Hey there, everyone. To any of you who may have very unlikely read my most recently completed fic, Age of Adventure (Elden Ring/Goblin Slayer crossover), you may be rather surprised to already see me post the first chapter of a whole new fic. Trust me, it's as much of a surprise for me too, ha ha.

Alas, while this fic idea was one that had been brewing in my head for a fair few months by this point, in more recent weeks, additional ideas suddenly popped into my head in relation to this fic and before I knew it, I just had to commit to writing at least this first chapter. A series of 'Eureka!' moments, I suppose you could call it.

With that said, consider this first chapter something of a... tryst. That is, with how different this fic is shaping up to be in my mind, I honestly can't be sure if I will commit to writing it all out fully if the response turns out overwhelmingly negative.

My reason for saying that? Well, to be frank, this fic will have quite the number of OCs. Now, OCs are nothing truly new in my fics, especially not in my first RWBY-related fic (The Wolf Amongst the Sheep) which was jam packed full of OCs, but even so I feel I must caution all potential readers here in case they're not fans of OCs. Of course, I will be doing my best to make them entertaining in one way or another, but still I understand if that fact alone turns you guys away.

Additionally, Ozpin will be the MC of this fic, with his inner circle (Qrow, Glynda, Ironwood, etc.) getting quite the limelight as well. This is a major departure from my last RWBY fics which featured Jaune as the MC in both and the other teens as major side characters. As such, that is yet another reason I feel it may turn readers away since an older cast may not be to everyone's tastes, seinen fans not included. Also, the OCs I have planned will be playing very significant roles in this fic, especially one in particular so that is another 'fear' I have that may drive you all away.

But don't let my vaguely cynical commentary above wear you down – Salem and her faction WILL be playing a huge role in this as well, especially Salem herself later down the line. And of course, I plan to do Ozpin and the others justice by having them the competent individuals that I know they could have been in canon.

All in all, this fic is somewhat experimental – a new way of me doing fics going forward, at least as far as MCs and other things go. Hardly anything groundbreaking, especially not in this day and age, but I do like to think that my new fic here will appeal to at least a relative few of you.

…And on a random side note, damn, this may very well be the longest first chapter I have done and ever will do, ha ha. But hopefully it will do its job of getting some attention, especially since this is the first time in a few years that I will be dipping my toe back in the RWBY fanfiction zone.

So, without further ado, allow me to introduce to you officially my latest fic – Defining Purpose.

P.S. By all means, please buy my original novels online! Universal links to Fading Darkness, Rising Light and my Infinite Genesis trilogy can be found on my profile page, just remove the spaces. The novels can be found on a variety of sites for purchase as well such as Barnes & Noble, Amazon Kindle, Apple, and more.

P.P.S. Have also decided to try out actually naming my chapters now. Can't promise any particularly catchy titles or anything here, but please let me know what you think of this.

P.P.P.S. Given how long it's been since volume 6 was released, I'm writing this fic under the assumption you all know about Ozpin's and Salem's origins.

Defining Purpose chapter 1 – Brewing Mystery

Ozpin let out a weary sigh. He's been having trouble sleeping recently, so much so that it was a wonder he's yet to develop any dark circles around his eyes. Though perhaps his glasses would help cover it up.

That errant thought aside, he couldn't help but mull over the more recent events that have caused him such a headache.

It's been a few months now since the start of the new school year. And during this brief time, the first-year team RWBY and its sister team JNPR had gotten up to quite some… mischief… that had made them fairly well known amongst the student body and staff alike. 'Mischief' such as engaging Roman Torchwick and the White Fang in a fight at the docks and most recently fighting these very same foes again just this past week and a half ago, only this time with the infamous thief piloting a stolen Atlesian Paladin of all things. The battle had spilled from a warehouse onto the freeways and then onto the ground level, causing hundreds of thousands of lien minimum in property damage and putting criminals and civilians alike in the hospital for minor to severe injuries.

Thanks to some quick thinking on his part, he'd been able to craft a narrative for the public that had pinned the damage on the White Fang operatives and Torchwick himself, sparing the involved students the outcry that they would've received otherwise for their reckless endangerment of others and unsanctioned actions overall, especially that of one Blake Belladonna, whose checkered past had been known to him before she'd ever arrived at Beacon.

Alas, while this had helped further unite the public against the White Fang without losing support for Beacon Academy or the Atlas military, the council of Vale had been much chillier and demanding of the actual facts. This, combined with James going behind his back, had ended up getting him stripped of his rights to govern the security of the oncoming Vytal Festival, which had brought a plethora of students from the other academies to Beacon.

While a solid portion of these events can ultimately be traced back to his own involvement or lack of involvement in certain matters, it nonetheless made for a messy situation now…

…All the more so, with Amber having yet to show any true sign of recovering from her damaged state.

"We've been far too passive…" he murmured as he filled up on another cup of steaming hot cocoa.

As he drank deeply from it, he walked on over to the sheer glass wall of his office, looking past all the clocking mechanisms to get a glimpse of outside.

It was currently the weekend, Sunday to be precise. As was typical, a lot of students both from Beacon and abroad were using today as a day of rest… or laziness, according to Glynda. While a solid portion of students were likely relaxing within the sanctity of their dorms, the vast majority were right outside, simply milling and chatting away. Some had organized quiet little picnics, snacks and drinks aplenty while some of the more diligent ones ran laps or did simple outdoor exercises to keep their minds and bodies fresh.

The sight, while certainly beautiful to look upon – a reminder of what he has long since been fighting for – it was marred by the rather inconsiderate military presence James had brought with him. Even from here, he could see Atlas soldiers patrolling the campus, treating it as if it were a base back in Solitas.

…So much for James dialing back on his actions, Ozpin huffed silently. Granted, his longtime friend in this life had always been overzealous no matter the situation, but still. He supposed, however, that he should consider it a minor victory that at least the good general had managed to have his ships go elsewhere for the time being, allowing the clear sky to be visible in all its glory.

On his desk, his scroll beeped. Without even glancing at it, he reached over and tapped on it to answer the call, putting it on speaker as well.

"What is it, Glynda?" Only she would be calling him at a time like this.

"Ozpin," his deputy headmistress began, her usually terse voice sounding… off this time around. Already, she had his attention, but it was her next words that had him turning around to look at his scroll as if she were physically there. "You've a guest."

Ozpin quirked an eyebrow. He had no meetings scheduled at all today and the people that would try to approach him outside of scheduled events at least had the good manners to call ahead.

This was most unusual.

"Who has come knocking on our doors?" he asked as he took another sip.

"A mercenary," Glynda responded, her voice now somewhat distasteful. "…He's come here to make 'donation' as he described it to me. A very considerable donation to Beacon, to be precise. Check your scroll for the finer details there in a moment. But more than that…"

Glynda sighed. "…He also attempted to invoke Acceptance Via Combat."

Now that had Ozpin's eyes narrowing.

Back when the four kingdoms were barely getting started, there became a method of entry known exactly as that – Acceptance Via Combat, known then in a dead language as Acceptatio Per Pugnam. Because the Grimm were a massive threat at the time to any settlement of considerable size, it had become a necessary thing for the kingdoms to gain strong soldiers no matter the cost. Many had been enticed by growing riches or being wooed by certain individuals in the noble caste back then, which had led to the eventual formation of proper armed forces for each kingdom, at which point they no longer felt a need to swiftly take in any would-be soldiers or knights as they were known back then.

However, there had been those who insisted on entering the kingdoms one way or another, hoping to make better lives for themselves by joining the militaries back then and to this end, the kingdoms had established the aforementioned law where if an aspiring individual can prove their mettle in combat against one of the kingdom's best, then they would be accepted without question.

It was an ancient law that had long since fallen out of favor as the kingdoms grew and modernized… but was never officially undone.

For a mercenary of all people to invoke such a thing…

Ozpin remained quiet for a moment. Glynda, used to his moods, didn't raise her voice and waited patiently.

"Has he said anything else?" he eventually asked.

"Nothing of note," Glynda replied. "Other than that he'd very much like to test his might against you."

Ozpin hummed as he now quickly finished off his cup of cocoa, long used to being scalded by it.

Mercenaries differed from huntsmen in a handful of ways. Huntsmen, at least in the modern era, often tended to be graduates from one of the four academies, with official licenses backed by their rigorous educations in combat related fields and even some non-combat related ones so that they would be both skilled combatants and savvy people in everyday life, said savviness being a skill that many people tend to underestimate the usage of.

Mercenaries, in comparison, tended to be… well, they tended to be little more than unsanctioned bounty hunters and the like. Individuals typically without any formal training – at least, not on the level of licensed huntsmen – and were a very rough and tumble bunch that took any job, be it killing Grimm or hunting down other people because of bounties on their heads, as opposed to huntsmen who tended to focus on either Grimm or otherwise threats that standards forces such as police and soldiers were ill equipped to deal with.

It was a stereotypical image of mercenaries to be sure, found in all forms of media, but sadly stereotypes existed for a reason.

So, for one to come to Beacon and express knowledge about a law that only historians likely knew of…

Ozpin hummed yet again.

Was it some kind of ploy? A new trick by her of all people? Possibly, but unlikely – Salem had always made sure to pick very effective agents. As far as simple brutes and enforcers went, her agents could do that well enough and sending a lackey practically to his front door like this seemed ridiculous.

Still, it was an oddity that he's honestly never encountered before.

"Where are you at currently?"

"Over by the bullhead docks. I was alerted to this by one of our pilots when the man explained himself to them," Glynda explained. "…Shall we head over to you?"

"No." He grabbed the Long Memory that he'd placed upon his desk as well as his scroll. "I will head over to you. Keep this mystery man company until I get there… and I will review this donation you mentioned as well."

As Glynda replied in the affirmative, Ozpin rolled his shoulders.

…If nothing else, this could at least be a nice break from all the stress lately.

Several minutes go by. Several long minutes, to be precise.

Glynda Goodwitch, a veteran huntress and deputy headmistress of Beacon Academy, wasn't one to be tense often yet here she was, feeling just that.

And it was all because of the man standing just a bit away from her.

Out of the corner of her eyes, she took his measure.

He looked to be in his late 20s with sharp and youthful facial features that would give most people the idea that he was in his early 20s instead. Combined with his surprisingly long hair tied into a high ponytail of all things and shockingly refined countenance, one would think him to be a young modern day warrior king or at least warrior prince. His hair, which was a very pale blond that bordered on white, contrasted heavily with the deep blue hue of his eyes, which only added to this image.

However, said imagery was in quite the contrast with his clothes, the sort of look that Glynda did typically associate with mercenaries. Black well-worn shoes scuffed and all. Loose dark grey pants fastened by a belt and some straps that were likely meant to hold additional items and equipment, grungy in appearance as if he was used to getting them torn up in the field along with what appeared to be a long sleeve shirt that was mixture of black and light grey that framed his surprisingly muscular and defined physique. To top this off, he had on an old black coat that had seen better days. The only thing about his apparel that looked relatively new were his fingerless gloves.

Further compounding the contrast his appearance made for was his weapon that he held, a beautifully designed obsidian blade with what appeared to be blue stone that matched the color of his eyes embedded in it. Though the blade itself was as long as a greatsword's, it was fairly thin, and the handle looked more suited to a much lighter blade. Moreover… the blade, while clearly a beautiful weapon, was not like the weapons used nowadays, utterly lacking in any mechanical features. A 'classic,' to use the word that her student Ruby Rose attributed to such weapons, Jaune Arc's Crocea Mors being the only other example that came to mind here.

"Enjoying your day so far?" the man asked out of the blue, a polite and friendly smile on his face. He gripped his weapon firmly but not threateningly, instead perfectly content to treat it almost like a cane with how he had it placed before him.

"As far as could be," Glynda replied after a few seconds of hesitating. This man gave off an odd air and not just because of his dichotomy of an appearance. Still, she supposed it wouldn't hurt to have a little small talk. Anything to kill the time until Ozpin got here. "And yourself?"

He chuckled. "Oh, I'm enjoying it as much as could be… and if you'll forgive me for saying so, but I do believe you make my day even better." He shot her quite the stare, piercing but no unkind.

Once more, Glynda felt odd here. It didn't feel like some random pick-up line or anything of the like. The man genuinely meant it in as non-sexual a way as was possible. Yet another thing to chalk up to his off-kilter existence.

"And it will only get even better once the headmaster himself arrives." The man smirked. "Indeed, it will be the highlight of my day."

"Speaking of which… why did you know of such an ancient law?" Glynda decided to ask. She figured he'd explain his reasoning for wanting to test his mettle against Ozpin in a bit, when the headmaster himself was here. "It's hardly something you'd hear about."

"In other words, something a random mercenary shouldn't really know about." He stated, only to chuckle again at the expression she then made. "I'm well aware of the bad reputation people in my line of work have, deputy headmistress. But I can assure you that we're not all uncouth. But to answer your question, I've quite the interest in history. It's how our current era came to be… and I love learning all about it."

"I see…" Glynda trailed off as she adjusted her glasses. "So you read up on it then? Rather bold of you to assume, however, that it was still official law."

His seemingly perpetual smile turned lightly sheepish. "It was never mentioned in Vale's handbook that it was now defunct, so it was admittedly a small risk on my part… but it was risk more than worth taking."

…This man was truly looking forward to a match with Ozpin of all people.

"All well and good, but you chose an odd time to come and issue such a challenge." Glynda now looked at him in full. "What with the Vytal Festival all but around the corner, you're lucky he decided to take time out of his schedule to even entertain meeting you face to face."

Given his personality, Glynda felt it best to just be honest rather than keep playing the part of a relatively quiet and demure woman. She had the feeling he'd appreciate her candor.

Sure enough, her comment got a genuine laugh out of him. "I'd say my 'donation' to the academy was what really earned me his attention."

He wasn't entirely wrong. After all, the man had electronically donated 100,000 lien. Even if he earned a lot off bounties and saved up, to just spend that much in an endeavor like this and so readily too was something that would take anyone aback, let alone her.

Glynda faintly heard some all too familiar footsteps approach.

"Then let's see if you can keep his attention," she said before finally turning to face Ozpin who now just arrived.

Both headmaster and deputy headmistress shared a look that spoke far more quickly and succinctly than words aloud ever could. A microscopic nod was exchanged.

"So, you are the one who's decided to make today so unique, yes?" Ozpin began as he now looked at the man, a light twinkle of amusement in his eyes as he neared. "All things considered, I suppose there are far worse ways of making my intended day of rest go off the rails."

Like Glynda had, Ozpin had chosen to be far more direct and even snarky with the man, sensing him to be the sort that accepted such candor.

The man's smile grew. "And I hope I can make your day even better… in my own special way, of course." The man inclined his head deeply in greeting, surprising both of them. "Veratyr. That is my name. It's a great honor to meet you, headmaster. Feel free to refer to me as Vera or Tyr. Whichever suits you best."

"…Hmm. Well met, Tyr," Ozpin replied. "Quite the name you have there."

"Where I'm from, we tend to follow the old ways to a point," Veratyr explained. "From before the war."

"Interesting," Ozpin muttered.

As Glynda watched the exchange, she folded her arms under her chest and tried to foresee how this would play out. Veratyr's physique was noticeably more muscular than Ozpin's whereas Ozpin was perhaps a hair or two taller than the younger man. However, such physical factors alone wouldn't decide a hypothetical fight between them, especially not when there were various other things to consider.

Still, that strangeness she's been detecting…

She kept on watching, alert for anything that was truly amiss.

"Let's dispose of the niceties for now," Ozpin now said, shifting onto the main topic. "You've donated a considerable amount of money to Beacon. And all for a chance of Acceptance Via Combat from me?"

Veratyr's smile changed in quality somehow. "I assumed my request alone wouldn't garner your attention strongly enough to accept it, hence the lien. And to be perfectly honest, it wasn't as if I was intending to spend it all on something else, so it is of little loss to me in the long run."

"A fair point. Still, it is more than a little unusual. What do you have to gain from a match with me?"

"Is it not common for people like me to want to see how well we compare to one of the greatest modern warriors around?" Veratyr asked rhetorically.

Ozpin raised an eyebrow. "That is not your only reason for this."

Veratyr tilted his head, his gaze taking on a more serious gleam now. "I want to learn. About myself. About others. About the rest of the world. Only then can I finally figure out just what I want to do with myself… is that not what you strive to help your own students with?"

Glynda bit her lips at his words.

He wasn't wrong. It wasn't simply enough to just teach students combat tactics and skills or help them further hone their innate abilities. It was also important as teachers to be able to help students figure out what they truly wish to get out of life and help them achieve it. Those who learn why they chose the path of being a huntsman or huntress are vastly more likely to grow and succeed than those who merely do this because it was expected of them or was just acting on a mere whim.

And she could tell that Ozpin was thinking along similar lines as well.

"That aside," Veratyr continued, becoming a bit more like how he was a moment ago. "I think it would do the students here some good to see you in action – a way of motivating them to reach for greater heights. Especially poignant since, as has been pointed out, the Vytal Festival is rapidly approaching."

Ozpin closed his eyes, deliberating. He did so for so long that Glynda actually felt some measure of concern.

Then finally…

"Very well then," he began. "Shall we take this elsewhere?"

The joy in Veratyr's eyes was beyond immeasurable.

Intrigue and a bit of whimsy had been what had compelled Ozpin to accept this challenge. Not even he was immune to stress and sometimes it was best to just move the body around to burn it off.

Veratyr. A rather odd name for an equally odd man. A mixture of various traits that almost seemed at a clash with one another yet still worked in harmony…

…He had an enigmatic air about him, something that felt both familiar and alien to the headmaster. It put him at ease but also set him mildly on edge.

Hmm, perhaps this duel would answer the questions that now brewed within his mind.

A handful of minutes go by from when he accepted the challenge up until now. By now, the numerous students from both Beacon and abroad had cottoned on to the presence of himself and Veratyr walking about. The once peaceful Sunday was now brewing with excitement as the students observed the two men make their way to the Emerald Forest, where initiation was always held in.

Though Ozpin had done little to hide what was going on, he couldn't help but huff as the two of them effortlessly leapt from the cliff and into said forest, walking in silence towards a more open area.

By the time they reached an open plain, near where team RWBY and JNPR had faced off against a Nevermore and Deathstalker respectively, Glynda had already brought up some cameras. Off in the relatively far distance, the drones used to monitor initiates were silently whirring about, ready to catch their duel in full and broadcast it live on the students' scrolls.

It was perhaps a touch overbearing in a way; having all this attention on a duel, regardless of the reason for it, seemed a bit much. However, as Veratyr had pointed out, it may serve the students some good to see what it meant to fight at a higher level of combat. And of course, as was always the case in these Acceptance Via Combat challenges, it always served the challenger well to have witnesses to vouch for them in case of any issues cropping up. With the development of technology, this became easier to do thanks to cameras and the like.

"Seems we'll have to put on quite the performance," Veratyr commented as he gazed at one of the drones. "Shouldn't be an issue."

"You've a high level of confidence," Ozpin noted. And Veratyr most certainly did… and for good reason. Simply by observing his gait, Ozpin could determine an approximate level of experience of his opponents.

Self-taught and very experienced, the headmaster observed. Easily on the level of a professional huntsman… but to what degree, that he didn't know just yet.

"I believe I have reason to be. But in any case…"

Veratyr drew his weapon properly now, raising his blade in a salute. It was the exact same salute required of combatants to perform prior to such duels. It was one Ozpin himself had seen numerous times in his past lives.

…It was nostalgic.

Ozpin did the same with the Long Memory, his meticulously crafted cane serving in place of a blade.

"May we fight well," Ozpin said.

"May we fight well," Veratyr echoed. The man's expression and tone remained unchanged from before, seemingly treating this entire affair lightly… but the look in his eyes said otherwise. "I greatly look forward to what you can truly do, Ozma."

Ozma. The name was spoken so casually, without even the slightest bit of emphasis on it, that it took Ozpin nearly a whole second to comprehend what was just uttered.

He froze up-.

-And Veratyr immediately went on the attack.

The much younger man closed the distance in a heartbeat, feinting a swing towards his neck only to then strike true at Ozpin's legs. The headmaster flicked his cane downwards, catching the swing at the last possible second. But as inferred by his build, Veratyr proved to be very physically strong, strong enough that Ozpin couldn't fully stop the attack and had to instead leap away.

Veratyr gave chase and now swung upwards, using his weapon's noticeably longer reach to his advantage. Ozpin twisted to the side to avoid it before deflecting it outright with the Long Memory. But all that did was cause the young man to spin about and then jump a scant few inches off the ground and bring his sword around in an arc to execute a downwards swing.

Ozpin raised his cane and blocked the strike before then leaning his own weapon to the side, allowing Veratyr's blade to slide off. The mercenary promptly closed in for a shoulder check, only for Ozpin to respond in kind, the two slamming against each other with equal force.

"How do you-?" Ozpin began, only to be cut off as Veratyr suddenly backed away and sliced at the ground harshly, sending up chunks of grass and earth at him.

In a burst of speed, Ozpin avoided the debris and then rushed in. With the most minimal movements possible, honed over literal lifetimes, he thrust the Long Memory a dozen times at Veratyr. His sudden speed burst took the mercenary aback it seemed, for the first two thrusts landed on his left pectoral and sternum, but then he adapted by way of bringing his right forearm up and using it to swat aside the remaining thrusts.

Veratyr thrust out his own sword following the end of Ozpin's offensive, aiming for the headmaster's liver. But Ozpin pivoted to the side to dodge and then swung his cane like how a sword would be swung – only for Veratyr to change the direction of his attack, turning the thrust into a swing that clashed with the cane.

Ozpin was lightly blown back, skidding across the ground but he was far from done, far from even getting warmed up. He feinted a charge forward, only to then put on yet another burst of speed that allowed him to immediately get behind Veratyr and launch an elbow strike.

The hit connected but Veratyr rolled forward on impact, mitigating the damage as he simply got back up on his face. That smile of his was still in place. If anything, it had somehow grown, clearly impressed and hungry for more.

Ozpin, for his part, narrowed his eyes and for more than just one reason. This young man's impossible knowledge of his original name aside, the few hits he'd landed on Veratyr felt… off. Not even with all his lifetimes of experience could he immediately figure out why this was the case, but he just knew something was not quite right here. But he did know he'd inflicted at least a little damage.

Veratyr's expression turned serious now, his blade glowing a deep blue hue that matched his eyes. Said glow lasted but an instant before he sliced ahead of him, unleashing pure aura as a shockwave across the ground, tearing up the entire area. Ozpin was left with no choice but to jump directly over it – and right into Veratyr's attack range, the man having jumped as well.

But Ozpin had anticipated this and twirled promptly, avoiding a diagonal cut and slamming intentionally into Veratyr's midsection. He then wrapped himself around Veratyr in a modified grapple courtesy of their midair position – only for Veratyr to flip about so that when they landed, Ozpin would take the brunt of the impact.

Suffering damage for the first time in this duel(?), Ozpin felt his aura shudder from the blow, leaving him mildly disoriented. Said disorientation only grew when Veratyr then slammed an elbow directly into his face, but Ozpin instinctively shoved him off and rolled away, swinging the Long Memory at Veratyr and catching him in the side of his ribs.

Swiftly getting up, Ozpin got in close and launched a knee strike that connected against the mercenary's left arm – his dominant arm considering he favored holding his blade in it. This strike caused his grip to weaken and Ozpin took this opportunity to literally swat the blade out of his hand, but Veratyr easily retaliated with a spin and masterful body blow that took the air right out of Beacon's headmaster.

Letting out a wheeze, Ozpin nonetheless was able to bring his arms up to block the following blow that would've landed directly against his temple. But rather than try to gain some distance, Ozpin stubbornly remained close and tried to stomp on Veratyr's outstretched foot. He proved successful, eliciting a wince from the man, but Veratyr had been able to slide his foot back a little bit, preventing himself from being properly pinned in place. This gave him the chance to ultimately back away from Ozpin, but Ozpin went from initially being on the defensive in this fight to now being on the offensive.

His opening move was bringing in the Long Memory for a blow across the jaw, an attack that Veratyr just barely dodged by turning his head to the side and slightly upwards. The mercenary then had to bring his arm up for a forearm block against the downwards swing Ozpin performed with the Long Memory, the strike packing enough force to crater the ground below them. It also forced down Veratyr's forearm and left him open for a jab to his chest which was then followed by a burst of speed from Ozpin that saw this same fist land a hook across the man's jaw that couldn't be dodged this time. A second knee strike followed, hitting Veratyr in the crotch and making him curl in on himself, though to the young man's credit, this blow didn't seem to stagger and hurt him as much as it would have against anyone else.

Finally, focusing a bit of aura into the Long Memory, Ozpin brought his cane upwards and striking him in the jaw hard enough to make his head snap back – only for Veratyr to outright backflip and kick a portion of the ground at him.

Ozpin tapped into semblance – a manipulation of his own internal time. Though time was how it functioned, in practice, it was akin to a speed boost. Using this, he rapidly struck a path through the huge chunks of rubble, hoping to prevent his younger foe from picking up his blade again, which had landed by.

However, much to Ozpin's surprise, Veratyr instead held up some random pebbles that he'd just picked up… and they were now charged with aura. The pebbles were thrown with such force that it was akin to a shotgun, only on a greater scale. The pebbles exploded with immense force as they neared Ozpin, forcing him to retreat lest his aura take a huge hit. He noted that the pebbles didn't explode at random but rather in a pattern. If he had to take a guess, Veratyr is able to select which ones should explode first, hinting at a level of aura control that was truly abnormal since it wasn't something often done by anyone with their aura unlocked.

Could this really just be refined aura control, however? Or was it due to a semblance of some kind? It didn't feel like it could be the latter, but it wasn't something that could be ruled out for now.

In any case, Ozpin's retreat had granted Veratyr more than enough time to pick up his blade again and hoist it straight up, an enormous amount of power being concentrated within it at a rapid pace.

And then the man swung downwards as if he were a god about to smite a poor soul.

From atop the cliffs, Glynda watched through both the cameras and her own eyes with genuine worry. This was a stark contrast to all the students and even staff that had rapidly gathered to witness the duel.

…No, calling this a duel anymore felt wrong. If it was simply a matter of testing his mettle, then Veratyr had passed with flying colors from the first few seconds alone. Though Ozpin wasn't one to fight on the frontlines nowadays due to his position as headmaster, it was widely acknowledged that he was easily the best huntsman around or at the very least is one of the very best. This was just another way of saying that it was highly uncommon for just anyone to stroll on up and be able to match him at all.

"Damn it…" she murmured beneath her breath, the two words lost amongst all the cheering and whooping everyone else was doing as they watched either on their scrolls or with their own eyes directly.

Though many of the students here were definitely talented – they had to be in order to make it into any of the academies – they were still obviously young and therefore inexperienced. Thus, they likely hadn't caught the way Ozpin had frozen up at the very start of the duel nor how he had been on the defensive at first.

The drones had been too far away to catch whatever was said, but Veratyr had clearly said something that had caused her friend to go so deathly still.

Her feelings of something amiss were evidently justified. By all rights, she should end this duel and help Ozpin get to the bottom of whatever this developing situation is.

What held her back, however, was that in spite of what was going on, the duel itself had yet to turn truly deadly. Sure, they may have gone for strikes to vital spots, but there'd been no truly malicious intent involved… yet. And if the mercenary truly meant Ozpin genuine harm, doing so in front of so many witnesses would be a ludicrous idea.

And so, as she watched a blade of pure aura form and come crashing down hard enough to shake the entire Emerald Forest, Glynda could only bite her lip in the hopes that Ozpin wouldn't let things go too far.

But as Veratyr's attack missed and he swung sideways now with that same aura sword, the blonde started to wish that at least the two wouldn't level the whole forest by the end of this duel… it would make performing initiation in the future unreasonably difficult to do since it was a staple of this academy's history.

With just a small bit of luck, Ozpin was able to dodge those two mighty strikes, which had cleared away a notable section of the forest around them. It left him feeling just a smidge annoyed and for reasons he couldn't even really identify still.

But he did know that he couldn't let Veratyr perform attacks like that again, especially not when it seemed like he could still keep going despite using amounts of aura that would have drained others.

Once more calling upon his semblance, he put on a huge burst of speed and charged directly at Veratyr. He readied his cane for a single thrust, pouring all his strength and mounting momentum into it.

Veratyr, clearly seeing the obvious move coming, chose to counter with a thrust of his own, his obsidian blade coating itself with aura in order to match his attack.

Said thrust collided perfectly against one another, blowing holes through rows of trees for meters on end behind one another while both combatants remained unharmed. However, that wasn't to say they were completely fine; the two were straining against one another fiercely. Neither one gave ground.

But this stalemate lasted merely a split second before both broke away and then closed in again. Veratyr swung his blade at an upwards angle, only for Ozpin to slide past him and yank on his ponytail in a modified over the shoulder throw – only for Veratyr to have seen the move coming and instead lean forward with great force, Ozpin being the one thrown into the air instead if only by a few feet.

This still left him open to a powerful left punch that caught him in the side of the face, making him slam and bounce off the ground like a rock across water, but when Veratyr closed in for a horizontal slice, Ozpin called upon his power to form a barrier around him that took the blow for him. The slice still batted him away, but it was in a controlled motion that allowed him to land safely on the ground.

Veratyr closed in, sword at the ready. Once more making use of its longer reach, he went for another feint with it looking like he was aiming for Ozpin's side before then switching up towards his armpit. To the young man's visible surprise, Ozpin opted to not dodge but instead catch the blade itself by slamming an elbow against it and trapping it against his side. He then pulled Veratyr in close for a headbutt to the nose, only for Veratyr to then respond in kind.

The two broke away and swung their respective weapons at the exact same time…

…Resulting in yet another stalemate. The very tip of Ozpin's cane was pressed right against the center of Veratyr's throat while the man's sword was resting directly against Ozpin's bare skin, specifically the side of his temple, next to his eyes. If Ozpin jabbed forward even a little, he'd crush the Adam's apple of the mercenary. If Veratyr followed through on his swing, his blade coated with deceptively concentrated aura, he'd cut Ozpin's head clean in two.

Thus, this stalemate marked the end of their duel and both of them knew it.

Veratyr chuckled, completely unmindful of the Long Memory resting against his throat. "…Splendid. No, it was magnificent. And to think you've yet to go all out."

"Likewise," Ozpin muttered.

Indeed, Ozpin could have pushed both his body and semblance to greater limits. Plus there was his weapon's secret as well.

But in turn, he could tell that Veratyr had been holding back some tricks as well. What those tricks are, the headmaster couldn't fathom in the slightest, but he knew they couldn't be pleasant.

Finally lowering their weapons, the cheers and applause of their audience could now be heard even from here. Despite their duel being a brief event, it clearly lived up to whatever expectations had been established.

However, both of them paid the applause little mind.

"…How do you know my name?" Ozpin questioned.

"I'm afraid that is something that must remain a secret for now," replied Veratyr. "But do know this – I mean no harm to you. If anything, I'd like to help."

"For what purpose?"

Veratyr's smile, already enigmatic, now became truly unreadable. "Now that is the question now, isn't it?" He then paused, his smile dimming as he now looked off into the distance. "…Despite saying I'm here to help, there are still things that must be done before I can directly get involved in your affairs. But know this much, headmaster… I'm very much on the side of humanity."

"Then why do all this?" Ozpin's mind was a whirlwind of thoughts right now, so much so that he couldn't really focus on anything else. The incidents with the White Fang and Roman Torchwick's involvement… the still unknown plans of Salem… and now this.

Just what was it all leading to?

"To bring your attention to something brewing behind the scenes," Veratyr began cryptically. "…You're about to be quite the popular one. To avoid any additional surprises such as myself, I'd recommend looking into matters both within and outside of Vale."

"Just what do you-?"

Veratyr's smile returned in full force, this time with some mirth in it. "Aren't you the one who's so found of fairy tales?"

Ozpin fell silent and remained silent even as his scroll, having survived the duel in one piece, began to buzz. Glynda was calling.

…

…

…

The rest of the day goes by in a blur. Against his better judgement, he let Veratyr leave Beacon Academy without any fuss. It helped that the man had all but literally said they would meet again.

…He can't claim to be looking forward to their next encounter.

In the time between the duel's end and now, he'd been stuck having to all but fight off the students and staff that had hounded him about the duel in addition to getting back to work as headmaster. And it was only now as night began to fall that he was able to finally have the time needed to fully process the dialogue exchanged with Veratyr.

"Just what could it even mean?" asked Glynda, seated across from him within his office. She'd been informed of the words he and Veratyr had spoken to each other and she was naturally rattled. Given how tightlipped they all were about Ozpin's past, it was virtually impossible for Veratyr to have obtained such personal information.

Not even Glynda nor the others in his inner circle truly knew his past beyond him being cursed with reincarnation. Even now, all he had really mentioned to Glynda was that Veratyr knew of his circumstances and of a threat that had yet to be noticed otherwise.

His original name as Ozma was still a secret he'd take with him to the end of time, a secret that only Salem and now Veratyr knew.

"That is the million lien question as many would say," Ozpin murmured.

"I'm surprised you didn't have him followed as he left," Glynda commented.

Ozpin actually huffed. "I've a feeling doing so would be fruitless. But so long as he remains in Vale, watching him through CCTV should suffice until he leaves… assuming he doesn't simply leave the kingdom before tonight's end."

Glynda's expression turned dour. The blonde was in equal parts agreement and disagreement with his logic here. He couldn't blame her.

But besides that…

"Fairy tales…" Ozpin whispered as he turned around in his chair.

Those words carried far more implications than anyone could imagine. And at the same time, the words were also so terribly vague. Fairy tales could refer to something of minor note… or something of immense importance.

Whatever the case is, he knew now that something had to be done. As jumbled as his thoughts may be from recent times, the headmaster knew at least this much now:

The time for being reactionary was over. Now was the time to go on the move.

And there we go. Really, really hope you all enjoy that to some extent.

Now then, some additional info, particularly regarding Veratyr himself.

First of all, he's pretty much a hodgepodge of various traits from different characters that I either like or otherwise felt relevant to his creation. In terms of his physical appearance, think of Helios Alpha from Silverio Trinity… yeah, in case you can't tell, Helios is one of my favorite characters ever. Sue me. The only real differences between them physically is that Veratyr's hair is much lighter in color, his eyes considerably a deeper shade of blue and with more youthful and sharper but friendlier facial features.

As for his clothes, he's basically wearing a more ragged version of Decadus' clothes from Drakengard 3 minus that huge gauntlet of his and with just a different color scheme.

And if you happen to be playing the Shadow of the Erdtree DLC (epic as all hell, by the way, really loving it!), then you may recognize his weapon as Rellana's Twin Blades, specifically the black and blue one. It's a very regal weapon that is capable of both great elegance and violence as is befitting him and her for that matter.

And finally, for his personality, I vaguely based him off a combination of Glenfarth von Veratyr from Silverio Ragnarok and Otto Apocalypse from Honkai Impact 3rd… and if you know of these two particular characters, you would be justified in feeling a smidge worried for the future events of this fic, heh.

Ah, and as for why I chose near the beginnin of Vol. 2 to begin this fic in? Well, to be frank, I'm kind of tired of most RWBY fics starting at either the beginning of Vol. 1 or even just prior to the events of Vol. 1 entirely, at least in my experience. Plus, this better works with what I've planned so far for this fic.

With all that said, while he will be the primary OC of this fic, he will not be the only one. The other OCs will be having their fair share of attention and development alongside the canon characters. In what ways, well… you'll see. Assuming this fic gets a positive enough response.

That being said, the next chapter won't be up for quite some time – I've work and school to fret over, plus I'm currently obsessed as hell with the Elden Ring DLC during my free time, so don't be too surprised if one or two months go by in between each update. Hope you guys will understand.

Anyways, that's about it for now that I can think of that requires addressing. Once again, may this fic pique your interest.

Until next time, everyone. Take care.