Hello. Hello everyone, Thunder with chapter 100! ＼(＾O＾)／Honestly, I can't believe that I've written this story for so long. Anyways, hope you continue to enjoy this story.
The following is a fan-based parody.
Bleach is owned by Tite Kubo, TV Tokyo, Viz Media, and Studio Pierrot.
RWBY is owned by VIZ Media and Monty Oum.
All other ideas belong to their original sources. Please support the official release.
"Hello" – Normal talking.
"Hello" – Normal thoughts.
"Hello" – Zanpakutō speaking.
"Hello" – Zanpakutō thoughts.
Opening Scene: Universe 11037399
Ichigo stood in a dense forest, inhaling deeply as he spread his senses.
"The reiatsu here feels… denser than Earth was before the planet transformed," Ichigo thought to himself.
Suddenly, the bushes rustled violently, and a large creature burst from them. It was massive, covered in black fur, with bony spikes protruding from its back and arms. Its white, bone-like mask had red detailing, and it roared as it charged toward Ichigo. He summoned Kokugatsu and fired a low-powered Getsunai, bisecting the creature in the middle. Its severed parts landed beside him, turning to black rishi.
"It looks like a Hollow," Ichigo thought.
"Don't you dare compare that thing to a Hollow!" Zangetsu interjected. "It looks like one and acts like one, but it doesn't feel like a Hollow at all."
"Zangetsu is right," Yhwach agreed. "The creature lacks a soul. It's more like a golem with a few programs inputted."
More of these creatures emerged from the forest, rushing toward Ichigo.
"Destroy these fakes!" Zangetsu yelled.
Ichigo charged and swiftly destroyed the creatures, then sheathed Kokugatsu as he began to explore the forest.
Suddenly, a loud shout, in English, broke through the silence. "HOW COULD YOU LEAVE ME!" A gigantic bird-like creature with a Hollow mask, red eyes, and a dorsal spine soared above him, its talon carrying a young woman clinging for dear life. As she lost her grip, she began to fall. Without hesitation, Ichigo shunpō'ed into the air and caught her in a princess carry.
The girl looked up at him, her pale blue eyes meeting his. Ichigo observed her closely. She had pale skin, a scar running vertically down her left eye and face, and long white hair tied into an off-center ponytail. A silver, icicle-shaped tiara pinned the ponytail in place. She wore a thigh-length strapless dress with a pale blue gradient at the hem, adorned with black lace at the neckline and snowflake-like stitching. Her bell-sleeved bolero matched the gradient, lined with red and featuring a ruffled collar.
"You okay?" Ichigo asked.
"Y-yeah," she replied. "Can you put me down?"
"Oh, sure," Ichigo said, adjusting his position. As they descended, Ichigo manipulated his reiatsu to cancel the air resistance. Near the ground, he slowed their momentum and they landed silently. Carefully, he set her down.
"Weiss!" A voice shouted. A young girl with silver eyes and black hair with red tips ran toward them. She wore a red-trimmed black blouse, a black waist cincher, and a matching skirt with a red petticoat. Her black tights faded to red, and she wore combat boots with red accents. A red hooded cloak draped over her shoulders, fastened with cross-shaped pins. "Are you ok?"
"I'm not okay!" she yelled. "You abandoned me on a Grimm, you idiot! How could you just jump off without thinking?!" Weiss's face softened as she saw Ruby's nervous expression.
"I guess we're both safe now… so, it wasn't all that bad," Weiss said begrudgingly, and Ruby beamed at the praise.
"Sorry, what's your name?" Ichigo asked.
"Weiss Schnee," she said proudly.
"Ruby Rose," Ruby introduced herself.
"Yang Xiao Long, Ruby's big sister," Yang said, stepping forward. Yang was a tall, fair-skinned woman with lilac eyes and bright golden hair. She wore a tan cropped jacket with gold-brown piping, a low-cut yellow crop top with a black emblem, and a brown belt over her waist, with her emblem emblazoned in gold on the pleats. Her boots and over-the-knee socks matched the outfit.
"Blake Belladonna," another voice introduced. Blake was a fair-skinned young woman with black hair and amber eyes, wearing a cat-eyed style of purple eye makeup. She wore a black vest, a white crop undershirt, and shorts with black stockings that gradually transitioned to purple. Her ribbon-tied hair and black arm sleeves completed her look. Her bow twitched noticeably.
Ichigo noticed but didn't comment on Blake's bow subtle twitching.
"I'm NORA!" a cheerful voice shouted. Nora was a fair-skinned girl with orange hair and turquoise eyes. She wore a black, collared vest with blue and red accents, a white t-shirt with a heart-shaped cutout, and a pink skirt with white ankle boots. Her silver armor wrapped around her waist and neck, completing the energetic look.
Her companion sighed. "Nora's always this energetic when she introduces herself."
"I'm Lie Ren," he said. He had long black hair tied into a low ponytail, with magenta streaks. His attire included a dark green, diagonally buttoned tailcoat with a red interior, pink cuffs, and black pants. His magenta eyes matched the streak in his hair.
"And I'm Ichigo Kurosaki," Ichigo introduced himself. Suddenly, a sound cut through the air, and he turned to see something flying toward them. Reacting swiftly, he caught a young girl in midair.
She had fair skin and fiery red hair, styled in a waist-length ponytail. Her green eyes were accentuated with light-green eyeshadow, applied to the outer corners. She wore a brown over-bust corset with a vertical strip of lighter brown running down the center. Her outfit also included an elastic black A-line mini skirt and brown opera-length gloves on both arms. A red ankle-length sash wrapped around her skirt.
"Thank you," she said softly.
"No problem," Ichigo replied, gently setting her down.
"Where's Jaune?" she asked, scanning the area.
"PYRRHA!" A tall young man with fair skin, blond hair, and dark blue eyes called out. He wore a black short-sleeved hoodie with reddish-orange detached sleeves. A white diamond-shaped chest plate adorned his torso, cut off just above his abdomen. His shoulders were covered with white spaulders, under which reembraces were set. His blue jeans had a white patch on the left knee, and his black sneakers completed the look. Two belts, crisscrossing his waist, held small pouches. Behind him, a gigantic black scorpion approached them. Its exoskeleton was jet-black, adorned with large white bonelike plates on its back, covered in red markings.
"Great, the gang's all here. Now we get to die together," Yang remarked.
"I got this," Ichigo said confidently, drawing Kokugatsu from its sheath. He raised his sword, gathering reiatsu into it. "Getsunai," he declared, swinging his sword down. A black crescent-shaped wave of reiatsu shot from his blade, slicing through the scorpion as if it were paper. The creature dissipated into black dust.
Suddenly, the black bird feathers began to rain down on them. Reacting instinctively, Ichigo blocked them with Kokugatsu. Looking up, he saw a massive bird flapping its wings, sending sharp feathers cascading toward them. With a swift twist of his hips, he countered.
"Getsuga Tenshō!" Ichigo shouted, releasing an even larger crescent-shaped wave. This one was black, with red-edged innermost curves. The attack incinerated the feathers and tore through the gigantic bird, causing it to disintegrate into reishi.
"W-what was that?!" Ruby exclaimed, her eyes wide. "Is that death beam your semblance? If so, how were you able to walk in the air?"
"Um… where are the relics?" Jaune asked, cutting Ruby off.
"Oh, right, the exam!" Ruby remembered.
"They're over there," Lie Ren said, pointing to an old building behind them.
"Thanks," Jaune said, turning to the redhead. "Come on, Pyrrha," he urged, and the two of them ran toward the shrine to retrieve their relics. Once done, Ichigo followed the others as they ran down the hill and up to the side of a cliff.
"Well done, ladies and gentlemen. I do believe that was the fastest initiation to date," a middle-aged man remarked as he approached the group. He had light skin, tousled silver hair, brown eyes, and black eyebrows. Shaded glasses rested on his face, and a small purple, cross-shaped pin adorned the cowl around his neck. He wore an unzipped black suit over a dark green, buttoned vest and shirt. Black shoes and long, dark green trousers completed his attire. In his left hand, he held a cane. He wasn't alone.
Beside him stood an older woman with light blonde hair tied back in a bun, a curl hanging down the right side of her face. Her bright green eyes were framed by thin, ovular glasses, and she wore dangling teal earrings matching the pendant on her collar. Her white long-sleeved blouse had a wide keyhole neckline and gauntlet cuffs that flared at the wrist. Her lower body was covered by a black high-waisted pencil skirt, bronze buttons running down its length, and black stockings fading into brown. Her black boots bronze heels, and a cape, purple on the inside and black on the outside, ended in flames and arrows. A row of diamond-shaped bronze beads decorated the back, above which a tiara emblem could be seen.
"You've also picked up another person! May I ask who you are, stranger?" the man asked, looking at Ichigo.
"Isn't it rude to ask for someone's name without introducing yourself first?" Ichigo responded, noticing the woman beside him narrow her eyes.
"Oh, forgive me," the man apologized, nodding. "My name is Professor Ozpin, Headmaster of Beacon Academy. And this is my fellow professor, Glynda Goodwitch."
"My name is Ichigo Kurosaki," Ichigo replied.
"Nice to meet you, Ichigo Kurosaki (1)," Ozpin said, pronouncing his name with an unusual emphasis. The others exchanged curious glances.
"Why did Professor Ozpin say Ichigo's last name weirdly?" someone muttered.
"How does he know how to pronounce my name like a Japanese person?" Ichigo wondered.
"I sensed a small burst of reiatsu from Professor Ozpin. It felt familiar," Kyōka reported.
"Try to figure it out," Ichigo replied, his thoughts racing.
"Anyways, based on what we saw in the Emerald Forest, you are a capable young man when it comes to hunting the Grimm. Are you part of any academy?" Ozpin continued, ignoring the curious looks from the group.
"No. But I am interested in joining," Ichigo replied.
"Something tells me to let him join my school… but why?" Ozpin thought to himself, giving a slight nod. "Welcome to Beacon Academy," he said. "We'll handle your unique situation after the team ceremony."
"Okay," Ichigo replied.
"Glynda, please escort them to the medical tent," Ozpin instructed.
"As you wish," Glynda said, turning to the students. "Follow me," she ordered.
Scene Change: Beacon Auditorium
"Dove Bronzewing, Sky Lark, Rustle Thrush, and Cardin Winchester. You four retrieved the black bishop pieces from the forest temple," Ozpin began. "From this day forward, you will work together as Team Cardinal, led by Cardin Winchester," Ozpin announced. The letters CRDL appeared on the screen, corresponding to their names. The crowd politely applauded as Team CRDL stepped off the stage. Ozpin continued without missing a beat.
"Jaune Arc, Pyrrha Nikos, Lie Ren, and Nora Valkyrie." As they stepped on stage, the screens changed to show their pictures. "You four retrieved the white rook pieces. From this day forward, you will work as Team Juniper," Ozpin announced. Nora hugged Ren excitedly, and the letters JNPR appeared on the screen. Applause followed, and Ozpin continued. "Lead by Jaune Arc."
Jaune looked stunned, speechless.
"Congratulations, young man," Ozpin said with a smile as they stepped off stage.
"Finally, Blake Belladonna, Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, and Yang Xiao Long." Ozpin began. The screens switched to show their pictures. "You four retrieved the white knight pieces. From this day forward, you will work together as Team Ruby, led by Ruby Rose." Weiss was visibly shocked at Ozpin's decision, while Yang eagerly hugged her sister. Soon, Team RWBY stepped off the stage.
"Normally, this is where the ceremony would end," Ozpin continued, his voice steady. "However, this year, we have a late admission." A picture of Ichigo appeared on the screen. "Since we cannot have a one-hunter team, we've decided to form the first five-man team in Beacon history." Ozpin paused, glancing toward Ichigo. "Ichigo, would you please come forward?"
The curtains behind the stage were drawn back as Ichigo walked forward, his expression a little more neutral than usual. As he stood at attention, Ozpin continued, "Now, is there an—"
"Dibs!" A voice rang out, and everyone turned to see Yang Xiao Long grinning widely. "We call dibs for him to be on our team!"
Ozpin chuckled at her enthusiasm. "I had a feeling you'd say that, Miss Long. But it must be the decision of your team leader." He turned his attention to Ruby. "Miss Rose, do you accept Mr. Kurosaki as part of your team?"
"I do," Ruby said without hesitation.
Ozpin nodded, a satisfied smile on his face. "Well then, Ichigo, you should join your team."
Ichigo stepped off the stage and moved toward Team RWBY. As he did, the screen updated to show the new team—RWBIY, with Ichigo's image added to the lineup.
Ozpin turned to the audience. "Now, take today to prepare yourselves. Classes begin tomorrow, and this year will certainly be an interesting one for all of you!"
Scene Change: RWBIY's Room
"According to Professor Ozpin," Ruby said as she read from her Scroll, a collapsible, holographic tablet, "because these rooms are designed for only four people, they modified one for us." They arrived at their new room, which was fairly large. Two bunk beds stood next to a window, with drawers built into the beds for storage. Across from the beds were two large dressers for hanging clothes. There were two more doors—one led to a bathroom, and the other to a smaller room with another bed and built-in drawers.
"Did Professor Ozpin explain why the room was modified?" Ichigo asked.
"Nope," Ruby replied with a shrug.
"Well, I guess the smaller room is mine then," Ichigo said as he walked toward it.
"Before we get too comfortable," Ruby started, "we should share our Semblances so we can work better together in the future."
"Good idea, Rubes," Yang said with a grin. "You go first."
Ruby beamed. "Okay! My Semblance is called Petal Burst. It lets me move at incredible speeds in any direction, and most of the time, it leaves a trail of rose petals behind me."
"So, Semblances are like superpowers?" Ichigo thought.
"Actually, I think it's similar to a Fullbring," Kyōka said, her tone thoughtful.
"A what?" Ichigo asked, raising an eyebrow.
"Remember the humans with reiatsu who tried to 'help' you regain your Shinigami powers but ended up stealing your powers for themselves?" Kyōka reminded him.
"Oh… yeah, I remember now," Ichigo replied. "So, you think their Semblance is similar to a Fullbring?"
"It could be a mutation, but I believe so," Kyōka replied.
Yang grinned. "I'll go next! My Semblance is called Burn. I can absorb the hits I take and turn them into stronger punches."
Ruby jumped in. "It also turns her eyes red and sometimes makes her hair glow or even catch fire!"
"That too," Yang added with a wink.
Ruby teased, "Also, don't make her mad or she might turn into that."
Yang shot her a playful glare. "Stop telling them all my secrets, or I'll tell them not to give you cookies!"
"No, not the cookies!" Ruby squealed in mock horror.
Blake, ever the voice of reason, interrupted. "My Semblance is called Shadow. It allows me to create clones of myself made from shadows."
Ichigo nodded, intrigued. "What can you do with these clones?"
"They're solid enough to push me in a specific direction or to confuse and disorient enemies. If I have Dust, I can empower them," Blake explained.
"What's Dust?" Ichigo thought to himself.
Weiss spoke up next. "As for mine, it's called Glyphs. I can create glyphs that serve different functions, like slippery platforms to skate on, midair platforms to change my trajectory, and even limited time dilation to speed up actions, to name a few."
Everyone turned to Ichigo, waiting for him to share his own Semblance.
"Well," Ichigo started, "my Semblance doesn't really have a name, but it lets me manipulate the energy around me." He raised his hand and created a ball of reiatsu.
"That energy is called Aura," Weiss identified, frowning slightly. "We'll call it Aura Manipulation for now."
Ichigo nodded, letting the ball of reiatsu dissipate. "Guess Aura is what they call reiatsu."
"Sorry for not knowing all the terms. I'm not from around here," Ichigo added with a sheepish smile.
Weiss sighed. "It's fine. But we need to get you up to speed with the terminology."
Ruby, clearly excited, asked, "Ichigo, how often can you do that death wave attack?"
"Which one, the one I used to take down the scorpion or the one for the bird?" Ichigo asked.
Blake added, "The scorpion is a Death Stalker, and the bird is a Nevermore."
"Both," Ruby answered eagerly.
"I just gather my aura and launch it from my sword," Ichigo explained.
"It's similar to his Semblance, but much faster, and he doesn't seem too tired from using it," Blake thought to herself.
"Are there any drawbacks to using your aura like that?" Blake asked.
"Besides exhausting my Aura, not really," Ichigo replied, trying to use their terminology. "But it not like I even used a teaspoon of my reiatsu," he finished in his thoughts.
Ichigo glanced toward the window, noting the setting sun. "It's getting late. Maybe we should spar sometime this week to get a better sense of each other's Semblances."
"Great idea!" Ruby shouted.
Suddenly, there was a knock at the door. Blake, who was closest, opened it. A young man in Beacon's uniform stood outside, pushing a cart full of uniform bundles.
"Good evening," he said politely. "I'm here to deliver your Beacon uniforms." He handed each of them a bundle. "Remember, you must wear these uniforms during class hours. It's advised not to wear them during combat classes."
The man left quickly, the cart rolling behind him.
Ichigo stood up. "I'm going to take a quick shower."
As he did, Ruby climbed into the top bunk, Weiss took the bottom, and Yang claimed the other top bunk, with Blake in the bottom. They went about their own business while Ichigo took his shower. When he emerged, wearing only a towel around his waist and carrying his dirty clothes, his muscular frame became evident. Ruby let out a loud squeal at the sight.
"Y-you… why don't you have a shirt on?!" Weiss stammered, her face flushing as she struggled to look away from Ichigo's toned body.
"I just got out of the shower and forgot to grab a change of clothes," Ichigo explained casually. "I didn't think anyone would mind the view." He teased, casting a glance at Blake and Yang, both of whom seemed far too entertained. Blake quickly grabbed a book, pretending to read, though it was clearly upside down.
"Hey, nothing to be ashamed of," Yang chimed in, grinning.
"YANG! That's indecent!" Weiss snapped, her face turning red.
Ichigo chuckled and walked toward his small room, closing the door behind him. "Man, it felt good to mess with them," he thought to himself.
"Kitty would be so proud of you," Zangetsu commented.
"You're right. I wonder if they finally did the deed" Ichigo trailed off, chuckling at the thought.
"I can't imagine Cogs would do it," Zangetsu replied, amusement in his tone.
Ichigo shook his head as he unpacked the uniform bundle. Inside, there were three sets of black suit jackets, matching black pants, white shirts, one red tie, black shoes, and a small booklet. He flipped through the booklet.
"The suit is the basis of the uniform, required during school hours, except for combat classes. Modifications such as cloaks and accessories are allowed. The tie is optional, but only ties are permitted—no bowties. Also, these uniforms are extremely overpriced, so don't ruin them." Ichigo placed the booklet aside and hung up his uniforms. After a moment, he summoned a few casual outfits and placed them near the door.
"I wonder if they have any books, I can borrow…" Ichigo mused as he knocked on his door.
"You can come in!" Ruby called from inside.
"Make sure you have a shirt on!" Weiss added quickly.
"Killjoy!" Yang retorted.
Ichigo smirked, quickly putting on a tight T-shirt that accentuated his muscular frame. As he opened the door, he caught his teammates staring at him, their faces flushed. Ichigo ignored their reactions, instead turning to Blake, who was once again hiding behind a book, this time holding it right-side up.
"Hey, Blake?" Ichigo asked.
"Yes?" Blake responded, her voice betraying a slight tremor.
"Mind if I borrow some books to read?" Ichigo asked.
"S-sure," Blake replied, not quite able to hide her blush. Ichigo grabbed a few books on the history of Remnant and an encyclopedia on the Grimm.
"Thanks," Ichigo said, turning back toward his room with the books in hand. He could hear a few squeals from the girls as he walked away, chuckling to himself.
"Must be some apocalyptic event that turned Earth into Remnant," Ichigo thought as he lay on his bed, reading. "Those Grimm we encountered earlier... they felt like Hollows, but they didn't have any real energy."
"I agree," Yhwach replied from the depths of his mind. "They felt like balloons full of energy that popped and disappeared."
Ichigo soon went to bed, after finishing reading the borrowed books.
Scene Change: Early Morning
The faintest hint of dawn crept through the window as Ichigo awoke at five in the morning. He listened intently to his teammates' steady breathing, making sure not to wake anyone. Quietly, he slipped out of his room and headed for the gym downstairs.
Expecting to be alone, Ichigo was surprised to find Pyrrha already there. She wore a white sports bra with red trim, paired with red athletic shorts featuring a white border. To complete the look, she added knee and elbow supports, along with a pair of red running shoes. (2)
"Oh, good morning," Pyrrha greeted as she set down her dumbbells.
"Morning," Ichigo replied, heading toward a barbell bench. "Mind if I join you?"
"Sure," Pyrrha answered, picking up her dumbbells for another set. Ichigo approached the barbell bench and began placing multiple 45-pound (20.4 kilograms) plates on each side.
"That's over 600 pounds…" Pyrrha calculated as she watched Ichigo sit down beneath the bar and begin to casually lift it. He completed twenty reps without breaking a sweat before switching to a pair of 150-pound dumbbells.
"Um, Ichigo?" Pyrrha asked after watching his routine.
"Yeah?" Ichigo asked, standing up and wiping his brow, barely winded.
"Can you spot me when I bench press?" she asked.
"Of course," Ichigo replied. "Do you want to use my bench or a different one?"
"Your bench is fine," Pyrrha said with a nod.
"All right. How much weight?" Ichigo asked.
"180 pounds. Ten reps," Pyrrha answered.
Ichigo removed a few of the 45-pound plates from each side till it was the requested weight. He stood behind the bar, ready to catch the bar if necessary. Pyrrha sat down, grabbed the bar, and began her set. She struggled a bit but managed to finish all ten reps.
As she finished, Ichigo helped her re-rack the weights before moving on to his own set. Pyrrha watched, impressed by Ichigo's effortless strength.
"Just how strong is he? He isn't even using his Aura to strengthen his body." Pyrrha thought.
After they finished their sets, Pyrrha asked, "Do you plan to come here every morning?"
"Most likely," Ichigo replied, walking back toward his room.
As he reached his door, a loud whistle sounded, followed by a familiar shriek. Ichigo chuckled, knocking on the door.
"Come in," Blake called from inside.
Ichigo opened the door, showing his slightly damp body from his workout. His teammates were already in their school uniforms: red plaid skirts, stockings, brown jackets, tan vests, and white shirts with red ribbons tied at the collar.
"Morning, everyone," Ichigo said nonchalantly.
"Where were you, Ichigo?" Ruby asked, her eyes scanning him curiously.
"In the gym," Ichigo replied as he walked toward his room. "I'm just going to take a quick shower."
"Be fast. I need to use the bathroom," Weiss grumbled.
"Got it," Ichigo said, grabbing a fresh set of clothes and heading for the bathroom.
Weiss glared at Ruby as Ichigo left, a smirk tugging at the corner of her lips.
"Did you need to wake me up with a whistle!?" Weiss demanded, glaring at Ruby. Ruby simply smiled mischievously and didn't answer.
It wasn't long before Ichigo stepped out of his room, wearing a white undershirt and black boxers.
"I left my gym clothes in the bathroom to hang dry," Ichigo said, walking toward his room.
"How is he so muscular?" Yang muttered under her breath as Weiss headed to the bathroom. Ichigo returned a moment later, now dressed in a black suit jacket, a white dress shirt with the collar buttons undone, black dress pants, a black belt with a golden buckle, and black dress shoes. He looked every bit the rebellious male model, not a student at Beacon Academy.
"You're missing the tie," Blake pointed out, raising an eyebrow.
"I don't like ties," Ichigo replied coolly. "Thanks for the books," he added as he handed Blake her books back.
"You're welcome," Blake responded, placing them on her shelf. Weiss finally exited the bathroom, now dressed in her Beacon uniform.
"Come on, let's go eat breakfast!" Ruby cheered.
"Lead the way, oh fearless leader," Ichigo teased. Blake and Yang cheered as Ruby took the lead, but Weiss groaned from behind them. They made their way to the cafeteria and joined Team JNPR for breakfast before heading off to class.
Ichigo sat next to the stairs, with Ruby to his left, then Weiss, followed by Yang and Blake. Team JNPR settled in behind them. Soon, the professor walked in. An older man with gray hair and a matching mustache, dressed in a double-breasted burgundy suit with gold piping and buttons. His pants were tucked into olive boots, similar to cavalry boots. His build was round, with a noticeable belly.
"Good morning, everyone! I'm Professor Port," he began, as the class quieted down. "Monsters... demons... stalkers of the night. Yes, the creatures of Grimm have many names, but I mostly refer to them as… Prey!" he joked, laughing heartily.
No one laughed.
Ichigo thought to himself, "Considering the Grimm have caused countless deaths to countless civilians and huntsmen I doubt they'd agree with you."
Professor Port, noticing the silence, cleared his throat and continued. "And you will too, once you graduate from this prestigious academy. Vale, and the other three kingdoms, are safe havens in an otherwise treacherous world. Our planet teems with creatures who would love nothing more than to tear you apart. And that's where we come in!" He paused for dramatic effect. "Huntsmen. Huntresses!" he said, winking at Yang while making a clicking sound with his tongue. Yang chuckled uneasily. "Individuals who have sworn to protect those who cannot protect themselves! From what, you may ask? Why, from the very world!" he proclaimed, thrusting his fist into the air.
Professor Port lowered his hand. "That's what you're training to become. But first, a story."
He launched into a tale about his encounter with a Grimm called a Boarbatusk. His storytelling style was slow, almost grandfatherly, causing most of the class to zone out. Ichigo noticed Ruby doodling while Weiss tried her best to take down every word.
"Either this is a test to see who knows how to dissect stories for information or he just likes telling them," Ichigo thought to himself. He glanced at Ruby, who had drawn a cartoon version of Professor Port with the words "Professor Poop" written beneath it. Yang saw it and made a fart sound, causing both of them to giggle. The noise caught the professor's attention, and he fake-coughed loudly to regain order.
"In the end, the Boarbatusk was no match for my sheer tenacity," Professor Port concluded dramatically. Ichigo glanced over at Ruby, who was struggling to stay awake. This, of course, annoyed Weiss.
"I returned to my village with the beast in captivity, head held high. I was celebrated as a hero." Professor Port gave a quick bow. "The moral of the story is: A true huntsman must be honorable, dependable, strategic, well-educated, and wise." He paused, eyeing the class. "Who here believes they embody these traits?"
Weiss immediately raised her hand.
"I do, sir!" she declared confidently.
"Well, then, let's find out," Professor Port said, as a cage suddenly rose from the ground, rattling ominously as though something was inside. "Step forward and face your opponent." Weiss stood up and left the room to change out of her uniform.
"This is going to be interesting," Ichigo thought, watching Weiss leave.
"Do you think Weiss will be okay?" Ruby asked, concern in her voice.
"If she's mentally sound, then most likely," Ichigo replied.
"What do you mean mentally sound?" Blake asked.
Before Ichigo could respond, Weiss returned to the classroom, now in her white dress, holding a rapier-like weapon.
"Go, Weiss!" Yang cheered.
"Fight well," Blake added.
"Yeah! Represent Team RWBY!" Ruby shouted enthusiastically. Weiss looked at her.
"Ruby, I'm trying to focus," Weiss said, her voice sharp.
"Oh," Ruby replied sheepishly. "Sorry."
"All right," Professor Port said, holding a weapon that was a strange mix of a blunderbuss and a battle axe. He gripped it by the flared portion. "Let the match begin!"
He swung the weapon down to cut the lock on the cage, releasing the creature inside. A large Grimm charged out—a creature with four eyes and a bone-like mask attached by black vein-like tendrils. It had a series of plates along its back and thighs, plus two sets of large, curving tusks.
"So, this is what a Boarbatusk looks like," Ichigo thought as Weiss, with swift movements, aimed for its tusks, only to be forced to leap aside to avoid its charge. The Boarbatusk slowed, glaring at Weiss.
Professor Port chuckled. "Haha, you weren't expecting that, were you?"
"If you listened to Professor Port's story, you'd know that the mask and tusks are extremely tough," Ichigo thought.
"Hang in there, Weiss!" Ruby cheered.
Weiss used one of her glyphs to boost herself forward, her rapier pointed at the Boarbatusk. The Grimm twisted its head just in time to dodge her strike, using its tusks to trap the rapier. Weiss tried to yank it free, but the Boarbatusk kept a tight grip.
"Come on, Weiss! Show it who's boss!" Ruby cheered again.
Weiss shot Ruby a look before the Boarbatusk threw her rapier behind it.
"Oh, oh! What will you do without your weapon?" Professor Port taunted.
The Boarbatusk rammed into Weiss, sending her stumbling back. It charged again, and this time, Weiss leaped out of its path at the last second. The creature collided with the wall, and as it recovered, Weiss dashed to retrieve her weapon.
"Weiss, aim for its belly! There's no armor there!" Ruby suddenly shouted.
"Stop telling me what to do!" Weiss snapped.
The Boarbatusk let out another roar, curling itself into a ball like a hedgehog, and rolled toward Weiss. She summoned another glyph that blocked the creature's advance, forcing it to uncoil. Weiss used the same glyph to push the Boarbatusk back, causing it to fall on its back. Leaping up, another glyph—this time black—appeared beneath Weiss's feet. She pointed her rapier back and used the glyph to launch herself toward the Boarbatusk, stabbing it in the stomach. The creature let out a squeal before turning to ashes.
"Bravo. Bravo." Professor Port clapped. "It seems we're in the presence of a true Huntress in training. I'm afraid that's all the time we have for today. Be sure to look at the assigned readings… and stay vigilant. Class dismissed."
Weiss glared at Ruby before walking away.
"Jeez, what's with her?" Jaune asked.
"Personal problems, no doubt," Ichigo replied, standing up. He glanced at the rest of Team RWBIY. "We should go after her."
"Yeah, good idea," Ruby said, leaping out of her seat, and using her semblance to speed ahead.
"Ruby! Wait for us!" Yang called, grabbing her books and rushing to follow.
Ichigo and Blake silently chased after them. Ruby, using Pedal Burst, quickly caught up with Weiss and returned to normal.
"Weiss!" Ruby called out. Weiss turned around and glared at her.
"What?" Weiss asked, her tone cold.
"What's wrong with you?" Ruby asked. "Why ar-"
"What's wrong with me? What's wrong with you?" Weiss countered. "You're supposed to be a leader, but all you've done is be a nuisance."
"What did I do?" Ruby replied, confused.
"That's just it," Weiss replied. "You've done nothing to earn your position. Back in the forest, you acted like a child, and you've continued to do so."
"I think this is enough," Ichigo said, stepping forward as the rest of Team RWBIY arrived in the hallway. "I believe the hallway isn't the best place for an argument."
"Then where should we do this?" Weiss demanded.
"I don't think talking will resolve this," Ichigo said. Weiss nodded.
"Then we'll settle it the old-fashioned way," Ichigo said, his voice calm but resolute. "Let's fight it out."
"Fighting?" Ruby asked, surprised.
"Indeed," Ichigo replied. "I've booked a combat classroom for the afternoon."
"Fine," Weiss said.
Team RWBIY headed to the locker room, changing into their combat outfits before heading to the combat room. Ichigo took out his Scroll and placed it on the door, causing it to open for them.
"Good thing I asked Chishiki to scan the girl's scrolls to create my own," Ichigo thought as he tucked his Scroll into his pocket. They walked to the center of the room, and Ichigo activated the classroom, where a guide appeared.
"We need to put these bracelets on," Ichigo said, handing everyone a bracelet. They all placed them on, and the computer displayed each person's Aura level. Chishiki had hacked into the system to display Ichigo's reiatsu since the system couldn't detect it.
"The duel ends when your Aura reaches yellow," Ichigo explained. Yang and Blake stepped out of the arena, and Ruby and Weiss took their positions. Ruby aimed her gun at Weiss, who readied her rapier.
"So, her scythe can transform into a gun," Ichigo thought.
"The match will begin on my command. It ends when your Aura reaches yellow," Ichigo announced, and a screen lit up behind him showing Ruby and Weiss, with green bars below representing their Aura levels. Both nodded.
"Three… two… one… Start!"
Ruby fired her gun at Weiss, who summoned Glyphs to block the shots. At the same time, she summoned another Glyph to accelerate herself toward Ruby. Ruby used Petal Burst to dodge, then transformed her weapon into scythe mode, swinging it at Weiss. Weiss used another Glyph to propel herself upwards, avoiding the swing. She created another Glyph platform, spinning the revolving cylinder on her rapier, which now glowed with red aura. Weiss kicked off from the platform and charged at Ruby.
Ruby countered by firing at Weiss, but Weiss used her rapier to block the attacks. Landing, Weiss spun the cylinder again and stabbed her rapier downward, sending a blue ice stalagmite at Ruby. Ruby dodged by firing another bullet to propel herself in the air. She shot another bullet, aiming to strike Weiss with her scythe. But before she could connect, Weiss used a Glyph to launch herself into the air. Their attacks collided, forcing both to be knocked back and land safely.
"And that's it!" Ichigo shouted. The class looked at him, confused. "The match is over."
They turned to the monitor to see that Weiss's Aura had dropped to yellow, while Ruby's was barely still green.
"YEAH!" Ruby cheered.
"H-how? I didn't get hit by her attack!" Weiss questioned.
"Allow me to explain," Ichigo began. "Throughout the match, you actively used your Glyphs to enhance your attacks and speed, which drained your Aura. You also lost some Aura when fragments of Ruby's attacks hit you."
Ichigo then focused on Ruby. "Good job using your gun to keep Weiss out of your attack range. It was also inventive to use the recoil as an alternative way to move around the battlefield."
Ruby smiled, feeling proud. "Thanks."
"However," Ichigo continued, "once you got within Weiss's range, you had to use Petal Burst to escape."
"I had to," Ruby admitted. "Crescent Rose isn't meant for close combat."
"Then why not modify Crescent Rose for close combat?" Ichigo asked.
Ruby stared at him, the idea sinking in. "That might not be a bad idea."
Ichigo nodded. "Now, some advice for both of you." He looked at both Ruby and Weiss. "No one is born a leader… All leaders were once followers."
"But…" Weiss began to interject.
"Even if you're not the leader now, someday you will be," Ichigo said, then turning to Ruby.
"As for you, Ruby… as a leader, you need to listen to all the concerns your teammates have. Sometimes you can address the concern… sometimes you can't… it's all part of learning how to lead others." Ichigo turned to Blake and Yang. "So, who wants to spar with me?"
"Me! Me!" Yang shouted, running toward the battlefield.
"Ok, Yang," Ichigo replied. Ruby and Weiss joined Blake on the sidelines. Ichigo could see Yang was wearing a pair of yellow gauntlets.
"Where's your sword?" Yang asked, watching Ichigo get into a fighting stance.
"Don't worry about it. I won't need it to handle you," Ichigo replied.
"Ok!" Yang answered.
"The match will begin on my command. The match will end when your aura goes down to yellow," Blake said, as a screen now displayed a picture of Ichigo and Yang, with a green bar under each image. "Three… Two… One… Start!"
Yang charged toward Ichigo, trying to punch him with her right arm. Ichigo calmly deflected the blow with his left hand. Yang quickly countered with a punch from her left arm, but Ichigo deflected that as well. Yang continued to attack Ichigo with a barrage of punches, but he simply deflected them, which began to annoy Yang.
"Stop deflecting!" Yang snapped.
"Ok," Ichigo said, as he suddenly moved closer to Yang. He caught her left punch with his left hand, used his right hand to push the back of her neck, off-balancing her, and swept her right leg with his own, causing her to fall. Ichigo grabbed her head and kneed her in the face, then kicked her in the chest, pushing her back. Yang stumbled a few steps to recover.
"Now that's m-" Yang started, but then noticed something. A few strands of her golden hair were in Ichigo's hand. He casually waved them in front of her.
"Oh… no," Ruby said.
"RAH!" Yang yelled, slamming her fists together. Her eyes turned red, and her aura coated her hair, making it look like it was on fire. "RAH!" She charged at Ichigo again, unleashing a barrage of punches. Ichigo calmly deflected all her attacks, which only infuriated her more. Ichigo glanced at the screen and saw that Yang's aura had dropped into yellow.
"Yang, the match is over!" Ruby shouted.
Yang ignored her and charged again. Ichigo punched Yang in the face, sending her flying. Before she could crash into the wall, Ichigo appeared behind her and grabbed the back of her neck. He could feel Yang not resisting as he gently placed her on the ground. A bruise was starting to form on her face from the punch. Ichigo noticed everyone running toward them. He began applying healing kidō on Yang. They watched as Ichigo's hands glowed with green reiatsu, healing the bruise on Yang's face.
"He can do a lot of things," Weiss thought.
In less than a minute, Yang was fully healed. She opened her eyes and looked at Ichigo.
"Man, you hit like a truck," Yang said.
"Looks like you're better now," Ichigo replied.
"Thanks to you healing her," Ruby added. Ichigo extended his hand to Yang, who grabbed it as he pulled her up.
"Ready for me to comment on that fight?" Ichigo asked.
"Sure," Yang said.
"You're already a good fighter, but the problem is that you let your emotions take control," Ichigo said, showing Yang the strands of her hair still in his hand. Yang's eyes briefly turned red before returning to lilac.
"My point stands," Ichigo continued.
"So what? My anger gives me strength," Yang replied.
"True," Ichigo said. "But you can lose focus on everything around you. What I would advise is to try using your semblance without losing yourself in your anger."
Yang silently walked back to the side, followed by Ruby and Weiss. Blake stood there, wielding a large cleaver. Ichigo drew Kokugatsu and pointed it at Blake.
"I'll be the referee!" Ruby shouted. "The match will begin on my command. The match will end when your aura goes down to yellow," Blake said as a screen showed a picture of Ichigo and Blake, with a green bar beneath each image. "Three… Two… One… Start!"
Blake charged at Ichigo, attacking with a downward swing. Ichigo raised Kokugatsu and blocked the attack, but Blake quickly turned into shadows.
"A shadow clone?" Ichigo thought as Blake used the brief moment to launch a surprise attack from behind him. Ichigo turned around and blocked Blake's downward swing. Blake adjusted her grip, drawing her sword from the cleaver, revealing that she had used the sheath to attack him. She pointed her sword at Ichigo, and the guard and handle transformed into a pistol, firing at him. Ichigo cut the bullets with Kokugatsu. Blake charged again, using both her sword and sheath to strike. Despite her speed, Ichigo easily kept up.
Suddenly, Blake disappeared, leaving a clone made of Fire Dust, which exploded. Blake used the moment to recover, glancing at the screen and realizing she was getting close to yellow. Ichigo, on the other hand, was still in the green. The explosion from Blake's Fire Shadow was abruptly bisected by Ichigo, who seemed unaffected by the attack. Ichigo glanced at the screen before returning his gaze to Blake.
"Do you want to continue?" he asked.
"No. Not really," Blake replied, sheathing her sword.
"You don't have as many problems compared to the others," Ichigo admitted. "Though, I wonder if you could make your shadow clones more solid."
"I don't know," Blake admitted.
"Anyways, as a whole, this team has the potential to be strong," Ichigo said, pulling out his scroll. "Looks like our time's up."
"It's dinner time!" Ruby shouted.
"After we shower," Weiss replied. Team RWBIY left the combat room.
Scene Change: Headmaster's Office
One of the most notable features of Beacon Academy is its large tower, which looms over the other buildings. Known as Beacon Tower, it's surrounded by several green spheres of light, illuminating the area below. Situated beneath these lights is a circular room in grey-green tones, with intricate clockwork mechanisms on the chair, table, walls, and ceiling, made up of many interlocking cogs and gears. In the office sat Professor Ozpin and Professor Goodwitch, who had witnessed the fights between Ruby and Weiss, Ichigo and Yang, and Ichigo and Blake.
"He is impressive," Professor Goodwitch admitted.
"Indeed," Professor Ozpin replied.
"But did you find anything about him?" Professor Goodwitch asked.
"Unfortunately, no," Professor Ozpin said. "I sent his name and image to Theodore, Leonardo, and James, and none of them found any records from their academy."
"Do you believe he's one of her followers?" Professor Goodwitch asked.
"I… don't think so," Professor Ozpin replied. "But I believe we need to talk with him. Someone so young with that much power can tip the scales in our favor."
"Or shift the scales of our demise," Professor Goodwitch replied, pulling out her scroll. "I've messaged Ms. Rose and informed her that we requested Mr. Kurosaki after dinner."
"Good," Professor Ozpin replied, standing up to make himself a cup of coffee. When he returned, Professor Goodwitch was using her Semblance, Telekinesis, to clean up the room.
"Oh? Did something change?" Ozpin asked.
"Indeed. Mr. Kurosaki is coming here immediately," Professor Goodwitch said as she walked toward the elevator. "I'll greet him at the bottom of the tower."
"Okay, Glynda," Ozpin replied, sitting down and enjoying his coffee. A few minutes later, he heard a chime from the elevator. The doors opened, and Ichigo stepped out, accompanied by Professor Goodwitch.
"Good evening, Mr. Kurosaki," Professor Ozpin greeted, standing up.
"Good evening, Headmaster," Ichigo replied.
"Come sit," Professor Ozpin gestured to the seat in front of him. Ichigo walked over and sat down.
"What can I get you? Coffee? Tea? Water?"
"I'll take water," Ichigo replied. Ozpin grabbed a bottle of water from one of his drawers and placed it on the table.
"So, Mr. Kurosaki," Ozpin began, "I asked you to come up here because I'm curious about who you are." He pressed a button on his desk, and three holograms appeared. One showed Ichigo killing the Death Stalker and Nevermore, while the other two showed Ichigo against Yang and Blake. "Someone with that much power and skill wouldn't remain unknown… so how did you end up in the Emerald Forest?"
"I stepped out of a black portal," Ichigo replied.
"What?" Professor Ozpin questioned.
"I was exploring a forest in Anima when I stumbled upon a horde of Ursa and an unusual Grimm," Ichigo began. "The Grimm was long and thin. It used its hand to grab its middle and pull it open like a bag, creating what looked like a portal. The Ursa soon found me, and some of them entered the portal, while the remaining Ursa Major attacked me. I killed the Ursa Majors and tried to fight the Grimm, but it absorbed my attack. One of the Ursa tackled me into the portal, and when I arrived, there was no Ursa, but the long Grimm was there. I killed it easily since it couldn't defend itself." Ichigo lied, drawing on the knowledge he'd gained from Blake's books.
"Are you a nomad?" Professor Ozpin asked.
"I guess?" Ichigo replied. "My village was destroyed by a horde of Grimm when I was younger, so I did what I could to survive."
"So, you never went to school?" Ozpin asked.
"I learned as I traveled through Anima," Ichigo replied.
"I see…" Professor Ozpin said. "Anything else for you, Professor Ozpin?"
"No," Ozpin replied. Ichigo stood up, and Professor Goodwitch escorted him to the elevator. Ozpin returned to his coffee as he waited for Goodwitch to return. When she did, she sat down next to him. With a wave of her hand, she levitated a cup of hot tea to her and silently enjoyed it.
"So, Ozpin, do you think he's lying?" she asked.
"I'm… not sure," Professor Ozpin admitted. "His story would explain the sudden increase in Ursa sightings in the Emerald Forest."
"But you also doubt him?" Professor Goodwitch replied.
"I do," Ozpin admitted. "There's no way to verify his claims."
"But if Mr. Kurosaki's story is true, then it's alarming that she could create a Grimm capable of teleporting others across continents," Professor Goodwitch said.
"But for now, that Grimm requires a pair to work, and it cannot attack or defend itself," Ozpin replied.
"Shall I continue focusing surveillance on Team RWBIY?" Professor Goodwitch asked.
"Yes," Ozpin replied.
Scene Change: Team RWBIY Dorm
After a quick shower in the locker room, Team RWBIY headed to the cafeteria for dinner. Ruby, being her usual curious self, asked Ichigo what Professor Ozpin wanted with her. He replied with the same lie he told Ozpin, explaining his lack of awareness of certain things.
"Thank you, Chishiki, for preparing a cover story," Ichigo thought.
"It's no problem, Master Ichigo," Chishiki replied. "Most of the information was reliably available, except for the Grimm, which I decided to invent."
"Do you think it's a good idea to invent a new Grimm for him to worry about?" Ichigo asked.
"There was no other valid alternative to explain why you're not in their database," Chishiki replied.
"But I believe we should investigate the deteriorating soul at the bottom of the tower," Kyōka suggested.
"Valid," Ichigo thought. As Team RWBIY returned to their dorm room, the girls played rock-paper-scissors to decide the shower order, which ended up being Ruby, Yang, Weiss, and then Blake. Ichigo went into his room, where he found that all their teachers had assigned readings for the first day of school. Ichigo pulled out the books and began his reading.
"Were you able to find anything?" Ichigo asked Chishiki.
"I scanned all the fairy tales, myths, and legends I could find online, and I found a few that may be related," Chishiki said. Ichigo opened his scroll and reviewed the new files Chishiki had downloaded. The first file was titled The Twin Brothers. After reading it, Ichigo noticed the second file was named The Tale of the Two Brothers. He opened the file and read it.
"This is the creation story of the God of Light and the God of Darkness, who came into existence after Aizen's victory," Ichigo thought.
"They are also the ones who should be watching over this world," Chishiki added.
"If this story is true, then the Gods have abandoned this world," Ichigo thought.
"Not necessarily. Read the next two files," Chishiki suggested.
The third file was titled Tales of the Silver Eyes (3). Instead of one story, it contained shorter anecdotes of heroic Huntsmen and Huntresses who all had silver eyes. Ichigo reopened the two files to see depictions of the God of Light as a golden eastern-style dragon with silver eyes. The God of Darkness was depicted as a black western dragon with a white skull and red eyes.
"These silver-eyed warriors are the descendants of the God of Light?" Ichigo theorized.
"That is what I believe too. I found recent articles about famous Hunters and Huntresses with silver eyes," Chishiki said as Ichigo opened the folder titled Real Silver Eyes. Ichigo scanned the articles about famous Hunters and Huntresses with silver eyes, stopping at one in particular.
"Is this Ruby's mother?" Ichigo asked, looking at a photo of a woman who resembled Ruby.
"Based on the physical scan of Ruby Rose and the portrait of Summer Rose, it's a 70% match," Chishiki added. Ichigo continued to read through all the files Chishiki had downloaded for him. The files included public records about Ruby's, Weiss's, Blake's, and Yang's parents.
"So Blake is a Faunus, which is what this world calls humans with animal features," Ichigo thought.
"These Faunus may be distant relatives of Yōkai and other magical creatures," Chishiki theorized.
"Blake chose to wear a bow to cover her cat ears because she fears discrimination from her teammates if they find out she's a Faunus."
"And considering the Schnee Dust Company is known for its cruel treatment of Faunus workers and is the main target of the White Fang, Weiss would most likely not trust Faunus," Chishiki added.
"How should we make them talk about their feelings?" Ichigo thought. Suddenly, Ichigo heard a knock on his door.
"Come in," Ichigo called as he turned off his scroll. The door opened to reveal Ruby.
"What can I do for you?" Ichigo asked.
"I just wanted to say thank you for all the advice earlier," Ruby said.
"No problem," Ichigo replied. "It's the least I can do."
"Okay… Good night!" Ruby replied, closing the door behind her.
"Make sure you do your reading!" Ichigo shouted, chuckling as he heard Ruby groan from the other side.
"Now, back to the question at hand…" Ichigo thought.
"Master," Chishiki called. "We need more research before we decide on a course of action," Chishiki reminded him.
"Thank you," Ichigo replied, glancing at the clock to see it was already eleven o'clock. He turned off the lights and went to bed.
Well we started chapter 100 with a new Arc. See all of you next month! ,; (ง 🔥 ﾛ 🔥 )ง ;,
Author's notes:
(1) If you put Kurosaki in an English-to-Japanese translator and have it pronounce each version, you would hear an emphasis on different parts. Everyone and Ichigo used the English pronunciation of his name. Ozpin used the Japanese pronunciation of his name.
(2) Inspired by Cslucaris's fanart of Pyrrha working out at the gym.
(3) While there is no singular Fairy Tale about the Silver-Eyed Warriors, I decided to name it as such.