky attitude, I will have to have a very serious conversation with them," commented Weiss, with a nervous twitch in his eye that betrayed his growing irritation.

—inside the video—

—"Now that I know this area is infested with vampires, I have to protect my aunt. So, let's get out of here!" Jaune exclaimed, standing up with a vigor that defied gravity. The camera captured the moment when he held some rabbit heads, with a seriousness that contrasted with the madness of his plan.

—outside the video—

—"Ahhhhhh! For heaven's sake, Jaune! Can't you be calm for even a second?" Yang shouted, protecting Ruby from the macabre vision with movements so fast they seemed choreographed.

Nora and Blake flinched, sharing a look that said 'we can't have pets around him'.

Weiss was struggling to maintain her composure, while Pyrrha was trying not to lose her lunch.

Ren couldn't believe his eyes. — "What the hell are you up to with those rabbit heads?" she asked, his voice a perfect mix of revulsion and a morbid fascination that she didn't want to admit.

—inside the video—

The scene changed to Jaune, who looked like he had escaped from a carnival in his boxer attire and makeshift feather crown. In his hand, a stick topped with a rabbit's head, as if it were a scepter from a very, very alternative kingdom.

The floor beneath him was decorated with a pentagram made up of bloodstains, as if setting the stage for the most macabre rock concert of the century.

Jaune, covered in blood, was jumping and waving his arms like he was in the mosh pit at that concert, muttering unintelligible words that sounded like a lullaby in a horror movie.

—"Mamaseis mamasei mamaseis mamakusa," he hummed, with a melody that didn't even hit home.

Suddenly, the camera flashed and showed a transformed Jaune, now well dressed and with suitcase in hand, as if nothing had happened.

Sitting in a Bullhead, on the way back to Hansel, he smiled with the calmness of someone who hasn't been doing strange rituals five minutes ago.

— "Guys, thanks for joining me in this madness. Who knows what the future will bring, but I'm fine, in case you're wondering. The motion sickness pills are wonderful, I'm telling you," Jaune laughed, as if shared a secret from grandma.

— "I have no idea what will await me on my next adventure. Sometimes I look for mandrakes and run into fairies, other times I look for fairies and run into unicorns. But if I could choose, I would love to run into a succubus, the dream of every man," he said with a laugh that was more mischievous than saintly.

—"Anyway, see you next time, guys. I have to be honest, I need to find a henchman for these adventures. Doing this alone is very dangerous," Jaune reflected, as if he were considering placing an ad in the newspaper.

Then, a head peeked over Jaune's shoulder, with an expression that was a cocktail of confusion, deep thought, and not-so-disguised fear.

—"Hey, kid, who are you talking to?" the man asked, as if waiting to be introduced to an invisible friend.

—"Oh, this? It's for my diary. Say hello to the camera ," Jaune responded, with the naturalness of someone making video calls with the afterlife.

The man, still hesitant and with a fear that he didn't know if it was from Jaune or the situation, raised his hand in a timid salute, and then the camera abruptly cut the feed, as if someone had said 'cut' on a movie set. recording.

—outside the video—

Ruby, her eyes shining brighter than a disco ball at a party, launched a theory crazier than a reality show. —"Listen, listen! I have a theory that's going to blow your minds: Jaune has to be bewitched with a curse that makes him immune to heat, like a legendary dragon!"

Yang, who never misses an opportunity to make a spicy comment, laughed and said, —"Ha! And I must have a curse that makes me the queen of the bears. Every time I step into the forest, the bears organize me a rave in my honor."

Weiss, with a pose worthy of a Greek statue, intervened with her voice colder than lemon ice cream. —"If we're going to start the curse fest, I want one that makes me immune to listening to your trashy theories."

Blake, who always seems to be in 'do not disturb' mode, added with a hint of logic,—"Maybe it's nothing more than a genetic quirk. Something like sunscreen built into his DNA, although he insists it's a curse."

Pyrrha, the group's official mediator, intervened with her usual diplomatic tone. — "Whatever it is, it's clear that Jaune is no ordinary guy. Maybe we should feel lucky that he's on our side and not against us."

Nora, who has more energy than a trampoline park, jumped out of her seat as if she were on one. — "Think of the possibilities! If Jaune can withstand the sun even though he was a vampire, what other feats will he be able to perform? Will he be able to take a dip in a volcano?"

Ren, the group's eternal tightrope walker, put an end to the debate with his usual good sense. — "Regardless of his abilities, what he counts is that Jaune has a screw loose. But, let's face it, if he could really swim in lava, we would have to give him a standing ovation."

The talk took a turn towards Jaune's childhood pranks, and Yang, who never lets one go, blurted out with her typical sarcasm. — "Jaune's always been a badass, right? I bet her first word was 'girls' and not 'mom'."

Weiss, with a smile that you didn't know if it was amusement or disdain, added. — "I wouldn't be surprised if Jaune emerged from her mother's womb wielding a sword and with a business contract under her arm, ready to conquer the world or at least an amusement park."

Ruby, with that look of someone who is about to discover the formula for Coca-Cola, reflected out loud. —"What do you think? Have magical creatures been here since the beginning of time or is it that Jaune attracts the paranormal?"

Blake, with that expression of someone daydreaming about distant worlds, answered. —"This world is full of enigmas. Maybe there has always been magic, just waiting for some crazy person with free time to start looking for it."

Pyrrha, with those eyes that shine brighter than a disco ball, shared her excitement. —"If there are more weirdos like the ones Jaune encounters, then we are just at the beginning of an incredible journey."

Nora, who has more energy than a power plant, exclaimed. —"This is great! We're going on an expedition to hunt fairies and unicorns! And if we come across a dragon, we'll take a selfie!"

Ren, with that smile that seems to say 'I put up with them because I love them', closed the topic. —"No way."

They all stared at Ren, wondering why he had suddenly applied the handbrake.

—"But what the hell is wrong with them? Jaune barely escaped Alexander, and he had magical artifacts that gave him incredible abilities. Let's see if it gets into their heads that the creatures in the stories are not like the if the unicorn doesn't turn out to be a benevolent animal that shits rainbows and is friendly? What if it has an appetite for human flesh?" Ren dropped the bomb.

The girls looked at each other, thinking that perhaps the excitement of discovering something new had fried their neurons. They hadn't considered that going in search of magical creatures could be more dangerous than they imagined and, to make matters worse, they had no idea where to start.

—"You're absolutely right," Weiss agreed, with that voice that sounds like she's leading a shareholders meeting.

—"Great!" Yang exclaimed, —"Let's read those Jaune diaries as if they were the latest fashionable series."

—"Sure, and when Mr. 'I-do-whatever-I-want' comes back, we'll do a spy movie-style interrogation. Let him tell us all his adventures and, incidentally, explain that coup d'état thing in Menagerie", Blake blurted out with a tone that made it clear that he was not up to joking. Jaune was going to need more than a magic shield when she was done with him.

—"Meanwhile, let's keep gossiping about what other crazy things Jaune did as a kid," Nora suggested, with that mischievous smile that makes you think she's planning something big. She closed the computer folder with a dramatic click and opened another with a title that promised more secrets than a soap opera episode.

—"It's weird, but I don't feel guilty at all snooping into Jaune's life," Ruby commented, with that innocence that makes you wonder if she really understands what she's doing.

—"Yes, I should be red with embarrassment for invading other people's privacy," Weiss joined in, although her tone suggested she was more excited than sorry.

—"It's like we don't give a damn about Jaune's privacy," Yang laughed, without an ounce of remorse.

Curiously, they all shared the same feeling of limitless curiosity.

—"Bah, what does it matter. Let's give it a try," said Nora, making light of the matter.

—"Wait, I'm going to get supplies. This is getting more interesting than a zombie movie marathon," Yang announced, and bolted out of Team JNPR's room on a mission to loot Ruby's secret snacks.

But just as she set foot in the hallway, she ran into Jaune, who was walking so calmly, carrying a medium-sized bag with him.

With a movement so fast and exaggerated that it seemed like something out of a comedy, Yang turned around and walked back into the room, closing the door with a slam that echoed throughout the hallway.

—"¡Jaune is here!, Hides everything and acts natural!"

-[]-

I deeply appreciate you taking the time to read this chapter. Your comments and suggestions are welcome and highly valued. This story will not follow the original canon of the RWBY series; rather, it will be enriched with elements from various franchises and inspiration from other series.