Aoi Hyoudou: Thank you for your continued support. I am pleased that everyone has been enjoying the revival so far. Since everyone wanted to see RWBY, I decided to go with it for the next visit. However, I might include RWBY: Ice Queendom later for Ash's revisit. We will see.

XI

Emerald Forest - II

The Emerald Forest was enveloped in an ominous and dense atmosphere as Ash and the unknown figure with a Keyblade continued their standoff. Neither of them had made a move since their encounter, and Ash was perplexed by the young man's identity and possession of a Keyblade. Master Yen Sid had never mentioned any other Keyblade wielders besides Ash, Sora, and Riku, at least not that Ash could remember. Despite the curiosity, he had to be careful around this young man. The enigmatic teenager in the black coat was emanating some negative energy.

"W-Who are you?" Ash demanded with narrowed eyes, finally breaking the awkward silence between the two sides.

A small smirk curled up on the young man's face, seemingly amused with the Keyblade wielder standing before him. Soon he dismissed his Keyblade and spoke, "To think fate has brought us together." Ash furrowed his brow at the stranger's words, unsure what to make of it, but continued to listen intently. "Eventually, he realized that he could no longer defy fate and came to terms with the fact that he could not hide you from us." Ash was taken aback and utterly confused. He couldn't comprehend the identity of the person the young man was referring to as 'he'.

"What are you talking about?" Ash requested further clarification, but the enigmatic figure only responded with a smug expression, leaving Ash feeling frustrated and confused.

"In time, you will know where you stand." The man's response was mysterious and left behind more questions than answers. "We will continue to watch what events unfold during your journey." The Keyblade wielder was taken aback as the man lifted his hand and moved it to the side, opening a dark and mysterious portal. "Until then, Ash-" Ash's eyes widened in surprise when the figure addressed him by his name, even though he had never mentioned it before. "-be careful. You played an important role in our plans." The mysterious teenager disappeared into the shadows of the dark corridor. Determined not to let him get away, Ash picked up his pace and sprinted forward, hoping to catch him before he could escape.

"Wait!" The portal disappeared once he got close to it. As Ash was trying to process what had happened, a sudden gust of wind hit him from behind, almost making him lose his balance. At the same time, a gigantic shadow loomed over him, casting a dark shade over the sky. As soon as he looked up, he saw a huge bird that looked like a raven, but with a white, mask-like bone structure on the front of its head, soaring over the Emerald Forest. It reminded him of a Grimm. Ash's attention was quickly drawn to two familiar girls who were clinging tightly to the back of the Grimm, seemingly struggling to hold on for their lives. "Wait...is that Ruby and Weiss?" he muttered as he was left completely speechless as to why they were riding on a Grimm.

As they rode atop a Nevermore, Ruby and Weiss were making their way to the Abandoned Temple. Although Ruby appeared to be enjoying the experience, Weiss looked visibly annoyed. She had agreed to follow Ruby's advice, hoping to find a quicker route to the temple and secure the relic they were after. However, she had not anticipated that Ruby would go to such lengths as to provoke the Nevermore into giving them a ride. As they soared through the air, Weiss regretted her decision to partner with Ruby again.

Ash rushed after the Nevermore on foot towards the Ancient Temple, sensing that they could use some assistance. As Ash ran, he couldn't help but think about how angry Weiss might be with Ruby.

On the way to the Ancient Temple, Ash kept a close eye on the Nevermore's enormous body, ensuring it was still in sight. It was a relief to see that Ruby and Weiss were still holding on, even in the midst of the chaos. As the Keyblade wielder made his way towards the Ancient Temple, his attention was momentarily caught by a group of unfamiliar individuals who were also watching the bizarre occurrence unfolding above them.

A striking young woman caught his eye - she was tall with fair skin, lilac eyes, and long, wavy golden hair. She wore a tan jacket that exposed her midriff, paired with tight black spandex compression shorts that reached her upper thighs and brown knee-high boots. He noticed she also had a pair of yellow armored gauntlets on her forearms.

Standing next to her was another young woman who was equally stunning in her beauty. She had fair skin, wavy black hair and amber eyes. She was dressed in a black, buttoned vest with coattails and a single silver button on the front. Underneath this, she wore a white, sleeveless, high-necked crop top and white shorts with a zipper on the front of each leg. She completed the look with black low-heeled boots and full stockings with a color gradation of black to purple at her ankles. A black ribbon tied with a large bow adorned the top of her head. She had her weapon holstered behind her waist.

They were joined by a youthful gentleman who sported lustrous black locks that reached halfway down his back. A magenta highlight adorned the left side of his hair, complementing his eyes which shared the same hue as the vibrant streak. His attire frequently showcased an influence from Chinese culture. By his side was a young woman. She had fair skin, orange hair, and turquoise eyes. She was dressed in a black collared sleeveless vest, a short pink skirt with a single white layer underneath, white ankle boots with pink soles, and a silver armor piece that wrapped around her waist, under her breasts, and around the back of her neck with metal connecting each piece together at the front.

While the group was observing the Nevermore flying around the Ancient Temple surroundings, Ruby suddenly leaped off its back, much to the dismay of her partner who was left fuming and cursing her childish behavior. Ruby felt the wind rushing past her as she fell towards the ground, her heart racing with fear and regret for her reckless decision. Suddenly, out of nowhere, a familiar blonde man appeared and collided with her, saving her from certain doom. Together, they crashed into a nearby tree, shaken but alive.

It was a chaotic scene as Weiss lost her grip on the Nevermore's back and began to plummet towards the ground. As she fell, the wind whipped through her body and she struggled to regain control. The group of heroes watched in horror as she continued to descend with no one making a move to save her. But suddenly, Ash sprang into action. He slammed his fist on his shoulder pauldron and in the blink of an eye, he was clad in his Keyblade armor. He summoned the Oathkeeper and hurled it into the air, where it transformed into its Glider form. With a graceful leap, Ash hopped onto the glider and steered it towards Weiss. As he approached her, he caught her in his arms, holding her close like a precious cargo. The group below was amazed at his sudden heroism and wondered where he had come from.

Weiss was filled with a mix of emotions - stunned and relieved all at once. Her bewildered eyes were fixed on the person who had saved her. Despite the feeling that it was Ash who had come to her rescue, she couldn't quite believe it. "A-Ash?" she uttered, her voice filled with disbelief. Ash's lips curled up into a smile inside his helmet as he nodded, confirming her suspicion. Weiss looked surprised, but quickly averted her gaze, feeling embarrassed as her cheeks began to burn. "T-This doesn't make us even, you know!"

"I know," he said with a chuckle.

With Weiss out of danger, Ash steered his glider towards the ground. Upon landing on soft soil, the Schnee heiress disembarked and landed safely on her feet. Ash followed suit, hopping off the glider before it transformed back into its original form and disappeared. As soon as he shed his armor, he was greeted by his new fangirls: Ruby, who had quickly recovered from her earlier incident, and Nora, the orange-haired girl.

"Wow!" they exclaimed simultaneously, their eyes filled with amazement. "That was so cool!" Ash chuckled awkwardly, feeling a small bead of sweat drip down the side of his face as they invaded his personal space.

"You were so awesome, Ash!" With glee in her voice, Ruby praised.

"How were you flying like that with your bike? Was it like magic?" Nora asked curiously. "Tell us!" Her cheerful and enthusiastic personality was starting to show, causing her childhood friend to sigh and shake his head in amusement.

While Ash received a flurry of compliments and inquiries, the rest of the heroes observed from a distance. They were just as curious, but not as forthright as Ruby and Nora. "I wonder who he could be," the cat-eyed girl muttered, which didn't go unnoticed by her partner.

Blake let out a sigh as the blonde girl spoke. "I don't know, Blake, but he's cute, though," she purred in a seductive tone. Blake couldn't help but roll her eyes at the girl's flirty behavior.

Soon they both sensed someone approaching them from behind. They quickly glanced over their shoulders and saw a dejected blonde man with leaves in his hair walking in a slumped position, almost looking defeated. "Oh, hey there, lady killer," With a big grin on her face, the blonde girl enthusiastically greeted her fellow blonde companion.

"Hey, Yang...Hey, Blake..." With a tired sigh, he greeted Blake and Yang. His eyes soon darted past them and he noticed his partner fighting alone in the background against a scorpion-like Grimm creature. She was a beautiful young woman with red hair tied into a ponytail, dressed in a gladiator-like armor outfit. It was concerning that no one was helping her despite the obvious need for assistance. "Oh, no, Pyrrha!" He sounded panicked as he expressed his concern for his partner. It was clear that he was deeply worried and possibly even scared for his teammate's wellbeing. "We need to help her!"

Before anyone could do so, Weiss intervened. Her tone had become serious as she stared off into the distance. "I would love to, but it seems we have more things to worry about now." The group followed her gaze to a figure in a black raincoat standing at the far end of the Ancient Temple sanctuary. She had an icy glare in her eyes. The figure had an air of mystery around it, and it was playing around with a white knight chess piece in its hand, bouncing it repeatedly. This was happening inside the sanctuary, where the relics were kept.

The figure caught the chess piece as it sensed someone watching. Tilting its head slightly, the figure looked towards them. It was clear that the figure's eyes were fixed on Ash more than anyone else, and a small smile formed on its lips under the hood. However, Yang interrupted the moment by speaking up for the group and warning the figure with a friendly tone. "Hey, you! We don't know who you are, but can you step aside? We need those relics like the one you have in your hand." As the group looked on, the figure scoffed at Yang's words, but still let out a low chuckle, almost as if it found the situation amusing.

"No can do," The enigmatic figure spoke. Ash heard the young voice and his eyes widened in surprise. He couldn't help but feel like he was hearing his own voice speaking back to him. "You see...I was sent here to give you one final test." The group was left confused by his explanation.

"A test?" Weiss seemed skeptical and raised an eyebrow, indicating she didn't believe his story.

"What kind of test?" the blonde man asked with a nervous gulp, fearing they were in for a fight.

Another low chuckle escaped from the figure. "Simple. All you have to do...is beat me." The figure was met with incredulous stares from the group.

"That's it?" Blake's skepticism was growing as she felt like the figure was playing mind games with them. A frown appeared on her face as she narrowed her cat-like eyes at the taunting opponent.

"No catch attached," the figure reassured the group. However, the figure then went on to explain the downside of the test. "However, if you fail, you must retake the exam all over again." Ruby and her group gasped at this news.

Ruby couldn't believe what she was hearing. "No way... You're saying if we failed, we have to wait another year to redo the exam?" she asked the figure, hoping she had misheard. Unfortunately, the figure nodded solemnly, confirming her worst fears. "Oh, no..." she muttered, feeling defeated.

Ruby looked worried, but Yang grinned, trying to reassure her. "Don't worry, baby sister! All we have to do is kick his ass and we'll pass with flying colors. It'll be a piece of cake!" A small smile appeared on the younger girl's face. Her big sister really knows how to lift her spirit.

"Right!"

"Well then, if there are no further objections we can get started, but first-" Ash's eyes widened as the figure held his hand out and a dark glow emitted within it. Soon, a black blade that looked like a Keyblade materialized, startling Ash completely. He hadn't expected to encounter another figure who could wield a Keyblade too. "-it's time to get rid of unnecessary distractions!" In a sudden and swift motion, the figure threw his Oblivion at the Death Stalker, which had been causing Pyrrha a lot of trouble.

Pyrrha and the other students at Beacon watched in awe as the dark Keyblade sliced through the scorpion-like Grimm with incredible speed, cutting off its bony-masked head before the creature could even react. The headless Grimm let out a screech before dissolving into nothingness, leaving everyone stunned by the display of power. As the Keyblade wielder retrieved his blade and the Nevermore continued to soar, he wasn't done yet. He cast a powerful fire spell and aimed it directly at the Grimm. The speeding fireball locked onto its target and collided with the flying creature on impact.

Bbbooooooooommmm

Ruby and her group gasped as the Nevermore screeched in pain as it was engulfed in flames from the Keyblade wielder's spell. The impact caused the bird to lose control and plummet towards the ground. With a sickening thud echoing in the air, a cloud of dust and debris rose up around the Nevermore as it crashed into the Emerald Forest. The figure watched as the scene unfolded before them.

'To think he defeated a Nevermore and a Death Stalker without even trying.' Weiss felt a bead of sweat trickle down her forehead as she gazed at the enigmatic figure with disbelief. The two Grimms that had just been taken down were known to be the strongest in the forest, yet this mysterious character had dispatched them with ease. Whoever this person was, they were clearly not to be underestimated.

"Now then-" Ash and the Beacon students all became tense as they watched the figure twirl his Oblivion before gripping it tightly and turning to face the group. "-onward with the final test!" In an instant, the figure sprang forward, kicking up a cloud of dust as he moved at incredible speed. Before Ash could react, the figure was already standing in front of him, leaving the young man stunned. The figure swung the Oblivion directly at Ash, who instinctively summoned his Oathkeeper to intercept the blow. The clash of metal rang out as the two blades locked together in a fierce deadlock.

Ash gritted his teeth, feeling the difference in strength between himself and his opponent. Despite the challenge, he stood his ground, determined not to back down. Meanwhile, the figure remained calm, a small smirk hidden beneath his hood, suggesting he was pleased to see Ash's growth."Not bad." Ash's guard dropped when the figure complimented him, causing the teen to loosen his grip. This gave the figure the opportunity to kick Ash in the chest, sending him tumbling onto his back with a groan.

"Ash!" Ruby's voice raised in worry, but she quickly shifted her attention to the hooded figure, her expression turning even more fierce. "Why you!" She charged forward recklessly with her weapon which suddenly transformed into a massive scythe. "Ha!" The scythe swung through the air, but her opponent easily sidestepped the clumsy attack. Suddenly, she felt a tug on her hood and was thrown backwards off her feet, colliding with Ash who was slowly getting back up. Both groaned in pain as they hit the ground.

"Ruby!" Yang's anger boiled up as she witnessed her baby sister being mistreated. It was not fair that someone so innocent and vulnerable was being subjected to such cruel behavior. She took a deep breath and stepped forward to defend her sister, determined to make things right. "That does it!" With a loud yell, she rushed forward in a fit of rage.

"No, Yang, stop!" It was too late for Blake to stop her partner.

Yang threw a series of fast punches at the enigmatic figure, but he effortlessly dodged and evaded each one. Her movements were too telegraphed and easy to anticipate. As a final attempt, Yang threw a punch that the figure's Keyblade blocked. He then quickly kicked her legs out from under her, causing her to lose her balance before being lifted up and slammed onto her back.

"Yang!" Blake witnessed Yang's body bounce off the ground in response to the impact. The figure took advantage of the situation and kicked Yang towards her blonde companion, who failed to evade her due to his slow reflexes. As a result, Yang collided with the young man, and both of them groaned in pain.

"Jaune!" Pyrrha noticed her partner writhing in agony on the ground and immediately jumped into action. She charged towards the enemy with her sword and shield in hand, ready to strike. She attempted a swing at the figure, who managed to dodge her attack. Pyrrha, however, didn't lose hope and quickly regained her stance, launching a thrust towards the face of the figure. The figure was taken aback by this move, but he was able to dodge it just in time. In retaliation, he swung his dark blade at Pyrrha, but she managed to reduce the impact by half by using her shield. Despite this, the force of the attack was still strong enough to send Pyrrha flying across the field, her feet dragging along the ground as she gritted her teeth in pain.

"That was a close one..." The tension was palpable as the mysterious figure assessed Pyrrha's performance and gave her due credit for her efforts. However, his focus was disrupted by a sudden charge from behind. Wheeling around, he caught sight of Blake hurtling towards him. The two clashed in a flurry of blows, but Blake's unconventional fighting style gave her a slight edge over her opponent.

Blake was in a dangerous situation as the figure attempted to strike her, but she had a clever trick up her sleeve. She would create a duplicate of herself in the form of boulders, flames, or ice sculptures to confuse the figure and gain the upper hand. Blake used this strategy to her advantage and was able to land some clean hits while fighting with her blade and its hoister. The figure was struggling to predict her every move, and it seemed like he wasn't fighting a regular human. However, the figure quickly adjusted his strategy and fired a Fira spell directly at Blake. She instinctively created a rock duplicate to absorb the collision and avoid being harmed.

Bbbooooooooommmm

Blake's reflexes kicked in as she quickly skidded backwards to avoid the incoming debris. However, her momentary relief was short-lived as she saw more fireballs hurtling towards her. In an attempt to match the figure's constant spell attacks, she tried to create more duplicates. But with fatigue starting to sink in, she began to slow down with her technique. Unfortunately, this gave an opening that the figure was waiting for.

Bbbooooooooommmm

As Blake's rock copy exploded from the collision, debris and a dust cloud erupted into the air. The figure used the cloud as cover and channeled his energy to create an even stronger Fira spell, launching it straight ahead. When the cloud cleared, Blake saw a massive fireball hurtling towards her. Panic set in as she desperately used a clone to absorb the impact, but it wasn't enough.

Bbbooooooooommmm

Blake was knocked off her feet by a strong gust of breeze from the collision and sent flying into Yang and Jaune. They cushioned the impact but it still knocked the wind out of all of them, causing them to groan in pain once again.

The figure managed to avoid the random bullets fired by Nora's childhood friend who was standing at a considerable distance. He used his instincts and deflected the bullets. Meanwhile, Ren kept firing with his dual weapons to keep his opponent at bay. Just then, the figure sensed danger and looked up to see Nora coming at him with her mallet, ready to strike."Take this!" With all her might, she swung her weapon downward. The figure's eyes widened in surprise underneath the hood.

Bbbooooooooommmm

As Nora swung her mallet, it crashed onto the ground, shattering and exploding into debris. The figure she was targeting managed to evade just in time and slid away from his initial position. But before Nora could recover from her swing, the figure aimed his Oblivion and unleashed a Fira spell at her. Nora took the full hit of the fireball and was thrown back, writhing in pain.

"Nora!"

As Ren races forward, a blazing fireball surges towards him and detonates at his feet, tossing him into the air and inflicting a world of pain, mirroring the fate of his unfortunate friend.

Weiss found herself as the last line of defense. "Looks like it's just you and me now, princess," the figure said with sarcasm.

The figure stood before the Ice Queen, brimming with arrogance. She narrowed her eyes, sizing him up with a mixture of caution and determination."Yes, it is, but it is YOU who's going to lose." She unsheathed her rapier from its holster and as she did, the mechanism started to change colors.

Weiss swiftly took her stance and caught her opponent off guard with her quick movements. She elegantly attacked him with her rapier, which he tried to defend with his Oblivion. They exchanged blows and parried each other's attacks. However, Weiss had the upper hand with her swift and elegant strikes. It was hard to predict where she would strike next, making it difficult for her opponent to defend himself. Weiss smoothly parried all the strikes and felt that she had her opponent cornered. She then used her signature move by jumping back and creating a magical circle around her. More magical circles with snowflakes appeared around her opponent, leaving him confused about what she was up to. Weiss charged forward and vanished in an instant, setting up for her combo strikes. She knocked the figure into the air with a flurry of strikes, and then charged in again to deliver the final blow. However, her opponent quickly recovered and launched a Fira spell straight at her, blowing her back.

Bbbooooooooommmm

"Aaahhh!" As the Fira spell hit her, the Ice Queen stumbled backwards, her body succumbing to the scorching heat.

"Nice try, princess!" Weiss winced in pain as the figure slowly approached and mocked her. When he stood over her, he lifted his Keyblade with both hands, preparing to strike her down. She glanced up, fear and desperation in her eyes. "But this is the END of you!" With a fierce swing of his Oblivion, he declared his intention to strike her down. She closed her eyes, bracing herself for the impact. But to her surprise, nothing happened. Instead, a loud metallic clang reverberated through the air. She opened her eyes and saw Ash standing in front of her, blocking the attack with his Oathkeeper. He gritted his teeth and held his ground, the two blades locked in a tense stalemate.

"Ash?" Weiss was taken aback, her breath caught in her throat. She couldn't believe that Ash had come to her rescue yet again.

The figure spoke through gritted teeth as he pressed his Oblivion against the Oathkeeper of the Keyblade wielder. "You don't know when to quit, do you?"

"Nope!" Ash's grin grew wider, causing the figure to smirk a little in response. The two swordsmen stepped back and began exchanging blows in a rapid exchange of strikes and parries. With each clash, sparks flew and the sound of metal striking metal echoed through the air.

Weiss was a mere spectator as Ash fought against the mysterious figure. Initially, Ash was able to hold his ground and counter each attack with equal force. Even when the figure unleashed a Fira spell, Ash was able to respond with an equally powerful Fira spell, resulting in a spectacular collision that sent them both skidding backwards. However, as the battle wore on, Ash began to struggle, getting kicked back multiple times. Despite this setback, Ash refused to give up and continued to fight back with his sword.

Weiss turned her gaze away for a moment and noticed that Ruby, Yang, and Blake were slowly recovering. This gave her an idea. Alone, they were clearly outmatched, but if they worked together as a team, they might be able to take down the figure. It was worth a shot. She called out to each girl, "Ruby! Yang! Blake!" The girls immediately fixed their gaze on her, curious about what she wanted from them. Weiss said, "As much as I don't want to work together, for once we need to as a team! We have to help Ash!" The girls were taken aback by Weiss' willingness to work as a unit, but they all agreed to work as a team for Ash's sake.

The Oathkeeper and the Oblivion were locked in a fierce battle, while Ash and the figure faced each other, indicating that the fight was nearing its end. "I must admit, you're lasting longer than most, but I will end this struggle right now!" The figure declared, causing Ash to sweat profusely. Suddenly, the opposing Keyblade wielder charged forward and executed a powerful kick, pushing Ash back and knocking the Oathkeeper out of his hands. The Keyblade flew into the air, leaving Ash defenseless. "You're finished!" The figure thrust his black Keyblade at Ash, who gritted his teeth in frustration.

The figure thought that Ash was done for, but suddenly an icicle emerged from the ground and blocked the attack, surprising both Keyblade wielders. "Wait!" Then, Blake appeared and swiftly struck the figure, sending them flying into the air with a cry of pain. "Gaah!"

Weiss took advantage of the situation and crafted magical circles for Blake to use as platforms. Blake quickly leaped onto them and launched a relentless attack on the figure, striking it repeatedly with swift blows. As the figure stumbled towards the ground, Blake landed safely and called out, "Now, Yang!"

Yang rushed forward, her eyes fixed on the tumbling Keyblade wielder ahead. She balled her fist and drew it back, ready to strike with all her might. As soon as the figure touched the ground, she lunged forward and delivered a powerful punch, sending him flying backwards. "Get ready, Ruby!" she called out to her younger sister.

Ruby stood at a safe distance, watching intently as the dark Keblade wielder was punched towards her. She held her scythe tightly, waiting patiently for the right moment to strike. As soon as she was confident that her target was within range, she sprinted forward with her impressive speed and slashed her scythe in one fluid motion, sending the Keblade wielder flying through the air again. "Now, Weiss!" Ruby called out to her partner, who nodded and turned her attention to Ash.

Ash turned to Weiss as she called out his name. He saw the soft expression and genuine smile on her face, which reassured him. "I'll do it," he said with determination and a hint of seriousness in his voice. He faced his opponent once again, ready to finish the fight.

After retrieving his Oathkeeper, Weiss summoned a magical circle that acted as a launching pad when he stepped on it. The circle hurled him up high with an extra boost in the air, propelling him above his opponent. He quickly dived at the figure and swung his blade with both hands downward, causing his eyes to widen in surprise. The sound of metallic clanging echoed through the sky as the Oathkeeper and Oblivion clashed. Although the figure managed to block the strike, he could feel himself losing leverage due to his opponent being airborne. With the extra momentum he had, Ash forced the figure to crash down below with a thunderous thud.

Bbbooooooooommmm

The scene was chaotic as soon as the figure hit the ground. Debris flew everywhere, and a thick cloud of dust made it difficult to see what was happening. But eventually, the dust settled and the figure emerged from the wreckage, his feet moving slowly. Ash and the girls rushed over to the crash site to observe from a safe distance, still in shock from what they had just witnessed. The young man, seemingly exhausted and covered in dirt, slowly stood up. Though he appeared to have no serious injuries, he fell to one knee before lifting his head and fixing his gaze on Ash and his group, who were standing guard. A small smile played at the corners of his mouth under his hood, as if he was happy they had proven him wrong. The group tensed as he stood up, but then he surprised them by speaking up and congratulating them on their victory. "Not bad. You passed!" Their jaws dropped in surprise as he handed over his defeat, as they never expected him to do so.

"What?" Ruby said aloud, trying to process what she just heard. "So, you're giving up just like that?"

"I mentioned earlier that this was only a test and you all did exceptionally well," the figure exclaimed, concealing the fact that he wasn't even making an effort. However, it was for the better that they were unaware of this so as not to affect their confidence. "Anyway, congratulations on your victory. Savor this moment." Ruby and her friends were overjoyed that they passed the field test. Suddenly, the young figure put his hand in his coat pocket and took out the chess piece. He threw it to Yang, who caught it, surprised. It was the knight piece that she recognized. She looked at the figure and asked him why he gave it to her.

"What's this for?"

"You like cute ponies, do you not?" Yang was startled by the question because she had never mentioned her love for ponies before.

'Wait, how do you know I-" Before Yang could get any clarification, the mysterious figure turned away abruptly as a dark portal appeared suddenly, causing the entire group to jump in surprise. Just as he was about to make his escape, he heard Ash's voice calling out to him.

The young figure flinched at the sound of the voice but kept his composure, maintaining his back turned towards the Keyblade wielder. "Wait!" Ash exclaimed. "Who are you?" He knew it was unlikely he'd get a straight answer from the stranger, but he couldn't help asking.

As the figure approached the corridor, a small smirk curled up on his face under his hood. Before disappearing through the portal, he offered a simple answer to Ash's question: "I'm just a Nobody." Ash was baffled, pondering over the figure's final words as the portal closed behind him.

"A Nobody, huh..."

"What? You're already leaving?! But...you just got here!" Ruby whined, tears streaming down her face. She had been looking forward to spending time with Ash and listening to his stories about his journey.

"Ruby, I'm sorry, but I promise to come back and visit," Ash said, offering the younger girl a reassuring smile which somewhat alleviated her distress.

Soon Ash felt an arm wrapping around his shoulders as Yang pulled him close to her face, and he could feel her breath tickling his cheek, causing him to blush a little. "When you have some free time, would you like to go on a date with me?" she asked in a seductive tone.

Ruby was displeased with how her older sister was making their new friend feel uncomfortable with her flirtatious behavior. "Yang!" she called out in frustration.

"I'm just kidding, Ruby!" Yang couldn't help but laugh at Ruby's pouting face, but then a teasing thought crossed her mind. She quickly glanced towards Weiss, who seemed unfazed by the situation. "Weiss could always take him out on a date," she teased with a smirk.

"W-What?!" Her cheeks flushed with embarrassment as Weiss glared at the teasing blonde. "Why would I do something childish like that?"

"Because you like him."

"No, I don't!"

"Oh, so, we are going with the typical tsundere route, I see."

"Shut up!"

Wow, that was quite the chapter! I can only imagine how much time and effort I put into it. Poor Weiss, getting teased by Yang at the end. Ash's Nobody sounds like a formidable opponent, even if he was spamming Fira throughout the fight. I think adding extra scenes at the end of each chapter would be a good idea. It'll make the story feel less rushed and more enjoyable. We will see.

Extra scene: A favor

"Are you sure it was wise to trust the boy with such a task?" Glynda's frown deepened as she addressed the Headmaster of Beacon.

Ozpin turned to his close friend, Miss Glynda, and posed a question to her. "Miss Glynda, do you not trust my intuition?" he asked. She gave him a look that made it clear she couldn't believe he even needed to ask.

"No."

"I figured as much." In an instant, a murky portal materialized within his office. "Ah. He's finally here." The enigmatic teenager walked out from the corridor as it disappeared. "So, how did it go? I hope Ruby and her friends didn't give you too much trouble." The figure slowly pushed his hood back and revealed his face to the two adults. Standing in front of them was a teen with black hair and deep crimson-red eyes. He also had a little 'z' on his cheeks and a deep scar starting from his forehead down across from the bridge of his nose. His face looked almost like...

"It went well."