Sorry for the delay in updating. So many things happened over the last few weeks and my Beta didn't get a chance to review this for a while. I had something really witty to write up here, but now I forgot it. Guess I'll have to remember to write these author notes earlier. For now, my beta told me this was one of his favorite chapters, so I hope other people enjoy it too. I really want the Branwen tribe to actually be somewhat powerful, unlike in the actual show where the majority of them are sort of just clowns. Huge waste of potential there I want to rectify. I showed a bit, but they are far from done.
Special thanks to nBappo for reviewing.
If you enjoy my stories and feel like tossing a few bucks my way for expenses, please see my P a treon below.
P a treon . com (Slash) Dark Betrayer
Disclaimer: I do not own RWBY.
Pyrrha's lungs burned as she darted through the forest, weaving between trees with urgency. She had to find Ren and Nora—warn them of the danger looming over them. Those bandits were more powerful than she'd expected. Even with Qrow's arrival, there was no guarantee Jaune would make it out alive. They needed everyone together because they were sitting ducks while separated. She had tried to call Ren and Nora while running, but they weren't answering. Most likely, they had turned off their Scroll after receiving confirmation from Jaune earlier to save batteries.
It had been years since Pyrrha felt so outmatched in a fight. Not since her early days of training with a licensed Huntsman. But Raven was on a different level altogether. Her mastery of the sword was unmatched, and her raw strength was enough to make Pyrrha question her own abilities. What made it worse was how quickly Raven had neutralized her Semblance, as if she had anticipated it all along. Every instinct, every move Raven made, was sharpened by years of battle experience far beyond Pyrrha's own.
Reflecting on it now, Pyrrha cursed herself for holding back. She should have unleashed the full force of her Semblance right from the start—ripped apart Raven's sword, the hilt, the sheath, the Dust chambers, and any other metal she had on her. But instead, she fought like she always did at Beacon, relying on her physical prowess, her precision, aiming to disarm or subdue her opponent. She only used her Polarity when she had no other choice, reacting defensively rather than with the aggression the situation demanded. That's what she had grown accustomed to over the past few months—fighting with restraint.
Which did not prepare her for the real world.
When someone was actively trying to kill her, Pyrrha could feel herself cracking under the pressure. The intensity of a fight for survival was nothing like the controlled anger or competitive drive she felt in the ring. The weight of killing intent was suffocating, an entirely different beast. Fear had crept into her core during that battle, gripping her even as her training kicked in. No matter how quickly she responded to Raven's attacks, she still felt slow, weak—overwhelmed by the sheer force behind Raven's strikes.
It hit her then, just how right Raven had been about her. Pyrrha's shortcomings weren't in her combat skills. She had the talent, the technique—but there was something more she lacked, something that couldn't be taught at Beacon or honed through sparring matches. Something far more vital for surviving encounters like this.
Experience.
Fighting opponents who weren't just sparring, but battling for their lives, was a different experience entirely. These weren't the usual city criminals, most of whom lacked formal training. Out here, in the wilds where Grimm were a constant threat, people were hardened by survival. It made sense—anyone who lived beyond the safety of the cities had to be tough, forged by years of facing death head-on. Beacon hadn't truly prepared them for this level of danger. Maybe the initiation, where they were launched off a cliff, came close—but even that had felt like a game to most of them. Except Jaune, who she'd had to save.
So this is what Jaune went through, she thought to herself. Fighting in the wilds with only Qrow and Ruby at his side, facing Grimm, bandits, and who knew what else. Part of Pyrrha had always seen Jaune's time with Qrow as a reward. Training one-on-one with a professional Huntsman? That was the dream for most students. Sure, Ruby had been there too, but it still felt like Jaune had been given something special. At first, she hadn't wanted Jaune expelled, but after it all sank in, the idea of him being granted that privilege stung—a slap in the face to those who spent their lives training.
At least, that's what she and others had thought. But now, after just a single day of traveling through this harsh environment, she realized how grueling it must have been. Jaune had endured this for nearly two months straight. What she once considered a privilege now felt more like a trial by fire, one that had pushed him to the very edge multiple times.
While also training and learning swordsmanship.
Having done sword training herself, the champion knew it wasn't a walk in the park. Doing that while also exhausting himself while traveling everyday? It wasn't like he had his Semblance to help him during the first half of the trip. If it wasn't for the crazy criminal Tyrian attacking them, he wouldn't have discovered that power for a long time. Those bandits that attacked them were people Jaune faced before and he immediately told Pyrrha to flee because he knew their strength. Even if that meant he would be left alone.
Pyrrha hated herself more than ever for abandoning him.
The thing is, Pyrrha had lied to Jaune back during their late night talk. Of course she had wanted to be friends with him. The truth was the reason she had acted so coldly towards him was to protect her own heart. It felt like every time she grew close to someone, things fell apart. Mercury was the only exception—the only one who hadn't been caught in the wake of her bad luck. He had found her at her lowest point and helped build her back up. A part of her still feared that she might somehow ruin his life, but being with him made her happy in a way she hadn't felt in a long time.
The worst part was that she still cared deeply for Jaune. That was the true fear that gnawed at her—if she let herself get close to him again, she might do something she'd regret. So, instead of being honest, she had chosen to push him away. It seemed safer, for both of them, to keep a wall between them. To keep things professional. After all, Huntsmen and Huntresses often had to work with people they didn't know or even like. She told herself it was no different than being forced to team up with Team CRDL for a mission—personal feelings didn't matter. What mattered was getting the job done.
But now, with Jaune's life on the line, the very thing she had tried to protect—her heart—felt exposed. The reality of how much she still cared for him came crashing down all at once. Even if they could never be romantically involved, those moments they spent together—watching movies, playing games, hanging out in Vale—were some of her happiest memories. Alone at Beacon, even when she pushed herself to her limits, her thoughts always wandered back to those days. She could distract herself from the whispers and judgment of others, but she could never fully escape the past.
The champion wanted to forgive and forget.
If they got out of this, Pyrrha swore to herself she would tell Jaune the truth and see if they could be friends again. Or at least work toward it. Already knowing the feeling of isolation, she would never wish that on anymore. Jaune was important to her, even if she was moving away from the romantic feelings. Mercury was filling that void, but Jaune was still an important friend. Someone Pyrrha still wanted to spend her time at Beacon with. The fighting was stupid and it was time for her to cast aside that grudge.
It shouldn't have taken a life or death situation for her to realize that.
Childish.
That's what she had been.
The pond was just starting to come into view. Pumping her legs, Pyrrha leaped over a fallen log and skidded to a stop in the mud. Her eyes scanned the area until she saw the rest of her team sitting on a tarp while setting up the camp stove. Time was of the essence. Without stopping for even a second to think, Pyrrha instantly made her way toward them.
"REN, NORA!" The champion called out. "Jaune's in trouble!"
It was a testament to how much Ren and Nora cared for their leader that they immediately dropped everything and drew their weapons.
"Where?" Ren asked, his voice calm but laced with urgency.
"No one hurts our fearless leader!" Nora shouted, hoisting her hammer above her head with fierce determination.
Pyrrha hesitated for only a moment, making a split-second decision. Jaune had ordered her to get out and find Ren and Nora. Of course, Raven had tried to stop her, but thankfully Qrow had intervened just in time. He, too, had given her the order to find their teammates. Neither of them had told her not to return to help once she found them, and it was clear that backup would be needed.
Qrow might not have needed any assistance, but Jaune certainly did. There was also the possibility that other bandits were lurking nearby. If that were the case, they would need their entire team to stand a chance.
"He's been attacked and Qrow is there helping him!" Pyrrha gestured for them to follow. "I'll explain what I can on the way!"
Ren and Nora ran with her as she told them what she encountered.
"Just die already!" Vernal snarled, squeezing her legs tighter around Jaune's neck.
"Augh!" was all Jaune could choke out, his throat crushed under the pressure. Even with his Aura amplified, his throat muscles were struggling to hold out. Vernal was clearly focusing all her strength there. His lungs screamed for air, and his head pounded with each second, but Jaune refused to give in. He forced his mind to stay sharp, concentrating on amplifying his Aura further. He had to get her off him—now.
His vision blurred as the lack of oxygen worsened, but he kept pushing. Slowly, agonizingly, Jaune began to rise, lifting Vernal with him despite the pressure on his windpipe.
"Oh no, you don't!" Vernal growled, twisting his arm in an attempt to snap it. But Jaune had already pushed his Aura to its limit, turning his body into something like iron. His shield of Aura, glowing bright and strong, was as solid as steel. "You bastard!" Vernal spat out, but Jaune didn't waste his breath on words. There was no need. Muscles straining, his Aura blazing, he kept pushing. His mind focused on one goal—getting free.
With a final surge of strength, Jaune pulled his arm from Vernal's grip, forcing it across her chest as she clung to him desperately.
"Impossible!" She shouted, her eyes wide with disbelief.
If the situation weren't so dire, Jaune might have grinned. Instead, he acted by reflex. Seizing her arm and leg in one fluid motion, Jaune hurled her over his shoulder in a flawless throw. Vernal twisted in midair, landing nimbly on her feet and skidding back through the muddy ground, her gaze dark with fury. Jaune coughed and gasped for air, his hand instinctively rubbing his bruised throat. His sword lay nearby, and he reached for it quickly. But his shield was too far. If he made a move for it, Vernal would attack again—he couldn't afford that risk.
They stood there, locked in a standoff, both prepared for the next move.
"That Semblance of yours is fucking annoying!" Vernal shot at him angrily.
"I get that a lot." Jaune held his sword up and adjusted his position so he was standing more angled, closer to what a fencer would do. Without his shield, he was much more vulnerable. His combat style required both weapons. "You don't have to do this."
"I do." The corner of Vernal's lips twitched as she swiped her weapons off the ground. "And I will enjoy this." She put her weapons together aimed at him. After alreadying seeing this once, Jaune knew the kind of devastation that Dust Beam attack could cause. And there was still no way he wanted to test his amplified Aura against a direct hit. A light formed at the tips of her curved blades and grew brighter in just a second or two.
A searing laser beam shot forth as Jaune dove to the side, narrowly escaping the attack. The trees behind him were sliced clean in half, and the ground was torn apart, dirt and debris flying everywhere. Vernal continued to track him, tracing the beam in his direction. All Jaune could do was keep moving, desperately dodging to avoid being cut down. He could have sworn he felt the heat singe his leg in a close call.
There's got to be a limit, Jaune thought, his mind racing. Dust wasn't an endless power source, and she couldn't keep firing forever. He was right—the laser sputtered out, finally dying. Seizing the brief opening, Jaune surged forward, swinging his sword in a powerful upward diagonal slash.
Vernal stepped back just in time, dodging the strike with ease. She retaliated with a sharp kick aimed at his elbow, the impact sending a jolt through his arm. Jaune nearly dropped his sword as the pain shot through him. His Aura held, protecting his bones from shattering, but the shock still made him stumble.
Before he could regain his footing, Vernal unleashed a barrage of bullets into his side and back. His Aura and chestplate absorbed the brunt of the damage, but the impact still hurt—his body protesting under the relentless assault. Jaune gritted his teeth. Aura wasn't a perfect defense, and the pain coursing through him was a harsh reminder of that.
Raising his arm to defend and protect his face from any stray shots, Jaune backed up towards his shield.
"Seriously, will you talk with me already?!" Jaune gasped, his elbow throbbing.
"Put your sword where your mouth is!" Vernal raised her weapons. "The strong get to dictate the rules. Others may see you as useless, but I know you're not displaying your true strength. You're hiding it and I can't get my revenge when you're holding back, bastard!"
"You already know my Semblance!" Jaune shot back. "What more could I have?"
"You trained under Qrow! A traitor to the tribe, but he's still Raven's brother. That guy wouldn't train a worthless weakling!" Vernal pointed her right hand blade at him. "It's why we declared the Blood Rivalry! I'll use you as a stepping stone to get stronger."
"Blood Rivalry?" Jaune asked, confused.
"Don't play stupid!"
"I am stupid… ah, I mean I really don't know!"
"Are you serious?!" Vernal shouted and Jaune felt like he was being scolded. "All of this was pointless… no, I guess it doesn't matter. Raven always said to treat each fight as if it's to the death." She spun her blades in her hand. "Just because Qrow's incompetent, doesn't mean that I have to go easy on you."
"THAT was easy?" Jaune exclaimed. "Seriously! We know you're more skilled than I am! What's there left to prove?!"
"Everything!" Vernal snarled and fired another bolt at Jaune's head, which he dodged by jerking to the side. "And especially for making a fool out of me!"
"I apologized!" Jaune protested. "And I would make it up to you if it didn't involve me dying, hurting people, or joining a criminal group!"
"So in other words, you're all talk and nothing to back it up." The woman sneered. "Maybe I was wrong about you."
"Sheesh, they sure talk a lot." Qrow commented as he leaned against a tree. Next to him against another trunk was Raven, her mask removed as the two of them chatted like old friends. The vantage point they chose was on the side of a hill overlooking the fight between their apprentices.
"Indeed, I warned her how the weak would use mind games to weaken her," Raven sighed. "She has much to learn." Her red eyes darted toward Qrow. "I'm more surprised you didn't rush to save your apprentice."
"First, you won't let me," Qrow held up a finger that just happened to be his middle one. "The moment I try, we'll start getting into a serious sword fight. Look, your hands on the hilt of your sword already."
"I like to be prepared."
"Second, you declared a Blood Rivalry, not a feud, so you're not deliberately planning on killing Jaune." Qrow held up his second finger. "What, using her hatred of the boy to motivate her?"
"In a sense." Raven mused. "I might as well make use of her emotions before she kills them off."
"Ugh, your teachings are going to be the death of you all."
"No, they let us survive without unneeded distractions." Raven countered. "The reason he even escaped in the first place was because Vernal let her guard down. I'm making sure this doesn't happen again."
"But how could my weak apprentice ever get the drop on your trained killing machine!" Qrow's voice was laced with sarcasm. "Did he flirt with her? Blonds are good at that."
Raven didn't say anything and continued to watch the two apprentices.
"...you can't be serious…" Qrow actually gaped at her. "He told me they tricked her… if I knew you weren't a jokester…"
"She fell for his sweet words and was under the impression he was considering joining the tribe," Raven answered. "Letting her guard down allowed those two to initiate a surprise attack and escape. Rather well planned out on their parts. I expected them to attempt fleeing, but not as soon as they did. We all underestimated them."
"Hah! Yeah, those brats made me fly way out of my way." Qrow sighed at the memory. "People always underestimate them. Well, until now. Your protege doesn't seem to be holding her punches. Not that it will do much against mine's stupidly broken cheat Semblance."
"All powers have a weakness, you know this." Raven reminded him sternly, unperturbed by the man's declaration. "I already suggested multiple actions for Vernal to use against him. Strangling's shown to be effective."
"Until he broke free." Qrow laughed. "Besides, it's not like you have much time left. It shouldn't be long before Pyrrha gathers the others and teams up against her."
"Cowards, but I can't deny it would be the most optimal path to take for victory," Raven conceded without any emotion. "The strong survive and the weak die. The methods don't matter."
"LIke blond guys tempting bandit girls?"
"Hmm, if I could guarantee the boy's Semblance was hereditary, I would have just told Vernal to take him by force."
"I did NOT need that image in my mind, thank you very much."
"Just drink yourself to death and it will disappear."
"I have enough nightmares when I'm sober, thank you very much." Qrow really wished he had a drink right now. "It was bad enough when you and Tai started dating."
"He impressed me with his strength is all."
"Raven… he called you a bitch to your face." THAT memory was burned into his mind. "Seriously, that was the first time I ever heard him talk to you like that after you finally had enough of your shit. What was it? A five minute speech on all the different ways you were a bitch?"
"Honestly, it was impressive how he lacked fear of what I was going to do to him afterwards."
"We all know what happened and by the way…. Bwkkk!" He almost threw up there.
"Nothing wrong with the strong being together, but then he turned into a weakling." Raven shook her head.
"It's called caring for a child, not that you know anything about that."
"Unlike you, I put the tribe above all things first." Raven countered. "That's why we joined Beacon after all. You were the one who fell to Ozpin's sweet words."
"Speaking of that, did you seriously have to tell Jaune everything about Salem?" Qrow asked.
"He'll return to us, eventually." Raven was confident. "When he realizes the folly of the path you're taking and he loses all that which he cares about. I trust he told you everything I told him?"
"I find it hard to believe something can be immortal."
"Then fight her and find out." Raven wasn't looking at him and focused purely on Vernal and Jaune. "For now, I'm fine with letting this little Blood Rivalry continue. I'll use the boy to train Vernal until she can discard her emotions completely."
"Good luck with that." Qrow laughed. "He's way too much like Tai. If he wasn't dating Ruby now, your little protege would be following him to Beacon."
"Better not tell her that then." Raven smirked. "She gets jealous easily. Makes it easy to motivate her. All I have to do is turn my attention to someone else."
"Ah, so that's what you used Jaune and Ruby for when you kidnapped them." Qrow commented and then he raised his eyebrow as he saw Jaune's sword glowing. "Oh, boy. Looks like things are heating up." That guy had always been a fast learner during real life combat situations. When pushed to the brink, he found a way to bypass his limits again and again.
"I don't know what you thought about me, but understand this Vernal, I'm a Huntsman." Jaune pointed his sword at her. "I can't and won't join your tribe under any circumstances. That doesn't mean we have to be enemies."
"If you're not with us, you're against us." Came the woman's reply.
"What kind of logic is that?!"
"That type that keeps us alive."
"That's a really negative outlook on life."
"You've stayed with us. You know what it's like out here."
"I do…" Jaune admitted reluctantly. "But there's other options. You don't have to be bandits and live out in the middle of nowhere!"
"Yeah, sure, idiot!" Vernal laughed and then glared at him as if he was insulting her intelligence. "The kingdoms would just love to let us into the cities and join. Oh, maybe we can become clerks at a store, or garbage truck drivers. Wasting away in a lower position, the servants of those above us? No, freedom and survival is what we're after."
"I would have let you come with us if you wanted to start over." Jaune muttered.
"Oh, shit!" Vernal rolled her eyes. "You mean I missed the chance at having you sweep me off my feet, take me back to your house, and live happily ever after as your wife? Say it ain't so."
"Sarcasm is not appreciated." Jaune grumbled. "WIth your skills you could help…"
"No."
"But…"
"I already told you, I don't care about those people willing to let me die. I only care about my tribe."
"Ugh, talking with you is like talking to a brick wall!" Jaune wanted to throw his hands up into the air. "Seriously, why are you such a… such a…"
"Such a?" Vernal mocked.
"A BITCH!"
Instead of looking shocked at Jaune's boldness, Vernal looked amused, a smirk curling on her lips.
"Aww, the little boy's growing a backbone. Maybe I should let you live so you can go home and have some cookies and milk made by your mommy."
Jaune blurted out the next few words before he could stop himself. "Just so you know, my mom makes the best cookies." That bit of information, unsurprisingly, didn't strike terror into Vernal's heart. "Second, I plan on walking away from this fight, finishing the survival exercise, and then heading back to celebrate with Ruby."
Vernal's eyes narrowed at the mention of Ruby. "That pipsqueak again? What, you two finally get together?"
"She's my girlfriend now," Jaune bragged, lifting his chin. "Sorry to spoil it, but she's twice the person you or Raven will ever be. She doesn't enjoy hurting people like—"
He barely finished the sentence before a blade sliced past his cheek, so close it grazed his skin. The attack was so fast, so sudden, Jaune hadn't even seen Vernal move. If he hadn't been amplifying his Aura, that spinning blade might have sunk deep into his flesh. It ricocheted off a tree behind him and flew back, spinning through the air before landing neatly in Vernal's hand.
"What the hell? A little warning would've been nice!" Jaune panted, stepping back, heart racing.
Vernal's grin widened, cold and sharp. "Talking big, but you still can't keep up."
"Seems like you have too many attachments," Vernal's gaze was dark as she stared at him. "Your defense is high, but that won't do you any good in protecting others."
"What are you talking about?" Jaune asked, confused and a little worried. "I'm fighting you now, aren't I?"
"You lack the drive to be a warrior." Vernal smirked. "It's going to be your downfall. Talking instead of fighting is the coward's way."
"And just recklessly fighting for any goddamn reason is stupid." Jaune countered angrily.
"It's why we don't fight things we can't win against." Vernal's smugness couldn't be any greater. "Like with Salem. But if I had to kill a pipsqueak to show you how weak you are, that shouldn't be tough."
The blood drained from Jaune's face.
"You're not talking about…?"
"If you can't put aside your self-righteousness, those weak feelings of being a hero, you'll be a useless sparring partner," Vernal sneered, shaking her head. "I guess I'll just kill that girl of yours and see if that finally makes you grow a pair of balls and fight!" She fired off a few rounds at Jaune's face, but he swiftly blocked them with the flat side of his sword.
"If you can't beat me, Ruby will destroy you!" Jaune shot back, his free hand clenched into a trembling fist.
"Heh, that fool can't even take a hit, and she's way too predictable," Vernal said, spinning her blade casually in her hand. "I'd take her out in under a minute. And since you're out here, I'm guessing she is too."
"Leave Ruby out of this!" Jaune roared, leaping forward with his sword raised high. His Aura surged, fully amplified, as he brought the blade crashing down with devastating force. Vernal began to block, but quickly realized it was futile. No matter how much strength she summoned, her body couldn't compete with the sheer amount of Aura Jaune was pouring into the strike.
In a last-second maneuver, she shifted her blade and pushed against Jaune's sword, attempting to parry the blow. But to her surprise, his attack wouldn't budge. The force behind it was like a tidal wave. Vernal was forced to twist her body, spinning out of the way, and retaliated with a kick to Jaune's side.
Her face flinched as her boot connected with something as solid as a brick wall.
One would think that might have worried her, but Vernal's eyes only gleamed with excitement. She swiftly stabbed her blade into Jaune's back, hoping that a sharp strike might break through what brute force couldn't. The blade sunk in—barely—but then the wound healed almost instantly.
What an overpowered Semblance, Vernal thought, intrigued. It seemed like Jaune could only tap into its full potential when driven by anger. Pushing his buttons was working, and the thrill of it fueled her.
"I'll make it painful for her too," Vernal mocked as she sidestepped Jaune's strike. His attacks were powerful, but slow enough for her to easily dodge. "Think she'll cry out your name when she's dying? Laying in a pool of her own blood? That's what awaits…"
Her words faded away as something within Jaune snapped.
An image flashed through his mind: Ruby lying on the ground, blood soaking through her clothes and staining the earth beneath her. He could see the life draining from her face, turning it ashen and lifeless in mere moments. Powerless, helpless, weak, useless—those words echoed in his thoughts, capturing the depth of his despair. Jaune still had nightmares about that day, but the memory had remained locked away, buried deep in his mind, only surfacing occasionally. Seeing Ruby every morning had been his lifeline, keeping the darkness at bay.
But now, that darkness surged forth.
Vernal and Raven were the kind of people who would kill someone just to prove a point.
"It's all my fault… tell them… I'm sorry."
Those haunting words replayed in his head, each one laced with Ruby's hopelessness and sorrow as she faced the brink of death. Even in the darkest moments, she had thought of others before herself—of the lives she could save, the people she could protect. Ruby was destined to become a true Huntress, the kind who would save thousands, if not millions.
And if Vernal posed a threat to that future, then Jaune had no choice but to act. There was no time for talk; words were useless against someone so corrupted. Deep down, Vernal understood only strength. Back at the bandit camp, he had clung to the hope that reason could sway her. But now, he realized that hope was a luxury he could no longer afford.
Not anymore.
Jaune began to glow with a brilliant white light, his mind forcing his Semblance to surge even further. Every thought unrelated to the fight faded away; nothing else mattered except stopping Vernal. He was oblivious to the changes happening to his body, his eyes locked solely on his opponent.
Vernal, however, noticed the shift. At first, she dismissed it as nothing new; he had shown off his Aura plenty of times before. But then her gaze fell on the sword in his hand, where the white glow was cascading down the blade, causing it to radiate with an otherworldly brilliance. Suddenly, her sense of danger blared to life. An Aura-infused weapon could slice through almost anything as if it were made of paper. She hadn't expected the idiot to grasp that technique. His level of Aura suggested he could nearly create a solid weapon from pure energy. Legends spoke of warriors who had achieved such feats—so how was this boy able to do it?
"Don't you…" Jaune raised his sword as he felt the same feeling he had during that criminal who infiltrated the CCT tower. "...dare…" The glowing blade pulsed with white light. Yet that white glow didn't give a sense of peace or hope. "...threaten…" It was like the endless snow covered tundras in Atlas that led countless poor souls to their death. "...RUBY!"
The blade was swung downwards at an angle.
A flash of light was the only warning Vernal received, igniting her survival instincts. No amount of training could have prepared her for this moment. She dove to the side just as the wave of white energy surged over the spot where she had been standing. One of her weapons was caught in the onslaught—a blinding, dazzling torrent of pure energy. The ground erupted beneath it, sending shards of foliage and rocks flying in all directions.
Vernal stared in shock at the deep groove carved into the earth next to her, then quickly glanced behind her, momentarily stunned.
She had seen Aura Manifestation before, but never to this degree. The attack had sliced through dozens of feet of earth, shattering full-sized trees, rocks, and everything else in its path. Nothing had survived the sheer force of that strike. This was madness! His Semblance had elevated his Aura to an unimaginable level. An attack like that could have killed a normal Huntsman, draining their Aura completely—if they even had the reserves to unleash it in the first place.
"What kind of bastard are you?" Vernal demanded, forcing herself to tear her gaze away from the devastation behind her. The weapon that had taken the brunt of the attack lay discarded at her feet, reduced to nothing but a vaporized shell; only the metal handle remained, rendered completely useless.
Focusing back on Jaune, she noticed he was panting heavily, his eyes burning with anger and hatred. It would have been a lie to deny that there was something striking about those eyes. This must have been the power Raven had seen in him—the kind of power she craved for the tribe.
"I'm… a… hah… Huntsman…" Jaune gasped, sweat dripping down his face. "Stand… down…"
"Never!"
Vernal charged forward as she shouted. Down one weapon, there was no way she could win an endurance fight. Jaune's Semblance let him recover exponentially faster than anyone could normally. She really had to finish him off now. Since the boy looked exhausted, that attack probably took a toll on him. It must have. There's no way someone could generate that much power without a drawback. Covering the distance between them, Vernal pushed Jaune's blade away with her second weapon and then delivered a powerful upwards kick.
There were several things that transpired at that moment.
First, Jaune discovered that Aura Manifestation had a severe drawback for him, even with his Semblance. Like he had been told, he unleashed the huge amount of Aura he boosted within himself. The same as everyone else, Jaune would lose the energy he released. Jaune's advantage was his Semblance could just regenerate the lost Aura quickly. However, there was still the delay between losing that Aura and regaining it. Not only that, Jaune had very little Aura control. When he unleashed that attack, he unleashed nearly everything.
So his Aura was almost depleted.
His second problem lay in the mental and physical exhaustion unleashing that much Aura in one attack. Jaune moved from feeling fine, if not a little sore from Vernal's hits, to feeling like he just ran a marathon uphill. Arms felt like lead, legs were like jelly, and his head was pounding from the inside. The sudden change made the mental weight so much worse, like standing up too fast and feeling dizzy times a hundred. This sudden jarring change made him too slow to block or dodge Vernal's attack.
The final nail in the coffin was that Vernal was afraid of the power he just displayed and went for a low blow. A kick that should have probably been aimed at his head, was aimed lower. Much, much lower. Being completely drained, Jaune could not react fast enough to follow Qrow's lessons.
ALWAYS protect the family jewels.
His panic pushed his remaining Aura down below and absorbed as much as he could but a weak point was called a weak point for a reason. Pain exploded through his body and his vision went black as his mind couldn't handle what happened next. Unconsciousness shielded him from going insane.
"Ouch!" Qrow shuddered. "He forgot the most important rule."
"Idiot, but I'm rather impressed at Vernal's ruthlessness," Raven smirked. "I taught her well."
"Please, Jaune missed her on purpose." Qrow replied, crossing his arms. "If he had been serious in defeating her, she would have been nothing left but a stain on the ground."
In truth, this was a lie. Qrow had no idea if Jaune purposely missed or not. Something like that seemed in character as the boy never had used Aura Manifestation on another person deliberately. He used it on the thief he and Ruby discovered during Beacon's dance, but that was purely accidental. Their training never produced results in recreating that situation. So as much as he hated it, Raven's strategy produced results. Amazing results based on the magnitude of that Aura slash. Professional Huntsman would give their right arm to be able to do even a portion of that.
A Goliath would probably have been cut neatly in two.
"Then he is weak and foolish for not defeating Vernal when he had the chance." Raven stated plainly. "Now he's at her mercy. All she has to do is deliver the final blow." Qrow's eyes narrowed a moment as his mind raced through every scenario to find a way to save his student.
"But she's not going to kill him." The man said slowly. "Is she? If you wanted him dead, things would have gone way differently."
"Oh, you think I won't kill him because he's a kid?" Raven smirked back.
"You'll kill and eat babies if it would make you stronger." Qrow shot back. "We both know he's too valuable to you alive. If you wanted him dead, you would have declared a Blood Feud, not a Blood Rivalry. At the very least, you want to use Jaune in raising your apprentice. If he wasn't capable of that, then you would give the order to kill him." Gesturing a hand toward the destruction around the two apprentices. "Yet I think he showed off his potential. A few months of training was all it took."
The corner of Raven's lips curled.
"And the fact you're given him the information on Salem… it's obvious you want to pull him into the tribe, but it won't work, Raven. He's not like that. If anything, he'll follow Tai's path-..."
"Oh, he'll join." Raven cut him off. "It's only a matter of time. Since I warned him of Ozpin's doomed mission to stop Salem before that man could lure that boy into his web, he'll be able to see the lies and flaws. When he reaches his lowest point, when he can't save someone he cares about, he'll come looking for me. To gain the strength he desires."
"You're delusional as usual." Movement in the distance caught Qrow's eyes. Being on a hill, they could see further than the others. "Looks like his partner found the rest of his team and saw his signal fire."
"It doesn't matter." Raven waved her hand dismissively. "We did what we came for." She pushed off the tree and started to walk forward. "In a life or death situation, he showed us what he was capable of. I knew I wasn't wrong in my judgment."
Vernal stood over Jaune's unconscious body, looking down at him with a frown. She delivered a kick to his side, but without any real force. It was less about injuring him and more dealing with her own frustration. The woman was pissed for a multitude of reasons, not all of which she understood. Her head swiveled to take in the destruction behind her. Her laser weapons cut down several great trees, but Jaune's attack splintered exponentially more. Not only that, he didn't need Dust to do what he did. It was just his Aura and his Semblance would let him easily replenish what was lost.
"I should kill you." Vernal muttered out loud. "But that would be a waste. You should realize soon enough the only way you'll get stronger is if you follow our teachings. Not be blinded by loyalty to a child." She raised her weapon like she was going to bring it down. "Hmm, when you don't open your mouth, you actually look somewhat decent-..."
A force suddenly yanked her weapon out of her hand, sending it flying. There was no warning at all as a powerful force ripped it away. Spinning around, Vernal barely saw the red and gold shield spinning through the air at her head. She was forced to duck down and avoid the attack, as she no longer had anything to block with. The wind whipped her short hair as her eyes darted upwards to see who had attacked her.
Only to be forced to dodge to the side as a girl with a large hammer brought it horizontally toward her.
"Get away from our leader!" Nora shouted, as the force of her blow sent wind to push Vernal back.
Gritting her teeth, Vernal skidded along the dirt and mud before coming to a stop. A green blur to her left caught her attention as a boy with dark hair darted toward her and delivered a couple quick slashes with daggers. Vernal was able to dodge most, but had to absorb one unavoidable attack with her Aura. The shield that had been flung at her flew over her head once more and was grabbed in midair as the familiar redhead caught it. Well, more like the shield zoomed right into her hand.
"Tsk." Vernal clicked her tongue and her eyes fell on Pyrrha. "How did you get past Raven?"
"I had some help." Pyrrha raised Miló in its rifle form. "Step away from him. NOW!"
"As if." Vernal's eyes narrowed as she took in her surroundings. Things were not looking good. Jaune hadn't hit her that much, so her Aura was mostly intact. Most of the damage to it was hitting his wall of Aura. The biggest issue was that one of her weapons was destroyed by Jaune and the other was ripped out of her hand by one of the brats' Semblance. "Like I'm going to run away from a bunch of punk kids."
"I'll show you who's a kid when I break your legs!" Nora growled.
"You're outnumbered and disarmed." Ren added firmly, trying to be the voice of reason.
"That just means it will take me a little longer to kill you." Vernal spat back, but her mind was racing and thinking what her next course of action should be.
As much bravado as she was showing, Vernal was not an idiot. Being stupidly brave in the wilds was just asking to end up in an early grave. Running away from a fight you couldn't win was not cowardly. Dying for nothing was stupid. One would only be a coward if they ran from a weakling when they could win. Vernal wasn't sure how strong Nora or Ren was, but Raven was supposed to have fought Pyrrha and Pyrrha was standing here alive. That was worrying as Raven wouldn't have just let that girl interfere like this.
Maybe retreating was a better option.
Her fingers tightened into a fist as Vernal hated having to run. Her eyes darted toward Jaune laying next to her. The purpose of their arrival was done and she had to admit Jaune was a good training partner. She could use him as a punching bag if nothing else and hone her strikes while gaining experience fighting armored opponents. Honestly, they should just take him back with them, even though Raven made it clear what they were doing here. Spending time with the tribe would make him realize how much better off he would be with them.
"Enough, Vernal!" Came a familiar voice. "We're leaving."-
Everyone spun around to see Raven sauntering towards them. Ren and Nora's eyes widened as they took in the woman's appearance. Pyrrha had already seen her during their fight, but never truly got to mentally register who the woman was. Now that they were all together, Nora blurted out what they were all thinking.
"Why do you look like Yang!?"
"Raven!" Vernal blurted out. "I was just about to finish them off."
"Were you?" Raven raised an eyebrow. "From my point of view, you were in trouble." Vernal's mouth slammed shut. "There's no point in staying here any longer. We've finished our assessment."
"Understood." Vernal agreed, knowing better than to argue. She started to walk over toward her leader.
"No one's going anywhere!" Pyrrha interjected, stepping forward. Raven's hand began to draw her blade.
"Let them go, Pyrrha." Qrow appeared and caused the NPR of Team JNPR to jump in surprise.
"What, why?!" Nora demanded to know. "Look what she did to Jaune!"
"He's fine," Qrow pointed his finger toward the boy. "Besides, if Raven wanted to kill him, she would have done so. And she's not an opponent you should fight with."
"You should listen to the drunk." Raven smirked. "Sometimes he's actually right." A red portal opened behind her. "Come, Vernal. We're going back."
"Coming!"
Vernal rushed forward and Pyrrha debated throwing her shield to try to knock them out, or even pulling Raven back with her Semblance. The only reason she didn't was because Qrow told them not to. But why would he do such a thing? Her eyes narrowed as the women vanished and the red portal closed behind them. Pulling her gaze away, she turned towards Jaune still laying unconscious as Ren knelt down next to him.
"How is he…?" She asked, her throat dry.
"He's alive." Ren declared and Pyrrha's knees finally gave way as they grew weak from relief. She landed with a soft squish in the mud.
"Thank god…" Pyrrha felt water in her eyes and she wiped it on her sleeve.
"He just got kicked pretty hard, so why don't you two get your stuff you left and come back here," Qrow pointed to Nora and Ren. "He'll wake up soon enough and after all this excitement, I bet he'll be starving and will need to recharge after that." He waved his hand to gesture to the destroyed area around them. "Oh, don't tell any environmentalists what happened here. I bet he won't want the attention."
"Then you'll explain what this was all about?" Ren asked.
"Yeah, once he wakes up. I hate telling a story twice."
"Ugh…" Jaune's everything hurt. Sun permeated through his eyelids as he slowly pushed himself off the ground. A crinkle indicated he wasn't laying on mud or grass, but a tarp. Opening his eyes, he blinked rapidly a moment before a shadow blocked out the sun and a loud familiar voice pierced his ears.
"HE'S AWAKE!"
"Nora?" Jaune gasped, still blinking so all the blurry shadows came into view. Before he could say anything else, someone collided with him and wrapped their arms tightly around his torso. The force actually hurt a bit but as a big brother, when someone wanted a hug, he automatically returned it. Pain was replaced by warmth as he held the stranger in his arms.
"I'm so sorry, Jaune!"
This voice was different than the first and Jaune froze as he recognized this female voice. It wasn't Nora this time, but equally familiar. Looking down, rather than orange, bright red hair covered the head buried in his chest. Pyrrha was the one who charged forward and was keeping him in her iron clutches. Not only that, she apologized? For what? If anyone was to apologize, it should be him for bringing Raven and Vernal after them.
"Huh, Pyrrha?" Jaune wasn't thinking straight and just blurted out in surprise.
"I shouldn't have left you behind!" Pyrrha wasn't wailing, but it was obvious she was trying to choke back sobs. "You could have died."
"I gave you the order to bail." Jaune reminded her, realizing why she was upset. The previous conversation they had about not being friends seemed to fade away in his memories. Right now, his friend had been worried about him. "You did what I told you to do." He awkwardly patted her back and she sniffed. "I'm fine, see? Just sore. Speaking of which, what happened to Vernal… and Raven?" He started to look around in a panic.
"Don't worry, kid. They are long gone."
"QROW?!"
"Sup," Qrow waved as he leaned against a trunk of a broken tree. "Finally up, sleeping beauty? We were about to have Ren give you a kiss to wake you up."
"I told him such an action would be uncomfortable for the both of us." Ren sighed.
"Hehe, but funny." Nora giggled. "Come oooon, Pyrrha! I want to hug him too."
Pyrrha sniffed and slowly let go of Jaune, but didn't get up. Instead, she put a hand on his shoulder and looked him in the eyes.
"Jaune… I never wanted us to stop being friends!" The champion blurted out. "I just thought… it might be better… but when I thought you were going to die… I realized… I didn't want that either! I'm so sorry. I'm so selfish."
"No, no, no!" Jaune reassured her. "I'm the one who should be sorry. I still wanted to be friends too. I've been selfish and kind of a dick."
"Kind of?" Qrow raised an eyebrow.
"Really?" Pyrrha didn't pay the man any attention. "You still want to be friends?"
"Of course I do." Jaune looked her straight in the eyes. "I went with that only because I thought it's what you wanted."
"I didn't want that, not really." Pyrrha sniffed. "I know our relationship will be different, but I still want it to involve being friends. Life's too short for that. I understand that your apprenticeship wasn't all fun and games and you risked your life fighting people like Raven."
"Well, if I didn't lie to get into Beacon, then I wouldn't have had to do this." Jaune rubbed his neck, finally letting go of his partner.
"You've earned your place at Beacon, Jaune." Pyrrha smiled at him. "No one can tell you otherwise anymore."
"Okay, this is getting mushy." Qrow groaned. "Are you two going to kiss and make up, or are we going to eat?"
Jaune and Pyrrha finally realized their position and what they had been doing. Pushing off each other, both of their faces went red. While there might not be a romantic attraction between the two of them, both of them were happy enough just being friends. Embarrassment was still a thing though. Virtually sitting in each other's laps and hugging wasn't something other people should have seen. Especially someone like Qrow who would needle them mercilessly.
It's where Yang got that part of her personality.
"Why are you here?!" Jaune gasped, trying to change the subject as he looked at Qrow.
"He said he was going to explain everything after you woke up." Nora crossed her arms and stared at the man.
"And I am." Qrow assured her. "So kid, want to talk or eat first?"
"We only brought enough food for us," Jaune told him. "You can't have our rations."
"Pssh, when did you get so stingy?"
"When I feel like you being here means you know what was about to happen." Jaune crossed his arms and glared at the man. "Remember what happened last time you decided to use me as bait?"
"Woah, hang on!" Qrow raised his hands. "Let's get a couple of things straight. First, I didn't know what was going to happen okay! Ozpin and I found out and were taking precautions. You should be thanking me you little shit instead of immediately blaming me."
"You sound defensive, so I'm right, aren't I!" Jaune countered and pointed at him.
"Is it wrong that I want some popcorn?" Nora whispered to Ren.
"Shhh." Ren held a finger to his lips.
Pyrrha was just staring at the two guys arguing. She never heard of the specifics about what happened. Not even Nora or Ren knew what happened. Jaune had told those two about Tyrian nearly killing Ruby and that's how he unlocked his Semblance. What he didn't tell them was that Qrow knew about the man following them and used the kids as bait. It was something they didn't really talk about due to the crazy emotions involved. Both understood the other's point of view, even if they didn't like it.
Qrow paused and glanced at the other kids before rubbing his face.
"Let's start at the beginning." Qrow sighed and looked back at Jaune. "I found out right before you left that Raven decided to call a Blood Rivalry."
"Who is Raven and why does she look at Yang?!" Nora blurted out. "Don't leave us in the dark!"
Jaune didn't say anything and simply stared at Qrow.
"Fine," The man answered. "We can talk about it since your teammates seem to be the type to blab. Especially that green guy there." He jabbed a thumb at Ren, who raised an eyebrow. "Better they understand the importance of keeping this a secret."
"You know the bandit group that kidnaped Ruby and me?" Jaune asked his team, and they nodded. Pyrrha learned that from Ren back then. "Raven is the leader of that tribe and as you can probably guess… she's Yang's biological mother."
"Why did she try to kill us then?" Pyrrha asked.
"Because she's a bitch of the highest order." Qrow informed them seriously. "Her tribe believes in might makes right, the strong survive, that kind of thing. Jaune and Ruby were caught by her because they attracted her attention." He specifically left out the fact that it was pretty much Jaune at this point. "The two of them escaped her tribe, which only led to her apprentice being humiliated for letting it happen. So she declared a Blood Rivalry."
"Is that where you fight to the death?" Nora gasped.
"No, that's a Blood Feud." Qrow told her. "We aren't declaring that one of us will die in the end. A Blood Rivalry is when a master and apprentice declares another master and apprentice as a personal enemy. Much like hating one of your classmates. What she plans to do is use Jaune as a way to train her own apprentice. That's why she appeared and made sure to separate Pyrrha here from him. To make sure no one interrupted and would allow them to fight all out. While death isn't required, when both combatants fight with everything they got, accidents do happen. They aren't forbidden from killing their opponent."
"So by fighting with their lives on the line, it's forcing both of them to grow as warriors?" Ren asked.
"Exactly." Qrow snapped his finger and pointed at him.
"But why?" Nora asked, confused.
"Because the best training is when both individuals are roughly the same skill level," Qrow explained simply. "Actually, the best training for you is when your opponent is slightly better than you in every way in a fight that could lead you to your death. It forces you to push past your limits to survive. Life and death struggles have been shown to be a very effective way of gaining straight, but it also comes with heavy risk. Jaune's apprenticeship with me was sort of a compromise between that and being at Beacon."
"Yeah, pushing me into a pack of Beowolves." Jaune mumbled.
"I said it was a hybrid, I was there to bail you out." Scoffed Qrow. "The point is, people generate a lot of strength in life or death situations. The key is to maximize that and learn from it."
"Wait… so that Vernal person was just beating up Jaune because of this rivalry thingie?" Nora asked. "Why go that far?"
"I told you, they believe strength is everything." Qrow repeated. "Anyways, so Raven sent me the message declaring the Blood Rivalry right before you all were sent on this Survival Training Lesson. It was too late to do much about it and neither Ozpin nor I thought she would act so soon. Just to be sure, I secretly followed you all."
"But we never saw you following us!" Nora blurted out.
"I'm just that good. Thanks for the compliment."
"I didn't-..."
"When Raven and Vernal attacked, I immediately went for Raven, since I knew you could handle yourself for a while." The man continued, ignoring Nora. "After saying the redhead here, I sent her to warn the others while I handled Raven."
"She seemed fine though." Nora pointed out and Ren was forced to put a hand over her mouth.
"Though I didn't expect you to come back with them so quickly." Qrow glanced at Pyrrha.
"I couldn't just stand back and wait," Pyrrha explained softly, her eyes flickering to Jaune. "We had to come back."
"Yeah, no way we would sit back and let our Fearless Leader fight alone." Nora shook her head, though her words were mumbled with Ren's hand over her mouth.
"That I will have to agree with." Ren crossed his arms.
"Good friends you got, kid." Qrow nodded toward Jaune.
"The best," Jaune agreed with a smile. "All of them." He didn't name names, but Pyrrha also smiled at it. Nora bounced up and down where she was sitting, her eyes sparkling as Ren's hand was still firmly clamped over her mouth.
"Nothing like a life or death struggle to know what's important." The man agreed. "Glad to see you two made up."
"You can say that again." Jaune glanced at Pyrrha and smiled. "After that, it makes all the arguments we had sound so…"
"Juvenile?" Pyrrha offered.
"Yeah, that."
"We should celebrate!" Nora declared. "Beating Raven's team and now we're back together too!"
"We have to wait until we get back." Ren reminded her. "We don't have much supplies on hand."
"Oh, poo."
"There's something I'm wondering about." Ren's gaze flickered back and forth between Jaune and Qrow. "Is Yang aware of her mother's occupation?"
"No." Jaune and Qrow replied simultaneously.
"Well, not everything." Qrow elaborated.
"Ruby and I learned about her but Qrow made us promise not to tell Yang." Jaune continued by himself. "There's a lot of family issues Yang goes through involving her mom. So if she knew what Raven was doing… well, I'm sure you can guess how fast she'll run out."
"Would Raven-..." Pyrrha began to ask.
"Yes, she would." Qrow interrupted, his voice dark. "Raven isn't the type to care about family ties. It's why she left when Yang was a baby. If Yang found her and got in her way, Raven would strike her down." Nora and Pyrrha gasped. "That's why I forbid Jaune and Ruby from telling her. I know it sucks to keep secrets from your friends, but there's always a reason I ask you all something like this. When you get back, you have to keep this a secret. Maybe you can tell Ruby, but that's it. Can I count on you all?"
Jaune looked at the others. He was making it their choice. If they wanted to tell Yang, they could. As much as the boy wanted them to remain quiet, as he knew how afraid Ruby would be if Yang raced off to find Raven, Jaune didn't want to force other people to do something they weren't comfortable with. Least of all to his friends. Though he was sure they would make the correct, albeit tough, decision.
"I can understand family issues." Pyrrha rubbed her neck. "And it's really something between Ruby and Yang."
"Yeah, we'll keep quiet." Nora nodded.
"I'll try to keep my mouth shut." Ren assured Qrow, causing the man to smirk at him.
"Thanks, brats." Qrow really did sound thankful. "Now to show my appreciation, and to make up for the delay caused by Raven, I'm willing to help you out a little by answering questions for a bit."
"How did Raven find us out here?" Ren asked.
"She's good at tracking."
Ah, Jaune realized what was happening. Qrow was going to lie, or purposely omit anything confidential relating to Raven. Raven can make portals so her traveling long distances was easy for her. Qrow didn't want to tell the others about it. It wouldn't make them feel safe at least out in the middle of the wilderness. Maybe even at Beacon. Raven could slip into your room and strike without warning anytime. While the specifics were lost on Jaune, she already showed him and Ruby how dangerous that Semblance was.
"Why did they leave so suddenly?" Pyrrha asked. "They don't seem like the type to flee easily."
"Because it's a Blood Rivalry, not a Feud." Qrow stated once more. "Jaune here is at the point where Raven is using him to train her apprentice. If they killed him, he would hardly be of use in the future. Besides, Raven knew that she would have her hands dealt with facing me, while Vernal was exhausted from kicking Jaune around and couldn't handle the three of you working together. Raven is powerful and ruthless, but she's not reckless or stupid. If the fight isn't in her favor, she'll leave."
"So she's a coward?!" Nora blurted out.
"Nora!" Pyrrha and Ren gasped.
"Yep, she is." Qrow nodded. "That's why I don't advertise that she's my sister."
"Will she be back?" Ren asked, getting back to a serious topic.
"I highly doubt it." Qrow assured him. "She did what she wanted by having Vernal face Jaune in a fight. And it seemed my apprentice showed off." He pointed toward the destruction left by Jaune's large Aura slash. "Any bigger and those pesky environmentalists might come after you."
"Self defense." Jaune responded, happy for the compliment, but not quite smiling. "I think I began to feel how to use my Aura Manifestation. Though I mostly just amplify my Aura to its limits and let it leak into my sword."
"Eh, that's the first step." The man shrugged. "Just try to recall how it feels and recreate it. Like how we trained you with sword play. Repetition is the key."
"If you're practicing at Beacon, you might want to try to hold back a bit," Pyrrha tried to joke. "Goodwitch might get upset if you destroy a wall."
"Pssh, accidents happen all the time." Qrow scoffed and brushed off her worry. "So anything else you brats want to know?"
"What's the meaning of life?" Nora asked and Ren sighed, but still smiled.
"Alcohol."
"Of course it is." Jaune facepalmed, frustration etched across his features. Then, a thought struck him. There was a question they had all been pondering—one that had led to their group splitting up in the first place. Since Qrow was here, perhaps he could shed some light on the matter.
Jaune rummaged through his bag, retrieving the map that his team had gathered. He unfolded it and turned it toward Qrow. "Can you tell us if this map is accurate? We found a pond back there that isn't marked. We're not sure if it's because the map is outdated or if it's just wrong."
"Oh, there's a few spots on the map that may have been altered." The sheer amusement in the grin on the man's face told Jaune he was being serious and just relishing in the joy of telling him.
"HUH?!" Jaune wasn't the only one confused as the rest of his team gasped in unison.
"Altering a map could cause many problems for those inexperienced with traveling." Ren spoke up. "I doubt most teams have been in the situations we have."
"Ah, that's the point." Qrow pointed at him. "You and one other team have two people who are very experienced reading a map and figuring out where they are. That's hardly fair for everyone else. So to make the challenge fair, the experienced teams have a couple extra steps. Genius, right!? It was all my idea. Don't let Oz tell you otherwise."
Jaune wanted to punch him and wipe that shit eating grin off his face.
Feel free to leave a review, comment, suggestions, or ideas, I love reading them. If you have a question you wish to ask and would like a quick answer, feel free to message me directly. I try to respond to those within a day or two. Comments, I tend to respond to in the next chapter.
nBappo. Great chapter, so great that my work was cut in half :D . Hopefully the readers like it too