RWBY: The Session Chapter 2, a rwby fanfic

Chp. 2: Working/Hanging out on the tropical island

Beacon Academy – Dormitory, early morning.

"It seems our team is still lacking in the teamwork department." Said Weiss to Ruby as they got ready in the bathroom for their vacation trip. "I kept reflecting on the battle yesterday and there isn't any other way you can look at it, we have a serious problem with coordination. I want to believe you understand that this is your problem as team leader Ruby, but sometimes I wonder. Be that as it may, I haven't forgotten when we took down that Nevermore during our entrance exam. I think we should do some training so that we can draw out that kind of team syncing more easily. As it happens Sapang Island has training facilities so I propose that in our spare time we have training camp activities at those facilities. Of course Ruby you get the final say in this. Also Ruby … You're using my toothpaste."

Weiss was wondering why Ruby had not said a word during this. As it turned out Ruby's mouth was full of bubbles from brushing her teeth.

Vale Harbor – Late morning.

"This will be the first time us four will be traveling together."

As the ship set sail, leaning against the handrails on the deck of the ship and gazing out to the sea. Yang speaks with her sister Ruby.

"Ruby, as it's our first trip together we need to make sure to make some great memories! As such, I made sure to check up on some pamphlets before we left, look at this picture! The beach looks so beautiful! And the ocean is so blue it's almost scary! We have to go here first. We are going here, right? I worked hard picking this swimsuit, also there are so many activities written here. There's … snorkeling, diving, glass floor boat ride and a super jet ski banana boat …. super jet ski banana boat? What kind of weird activity is that? Anyway, at the hotel, everything is pretty much automated. Does that mean room service will have a machine deliver it to us? Well, I guess that doesn't matter."

"It wasn't that Ruby wasn't listening to her sister Yang, but from the top deck of the ship, Ruby's attention was stolen by the view she had of the ocean."

"Look Sis, over there! A dolphin!"

"Really? Where? OMG, it's so cute."

"…..Huh?"

After making a racket on the decks with her sister, Ruby returned back into the ship and while washing her hands in the washroom, she came to the realization of a problem.

When thinking of what to do once they arrive, she remembered Yang's talk of the variety of activities at the Beach. But Weiss also had plans for their team from this morning.

When thinking about this logically it comes down to this.

1. Weiss wants everyone to train.

2. Yang wants everyone to enjoy and play around.

3. And the two probably won't be receptive to each other's ideas.

Ya, they'll definitely argue with each other.

In fact, Ruby just realized she hasn't really talked about what their activities were once they arrived. Yesterday, she got caught up in the excitement of receiving these tickets from the man who said he was in charge of the SIC exhibition event, and just came along without thinking much about it.

What to do. If I make this trip into a training camp will Yang go along with it? On the other hand, if I shut down the idea of training will Weiss agree with that? Both decisions are troublesome, Yang doesn't compromise when it comes to enjoying herself, and Weiss is a rigid and studious ice queen.

Groaning as she walked along the corridors, Ruby eventually ended up back at the lounge.

The lounge held many people that wanted to avoid the strong winds and blazing sun of the decks. Originally thinking they were the only people invited to Sapang Island, it turns out the ship was full of guests also heading there.

Standing there Ruby saw the figure of Blake sitting at a table by the window, her black hair fluttering in the wind looking out at the ocean with a quiet expression.

"Blake"

Hearing Ruby beside her, Blake turned her silent gaze to her leader.

There were no signs of joy in those beautiful amber eyes, no signs of excitement at their upcoming resort trip. Ruby, wanting to draw out a little bit of happiness from her teammate, starts cheerfully talking to Blake.

"Wouldn't it be better to look at the ocean on deck? Yang's practically stuck to the handrails outside."

"It's ok."

It was short and blunt, but not all unexpected from Blake. It was perhaps not the ocean Blake was looking out at, but what was inside herself.

Unable to hold it off any longer, Ruby finally asked the question that she has been thinking about ever since the start of their vacation.

"I'm sorry if I'm wrong, but … you're worried about the White Fang aren't you?"

Blake didn't immediately respond.

Blake Belladonna, she had just recently revealed to her teammates her secret and her past. She is a Faunus, an outsider, she hides her cat ears behind the bow on her head. Not only that, she had been part of an extremist group known as the "White Fang." A radical group that took up arms in their fight to achieve Faunus rights.

The incident that the White Fang was behind, the incident that revealed Blake's secret to her teammates, Ruby had thought that the problem had been resolved.

After a long silence finally, Blake calmly said these words.

"Everything's ok, team leader."

"Really?"

"Yes, I'm fine."

"Then you should start enjoying yourself!"

Ruby had come to a decision regarding their activities when they arrived at the island. Like Yang said, this trip was about having fun, to make their comrades forget their troubles.

"Yang told me that the beach is beautiful! There's also going to be diving and a banana boat, a really cool banana boat and ….. uh, what else did she say."

"I hate getting wet."

Blake strikes back with words that ring coldly through the air. Yet afterward Blake held an expression that seemed surprised she had said such things. Ruby, however, looked like she wanted to run away in tears.

Breaking her gaze away, Blake takes up the same posture as before staring out into the ocean.

"… Weiss was looking for you, something about what we plan on doing on the island."

"Ok …. got it."

Ruby, not knowing what else to say decides to leave the lounge and Blake behind.

Just as she was about to leave, she took one hopeful glance back, but Blake stayed there, continuing to look out at the expansive ocean.

The ferry to Sapang Island was a far larger ship than Weiss had initially imagined it being. The ship was full of guests and the corridors were filled with both humans and Faunus.

Weiss took this opportunity to not only look for Ruby but also take a tour of this large ship. Since SIC seemed like it had a different philosophy towards business, Weiss, being the heiress of the Schnee Dust Company, was quite curious.

When one talks about technology and industrial advances, especially in the areas of drones, one name comes to mind, Atlas. Of the four kingdoms, Atlas truly stands above the rest in this regard, at least this is what Weiss wholeheartedly believes in regarding her homeland.

However the many kinds of animal-type drones at the exhibition yesterday had caught Weiss's attention. While drones that simulated animal behavior exist in Atlas, Atlas did not have nearly as much variety as what she saw yesterday.

'While they are still quite ways from overtaking Atlas in technology, this company in Vale actually might stand a chance to do so. I really should report this to Winter.' Thought Weiss.

While Weiss was evaluating SIC in a not very student like fashion, someone tapped her shoulder from behind.

Turning around Weiss couldn't help but raise her voice a little.

"Pyrrha!? You're here?" Standing before her was the red-haired Amazon with her hair in her famous ponytail. Surprised yet also excited, Weiss grasps the hand of the redhead in front of her.

"Are you going to Sapang Island too?"

"Yes, team JNPR are all going."

"Wow! What a coincidence that we're both going!"

Pyrrha could only put up a strained smile at the excited Weiss who never stopped squeezing her hands.

"Ah, Weiss … does that mean you were at the SIC exhibition yesterday?"

"Yes, our entire team was … Oh, that reminds me Jaune was there as well. Does that mean you guys got the same kind of invitation we did? That's it isn't it!"

Having deduced how this 'coincidence' happened Weiss gives a nod to herself but then notices that Pyrrha had put on a sad smile, one that she seems to have much practice doing.

"Pyrrha? Is something wrong?"

"No, it's nothing …."

It was then while Weiss was trying to understand Pyrrha's look that a loud boisterous "Ahhhhhhh" came from behind her. Of all the people that Weiss knew, there could only be one person that could make such an insane sound.

"Pyrrha!? Why are you here? Is Jaune here also? How about Ren and Nora?" Shouted Ruby as she came running down the hallway.

"They're also here."

"Wow! What are the chances!?"

"…. I have to go, Jaune kinda got sick once the ship started moving."

Pyrrha turned to leave and Ruby looked like she was about to follow but Weiss then grabbed her arm to stop her.

"Perfect, I was just looking for you. I wanted to talk to you about some plans I came up with for the training that we'll be doing."

From out of nowhere Weiss pulls out a stack of papers and gives it to Ruby.

"Here is a list of problems that our team has in terms of coordination. Over here is a training schedule that I came up with, also here are some formations that I thought might be nice to try out. Also here …"

"Ok, ok, Weiss stop! How much did you make!?"

Hearing the loud complaint from Ruby, Weiss brings her face close to her leader's.

"Have you forgotten? The Vytal Festival is happening at the end of the year, the world's largest, toughest, and most important tournament. It's obvious that we need to prepare for it. As team leader, you should start thinking of some ideas to improve our teamwork before the summer vacation's end. Got it?"

Ruby steps back from the menacing aura that Weiss extruded, she never thought her teammate would be so serious when it came to summer homework. Frantically Ruby tries to change the subject.

"First … First of all, we should go ask what Blake and Yang think about this training …"

"I've already talked to Blake," responded Weiss triumphantly. "She happily agreed to my plan, I'm sure Yang will understand as well."

Faced with the complete confidence that Weiss had, Ruby couldn't say anything back.

'…. Who knows, maybe if Weiss and Yang talk to each other, it'll make it easier to change one of their opinions.' Thought Ruby optimistically as she and Weiss returned back to the ship deck where Yang was.

The waves that emanate from the ferry become less powerful as it starts slowing down.

Seabirds flock around and sing their distinctive cries, just beyond the horizon a shadow in the shape of an island starts to form. Sapang Island, the tropical resort island beckons the ship to its wide beautiful beaches.

Beyond the sandy beaches lay roads flanked by exotic tropical plants, the buildings all pristine and newly made.

The passengers on the decks are treated to a gentle breeze of salty air as they look and point upon their destination with smiles and excitement. Ruby was of course among those passengers as she cheered at the sight of the approaching island.

"Look, look Blake! There it is! I can see the island!"

"Yes, I see it," Blake answered calmly while also holding onto Ruby's clothes to stop her from falling into the ocean.

"The beaches are so white, they look beautiful! Hey Weiss, Yang you two …"

Ruby stopped herself when she turned to her other two teammates.

"Like, I said, why would we do training when we're at a tropical resort!?"

Against the booming voice of Yang, Weiss responds with equal determination.

"And I already said that we have problems in our team coordination."

"What are you talking about, yesterday we did fine!"

"When a team starts understanding each other and avoids useless actions, it opens up the way to more advanced tactics and maneuvers, that's why I said we need practice!"

"That's exactly why! I know that our team needs to understand each other more! That's why we need to enjoy ourselves to the fullest, TOGETHER!"

"You just want to play around don't you!?"

"Of course!"

"Can you ever be serious!?"

Seeing her teammates argue with each other, the smile on Ruby's face stiffens and can only now be described as forced.

"Look, Blake, it's the island." said Ruby again as she turned her gaze back at the approaching island.

"Yes, I see it."

With the ferry docked at the pier, the passengers descend down to the dock one by one. The four members of team RWBY gasp at the scenery before them. Tall, short, large, small, wide, thin, contrary to their expectations the harbor was full of drones of all shapes and sizes.

Elsewhere in the harbor, a large drone was unloading cargo from other ships that were also currently moored here. The drone was similar to the elephant drone that went rampant at the exhibition, except instead of an elephant it was in the shape of a water buffalo. Dutifully, it lowered the small containers from the ships one by one.

On the water, stood people wearing the SIC uniform overseeing the entire operation using the tablets they held in their hands. Looking at their feet, it seemed a jellyfish looking machine was fulfilling the role of being their foothold.

"Everything looks like an animal huh." said Blake, as she avoids an armadillo looking drone rolling past her feet. Certainly, every autonomous drone here was modeled after the form of an animal.

"In the field of biometrics, copying living creatures is a common approach when it comes to engineering the mechanics of something. In this case, however, the animal shape is more about design rather than function. Most likely to give a sense of familiarity to the end user. In fact Atlas …"

"She sounds like you when you start talking about weapons, Rubes." whispered Yang to her sister as they looked on as Weiss continued her speech.

"No way! I explain things way more clearly than that!"

"Hey," called out Blake to her teammates as she pointed to a machine before them.

"I think this guy wants us for something."

The thing in front of them had lights that blinked and flickered, it had a body that was round like a bike wheel, and finally, it had a head that ended with a pointed beak. It was a drone obviously modeled after a bird.

"Miss Ruby Rose and friends, welcome to our island. Your trip must have been tiring, so we have prepared a shuttle bus to the hotel. Please, right this way."

Ruby and Yang's eyes light up as the drone bowed and moved past them.

"You're so cuuute! What kind of animal are you!?"

"It's definitely a flamingo sis! Look, it's only got one leg."

Unlike the carefree sisters, Blake and Weiss had their interests elsewhere.

"I wonder how it was able to recognize us."

"It is possible that it has some kind of face recognition system, but it could also be …"

Weiss glances at the ticket that protrudes from Ruby's pocket.

Just then came the sound of water sloshing and waves crashing. Near the docked ferry, just below the surface, swam a dark shadow that caused the sea to swell.

"Something's down there!" Cried Ruby at the large slinking figure below the waves.

"Be careful, it could be a Grimm." said Weiss with a stoned face, she was already reaching for her rapier mounted at her hip.

"A Grimm? Underwater? I've never seen one before, but …"

The long shadow which had been creeping near the bottom of the bay started to slowly come up to the surface.

"It's coming!" shouted Weiss, urging her teammates to get ready.

Seawater flew everywhere causing a mini rainfall as the shadow finally broke the surface. The tropical sun shined off its metallic body, and the engraved SIC logo glistened as water flowed off its form.

"…..huh?"

The machine's body was connected with many interlocking joints, not unlike a train. The huge sea serpent machine then starts swaying back and forth, giving a show to the visiting guests.

"Looks like it was another drone."

"Ya … looks like it." Weiss blushes a little at Blake's comment and sheathes her weapon.

Ruby puts her hand on Weiss's shoulder and puts on an understanding face.

"It's alright Weiss, you're just anxious after finally arriving at a tropical island right?"

"Don't look at me like that!"

Giving a final glance at the welcoming show given by the metallic serpent, the four continue on their way down the dock.

The view from the pier was a wonderful sight that could only be seen as heaven.

"Bright sun!" Nora shouted, looking up at the sky.

She reached out his hands to the sea and shouted.

"Blue Sea!"

He pointed at Jaune, who had a pale face, and shouted.

"Jaune's puke!"

"Please be quiet..." Jaune groaned, leaning against the railing.

Ren feels sorry for Jaune's motion sickness, but there's nothing he can do about it. At most, he would rub your back, and Pyrrha has been doing that for a long time. Jaune asked Ren in a weak voice as he rinsed his mouth with the bottle of water that Pyrrha offered him.

"...What about Ruby and the others?"

"We've already landed."

"Oh, we too...ugh."

Contrary to Jaune who still seems to be having trouble, Nora is happily walking up and down the pier. Nora is like that most of the time, instead of being carried away by leisure. Ren also picks up Jaune and Pyrrha's luggage and calls out to Pyrrha.

"Pyrrha, we'll carry your stuff. Jaune, you're welcome"

"I think it would be better to do that."

Leaving the two of them behind, Ren and Nora descended from the pier onto the island. The pier and its surrounding area are roads are well-maintained and brand new, with shops lined up along them. Nora looks at each of them and comments on things like "Wow!'', "Amazing!'', "It smells like the ocean!'', and other impressions.

If you look closely, you'll see that almost every building in sight has the SIC star symbol on it. Other than that, it's pretty much the same as the cityscape of Vale. Suddenly, Nora stopped and looked back. She waved loudly at the two people who were still on the pier. On the pier, there was Jaune, staggering towards him with Pyrrha lending him his shoulder.

Pyrrha Nikos, a tall red-haired girl, is one of the top honor students in Ren's generation. She is the top graduate of a prestigious academy and a celebrity who won four consecutive Mistral tournaments.

Jaune Arc, on the other hand, was someone who could not even be called an excellent student. Combat techniques can be said to be an essential skill for aspiring hunters, but his skill is only that of an amateur. There are countless times when he falls asleep during class or fails, and he is always given assignments that require reflection.

Although the two receive such opposite evaluations, their relationship is never bad. Jaune didn't have the personality to get jealous of the superior Pyrrha, and Pyrrha didn't pride herself on her talent and supported Jaune as the leader. Even now, I feel like I'm going to sway and fall off the pier. She supports Jaune, who is covered in vomit, without making a disgusted face.

"You'd be better off if you dropped it,'' Nora says. Well, it makes sense.

Nora also peeks at the map from behind Ren, who is checking the location of the hotel on the map at the pier. From behind Ren, Nora also looks at the map.

"Oh, look, Ren, this forest and lake are off-limits. Let's go!"

"Nora. Do you know what 'no-trespassing' means?"

If you look at the map, you will see that Sapang Island is shaped like a brush. SIC research facilities are concentrated in the northern part of the island, and resort facilities such as hotels and restaurants are located in the southern part. Separating the north and south was a hole-like lake in the middle of the island known as Lake Nakajima, and within the lake was a small island. An island within an island that is clearly marked as 'No Trespassing.'

"But Yang also said she wanted to go."

"Yang? Did you see Team RWBY?"

"Yeah. We met on the ship earlier."

Ren also finally came to an agreement. In the first place, the reason Jaune had suddenly suggested this trip was probably to spend a vacation with Weiss. I look at Jaune and Pyrrha walking along the pier. For some reason, Ren felt like this trip was going to be rough.

After checking into the hotel, the showdown between Weiss and Yang was reaching its final stage. Even though the hotel room they were shown to was a luxurious suite, sparks were already starting to fly about their future plans. The balcony, which was bathed in bright summer sunlight and overlooking the ocean, and the bedroom, which was as large as a dormitory room, had no time to be happy when an argument broke out.

It begins with each other challenging the validity of their claims, "Even though we are surrounded by leisure spots, there is no reason not to have fun!"

"You should definitely take advantage of the state-of-the-art training facility!"

Gradually, it turned into a bad-mouthing battle where the other person took advantage of what the other person said.

"I'm sorry, you're always like that!"

"Your nobility is completely indescribable!''

In the end, it deteriorated to the point where he proposed to settle the matter with a pillow fight.

"It seems like we have no choice but to settle things like this..."

"It's what I want..."

"Both of you stop."

Ruby, who couldn't bear to see it, intervened using her leadership authority, and Yang stopped shaking Sweet's fluffy pillow, and Weiss, who had been under Yang's control, returned to her senses.

Ruby, who was standing on a chair, looked down at the two of them in turn, put her foot down, and gave a blow.

"Your esteemed leader, Ruby Rose, has a proposal for you. Please listen carefully. Stomach"

She then pointed to Blake, who was curled up like a cat on the couch, "Blake too. Make sure you listen carefully."

Ruby cleared her throat again.

"I made a promise to you the other day. During this summer vacation, everyone on the team would choose their own day, and for that one day, everyone else would listen to their selfishness.''

"The other day, I mean yesterday."

When Yang corrected her, Ruby put her index finger to her mouth and growled, "Quiet!" And continue.

"My day is over, but everyone's day isn't yet, right? That's why I'm thinking of splitting the three days we'll spend on this island among everyone: Weiss' day, Yang's day, and Blake's day. That day, you can decide how the four of us will spend it.

"My day is a training day for everyone, and your day is a day for leisure...isn't that what it's all about? It's not a big deal.''

"Good. I agree."

Ruby was relieved that Weiss and Yang agreed, and turned her attention to the one remaining person.

"Blake...?"

"I don't need my day."

As soon as Ruby said that, she became visibly depressed. Blake saw this and hurriedly added.

"I can't think of anything I want everyone to do right now...And besides, it's already been half a day today, and I have a boat to go home on the third that case, the second day... I think it would be fairer to divide it between the two of us with noon as the boundary."

Yang whispers in Blake's ear as she notices Ruby and becomes unusually talkative.

"It's okay. Even if my little sister gets depressed, she'll get back on track."

True to Yang's words, Ruby quickly returned her smile and reminded Blake.

"Then, promise me. If Blake can do what he wants, we'll all obey."

"No objection."

"I don't mind that either."

Weiss and Yang agreed and then proceeded to discuss who would get their day first. Apparently, Weiss will exercise her rights first and will be training until noon tomorrow. Their conflict and Blake's isolation.

As the leader of the team, Ruby felt satisfied that she was able to take care of the immediate problem. The next thing I thought about was Pyrrha Nikos, whom I had seen on the ship. The four members of JNPR are also on this island.

I hear they are coming, but I wonder what they are doing now. If we're on the same island anyway, it might be a good idea to do leisure activities and training together.

"That's right. Tickets to go on vacation with Weiss." Pyrrha says with a smile.

Even though Pyrrha was a dignified beauty with a bright smile, Jaune felt a strange pressure from her for some reason. The rotary in front of the hotel is bathed in healthy sunlight. The four members of JNPR are also about to check in. There was a sense of tension that didn't suit the bright and cheerful southern island, and for some reason, Jaune was breaking out in a cold sweat.

"Pyrrha? Are you mad that I was trying to schedule a vacation without your permission?''

"Oh, why?'' Pyrrha said, tilting her head slightly.

"I get to hang out with them a lot, and they're interesting 're on the same island anyway, so it would be fun to spend this vacation together.''

"Y-yeah. That would be nice."

I'm relieved by the gentle words. For now, just in case.

When you enter the lobby through the revolving door, you will find an empty hall with a bright and luxurious interior. Meanwhile, the empty hall stretches out. It wasn't the receptionist who stepped on the tile floor and approached me, but a quadrupedal animal-like drone.

"Lion?" Nora muttered, as the drone had an antenna around its neck.

This is because they were growing in countless numbers.

"Welcome. This is Jaune Arc and his companions. I would like to take a look at your tickets."

The Lion Drone read the presented ticket with the camera in its eyes and bowed its head slightly.

"Thank ticket is also a pass that allows you to receive all services on the island free of charge, so please do not throw it away or lose baggage handler will immediately send it to you. I will come."

The antenna around his neck rotates, and another drone appears from the hallway. The four of them walk down the hallway, carrying their luggage on the back of the drone, which appears to be modeled after a land turtle.

"There aren't any employees here either."

"Come to think of it, yes," Pyrrha responded to Jaune's murmur.

The SIC seems to be thoroughly mechanizing hotel operations, and all you see are drones. Arriving at the spacious suite, Jaune unloaded his luggage from the tortoise and saw a child-sized drone.

A tall, hunched, one-legged drone approaches. A beak-like colored head looked up at Jaune.

"Lord Jaune Arc. I am very sorry for your unrelaxing trip."

The legs of the drone have tires similar to a unicycle, and it uses them to move around. Maybe it's a flamingo, Jaune thought.

"I'm the butler drone with this room. If you need anything, please let me know."

"Butler? Can I ask you anything?"

"Yes. For room service, if you order it from me, your order will be sent to the kitchen immediately. However, since only minors are staying, please refrain from ordering alcoholic beverages. Then, you can enjoy our collection of wines and brandies carefully selected from our hotel's underground cellar in our private bar, but this time we have prepared a nutritious and healthy drink instead."

While the butler drone was explaining the services for minors, Pyrrha came back from the balcony and spoke to the machine.

"Hey. I heard that there is a training facility on this island."

"There you are."

"Training?" Pyrrha replied with a smile on Jaune's face. "Did you forget? Special training in your daily routine. If you slack off on training just because you're on vacation, you'll lose the skills you've acquired. As usual... No, I guess I'll go harder than usual. There's a facility."

...Actually, I think he's angry after all.

Just as Jaune was trying to figure out the true meaning of Pyrrha's smile, Nora came running into the living room from the bedroom.

"Special training!? I'm going too!"

"Then, let's all go."

"That's great, Ren! It's Special Training Lane."

"I can hear you," Ren said, appearing.

"If it's training, I'm all for it."

"Decision! Let's do some intense training together!"

Pyrrha placed her hand on the butler drone's head.

"So, can you tell me about that training facility?"

"Understood."

An image of a dome-shaped facility appears in the air above the drone's head.

"This is Humanace, a next-generation combat simulation training facility currently being developed by STC on Sapang Island."

The footage cuts to the inside of the dome. Animal-type drones are running around in a field filled with obstacles. However, their appearance is somewhat more aggressively designed than the one I saw on the tower bridge.

"Here, we aim to simulate a real battle as closely as possible, and we can carry out training that simulates combat with Grimms. This full-scale combat training, which is also being considered for use at the Academy, will surely satisfy even those who are enthusiastic about combat."

The video cuts to a scene of a young man and woman pointing guns at a drone.

"In Humanace, you can change the drone's behavior patterns and adjust the difficulty to suit the player's experience and age. It's not just a ball training game, but it can also be enjoyed as a fun and exciting hunting game. The mock combat program has passed rigorous tests and is 100% safe! It will never cause you any harm!"

Jaune looked relieved when he heard that, and Nora pouted, looking bored.

"The weapons used are bait bullets instead of live have a variety of cutting-edge weapons developed by SIC, so please feel free to choose your partner from among them. Additionally, only police, hunters, and Academy personnel are permitted to bring weapons into the venue. If you would like to bring your own items, please let us know at the counter. We provide bullets for all weapon types and calibers."

"-I heard that. Is this what you have planned for today, leader?"

"······I think it's good" Jaune accepted with a resigned look.

I was aware that I was the least capable member of Team JNPR, and it was also true that I had been gaining strength recently thanks to the special training. The biggest reason was that I was kind of scared of Pyrrha today.

Jaune opened his bag and began preparing his weapons and armor. I shake the information from my head that this is a southern island and that Weiss Schnee must be there too. After preparing their equipment and leaving the guest room, Joan and the others came to the hotel entrance and stopped there. A familiar face is making a fuss in front of the hotel entrance.

"Ah, I can't believe it anymore! Normally there's an accidental explosion over there!"

"The original reason, Yang, was because you ignored the signal and stepped into the line of fire!?"

"The signals that Weiss decided on her own are so long that I can't remember them."

Their bodies were covered in multicolored paint, as if their heads had been covered in paint. Seeing this, Pyrrha muttered.

"If I remember correctly, they said they were going to use paint bullets. I think it was Humanness.''

"Looks like they went there too. Training facility,'' Ren said.

Judging from the content of the argument between Yang and Weiss, it seems that an accident in which they attacked each other has turned them into such colorful situations. Unaware of the existence of the four, Yang and Weiss continue to argue.

"You don't even put it on your hair!? On my hair! It really hit me!"

"That doesn't mean you don't have to try to get me dirty with paint!"

"But you avoided Weiss! Because of that, you hit Ruby who was behind you."

"I've decided to avoid it. In the first place, if you hadn't fired the bait bullet at me, Ruby wouldn't have had to face this!?"

"Come to think of it, Ruby is to blame too!"

"Yes, Ruby has some responsibility too."

"What!?"

Ruby looked up, surprised by the unexpected stray bullet.

"You're at the top of our team's chain of command, Ruby. Great teamwork is only possible with great leadership."

"That's right. I need to get it right."

Yang nodded, her face covered in paint. As the two of them blamed themselves, Ruby retorted, "Why is it my fault? It was you who shot me!"

"No, think about it, Ruby. I was trying to shoot Weiss, not my lovely sister. Weiss offered you up as a sacrifice."

"Now that you mention it, that's true - Weiss was a murderer -"

"Can you stop saying that all together?"

The location was the entrance to a palace-like hotel. The sight of the two girls continuing their very vulgar argument in such a luxurious place was quite an eye-catching spectacle.

"Oh, Blake," Nora said, and for the first time Jaune noticed Blake, who was closer than he'd expected.

Speaking of which, she thought there was one person missing. The black haired girl with ribbons, leaning against the wall of the hotel with her arms folded and watching her friends quarrel, glanced at the four JNPR members.

"Hello."

"They seem to be arguing, did something happen?"

"During training, Weiss proposed a team plan, but Yang acted on instinct and it failed, and Ruby tried to reconcile the two, but that also failed."

"What about Blake?" Nora asked innocently.

"I thought this training was going to go badly, so I stood at a distance to avoid being shot by mistake."

"I wonder if that stain will come off if I wipe it off?"

"It's too hard and caked on. I heard it will come off easily if you wet it with water."

"Hmm, then why don't we just throw them all into the ocean?" Nora offered a terrible but reasonably practical suggestion.

"That's not right!"

"What happened?"

Ruby suddenly shouted, drawing JNPR and Blake's attention.

At that moment, Jaune was startled as he felt Blake's ribbon twitch, but Blake paid no attention and continued on towards Ruby.

"Yang and Weiss...

Weiss stopped Ruby as she began to speak and said, "I said that from now on, Yang and I will act separately."

"That's right. We both want to do different things, so there's no need for us to be together. If you want to train that much, then go ahead and do it. I'm going to play in the ocean."

"I've decided that tomorrow afternoon is Weiss's day!" Ruby said to the two, clinging to them.

She grabbed Blake's hand.

"Come on, say it too Blake!"

Ruby seemed to hope that Blake would agree with her and help her.

But the same was true for the other two.

"Hey, Blake? Since we're on vacation to a southern island, we want to have fun, right?"

Before she knew it, Yang had her arm around Blake's shoulders and was wooing her.

"No, Blake. You are a model student at Beacon. I'm sure you always have the desire to grow and improve."

The hand that Ruby was supposed to be holding was snatched from the side by Weiss.

"Oh, wait, break? Break?!"

Ruby, who had lost her last ally, reached out her hand for help, but Yang and Weiss physically held her back. Sparks were already flying between Yang and Weiss.

"Hey Weiss? Blake was chosen as my partner in the entrance exam. That means she'll be working with me, not you."

"You were chosen by chance. What's important is individual qualities and actions. Blake will aim high together with me, not you."

Yang and Weiss were threatening each other while whispering sweet nothings to Blake and dragging her around, while Ruby was following like a lost puppy.

"...Can I just say something?"

As soon as Blake muttered that, the three of them stopped dead in their tracks and went quiet. Yang and Blake waited with bloodshot eyes for Blake's decision, while Ruby watched with bated breath.

"If we're going to split up into teams anyway, why not invite those four over there?"

Blake pointed to the four members of JNPR. Jaune said in a strange voice, "Huh?" He had just been about to leave the place, having watched the internal quarrel of Team RWBY.

"That's a good idea, sounds fun!" Yang said, quickly joining in.

"Teams RWBY and JNPR. We'll take all eight of you and split you into two new teams. What do you think?" Yang said as if it was a simple thing.

When Weiss tried to argue, Yang quickly whispered to her, "You said you were going to pair up with Pyrrha when you first enrolled, right? Don't you want to try teaming up just once?"

"I see," Weiss muttered thoughtfully.

"There may be a lot to learn from working with members different from usual. Of course, this is assuming we get the approval of the other team... what do you think, JNPR?" Weiss said, casting a passionate look at the members of JNPR, especially at Pyrrha.

Pyrrha herself seemed a little hesitant to say.

"Sorry. Thank you for your kind offer, but we're going to start training now..."

"I agreed to that offer!" Jaune replied.

"Me too!" Nora followed.

"Jaune!"

"Nora, that's..."

Ignoring the confused Pyrrha and Ren, Jaune gives Weiss a serious look.

"What a coincidence. I had decided to train myself again today. If we're all like-minded, I'm sure we'll have a great vacation. Let's make this an unforgettable summer." Jaune's perfectly straight white teeth sparkled unnaturally.

Weiss felt the feelings of a fisherman who had caught a fish that couldn't be eaten no matter how hard he cooked it, and Pyrrha sighed like a fisherman who didn't even catch a single small fish.

Meanwhile, Nora enthusiastically raised her hand.

"I prefer the ocean to training!"

"Well, Nora's on my team," Yang said, immediately drawing Nora in.

"And Ren will probably come over here anyway."

"Whatever?" Ren muttered, sounding a little annoyed, but Yang paid no attention.

"And Blake-"

"I'm going with Weiss."

"Y-yes, that's right."

Blake dodged Yang's outstretched hand and stood next to Weiss. Yang blinked in surprise, and she spoke in a slightly apologetic tone.

"Right now I feel like I want to do something beneficial rather than just having leisure time."

Weiss said with her hands on her hips and a triumphant look on her face.

"Pyrrha will also be joining me. And Jaune, too."

"Of course," Jaune said, teeth flashing.

"We're now split into groups of four. Me, Pyrrha, Blake, and Jaune. And you –"

"Me and Ruby. And Nora and Ren," Yang clapped her hands in front of her chest.

"It's a special team-up during the summer holidays. Sounds fun."

"Yeah, that sounds fun!" Nora agreed wholeheartedly.

Weiss removed her hands from her waist and crossed them in front of her chest, arching her back as she looked down on Yang, who was taller than her.

"If you want to back out, now is the time. It would be foolish to miss an opportunity for growth."

"You're the one who shouldn't come crying to me and ask to join later."

After glaring at each other, the two suddenly parted ways. Jaune hurriedly followed after Weiss.

"We'll be going our separate ways for a while, Pyrrha. Please take care of Jaune," Ren politely informed her, and Nora responded with a "Nice to meet you!"

"Yes. I'll see you two at dinner."

After promising to meet again, Pyrrha cheerfully follows Jaune and the others, while Ren and Nora leave with Yang. All that's left is Ruby, who is running around confusedly.

"No way, Weiss and Yang, just wait a minute..."

"What are you doing, Ruby? Let's go."

Yang came over and grabbed her by the collar, dragging her away.

"Let me go! It's weird for the team to split up just because they had a fight."

"What? You're being really pushy."

"Because, as a leader, I have responsibilities... ahhh."

Yang lifted the resisting Ruby onto her shoulder as if she were a rather heavy load.

"Leaders and teams don't matter when it comes to playing. Let's get changed into our swimsuits and go to the beach."

Ruby was acting wild on her sister's shoulders, but against the most powerful fighter on Team RWBY, it was like treating her like a child. She couldn't do anything, so she declared her resistance with all her might.

"You idiot, Yang. I'm totally against going to the beach without the four of us!"

"Ahahahahaha! It's dangerous! It's dangerous, nooo, see! Ahahahaha!"

A few hours later, on the beach of Sapang Island under the summer sun, Nora and I were swimming in the gentle waves.

Ruby was seen frolicking on a super jet banana boat. It was a tropical beach. The crystal clear ocean water allowed the sunlight to reach the bottom, and the waves were calm and inviting. On the beach, bathed in sunlight and a pleasant sea breeze, humans and Faunus were enjoying this heavenly scene with their families, lovers and friends.

Yang, clad in a swimsuit, was lying on a deck chair on the warm sand, watching the two of them through sunglasses.

At that moment, Ren returns with four servings of tropical lemonade.

"Thanks, Ren."

"No. But even so, considering how much she hated leisure time, she was easily swayed. I'm talking about your sister."

"Even if she was stubborn, she's still a 15-year-old girl...easy as pie."

With a nasty smile on her face, Yang puts the straw into her mouth.

"But she didn't have a proper swimsuit ready, and that's why she was wearing that unattractive shirt. I should have picked out something better for her. She's only fifteen, isn't she? I don't think you should be choosing something just based on your personal tastes..."

One look at Yang's current outfit and you can see why Ren said that. Yang Xiao Long had an outstanding figure, and her choice of water and snow was one that didn't flaunt her body. In other words, she was a woman who could show off her body without being vulgar. Because of this, Yang, lying on the deck chair, had been attracting the attention of the men passing by on the beach, and Ren, just by standing between her and Yang, was attracting the attention of men, both human and Faunus.

However, Yang, who has many friends and is used to people, didn't mind it much, and rather enjoyed it.

"That girl will withdraw into herself and her weapon if you leave her alone, so it's a bit worrying at times."

"Well, of course it's a nuisance if bad bugs come along, but it's also a problem if there's nothing there at all."

"I understand that," said Ren, who was excitedly splashing water on Ruby and the other girl. He looked on as if he was watching over the situation.

"Did you feel the same way when Nora tried to take that diving suit because she thought she thought it was a swimsuit?"

"...Well, that's beside the point. But Nora looks great even when she's wearing it! As a childhood friend, aren't you worried?"

"Yes, I'm worried. If Nora gets involved with a strange man..."

"Huh?" Yang pushed her sunglasses aside and looked up at Ren with great interest.

"Could you please explain to your sister in detail what would happen if someone got involved?"

"I'm worried that Nora might hurt the other person."

"...that way?"

Feeling disappointed, Yang put her sunglasses back on. Other people's love affairs are not an interesting way to kill time, but the relationship between Ren and Nora, who are childhood friends, is a little difficult to understand from the outside.

"Now that I think of it, what's going on with those two?"

"You mean Pyrrha and Jaune?"

"That's right. It seems like Jaune can't help but be concerned about Weiss, but doesn't Pyrrha often follow Jaune around in class?"

"I don't really know. It's not something I should say."

Yang thought that she was a bit like Blake in this way. Silent. They might get along now. If they were left alone, neither of them would speak.

"Big sis! This is fun! The banana boat has a water pressure pump!"

The two of them drag the banana boat back to the beach. Nora receives the lemonade from Ren.

"Thanks! I'll give you a starfish!"

"······Thank you"

Ruby was also holding a small octopus, and Yang was prepared for it to be forced upon her at any moment, but Ruby was still holding the small octopus and staring off in a different direction.

"What? What's wrong, Ruby?" Yang followed Ruby's gaze and spotted a girl running frantically along the path along the beach.

"What's wrong with that girl?"

"No, it's nothing serious, but I was wondering if something had happened."

Yang followed the girl's figure with her eyes for a while. She was probably younger than Ruby, but since she had already turned her back to them, she couldn't see her expression.

"Hmm, I don't really know, but maybe she was looking for the bathroom or something-Hyaaa?!"

Taking advantage of Yang's careless distraction, Ruby placed an octopus on the nape of her neck.

"Good job, Ruby." She tore off the tentacles that were clinging to her neck and threw them back at her sister. Then they fell into a game of tag on the beach.

Yang was so absorbed in the moment that he quickly let go of the question that had popped into his head for just a moment: "Why is that girl wearing overalls on a beach on a southern island?"

Iona Rockshow, a girl wearing a decorated jumpsuit, stopped on the stairs that overlooked Peach. Once you stop, you can't go any further.

I know there's no turning back now. But still, when I think about how reckless I am about to do something, my legs start shaking. I'm scared. But I don't have time to hesitate anymore.

"Let's decide by tossing a coin."

Hearing this, Iona was taken aback. It was a group of young Faunus girls in swimsuits who had spoken.

"The loser gets to speak first."

"You were the one who suggested we pick up a cute girl. Are you scared?"

Apparently, their purpose was to pick up girls, and they were trying to decide who would speak to her first. Now that I think about it, this is a tropical beach, isn't it? Iona suddenly remembered.

Iona took out a coin from her pocket. A red queen and a white jester. Since that day, she had never let go of this coin with its two sides.

As Iona stared at the coin, memories of the past welled up in her heart along with a bitter feeling of guilt. A voice urged her that there was no time to be sitting around relaxing in a place like this.

Checking the time on her watch, Iona finally stood up.

I can't rely on anyone. I have to do it myself. I have to do it myself. I have to. I have to finish everything before that man comes back to this island.

A number of shadows were running around in the darkness. The silhouettes were obviously not human. At the slightest provocation, the red figures were writing in the darkness, watching our movements. Then, they would jump out from the shadows of the ruins and attack.

"Just as I had expected... this is an ideal development."

Yes, this whole situation had gone according to Weiss' calculations.

They predicted the enemy's actions and lured them to one place. Blake and Pyrrha were hiding in separate ruins on either side of the building where the enemy was hiding, waiting for the signal.

The final phase of the plan is about to begin. First, Weiss, who has both flashy attacks and stalling methods, will attack to attract the enemy's attention. Then, Weiss and Pyrrha, who have excellent mobility and striking power, attack from both sides, closing in on both sides and destroying them. It's a simple and easy-to-understand tactic: Hammer and Anvil.

"So, what am I supposed to do?"

With a sword in his hand. Before Weiss could stop him, Jaune leapt out from the shadows. A pure white shield in his left hand and

Jaune asked, flashing his white teeth again as Weiss hid in the shadows. Weiss answered with all her might, trying not to sound annoyed.

"You're in charge of diversions, just like me. I'll take care of pinning the enemy down in place, so I'll ask you to stand out and attract their attention, Leader." "Standing out will do the trick, right? I'm good at it."

"Come on Grimm! I'm the leader! Team... Yes, Team J, Team W,

And then P and B..." Counting off his fingers, Jaune turned to where Weiss was hiding and said, "We've decided on a team name.

"Did you get it?" he asked. This didn't figure into Weiss's calculations.

"Oh, come on..." Weiss muttered, chasing after Jaune. She was too forward.

On the other hand, Jaune was surrounded. Several enemies had already appeared from the ruins. They were bipedal shadows with sharp claws and sharp jaws, reminiscent of a silver wolf. John was pale and startled at their number.

Even Pyrrha was lured out by the vine. The second breach. As for Jaune, his sword was easily deflected by the man he attacked, and his shield was held down. "Ah, wait, wait a minute!" Violent shadows swarmed, and countless claws were swung down on Jaune. Then, the buzzer sounded.

"Trainee number life has reached zero. Training will end as per settings."

The enemy's movements stopped and they retreated from Jaune's side like the tide receding. All that was left was Jaune, frozen with a stunned expression on his face.

"That's a pity, Jaune."

Jaune was helped up by Pyrrha and there was not a single scratch on his body. Pyrrha sighed with a mixture of emotions and sheathed her sword.

"I think that plan wasn't bad."

Silently, Pyrrha was standing next to Weiss. In a rare comforting tone,

"You were able to perfectly predict the other person's actions, even if that last accident happened,"

"It's a machine, but it's not hard to read its behavior patterns."

The "things" Weiss referred to were the metallic beasts that had been surrounding John up until that point - drones modeled after the Grimm species known as Beowolves.

The Grimm Drones, which are autonomous targets, are one of the highlights of this training facility, Humanes. When a paint bullet is fired, the damage is calculated according to the part of the body, and when it reaches a fatal number, it automatically goes down. Conversely, the damage of the trainer (player) is also calculated by a monitor wrapped around his waist, and if it goes down, the training program is stopped. Just like when Jaune was shot earlier.

"It's probably good learning material for learning basic combat with Grimm."

"Although it doesn't look very similar."

As Blake pointed out, the Grimm drones looked metallic like other drones, with very little flesh, and looked more like metal skeletons. The real Grimm has pale-colored flesh and a white mask-like exoskeleton.

If they looked exactly like the real thing, Weiss thought, ordinary people would be so scared of the drones that they wouldn't even bother to train. For those living in this world, the threat of the Grimm is too close to home to be treated as mere shooting targets.

"Weiss, earlier, I'm… sorry"

Jaune, accompanied by Pyrrha, timidly apologized.

"It's good that it was training. Otherwise, some of the team would have died,

"Ugh, I was just a drag after all."

"Well, there's no point in making a fuss about the past. Jaune, why don't you take a break for a bit?"

"Oh, okay. Well, I'll take a break for a while and go wash my face."

Jaune dropped his clothes and stumbled out of the training area looking dejected.

Pyrrha waited until Jaune was far enough away before speaking.

"Weiss, can I ask you something? Why aren't you the leader of these four?"

"Because I wasn't the leader of team RWBY. Of the four of us, Jaune was the only one who had leadership experience. That's all."

"That's surprising." Pyrrha seemed amused by Weiss's response.

"Before we started training, when Weiss decided to choose a leader, I thought you would be the one to run for leader."

"I don't think I have any leadership skills. But lately, I've been thinking that maybe there are things you can do without being a leader. That said,"

Weiss's cool, calm expression turned ominous. With a dark smile befitting the Schnee family, he whispered to Pyrrha.

"If you decide to run for leader, I will support you wholeheartedly. We will pressure Jaune, the current leader, into resigning, and the Pyrrha/Weiss administration will be born. The two most talented people at Beacon will unite the team...No one can stop us from walking towards the bright future that has been promised to us. Ah! What a poor upbringing!'

Pyrrha gave a bitter smile at the power-hungry Weiss, while Blake silently frowned, showing his sensible criticism. Weiss glared at her, forcing her to answer, and Pyrrha was confused, but she replied,

"Yes, I agree. I think it's a great idea."

"Is that so?!"

"But I'll pass. I want Jaune to be my leader!"

Seeing Weiss's confused expression, Pyrrha reassured her. "I have high hopes for his leadership abilities. Just as you, Weiss, are exploring roles other than leadership."

"...I don't understand that at all."

At this, Weiss chuckled.

"But if a woman like you can say that, then I'm Jaune Arc."

"What should I do? Pyrrha, I seem to have dropped my ticket earlier. I was told that without it I can't open the locker or use the toilet. I'm going to have trouble using the toilet."

Weiss looked at Pyrrha, wondering if that was really okay.

Pyrrha quietly turned her face away.

In stark contrast to the training facility that resembled an abandoned altar, the beach was lively and cheerful.

In the sea, two yellow lights were breaking the waves and racing across the ocean, raising their flames as they engaged in a fierce race.

The yellow shadow running overhead was a banana boat - a super jet banana boat with a jet mounted on the back.

The rider on the Yellow Sea Banana was Nora Valkyrie.

She used her incredible strength to hold down the wild horse, which could blow its rider away with just a short gallop.

Ren was desperately clinging on to the rear of the banana boat, with Yan and Ruby in hot pursuit from behind. The drone that Yang borrowed from a resort club on Sapang Island is made from light metal machine parts and a balloon made of special synthetic fibers. It is very light and easy to carry, and when floating on the sea, it becomes a firm foothold. It is a giant jellyfish-shaped drone that I saw at the harbor's dock. In reality, it was a rather unremarkable object, apparently intended only as a platform for port work. Its function was to float on the surface of the sea, carry people, and move slowly. That was all.

The drone, always extremely boring, was hurtling across the sea at breakneck speed. The reason why a drone without an engine can move so fast is because Yang is shooting Ember Celica backwards instead of an engine.

"Yeeeessssssssssssssss!"

Yang's feet are tied to the drone with a brace, and he is shocked at how fast it can move (something the jellyfish drone wasn't designed for). The thing bouncing around on the water was no longer a foothold but a gigantic water-cutting stone.

And Ruby was clinging to the drone at her sister's feet.

"Yang! We'll catch up in just a bit!"

Ren was clinging to the banana boat, and Yan increased the rate of fire of his Ember Celica, accelerating.

Then the jellyfish drone reached its limit.

"Here we go!"

The drone seemed to trip over something and jumped up with a great force. Sending up a wave, the siblings were thrown into the sea.

Ruby emerged from the water and spat out seawater, and next to her, Yang emerged as well.

"Hahaha! You were so close! That was close, Ruby."

Ruby had been laughing with her sister, but then she stopped laughing and grimaced, remembering how the leisure time had clouded the team's problems.

"What? What happened? Did I hit something?"

"No. I'm talking about Weiss and the team-up." Ruby pushed her bangs up, as they stuck to her eyelids.

"I'm sorry, but when we get back to the hotel, I want you and Weiss to have a good time. Tomorrow is Weiss's day until noon."

As the two of them talk with just their faces above the water, a small drone glides over the surface. It's a water strider-like machine that I've seen a few times before.

"Is there a problem?"

"No, no, no problem. Ruby, let's go borrow some other toys. Something that might beat Nora."

The drone, which seems to be acting as a beach watchman, slithers away. It seems to have sensed that Len has finally fallen off the banana boat, and is heading in that direction.

Yang and Ruby land on the beach and drag the jellyfish drone along.

"Fighting with Weiss is not like you, Yang."

"Do you have an image of me as being that hotheaded or aggressive?"

"Because I think Yang can see things that Weiss and I can't see. I want you to look at me and everyone and notice things that the others don't. I can't explain it well, but... I feel like it's the right thing for the team and it's the best thing."

Yang looked at her sister with a frustrated expression.

Then, she reached out to Ruby's head and roughly ruffled her reddish black hair.

"Oh, it's really cute. That's nice! My little sister!"

"Whaaat?! Stop it already! I'm trying to talk to you seriously!"

They walked along the beach, tangled up together. Three men in swimsuits were following behind the two of them. They closed the distance between them, exchanging glances and whispering to each other, and suddenly stood side by side with Ruby and Yang between them

"Hey, that thing you're dragging looks heavy. Can I help you carry it?"

"It's not as heavy as it looks, so it's fine. Thanks,"

Seeing Yang's immediate refusal, Ruby had a sense of respect for her sister. She had noticed that the men were following her, but when they called out to her, she was shocked and froze up.

All the men are Faunus, and each has a different shape of horn on his head. One man with antlers that look like a deer stands in the way of the two men, blocking their path.

"Let's talk for a second. Are you two here together?"

"I've come with a lot of friends. And I didn't come here to make more friends."

"Hmm. How can I become friends with you guys?"

"If you get out of there right now, I won't be upset."

"Hey, where are you from?" a man with horns that looked like they were from a buffalo or something asked, and Ruby, confused, stepped back, pressing her body against her sister.

- I don't know how to respond. Picking up girls is such a nuisance. It would be kinder to just blow them away with a strong figure.

The antlered Fauna is still persisting with Yang.

"I'll admit that my first impression was bad. I'll apologize, so can you give me one more chance?"

"The only chance I can give you is to go somewhere before you make a name for yourself as a stubborn site-seeker."

"You're being a little guarded. It's a southern island after all, you know? You'd better have fun."

"It's fine. Don't be embarrassed."

A strong hand grabbed Ruby's upper arm. Ruby gasped, but Yang covered her up.

"Waah! My sister is only fifteen."

"I'll teach her how to play then," said Faunus the buffalo, approaching her in a familiar manner, "I was playing around with girls when I was fifteen, too, so it's no problem."

Ruby was panicked. It wasn't because she was being pursued by unreserved men.

It was because only Ruby, her kin, noticed the slight anger in her sister's voice.

Yang's personality was cheerful, friendly, and generous. She had a natural cheerfulness and sociability that allowed her to quickly open up and become friends with strangers, even if they were strangers. On the other hand, her anger towards people who were rude to her and her peers had a fairly short fuse.

It is clear that Yang is annoyed by the persistent behavior of the men. If he explodes, it would have sad consequences. Although for now normal cheerfulness and generosity prevail, a tragic explosion is imminent.

From what Ruby could see, there were about three turns left.

"Why don't you talk to other girls instead of us?"

"Too bad. We only talk to the prettiest girls on the beach."

Oh, I'm annoyed again.

"As I said before, we came with friends."

"Just sneak out for a bit and come back right away. No problem." 2 turns passed. 1 remaining.

"Can you stop this already? Otherwise..."

"Or what? Tell me more..."

The men, smiling, surrounded the two of them. With grins on their faces, the men approached the two, trying to surround them. Time was up. Anticipating what would happen next, Ruby looked away.

As expected, a bell rang out on the beach.

- Oh, on such a beautiful tropical island, my sister beats people to a pulp. But something seemed strange. Crying could be heard from all around, and they were not flickers of pain, but screams of fear.

The first thing I saw was a triangular black dorsal fin sticking out above the water.

People who noticed this started to let out warning cries and howls, announcing the arrival of a shark.

It wasn't just the humans who reacted. The Amphibian drone swam between the humans and Faunas who were rushing to get to land, and headed for the base of the dorsal fin, stretching out one of its legs.

The tip of the leg appeared to be a stun gun. The drone mercilessly pushes the thing, which is crackling and sending out pale blue sparks, into the shark's dorsal fin. The dorsal fin sinks into the sea. The audience, who have been watching the drone's shark slaying with bated breath, erupt in cheers.

The next moment, a thing with a black body and a white head jumps out of the sea, breaks through the waves, and leaps into the air. The drone jumped up, its teeth biting into it, and pieces of it were scattering into the sea.

- It happened in an instant, but everyone there saw it clearly.

A black giant that looked like it could swallow an adult whole. Its head was covered in a creepy white exoskeleton. And its eyes glowed a determined red.

The Grimm are the natural enemies of humanity, known to everyone living on Remnant.

This time, the beach fell into complete panic.

More and more dorsal fins protruded above the water. Next, Grimms shaped like crustaceans, like crabs or hermit crabs, swarmed onto the beach like black waves. With the arrival of a species of Grimm capable of living on land, no place on the beach was safe.

The panic escalated, and the roars rang out in a chain reaction. People and Faunus fled, and the mayhem became uncontrollable.

This was the worst of Grimm's habits: they were drawn to the negative emotions of humans. Even if there is only one Grimm, the panic of the many people will attract more Grimm.

"Even so, this is a bit too much."

Ren, who had returned to the beach, was firing his sharpshooter at the advancing horde of Grimm. The Grimm surged forward in numbers, so there was no need to aim, and the situation was dire. If only there were people with weapons with greater destructive power and suppressive power.

"Ren!"

Yang had returned. Ren asked her while continuing to fire at the Grimm.

"Where's Ruby?"

"She's gone to get some weapons from Locker. Hers was too big to bring onto the beach."

"Same for Nora. I'd like you two to hurry up if possible."

Bullets out The barrage of bullets Ren had been firing up until that point stopped. Taking advantage of this gap, a Grimm that looked like a twisted shrimp twisted its legs, closed the distance, and attacked. Ren was first to intercept the Grimm, severing one of its legs with a gun jammer blade. Then, in a smooth motion, he thrust another gun jammer into the gap that wasn't covered by the white shell.

He cuts through the soft neck and pulls the princess out, and her black body turns into smoke and disappears. Yang also punched several hermit crab-shaped Grimms that had attacked from a different direction with his fists.

"Ren, I'll leave the beach to you."

"Huh?"

Without waiting for a reply, Yang grabbed the flat jellyfish drone and ran out to the sea. At this point, Yang realized that there were still people who hadn't made it to the sea in time. A man on a swim ring, his face pale, floats in the waves. He is surrounded by black dorsal fins, unable to move.

From the beach, Yang throws a jellyfish drone into the sea. It flies like a discus and lands right next to the man, sending up a splash. Then, Yang took a running start and jumped from the beach, falling on top of him. He used the momentum of Ember Celica to glide in the air and gain distance.

"Don't just run around like that, run away quickly! Hurry, hurry!"

Hurried by Yang, the man came to his senses and swam frantically with his feet toward the beach. Yang fires multiple paint bullets at the man's back, dying the seawater and preventing the Grimms from chasing the man. Using up all the paint bullets she had received at the training facility, Yang simultaneously ejects and replaces the dust bullets she had placed in the gaps in her swimsuit.

The jellyfish drone, which had been so badly beaten by Yang, had become unsteady, but it was enough to provide a foothold. Yang slammed his gauntleted fist against his chest.

"Well, here's some live bait. Don't be shy, come at me!"

A strong uppercut caught the shark-shaped Grimm that had jumped out. The fist that was thrust up with the force of an explosion shattered the Grimm's jaw and blew it far away.

"Everyone, get along, I'll make you sushi!"

Ruby arrived with a weapon in her hand. When they arrived, the beach had completely changed.

Grimm were emerging from the sea one after another, and Ren fought back, drawing the enemies closer with his gun and martial arts.

On the surface of the sea, Yang was using his extremely limited foothold to fight off enemies jumping out of the sea. Parts of drones destroyed by Grimm were scattered all over the beach, leaving the two alone and helpless.

Nora was nowhere to be seen, presumably out retrieving her weapons. It was thanks to her Semblance that Ruby was able to return before Nora.

"That's an incredible number...!"

Overwhelmed by the horde, Ruby readied Crescent Rose and accelerated as she charged into the beach.

The speed sent sand soaring up, and the rose petals fell along with it. The curtain of white sand and red petals blinded the Grimms, stopping them from moving. The scythe that shot out through the white and red curtain took down three crab-shaped Grimms with a single blow, and

The other Grimm, having been showered with sand, surged forward, ready to tear the rude intruder to shreds.

Ruby blocks the protruding scissors with the handle of his sickle, and using the recoil of his gun, he slashed the body in one go. The bullets and obstacles reduced the number of enemies by two, and more appeared, pushing aside the smoking corpses of his comrades.

The Grimm swarmed around him. This was what Ruby wanted. She wanted to attract Grimm's attention as much as possible so that he wouldn't chase the people who were fleeing.

But Ruby's hand stopped swinging her scythe. Something she had never imagined was coming from the sea.

"What is that?"

Pushing aside the waves, a pitch black mountain washed up on the beach. Its size made Ruby gasp, and the crab-shaped Grimms surrounding her clapped their claws as if to welcome its arrival.

"Is that a Grimm too?!"

Eight tentacles stretched from its round, black head, undulating and pounding the water and sand. Its entire body was soft, but the dark red surroundings were covered in a white skeleton. Even Ruby, who grew up on an island, had never seen a gigantic octopus-like Grimm before.

The giant body began to land, twisting its tentacles and soft body in a disgusting manner. Ruby held Crescent Rose at her side and assumed an "accelerating" stance. Her experience of hunting many Grimm told her - that Grimm had to be stopped here and there. At a glance, it was hard to tell where its vital points were, but if she cut its head in half, it would surely die. She aimed for the area above the white carapace. Ruby had decided to slash at the exact spot, and without warning, the crimson spear pierced the area.

It seems that she was right to think it was a vital spot, as the Grimm's body turned into black smoke and disappeared from where the spear had pierced her. The only thing that remained was the spear, which slid down the beach with the princess underneath, and stuck into the sand. Ruby turned around and muttered to herself.

"Pyrrha?"

Confirmed from a distance that the spear had pierced its target, spoke quietly. Weiss was speechless.

"From this distance, on such unstable footing..." Pyrrha, who had been holding back from throwing her spear, was standing on the back of a galloping horse-shaped drone.

Having heard the sirens announcing the Grimm's emergence, the four of them immediately searched for a way to get to the beach. However, the buses and taxis that travel around the island were "suspended due to the emergency situation" and could not move. The closest thing they had to a substitute was this horse-like machine that was set up in the horse-riding simulation course at the training facility.

By the way, there were only three machines that could operate the horses, so Pyrrha and Jaune shared the ride.

"Nice driving, Jaune."

After Pyrrha performed a stunt of standing on the horse's back and throwing a javelin, she placed her hand on Jaune's shoulder while still standing. Jaune was not so much driving as he was desperately clinging on, and he didn't even have time to turn back.

"I'm getting there."

Blake said quietly. They were close to the beach, and countless black shadows were clearly visible to everyone. The robot horse automatically avoided the fleeing people, and the four of them rode onto the beach.

Weiss leapt from her horse and created several magic circles in the air - using them as footholds to jump around, slashing away several Grimm that were littering the beach as she ran past them.

Pyrrha also jumped over Jaune from her horse's back, stepped on the horse's head and leapt further forward. She landed on the beach and used the momentum of her forward roll to stand up, running along the path that Weiss had opened, heading for the spear she had thrown earlier. Blake had dismounted from her horse and was already on the beach, brandishing her black sword

In other words, the only one still clinging to the horse was Jaune. "P-Pyrrha, how-how do I get off, p-p-tell me...!?"

The horse drone's front legs sank into the deep sand, causing it to lose balance. Its metal joints cried out, and the drone shook off the limits of its stabilizers, toppling over. Jaune was thrown onto the beach.

"...That hurts...Wait here, everyone. I'm going now...Ugh, that feels gross." He draws his sword and unfolds his shield, preparing himself for combat at the very least.

This was already a battlefield, so it wouldn't be surprising if the enemy attacked at any time. Remembering what he had been taught at Beacon, Jaune readied his shield and tried to grasp the situation around him. Pyrrha and the others had already begun fighting here and there. Jaune's spine tingled as he saw the black horde surging in from the sea.

"W-what? Are they all Grimm...?"

It was intimidating. Even though Jaune had fought Grimm before and won, he had never faced so many of them. He had come here with momentum, but this scene was enough to dampen his spirits. That's until he saw the strange machine washed up on the beach

"That's…"

A large capsule-like object is being washed by the waves. It appears to be some kind of vehicle, with a hatch that is currently open. And there is a girl sticking half her body out of the hatch. She is wearing a familiar decorated jumpsuit

"Iona?"

Leaning out of the hatch, stunned, was the Iona I had met at the SIC exhibition.

It was Iona Rockshaw. She was wearing the same ugly overalls as before, and her face was pale. The Grimms had no interest in the stationary machine, but they noticed Iona's presence inside and the body was approaching.

The sight of the defenseless girl moved Jaune.

The sea dwelling Grimm were those that you normally don't encounter. However, Blake did not take a passive approach, such as waiting to see how things would turn out or figuring out how to respond, but instead charged right in from the start.

Blake's fighting style is characterized by quick attacks with plenty of mobility and unconventional attacks that make use of his physical abilities. This doesn't change even when his footing is unstable on the beach.

She cut the small Grimm that were wriggling on the beach, some of which looked like fish or sea slugs, into two pieces one by one with the black sword he had drawn from his back. After taking out more than a dozen of the small Grimm, Blake came face to face with a large creature that had slowly come ashore from the sea. It had crab-like pincers, sharp legs, and red eyes that jutted out from its white head. And above all, it was a giant that stood tall. There were several crab-shaped ones among the ones I had cut down earlier, but this one was a threat that could not be compared to them. Not only were large Grimms superior in strength and weight, they were also experienced.

Blake closed the distance with one step and slammed into the crab-shaped Grimm's leg. The weight of the blade split the surface of the Grimm's leg, digging into the black flesh, but it wasn't enough to cut it off. "It's tough...!"

The blade stopped in the middle of Grimm's leg. It was in a position that made it difficult to pull it out or push through. As if he had known this would happen, Grimm quietly pinned Blake, who was unable to move, between the scissors.

Without any hesitation, the scissors cut Blake's body in half.

The severed body did not collapse to the ground, but faded into a blurry image. The hatchet-like blade was still stuck in Grimm's leg.

Grimm seemed to become agitated. His red eyes shot out, wandering left and right in search of Blake.

"Here she is," Blake said, standing above Grimm.

Blake's Semblance is the power to create insubstantial images.

By combining this with physical ability, he can toy with the enemy to a fatal degree. At the same time that Grimm's crimson eyes turned upward, Blake lowered his body and plunged his thin black sword into the ground at his feet. Even though Grimm are the natural enemy of mankind, there are not many Grimm that can survive being pierced through the head.

Blake pulled out his black sword and jumped onto the beach, retrieving the sword that had been stuck in Grimm's leg. Black smoke rose from where he had unsheathed his weapon, a sign of Grimm's death.

Blake's weapon, the Gumball Shroud, is usually a large sword, but inside it is a thin black sword that can be unsheathed and used to turn it into a dual-wielding sword. Furthermore, the base of the black sword's armor is a pistol, and it is designed to be capable of both slashing and firing.

Blake's head ribbon flinched and she looked in that direction. A Faunus mother and child who hadn't been able to escape were running towards her.

Surrounded and cornered by a swarm of snake-like Grimm, Blake's black sword transforms in her hand, the blade folding at a right angle to form a sickle-like shape. Blake then entangles the ribbon wrapped around her hand with the grip of the weapon. The most distinctive form of Gumball Shroud's weapon is the Variable Shotgun Kusarigama, a kusarigama made from ribbons.

Blake threw the combined blade and gun at the horde of Grimm attacking the mother and child. The blade of the scythe pierced Grimm's head. At the same time, Blake manipulated the ribbon and pulled the trigger of her pistol repeatedly. What would happen if a gun in the air started firing bullets in rapid succession on its own?

Answer: The recoil causes it to bounce around wildly.

The bullets from the pistol hit different targets, and the scythe dancing with the recoil cut the enemies one by one. It seemed like random shooting, but the blade and bullets were aimed precisely at the enemies, without harming the terrified mother and child, nor cutting the ribbon that connected Blake's hand to the scythe.

By the time the magazine was empty, the horde of Grimm had been thoroughly cut down. In a display of incredible skill, Blake calmly reeled in the ribbon. After calmly completing the annihilation, Blake searches for the next situation where her powers will be needed. A little distance away, Jaune is being chased by Grimm and fleeing while protecting a girl in overalls.

"Run, run, run, run! Hurry up!"

Jaune grabbed Iona's hand and ran as fast as he could. The sound of countless crustacean legs piercing the sand echoed from behind, and it was clear that many Grimm were chasing them all at once. Jaune felt the distance between them gradually closing in, and suddenly Blake appeared next to him.

"Just keep running."

As soon as she says that, Blake disappears - it's her Semblance. He hears gunfire behind him. It seems Blake is helping him. But he was not going to look back. Because he was told to keep running.

"Ah."

Iona tripped in the sand, forcing Joel to turn around. Even though Blake had reduced the number of pursuers, the Grimm were closer than expected. Joan said,

"Run, run, run, run, hurry up!"

Jaune grabbed Iona's hand and ran as hard as he could. Behind them, the sound of countless crustacean legs piercing the sand echoed, and it was clear that several Gru were chasing them in circles.

"Just keep running."

As soon as she says that, Blake disappears - it's her Semblance. I hear gunfire behind me. It seems Blake is helping me. But I'm not going to look back. Because I was told to keep running.

He had to protect Iona with his shield. Grimm's pincers swung down, causing Jaune's shield to shake violently. Jaune swung his sword around, but his desperate counterattack was deflected by the enemy's hard carapace.

Jaune had seen Ren skillfully attacking the gaps in the carapace, but he couldn't imagine how he could make such a calm decision. Blake's black sword pierced the Grimm from behind, and Jaune was finally freed from the pressure of the claws. Before he could thank him, Blake had disappeared and was attacking another Grimm. Iona hung her head beside Jaune, who had breathed a sigh of relief.

"Iona?"

"I failed... I had to do something... I..."

It wasn't the fake tears he'd seen at the exhibition. Iona had real tears in her eyes. Jaune had a lot of questions he wanted to ask her, but he soon lost interest. A Grimm, attached to a shark, jumped out of the sea with the waves and ran directly onto the beach.

"Jaune!"

I heard Pyrrha's voice, and then a crimson and gold round shield pierced the shark-type Grimm's side. I instinctively turned my eyes to the direction the shield had come from. Just as I thought, there was a red-haired girl.

"Pyrrha! Behind you! Behind you!"

As Pyrrha threw her shield to save Jaune, a sea beast-type Grimm with a walrus-like wing approached from behind. However, Pyrrha calmly transformed the spear and lance he had in his hand into a rifle and shot the Grimm behind him without even taking aim. Then, with machine-like precision, he took down every Grimm within range.

That was Pyrrha. A master of combat. Beacon's top student.

Jaune immediately got to work on the task at hand. Shinichi of Pyrrha stabs the Grimm, half dead with an aqua burr digging into its abdomen, with his sword to deliver the final blow.

Jaune is relieved to see the black smoke indicating the Grimm's death, when Blake, who has just finished clearing out the surrounding small fry, approaches with his chain sickle lowered.

"Are you okay?"

"Somehow... But there are still a lot of Grimm out there. We can't rest yet!"

"It doesn't seem like it."

Jaune immediately realized what Blake was talking about.

Across the beach, successive explosions began. With each explosion, sand and seawater were kicked up, and Grimm was thrown into the air.

Jaune looked over at the beach and sure enough, he saw Nora. One of Nora's weapons was a grenade launcher. In terms of firepower, it was far superior to the rest of the JNPR. Not only that, there were also armed people around Nora. They seemed to be SIC personnel and were using Dust-based weapons to subdue the Grimm.

Turning his eyes to Pyrrha, she had almost finished wiping out the surrounding enemies with just a rifle. Even without him, Pyrrha was able to do whatever she wanted with her own potential, which was very Pyrrha-like. The situation was gradually calming down, and Jaune finally relaxed his shoulders.

Blake also transformed her kusarigama back into a sword, and for the first time, she noticed the girl Jaune was protecting.

"Is that the girl from the exhibition?"

"Oh, yeah. By coincidence just now..."

"Is that really a coincidence?"

Blake, sword in hand, looked down at Iona with cold eyes. Jaune felt a chill as if the tropical weather had become far away.

"B-Blake?"

"What are you planning? Answer me."

"What on earth is this?"

"Interrogation. The child is a suspect."

Realizing that something was wrong with Blake, Jaune turned to face her, trying to hide Iona.

"Calm down. What's wrong all of a sudden?"

"None of your business."

I thought I was standing in his way, but he slipped past me.

Jaune tried to stop Blake from approaching Iona, but then he noticed something strange. The shark-type Grimm that Jaune had dealt the final blow had more than half of its body gone in smoke, but the remaining half of its body was still moving about.

"Blake, wait!"

Blake looked back with a sulky look. At that moment, a smaller Grimm started to pass through from under the shark-like Grimm's corpse and jumped up. A small Grimm reminiscent of a remora that parasitizes large carnivorous fish, the small Grimm bared its fangs and attacked Blake's face.

Just in time, Blake ducked down to avoid the fangs, and the small Grimm fell to the sand.

"Hey, wait!"

It looks like a fish, but it moves around on the beach, and even when John tries to stab him with his sword, it doesn't let him aim. It sneaks through Jaune's legs, panting and mocking him, and then it looks like it's going to jump again, aiming for Blake, who has lost his balance.

"Come on!"

The tip of a scythe suddenly appeared from the side, taking the small Grim with it and sewing it to the ground. It was enough to cause a fatal injury, and the small Grimm's body immediately turned to smoke and disappeared.

"Hey, Jaune. And Blake, you came to help me. Thanks."

"It's not worth thanking." Blake replied coldly.

Ruby, with her scythe resting on her robe, smiled at the cold-hearted Blake, but then her smile froze.

B-Blake...um, that's..."

Jaune's eyes widened as he noticed as well.

The ribbon on Blake's head is torn. It's probably from avoiding the Grimm's fangs.

And underneath the torn ribbon were cat ears. Blake finally noticed and tried to cover his cat ears with his hands, but it was too late.

"A Faunus, was it?"

Thinking back to Blake's high physical abilities and keen senses, Jaune understood.

That's why she had to cover her ears with ribbons.

"But why did you hide that?"

"WHY?! WHY?!"

Iona uttered a voice that was almost a shriek.

"I told you I don't know any Faunus! We don't have much time! We need to hurry and get off the island-"

"Oh dear. I can't believe I'm relying on you here again after the exhibition."

When Jaune saw who had called out to him, he made a surprised face. I met a security guard from SIC at the exhibition. He has a strong body, a stern face, and a bully-like vibe.

"Usko Anthrop, head of security."

He bends his large body and does an awkward bow.

"I owe you all a great debt. Our CEO will probably come to thank you. He is away from the island at the moment, so I don't know when that will be..."

Saying that, the security man gave Iona, whose face was completely pale, a meaningful look.

"Let's go back, Iona Rockshaw. We need to get this situation under control. Do you understand?" Iona nodded slightly to the man who introduced himself as Anthrop, and the two of them left the place together. Just as Jaune was thinking about what he should say to her, a loud voice came from an unexpected direction.

"Oh! Blake has ears growing on her head! Let me see!"

"Nora, you shouldn't say things like that..."

Nora was making a fuss and Len was trying to stop her as usual. Blake was covering her ears with her hands in annoyance.

"Oh, Yang is back too."

"Hey, Ruby. Even boring machines can be fun if you know how to play with them."

Yang emerged from the sea dragging what could only be described as scrap. It appeared to be the remains of a drone that had been used as a scaffolding, and was now unrecognizable.

And Pyrrha ran over to Jaune before anyone else.

"Jaune, are you hurt? Are you OK?"

"Thanks to everyone, somehow... Ah, Weiss! Did you see my efforts? I defeated countless enemies-"

"I saw it all with my own eyes, Pyrrha." Weiss dodged Jaune and shook Pyrrha's hand.

"I am now convinced that if we join forces, we will surely become a team that will go down in history!"

Jaune tries to get Weiss's attention by telling her things, but she doesn't even look back. Ruby, relieved that everyone is safe, goes about removing the seaweed that's stuck in Yang's hair. An accident at the exhibition. An attack by Grimm on the island. Iona's strange behavior. Blake was the only one here who felt something was off about the continuous commotion surrounding SIC.

The night of the Grimm incident.

Unlike the beach, where security is still in place, the forest in the depths of Sapang Island is quiet and tranquil, with the trees blocking out the moonlight and shrouded in natural darkness.

In the darkness, a transport plane stands still with its wings folded, hiding from view.

Broken trees were scattered all around, but the crew disembarked one after another from the transport plane, quickly gathering branches and leaves to cover the plane, concealing the plane that was out of place in the forest. Concealing the plane that was not inviting to be seen. Once that was done, they started to unload the ship's cargo. Even in this darkness, they didn't even turn on the lights, and yet the work proceeded without any problems.

Another person stepped off the plane's ramp and onto the ground. This person was not as agile as the others, and immediately tripped over something and started swearing, starting with "shit." He stood up, brushed the sand off his buttocks with his cane, and gave instructions to the figure nearby.

"Let's finish this quickly. If you hesitate, the patrol will come."

"Got it, boss."

The figure waited until the person who had received his orders had left, then took out a lighter. Together with the sound of the flint scraping against the ground, the first light appeared in the darkness that enveloped the forest.

The small, flickering flame lit up the profile of Roman Torchwick, who was smoking a cigar.