JAUNE

Jaune kept his word, he bit.

He bit hard into the Beowolf pinning him down.

It didn't amount to watch but a little bit of pride managed to find its way through the overwhelming pain flooding his body.

His weapon had been batted away early on; he ran out of ammunition after managing to gun down one of his assailants. The clip ran dry, and he had been pounced before being able to reload. In turn, he gutted the offending predator with his blade before taking a nasty cut to the back by another.

The cut struck through the armor and he knew it hit flesh, but the armor plate definitely kept him alive. He lashed out with his sword again but hit the air. The pain made him groggy and slow.

There couldn't have been more than four remaining but if he didn't focus, he saw maybe eight total. It was hard to avoid seeing cross-eyed through it all.

Perhaps purely by reflex he blocked another blow with his shield but was entirely unresponsive when tackled to the ground. The beast slammed its paw into his chest plate and forced the air in his lungs to flee. Jaune attempted to raise his sword to fight back, but the Beowolf used its other paw to smash his hand back into the ground.

Crying out in agony Jaune felt indignation burn through him as he bit down on the beast's front paw. He bit with enough force to draw blood from his mouth, but it seemed little more than an annoyance for the Grimm.

Letting out a victory howl he opened his gaping maw wide and dove down, ready to tear out its prey's throat.

A split second allotted Jaune the only chance at survival he had. As the Grimm came for him, he drew the knife from his belt and rushed to drive it into the monster's head.

Meeting head-on with the Beowulf's eye the beast stumbled back in surprise and pain. With the pressure off his chest, Jaune lashed out and solidly kicked it with his feet. Scurrying back, he gripped his sword in his probably broken hand before swinging at a remaining wolf in the pack.

It wisely stepped out of his reach. Recovering to his feet Jaune stepped back to assess.

Three Beowolves, a broken hand, possibly broken ribs. A touch and a yelp confirmed his ribs were indeed broken. His shotgun was somewhere not near him. A very unconscious Pyrrha was still laying face down behind the Grimm now pacing him. And to top it all off he had no aura, no plan, and no help in sight.

"Seems like a fair fight…" He mumbled to himself, though the false bravado wasn't helping alleviate the sinking reality of his situation.

Yet he had perhaps two advantages that gave him comfort. First, he still had Crocea Mors and that gave him a warm consolation. The old weapon felt light in his hand and the shield gave him a piece of calming certainty. The second; he was alive. As long as he breathed, he could fight. This wasn't the time to roll over and die, it was time to dig in and do his job.

It all started with one. Just one more and he could rest.

With a labored grunt, he hefted his shield into a defensive position and shifted into a fighting stance.

Just start with one.

All three Grimm leaped at him at once. And tapping into that rage once more Jaune hunkered down, drew back slightly, and rammed his shield straight into the nearest Grimm. In the same breath, he thrust his blade into the chest of another. It left him wide open on his flank and he paid for it as he took a swipe from the last wolf. It tore into his side armor which had already been damaged from his engagement with the Beringel.

Yet as the impaled Grimm disappeared Jaune found his footing and despite the hot flash radiating from his side focused solely on one single thought.

Just one more.

Rearing his shield back around, he drove the pointed edge of it straight into the Grimm's snout, kicked it with a heavy blow, and turned around to confront the Grimm he had slammed moments prior.

Running the blade straight through its throat he screamed.

It was a nasty sound, filled with pain, and anger, and perhaps laced lightly with a hint of fear.

That Grimm too, slumped and faded to nothing.

Just one more.

The last wolf had recovered from the blow and charged at him. It leaped into the air and came down with a fiery hatred in its eyes that would shake a slighter man to their very soul.

Jaune found a commonality between himself and the Grimm, perhaps the only one he would ever dare admit. Both were filled with fiery, unbridled hate for each other, one that could only be understood by one another. It was that very hate that gave him the will and the strength to smash his shield into the monster, it sprawled it onto the ground.

From there as it tried to recover, he slammed the shield onto its head once more. Straddled the beast and beat it. He pounded his fist into it over and over. As the monster tried to squirm, to fend for its life Jaune cut off its arm before breaking its jaw. He again and again over and over slammed his gauntleted fist into the Grimm's head. He heard something break. Maybe it was him, who was to say? Who really cared?

Even as the beast stilled and died Jaune kept beating. Lost to the world he wailed and wailed, his bloodied fists hitting nothing but the solid earth as he lost himself in the motion of violence.

He didn't feel anything. Not the pain of his fists hitting solid dirt, not the cuts on his back and side, not even the pain of his broken ribs. His mind shut them all out. Perhaps it was for the basic need of survival. The shallow gasps he forced into his lungs faintly reminded him he was still breathing. The darkened vision of the world around him gave proof he was still conscious but past those, he felt nothing.

No that wasn't entirely true. He felt rage, he was angry and that superseded his fatigue. He would have probably stayed there indulging that rage, but something broke him from his trance.

He heard the Grimm before he saw them.

His rage from earlier and maybe even now had acted like a beacon for whatever Grimm was in the area. His fight with the Beringel had drawn in the Beowulf's and now his fight with them had drawn in others. It was a natural hunting tool for Grimm that was often neglected or just unknown.

When fighting, negative emotions typically swarmed around the target whether in terms of fear, desperation, or anger. As a result, if a handful of Grimm fell then it would lead to more coming, and more and more. Eventually, the prey would tire, falter, and succumb.

Gazing listlessly at the encroaching hoard Jaune knew he had to decide. He could stand and keep fighting, or he could get Pyrrha to safety. He hadn't much time, he could hear the low snorts, growls, and huffs of the Grimm drawing near.

There was no telling just how many were coming, and he was in no condition to face another swarm. Maybe he could take Pyrrha and try to run but just standing was taking almost everything he had left. The adrenaline was wearing off and with it, the pain started settling in.

If he ran, he would be cornered, pounced, and slaughtered. If he fought, he would be overwhelmed, pounced, and slaughtered.

He was happy there was such variety.

Time was short and he had no options left, except perhaps one.

One key fact he had found interesting in his early days of studying Grimm was a universal disdain they all shared towards fire. They were mostly all susceptible to burning. Whether it was because fire held some symbolic meaning of life and the creation of light, or simply because it fucking hurt made little difference now. All he knew was he had a magazine clip of unused fire dust rounds and an unused flair sitting in his belt pouch.

Through the bushes came the shape of a group of small boars with large protruding bone white tusks and heavy skeletal plating. To his left emerged a hulking Grimm, smaller than the mutated Beringel but still plenty imposing. It loomed ahead and shoulder taller than Jaune and had little plating besides the scattered bits covering it nasty, snarling face.

'Boarbatusks and an Ursa Minor…great.'

It's do or die and Jaune had a penchant for living. Securing in his shield hand the bandages he kept in case of emergency he managed a hasty wrapping of his broken hand. Using his teeth, he tied the hilt of his sword to his injured hand.

He lost mobility; however, he was still able to wield the blade with some degree of menace. He fumbled wearily at the magazine fastened to his belt. Unclipping it and seizing the flair he took a moment to ruminate.

'If I let them draw too close, they may tear into Pyrrha while I fight. If I go too far, they may loop around while my back is turned.' The options were bleak, he was outnumbered and ever more hurt. His aura was gone and no indication of help was on the way. Even if he managed to get Pyrrha and run after taking on these Grimm he wasn't confident he could get her far before more showed up.

'If that's the case, then I just have to force them all onto me.' The Ursa dropped unto all four massive paws and looked ready to charge.

'Block it out…everything that doesn't matter.' He cleared his mind, and though it hurt he tried to force the burning memories of hatred that hid just under the surface of his sanity.

'Only the Grimm, and how you'll kill them.'

The thoughts flowed easily. Unobstructed and directed they came washing over him as every terrible memory surged forward in his mind. The pain, fear, and anger of each ravaged his mind and ate at his very reasoning.

The negative emotions swirled and settled around him once more, drawing in the attention of the Grimm. With enough hate, they would only fixate on their new target. Their greatest hunting ability would be their greatest undoing.

As the memories and emotions consumed him a fleeting moment flashed within Jaunes mind. And as it did a voice not his own spoke up through the haze of hate and rage.

'Remember kid, if you lose yourself in hate, you'll only end up Grimm chow. That thing inside you, that monster, it's your greatest strength but let it out all the way and you may never come back.'

A warning, but it didn't matter much now. Jaune felt himself slipping as he focused on his new targets. The pain was there, but it seemed insignificant in the face of the all-consuming hatred that dominated him. He had let out his emotions several times that day but here and now it practically bled off of his very being.

He would kill until he was killed.

The Ursa was the first Grimm to charge. Jaune had already closed the distance.

Smashing his shield into the monsters snarling muzzle. The Grimm reared back as Jaune forced his Blade straight through its unguarded throat. Whirling he barely deflected a blow from a rushing Boarbatusk.

Planting his protesting feet, he scored a superficial hit on one of its legs.

Boars were densely armored but were incredibly straightforward with their attacks. They could only charge and ram. Their legs and underside were completely exposed and easily the best way to attack them. That in mind He swung low as it made a second charge. Slicing through its front and rear legs, he took a moment to kick the flailing monster onto its side before stabbing through its nonexistent heart. As he raised to look at the next threat, he knew he had to make a better plan.

There were far too many and they would keep coming. His body would stop moving soon enough and at that point, it would all be over. If he could scare them off it would be ideal.

Slashing the legs of another Boar he ran through a mental check of his remaining items as he fought to draw breath through the pain in his ribs.

An explosion would scare the Grimm off…probably. As he stabbed the blade through the eye of the fallen Boar, he numbly prepared himself for the next step.

'That has to work.'

It wasn't much of a plan and it would probably kill him in his Aura-depleted state, but the other options were looking bleak. One more Boar rushed at him from the thick foliage, it was immediately skewered Jaune lunged forward to drive the blade through its squealing mouth.

It was a terrible idea to meet Boarbatusks head-on, but Jaune couldn't be bothered to move anymore. He also doubted he had the strength to do it anyways.

Taking the very brief reprieve he fumbled with his magazine belt. Gripping the fire magazine in his shield hand he struck the clip against his blade, breaking the first round open. Bright red finite dust sprinkled from the tiny gash. Next Jaune pulled a single flare from his back pouch.

As he finished one more Grimm stepped into the clearing, though he could hear the howls of more circling around him. They had to be close, he could still hear them over the pounding in his ears.

The Ursa that had stepped forward let out a mighty roar, dropped down, and charged. Jaune met it head-on. He stepped in, reared his body back, and slammed his shield with all the remaining strength in his battered body. The beast reared back as Jaune felt his arm go numb from the impact, something may have fractured.

Despite the new pain he caught his chance. The beast reared back; its gaping mouth open wide as Jaune strike the flair. Pushing forward again he shoved the magazine with the broken round and the newly lit flair into the Grimm's mouth as far as he could before trying to leap backward with shaky legs. Raising his shield, he had moments to prepare.

Fire rounds were unstable, and precautions had to be taken to ensure they didn't explode when jostled by constant movement. However, if left in close proximity to heat or if ignited they would burst, and the result could start off a chain reaction.

The explosion rocked the forest, spreading flames and dust everywhere. The Ursa had been destroyed in an instant, yet Jaune felt his body rocket backward. The explosion singed his hair and burned his face, the heat nearly made him black out. The pain from his tumble barely registered as he slid to a halt within the clearing.

Everything hurt, yet the risky gamble had paid off. The explosion set the tree line ablaze, driving the other Grimm into full retreat. However, the victory was bittersweet as the flames spread into the plane. The heat even from a distance was overwhelming.

Jaune knew he had to move but finally, his body refused to cooperate. For all his bluster earlier, the damage was simply too much. The wounds from before were leaking out and his body had started to shiver despite the flames. His broken limp hand hurt and would probably be spasming in agony had it not been so securely fastened to his bade. Each breath was labor to complete in ofitself.

It would be so simple to lay there and succumb to the bliss of sleep. He so desperately wanted to close his eyes and let his body finally relax. It was a shame it was simply not an option. Pyrrha need medical attention and his injuries would simply have to wait until that had been accomplished. Mustering the feeble vestiges of strength, he had left and despite his body screaming in protest he rose to his feet once more. Using Crocea Mors as a substitute cane he hobbled over towards his fallen partner.

As he reached out to try and assist her another piercing cry tore through the Forest.

This one was different than the others. It sounded louder, far more akin to a screech than a primal roar.

Jaune was forced to cover his ears the best he could, trying to smother the awful sound. His heart pounded faster, his blood running cold. For a moment he thought his heart had simply stopped.

Over the years Jaune had heard many types of Grimm, each had its own distinct roar, or call, but this was something different.

It was something far worse. It drove a spike of fear straight through the boy drowning out his anger in a flash, smothering it under an endless sea of terror. His eyes darted around the smoky clearing. The trees were still engulfed in flames and it was clear there was no sign of it stopping. The fire had engulfed the air in thick smoke that was making it harder to breathe.

The cry had sounded distant but whatever it was more than likely a greater threat than anything Jaune had faced thus far.

Dropping down Jaune let out a chorus of harsh bitter coughs. The smoke was simply not helping his overtaxed lungs any more than the ache of his broken ribs streaking pain through his body with every breath. Regardless he endured and managed to drape his limp partner over his left side.

Struggling to rise to his feet with the added burden of weight he had to rely heavily on his sword.

Through the haze and his own darkened vision, he swore something moved in the distance, its shape dancing in the light of the flames. But when he looked again, he saw nothing.

He had to leave, get to the cliffside and get help. Whatever was out there would have to wait. He had barely taken a step away from the burning inferno that was closing around him when he saw it.

Whatever it was it was not a Grimm.

It was something worse.

It was a true monster.

The smoke made it hard to discern any true features. But the thing was huge. It easily stood at least twice Jaunes height and had massive wings that cast a terrifying silhouette. It was like looking in the face of a demon. It eyed him, like a predator eyeing an easy meal. Its eyes were a deep glowing yellow that struck a sense of terror in Jaune that he hadn't felt in years. His breath was forced from his lungs and his body, shaking under the strain of wounds and Pyrrha had gone rigid.

It was as if a single move would cause the beast to attack. It tilted its obscured head slightly as if eyeing the meal in front of it, determining whether it was worth the effort. But the appraisal wasn't what terrified Jaune. It was the fact that it meant it had some sense of intelligence.

Grimm were animals, led by hunting patterns and instincts with a basic understanding of things like hierarchy and basic gaming. They were no smarter than any creature found on a hunt. But this thing, with just a glance Jaune, could tell it understood. It knew what he was and that alone was so overwhelmingly dangerous.

They were frozen in time. Neither man nor monster moved, as if waiting for something to break the tension and initiate the slaughter.

The beast broke the standoff, raised its wings high, and Jaune prepared for death.

The monster flapped once, and everything shattered. The flames extinguished in a moment under the power of the current. Jaune was sent flying backward once more. Barely managing t keep his hold on Pyrrha he cradled her in his arms as he felt his feet leave the Earth. Seconds later his back broke slammed into a tree, a strangled cry rose from his lips and his conscious finally succumbed.

Well, it's been a minute huh? I want to apologize for all of my tardiness. I want to blame school, work, and moving, but it really is just my procrastination. So, thank you all for so much support. I really cannot believe the support this story has received. I look back and am just blown away that so many of you have liked it really is incredible.

I hope this chapter is alright, it is very heavy on action with no real dialogue, BUT it does lead into a Jaune flashback and a need breather for this man. I never set out to beat Jaune up quite this much from the get-go and now I feel I have set a precedent because I know with what I have planned it will get far worse. That being said, the next release will be a two-parter. One chapter will be Jaune flashback, and the following will be the aftermath of initiation. I also intend to release them back-to-back, so you know…it'll come out at some point…I really am sorry.

There are just a few more things and then I would like to finally address some comments.

One, I think it is well known at this point that Kentaro Miura has passed away. He and by extension Berserk have been incredibly important to me over the years. The idea of the struggler and to keep going regardless of what lays ahead is something I have always taken to heart. I heavily based this story on themes and ideas from Berserk if anything I always kind of wanted to make this a love letter to the series. I just wanted to say I hope for nothing but the best for his family and no matter what I will complete this series for more personal reasons than ever before.

Alrighty, let's tackle some comments! I can't get to them all so I want to address some that bring up ideas and complaints I myself have noticed or agreed with.

ZenithTempest

Hey! I'm glad you enjoyed the early stages, and I am a bit sad that I mislead you with the story description. But I really hope you've stuck around! Also, I plan in regard to Jaunes anger and it will lead to certain changes later. It's a bit early but it should start to take up precedence soon, especially with an upcoming arc I have planned.

Tango Mike

I had some ideas of Doom Marine in here when I wanted to write a more serious Jaune, but I had really wanted to get his character in a similar light to his Canon part. Regardless I'm glad you liked it and I hope these last two chapters lived up to some of your expectations.

Zoom99

So, I can see where you're coming from, and reading back, I regret some of my initial choices regarding Jaune, but I was adamant to myself about starting him as a bit gentler before going in deeper towards a darker version.

Doa

I'm really happy to hear you enjoyed it thus far. I hope I can keep it going and thank you for your support.

Augustus Arc

Thanks for all your comments, they really make me want to keep going. Your support is a big reason I even keep trying to push through my overwhelming laziness.

dw6fanmanxd

So, I'm gonna be honest. I was initially upset when I read, you're comment. But then I decided to be an adult and reread my work and yeah. I made some mistakes from the get-go and I wanted to write became an edgy mess that I now need to try and either justify or retroactively mend. Regardless I hope you're still sticking around, let me know what you think!

EternalInternalScreaming

You are absolutely right! And I think it's a far bigger undertaking than I initially thought. It's not going to be easy, but I have made the decision that there is no one in the story who is going to beat up Jaune more than me. I have a lot planned for him and it is not going to be good for him. Regardless I have a lot of plans and I would love to hear your thoughts come to the incoming flashback chapter.

Ravell Aqim

So, a lot of what I said above applies here so I am going to address your final question. I do have a rough outline. I know where and what I want. However, with that, I want to leave certain things open to liberties so that way I can adapt during these inevitable lapses in writing. Most of the major plot points are set but the in-betweens may vary or shift. But I hope you stick around!

SentinalSlice

I had this image of Yang in my head that I wanted to pursue, but things changed, and my initial setup was off the mark. In the last chapter I tried to address it, but I am going t have to do a little more damage control, but I hope you stick around to see where it goes.

Reader

Jaunes mental state will only go down from here.

Rakkis3059

I hope it was up to snuff.

Astray-Tech

I'm glad you've been enjoying the story and I'm always excited to see your responses. And I hope I can keep giving you content you enjoy.

Sisyphus Incarnate

You are absolutely right, though I do have particular reasons, I don't think it'll land the way I want…eh I tried and will try harder.

And to the last Guest user. I really enjoyed your in-depth review of my writing. It was certainly eye-opening and I hope it gets better as I continue. Though I would love to hear from you now and see if anything has changed in your opinion. I am genuinely curious but thank you for your review, nonetheless.

Lastly to everyone else who I couldn't get to, THANK YOU. Your comments are without a doubt absolutely wonderful to receive. The support has once again been incredible and I'm glad so many of you are getting something out of this. I hope you will comment again, and I cannot emphasize how much it gives me the motivation to try and push out another chapter.

Let me know what you thought of these last two action-oriented chapters and I hope to see you in a reasonable time frame. Again, a double release coming next time so until then see ya!

Hey! I just wanted to update the chapter a bit and let you know that a new chapter is in the works and should be out very soon. The entire plot line is fully realized now I just have to write it. Easier said than done I suppose. But it should be on a far more regular schedule. I want to again thank everyone for so much support, it has meant the world to me. I will see you hopefully mid-next week with a new chapter. Though I should preface that there will be some narrative and formatting changes as I realized the actual magnitude of the story I want to write.

Please Take care!