A/N: Happy Mothers Day to those celebrating it!
This chapter, like the last is written a bit differently, and I apologize for any confusion.
My co-writer, Adventreader221 wrote 90% of this chapter, as I'm in no shape to do it. he's a godsend as always. I'm still in mourning from losing my Aunt, if not for him, this chapter would've taken another two months. Furthermore, we vastly improved the chapter prior to this some time ago -not sure if anyone noticed- so feel free to give that a reread if you like. Its like having two chapters in one!
Once again, a heartfelt thanks to everyone out there for their heartfelt support in these trying times.
As ever, we own no references, themes or memes and certainly no quotes. They're tributes made for the sake of entertainment, nothing more.
So here we go. The fate of this story depends on you, the reader. Your feedback determines the fate of this tale, and many others.
I'm just a humble author trying to make his way in this wild world, one word at a time.
Time and feedback will determine if this remains a story. Simple as that.
In other words...its up to YOU, the reader. Do let me know~!
Minor verbatim from my One Helluva Team story as well.
Advent did his best to help; he really is a lifesaver.
"Money opens doors, as they say.
But charisma...well, that opens even more.
Is it any wonder he managed to pull a stunt like this?
~A King's Declaration
With All You Have
Blake sat in the chair next to the couch, her long time friend-and secret love interest-thank you Ninja's of Love-Adam Taurus sat on the couch with Kali as Ghira entered the living room, "So, three months until you head to Beacon, are you excited?" Adam asked Blake.
"Nervous, if you want the truth, but at the same time I am anxious to see what the school is like." Blake told him.
"That's fine, it's ok to be nervous." Ghira said as he nodded his head before looking to his wife who nodded in agreement.
"Yea, just make sure you don't let the people who think themselves better than you get to you and you'll be fine." Kali assured her, "It's usually the ones who are insecure about themselves that cause problems for others, so stay strong."
Blake smiled, "Thanks mom, dad, it means a lot." she said happily, "Besides, Adam is going to be going with me to ensure I make it to the initiation for the Academy." she told them.
"And for that we are glad." Ghira said looking to the redhead who shrugged.
"If it allows Blake to grow as a person and a Huntsman, then as her friend I should see her off on the beginning of her journey." he told them.
If only he knew what was to come from this step of helping young Blake out.
"Well, the tournament is about to begin, what say we make a wager then Adam?" Ghira asked getting a interested hum from the Bull Faunus.
"Ghira, no, you're terrible when it comes to gambling." Kali said in panic, "Especially when it comes to making a bet against Adam!"
"Not a good a idea, don't even try to swindle your way out of it." Blake stated.
"Yea, no, you be quiet dear." Kali told her husband.
"No no, this is a gentlemen's bet, nothing monetary gained or lost from it." Ghira laughed.
"Well, what do you say Ghira, someone knocks the Invincible Girl off her high horse this year?" Adam asked.
"Nah, Pyrrha is powerful, I have yet to see anyone even so much as scratch her." the older male grinned.
"Ok, how about this, if Pyrrha is beaten, you have to file your paperwork for the remainder of the month." Adam smirked.
"Oh hell nah, that shit is the bane of all creation." Ghira shuddered, "If Pyrrha wins, you file it for the rest of the month." he responded.
Blake leaned over to her mother, "They do realize that the end of the month is like... two days away... right?"
"I think it's next month that they're discussing dear." Kali whispered back.
"Ah, ok, that makes sense." Blake nodded.
"Deal?" Adam asked holding a hand out.
She seized it.
"Deal!'
and with that, the men shook hands, the bet set in stone.
0.0.0
Pyrrha didn't know why she felt like this.
She wasn't one to stand in the adulation of the masses; having always disliked the bright stadium lights bearing down on her like an interrogation. She disliked the roar of the crowds in her ears. The weight of everyone's expectations pressing down on her. They didn't care how she felt. They just wanted the Invincible Girl and the spectacle she provided them. It wrung the joy of fighting right out of her. Their attention was a knife on her heart, a noose around her neck; a constant and pervasive weight dragging her down with each passing moment.
She didn't want to be here. Of course she didn't. No one in their right mind would enjoy this. She was only sixteen after all.
But she couldn't stop. To do so would bring dishonor to the Nikos name.
But here she was, committing herself to another pointless match, preparing to break another promising contender.
Green eyes squinted against the light as she stepped into the ring, weapons in hand. Tonight's arena was much as any other, round and circular, ringed by chalk with a protective field to protect the crowd from stay projectiles. There really wasn't all that much to speak off. It would be a bought like any other, just another round in another nameless tourney whose name Pyrrha long since forgotten. Defending that silly little title, yet again. And when she would be expected to compete in much larger tournaments. To win those as well.
It was never going to end, was it?
The thought stirred something in her soul. How she longed for a proper fight.
Unbidden, she recalled the stricken visage of her last opponent. The poor girl had come all the way from Patch to face her in the preliminaries. She was happy. Eager even. Pyrrha had beaten her badly. She hadn't meant to humiliate her of course, but it didn't change the outcome. Her foe all but threw down her weapon by the end. Spirit broken, eyes burning with tears, and then she sworn never to fight again.
Because of her.
No doubt this would be more of the same.
Steeling herself, she forced herself to focus. The announcer had been speaking for some time now and she'd all but tuned him out. No longer.
"Welcome, ladies and gentlemen, to the Pre-Vytal tournament!" the announcer's voice boomed, stirring up the crowd. "Now, I know you're all giddy for real deal next week, but hold your horses! We have here today the best of the best; they may not be proper huntsmen and huntresses yet, but they're here to showcase their skills and fight for the grand prize!" she couldn't see the man under the glaring lights, but she heard his voice pique all the same. "One miillliiiiooooon lien and a personal sponsorship from the SDC!"
Chump change, father would say. He only cared about glory...that sponsorship had him drooling.
.
..
...she was so very sick of sponsors, and glory, and lien...
"In this corner, we have ourselves the last remaining challenger to face the Indominable Spirit of Vacou and The Invincible Girl of Mistral!" Hailing from the kingdom of Atlas, and the one who held the line, and even fought at the front himself, William Schnee the Lord of Mantle!" a note of incredulity threaded its way into the booth as people cheered in excitement. "He's torn his way through the rankings with no sweat on his part to stand here before us! Lets give him a big round of applause!"
Money really did open doors. How else would a
Lights seared on across the arena, revealing her opponent. The adulation he received was polite at best, lukewarm at worst.
Pyrrha took the chance to inspect him as he strode out into the ring.
Clad in a immaculate and rather extravagant suit of armor, he almost looked like a king.
He wears a golden armor that makes a heavy first impression on those who gaze upon him. His armor is different than the normal armor one would have wore. The armor is a vibrant gold with the shoulder guards having golden sleeves with short tassels hanging down. The shoulders are linked together with a golden chain across the chest with a ruby lock in the middle. His waist is secured a leather waist strap with golden plates. He completes this with the red waist cape with a more older Atlas-influenced style that was seen on the ancient kingdom of Sumer before its destruction. On his back were two long swords she had seen him place, but never draw out as his enemies could never force him to fight seriously.
She would change that.
She noticed that with each bout, he would always state that if he were to be pushed, he would use the swords-announcing that should he draw them, he would name them. The swords were three feet long with short protrusions near the bottom and a large curve near the hilt with two holes cut into the blades at the hilt and two at the tip of the blades. She could sense their capabilities, and she was astounded by the sheer range of capabilities they could be pushed through for a simple pair of swords.
A pair of twins swords that can convert to a pair of tonfa blades, a broadsword by placing both halves of the twin swords together. If he links both the hilts together he is able to form a powerful bow where the blades would turn and link together with a energy fusion, and if simply twisted together by the hilts the weapon will form a double bladed sword.
How incredible and diverse!
She would see the might of those swords... she would make him take her seriously.
What she didn't know was that despite all it's transformational capabilities, this twin sword piece was still a bow of impressive power.
Forged from a metal known as Enkidu Steel and other rare metals and infused with each and every known form of Dust known to man. Enki takes the form of a longbow by connecting the two swords at their hilts. It generates an arrow that is fired at the ground to act as a "tracer round" for his true attack that is deployed high in satellite orbit above the world. The actual Enki itself was surrounded by six bolts that converge around the sword in a spiral to become a spear that falls toward the Earth as a "Star of Destruction". The weapon Enki itself is a powerful weapon that simply distracts it's oppressing opponent to deploy the arrow that would fall from heaven.
He held an air of confidence, as if there were none who could challenge him-she had seen footage of the broadcast when he fought, she knew he was powerful with what he had accomplished that night-but she would give him something besides a thrashing in this bout. His weapon's were metal, having watched him fling them about as if they were toys. She could sense the properties within them and knew she had a advantage over him.
But she also knew that he could easily overwhelm her through the sheer number and ferocity of his Semblance, this Gate he liked to call it when he opened those portals.
She pushed such thoughts aside, the announcer speaking up and pulling her from her thoughts.
"And in the main corner!"
Pyrrha wanted to curl up into a ball and die.
Oh gods, now they were going to introduce her. Lovely.
"Mistral's champion!" there could be no mistaking the note of pride that came from the booth. "Undefeated for three years running in the junior-tournament league! The one! The only! Pyrrha Nikos! THE INVINCIBLE GIRL!"
The crowd went wild; they always did. Pyrrha ignored them, waved once, and focused on her foe.
"Its a pleasure to meet you." she sketched a bow, as was proper. "May you fight well in the battle to come."
"Hmmm, Lancer..." he remarked. "I should have known."
Pyrrha blinked. "I beg your pardon?"
"Your weapon. It is mecha-shift spear that turns from a short-sword into a spear or into the devastatingly accurate form of a sniper rifle, secondary to the rare Adamantine Dust shield you fling about when the spear is incapable of sustaining your fight in the way you wish, a very formidable combination, but I have yet to see your Semblance at work in full capacity despite all the fights you have partaken in.
His head tilted suddenly, and for a moment, those piercing eyes seemed to skewer her very soul.
"I see that you use a form of magnetism, so I shall fight you with all I offer from the start." He let those words sink in, idly conjuring a strange spiraling sphere to his right hand as he considered her. "It would be easy to beat you with a rasengan, but that would be...boring. Conversely," he let that hand fall, extinguishing the spiraling sphere within. "I could simply blitz you with sheer quantity rather than quality. The amount of weapons I can conjure from my Gate would overwhelm even your semblance, no matter how many you intercept."
She opened her mouth to deny him. "That's not-
"Am I wrong?" he questioned.
Her heart skipped a beat; he was right, anything made of metal was hers to control, no matter the number or quantity of blades used against her, she would hold the advantage. The speed didn't matter if they weren't taken out, meaning she couldn't fling them back at those same speeds as it'd only be her using his own power against him. And he also had enough energy for days, but having fought a horde the way he had showed how far he would go for those in need.
He was good...very good...
And then, not only to her shock but the entire crowd, he simply held up a hand, and motioned for her to come at him.
Was this guy insane?
Hell, she even asked him aloud the very question she wanted to ask, "You wish to fight me without sword or spear? I know you are a capable warrior, so why now do you face me knowing all that I have accomplished today?"
William snorted, "Let us make a deal, Lancer. Drop your shield, face me using only your spear, and I will show you the true might of this sword I hold on my back." he offered a hand unto her, smiling softly, "Anything less than your full potential, however and I will leave you on the ground in defeat."
Pyrrha felt a trickle of sweat run down her temple; he wasn't lying, that much was certain.
If she were to refuse the deal, he would open up a plethora of portals and immediately overwhelm her. He had unleashed hundreds of swords, dozens of spears, a dozen axes-any type of weapon one could imagine to fight with he had used at least once in the tournament. She knew not the depths of his so called Gate, and she wanted to test them, but even she knew when a threat was being made even to her. And suffice to say, she didn't like it one bit...
.
..
...no she didn't.
Every other fight she had witnessed him partake in, he almost always pulled out a weapon similar to the one of the person he fought, hell, at one point he duked it out with his opponent without having her used a single weapon from his gate.
He had quite literally dismantled the young woman and her weapon as his opponent used a condensed energy blade that was using Flame Dust Crystal that burned as hot as the core of the planet, and would cut the ground apart with each swing. A truly vicious display of raw power if she had ever seen one.
In all honesty, she was quite curious as to how he had fought his opponent so easily despite having not used his own weapons and Semblance to battle her? Each movement he had made was precise, unwasted, unchallenged. And the way he commanded the fight was nothing short of extraordinary.
His power was on a whole other level than those she had ever faced in combat before...
EARLIER
He stood silently with his eyes closed, closed off from the world around him.
Closed off from the noise, the adulation, the apathy... the greed and hunger...
He had been called out earlier, as had his opponent whom he could not see-an invisibility Semblance was rare, and a master of such a power was even rarer-but he could sense her presence. He could smell her anger. Her rage clouded her mind and left her wide open to his sensory powers like a open book in the wind. The noise was deafening him, the screams and shouting all but hindering his thoughts. The one calming factor he could rely on, was the force of the world in which he partook in secretly drawing in the ancient energy.
She appeared behind him, her rage all but giving her away as she ignited her weapon with a snarl as she swung it down, ready to end the fight then and there. However, much to her shock, the blade stopped before it could ever touch him. His hand was raised calmly, pointer and middle finger slightly extended and the remainder calmly curled inwards to show he was holding her back, but through a unknown means.
The power of his Magnet Release chakra gripped the weapon with a hold that none would be able to break unless he expressly allowed it.
He opened his eyes, allowing the noise to enter his senses, to permeate them and drown out everything else.
"You would be wise to take me seriously." he told her as he turned around, looking upon the young Faunus woman who growled at him with the rage of a thousand soldiers ready to die a warriors death. His hand was still raised as he looked upon her and fully took her in, weapon, armor, and person one and all.
She was a Chameleon Faunus, rarer still. So, she hadn't used her Semblance then, how intriguing.
And her weapon, built of various others but no less interesting. It had twin dust sabers, but rather than rely on metal like a normal one, they used the Dust Crystals held within the central chambers of either end of the small thing to ignite a condensed and far more lethal plasma energy that would cut and cauterize any portion of the body immediately. It could also spin if the ring that both ends were to go by, and could even split apart for a dual wield fight if need be.
How interesting. A very unique weapon if there truly ever was one. He might have one built himself if he had the time, but then again, there was the Black One held within his Gate he hadn't drawn out. He had others similar to it, but this was the first red one he had seen.
"RARGH!" she snarled at him in apathy, hatred for the Schnee family for all that they had done to her kind.
The Shinobi in him simply longed to slit her throat and be done with her, end the endless suffering he could sense deep down. But the Huntsman in him wanted to see what all she could truly do, see how far she could push him in the fight. Using his control over his chakra, he gripped her metallic armor using his own power and pushed her away with a shove of his hand-not once even touching her physically.
To many, it was almost as if he had used the power of Telekinesis, a powerful Semblance to be sure, but they had already seen him use his Gate once to pull out a sword in the prior battle against the one named Brutus. So the real question on their minds was; how had he done it?
The answer was simple, Magnet Release.
Her armor contained several metal clamps across the chest and shoulders. Using those, he had simply pushed her away as he called upon Shukaku's old energy still embedded into his soul in a way similar to those who possessed Telekinesis. She slid back for several feet, never slipping and falling, but her fury and gaze were fixated upon him with each moment she stood unbothered by the force of his counter.
She snarled as she charged at him, swinging at him in a way that would most certainly cut him in two, but with a simple palm wave, he blocked her weapon. His use of Magnetic energy stopping the weapon before it could scratch him.
She stepped back, spinning as she swung the plasma blade, but Naruto merely leaned away, not once did he step back from her assault. She grunted as she swung down, trying to cut him down the middle, her anger clouding her thoughts and skill all the while.
Sidestepping the attack he almost sighed when she tried to remove his head once more, but using magnet release he blocked her with immense ease as he held a palm up to ward her off. Keeping the grip on her weapon through sheer force of his own power, he lowered his hand, forcing the weapon to turn, her grip shaking as she grit her teeth and tried to hold her grounded stance.
With a caterwaul, she flipped over and broke his grip on the weapon with his strange ability. With a lunge, she thrust the crimson blade at him, but he twisted his body and held his palm upwards and raised it up as he pushed her out of the way of her attack and then pushed her back once again as he shoved his hand away from his body.
She charged yet again, striking downwards, this time forcing him to step around her as he moved from his spot to behind her. And to the surprise of the crowd-not William, he had already deduced the functionality of her weapon-another blade of crimson plasma burst out.
Leaning his head out of the way as it jutted out and nearly cut him down, William merely snorted at her attempt at obvious murder. The young Faunus woman spun away, her own double ended staff whirring as she spun it overhead. As she came to a stop, she continued to glare at him in hatred. She then lunged at him, swinging the twin blade upwards.
William leaned to the right and then spun to the left as she swung downwards and then leaned downwards as she swung it at his head before once more stepping to the side as she lunged at him to try and stab him in the chest. She was certainly eager, he would give her that much.
She once more leapt at him, but he simply grunted as he once more pushed her away with a wave of his hand.
He was getting rather irked by her childish attempts at killing him.
A flick of a switch on her weapon, and Naruto felt his brow quirk up as the crowd gasped in surprise. The weapon was rapidly spinning in motion as she tried to fend him off, desperate to find a way to fight him, but unable to think of one as he had not once taken her seriously. His abilities were random, indiscernible and fully unknown to her.
Not only that, he was able to see through her every single movement as if he had some form of foresight ability-which he did not-and could simply use her own power against her without having to draw upon his own Semblance and Aura. Not once had he attacked her, only defending himself from her lethal attempts at striking him.
William sighed as he approached, the Faunus taking a step back with each one he advanced towards her-her weapon still rotating-while he raised a hand up calmly. He could feel her angst, sense her terror, see her hatred, taste the rage. All of these dark emotions all but drowning her in a sea of sorrow for someone whom she had never met.
Her cry filled the air once again as Naruto merely clenched his fingers into a claw, his chakra wrapping around the weapon tightly.
Then, shockingly enough, the rotating weapon slowed down, and stopped completely as he looked down upon the horrified chameleon Faunus before him.
Extending his hand, the weapon was ripped from her grasp and into his own. The crowd gawked-his mother and siblings felt their jaws drop at the sight of it all-as he held the weapon in his hand and looked at it. Looking back at the Faunus, he raised it up, and then grabbed it with both his hands, and turned them. He exerted immense pressure upon the two halves he held in his grasp as the metal shrieked before utterly snapping in half to grant him two weapons rather than one. With a flick, one of the blades powered down as he tossed it at her feet,
"Pick it up." he ordered her, "You want me to take you seriously, fine, this is me taking you serious."
She didn't move and his eyes narrowed.
"Pick...It...Up..." he demanded.
The Faunus was left shaking in her boots. This kid was a monster, a force of nature unlike anything she had ever seen. She could recall her father once warning her that if she had to bend over to pick something up, she had already lost. Was this what he had meant? Had she already been subdued and beaten? Could she not avenge him by removing at least one of his tormentors from this world?
She swallowed a lump in her throat, her worry growing, but she did as she was bade, and bent over to grab the half of her weapon she had been given back by the Schnee heir as he stood still. He had not once drawn his own swords, not once used his Semblance, didn't draw on the depths of his Aura.
And yet... he was still this powerful...
Rising up, she ignited the blade with a hiss of plasma once again. Her breathing was shaky, her heartbeat erratic beyond the veil of compare. She schooled herself and charged with a snarl. She ducked down and rolled to her opponents side as he swiped to his right across the ground, missing her by a hair as the plasma cut across the ground with a snarl of melting stone.
She rolled to her feet behind him and thrust he sword at the middle of his spine, but he placed his half of her own sword in the path and slapped it out of the way with brute force, as he sidestepped a lunge from her and swung in a arc downwards to block her backspin to try and cut him in half, the blades biting at one another.
The young Faunus snarled as she spun around William, swinging her arm with a scream of energy slicing through the air. William blocked the strike with a hand and stepped back to avoid the second swing knocking him off his feet and swung his blade to intercept a slice at his neck and blocked her plasma blade with his own in hand before he raised a foot and kicked her away from him.
As she spun to her feet, William shocked the crowed when he hurled the plasma blade he had taken from her at the Faunus like it was a discus, forcing her to spin around and deflect it. However, this favored her as she was now the only one truly armed with a weapon in her hand.
She spun in a circular motion, he blade whirring through the air above her head as she made her final preparation. However, William blocked her with his hand, gripping the handle of her blade as he pushed her arm up and away before he punched her in the gut and sent her sliding back from the brute force of the blow. At the same time, he adjusted his grip on the blade in his hand as he held it in a loose grip and cracked his neck. With a hand extending outwards, he called upon his magnet release and summoned the other blade back into his hand, now armed with both her weapons-well, the full weapon-in his grasp as he looked down on her.
The young Faunus was on her knees gasping for breath, her Aura was well beyond the red from the two blows he had landed on her, his not even budging from its spot in the green from where they had begun minutes ago. His breathing was deep...heavy...calm...refined.
He approached her with both the plasma blades glowing in the light, ready to finish her off once and for all, her mind flashed through a dozen scenario's in an instant. And then, to her shock, he shut them off and crushed them in his grip-destroying the inner circuitry and crystal's inside the blades handles,
"Did you really believe I did not see your intent?" he questioned her calmly.
She glared at him, to no avail
"I know my family has caused you grief, but you should seek those who have wronged you, not those whom you have never even met."
He left here there as the announcer declared his victory and walked away
(.0.0.0.)
Pyrrha swallowed a lump in her throat, "Are you sure you want to try this, last person who did didn't really walk away without help."
William snorted at her, "I'm sure I will manage, come and show me how... invincible you really are, Lancer."
Again with that nickname!
She smirked. It seemed this would indeed be a challenge after all, very well them, she might as well indulge him a bit. With a toss, a clang of metal filled the air as she dropped her shield. The crowd went silent above, baffled by her sudden display of showmanship.
Not so her opponent.
William smirked, "Very well then, then I shall do you the courtesy of the same." he said, reaching up to draw his swords, "Every choice that you have made, has led you to this moment."
Pyrrha felt something bud in her chest. She couldn't fathom what it truly was. Admiration, exaltation, adulation...but what she did know was thus-something about this man...had brought out the love of the fight in her once again, "Before we begin, I have one question...
"You have but to only ask." he responded.
"Who are you, truly?" she questioned him.
William for once in his life couldn't understand what he had done to change her, but he could sense something from her, and he knew what he said next would echo throughout history, "I cannot answer that..
She frowned at him for a long moment. "I'm sorry, that was rude of me. Then what are you...?"
"Many things." he responded calmly, "A dead man. A brother. A leader. And also..."
He raised his gaze. Blue eyes shimmered into red.
"...an executioner."
Pyrrha felt something in her soul cry out in fear. Those were not the eyes of a common man-they were that of one who had embraced the monster within. And yet his smile sent a tiny thrill of excitement shooting through her.
"So, shall we begin?" he questioned, "Or shall you fall to my Sword of End?".
"Sword of End?" She remarked, "A certainly unique name for a set of swords rather than one."
"Hmph, you are observant, I shall allow you that, but these swords were designed to allow me the maximum efficiency in battle. It is not my greatest treasure in my arsenal, but I have been thinking on making them my go to selection for when I am in the midst of combat against a worthy opponent who is good enough to fight without having to simply overwhelm them with swords being flung at them." he remarked.
"I see, so you think I am worthy of such a fight?" Pyrrha asked as she settled into a stance of her own.
"You have honored me by keeping to the deal, and as such, I will honor you with the true potential I hold in hand." he told her.
"Interesting, well then, let's see just how good you are, unless it is all talk." Pyrrha spun her spear in her hands as she settled into a ready position.
"I see that you are in in need of one last lesson." he told her as he narrowed his glowing eyes at her. Then, he began to swing and whirl the twin swords around in a extremely deft manner that made the air trill as the steel cut through the air before he took a single step back, planting his foot and holding the swords in front and behind his body at the ready, "Now then, come and show me just how powerful the Invincible Girl truly is!"
Pyrrha narrowed her eyes as she watched his body move with what seemed to be the grace and poise of a deer-how he had simply turned his body with a meager motion that looked as elegant as it was. She would never know, but what she did understand was that William Augustus Aiden Nicholas Schnee was definitely no slouch in the ways of combat.
He didn't just rely on his Semblance, he understood the ways of hand to hand, the collision of steel, life or death situations. What was she thinking, of course he did, he fought the world's largest horde essentially by himself until he eradicated it using some unknown lance that erupted in a pillar of light that carved a canyon out of the earth for dozens of miles.
And now, she would see just how talented he truly was when it came to armed combat...
She didn't now it, but today was the day that the world of Remnant was reminded of just why it had chosen him as it's chosen savior.
The Child of Prophecy would indulge her in every way she would him.
It would be a spectacle for the ages.
A/N: Aaaand scene~!
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William grinned, "How amusing, for someone such as yourself to match me blow for blow when I am hardly fighting serious...very well then, I shall grant you the privilege of this blades hidden power." he told her as he grasped the hilt in both hands, "Awaken, Sword of End; Enki!" he commanded as a pillar of dazzling blue light erupted and filled the air, the arena shaking from its presence alone as the blade was filled with unfathomable powers.
"I see you actually are serious for a change." the green eyed fighter said eagerly, "And if that is the case, then I too shall give you a taste of your own medicine." she spoke up eagerly as she prepared herself. Having taken the twin sword's other half away from the silver haired teen, she could feel the innate power it possessed, and as such, she twisted the handle on the golden blade, a glimmer of blazing red energy sparked before exploding off and streaking through the heavens. Rocks and dust shifted and rose into the air as they gazed upon one another from their positions, "Get ready to lose Schnee!" the redhead said boldly.
"Come at me, Lancer!" he declared with a smirk of challenge, his own blade swinging down in challenge as they struck, a pillar of twisting crimson/azure shooting up into the sky as the explosion enveloped the both of them in a shimmering dome of raw power.
"So we meet again! I admit, I had my doubts."
"Ha! Of course you would. Not me. I never doubted for a moment."
The world rippled. That was the best way, the only way Weiss felt, to describe what followed. Her brother held a hand toward the sky. A glyph bloomed above his hand, shimmering just above his fingertips. Then another. Another. Yet another still. As she looked on he reached into it.
"Let me show you...just what exactly real power is, in the hands of someone who controls it."
And heaven answered.
William stood on the precipice of the Academy, he looked out over the Emerald Forest, a slight look of disgust on his face. To think they would dare to have him try to commit to such a childish game on the morrow to simply see if he was worthy to join their ranks-what fools. And it was to begin in THREE DAYS NO LESS!
With timing so perfect that it must have been brought about by the machinations of fate, rather than chance—
The earth cried out.
【――――o ̊_. ̅ ̅ ̅ ̅ ̅•_――― ̊ ̅ ̅ ̅ ̅ ̅ ̅._ ̊ ̅ ̅ ̅_.】
""!?""
Ruby and her fellow Beacon Candidate's looked across the Emerald Forest all turned to look at the sky.
They had heard a mighty roar off in the distance—one with the power to shake both heaven and earth. But it was too beautiful to be called a 'roar'. It was as though a giant angel or its ilk, or perhaps even the Earth itself, was singing a lullaby. They could tell that the sound had come from far, far away from the forests that lay to the west of Beacon.
That tremendous rumbling noise, which laid waste to the very laws of physics, was, for some reason, something they each had faith in.
It was like the first cry of a newborn, and at the same time—not.
It was almost certainly the voice of a stupendously powerful being.
As she followed the lavishly armored teen, Ruby gave a pause as the hairs on the back of her neck rose, a deep otherworldly cry filling the air as it washed over both her and William, both experiencing different effects of the energy as it resonated in the duo. Ruby shook in awe as the power flowed across the world, through her body, and by feel of it alone, there was none who could match it, "T-This presence... i-its enormous... w-what is this energy?" she hyperventilated in shock. However, it was much different for the Schnee heir as he stopped with wide, shocked eyes.
William stood motionless upon hearing that voice.
He had been about to summon something to his hand, when he stopped-and it was then that the one deemed king displayed a powerful emotion for the first time.
Even those who had known William-friend and family alike- would say that it was rare to see him so emotional. That king among all kings was quick to anger, and by no means level-headed—but to think that even he could be brought to this state.
"That voice... could it be?"
His eyes lit up with surprise, consternation, bewilderment—and then, exhilaration.
"...Is it really you?"
He is a dignified young man with silver hair standing up like a blazing white flame. His face is more than the mere word handsome can describe as it is almost angelic. His eyes are blue like the heavens, and are visibly not those of a human and give off a mysterious radiance that makes people wither. He has a 'perfect, Golden-proportioned body' described as emanating majesty that makes flames surrounding him afraid to come close, and his very soul glows gold like the midday sun. He presents himself with a suit of silver platinum armor consisting of two sections that gleam like spun moonlight and shines brighter than a diamond.
The first part, a lower plate which covers his stomach. On top of that lies another plate which hangs from the neck and goes to the midsection constructed of scaled platinum with the design of a gold dragon on the chest, the upper body coiling around while the lower portion of the body coiled down on his stomach to his back. Extending over this plate are four round, metallic extensions which attach underneath the plate around the neck. Around each shoulder are very large shoulder pauldrons. The two shoulder guards had the heads of dragons carved into them from pure gold while he had his waist covered with the tail of the dragon covering them. The armor features gleaming gauntlets bearing the scaled pattern of the rest of the armor with the sections becoming smaller as the gauntlets move in towards his hands. The platinum silver armor complete with a azure waist cape. By removing his armor, he exposes the red tattoos that he bears when using his full power. In addition, he wears a platinum necklace and has silver earrings.
Ruby watched in silence as William's powerful aura wavered for a mere instant as he whispered those words. But, without a moment's hesitation, he exuded arrogance once again, overbearing as always. He burst into a fit of earnest laughter. The sound of his jubilant voice penetrated the vast sky, higher and ever higher. And then, after he had had his fill of laughter, "Ha! What marvelous fortune! What am I to call a happenstance of this sort if not proof of my kingship?!" He swelled with delight and vigor, as though he had not been bored just a few moments earlier.
"Rejoice, mongrel girl! It seems that I have been granted a fortuitus occasion to use the full force of my abilities in this little game after all!" he said in a more pleased tone as he spoke, "There should be no need to stand on ceremony. A grand reunion is about to take place, and it shall be one the likes of which has not been celebrated in all of history." he told Ruby. William was uncharacteristically talkative, perhaps because he was awash in joy, "What a pleasure it would be to end it all in a duel on yonder plaza... But then again, if he has been summoned as a mad warrior, or if... No; I shall not speak of it. This is not a matter that the mongrels ought to hear of."
He was in a pleasant mood, unable to stifle his laughter, as kingly as ever. As he stared in the direction from which the roar came, he spoke to his dear little Assassin, who still knelt beside him, "Look upon me, Ruby."
Shocked that the Schnee heir would refer to her by name, she raised her head to look up at him.
"Before I go, I believe I have need to part some advice for you to take heed of. As you are a child, you should live your life as one, only when you obtain true knowledge of who you are and what you can accomplish may you take your place among those who have etched their names into the annals of history." he told her as he kept his gaze towards the distance.
"Y-yes...? Yes, of course!" Her eyes were wide with surprise.
He glanced her briefly before he continued. He stood up straighter than he had ever before as he said, majestically, "Until such a time comes that you learn the ways of the world, it will suffice for you to gaze upon my might with jubilance." Though he paid little attention to her, he was in high spirits as he delivered his kingly order.
Though there was a touch of sarcasm in his words, they were nonetheless powerful.
Ruby shakily nodded, "U-Uh, y-yes, of course." she said to him. She could do nothing but display her utmost respect to him. She was unable to jubilate, and so hung her head, "I shall attempt to do so." she said, apologetically.
And so—with that, a unruly King had stepped onto the battlefield.
Cardin gulped. "What the hell are you?"
"I...am the solution. Now, what was that you said behind my back? I believe you laughed at me."
He spread his arms. The Emerald Forest went still.
"But you're not laughing now."
"You can't just be strong! You have to be smart! You can't just be deserving, you have be WORTHY! And you aren't! None of you are!"
He whirled and thrust a finger behind him.
"Only she is."
"With the world so set on tearing itself apart, it doesn't seem like such a bad thing to me to wanna put a little bit of it back together."
"Huh. Nobody died."
"I could shoot someone if it would make you feel better." Nora offered.
Ruby felt herself cringe, "Nah, I'm good."
"How can you fight your own people?"
Adam scoffed, "Anyone who fights us is either stupid or on someone else's payroll. Killing the latter is business. Killing the former is a favor." he responded.
"Do you want us to arrest you, Lord William?" the cop questioned him.
William smirked, "I want you to try."
Juane was lashing out with his sword, bashing some of them back with the shield in hand as he tried his best at keeping several Ursa back at bay. Ren and Nora were both cutting down Beowolf Grimm by the dozens as they protected their fellow initiates from harm. Weiss was struggling to sit up from the series of hits dealt to her by a Ursa Major Alpha, and it was starting to look hopeless. They were near the school, and they had yet to make a significant impact on the massive Wyvern in any way shape or form, Yang grunted as she crashed to the ground, and then pushed herself up and cradled her arm, "The way this is going... we'll all be... dead..." she gasped in exhaustion, blood flowing down her forehead.
The Grimm surrounded them, their growls and snarls filled the air, and a air of dread seeped into their souls. It was looking hopeless, and without William, they would most certainly lose. However, the Grimm around them were unprepared when a pair of swords shot down from the skies above. Two swords planted themselves into the skulls of two Beowolf and one of the Ursa's where they collapsed to the ground. The Beacon hopeful's all gasped as they witnessed the attack kill several more of the Grimm. And then, a raining salvo came crashing down upon the ground, forcing the remaining Grimm around them to run away, dozens of golden swords impaling the ground with a sound akin to a machine gun.
"Why do you all have such long faces?" a familiar voice called out, demanding to be heard by all below, drawing their gazes up.
They couldn't help but gasp.
Weiss nearly began crying, but the fact she was so happy to see this figure made this so much better.
Ruby had a extremely happy look as did Yang and Blake, the figure above was definitely a sight for sore eyes.
Juane, Pyrrha, Ren and Nora felt the weight that had once rested upon their shoulder's lift off, finally, he had made it.
Standing above with no less than thirty disks of silver energy prepared and ready to unleash anything behind him, and his incredible and immense Aura washing over the area, was the one person they had thought missing or dead from the Wyvern. Said Omega Class Alpha gave a roar and the newcomer narrowed his eyes before snorting as he unleashed a veritable rain of swords down upon the massive draconian Grimm causing it to cry out in agony as hundreds of blades were impaled into its flesh, the weapons vanishing into golden dust seconds after only for a thousand more to stab into the creatures flesh once more. No part of the monster was spared his wrath as the monstrous Grimm was stabbed with what amounted to an entire Kingdom's armory. The ground was ripped apart as the dragon slid further back down the wall, a rain of dust and stone filling the air around it.
All of his treasures were ready, firing upon the creature who had done so much damage to his newfound...companion's-they weren't friends, they would not ever be granted such a prestigious title aside from him. The Grimm cried out in pain, letting go of the wall it was climbing and wailing as it was shoved back dozens of feet in an instant, the vast collection of weapons continuing to rain down upon it at the speed of lightning itself.
The newcomer smiled in glory, and his visage revealed that it was none other than, "I will help you out! I am Ruler of the Atlassian Continent, William, King of Atlas and Savior of Mantle!" he declared his identity, "You were making such a racket I had to come and see what it was about!" he told them as they took in the sight of how he had already crossed his arms over his chest, a familiar yet wide grin on his face.
"William!" Weiss called out happily.
"Did you do something with your hair, you look different!" Yang noticed. Which was true, he wasn't in the outfit he had been wearing when they had been on the top of the academy.
He was currently wearing no clothes on his upper body, revealing that while he was bleeding somewhat, he had crimson crisscrossing tattoo's across his arms and sides. He also had changed from his suit of white to where he now had silver platinum armor on his legs with a bright blue cape attached to it and he only had one hand covered in a silver glove. And for some reason, the color of his eyes had changed... Where they were at one point a astonishing blue that would make any maiden smitten, now they bled red with power and his silver hair was as wild as ever as it spiked upwards and partially towards the back, and hanging from his ears were two glistening silver earrings.
"You better wake up. The world you live in is just a sugar-coated topping! There is another world beneath it: the real world. And if you wanna survive it, you better learn to PULL THE TRIGGER!"
"All I Am Surrounded By Is Fear... And Dead Men."