A/N: Before we begin, I saw the comments regarding the previous chapter, and suffice it to say, it made everyone lose their collective shit from that last scene with Ruby.

To be clear; no, I will not give Ruby The Almighty of all things. That is the pinnacle of Bleach powers; to give it to Ruby would be the most stupid thing on my part. However, all of you can deduce that she has some connection to the Soul King, which means she will have a power unique only to her and her people.

Well, I guess I shouldn't leave you all hanging and proceed with the chapter.

Chapter 5: The Essence of Combat

Despite everything he experienced, Kensei Muguruma believed that Remnant was a strange place. Some oddities in this world weren't found in his homeland. That was to be expected though. Instead, what truly intrigued him were the concepts and practices prevalent in his home that have derivatives here. The very concept of Aura was an extremely limited knowledge of Spiritual Energy—one where its full potential is underutilized. However, what truly caught his, and his comrades' attention, were the creatures of the Grimm.

They are very reminiscent of the monsters they were sworn to battle, what with their white masks and the unmistakable feeling they give off. That said, the Grimm were extremely lacking in constitution compared to their more dangerous counterparts. Sure, the older Grimm gets, the more powerful they become, but they don't carry the same level of danger Hollows do. They remain inherently animalistic even if they slowly gain some form of intelligence. Hollows, on the other hand, evolve to levels where they pose threats on a higher sphere. He and the others know this since they've dealt with ones that can wipe out continents in an afternoon.

"I think we're getting closer," his companion, Sajin Komamura, noted. "I can feel a slight change in the flow of Spiritual Energy."

"Same here," Kensei replied. "Seems like Raven's tip was spot on."

Currently, the former military officers-turned-teachers were investigating a lead from their informant. The bandit leader provided them with intel on some suspicious activities in a forest near the borders of Vale and Vacuo. This is connected to the disappearances Raven has spoken of, but it was more on the anomalous number of Grimm that are spawning there. Seeing the chance to understand more about these creatures, their group decided that the situation warranted an investigation with Sajin and Kensei volunteering.

The two Beacon instructors eventually arrived at the site. It was thanks to Raven sending the coordinates to their scrolls that they managed to find this place. Immediately, the air felt different; suffused by a familiar sensation of corrupted Spiritual Energy. They followed the Reiatsu to its source, the twisted feeling slowly increasing until they eventually arrived at a horrific sight.

A pile of bones surrounded a black pit filled with bubbling black tar.

Sajin growled at the sight. "These people must be the missing huntsmen and academy students Raven mentioned."

"You know, my belief that the headmaster of Mistral is in cahoots with Ozpin's secret nemesis might just be correct," Kensei voiced. "Is this what I think it is?" he asked. He stepped closer to the pool for a closer look.

"I think so," Sajin answered. "It has all the characteristics of the ones Captain Kurotsuchi in his laboratory."

Kensei dipped a finger into the pond, wetting his appendage, and brought it closer to him. With scrutinizing eyes, he observed the inky substance running down his fingertip. After careful examination, he flicked it off him and turned to his partner. "No doubt about it; it's the ancient tar that flowed in the darkest depths of Hueco Mundo."

"The very same substance that birthed some of the strongest Hollows," Sajin added with narrowed eyes. "This is concerning. How come this tar, which originates from our world, ended up here?"

"I don't know, Sajin. The only reason we have that back at Seireitei was that botched expedition into the lowest depths of Hueco Mundo which was even before our time."

"…In a place far deeper than the Forest of Menos. If this is a spawning pool for Grimm, then it stands to reason that the creatures of the Grimm are an offshoot of Hollows."

"But with key differences just as we observed."

"Yes. The fact that they are weaker compared to Hollows is one thing, but they also disperse once killed. They're more like spiritual constructs than actual living beings."

"I agree—wait, can you feel that?" Kensei suddenly asked; his attention returned to the vile black pool. "I can sense Hollow Reiatsu from the pool but I'm picking up something else mixed in there."

Komamura took heed of his ally's words and probed the tar for unfamiliar energies. He detected it; a foreign energy much like Reishi but different. "I sense it. Whatever it is, it may be why the Grimm aren't the same as Hollows."

"I agree," Kensei nodded. "Should we get a sample of this?"

"I see no need. We already know the properties of the tar thanks to our time serving the Court Guard, so I think it's best to destroy this and decrease the chances of more Grimm wreaking havoc throughout both Vale and Vacuo."

Kensei agreed. Taking out his "combat" knife, he was about to perform the needed ritual to cleanse the area when he and the wolfman sensed an enemy presence. He quickly raised his knife and blocked a dust bullet, deflecting it to the side.

Sajin unsheathed his sword and aimed it in the direction of the gunshot. "We know you're there. Why don't you and your friend come out?"

A few tense seconds of silence passed until, out of the trees, a man lunged at Kensei. He was a scorpion Faunus with a menacing tail aimed at the combat instructor. Right behind him was a tall and bulky man charging at Sajin, whose body was radiating a familiar power.

"Is that Dust in his system!?" both instructors thought.

The anthropomorphic wolf braced himself. A brief contact with the cold and a fist collided with his raised forearms as he was pushed back, albeit barely. The assailant didn't stop his assault and continued sending a barrage of Dust-infused punches. Luckily, the large man who was close to him in height wasn't much of a threat as he weaved through the flurry of ice-coated fists.

Kensei was holding his own against his opponent. His foe flung himself at him in a barrage of crazed kicks, fists, and the occasional lashing out of his scorpion tail. Unlike the bigger man whom Sajin was fighting, his enemy fought like a madman, swinging wildly at him with psychotic eyes hungering for his pain.

Sadly, for the scorpion Faunus, his attacks weren't connecting with the Beacon instructor. Kensei saw an opening and capitalized, grabbing the scorpion-tailed assailant's arm before elbowing him in the sternum. The wind knocked out of his foe, he then lifted him and slammed the Faunus on the ground.

Sajin ducked under another icy fist before countering with a palm strike to his enemy's chest. The tall man staggered, unable to see a swift kick to his temple that sent his head to the dirt.

"You think I'm going to let you defile the mistress' creations!?" In a maniacal frenzy, the scorpion Faunus attacked Kensei again.

The large man followed behind, engaging Komamura now with veins glowing red.

"This is getting annoying." In his displeasure, Kensei took his combat knife from its sheath. "Blow them away, Tachikaze."

Sensing something, the madman leaped away as the white-haired instructor slashed the air. Ripples of wind condensed into thin lines, all dancing in the air and crisscrossing forward.

The man Sajin was fighting stopped and looked at his partner.

Everything was silent until some creaking sounds coming from the trees were heard. It was then followed by cracks as the trees all fell one by one.

…And no; it wasn't just a dozen or so trees cut, but an entire acre of the forest was rendered bald.

The scorpion Faunus looked shocked at the display of power. As far as he's concerned, no Semblance has ever been recorded which could do something like this!

The other assailant was just as flabbergasted, if not more so. Doing something like this would be akin to performing magic. However, none of their targets could perform magic, that much was certain.

Yes, it wasn't magic… but something else.

"Hadō #33: Sōkatsui."

Had his reaction been a little late, he would've been burned alive when pale blue ethereal flames erupted from the wolf Faunus' hand. It surged forward, burning everything in its path and incinerating a large chunk of the forest into charred remains before quickly fading.

It was there that the burly man realized they were no match against these two Beacon individuals. If they can perform feats that only their mistress can do, then it stands to reason that they will be defeated.

There was only one logical choice…

"Tyrian, we must retreat!" he said. His partner looked at him and scoffed.

"I won't be leaving until these heretics are dead, Hazel!"

"They'll have us dead! We can't win against people who can do what the mistress can!"

"He's right, you know," Kensei said coolly. "If we wanted to, we could've killed you anytime."

The scorpion Faunus, now identified as Tyrian, glanced at Kensei and Sajin before looking back at the man known as Hazel. There was some hesitation, but he reluctantly conceded, joining the Dust-infused brawler in their escape from the two Beacon instructors.

Now left alone by their attackers, Kensei and Sajin looked returned to the pool of Grimm tar to cleanse this place of it.

"Was it wise to let them go?"

Kensei was crouching down, knife in hand with its tip already in the pool when he stared at Sajin with a raised eyebrow. "Doesn't matter. If they did report us to this 'mistress' of theirs, they'll just think we're a third party."

Sajin nodded. "True, but they will be weary of us from now on. I hope it doesn't impede us from accomplishing our objectives."

"In a way, it will." Kensei let his energy course through his knife and into the Grimm pool. A ripple raced through the surface of the tar before it dissolved into motes of black particles. With the black liquid gone, he stood up and faced the wolfman once more. "However, that was always the plan—let them know of our existence and some of our abilities."

"I see." Sajin tried to feel the air if the Hollow Reiatsu was still there. It was gone. "That way, we keep them guessing while still having our most important cards to play."

"Correct. Besides, I get the feeling this is just the start of something big. Ruby Rose just had an episode a week ago. Shinji was there; he felt it. I felt it too."

"And so, have I. It was the same energy when Yhwach created Wahrwelt. This proves our theory; Ruby Rose is an Argent, and she carries the essence of the Soul King."

There was more to this world than meets the eye. The Grimm, Semblances, Aura, the Argent—it's as if Remnant was a world carved out of some parts from theirs, which begs the question…

Who made this world?

Professor Port was at it again with his stories that went on a tangent unrelated to the actual lesson. This made most of the students in his class dismiss his ramblings and find some way to not die of boredom. Yang would've done the same thing in this situation, yet her attention was focused on Ruby.

Ever since the incident about a week ago, the blonde's been worrying about her sister non-stop. She wasn't acting like the lovable goofball that she was. She wasn't spouting about weapons and cookies like she normally does. Most of the time, she was in a daze; looking like she was seeing things that weren't even there in the first place. And then, there was this name that she kept on saying in a whisper. Any other person would've missed it, but not Yang… especially when it came to Ruby.

Adnyeus.

That was the name she heard Ruby say, for some reason, it sent shivers down her spine. Even its mere utterance felt like she was trespassing on something… otherworldly.

She didn't like it… at all. Whoever… or whatever this Adnyeus was, Ruby had been affected more than just the episode she had days ago.

"Yang…"

Snapping out of her daze, the blonde brawler turned to her black-haired teammate. "Huh?"

"What's wrong, Yang?" asked Blake. "You looked like you were a little out of it."

"Oh, it's nothing, Blake," she dismissed. However, the secret Faunus knew that wasn't the case.

"It's about Ruby, isn't it?" she guessed, and judging by how Yang reacted, she was right.

"Am I that easy to read?"

"Not really. It's just that the only thing that'd affect you would be your sister." Blake smiled, admiring how Yang thinks of Ruby. "Honestly, behind that tough girl act, you're such a softie."

"Says the ever-brooding bookworm," Yang jabbed.

"Touché." Blake leaned closer for a whisper. "Is this about what happened to Ruby a week ago?"

"Yeah." The blonde let out a sigh of frustration. "It's just… I don't know what's happening to her. She looks normal, but Rubes isn't acting like she usually does."

"Now that you mention it, yeah. She isn't as keen on talking about guns, cookies, or random stuff. That vision of hers must've affected her more than we realize."

"I know. I know." Yang hid his face in her arms, which rested on her desk. She turned to Blake, slightly peering at the cat girl. "It's driving me nuts! What happened to her when she went into that awful seizure? What did… what did she see?"

This caught Blake's curiosity. "What do you mean by that?"

"I don't know how to explain it but since her episode, she's been staring into space like something's there. It's like her mind's somewhere else all the time. She… zones out. And when she snaps back to reality, she acts like nothing happened. But every time she's like that; I keep hearing a name."

"And what name does Ruby keep saying?"

Yang straightened herself and looked Blake in the eyes. "Adnyeus. Ruby keeps repeating the name Adnyeus and every time I hear it, "I feel like I'm suffocating."

And Blake felt that feeling too when she heard that name. There was just that overwhelming sensation that washed over her body just now. Somehow… someway… her instincts screamed at her to submit herself to the one mentioned. Despite that, she shook her head and focused more on her teammate.

"Ruby's always been a ball of energy, right?" Yang continued, clenching her fist, her knuckles turning white. "Now, she just sits there, staring at nothing. Like… like she's not even Ruby anymore."

Yang's voice cracked, and she dropped her head into her hands. "I don't know what to do, Blake. I've never seen her like this."

Blake reached out, resting a hand on Yang's forearm. "Have you tried talking to her about it?"

Yang let out a bitter laugh, though there was no humor in it. "Yeah, I've asked her what's wrong a hundred since the incident. She just says she's 'fine'." She looked up at Blake, her purple eyes filled with helplessness. "But she's not fine, Blake. She's anything but fine."

Blake's expression softened. "Maybe she just needs some time to sort through whatever's bothering her."

Yang shook her head. "What if she doesn't have time? What if she keeps slipping further into whatever's affecting her, and one day, she's just… gone?"

The words hung heavy in the air, reflecting Yang's deepest fear.

Blake's hand gave a reassuring squeeze. "She won't disappear, Yang. She's still Ruby. She just… might be going through something personal."

Yang exhaled slowly, the weight of Blake's words settling over her. "I hate not knowing how to help her," she whispered, more to herself than to Blake. "She's one of the people that I have left. I've taken care of her since she was little; taking on the responsibility of being by her side when things got tough." The blonde recalled her father telling her how her biological mother abandoned their family. Then, even when she was young, she remembered how Summer, Ruby's mom, went on a mission and never came back.

Yang had to step up. She had to since her father was a mess after losing two wives—two women he had loved so much.

"I've always been able to protect her; be there for her." There was doubt in her voice. "But now?" She shook her head, her voice filled with frustration. "I feel useless."

Blake straightened herself and sighed. In a way, she had seen someone close to her fall, not into confusion and doubt, but into an all-consuming thirst for vengeance. However, unlike her who ran away, Yang chose to stay with Ruby out of love for her little sister.

Something she should've done for that person in the bleakest of hopes that he may stray from the self-destructive path he chose.

"You're not useless," the cat Faunus said softly. "You're doing what you've always done—watching out for her. And when she's ready, she'll come to you."

Yang ran a hand through her hair, trying to keep herself from unraveling. "I hope you're right," she muttered. "Because I don't know how much longer I can just… sit here and watch her slip away."

"She's not slipping away, Yang," Blake assured. "Every one of us has to find ourselves even if it's thrust upon us."

"Is that how you see it?" questioned the blonde.

"In a way, yes," admitted the Faunus. "And I think… this is also a challenge for you… to have faith in her that she'll get through this. The question is: do you?"

"Of course, I do!" Yang nearly shouted but caught herself before Professor Port noticed her. Sadly, a few of the students were now eyeing her. She chuckled sheepishly, trying to shrink into her desk to avoid any eye contact.

Meanwhile, Blake giggled at her teammate's current predicament, though she never missed a beat to remind the blonde of her that she was doing good. "The way I see it; you're doing a good job being a big sister to Ruby if you're that passionate."

Yang scowled at her partner but there was no negativity and instead, a playful recognition of her words. The bell rang signaling the end of the period, but that wasn't what caught her attention.

"Yang, come on!"

It was Ruby waving at her excitedly.

"We still have combat class and it's the new instructors who'll be teaching us!"

Yes, she was afraid. Yes, she was worried. But, seeing her sister, even if just for this moment, be the little excited ball of positivity despite the change she was going through, was enough for Yang to recognize that she only needed to be there for her sister.

"…And maybe, it isn't as bad as I thought."

Ozpin watched as the students filed into the auditorium with their weapons. He sat in one of the bleachers, thinking about this request from the newly hired teachers.

This combat lesson was part of the updated curriculum which would help the students of the academy advance in their studies. This exercise is under the joint supervision of Professor Komamura and Professor Goodwitch. The headmaster was cautious about the sudden request, so he decided it would only be granted if he and the other school's teaching staff members could observe said activity. Thus, this is where we find not only Ozpin but also the other professors sitting beside him watching the students of this special class prepare themselves.

"You seem rather off, Headmaster."

"I'm just being cautious, Port," replied Ozpin to the stout man. "These people may be effective teachers if we were to go by the results of their teaching, but we still have no clue about their methods or even intentions."

"I see your point." Port eyed the two new teachers, Hisagi and Basterbine as he recalled, entering the arena and giving directions to the students. "That may be true, but we cannot deny that they have done so much for our future huntsmen. Though vigilance is advisable, I would give them the benefit of the doubt."

Ozpin couldn't deny his fellow instructor's words. The students have improved under these new teachers' tutelage. Besides, Hirako and his group were adamant about keeping the kids off their war against Salem.

The Headmaster returned his gaze to the gathered students below. Professor Komamura had just arrived, giving instructions while Goodwitch was approaching him.

For now, he would watch and pray that the future isn't fraught with misfortune.

-{}-

"Okay, gather around, students!" Komamura stood next to Hisagi and Bambi as he gave instructions for today's exercise. "This will be your first combat class under this new subject. The fundamental tenets would differ while still in conjunction with Professor Goodwitch's subject. Professors Basterbine and Hisagi will give further instructions. Good luck and I hope you perform enough to satisfy their standards."

Seeing his retreating figure, the students were left confused by what Professor Komamura meant by his last words.

"That… was kind of ominous," Jaune muttered. "Tell me I'm not the only one who feels that."

"Nah, that's just you," Yang waved off. She adjusted her gauntlets, fiddling with the shotgun mechanism in preparation for the combat class.

"Relax, Jaune," Pyrrha assured. It only worked slightly.

"Typical Arc." The mocking remark came from Cardin who was smirking at the blonde boy. "Make sure to not drag your team down like you always do."

Just before the bully made another remark, their instructors for today came in and intervened. "We don't want to hear any of that, Winchester, when your grades are even lower than Arc's," Professor Hisagi reminded.

"You don't get to talk smack unless you can back that up, punk." Professor Basterbine's scathing comment shut Cardin up. However, the boy's expression was of extreme displeasure.

"Now, this exercise aims to simulate an encounter with non-Grimm entities. Forget everything you know about combat because all of it only revolves around Grimm extermination. What we want from you isn't some one-on-one battle but a true struggle in the face of actual fighters who can think, strategize, and fight dirty to win. The Grimm aren't the only danger present in Remnant and it's about time you all face that reality."

After Hisagi's explanation, several bright streaks rose into the air, converging into the center of the arena before creating a barrier that entrapped the students inside.

"There are no rules in this battle," Bambi declared, surprising the students. "Anything goes. Fight dirty if you must; it doesn't matter. Do whatever it takes to win because Shūhei and I won't be holding back. We'll make you regret it if you don't take this seriously."

The tattooed instructor reached for his weapon and unsheathed its blade. "There are only two ways this session would end: either you last until the time limit of twenty minutes expires…"

"Or we beat all of you into submission. Whichever works," Bambi finished. Reishi gathered into her right hand, taking shape, and becoming a formidable broadsword. And, with a grin, she said, "Your objective? Survive."

-{}-

"Professor Komamura!" Goodwitch voice could be heard throughout the auditorium. "What is the meaning of this!?"

"Training, Professor Goodwitch," the wolfman calmly answered.

The deputy of the school ran to the wolf Faunus at a brisk pace. Behind her were her fellow teachers and Ozpin himself. Judging by the grip on his cane, the white-haired schoolhead was just as confused and agitated.

After erecting the barrier, Komamura along with Shinji and Kensei knew that their actions would incur this kind of reaction from the rest of the teaching staff.

"I am not playing games, Professor Komamura." It was Ozpin this time who spoke. "I don't see any reason you would enclose the students inside a barrier for this combat session. Unless you don't want any interruptions."

Shinji chuckled. He looked like a kid who got caught but was unapologetic about it. "Got it in one, Oz. Why don't all of you just sit back and watch the show?"

"We are not here to play games, Professor Hirako!" cried Goodwitch.

"And we're not, Goodwitch," Kensei rebutted. He then stared at the principal and said, "It's time for all of you to stop coddling these kids and let them face reality."

"I'm afraid we don't follow," Bartholomew Oobleck spoke, still guarded and cautious.

"You talk about how the Grimm are the worst thing in Remnant and how they're the greatest threat there is," Shinji began. He took some steps toward the veteran Beacon staff before stopping just a foot or two away from Ozpin. His grin slowly receded, morphing into and hard and steely expression. "In a sense, you're right; the creatures of the Grimm are this world's greatest threat, yet they aren't the most dangerous."

The blonde's eyes glanced to the side, down to the students within the erected barrier.

"It's people… and none of you ever gave them the necessary skills to fight other people."

"That's preposterous!" Glynda exclaimed at her blonde, completely disagreeing with his thought process. "While there is conflict between people now and then, humanity has been united in their battle against the Grimm for eighty years since the Great War! I see no reason for our students to commit to such methods other than in controlled environments like our combat sessions."

Kensei pointed at the school deputy, shaking his hand repeatedly in disappointment while saying, "That right there is what's wrong with this place. You all think the only problem in the world is the Grimm and whoever it is that's pulling the strings."

Those words made Ozpin and Glynda flinch.

"But you seem to forget that the Grimm are instinctual creatures. They don't have tactics, no coordination, just the drive to kill. And although Grimm become more intelligent as they grow older, I doubt your average hunter would encounter one that's that old.

"People, on the other hand, can think. They can plan, strategize, coordinate, and adapt. There's so much dissonance between the ideal huntsman these kids think of to the actual huntsman out there and the fact these children are the literal backbone of your military is just ridiculous."

"What we want for them is to fight against an enemy that can think and adapt against them. Killing Grimm isn't the only job a huntsman does, and this will provide us with the necessary baseline on how they fight against actual trained fighters." Komamura's tall figure walked toward the edge of the stands, looking over the tense students. "But what we truly want is for them to experience a battle where they will inevitably lose."

"Then what's the point of this if you want our young huntsmen to be defeated!?" Port cried incredulously.

"Because we want to see them for who they are in the face of true despair," Shinji answered. It was enough to silence the Beacon staff for him to observe the battle that was about to begin.

-{}-

The atmosphere changed dramatically when Professor Bambi gave them that one singular objective. All the students tensed, noting how the loud and boisterous woman now had a sadistic grin on her face.

Their eyes turned to the other instructor Professor Hisagi, and he looked at them like they were prey. Cold and steely, those eyes of his were now that of a killer.

Shūhei and Bambi got the reaction they wanted.

Fear.

Had the students not shown any type of apprehension, they wouldn't survive in the real world. Only the foolish would blindly rush without recognizing the danger before them…

Such as one particular team and its cocky leader.

"We don't care about your damn time limit, you hear!" Cardin boldly declared, clearly not seeing just how his fellow trainees were looking at him like he was crazy.

"Oh, is that so?" Bambietta questioned with a playful tone. She then vanished.

"Huh!?" they all looked around, frantic and confused when one of their instructors disappeared in a blink of an eye.

"It's always the stupid ones that die first."

They quickly turned to the familiar voice of their instructor, now standing dangerously close to Cardin.

Bambi's left hand glowed, veins surging with spiritual power as it shone in a blood-red hue. She didn't hesitate and punched the arrogant student right at the liver.

Cardin's Aura kicked in, but it did little to protect his body from the supercharged fist. It shattered like glass, and the impact sent him careening on the ground before crashing into the farther end of the auditorium.

The others stared at their unconscious schoolmate, gobsmacked at his instantaneous defeat.

Cardin may have been one of the more unenthusiastic in terms of studies and combat, but he was by no means a pushover. He was by far one of the physically stronger students in the first years and yet, he got knocked out by just one punch. His Aura didn't even do anything to protect him.

"What. The. Fuck?" Yang muttered, all wide-eyed like the rest.

"I… I didn't see her move." Ruby was surprised for another reason—she wasn't able to perceive her teacher's movements.

"RUBY, LOOK OUT!"

Hearing Blake's warning, the rosette immediately leaped away just as a sword brushed above her.

The remaining students all turned to find Professor Hisagi already behind them and much like his partner, they didn't see him move.

"Lesson #1: Awareness, something you kids don't seem to exercise much," Shuhei pointed out. "Keep this up and you won't last long."

"Wait, wait, wait, wait, wait!" Jaune finally came from his shock and yelled at the two instructors for a pause. "This is… this is insane! How is this combat training!?"

"Oh? You think we're going too far?" Bambietta questioned the blonde knight.

Before Jaune could do anything, he felt a fist dig into his gut. He doubled over, spitting out saliva as he fell to his knees and clutching his abdomen.

"JAUNE!" Pyrrha cried out his name, her face marred with worry.

Bambietta looked at her hand and then back to Jaune. The red lines of Blut Arterie were still pulsing faintly. "I knew I punched this kid with the same force as Winchester, but his defenses held up. I guess having a crap-ton of Aura has its advantages." She then kicked Jaune in the gut again, sending him tumbling towards his classmates.

Pyrrha didn't waste any time and kneeled to catch the rolling knight. She helped him up while Jaune massaged his stomach which was still reeling from the pain.

"Didn't we tell you to take this seriously?" Bambietta reminded them. "You think just because we're instructors that it means we'll coddle you like the rest of the staff? Oh, no, you little shits. Goodwitch, Port, Oobleck, or any other professor might be lenient towards you, but not me and Shūhei. In this moment, we're your enemies and we will do what it takes to kill you!"

The students gasped at her declaration.

"If none of you still don't get it…" Professor Hisagi interjected, "Then let me spell it out for you. We will fight you; we will beat you, and we will make you wish you were never born. In other words, this is a fight for survival."

Bambi pressed the heart-shaped buckle of her belt. It ejected a bow of pure Reishi—her Heilig Bogen—and fired a rain of arrows upon the students.

"SCATTER!" Pyrrha ordered.

They all jumped away from the storm of bolts. Ruby dashed and turned into a trail of petals, her Semblance increasing her speed. However, it wasn't enough to give her an advantage when Professor Hisagi caught up to her, causing her to stop in shock. That was a mistake when she was backhanded by the tattooed instructor, sending her to Bambi who kicked her to the others.

"RUBY!" Yang saw red. Her hair lit up with violent flames and her amethyst eyes turned raging scarlet. She blindly lunged at the closest one who struck her sister. "Nobody hurts my sister and gets away with it!"

"Yang, don't! She's baiting you!" Weiss' warnings fell on deaf ears.

The blonde brawler reared her right fist back while in a sprint, yelling as she approached Bambietta in a fury.

The Quincy mere gave a mocking chuckle at the feeble attempt. When Yang threw the punch at her, she casually caught it in her hand with blue lines pulsing brightly on her skin.

"Wha—!" A hammer fist and a backhand followed by a knee to the gut and an elbow to the back. Yang's Semblance weakened as the fires in her hair faltered. She then felt her hair grabbed by her explosive instructor before getting thrown like a ragdoll.

"Pathetic." Bambi casually dusted the dirt on her gloves. "You done, babe?"

Russel and Dove were lying motionless on the ground. Their bodies were riddled with bruises and wounds. The cause for their current predicament, Professor Hisagi, was lifting an unconscious Sky by the neck. "I am," he casually replied before letting go of the final member of Team CRDL.

"Get up!" Bambi barked, her voice cold and commanding. "Is this the best Beacon has to offer!? Are these the so-called hunters and huntresses who are supposed to protect the world? You're nothing but children playing pretend!"

"She's right," Shūhei remarked cooly. "If this were a real battle, you'd all be corpses by now. What's the matter? Scared? You should be."

Yang, steadying herself, staggered to her feet with her hair ablaze. "We're not scared of you!"

"Then, you should be," Bambietta replied, raising her hand. A Reishi bomb materialized, glowing ominously. "Let's see how fearless you are when you become ashes."

She hurled the bomb at Yang, the explosion so massive that it sent shockwaves rippling across the field. Weiss screamed as she cast a glyph in front of Yang, barely managing to shield her from the brunt of the attack. The force sent them both sprawling, the young heiress coughing as the strain on her brought her to her knees.

"Byakurai," Hisagi chanted, sending a pale bolt of lightning toward Pyrrha. Luckily, Jaune came in time to shield her from the attack. However, the pushback of the bolt sent the blonde knight to his partner, causing them to fall over.

"This is insane!" Jaune shouted, his voice trembling after having shielded Pyrrha. "They're really trying to kill us!"

"They're testing us," Pyrrha said through gritted teeth, struggling to keep her composure. "But if we don't fight back with everything we have, we won't make it."

-{}-

"This is insanity!" Glynda said, her voice sharp with anger. "They're going to kill them! This was supposed to be a training exercise, not a death sentence!"

Port and Oobleck exchanged worried glances, their joviality absent. "This level of intensity is far beyond what the students are ready for," Port said nervously. "Even the most seasoned huntsmen would struggle against opponents of this caliber."

"The intent here is clear, but the methods are questionable," Oobleck added. "They're not fighting Grimm; they're fighting humans. This could scar them in ways we cannot predict."

"This has gone long enough!" Glynda turned to face the Shinji, Kensei, and Sajin. "Your people are treating this like a battlefield! These are students, not soldiers!"

Kensei crossed his arms, his expression unyielding. "That's exactly the problem. They're treating this like some sparring match... like it's a game. It's not."

"Being a huntsman isn't about looking cool or saving the day with flashy moves," Shinji added. His smile was gone, replaced by a seriousness that unsettled the Beacon staff. "If that's all there is, it isn't going to help them against someone who truly wants them dead."

Komamura then spoke up. "You prepare them to face Grimm, yet you don't prepare them for the cruelty of human enemies. That's a mistake. We've said this time and again today; out in the real world, it's not the monsters that'll break them—it's the people."

Ozpin regarded their words carefully, yet still unconvinced about the need for such measures. "You're saying this is necessary?" he gestured to the growingly pathetic state of teams RWBY and JNPR. "That the fear, the desperation, the helplessness they're feeling right now will somehow make them stronger?"

Shinji nodded. "It will. Right now, they're learning what it feels like to be completely outmatched. To have someone look them in the eye and want them dead. That's not something Grimm teaches you."

"And if they break under the pressure?" Glynda shot back. "If they lose faith in themselves or in their ability to protect others?"

Kensei's gaze hardened. "Then, they aren't cut out for this life to begin with. They should figure it out now than out there with lives depending on them."

"But surely there are less extreme methods of teaching this lesson?" Port's usually booming voice was subdued.

Komamura shook his head. "There's no substitute for experience. No simulation, no lecture, and no controlled exercise will prepare them for the reality of facing true malice. They need to feel it, to understand it, or they'll hesitate when it matters the most."

-{}-

Another explosion rocked the arena. From the blast sight, figures emerged rushing to the duo. Ren and Nora tried flanking Hisagi, the former going in behind their instructor while the ginger went up front. Nora's hammer swung full force while Ren fired his pistols. Hisagi evaded the hammer and deflected the hail of bullets coming his way.

Nora came in with another swing, causing the tattooed instructor to duck before lashing out with his sword at the girl who managed to block it with her weapon. Ren engaged in swordplay against Hisagi, but it was clear that his skills weren't a match for his teacher. He then saw his partner change Magnhild to its grenade launcher mode and fired a shot at their opponent. Quickly moving away, he never expected Professor Hisagi to just kick the explosive round in his direction.

"Gaaagh!" It exploded right in his face, sending him flying in the opposite direction.

"REN!" horrified, Norra cried but got kneed in the back for her worries.

"Focus on your enemy!" Shūhei barked. Suddenly, he felt the flux of Reiatsu. Turning to the source, he found Pyrrha covered in the glow of her Aura using her Semblance on him, specifically his sword. "Oh. So, that's your Semblance."

"Why can't I control his blade?" Pyrrha thought, grunting while trying to manipulate her teacher's blade.

"Pyrrha, what's wrong?" Jaune asked.

"I can't seem to pry his blade away."

"Darn it!" The blonde knight charged with his sword ready. "Pyrrha, provide some cover fire for me!"

The redhead nodded, shifting her spear/gladius into a rifle, and began firing. Meanwhile, her partner swung his arming sword at Shūhei, missing as the teacher leaned to the side to avoid it.

Pyrrha kept firing at the professor, but her shots were constantly being deflected. Jaune's attempt at swordplay was pathetic, only managing to make Hisagi annoyed and disappointed.

"You call that swordsmanship? Is Professor Hirako's teachings even getting through to you?" Hisagi parried another strike from the blonde, sending it flying away before focusing on the boy again. He swung down, his katana hitting the white and gold shield. "Your movements are clumsy, Jaune. Keep this up and you'll end up becoming dead weight… or just dead."

"Jaune!" Pyrrha called as she charged, unleashing a salvo of Dust bullets that did not land a single hit. When she got close, she morphed her rifle back into a gladius and lunged at the instructor.

Shūhei blocked the swing and noticed the redhead Spartan's hands glowing grey. Out of nowhere, Jaune's arming sword flew toward him. He avoided the pointy missile, missing him by mere inches before being clumsily caught by its owner.

Seeing the opportunity, Nora and Ren readied their weapons and jumped in on the action. "Imma break his knees!" yelled the hammer-wielding ginger.

"Hit him from all sides!" Jaune shouted, his voice trembling yet determined. "Don't give him a chance to counter!"

Meanwhile, Bambi stood surrounded by the girls from Team RWBY but sporting a smirk on her face. She tilted her head, the faint glow of Reishi bombs dancing around her fingertips. "Come on, don't keep me waiting. All of you at once, I promise I'll go easy on you… for the first few seconds."

As if to indulge her request, Ruby shot forward, becoming a storm of roses and transforming Crescent Rose into its scythe form as she aimed to strike Bambietta's flank.

Weiss conjured a series of gravitational glyphs, increasing her partner's speed and agility. Blake dashed around the white-clad woman, firing her Gambol Shroud in a series of burst shots to keep Bambi distracted. However, Bambi didn't flinch, deflecting the onslaught of bullets coming at her.

Ruby swung Crescent Rose in a wide arc toward Bambietta's side. Before the blade could connect, the instructor raised her forearm casually, the faint blue glow flickering along her skin as she activated an ability. The rosette's scythe struck the glowing arm, and it bounced off harmlessly, sending Ruby staggering back in shock.

"What the—!?" Ruby gasped, staring at her teacher's untouched arm.

"Surprised?" Bambietta asked, tilting her head mockingly. "It's not gonna work. Nice try though." She was about to throw a Reishi bomb when a ribbon wrapped around her hand.

"Weiss, do it now!" Blake shouted.

The heiress didn't hesitate. She conjured multiple gravity glyphs under her feet to propel herself into the air. She thrust Myrtenaster forward, aiming for Bambietta's exposed back. But the Quincy turned just in time, catching the incoming blade with her bare hands.

"Nice form," she said, grinning. "But you're too predictable." She swung Weiss like a ragdoll, tossing her into Ruby who was about to help in the assault.

Seeing their teammates down, Blake and Yang charged in in unison. The Faunus created two clones while Yang's hair lit on fire again.

"Leave them alone!" Yang roared; dust rounds loaded into her Ember Celica as she began a flurry of punches. Blake wasn't far behind as she unleashed a barrage of slashes, her shadow clones adding to the assault.

The fiery blonde's punches coupled with the shotgun mechanism of her gauntlets made for a devastating combination that would've left anyone else beaten while cat Faunus' clones should've overwhelmed their opponent. However, their teacher was just far ahead of them in terms of skill and experience.

Bambietta's grin was wide while effortlessly dodging the volley of dust-powered punches and slashes. She ducked under one punch, parried an incoming sword swing, sidestepped another, and finally caught Yang's fist before kicking Blake in the abdomen. "You've got power, I'll give you that," she said. The blue lines around her arms faded, replaced by bright red ones. "But power without control? It's useless."

Before Yang could react, Bambietta's grip tightened and spun, hurling Yang into Weiss and Ruby who were about to get up. Suddenly sensing danger, she swatted Blake's weapon with her Blut Vene-powered arm.

"Oh, you're a sneaky one," she said. "Too bad, that won't work on me." Bambietta further wrapped more of Gambol Shroud's ribbon around her arm and then yanked it, pulling Blake off balance. She followed it up with a kick to her stomach sending her sprawling. Seeing the all-girl team try to gather themselves and regroup, her eyes darted toward her partner who was handling the other team. They locked eyes for a moment, nodding in understanding before jumping back and creating distance between them and the eight teens.

The two teams, battered and exhausted, looked in confusion as their instructors exchanged a few quiet words. "Why did they suddenly regroup?" Weiss said warily. "What are they planning now?"

Ruby narrowed her eyes, clutching Crescent Rose tightly. "Stay focused, everyone. We can't let our guard down."

Shūhei glanced at Kensei, who stood at the bleachers with the other staff members. "Permission to use my Zanpakutō?"

Kensei raised an eyebrow but nodded. "Permission granted. Give them a reality check," he said… sternly.

And without any warning, Hisagi chucked his sword at the group of students.

"LOOK OUT!" Ren shouted as the blade hurtled towards them.

The group scattered, dodging the blade just in time.

"What's he doing?" Nora turned, Magnhild at the ready. "Why did he suddenly throw his weapon."

However, they all noticed something that wasn't there at first. The distinct rattling of chains could be heard, causing them to look at one of their professors. Then, they heard a whisper from Hisagi.

"Reap, Kazeshini."

He pulled on the chain attached to the hilt of his weapon, retracting it back as a buzzing sound penetrated everyone's ears.

"Everyone, move!" Jaune shouted, his instincts screaming danger.

The group scattered again, but as the weapon flew back, it was no longer the katana they had seen earlier.

Shūhei caught the weapon effortlessly, but what he now held was no ordinary blade. It had split into two identical scythe-like weapons connected by a long chain. The blades curved wickedly in the light, and he spun them with ease, the chain whistling through the air.

In his hands was his awakened Zanpakutō, Kazeshini.

As he twirled his weapon, Bambietta stood beside him, her arms crossed and her expression growing impatient. She let out a sigh before shifting her gaze toward the battered students before them.

"Well, I suppose it's time I stopped holding back as well."

Her smirk widened as she extended on hand upward, her fingers glowing with faint energy. The air grew heavy, charged with an oppressive power that made the students tremble.

Then, she uttered a single word, her voice echoing ominously:

"Sklaverei."

Threads of Reishi began to swirl around her, drawn from the environment like a vortex. Dust and debris lifted off the ground, and pulled toward her as Reishi coalesced into her form.

The glow intensified, and with a sharp, almost deafening crack, Bambietta's transformation began.

Two massive wings of blood-red energy unfurled from her back radiating an almost otherworldly light. Its edges crackled with power as the familiar exploding orbs—now red in hue—formed at its very tips. Above her head, a five-pointed halo materialized, spinning slowly, its crimson glow casting eerie shadows across the battlefield.

She spread her new wings wide and slowly rose from the ground. The power she emanated, and the majestic wings make her look like an angel, yet the sinister red color of her power denotes anything but holy.

In contrast, Shūhei looked more like the Grim Reaper made flesh. His twin scythes glimmered ominously under the lighting, appearing so hauntingly threatening. That feeling was made worse when, with a flick of his wrist, the blades of his twin scythes spun like a buzzsaw, carving a trail on the ground as he slowly moved forward.

The students could only stare, their earlier confidence crumbling as they realized the position they were in and the true meaning of this exercise.

This is what a true battle is. Gone were the ideals they had of being a huntsman or huntress and in its place was the reality and danger it entailed.

For this is the true essence of combat.