Black RWBY Academia

by stringdog

What if the characters from RWBY and Black Clover were in the MHA universe, how would the story be told then? Well, it's time to find out in this three-way crossover set entirely in the MHA universe in a retelling of the story with additional characters and the roles that they will play in the war between All for One and One for All.

39. Chapter 39: Quirk Knight Duties

Here is the thirty-ninth chapter in this story released in accordance with my release schedule for this story. I just want to take this moment to mention that this chapter is coming out on the one year anniversary of the publication of this story so I want to thank all of you for your support that has kept me motivated and working hard on this and the other two stories in my Black Trio. Anyway,the internships have started and for the moment the focus is on the Black Bulls as Asta, Noelle, and Nero have just had their initiation so now it's time for a welcome feast and to learn exactly what the duties of Quirk Knights are so a nice ease in as it's not like a mission will come up, will it? Also, I have finally watched RWBY volume 9 and have many thoughts on it so if you wish to discuss them PM just in case there are those who haven't watched it and read the reviews. In terms of what happened there, I will basically be ignoring the revelations and developments as the adaptions of RWBY are based on the first 3 volumes so back when the creator was still alive and there was a clear change in some characters following his death as the show went in a different direction but that's not the one I'll be going in. The one very clear change from the first 3 volumes that I am making in terms of character personality, though unlike the canon changes/growth/whatever you want to call it this one was very clearly kept through volume 9, is Weiss's sexuality. It is very clear in RWBY that she's straight but as White Rose is one of my favorite ships (and a rare non-canon one for me) I've made that change for this story as at this point it's very clear that that's the direction I'm going in on that front. Anyway, that is all that I have for the administrative stuff I have for y'all and while there are no questions to answer here there are three guest reviews that need a response, one of which will involve a question to y'all, so I will do that now. Do keep them coming as your support is the best motivation for me to keep producing chapters at this kind of rate.

To Nathan Ramos (guest), thank you for your review and understanding my point. That could have been a good angle to look at, Yami and All Might are similar enough that a good rivalry could form but the issue there is that Yami is only 28 and All Might is in his mid-50s at least as we know he's had One for All for more than twice as long as the 4th user who had it for 18 years so he's had it for about 40 years and if he got it around 13-15 or so he'd be in his mid-50s. As for Endeavor, yeah I can see there being a dislike there between them that could be destructive, I'll have to see how their first interaction in the series goes. It will be interesting when the Dark Hero Arc rolls around and Deku faces Class 1-A how the new 5 respond to him because by then they'll all be stronger so that adaption is going to be fun when I get to especially with how things may have changed power wise by then so it's one to look forward to. Asta does have the best shot though so we'll see and with Danger Sense not activating Ruby could be even more efficient than Lady Nagant as a sniper but Noelle, Nero, and Weiss will all have grown by then as well. Do keep reading and enjoying my work.

To Guest (guest), thank you for your review. Yup we start the Hero Killer arc with the Black Bulls and the Quirk Knights will be the focus of the first part of the arc as the events that they undertake that lead them to Hosu come first so get ready for them to come though this chapter will simply set things up, introduce a few things, and expand on what the Quirk Knights do. Yami and All Might sharing a VA was always going to be a big moment and a recurring one though when the RWBY voice that Sabat does appears, well that's very different. Thanks, getting some of the speech patterns down is hard so glad to see that it worked out. Yes Magna was a bit unlucky but Noelle is getting better, or at least she can hit Magna but it's a start for her after the perverts during the Sports Festival. Nero's Quirk is a lot more than it seems but she's on the right side and knows how to use it so thankfully she's using it for good. Do keep reading and enjoying my work.

To KGBeastboy (guest), thank you for your reviews and don't worry, I understood what you meant in the first one but thanks for the clarification just in case. As for the fights, they are interesting though I don't think I'll have All Might involved, he was kind of a special case for Izuku and Bakugo and I think Nezu wouldn't allow it for anyone else especially because he's in the know. For the others, I'll consider it and I'll leave it up to the readers if they want to see Class 1-B's exam or not. Let me know on that front and I'll see how it works and if these battles make sense or if I change things up. I am set with Class 1-A's though, that is sorted and ready for when the time rolls around. Do keep reading, reviewing, and enjoying my work.

That is it for this long pre-chapter note so it is time to sit back and enjoy the thirty-ninth chapter in Black RWBY Academia.

Disclaimer: I own nothing related to these three great franchises.

Chapter 39: Quirk Knight Duties

"So, now that we're here and interning with you guys." Asta began as they tucked into the feast that had been prepared for them in the wake of their initiation. "I've been meaning to ask, what does a Quirk Knight Squad do when on active duty?"

The question had been burning in Asta's mind since they'd gotten to the Black Bulls' hideout and now that they finally had a moment to relax after the rather hectic introduction to the Squad he could actually ask it so he did. The whole Squad minus Yami who was busy taking a call while on the toilet and Henry who was recovering from mending the hideout with his Quirk, something that Asta didn't understand but opted to leave as is for the moment, had gathered in the dining room at one of the long tables that was festooned with meat for them. As such, now was the perfect time for the question.

Of course, it had taken a bit as Asta had thoroughly enjoyed the rich, well done, meat with all the sides the moment that he sat down with Noelle and Nero on either side of him. The girls also ate, it was a protein rich meal, one done in a more western style Noelle noted, and as they'd just worked out, but not as much as Asta did. Still, it was exceptionally meat heavy, more than any of the first years had expected or had before.

The reason for it being meat heavy was Charmy's doing. She liked meat and as she was eating the most and had been the one to set up the cooking with some animated cotton sheep that she controlled with her Cotton Quirk then meat they would eat, for the main course that is as she did enjoy cakes and other sweets as well but that was for dessert.

Noelle couldn't help but be impressed by how Charmy was feasting on enough food to feed twice the Squad all the while the half dozen or so animated, anthropomorphic, sheep were working in the kitchen and bringing the food as they ate. That was a different application of her Quirk to when Noelle had seen the cotton capture thing at lunch at U.A. when the reporters had broken into the grounds but it really gave Noelle pause for thought as she ate and marveled at what Charmy was doing.

That was because it was frankly amazing to see the range, power and control that the little third year had. She may be small but she had a seriously versatile and strong Quirk which proved she deserved to be in U.A. That Belladonna girl was right, Charmy's strength was a lot more than her attitude showed and Noelle truly wondered what she'd be like in battle if she put her mind to it and for the first time began to truly understand that the Black Bulls' reputation may hide their talent.

It wasn't just Charmy though. Noelle had seen Magna hold his own against a strong villain at the USJ, knew that Luck was a Sports Festival winner, seen the high level of control Vanessa had, and just having a warp Quirk user was rare let alone one with the range that Finral seemed to have. All that was not factoring the reputation that Yami had because as negative as it was, you had to have serious power and skill to be named a Quirk Knight Captain.

If the others were this strong then all the Black Bulls needed was the right motivating factor and they could potentially challenge the Golden Dawn for top Quirk Knight Squad if things went their way. Said right motivator was already there and had just asked a question though no one realized just how strong Asta's personality and the effect of it would be on them. Landing Asta simply because he'd formed a close friendship and battle bond with Noelle, and Nero but Noelle was the one who had to be in the Black Bulls, was a boon that no one yet realized as his question was answered.

"U.A. doesn't do the best job at explaining it but seriously you don't know?" Magna said slightly stunned by Asta's question as he held a chicken leg, at least that's what it seemed, that was half eaten. "It's simple, we protect the country and keep the people safe. Nothing's more manly than our job."

"Yeah but that's what heroes do as well." Asta pointed out. "So what's the difference? I get that we're more rural but is there more too it?"

"Of course there's more to it of course." Magna said with a hint of exasperation in his voice before he looked around and settled on Vanessa. "Hey, wino, tell Asta what we do. I'm still only a provisional member."

"Well we safeguard the safety of the citizens in the countryside who live within the region of Japan that we have jurisdiction over." Vanessa said as she finished her latest glass of wine and then refilled it while both Noelle and Nero noted that the woman wasn't eating anything. "And as a bonus you get to meet some fine gentlemen or lovely ladies, depending on what you're into, while on patrol or guard duty."

"I see." Asta said though Noelle tried not to think of Asta meeting ladies while on guard duty as they may scoop him up and take him away from her…not that that bothered her of course because it totally didn't, not one bit. "So there are patrols and guard duty that we have to undertake then."

"Yup, there are a lot of rural areas where heroes don't go because there's no fame or glory to be made there, nor are there frequent natural disasters, but they still need protection." Magna said. "So we patrol them instead because the Quirk Knights is all about service to the nation, not fame. We often work with the Huntsman Agency that oversees our jurisdiction to coordinate so that we can take care of non-Grimm related issues while leaving those creatures to them. We also work as guards for the needs of citizens so long as it is for legitimate purposes as there are outlaws that roam the countryside using it to lay low or whatnot."

"That's the best part for me, all the people you get to fight." Luck said excitedly. "You can spend hours beating up a villain who's fled from the cities and tried to escape justice and no one will think twice about it so long as you bring him or her in alive."

"The fact that you sound like Midoriya really makes that sound a lot worse than it is and it's not good to begin with." Noelle said. "He'd never do that; he only fight until they were down."

"But there's no fun in a fight if they go down early." Luck complained. "I like a good, tough, villain when I'm on patrol or guard duty."

"I'm with Noelle on this." Nero said. "It's off putting."

"For me it's all about my sister Marie, see her." Gauch said as he held out the picture of his sister he had been staring at while his nose bled. "Being a Quirk Knight is an excellent career choice, one that makes her proud of me as her big brother. I make sure to use my wages to buy her nice things. Just remember that if you lay a finger on her you will die."

"Er ok we won't." Asta said as Noelle and Nero nodded at the intensity and creepiness of Gauche's actions. "Er, how about you Finral? It seems like there is more to this than just protecting people."

"Well that is the core of the job." Finral said with a slightly aloof tone. "And while the heroes get all the glory in the cities, they focus on the fame but me it's all about saving women left and right and making them want you. It's just how it is."

"That sounds like a reason Mineta would give for why he wants to be a hero." Nero said. "Disturbing though somehow less perverted."

"Don't mind Finral, he's never gotten past a first date." Vanessa said with a slight slur as she finished her latest glass of wine while Gordon mumbled something about friendship and ensuring they weren't scared that they didn't hear and took as creepy when it wasn't as Gordon was just a quiet guy. "You do meet grateful people and it's a good way to find dates or at least drinking partners, that's for sure, but service is a key part."

"The food is gone!" Charmy suddenly wailed getting their attention and they saw that the food before her was gone, which was impressive as no one else had finished their first course yet, though even as she was wailing three of the sheep she was controlling walked out and laid more food in front of her. "Ah there it is, I thought I'd starve. The main thing for me is all the food that I get to eat, so many local delicacies to enjoy thanks to this job."

"Er…" Asta said unsure how to respond to it, same for Noelle and Nero but that seemed to be Charmy's focus and they had been told that when it came to her food was the motivating factor so they left it as is.

"It's, well…"

The shy, timid, feminine voice came from behind Asta and he felt a hand on his shoulder before he turned to see the blue haired Grey with her hand on his shoulder, head down and not making eye contact and a blush of embarrassment on her cheeks. That confused Asta and annoyed Noelle with the touch but what really surprised them was that before Asta could address her, Grey's body rippled and she changed into an exact duplicate of Asta with a puff of smoke for some reason. The moment she did her entire demeanor changed becoming confident and assured, almost like Asta in a way.

"It's a good job and you meet a lot of interesting people in the countryside." Grey said in Asta's voice which caused Noelle's eyes to go wide and even Nero quirked an eyebrow at the level of detail in Grey's transformation. "I'm looking forward to our first mission together, all of you, I can't wait to see what you're like in the field."

"She can turn into a clone of someone?" Noelle asked as Grey smiled before turning to her and putting her hand, still in Asta's appearance, on Noelle's shoulder which caused her to flush even though it wasn't the real Asta that was touching her, not that she craved physical contact from Asta, not at all. "Er, Grey what are you doing?"

"Sorry, I need to touch someone first to store their information." Grey said as her body rippled before there was the puff of smoke again and this time she was a copy of Noelle which surprised the silver haired girl especially when Grey's voice once again shifted so that it was now nearly identical to Noelle's. "See, it's just how my Quirk works. Also I don't need it to be skin to skin, which is great as that would be embarrassing, just your body and I can replicate the clothes you're wearing."

Grey, er no known family name and it's unclear if Grey is her actual name, Quirk: Transfiguration. Grey can transfigure herself into an exact copy of someone else so long as she's touched them and all it takes is one touch and it can be over clothes as the key is the physical contact. The only thing she can't copy is someone's Quirk. She can also transfigure inanimate objects she touches into other inanimate objects though she has to touch them again to turn them back and even change the products of Quirks into other Quirks so long as she knows what she's doing. Overall, it's believed that she has the strongest known transfiguration based Quirk and as a result there are restrictions on how she uses it.

"Woah that's, er…" Noelle began amazed as it was just like she was looking into a mirror. "That's some serious power you have and quite scary when you think about it."

"Yeah, it looks like the change is enough to fool most scanners." Nero said just as surprised. "Though your personality shift when you change makes it even stronger. You've clearly got some acting skills."

"My Quirk is useful but because of its nature I have some restrictions on its usage but being in a Quirk Knight Squad helps." Grey admitted as she back away and made sure to touch Nero's shoulder as well so that she could register the other new intern. "But it does mean that I get special missions when the need arises. As for my personality, I'm really shy normally but I like turning into other people and that help me a lot. I'm just not allowed to keep it active for long."

With that Grey turned back to her real form and instantly her personality shifted back to the shy, timid, one and she turned and hurried away with a slight eep to return to her seat next to Gauche and focus on her food and hope no one looked at her. Noelle just blinked at that. The potential for abuse with a power like that made it clear why Grey had restrictions despite being a Quirk Knight but still, that wasn't just some cover or illusion, the girl had a seriously powerfully transfiguration ability but it was clear that her personality was why she was here.

Nero noted this as well and yet again there was a talent that the Black Bulls had that was not in line with the reputations that she'd read about them. They were a lot stronger than they looked and now with Asta as an intern and likely a future member because Noelle would be one, and so Nero would be with them as well, they were going to ascend to a higher rank, she was sure of it.

"All of those are reasons to be a Quirk Knight and other than the more superficial ones are part of what we do on a daily basis." Yami said getting their attention as he walked into the dinning room having heard the chatter from the nearby toilet as he finished his perpetual war with his bowels following his chat with Julius. "However, the true purview of the Quirk Knights is that we are in charge of all non-urban and non-Grimm related matters that affect Japan along with being the first line of national defense when dealing with international enemies or agitators."

"Huh?" Asta asked as Yami took the seat at the head of the long rectangular table and accepted a plate of meat from one of the sheep cooks as Charmy called them without any surprise at the slight oddity of it. "I don't get it. Those are two different things, right?"

"Correct." Yami said as he began to eat. "But they are the historic areas that the Quirk Knights have covered and so when the Hero Code came into effect there was a discussion as to whether or not to incorporate us, as well as the Huntsman branch, into the newly formed Hero branch but the then Wizard King, a man called Jester Garandros, along with whoever was leading the Huntsman branch at the time, argued that the new branch should be just that, a new branch, rather than merging them all under one. However, to make it clear that we're all on the same side all three branches were to be governed by the same code and the HPSC so that each branch could focus on a specific area."

"I still don't get it." Asta admitted. "I understand that there is a difference but why was there a need for three clear branches? I don't mind, I'm just curious."

"Because it avoids those who become heroes, no matter the branch, becoming too diluted in their duties or stretched too thin." Yami said with a sigh, he didn't really want to explain this but with what Julius had just dropped on him he would have to and besides it would be useful to the knuckleheads in his Squad to be reminded of it as their eccentricities occasionally led to forgetfulness regarding their duties. "Before the formation of the Hero Code there were the Quirk Knights who despite their issues when it came class delineation did have some sense of honor and served the good of the nation in the aftermath of the Advent of Quirks."

Yami paused to take a drag on his cigarette and eat some more food as the Squad and new interns listened to him intently. When no one questioned him he continued.

"However, even with the Quirk Knights there was still a plague on the nation that were hard to deal with using Quirks alone, the emergence of these creatures of Grimm as they're called." Yami continued. "So, in order to counter them the Huntsman branch was created to deal with them and to do so they were specially trained for dealing with Grimm. Meanwhile, to aid the Quirk Knights there were vigilantes who were nothing more than honorable citizens who stopped villains in cities. In return, the Quirk Knights helped show them how to be honorable when it came to helping people."

"Well yeah I know that." Noelle said. "The history of how the three branches were formed and why is well known."

"You are from one of the three founding families so you should know, Noelle." Yami said simply. "But the others aren't and U.A. doesn't do the best job teaching this as they focus on making you heroes, which is important as our roles and heroes are pretty similar, rather than giving you the basis for why we have the duties that we do."

"They are?" Asta asked. "Similar I mean. I guess I have noticed that in training but not really given it much thought."

"Well yeah, we help citizens in need be it from villains, natural disasters, or just lending general aid in the means of food, comfort, protection, whatever." Yami said with another drag of his cigarette. "We do have a bit more leeway as we are tasked with aiding those who live in the rural communities within our jurisdiction. In fact, any town or village that doesn't have a hero agency in the vicinity is one that we have to monitor and patrol. It's the same with natural disasters though in recent years normal heroes who specialize in them have cropped up and our focus has shifted to general rural protection and of course fugitive apprehension in addition to the national defense aspect of our job."

"Fugitive apprehension?" Asta asked. "What's that?"

"People on the run from crimes." Magna said shocked that Asta hadn't heard the term. "They often head to the sticks so the hero agencies in the cities contact us and we tend to track them down. Plus there are certain illegal groups that actively use the countryside as bases of operation because they're less likely to show up on the heroes radar out here so we're in charge of rooting them out and dealing with them as well."

"Illegal groups?" Asta asked his head hurting. "Like the League of Villains?"

"They are an example of one and thankfully these days there aren't many thanks to the normal heroes." Yami said with a nod. "Plenty of organized crime groups remain in the cities as that is where the profit is but they have to use the countryside to smuggle things which is where we come in and there are other groups who actively use the sticks as cover to hide out from prying eyes. We're talking about the usual mix of hate groups like the anti-heteromorph Creature Rejection Clan, terrorist groups like the Meta Liberation Army though they're defunct now and the heteromorph terrorist group the White Fang."

"The first and last sound like one caused the other." Nero pointed out. "Though from what I've gathered the White Fang are more prevalent these days."

"I don't know the history of them but it's safe to presume that hate groups like the Creature Rejection Clan and their offshoots came first but were relegated to the fringes by the stabilization of society in the last few decades." Yami said. "These days that kind of bigotry only exists in the countryside for the most part which is what we deal with. The White Fang, well I'm sure there are heteromorphs at your school that can explain them better as I don't understand them. All I know is that under their current leader they've turned to violence and been branded terrorists. Recently there has been rumors of a new group that has sprung up, not the White Fang or League of Villains that is, but we have no confirmation on them."

"Thank you, that makes sense." Nero said. "Most heroes are in cities because that is where the crime is perceived to be and so heroes go there to deal with them but the countryside is a great place to hide out and plan, smuggle, spread hate, whatever without fear of heroic intervention. Well, if you can avoid the Grimm that is."

"Grimm do help deter some groups it seems and they are the constant focus of the Huntsman branch, though you should know how to handle one long enough for a Huntsman team to arrive, but plenty of groups know how to avoid them." Yami said unaware that Asta was a natural counter to Grimm in such a way that it was redefining what Grimm were. "That is where we come in. We do share intel with the Huntsmen agencies, especially the one that covers the swath of Japan we're in, as well as the more rural hero agencies that focus on things like natural disasters, and even team up with both branches from time to time but for us it's the human side of the issue while they are the Grimm or natural disaster side."

"I see." Asta said absorbing everything even though his brain was hurting from all the intel. "So we don't deal with the cities at all then."

"No we deal with them and have the authority to act in any city as we have the same status as heroes, we even sometimes we team up with the more notable hero agencies especially when it's our intel that helps out, but it's not a priority for us." Yami said shaking his head. "We can act anywhere in the nation, such is the nature of our hero licenses, and the Quirk Knight HQ is in Hosu City so we often go there to deal with certain things as the Wizard King is based there due to the bureaucratic side of his job but for the most part we act within our designated jurisdiction."

"That's been mentioned a few times." Nero noted. "What exactly is it? We've not actually covered that yet in our hero informatics classes."

"Our jurisdiction is the section of Japan that we are in charge of all rural affairs in as well as dealing with national security implications that arise in it." Yami said. "We can work elsewhere with the other Squads and branches, and often do as there are going to be members of the various Squads with better suited Quirks for a given situation, but if it's within the part of Japan we're based in we have primary authority and must deal with it."

"That's what my brother said." Noelle said recalling a bit of the Quirk Knight knowledge that Nozel had shared with her when he'd told her that she'd be attending U.A. and joining the Black Bulls. "It's why the Silver Eagles headquarters are near enough Shiketsu for it to fall within their jurisdiction and the same for the U.A. and the Crimson Lion Kings."

"Feeder schools do make sure of that." Yami said with a nod. "It makes things easier for them. I know that Seiai Academy, the top all girls Hero Academy, is within the Blue Rose Knights' jurisdiction and the top all boys one is within the Green Praying Mantis's one. We don't have a feeder school, it's not my kinda thing as I just recruit who I like and find interesting. In essence all Squads recruit who they want."

"So what's our jurisdiction?" Asta asked. "We came here via Finral's portal so we don't actually know where here is."

"We cover the Tohoku region." Yami said and Asta really wanted to have a map to visualize it but he didn't so he'd have to look it up later. "Japan is conveniently split into 8 overarching regions and there are 9 Quirk Knight Squads so for ease each Squad is given a region to cover. The exception is Kanto as it has the highest population so there are two Squads that are based there, the Crimson Lion Kings and the Golden Dawn though they have a respectful split of territory apparently. The reason for which region we get is based on the current Wizard King and can change though the Squads with feeder schools rarely leave that region."

"So that puts us where?" Asta asked still trying to visualize it but short of knowing that Hage was so far north that it was in Hokkaido he couldn't. "I don't know geography well."

"The northeast of the main island of Japan, Dorksta." Noelle said. "Pretty much covers the northern tip with a bit more on the east than the west. It's a decent sized area, surprising given the status if the Squad."

"We're one of the two newest Squads and while Hokkaido is a large area it's pretty sparsely populated so can be covered effectively by one Squad so long as the squad is large enough." Yami said. "And the Purple Orcas refused to cede it, their Captain likes it for some reason and if the rumors I've heard about him are true then it's not for the good of the people but that's not for me."

"So Squad size is important." Nero said. "I would have thought prestige was the most important thing."

"Prestige and connections help, it's why the Squads run by the founding families have some of the best areas, but size does play a factor into it." Yami said. "And we aren't large enough to cover the vast stretch of Kyushu and Okinawa, that falls under the jurisdiction of Green Praying Mantis Squad and they have a strong relationship with Shade so Julius won't relocate them. As for the least populated Shikoku, that's Blue Rose Knight jurisdiction and their gender restrictions keep them there. As such Julius decided that this area was best for us, which I don't mind."

"So confusing." Asta said his head hurting. "I get why but it's still confusing."

"That is why the Wizard King has a staff of aids to help." Yami said. "And if you intend to be the Wizard King you have to learn this."

"I'll do that!" Asta said bouncing back quickly. "So the Black Bulls have this region. That means that there's a Huntsman agency overseeing it as well which we work with. Which one is it?"

"Beacon is the agency that oversees the part of Japan that we are in." Yami said. "I vaguely know Ozpin, the man who runs it, but for us it's more the rural experts we know. We've got a strong relationship with a lone, and slightly strange, huntsman called Qrow who swings by from time to time with news and drinks with us and I've had dealings with a few others but usually it's the Squad's personal relationships that help."

"All 6 Huntsman track kids in our year are at Beacon." Magna said while Vanessa mumbled something about this Qrow character being able to outdrink her and cost them a lot of good booze but they ignored her. "So we're all friends and thus get along well. It also helps that Luck is a natural charger for Valkyrie so we're often working with them. It's actually scary when they pair up."

"Yeah Valkyrie's the only person who can handle my lightning." Luck said sparks dancing between his fingers. "It's fun but she likes to face the strongest as well which can get annoying."

"Weiss and Ruby are interning there as well." Noelle said ignoring Luck as she looked at Magna. "And both are friends of ours so that will help."

"Good, the whole jurisdiction system and schools feeding to them does help foster strong bonds, especially when it comes to the Huntsmen Agencies." Yami said with a nod. "I doubt you'll encounter them this week, usually the interns stick to Vale where the main Beacon Agency is located though they may go outside of it to the area around it with a licensed Huntsman to deal with Grimm but in the future, if you do work studies here, that friendship will help."

"Sounds good." Asta said. "So that covers most of what we do but I'm still a little confused about this national defense thing. How does that factor into being a Quirk Knight, and why are we the branch that deals with it?"

"That stems from one of the earliest Wizard Kings, Princia Funnybunny." Yami said. "As the stories go she led the Quirk Knight forces of the time in defending against at least two invasions from the Spade Kingdom from the north, that's a kingdom that emerged during the Quirk Wars and broke off from Russia so now rules Siberia and a good portion of what was once easter Russia, and three from the Diamond Company. In the wake of her actions in keeping Japan safe the Quirk Knights have historically been the focal point of national defense. It also allows the normal heroes to focus on internal matters that plague cities and Huntsmen and Huntress can focus on the Grimm situation."

"I've heard of Funnybunny, at least in regards to her exploits on the battlefield, her tale is pretty impressive." Noelle said. "She's also the one who helped form the Huntsman branch if I recall though I wasn't aware of that until Professor Port told us in class about it."

"With the aid of some guy called Ozma or something like that." Yami said. "I think that was his name at least though it could have been something similar. It was in part because she realized that weapons are best against Grimm and in part because there was external threats she wanted to focus on so she worked with him to found the first Huntsman training center but had to leave it at that due to the invasions that she was fighting off. That is why these days it's the Quirks Knights alone who deal with national defense, at least initially."

"Does that happen a lot?" Asta asked. "The need for national defense that is."

"Depends on who the threat is." Yami said. "Currently there are three threats that are the primary focus of national defense, at least when it comes to likelihood of an attack. The first is the Spade Kingdom to the north. They were peaceful for a long time but in the last decade or so they've become more isolated and hostile with raids occurring on Russia, Mongolia, China, the Korean Peninsula, and Japan though they focus on Hokkaido as it's the nearest location to them. It's nothing that the Purple Orcas can't handle but it is their main duty it seems. The second is the most prevalent and consistent one, the Diamond Company, and the third has been dealt with for the time being in the Coven."

"I've never heard of the last two." Asta said while Noelle and Nero didn't know about the last one at all. "What are they? They don't sound like nations."

"That's because they're technically not nations though Diamond Company is one you really should know as they are our biggest threat and in fact in a bit you'll be going with Luck to deal with something related to their past actions." Yami said surprising the trio but continuing before they could say anything. "They are a constant thorn in not just our side but the whole pacific region's and that's on both sides of it though they rarely bother the Americans as it's not a smart move to piss them off."

"Ok so who are they if they're not a nation?" Asta asked.

"Oh they claim to be one, a kingdom with a king in fact but one without a land, however they're not a kingdom or a recognized nation at all." Noelle said before Yami could answer. "They want to be one but haven't managed to take a landmass ye, not that they can as that is illegal to do so."

"Huh?" Asta asked. "Why?"

"Because, Dorksta, many countries popped up in the wake of the Quirk Wars and often it wasn't because of peaceful means." Noelle said. "Spade is one of them that was formed via war. The Land of the Sun is another though why that name I don't know and their territory wasn't taken from any country but made. Same with Otheon and Klayd that are two more new countries that appeared on an island within the domain of Europe. There's also Kaflin and the Heart Kingdom that are new nations in this region but to the west of Japan."

"All true and as for the Land of the Sun, they are an island nation far to the east of here that was made by Japanese expats who either had useful Quirks or access to special technology that allowed for that and designed to be a more simple nation harking back to the feudal Japan era complete with isolationism and a more traditional way of doing things." Yami said surprising everyone though as he was originally from there he knew it well even if he could never return after taking the blame for what his sister did thanks to their scumbag of a father. "They're just one of many more sectarian groups be they religious or cultural that used the Quirk Wars to establish their own nations under their own views."

"However, the Diamond Company is not like this at all." Noelle said. "Which is in part one of the reasons why they can't even just create a new island and call it their home, not that it will work as that wouldn't satisfy them."

"They're not?" Asta asked. "I'm really confused now."

"It can get confusing, many countries popped up in the Quirk Wars and one of the ways to end the wars and establish order was to allow for the new countries to exist and become recognized as part of the international community." Yami explained. "For countries like Russia who lost territory they weren't too happy about it but given how most of that nation is in the west they ended up accepting it for the sake of peace. There are still skirmishes and attempts to change borders, it's not like the UN can do shit, but for the most part it worked. Meanwhile, others used Quirks and technology to create their own landmasses which for the most part didn't cause too many issues."

"Ok that I can kinda get." Asta said. "There are terrain Quirks, right?"

"There are hence the forming of landmasses but technology also helped there as well as Quirks weren't that strong in the early days apparently." Yami said. "However, in the wake of the Quirk Wars, there were many losers for various reasons be it they were kicked out of the land they'd been in and became refugees, criminals who fled due to war crimes committed in the Quirk Wars, people who hated restrictions on Quirks that became commonplace, and a multitude of other reasons. Many of the more immoral and extreme ones formed their own stateless and unrecognized kingdom in the Pacific Ocean called the Diamond Kingdom though to avoid legitimizing them we call them the Diamond Company."

"That doesn't sound good." Asta said.

"It's not." Finral said taking over the conversation to give Yami a break. "They're basically extremists these days who view Quirk power and the development of it as the most important thing in the world. In that vein they are also really into technology and need resources to fuel it so they attack countries for them before retreating to international waters in the Pacific where they're based. They're a little mysterious but never good as they see their actions as justifiable if it aids them. Due to the high level of technical development in Japan we're a prime target for them for that expertise even if we lack the natural resources that they need."

"They're not a good group to run into." Yami agreed. "And part of their attacks are cover to set up bases in nations that serve as places to plunder natural resources or staging grounds for future attacks or raids to acquire intel or other materials they want. Japan has been attacked a few times, back before I was a Captain I fought against an invasion force that struck Kanto alongside the Wizard King, but for the moment they seem to be quiet. However, we keep uncovering bases of theirs all over the country and almost always in rural areas so they need to be searched for intel and then destroyed which you will deal with later."

"We will?" Asta asked stars in his eyes.

"Yes." Yami said taking a drag on the latest cigarette that he was smoking. "In fact you'll be sent out with Luck soon enough but more on that in a moment. There is one more group to be aware of because of how close their location is to us though they've been quiet for about a decade or so."

"This Coven you mentioned." Nero said recalling it and speaking for the first time in a while. "What are they? I've studied a lot about the Quirk Wars and never heard of them."

"That's because they were, for the most part, destroyed during the Quirk Wars and their actions have been kept classified due to the crimes that they committed." Vanessa said taking over her tone serious and no hint of a slur to it now. "I should know, I was born into what is left of the Pacific branch so I know a fair bit about them."

"So who are they?" Noelle asked. "I'm with Nero, I've never heard of them and I know a fair bit about the nation's history given the role House Silva's played in it."

"They are an extremist, female supremacy, group that is so misandrist that they make the Blue Rose Knights look like men's rights activists by comparison." Vanessa said the disagreement clear in her voice. "Well they were back in the day when they were formed they were though these days they're more just a group of women who view men as inferior to them in every aspect but don't actively do anything about it."

"Back in the day?" Asta asked. "So during the Quirk Wars?"

"Earlier if their records are to be believed though I think that's more an attempt to justify their actions." Vanessa said. "They were established in the US at some point, they claim pre-advent but I believe it was post-advent when Quirks helped make the genders truly equal as Quirks removed a lot of the biological barriers. Regardless, they were formed to combat what they viewed as patriarchy and male supremacy in the western world but as more and more Quirks spread their movement did as well. In some cases they really did what they were going for and were beacons for women's rights but in other places they were nothing more than a hate group just like any misogynistic group out there."

"So why haven't I heard of them?" Noelle asked. "Surely they'd teach something like this."

"Well the Coven was more or less destroyed once the Quirk Wars got underway because of two factors." Vanessa said holding up two fingers. "The first was their own internal issues as there were multiple factions within the Coven vying for control of it, and the second was that outside forces got involved with the sides they favored and made things a lot messier but that was the same for any extremist group really."

"Er…" Asta said. "I don't get it."

"It's confusing and as they aren't a big factor anymore don't bother understanding it." Vanessa said which Asta decided to do. "Suffice it to say that the result of their own internal conflicts and outside factors that had their own agendas and were using the Coven as a vehicle for them ended up destroying it in the west. In the east the Coven didn't have the same internal conflicts, there was more unity here, and the result was that they were still here but they disagreed with equality laws between men and women so founded their own nation on an island to the northeast and accepted all women who wished to live there."

"Ok so it's a woman only state." Nero said understanding more. "Not sure how that works though or why they're called the Coven."

"A coven is a group of witches and historically witch was used as a way to persecute women for various reasons, at least in the west." Vanessa said. "So they took the name to show that they were like the witches who were killed for various reasons. I don't know why they'd want to but whatever it was their decision and worked. Their territory is actually called the Forest of Witches and is run by a Witch Queen who is elected by all women in the Coven who are over the age of 18 and has full autocratic authority over the nation. As part of the role, the Witch Queen foreswears her birthname upon election and is responsible for the governance and protection of the Coven. The current Witch Queen is my mother."

"Wait what?" Asta asked his eyes wide, as did the others. "Your mother runs this group?"

"Let's just say that mommy dearest is not a good person and leave it at that." Vanessa said as she drank more wine before continuing, she didn't need to go into her backstory as she her true family was the Black Bulls not that damned forest. "I left the Coven years ago and when you leave you can't return, you're exiled for life and because they're not a recognized country they can do that despite the international laws prohibiting exile as a form of punishment. However, I don't regret it at all and have no desire to return. I know of at least two others who have left, one is even a Quirk Knight Captain."

"Wait, is that why Dorothy Unsworth always looks like a witch?" Noelle asked. "I was wondering why her outfit was so, er, strange."

"Correct, she left before I did in fact." Vanessa said with a nod. "She wanted to see the world and ended up becoming a Quirk Knight and eventually a Squad Captain though I don't know her at all. The other I don't know what happened to her but I know that she served the Diamond Company for a bit due to their tech freedoms which was why she left the Coven in the first place. She may still be with them or elsewhere, who knows."

"Well that explains her attire." Noelle said unaware that the third exile Vanessa was referring to was Miss Code nor that the Miss was part of her cover as she was actually married though she didn't know where her husband was. "And I know that Dorothy's got a powerful Quirk."

"That makes sense, the Coven has long practiced the use of artificial insemination from what they call 'breeding males' to increase the Quirk strength of their members." Vanessa said. "In a group of only women, most of whom are straight, you need to get the necessary genetic material somehow so they use that to get strong girls with as close to designer Quirks as possible but that's always a crapshoot. Some do find men for more traditional mating options but again the rule is that he has to have a strong Quirk so that strong girls can be born from the insemination. In the past this wasn't always the case."

"It wasn't?" Noelle asked. "But it doesn't sound good at all regardless. Like what happens to the boys?"

"The idea of artificial insemination and choosing a good donor is nothing new, it's existed since before the advent and many still chose it for various valid reasons." Vanessa said not addressing the second question, there was no actual answer to that as the Coven under the former Witch Queen always claimed that no males were ever born there. "Even Quirk Marriages became a thing so for the most part, while there may be ethical questions, the Coven acted within the bounds of international law when it comes to impregnating its members. It was the Witch Queen before my mother that did things differently and why the Coven were a threat."

"What do you mean?" Asta asked.

"Let's just say that she had a habit of ordering her witches as the citizens of the Coven call themselves to go to neighboring countries, mainly Japan as we're closest though some would go further afield to find their donors, and, well, taking the men by force." Vanessa said. "Regardless of that man's relationship status or consent on the matter."

"But that's…" Noelle began.

"Yes I know it is but the former Witch Queen didn't believe that men could be victims like that, in fact I doubt my mother really believes that as well but she has to recognize that her predecessor ordered such crimes to be committed." Vanessa said darkly. "That woman, like many in the Coven, saw men as inferior and thus they could do with them as they pleased. As far as the Coven is concerned men have one purpose on the world and they can take it from men if they want."

"That's messed up." Asta said his eyes wide in shock as were many at the table as few were aware of the extent of the threat that the Coven had once posed. "And it's just as messed up if it's the other way around."

"I agree." Vanessa said. "However, the Coven uses male mistreatment of women in the past, which is an undeniable fact, to justify their actions. Thankfully most of the world sees it differently and in the age of Quirks where general crime is the biggest issue things like inequality based on gender aren't as prevalent. Same for things like race, though that is still present, and sexual orientation. These days the ways humans are shitty to each other is based on traits."

"As mentioned before, heteromorphs." Nero said which given the fact that she had horns actually classified her as one though no one cared about that. "That's where the real discrimination is these days."

"Such is the nature of humanity." Yami said. "Class and appearance are the ones these days but Vanessa isn't wrong, the Coven is one of the handful of extremist groups that we occasionally have to deal with and because of their, er, breeding program they are one of the strongest out there. Most of these groups can be dealt with easily but the Coven was too strong so a group of heroes and Quirk Knights got together to invade their territory, which isn't actually internationally recognized, under the leadership of All Might and the previous Wizard King and end their practice. However, before we could one of their members came to us on her own with the Witch Queen who'd led those policies bound in blood."

"That was my mother, her Total Blood Mastery Quirk is scary and there's no doubt that she's the strongest current member of the Coven." Vanessa said. "She got wind of the planned attack and rather than risk the end of the Coven she led an uprising that took down the Witch Queen and replaced her before personally delivering her to the heroes as a peace offering. At the time the Wizard King was Conrad Leto if I recall though All Might was still the number 1 hero as this was only 10 years ago or so."

"You'd know best regarding the events in that forest that day." Yami said. "But yes that's what happened and that Witch Queen was sent to Tartarus where as far as we know she is still incarcerated. In the wake of it the Coven, while refusing to end their discrimination which was a prerequisite for being recognized as an independent nation, did agree to a truce. In exchange for the needed, er, biological materials that are required to keep their nation alive along with the information they sought on that front, they agreed to acknowledge that men can be victims of that kind of crime and to stop that practice. Also any males born in the Coven are immediately handed over to the Japanese government to be looked after."

"It's not ideal and I'm sure many do leave with sons but it is better than not knowing what happens to them." Vanessa said which Noelle and Nero noted but opted not to press given Vanessa's tone. "So yeah that's the Coven. There's been an uneasy truce between Japan and them but there's always a threat that the next Witch Queen could be like the former one, or have her own agenda that she decides to act on, so you need to learn about them. Plus we're actually the region closest to their island."

"Well that's heavy." Noelle said as she and the others processed it, a pall falling over the table at what they'd been told. "I get that we had to learn about that and that there will be groups like that out there that we will no doubt encounter but still, it's a lot."

"It's the life you chose by becoming Quirk Knights." Yami said. "We deal more with hatred and extremism than the other branches do simply because of how much of it festers in the countryside. Be ready for that as it will get ugly. Thankfully your first mission is a simple one."

"Right this base." Asta said getting excited for it and his excitement refreshing the room a bit. "I'm surprised that we can go to it."

"I was as well but Julius specially requested that you do it." Yami said. "Asked for you by name Asta."

"Really, the Wizard King asked for me by name?" Asta asked his eyes stars. "So cool. I'm amazed that he knows who I am."

"You impressed him in the Sports Festival and as the base was found under the border with Kanto it falls in our jurisdiction so we have to investigate it." Yami said. "Already Qrow has gone there and cleared it of Grimm that had made it their home but now it needs us to fully look it over so you three will go with Luck as the lead to make sure it's clear."

"Yes sir." Asta said as Nero nodded and Noelle blinked.

"Er, not to question you or the Wizard King." Noelle said. "But why us and no full member? Surely that would make sense."

"Good question and because Luck needs experience." Yami said. "He has his provisional license he can act as a hero would should there be an issue. Plus Julius has authorized that you three can act in self-defense so it's fine. It's just a simple mission to an abandoned base, nothing should go wrong there."

"Got it." Asta said. "When do we leave."

"Right away." Yami said as he pulled out his phone to check the time and realized that the feast had gone on too long. "I feel that the best learning is on the job so off you go."

With that they had their first mission and barely any time to process it though Luck was grinning at the idea of it. It was all a bit overwhelming for the three first years, especially after what they'd just been told about the duties of Quirk Knights and their major enemies but they were learning a lot so they couldn't really complain.

Now they had a mission that would show them what they did and as Yami had said it shouldn't be an issue, just an abandoned base. After all, it wasn't like he'd just jinxed it or anything so the trio got up and got ready to head out and see what a Quirk Knight did in the field unaware of what was awaiting them as their internship began in earnest.

Well there it is, I know it's a long chapter but this is the chapter that covers the scope of the duties of the Quirk Knights along with introducing the various potential enemies and explaining how the other nations and the Forest of Witches will work in this story. Beyond Spade, which is all but confirmed, y'all will have to wait and see if the other areas will feature and of course what this mission has in store for the Black Bull interns. It's time to really ramp up their internship which will be the first part of this long arc and begin moving things into place for the great culmination of it so stay tuned. I am hoping to get the next chapter out before the end of the year, especially because I'm not going to be able to upload for the first 3 weeks of 2024 at least, but no promises as it is a busy time of year. That is all that I have for y'all however so I will leave this chapter off here. If you like this story please follow, favorite (this story and me) to keep up with it and leave a review or PM; your support is what helps motivate me to keep up this work and any questions posed before the next chapter is uploaded I will try to answer. Until next time.

Stringdog