Secrets of Arc

by The Builder's Return

The Worker of Secrets is reborn into the body of a deceased Jaune Arc. Watch as the worker of Secrets embarks on a new journey to fulfill Jaune's dream of being a hero. Romances are not determined but may be possible later on. Rated M for trauma and darker themes. Infinity Blade and other games/RWBY Crossover.

18. Chapter 15

Chapter 15

---

The journey was silent.

Not the kind of silence that felt comforting, nor the kind that came from exhaustion. This silence was heavy. It pressed down on them, filling the air, settling into their bones.

No one spoke much after they left the CCT tower.

Even Sun, usually the first to crack a joke, to ease the tension with a grin or some offhand remark, said nothing. He only sat with his arms crossed, his forehead resting against the cold window of the Bullhead, watching the landscape roll by.

The terrain below was wild, untouched by the passage of men, but as they flew deeper into the frontier, the land felt different.

Ruby sat near the front, her hands clenched together in her lap. Her mind refused to stay still.

She had pictured ruins.

A ghost town, hollowed out by time and tragedy. Crumbling buildings. Maybe nature reclaiming what humanity had abandoned.

A battlefield, long since forgotten.

She wasn't ready for this.

The Bullhead slowed, engines thrumming as they descended, the familiar mechanical whir of the landing gear extending below them.

Then—contact.

The moment the Bullhead's ramp lowered, the silence outside swallowed them whole.

Not the quiet of an empty place.
Not the stillness of nature.
But something deeper. Something unnatural.

Something wrong.

There was no wind.

No rustling leaves, no birds singing from the trees.

No life.

As if the land itself had held its breath since the day of the massacre and never exhaled.

---

They stepped off the ramp, boots crunching against dry, brittle grass.

What lay before them was not ruins.

Not a town that had been abandoned and left to wither.

It was obliteration.

Buildings that had once been homes were shattered husks, their foundations cracked, their walls collapsed inward.

But it wasn't time that had broken them.

It wasn't Grimm.

It was people.

The blackened remains of homes bore the unmistakable scars of deliberate destruction.

Fire had been set to every structure.

Not the kind that spread wildly, consuming everything in its path—but fire that had been placed with intent.

Walls burned until they collapsed.
Support beams cracked and splintered.
Stone foundations scorched, but still standing as if to serve as a monument to what had been taken.

This was not the aftermath of a battle.

This was not an accident.

This was a message.

A purge.

A warning.

---

Weiss took a slow breath, her arms wrapped tightly around herself. She had seen destruction before.

This was different.

"This wasn't a raid."

Blake stood beside her, her golden eyes shadowed, her voice quiet but certain.

"No." She shook her head. "This was meant to erase them."

No survivors.
No chance to rebuild.
No remnants left to remind the world that this place once existed.

Ruby felt her stomach twist.

She had heard stories of White Fang attacks before.

Outposts, border settlements, places the kingdoms ignored until it was too late.

She had imagined it in reports, in maps, in distant retellings.

But standing here…

Seeing it.

The remains of a town that had once been filled with life—

With families.

With people who had done nothing but exist in the wrong place at the wrong time.

Her throat tightened.

---

The silence grew heavier with each step they took through what was once a place where people laughed and children played, but now held nothing but broken dreams and forgotten promises that whispered through the empty spaces between fallen walls.

The wind moved softly through the ruins like a sad song that never ends, carrying the smell of old ashes and dust that once were homes and lives and hopes, now settled deep into the ground where nothing grows anymore.

Every footstep felt wrong and cruel, like they were walking through someone's nightmare without permission, disturbing a graveyard that time had already claimed as its own forever.

Then—

Ruby stopped walking, her body freezing in place without her telling it to, her eyes fixed on something half-hidden in the dry grass beside a small wooden grave marker that was broken and leaning sideways like it was too tired to stand up straight anymore.

At first, she didn't know what made her stop—just a shape nearly covered by dead grass, but then her breath caught in her throat and her heart seemed to stop beating for a moment that stretched into forever.

A doll with faded fabric that was once bright and happy, now stained with dirt and time, its stuffing poking through torn seams like it was trying to escape its own sadness, one button eye missing as if it had cried itself away, its arms still reaching out for the small grave like it was waiting for its owner to come back and take it home.

Ruby couldn't breathe through the tightness in her chest, her hands shaking as she slowly bent down toward the forgotten toy, hesitating a long moment before gently brushing away the dirt that had tried to bury this memory like everything else in this dead place.

Her fingers barely touched the doll's worn face when a cold feeling washed over her whole body, making her skin feel tight and wrong, like she was somewhere she shouldn't be, seeing things no one should see.

She could see it all happening in her mind, clear as if she were there herself, watching through eyes that weren't hers but somehow felt like they could have been in another life, another time, another story that ended just as sadly.

A little girl with small hands holding the doll so tight against her chest that the seams should have split apart, running through streets filled with choking smoke and screams that cut through the night air like knives, past houses falling apart as flames ate them from the inside out.

The endless screaming that seemed to come from everywhere at once, a hand grabbing the child's arm and pulling her forward—don't look back, don't look back or the monsters will catch you—the doll pressed hard against her chest as someone bigger picked her up from the ground.

A terrible scream that stopped too suddenly in the middle, the hand holding her going slack and loose, the doll slipping from her arms and falling to the ground that seemed so far away.

The hard impact as she hit the ground herself, the air pushed from her lungs all at once, the world spinning around her like a broken toy.

And when she turned to look back—

She was all alone in a world that had ended.

Ruby jerked away from the doll, sucking in air like she'd been underwater too long, the world around her blurring as tears filled her eyes without permission, her chest so tight it hurt to breathe, her stomach twisting itself into knots that made her feel sick and lost.

It wasn't her memory but it happened here, in this very spot where she stood now, and the knowing of it was too heavy to carry.

Her throat closed up like she was choking, her hands shaking so badly she couldn't have held anything if she tried, and she turned away from the others so they wouldn't see her face crumpling as she fought against the tears that wanted to come.

---

Yang watched her sister's face change and felt her own stomach turn over, but she didn't say anything because there were no words big enough or deep enough to hold what this place was making them all feel.

She felt the weight of this dead town pressing down on her shoulders like stones piled one by one until she could barely stand under them.

This wasn't just another attack by mindless Grimm that destroyed without thinking, this wasn't just another sad story about people who died in the endless war between light and dark.

This was something else that made her skin crawl and her heart hurt in ways she didn't have names for.

This was something much worse than anything they had seen before, something that changed the way the world looked if you stared at it too long.

They had seen what was left of this place that used to be a town where people lived and loved and dreamed of tomorrows that never came.

The buildings weren't just knocked down or burned like when Grimm attack without plan or purpose—they were torn apart piece by piece like someone wanted to erase every trace of happiness that ever lived here.

Houses weren't just burned by accident or carelessness—they were burned slowly and carefully, one at a time, making sure everything inside turned to ash and couldn't be saved.

Walls weren't just broken—they were pulled apart stick by stick, board by board, like someone wanted to take the time to destroy every single piece of what made this place a home for the people who lived here.

This wasn't a battle between two sides fighting for what they believed in, it wasn't something you could understand or forgive or forget.

It was wiping away people like they were nothing, like they never should have been here at all.

Blake's hands curled into such tight fists that her nails cut into her palms, but she didn't feel the pain because it was nothing compared to the ache growing inside her chest that made it hard to breathe.

She had fought her whole life for what she thought was right, for what she believed could make the world better for everyone, for the dream that things didn't have to stay broken forever.

But this place showed her something she didn't want to see, something that made her question everything she thought she knew about right and wrong and justice.

This wasn't fighting for change or balance or a better tomorrow—this was making sure there was no tomorrow at all for the people who lived here.

This wasn't justice that tried to make things right—it was revenge that only wanted to make things hurt.

And the people who called this place home, who woke up each morning thinking they had another day, another chance, another moment to live—they were the ones who paid the price for someone else's hatred.

Weiss stood with her arms wrapped around herself so tightly it looked like she was trying to hold herself together, her face so still and pale it could have been carved from ice, but her eyes told a story of horror that her lips couldn't speak.

Sun let out a long, shaky breath that seemed to take something important from inside him with it, all his usual smiles and jokes gone like they had never existed at all.

"This is why he can't ever stop moving or fighting or protecting," he said in a voice that sounded older and sadder than it should, "because if he ever slows down or rests or forgets, then more places like this would happen again and again until the whole world was nothing but graves and ashes and forgotten toys."

Ruby stood up slowly, holding the broken doll in hands that wouldn't stop shaking, her eyes moving over the rows of simple graves, the empty spaces where houses once stood, the silence where voices should be, and she knew in her heart something that broke it into pieces.

Jaune Arc had no home left in this world, no place to return to when the fighting was done, no hearth where he could rest his head, and maybe, just maybe, he never would again as long as the stars burned in the sky.

---

The ruins stretched out before them like an open wound that would never heal, broken and empty and filled with the ghosts of people who would never find peace in this world or any other.

Team RWBY had seen terrible things before in their short lives as huntresses—villages wiped out by creatures of darkness, battlefields covered with broken weapons and bodies, the aftermath of fear and hatred and war.

But this place was different in ways that made their souls ache—this wasn't the random destruction of mindless monsters or the chaotic aftermath of battle, this was careful and planned and done with purpose.

The old roads, now just cracked earth where nothing would grow, had once connected homes where families ate dinner together and told stories and made plans for futures that were stolen from them.

Now those roads led only to silence and emptiness and the endless rows of graves that marked the town like scars that would never fade away.

There were no fancy headstones carved with loving words, no beautiful memorials with flowers and statues, just simple wooden markers made by hands that must have been shaking with grief and exhaustion and loneliness.

One marker for every house that once stood, one name for every person who once lived, one grave for every life that was taken away too soon and too cruelly.

Weiss felt sick as they walked past row after row of markers, her throat tight and dry, her mind unable to stop counting them until the numbers became too big to hold.

"There are so many of them," she whispered in a voice so small it almost disappeared in the wind before anyone could hear it.

No one answered her because there was nothing to say that wouldn't sound empty and meaningless in this place where words didn't matter anymore.

---

The full weight of this tragedy didn't truly settle over them until they reached what had once been the center of town, where Ruby stopped walking so suddenly it was like she had hit an invisible wall.

At the far end of the ruins, standing alone among all the broken pieces of what used to be a community, was the shell of a house that had once been full of life and voices and people who loved each other.

It wasn't any different from all the other destroyed homes they had passed—the roof fallen in, the walls broken apart, the doorway leading into empty space where a family once lived.

Just another ghost house in a ghost town where nothing lived anymore except memories too painful to touch.

But above the broken entrance, carved deep into wood blackened by fire that had tried to eat even the names away—

ARC.

Ruby made a small sound like something breaking inside her chest, her voice barely more than a whisper when she said, "This was where he lived with his family, this was his home."

The others followed where she was looking, and then they saw what made this place different from all the others in this town of the dead.

The graves in the rest of the town had been placed with care, one for each house as if trying to keep families together even in death, a small kindness in a place where kindness had been murdered.

But here, in front of this broken home with the name ARC carved above its empty doorway—

There were so many graves standing close together, almost touching like they were trying to comfort each other in their endless sleep, too many for just one family unless that family was large and loving and full of life before it was all taken away.

The ground in front of these markers had long since hardened in the sun and rain and passing seasons, but they could still see the marks left in the dirt—the places where small hands had dug into the earth again and again and again until the terrible work was finally done.

And at the foot of the smallest grave, half-covered by dirt as if the earth itself was trying to hide this final unbearable sorrow—

Another doll, just like the one Ruby now held in her trembling hands.

Ruby's legs gave out beneath her and she fell to her knees on the hard ground, her hands pressing into the dirt, her breathing coming in gasps that hurt her chest, her heart beating so loud in her ears that it seemed to drown out everything else in the world.

She could see it all happening before her eyes even though it was years ago and she wasn't there to witness it—a boy with golden hair, his hands raw and bleeding from digging so many graves, his breathing shallow with exhaustion and grief, his small body shaking with cold and hunger and a sadness too big for anyone to carry alone.

A child all alone in the darkness, surrounded by the bodies of everyone he had ever loved—his mother, his father, his sisters, his friends, his entire world gone in one terrible night of fire and screaming and death.

A boy who should have died here with everyone else, who should have been another small grave in this field of them, another name whispered by the wind and then forgotten.

But he lived when everyone else died, and so he stayed and dug the graves himself, one after another until his hands bled and his body couldn't stand anymore, until the last body was in the ground and covered with dirt and marked with a name so they wouldn't be forgotten.

Ruby's vision blurred with tears she couldn't hold back anymore, but she wouldn't look away from this truth that hurt too much to face but needed to be seen.

Because this was the real story of the frontier, this was what happened when the kingdoms didn't care enough to protect their distant children, this was the price some paid just for wanting to live free.

Jaune Arc should never have survived this night of horror, he should never have had to bury his entire family with his own small hands, he should never have had to walk away from this place alone.

But he did survive when no one else did, and he never stopped walking or fighting or protecting since that night, never stopped trying to make sure no other child would have to dig graves for everyone they loved.

The truth that finally became clear to them all as they stood in this graveyard that used to be a home—

Jaune had carried this weight all by himself for all these years, this grief and rage and determination, this knowledge of what happens when protectors fail or look away for even a moment.

And now at last they understood why he couldn't stop, why he would never stop, why the Invincible Human would stand guard as long as there was breath in his body and strength in his hands.

Because he was the only one left to remember what happened here, and he would make sure it never happened again, even if it meant he could never rest, never find peace, never have a home again in this lifetime or any other.

---

Ruby couldn't move from where she knelt in the dirt.

The wind moved through the broken buildings, carrying the smell of old fires and forgotten dreams that had soaked into the ground like tears that would never dry.

She stayed there, her knees pressed into the earth, her hands shaking as she stared at the graves that Jaune had dug when he was just a boy.

Her breathing came slow and shallow.

Everything around her seemed to fade away until all she could see was the broken house in front of her, the cold ground beneath her fingers, and the names of people whose voices had been silenced forever.

She could still see him in her mind.

The child who should have died with everyone else.

The boy who stayed to bury his family, leaving pieces of his heart in this broken place.

Who walked away but carried this place inside him forever.

Ruby's chest hurt like something was growing inside it, getting bigger and bigger until she thought she might break apart.

It wasn't fair.

It wasn't fair.

It wasn't fair.

She felt a warm hand touch her back.

At first, she barely noticed it, but then she felt its weight keeping her from floating away into grief.

"Ruby."

Yang's voice was softer than Ruby had ever heard before.

Ruby's body started to shake.

Yang knelt beside her, pulling her close, touching her forehead gently against Ruby's head.

Ruby tried to breathe normally.

Tried to speak.

But the words she needed to say were stuck inside her, too big and painful to push out.

---

Blake watched them, her hands squeezed into tight fists.

She had fought for years, believing she was on the right side of a war that would bring justice.

But this wasn't war.

This was a message written in blood and burned into the ground, left to be forgotten by time.

This was what happened when people became nothing more than targets to be erased.

She looked at the graves again, rows of markers for lives cut short.

And suddenly, she understood Jaune in a way she never had before.

He didn't fight because hate drove him forward.

He fought because he couldn't bear to see this happen to anyone else, ever again.

Weiss stood still as stone, staring at what was left of the Arc family home.

This went beyond cruelty.

This went beyond punishment.

This was destruction for its own sake, meant to wipe away every trace that these people had ever lived.

And yet—

Despite everything that was taken, despite all the lives that were stolen—

Jaune Arc had survived.

He had walked away from this nightmare, carrying only memories of those he lost, and still found the strength to become something greater.

He had every reason to hate everything about the world.

But instead—

He chose to shield it from harm.

---

Sun felt his throat tighten, his heart aching in a way that surprised him.

He had never known his parents.

Had never known where he came from.

But his village had taken him in as one of their own.

His grandfather had raised him with love.

And Vacuo—his home—had meant everything to him.

What if his town had been destroyed like this?

What if he had been the only one left alive?

Would he have been strong enough to keep going?

To keep fighting?

He wasn't sure.

But Jaune had found that strength.

Jaune, who had lost more than any of them could imagine, had gotten back up and kept walking.

Not to get revenge.

Not to gain power.

But for those who couldn't fight anymore.

---

Yang's hand pressed more firmly against Ruby's back.

Her little sister was trembling, still trying to be strong when she didn't need to be.

Yang wouldn't let her carry this alone.

"You don't have to be strong right now, Ruby."

Ruby made a small sound, barely louder than a breath.

Yang wrapped her arms around her sister, holding her close.

And finally—

Ruby let go of the pain she was holding inside.

She buried her face against Yang's shoulder, her fingers grabbing onto her sister's jacket like she was afraid Yang might disappear too.

She didn't cry loudly with big sobs.

But her whole body shook with feelings too big to contain.

The town was gone.

The people were gone.

But Jaune—

Jaune was still here.

He had lived through this terrible loss and still found the courage to stand between others and the same fate.

He had chosen kindness instead of hate.

He had chosen to protect instead of destroy.

Jaune Arc wasn't just a hero from a storybook.

He was hope walking in the world.

Hope that even after losing everything, something good could still grow from the ashes.

Hope that true strength wasn't about power—it was about caring for others.

Hope that even in a broken world, people could still stand tall and fight for something better than what came before.

Yang pressed her forehead against Ruby's, her voice a whisper, "We won't let him be alone anymore."

Weiss swallowed hard past the lump in her throat.

Blake let out a slow breath, her hands finally relaxing.

Sun closed his eyes for a moment, breathing in the knowledge of what had happened here, then breathing out the determination to make things right.

Then he opened his eyes and nodded firmly.

"Anyone who can come from this place and still want to protect others," Sun said with certainty, "has the kindest heart possible."

Blake nodded, her voice soft but sure, "Then we stand with him."

Weiss stood taller, her face set with determination.

"Not because we owe him anything."

She looked back at the graves, at the ruined house, at all the pain buried beneath their feet.

"But because we believe in what he's fighting for."

Yang finally pulled back from Ruby, keeping her hands on her sister's shoulders, looking into her eyes.

"Are you ready?" she asked gently.

Ruby sniffed once, wiping tears from her eyes.

Then, slowly but surely—

She nodded.

She looked at the graves, at the broken home, at the town that had been stolen away—

And she made a promise in her heart that no one could hear but she would never break.

They would stand beside him.

Because Jaune Arc wasn't just another hero.

He was hope itself.

And hope should never have to stand alone.

Jaune Arc had no home to return to.

But now—

He had something just as powerful.

People who would stand beside him, shoulder to shoulder, facing whatever came next.

People who understood what he fought for.

People who would make sure he never had to carry the weight alone again.

The wind crawled through the dead town, stirring dust from places where people once lived and loved and died.

Team RWBY and Sun stood among broken homes and silent graves, surrounded by the crushed remains of Jaune's past.

The air hung too still.

Too heavy.

And then—

It happened.

Not with warning. Not with approach.

But with violence.

The air itself cracked open—a sound like the world breaking in half, punching through their eardrums and squeezing their lungs empty.

A thunderclap of displaced reality, so powerful it made the ground beneath them tremble.

Yang felt it hammer through her body first—a brutal pulse that didn't just sound but invaded, drumming through her bones and rattling her teeth in their sockets.

Sun's ears flattened against his skull as his tail shot straight with primal fear.

His breath strangled in his throat.

"...Oh, shit."

Their heads snapped up as one.

And there it hung—the Tempest.

Not approaching. Not descending.

It had simply appeared—ripping through sky and sound barrier alike, hanging impossibly low, its massive hull angled down at them like an executioner's blade.

---

A sound tore the air apart—deep, monstrous, physical.

Not just a horn.

A battle cry that hammered them to their knees.

The noise slammed into them like a wall of pure force, vibrating through their bodies and crushing against their skulls until they couldn't think, couldn't breathe, couldn't do anything but clutch their heads in desperate protection.

Blake and Sun dropped to the ground—their Faunus hearing transforming the sound into waves of agony that crawled through their nervous systems like lightning. Blake's eyes squeezed shut, her face contorted in a silent scream as Sun curled inward, hands clamped so tightly over his ears his knuckles turned white.

And then—

The Tempest changed.

Not slowly. Not mechanically.

But like a beast unfurling for battle.

Armor plates split and peeled back with savage purpose, revealing weapon systems that made their hearts stop.

Twin barrels extended from the belly of the ship—massive, gleaming, hungry—opening like the jaws of something ancient and merciless.

More weapons emerged—turrets sliding from hidden compartments, locking into place with deadly precision that left no doubt about their purpose.

Weiss stumbled backward, her voice breaking.

"Wait—wait, it's—"

"Going to kill us," Blake gasped through gritted teeth, still curled on the ground from the sonic assault.

But the Tempest held its fire.

Suspended in terrible silence.

Because they weren't the target.

Not yet.

Blinding golden light exploded from the ship, cutting through the ruins in violent sweeps. The beams passed through their bodies like they were nothing but ghosts, leaving a burning afterimage on their retinas.

The light didn't just search. It hunted. It dissected.

It swept across the broken homes, the scattered graves, the shattered remains of Jaune's past—looking for something that didn't belong.

Yang's heart slammed against her ribs.

"It's looking for—"

"Enemies," Blake whispered as she struggled to her knees, face pale with lingering pain.

Intruders.

The truth hit them like a physical blow, driving air from their lungs.

Jaune hadn't come because friends were visiting.

He had come ready for war.

Not as a man answering a call. Not as a friend reuniting.

But as a guardian returning to sacred ground.

As a soldier defending the only battlefield that ever mattered.

As a child—still watching, still protecting the dead who couldn't protect themselves.

---

The golden light died suddenly.

The weapons folded back into the ship's body—not retracting but being swallowed by armor that sealed seamlessly.

The barrels cooled with an audible hiss, their deadly promise unfulfilled.

The ship pulled back, its attack posture melting away.

And then—

It descended toward them.

Massive. Silent. Unstoppable.

Sun released a shaking breath, arms wrapped around himself as the ringing in his ears slowly faded.

"He thought..." his voice cracked. "He thought someone was violating this place."

The words dropped between them like stones into still water, sending ripples of understanding that chilled their blood.

Ruby's chest constricted until she couldn't breathe.

Yang's fists clenched so tight her knuckles bleached white.

Weiss stood frozen, throat working silently against words that wouldn't come.

Blake's gaze drifted toward the family graves where small markers stood in silent judgment.

They had come to his sanctuary. To his family's final resting place. To the most sacred ground of his existence.

And for one heart-stopping moment—

Jaune had prepared to unleash hell itself to protect it.

---

The Tempest settled on the ground with the precision of a predator coming to rest.

No wasted movement. No unnecessary sound.

Just perfect, terrifying control.

The earth shuddered beneath their feet—not from the ship's weight but from its presence, as though reality itself bent around its will.

The landing bay doors remained sealed.

But the air had already changed.

Charged with something primal.

Something waiting.

No one dared speak.

Not because words failed them—

But because they suddenly understood the gulf between what they thought they knew and the truth of what stood before them.

They had come seeking answers about a friend.

Instead, they had awakened something that lived in the space between man and legend.

His rage. His purpose. His absolute commitment to protect what remained of his shattered world.

Yang exhaled slowly, hand trembling as she pushed hair from her face.

She looked down at her boots, at the sacred earth that clung to them—

The soil of graves dug by a child's bleeding hands.

She had lost her mother and carried that wound like a burning coal in her chest for years.

One absence. One missing piece.

Jaune had lost everything.

And when they had stepped foot on this hallowed ground—

His first, immediate response had been to bring an army.

Sun shifted, his movements jerky with nervous energy, tail lashing behind him as he rolled his jaw, trying to clear the phantom pain from his ears.

"I, uh..." His voice rasped in a dry throat.

"I don't think he was expecting visitors."

Blake's arms wrapped around herself, not in protection but in growing horror at what they'd done.

"No," she whispered.

"He was expecting enemies."

Weiss stood motionless, her face drained of color, eyes fixed on the Tempest as understanding dawned across her features.

The landing bay doors opened.

The sound was slow, deliberate—the soft whir of machinery, the controlled hiss of pressurized air releasing. It was quiet, methodical, measured.

And then, the ramp touched the ground.

For a moment, nothing happened.

Then—

A single step.

A single boot against metal.

A single presence stepping forward.

Jaune Arc emerged.

He wasn't wearing his armor. There was no gleaming gold, no indomitable plating. Instead, he stepped out in his usual outfit—black shirt, grey tactical pants, black boots and gloves. No weapons. No defenses.

Because he didn't need them.

Because they weren't threats to him.

They had seen him before, had fought alongside him, had stood in his presence. But this was something else.

Even without his armor, he was his legend made flesh. And yet, as his gaze swept over them, over the ruins, the graves, the place he had left behind—there was no anger. No resentment.

Only quiet understanding.

He hadn't been expecting them here. That much was clear.

But he wasn't pushing them away.

Ruby swallowed hard, her chest tightening at the sight of him. She had prepared for this moment—thought about what she would say, how she would explain—but now, with him standing there, none of it mattered.

Because in the end, words wouldn't be enough.

Before she even realized it, her feet were moving.

And then she was running.

Straight to him.

Jaune didn't flinch, didn't tense, didn't shift an inch as Ruby crashed into him, wrapping her arms around him with all the strength she had. She buried her face into his chest, her voice breaking as she whispered, "I'm sorry."

He didn't answer right away.

He didn't have to.

Instead, he simply raised a hand and gently rested it on her head.

Ruby squeezed her eyes shut, holding on tighter, feeling the steady rhythm of his breathing beneath her. She had so many things she wanted to say—so many regrets, so many apologies—but for now, this was enough.

This was real.

This was Jaune.

And as the others watched—Weiss, Blake, Yang, Sun—they saw it too.

He wasn't some distant figure beyond their reach.

He wasn't just the Invincible Human, the unstoppable force, the warrior that history would never forget.

He was their friend.

And he always had been.

Jaune let Ruby hold onto him for a few more moments before she finally pulled back, her silver eyes shining with unspoken emotions. He didn't say anything, but the small pat on her head had already said enough.

She stepped back, taking a deep breath, and for the first time since landing, the tension began to lift.

Yang was the next to step forward, her usual smirk absent, replaced by something more subdued. "So… we just came from a town. One of the ones you protected."

Jaune's gaze shifted to her. "I see."

Blake nodded. "It was… different."

Jaune arched a brow slightly. "Different how?"

Weiss crossed her arms, her voice measured. "It wasn't just a settlement. It wasn't just some random village trying to survive." She hesitated for a moment, then met his gaze directly. "It was thriving."

Jaune remained silent, his expression calm, waiting for them to continue.

Ruby took a step forward. "The people there—they're happy, Jaune. They're safe." She swallowed, searching for the right words. "They… they believe in you. Like, really believe in you."

Sun rubbed the back of his head. "Yeah, man, it was kind of wild. I mean, I've seen places that do well, but that wasn't just survival. That was… stability. No crime, no fear, no Grimm problem. They don't just look up to you; they trust you."

Jaune gave a slow nod, his expression unreadable. "Good."

Weiss frowned slightly. "That's it? Just 'good'?"

Jaune exhaled quietly, his hands resting casually at his sides. "What else would you have me say?" His voice wasn't dismissive, nor was it boastful. It was simply… steady. Certain. "They were always meant to thrive."

Blake studied him carefully. "They speak about you like you're some kind of legend. A guardian."

Jaune's lips twitched slightly, almost in amusement. "That's their choice. I don't ask for titles."

Yang crossed her arms, tilting her head. "But you don't deny them either."

Jaune looked at her, his expression unwavering. "If it gives them hope, if it gives them strength—why should I?"

The answer was so simple, so undeniable, that none of them could argue.

Jaune glanced toward the ruins around them, his gaze briefly settling on the graves. When he spoke again, his voice was softer, but no less resolute. "I never set out to build a legend. I built a place where people didn't have to live in fear. Where they didn't have to fight just to exist. If they believe in me, it's because they know I won't fail them."

Ruby felt a lump in her throat. The certainty in his words wasn't arrogance—it wasn't even confidence. It was just truth.

Weiss shifted, glancing at the others before speaking again. "Then… is that what all of this is about? The settlements, the protection, the order? You're building something beyond just one town, aren't you?"

Jaune met her gaze evenly. "I'm making sure the world has a future."

Silence followed.

Blake was the one to break it. "And where do we fit into that?"

Jaune regarded them for a long moment before answering.

"That," he said, "is up to you."
The silence stretched between them, thick with unspoken words.

Then, Ruby took a step forward, her silver eyes shining with something new—not just understanding, but determination. "Jaune… I want to be a part of it."

Jaune's gaze met hers, unreadable. "A part of what?"

"This," Ruby gestured around them. "Everything. What you've built, what you're fighting for. I know we didn't understand before—we didn't know what you'd been through. But now…" Her voice softened, but her resolve didn't waver. "Now we see it. We see you."

Jaune didn't respond immediately. His blue eyes studied her, measured, waiting for more.

Weiss took a deep breath, stepping up beside Ruby. "I didn't understand before either. I thought strength came from discipline, from control, from power. But seeing those towns, the people who look up to you, I finally get it. You don't command them, you don't rule over them… you protect them." She clenched her fists. "And that's something I want to fight for, too."

Blake nodded, stepping up. "I spent so long running from my past, thinking I had to atone on my own. That I couldn't trust anyone else with the fight. But you…" She met his gaze, and for once, there was no hesitation, no doubt in her voice. "You never hesitate to fight for those who need you. You never turn your back on the people who have no one else." She exhaled, her ears twitching slightly. "I want to be someone you can turn to, Jaune. Not someone who walks away again."

Jaune remained silent, but his gaze softened—just slightly.

Then, Yang laughed, shaking her head. "You know, it's kind of funny. I used to think I was one of the strongest people around. Turns out, I didn't even understand what strength was." She stepped forward, her usual cocky grin replaced with something earnest. "I get it now. Strength isn't just about being able to hit hard or take a punch. It's about standing up, again and again, no matter what. It's about making sure no one else has to fight alone." Her lilac eyes met his, unwavering. "So, yeah, I want in. I want to fight for this. With you."

Jaune's gaze flickered between them, his expression still calm, still composed—but something had changed.

They weren't just saying it.

They meant it.

And then there was Sun.

Unlike the others, he didn't speak. But the excitement in his golden eyes, the way his tail flicked slightly, the way he stood just a little taller—he didn't need to. He felt the same.

They all did.

For a long moment, Jaune simply looked at them. As if weighing their words, their conviction. As if searching for any trace of hesitation.

He found none.

Finally, after what felt like an eternity, he exhaled quietly.

"You do realize what you're asking for." It wasn't a question.

Ruby nodded without hesitation. "We do."

"You're not just asking to help with a few missions. You're asking to stand at my side when the world pushes back."

Weiss straightened. "Then we'll push back harder."

Jaune studied them a moment longer, then—

He smiled.

It was small, barely noticeable, but it was real.

"…Alright," he said simply. "Then let's get to work."

The wind stirred the dust at their feet, carrying the weight of their decision into the open sky. The ruins around them, the graves, the very land they stood on—it all bore witness to the moment. This was no longer just a conversation.

It was the beginning of something greater.

Jaune's eyes swept over them—Ruby, Weiss, Blake, Yang, and Sun. His stance was relaxed, his expression calm, but when he spoke, his words carried the weight of certainty.

"There is no longer Team RWBY. There is no longer Team JNPR." His voice was steady, absolute. "That's something you'll have to accept."

Ruby felt her breath hitch, but she didn't waver.

Jaune continued. "What we're building—what we're becoming—doesn't have room for boundaries. No teams. No lines. No separation. If you truly want this, then you need to understand… we are one." His gaze burned with conviction. "We are the Task Force. And together, we will become something far greater than any team could ever be."

The weight of his words settled over them, but instead of hesitation—there was resolve.

Weiss nodded first, stepping forward. "Then that's what we'll be."

Blake followed, her golden eyes steady. "One team. One purpose."

Yang grinned, cracking her knuckles. "I like the sound of that."

Ruby felt her heart hammer in her chest, but her voice was clear. "Then we're ready, Jaune."

Jaune nodded once. "Then I will forge you into something greater."

His words sent a shiver down their spines—not from fear, but from anticipation.

"When I speak with Ozpin and get permission to return to Beacon, I'll put you through Phase One."

Silence.

And then—realization dawned.

Blake's eyes widened slightly. "The Phases…"

Weiss took a sharp breath. "You mean—"

Yang stiffened, her fingers twitching. "You're going to train us the way you trained Ren and Nora?"

Jaune met their gazes, his expression leaving no room for doubt. "Yes."

They felt it then—just how real this was.

They had watched Ren and Nora change, become something beyond what they were before. They had seen the difference in their strength, their presence, their very being. And now—

It was their turn.

A slow smile spread across Ruby's lips, excitement blooming in her chest.

"Then let's do it."

Jaune held her gaze, then looked at each of them—measuring, weighing, acknowledging. And in each of them, he saw the same thing: unwavering determination.

He nodded.

Then, his gaze shifted to Sun.

The monkey Faunus had been silent this whole time, but his golden eyes burned with the same unspoken excitement as the others.

Jaune studied him for a moment before speaking. "Not yet."

Sun blinked. "Huh?"

Jaune's voice was firm, but not unkind. "You need to go back to Shade Academy. Be with your team."

Sun hesitated. "But—"

Jaune raised a hand. "I know you want this. I know you feel it. But that's not enough." He took a step forward, his voice lowering. "You have to need it."

Sun swallowed.

Jaune continued, unwavering. "You have to feel the need to change. The need to become more. Before I can forge you into something greater, you need to understand why you want it." He let the words settle before finishing. "When the time comes, I will train you. But only when you're ready."

Sun clenched his fists, then exhaled slowly.

Jaune was right.

"Alright," Sun said after a moment, his voice filled with quiet resolve. "I'll be ready."

Jaune gave him a single nod before turning back to the others.

The air around them felt charged, like the moment before a storm. This wasn't just a decision.

It was a declaration.

They were no longer just students, no longer just separate teams trying to figure out their place in the world.

They were something new.

And this—this was only the beginning.

---

The heavy silence that had settled between them was suddenly shattered by the sound of hurried footsteps.

They turned just as the bullhead pilot came sprinting toward them, breathless, his face pale with urgency. He was wary as he approached, his eyes flickering nervously to the graves before forcing himself to focus on them.

"We have a problem," he panted. "A big problem."

Jaune remained still, but the others immediately stiffened.

The pilot gulped before forcing out the words. "We just got a distress signal from a scout team—we've got a Level 3 Grimm Stampede heading this way. We need to get out of here, now."

The words hit them like a punch to the gut.

A Level 3 Stampede.

That meant hundreds of Grimm. Maybe over a thousand.

Weiss's fingers twitched, already calculating how quickly they could get to the ship.

Blake felt her heartbeat pick up, her survival instincts screaming at her.

Yang clenched her fists, forcing herself to stay calm.

Ruby swallowed hard, gripping Crescent Rose. "Jaune…" she whispered, her voice wavering. "Your home… it's in trouble."

They all turned to him.

Jaune didn't move.

He didn't panic.

He didn't rush to action.

His expression was calm—unnervingly so. But there was something else beneath it. A quiet understanding. A look of acceptance.

Like he had already known this would happen.

For a long moment, he simply gazed at Ruby, then slowly turned, taking one last look at the ruins around him.

Then, without a word, he began walking.

Not to the bullhead.

Not to them.

But toward his family's home.

The others watched, their bodies tense, their instincts telling them to run, to move, to do something.

But Jaune simply disappeared into the shattered remnants of the Arc household.

Seconds stretched into an eternity.

Then—

He emerged.

In his hands was a sword.

A long, sheathed weapon, encased in a white metal holster that looked almost mechanical—something far beyond a simple blade.

They had never seen him wield it before.

Jaune stepped forward, pausing for just a moment as his gaze drifted to the graves of his family.

His lips moved—just a few words, silent, meant only for the ones resting beneath the earth.

A final sendoff.

Then, slowly, he turned back to them.

And he was ready.

Jaune reached them with steady, measured steps, his sword sheathed at his side, his expression unreadable.

"Take off immediately," he ordered, his voice leaving no room for argument. "Make a full burn for the next town."

The bullhead pilot, still catching his breath, didn't hesitate. He gave a quick nod before turning on his heel and running back toward the aircraft, already prepping it for takeoff.

The rest of them, however, remained frozen in place.

"Wait," Weiss blurted, stepping forward. "What about you?"

Jaune didn't answer right away. Instead, he turned toward the Tempest, his expression shifting—his features hardening into something resolute, something unyielding.

"I'm going to bury my home," he said simply.

Their stomachs dropped.

"Bury it?" Blake echoed, her voice laced with disbelief.

Yang frowned. "What the hell does that mean?"

Jaune didn't elaborate. He just started moving.

They watched as he strode toward the Tempest, his form steady, purposeful. He entered the landing bay, disappearing from sight for a few moments before stepping back out.

And in his grasp—

A device.

A massive, dense-looking object that gleamed under the dull sunlight, its framework etched with strange mechanisms they didn't recognize. It was large—far larger than any conventional weapon they had seen before—but Jaune carried it as if it weighed nothing.

Yet something in their instincts screamed at them that it was anything but light.

"What… what is that?" Ruby whispered, her grip on Crescent Rose tightening.

No one had an answer.

But there was one thing they did know.

If Jaune Arc was planning on using it—

Then it was about to change everything.

Jaune moved with absolute precision, his free hand activating his omni-tool with a flicker of orange light.

The device in his grasp responded immediately.

A brilliant blue light shot out from the top, illuminating the ruins around them. The soft hum of activation vibrated through the air.

Then—

Red and orange lights flared from the sides of the device, flickering in an ominous, pulsing pattern. The glow was blinding, forcing them to shield their eyes. It wasn't just light—it felt like something was building, something terrible about to be unleashed.

Then came the sound.

A wail.

Deep, mechanical, and unnatural.

It screamed through the entire town, a rising, piercing wail that clawed at their senses, like the countdown of a doomsday clock.

Their instincts screamed at them to run.

Jaune turned to them, his voice cutting through the unnatural noise with firm, unwavering command.

"Leave. Now."

The order sent a shock through them, but they moved.

They sprinted to the bullhead, hearts hammering, their bodies acting before their minds could catch up.

Ruby stumbled into the cockpit, gasping, "Take off—now!"

The pilot didn't question it. The engines roared to life, the bullhead lifting from the ground in an instant, dust swirling beneath it as they ascended.

As they soared higher, their eyes were locked onto Jaune.

They watched as he strode toward the Tempest, his movements unfaltering, the ominous glow of red and orange casting his shadow in eerie, shifting light.

Then, without hesitation, he disappeared inside.

And still, the wail of the device echoed.

Still, the red and orange lights pulsed from the town like an imminent warning.

The higher they climbed, the more distant the sound became, fading into the horizon.

But even then—

Even from above—

They could still see it.

The red and orange glare, flickering like a dying star in the ruins of Jaune's past.

Something was coming.

Something final.

The roar of engines filled the sky as the Tempest shot forward, closing the distance between them in seconds.

Its weapons were deployed.

Cannons extended. Turrets primed. The sleek, deadly hull of the ship shifted as its combat systems engaged.

At first, they didn't understand why—

And then they saw it.

A wave of Grimm.

A flood of monstrous shadows, rushing toward Jaune's home like a storm that could never be stopped.

Ruby gasped, her hands flying to her mouth. "No…"

It was worse than they could have imagined.

Hundreds—thousands—of Grimm surged across the landscape, the earth shaking beneath their stampede. Every shape and size—Beowolves, Ursai, Beringels, even Goliaths—all charging like a singular, mindless force.

And above them—

The sky was blotted out.

Nevermores. Lancers. Griffons. A horrific swarm of airborne Grimm, descending like a dark cloud, their screeches filling the air.

It was an onslaught.

It was an execution.

And it was aimed directly at Jaune's home.

Weiss felt a sickening twist in her gut. "His home…" she whispered, barely able to speak.

Yang's hands clenched into fists. "No, no, no…" Her voice trembled, her usual bravado gone.

Blake swallowed hard, horror gripping her.

For the first time, they felt it.

The same fear Jaune must have felt when he came here and found them—when he thought his home had already been disturbed.

The same anger he had held back, the same desperation to protect what little he had left.

And now—

Now they were watching it happen in real time.

The Tempest soared beside them, but Jaune wasn't slowing down.

A transmission crackled into their comms.

Jaune's voice, calm yet unyielding.

"Look away."

They all stiffened.

"Shut your eyes until you feel it."

His voice wasn't requesting.

It was commanding.

For a split second, they hesitated.

Then—

One by one—

They obeyed.

Ruby took a shuddering breath, squeezing her eyes shut.

Weiss followed, her fingers trembling.

Blake clenched her jaw and forced herself to trust him.

Yang exhaled sharply before closing her eyes, fists still shaking.

Even Sun, who had been silent the entire time, shut his eyes without question.

The bullhead continued to ascend, carrying them away from the devastation below.

And in the vast, endless sky—

They waited.

For whatever was coming.

Then—

Light.

A blinding, all-consuming white light erupted from behind them, swallowing the entire interior of the bullhead.

Even with their eyes shut, it burned.

It wasn't just brightness—it was overwhelming. It pierced through their closed eyelids, forcing its way into their vision like a second sun had been born behind them.

Ruby winced, her hands flying up to cover her face, but it did nothing.

Weiss gasped, her breath stolen by the sheer intensity.

Blake clenched her teeth, nails digging into her palms.

Yang flinched, squeezing her eyes even tighter, but the light was still there.

Even Sun, who had been silent the whole time, gritted his teeth against the sheer force of it.

The pilot let out a sharp squawk of alarm.

"What the hell was that!?"

His only saving grace was that he had been facing away from the explosion—otherwise, he might've been blinded.

Then—

The shockwave hit.

A deafening BOOM split the air, so loud, so utterly massive, that for a moment—

All sound ceased.

Their ears rang with violent intensity, the force of the blast deafening them.

The bullhead shuddered, lurched, trembled violently.

The pilot cursed, yanking on the controls, desperately trying to keep them stable.

Alarms blared.

Panels flickered.

Everything shook.

Not just the ship—them.

They felt it.

The vibration of the explosion was so powerful that it rattled through their very bones.

Their skeletons shook.

Their organs trembled from the sheer force.

For those few, endless seconds—

It was like the world itself had ruptured.

The blinding light faded.

Slowly—painfully—they pried their eyes open, blinking rapidly to clear the white spots still burned into their vision. Their heads pounded, their bodies still shaking from the force of the blast.

Then—they saw it.

The land was gone.

A massive, expanding dome of destruction consumed the earth where Jaune's home had once stood. The shockwave ripped across the ground, tearing through the land with merciless precision.

And the Grimm—

The Grimm never stood a chance.

The stampede that had been rushing toward Jaune's home was instantly eradicated.

Beowolves, Ursai, Beringels, even the colossal Goliaths—all of them were consumed in an instant, their forms disintegrating into nothingness.

The few that had been farther back—the ones that had seen the destruction coming—tried to turn and flee.

But it didn't matter.

The wave of fire and death outpaced them.

The Grimm died screaming.

And then—

The cloud rose.

A mushroom cloud, towering into the sky, erupting high into the atmosphere.

It was massive. A swirling vortex of fire, dust, and sheer force, stretching far beyond anything they had ever seen. The debris rained down, the very air trembling in the wake of the detonation.

And all they could do was watch.

In awe.

In disbelief.

Ruby's lips parted, but no words came out. Her silver eyes stared at the devastation, at the sheer scale of what had just happened.

Weiss sat frozen, her breathing uneven, her hands gripping the edge of her seat like she was afraid to let go.

Blake's ears were flat against her head, her golden eyes wide, her mind struggling to comprehend what she was seeing.

Yang barely managed to whisper, "Holy shit…"

And Sun—

Sun exhaled, his entire body tense, his hands gripping his knees as he processed what had just happened.

Jaune Arc had just unleashed something that Remnant had never seen before.

This wasn't Dust.

This wasn't some high-tier Huntsman technique.

This was something else.

Something beyond.

Sun swallowed, his throat dry.

Jaune…

Jaune was operating at a level far beyond anyone else.

He was playing an entirely different game.

As the mushroom cloud stretched toward the heavens, blotting out the sky with dust and fire, their comms crackled to life.

Jaune's voice—steady, composed, and yet carrying something final—came through.

"I'll see you all soon. Be ready."

Then—

The Tempest began to rise.

Its engines flared, lifting the ship higher into the sky, its sleek form cutting through the air with effortless precision.

And then, with a final pulse of its thrusters—

Jaune Arc was gone.

Shot off toward an unknown destination, leaving only the devastation behind.

Silence filled the bullhead.

No one spoke.

No one could.

Ruby felt like her breath had been stolen, her fingers gripping the straps of her seat so tightly that her knuckles had gone white.

Weiss swallowed, her gaze locked onto the distant inferno that had once been Jaune's home. The land had been purged—erased from existence in a way that was almost surgical in its finality.

Blake exhaled slowly, running a hand through her hair, as if trying to ground herself.

Yang was still staring out the window, her lilac eyes wide, unblinking. "I… I don't even have words," she muttered, shaking her head.

Sun leaned forward, resting his forearms on his knees, his mind reeling. "He had this," he murmured. "He had this kind of power… and he chose not to use it against his enemies."

That statement alone settled over them like a weight.

He could have.

He could have wiped out entire battalions, entire cities, if he wanted to.

But he didn't.

Ruby bit her lip, her voice quiet. "That's… that's what makes him different, isn't it?"

Blake nodded slowly. "Jaune doesn't fight for destruction." She exhaled. "That's not what he's about."

Weiss closed her eyes, her expression unreadable. "Most people—most leaders—if they had access to this kind of power… they wouldn't hesitate to use it against their enemies."

Sun let out a breath of disbelief. "And Jaune? He only used it to bury his home."

Yang finally looked away from the window, her gaze sharp. "Not as a weapon. Not as a show of force. But as a funeral."

The realization struck them all at once.

Jaune Arc had the power to erase anything he wanted.

But he chose to protect.

He chose compassion over conquest.

Weiss shook her head, a soft chuckle escaping her lips, though there was no humor in it. "And that… that is why he's going to make us into people who can stand next to him."

Ruby straightened at that, her silver eyes shining with something new—something powerful.

Awe.

Determination.

Jaune had chosen them.

To stand beside him.

To become something greater.

Yang smirked, though there was a fire in her gaze that hadn't been there before. "Damn right he is."

Blake exhaled through her nose, her fingers tightening into fists. "And we're going to be ready."

Sun sat back, still trying to process all of it—but one thing was clear.

Jaune Arc wasn't just someone stronger than them.

He was beyond them.

And yet—he still wanted them to rise to his level.

This was the beginning of something far greater than any of them had ever imagined.

---

A sharp crackle of static cut through the lingering silence, snapping them out of their stunned daze.

The pilot's voice came through, tight with tension.

"Uh. Guys?" He hesitated for a second, as if trying to process his own words. "We're receiving… questions."

Blake frowned. "Questions?"

The pilot let out a short, exasperated breath. "Yeah. A lot of them. Military frequencies are freaking out. We've got scouts from every kingdom trying to figure out what the hell just happened."

Weiss stiffened. "What?"

Yang leaned forward, her stomach twisting. "Like—how bad are we talking?"

The pilot let out a dry, humorless laugh. "Atlas, Mistral, Vale, even Vacuo—all their frontier outposts are panicking. Everyone's trying to play it off as a—" He stopped, clearly reluctant to say it. Then, finally, in a tone of sheer disbelief:

"…An earthquake."

Silence.

A long, heavy pause where no one spoke.

Then—

Weiss scoffed, shaking her head. "An earthquake."

The pilot sighed. "That's the best they've got. No one knows what the hell that was. No one's ever seen anything like it. We don't have weapons like that. No one does."

Blake exhaled sharply, rubbing her temples. "And Jaune does."

Ruby's fingers tightened around Crescent Rose. She already knew the answer, but saying it aloud still felt like stepping over a threshold they couldn't go back from.

"He always has," she whispered.

And with those words, the weight of the truth settled over them like a storm.

For years, Jaune had fought with a blade.

For years, he had fought alongside others, relying on strategy, tactics, careful and measured steps.

He had built his power quietly—through alliances, through protection, through sheer determination and the work of his own hands.

And now—

Now, for the first time—

He had let the world see what he was truly capable of.

Not just whispers.

Not just myths.

But proof.

Sun let out a slow, uneasy breath, rubbing the back of his head. "Yeah, uh… I think it's safe to say—" He gestured vaguely toward the unholy scar left on the land behind them.

"…The Invincible Human just made his mark."

No one argued.

Because they knew it.

Everyone would know it.

Jaune Arc had changed history today.

And he had done it with a bang.

Blake exhaled, turning toward the cockpit. "We're going to have to explain this to Ozpin."

The groan that followed was immediate.

Yang buried her face in her hands. "Oh, that's gonna be fun."

Weiss pinched the bridge of her nose, already dreading the inevitable meeting. "Do you think he already knows?"

Ruby blinked at her. "Weiss, the entire world knows."

Blake sighed. "Yeah, but we're the ones who are going to have to sit in that office and actually talk about it."

Then—

Sun grinned, cheeky and absolutely smug.

"Ah, yeah, about that…" He stretched his arms over his head, leaning back against his seat. "See, you guys have fun with that."

Yang squinted at him. "…What?"

Sun's tail flicked lazily behind him. "I'll be heading back to Vacuo." He pointed two fingers at them, flashing a completely unapologetic smirk. "So good luck with that mess."

Weiss scowled. "You absolute—"

Blake groaned, slumping back against her seat.

Yang threw her hands in the air. "Are you serious right now?"

Ruby whined, covering her face. "Sun!"

Sun just laughed. "Hey, don't blame me! I was never supposed to be here in the first place!"

Despite everything, despite the insanity of what they had just witnessed, a small part of them couldn't help but appreciate the sheer absurdity of the moment.

Even as they dreaded what awaited them at Beacon, even as they knew this was only the beginning—

They couldn't stop the anticipation from creeping in.

Jaune had promised to make them into people who could stand beside him.

And after today?

After witnessing what he was truly capable of?

They knew, without a doubt—

It was going to be awe-inspiring.

---

The bullhead soared over the vast frontier landscape, the devastation they had left behind now just a distant memory. The tension from earlier had faded, replaced by quiet conversations and the occasional quiet reflection on what they had just witnessed.

But soon—too soon—the town came into view.

The very same flourishing settlement they had seen earlier, where humans and Faunus worked side by side.

Where children wore helmets in honor of The Invincible Human.

Where Jaune's influence had reshaped the frontier into something self-sustaining, independent.

Where he was no longer needed.

The contrast was stark. One town had been wiped from existence. Another continued to thrive.

Proof that Jaune's work had not been in vain.

The bullhead began to descend, slowing as it approached the town's small but bustling airship station. Through the windows, they could see other vessels docked, people loading cargo, chatting, preparing for their own journeys.

Life went on.

As if nothing had happened.

As if they hadn't just witnessed something that would change the course of history.

The moment the bullhead touched down, Sun let out a deep breath. "Well, guess this is where we part ways."

Yang smirked, crossing her arms. "Finally. Thought we'd never get rid of you."

Sun grinned. "Aw, come on, you know you'll miss me."

Blake rolled her eyes but smirked. "Maybe a little."

Sun's grin widened before he grabbed his bag, slinging it over his shoulder. "Alright, I gotta catch my ride."

They all followed him out onto the platform, where the station was buzzing with activity. Across the docking area, another airship bound for Vacuo was prepping for departure. Sun gave them a lazy two-finger salute before jogging off toward it.

Just before stepping onto the ramp, he turned back.

"Seriously, though." His golden eyes met theirs, his usual playfulness giving way to something deeper. "You guys are in for something huge. Just… be ready."

They didn't need to say anything.

They knew.

With that, he boarded, disappearing into the ship.

Ruby watched the ramp close, a small smile on her lips. "Think he'll be alright?"

Blake nodded. "It's Sun. He'll be fine."

Yang rolled her shoulders. "Well, we should get moving too."

A few platforms down, another airship was boarding—one headed for Vale.

Their ride home.

The four of them shared a look.

Then, without a word, they made their way toward it.

Toward Beacon.

Toward whatever came next.

---

The airship ride to Vale had been uneventful.

For the first time in what felt like forever, Team RWBY sat in relative silence.

Each of them was lost in thought.

The weight of everything pressed down on them.

Jaune's power.

Jaune's choice.

Jaune's vision.

And the fact that they were now a part of it.

Before long, the massive floating island of Beacon came into view. The familiar sight of the Academy, standing tall against the backdrop of Vale, filled Ruby with a strange sense of relief.

They were home.

And yet…

Something felt different.

As the airship docked and the ramp lowered, the four of them stepped off, bags slung over their shoulders.

They didn't get far.

Waiting for them at the bottom of the landing pad was Glynda Goodwitch.

Her posture was stiff.

Her arms were crossed, but not in frustration—no, there was something else.

Something rare.

Worry.

Stress.

The moment they saw her face, they knew.

This wasn't a normal greeting.

This wasn't a routine debrief.

This was about Jaune's town.

Weiss' grip on her suitcase tightened. "Professor?"

Glynda exhaled through her nose, adjusting her glasses. "You need to come with me. Now."

Yang raised a brow. "What's going on?"

Glynda's lips pressed into a thin line.

"The headmaster needs to see you," she said, voice clipped.

Blake's ears twitched. "This is about what happened, isn't it?"

Glynda didn't answer immediately.

Then—

"It would be best if you all explained this directly to him."

Ruby swallowed hard.

They exchanged glances.

There was no avoiding this.

They followed Glynda without a word.

And with every step toward Ozpin's office, the weight of what they had witnessed settled even heavier on their shoulders.

Because now…

Now, the world wanted answers.

And Team RWBY?

They knew exactly where they stood.

They were on Jaune's side.

Their loyalty to him was unshakable.

And if Ozpin—or anyone else—thought they could question him?

They were about to find out just how wrong they were.

---

The elevator ride to Ozpin's office was silent.

Not tense. Not anxious.

Just… heavy.

Not a single one of them regretted where they stood. There was no doubt. No hesitation.

They understood.

Jaune had done it for two reasons.

To bury his home one last time.

And to send a message.

A message to those who sought to take from him. To those who had tried to control him, manipulate him, erase him.

Jaune Arc had power beyond them all—power they couldn't comprehend. Power he chose not to use.

The world had been left staggering in the wake of his decision.

And now, they were the ones who had to answer for it.

The elevator doors slid open.

The first thing they saw wasn't Ozpin.

It was a screen.

And on that screen—

General James Ironwood.

The highest military authority in Atlas.

His expression was grim, his blue eyes piercing as they scanned the room. Behind him, his office was filled with personnel, military officers moving with tense urgency.

Beacon's Headmaster stood nearby, his hands folded around his cane, watching them as they stepped inside.

The weight of the atmosphere was undeniable.

Yang exhaled sharply, muttering under her breath, "Oh yeah. This is gonna be fun."

Weiss nudged her—not the time.

Blake's ears twitched as she took in the tension, her golden eyes flickering between Ironwood's unreadable expression and Ozpin's calm—but firm—stance.

Ruby swallowed, then straightened. "Professor…?"

Ozpin tilted his head. His gaze was measuring.

"I trust your trip was… enlightening?"

The way he said it made it clear—he already knew.

And as Ironwood finally spoke, his voice low and serious, it became undeniably real.

"What in the hell happened out there?"

Team RWBY didn't flinch.

Ironwood's words hung in the air, the weight of his military scrutiny pressing down on them.

They had known this was coming.

The world had no explanation for what had happened in the frontier.

A city-killer explosion.

An entire Grimm horde eradicated in an instant.

No known technology. No natural phenomenon. No logical answer.

But they knew.

They had seen it.

Lived it.

Jaune Arc had held back his power for years.

Until that day.

And now—the world was asking why.

Ozpin was the first to break the silence, gesturing toward the seats in front of his desk. "Sit."

No one argued.

They moved purposefully, dropping into the chairs as the screen flickered, Ironwood's gaze drilling into them.

Weiss spoke first, her voice crisp and measured. "This is about the explosion."

Ironwood's eyes narrowed. "Of course it is."

Blake leaned forward slightly. "The official statement is calling it an earthquake."

Ironwood exhaled sharply. "That's because the alternative is admitting we have no idea what happened."

His words sent a shiver through them—but not out of fear.

Yang frowned. "Wait… you mean no one has a theory?"

Ironwood leaned forward slightly. "Miss Xiao Long, Atlas has sensors monitoring every major seismic shift in the world. There was no earthquake. No natural phenomenon. No technology that we know of that could have caused what we detected."

He let that sit for a moment.

Then, voice dropping lower—

"But something did."

The unspoken weight behind his words landed directly on them.

Ozpin took a slow sip of his coffee before resting both hands on his cane. "We aren't here to speculate, General." His gaze flickered toward Team RWBY. "We are here to listen."

Ironwood nodded once. "Then start talking."

All eyes turned to Ruby.

She felt it. The expectation. The demand for an answer.

Her fingers curled slightly.

Then—

She exhaled.

"We don't know what the weapon was," Ruby admitted, her voice steady.

Ironwood's jaw tightened.

"But we know what happened," Weiss added, her hands folding neatly in her lap. "We saw it with our own eyes."

Blake crossed her arms. "Jaune left it there."

Ironwood's gaze narrowed. "You're saying he caused this?"

Yang nodded. "We don't know how it worked, but he put down a case. It looked heavy—way heavier than it should have been."

Ruby's gaze flickered toward Ozpin. "Before we left, he told us why he was doing it."

Silence.

Then—quietly, almost distantly—

"He wanted to bury it," she murmured.

Ironwood's brow arched. "By destroying it?"

Blake inhaled sharply. "Not the way you're thinking."

Weiss nodded. "He didn't do it out of anger. He wasn't trying to erase the past."

Yang exhaled. "He wanted to bury his home one last time. To make sure nothing could ever disturb it again."

Blake's golden eyes flickered. "That town… it was already dead. There was nothing left but ruins and graves. And Grimm were coming—more than we've ever seen before."

Ruby swallowed hard.

She could still hear it.

The warning siren.

That long, wailing cry across the remains of his home.

Weiss exhaled through her nose. "It was a warning."

Ironwood's expression remained firm. "To whom?"

Yang met his gaze evenly. "A message to anyone who sought to take from him. That he had power beyond them that he chose not to use."

Blake nodded. "He wasn't going to let anything defile his home. So he made sure there was nothing left to defile."

Ironwood was silent.

Processing.

Ruby's voice was softer now, but unshaken. "He left without looking back."

She remembered watching the Tempest rise into the sky, leaving the town behind in its final moments.

No hesitation.

No regret.

No second thoughts.

Just a man moving forward.

Ironwood's brows furrowed. "…And then?"

Weiss let out a slow breath.

"And then," she said, voice measured, "the world turned white."

The room stilled.

The weight of what had happened—what it meant—hung in the air.

And for the first time, Ironwood didn't have an immediate answer.

Because there was nothing in his world, in anyone's world, that could explain what Jaune Arc had just done.

Ozpin's fingers tapped lightly against his cane. His expression was unreadable, but his sharp gaze lingered on Team RWBY, studying them.

Because they had changed, too.

They knew where they stood.

They believed in Jaune.

And no matter what Ozpin or Ironwood said—

That was never going to change.

And now?

Now, the world wanted answers.

And Jaune Arc had just given them one.

A warning.

A promise.

A new beginning.

---

Silence.

It stretched long and heavy, sinking into every corner of Ozpin's office like an oppressive weight.

Ironwood's jaw was clenched so tightly it looked painful, his knuckles white as his hands gripped the edges of his desk. The officers behind him on the call were exchanging frantic whispers, anxious, uncertain, shaken.

Glynda looked… stunned.

Not in the way they had seen before—not like when students broke rules or when chaos unfolded in Beacon's halls.

No, this was true shock.

Because for all her discipline, for all her calculated control—

She hadn't expected this.

No one had.

It wasn't just the sheer devastation Jaune had left behind.

It was the reality of it.

He had done this. He had been capable of this the entire time.

And yet—

He had held back.

Every battle.
Every mission.
Every moment he had fought alongside others—he had chosen restraint.

But not this time.

This time, he had sent a message.

One single blast.
A single act of violence.

And he had erased a Grimm horde that could have taken an entire army to subdue.

Ironwood exhaled sharply, the sound almost like a growl.

His gaze hardened as he turned to Ozpin.

"We should have apprehended him when we had the chance."

The tension in the room snapped.

Yang's chair scraped against the floor as she stood up so fast it nearly tipped over.

"Excuse me?"

Weiss stiffened, her hands balling into fists.

Blake's golden eyes narrowed dangerously.

Ruby's breath caught in her throat.

Ironwood didn't flinch.

"We cannot allow someone with that kind of power to act on his own," the General said, voice steely. "We should have contained him. We still can."

A spark of anger burned in Ruby's chest, rising like a fire she couldn't control.

"That's what you think we should have done?" she demanded, stepping forward. "Put him in chains? Treated him like a criminal?"

Ironwood met her gaze without hesitation. "We don't have the luxury of trust when it comes to power like his."

Blake's voice was low, cold. "You think he's dangerous because he chose not to use it?"

Weiss scoffed. "If Jaune wanted to be a threat, General, he would have done it a long time ago."

Yang's hands slammed onto Ozpin's desk, her lilac eyes burning. "You want to contain him?" Her voice was quiet, but deadly. "You can't."

Ironwood's expression darkened. "Then what do you propose we do? Let him roam free?"

Ruby took a sharp breath, her heart pounding. "He isn't some villain you need to put in a cage. He's Jaune."

She took another step forward, her voice unwavering.

"And you don't get to decide what he does with his power."

A beat of silence.

Then—

Ozpin sipped his coffee.

"I disagree," he said smoothly. "Beacon was the best way to keep him here without violence."

Ironwood's expression twisted. "You call this without violence?" He gestured toward the screen. Toward the aftermath of Jaune's home.

Ozpin tilted his head. "Would you prefer the alternative?"

Ironwood froze.

Because he knew.

If this was what Jaune did to a place he protected…

What would he do to a place he hated?

To an enemy?

To a nation?

To someone who had wronged him?

Glynda exhaled sharply, trying to steady herself. "This is beyond anything we've seen before."

Weiss swallowed. "And yet, he's been holding back this entire time."

Blake nodded, voice firm. "Every fight. Every mission. Every time he had the opportunity to use more force."

Yang's voice was quiet, measured. "But if anyone angers him the way the Grimm did today…"

She let the words linger.

Because they all knew what that meant.

This wasn't just a statement of power.

It was a warning.

Ironwood's fists clenched. "Ozpin, I refuse to stand by and allow someone like this to roam unchecked."

Ozpin's expression didn't shift. "And what would you do, James?"

Ironwood's glare deepened. "He needs to be contained." His voice was sharp. "We cannot have a rogue agent—someone with this kind of power—answering to no one but himself."

Ruby had enough.

"He isn't rogue," she snapped, her voice filled with conviction. "He's ours."

Ironwood's gaze snapped to her. "And that's exactly the problem."

"No," Weiss said firmly, lifting her chin. "It's the reason you should be grateful."

Blake exhaled, her golden eyes locked onto Ironwood's. "He isn't fighting alone. He's fighting with us."

Yang smirked slightly, but there was no humor in it. "And that means you don't want to be on the other side of this argument."

Ironwood's lips parted—

Then stopped.

Because for all his military strength, for all his tactical knowledge—

What could he actually do?

Beacon had been the only way to keep Jaune within reach.

And Ozpin had ensured that.

The headmaster's next words made that clear.

"As long as Pyrrha Nikos remains away," Ozpin said, "Jaune Arc and his team have no way of staying at Beacon."

Ironwood narrowed his eyes. "What do you mean?"

Ozpin steepled his fingers. "Beacon's regulations do not allow three-man teams. Without Pyrrha, his team is incomplete. And thus, they cannot remain here."

The meaning hit the room like a hammer.

Beacon had been their anchor.

And Jaune wouldn't leave them behind.

Weiss blinked. "You… planned for this."

Ozpin gave her a knowing look. "I plan for many things."

Ironwood scoffed. "You're telling me that you think that alone will be enough to hold him here?"

Ozpin's eyes flickered toward Team RWBY.

And then, with a small smile—

"No."

He gestured toward them.

"But they might be."

Silence.

Then—

Yang realized it first.

Why Ozpin gave them the location of Jaune's home so easily.

Blake's expression shifted. "He's tied to us."

Weiss murmured, "And Ren and Nora…"

Ruby tightened her grip. "He won't leave us."

Ironwood exhaled sharply, rubbing his temple. "You're playing a dangerous game, Ozpin."

Ozpin smiled.

"My dear General," he said smoothly.

"This has never been a game.

---

The room was silent.

Not just quiet—oppressive. Suffocating.

Ironwood's scowl deepened, his fists clenching so tightly his gloves strained against the pressure. His fingers twitched where they rested on his desk, like he was resisting the urge to strike something. The officers behind him had long stopped whispering. They only listened now, because they too were realizing—

This was bigger than they had feared.

Glynda had gone stiff, her hands clenched at her sides, her usually composed demeanor cracking under the weight of what Ozpin was suggesting.

And Team RWBY?

They weren't just watching.

They were understanding.

Ozpin, as always, was calm. He took another slow sip of his coffee, his measured tone cutting through the silence like a knife.

"Despite what Jaune has done," he said smoothly, "it seems clear that he cares more about keeping people safe than his own vengeance."

Ironwood's eyes flashed. "That's a dangerous assumption."

Ozpin tilted his head. "Is it?"

Ironwood's hands curled into fists.

But Ozpin continued, unfazed.

"The frontier is an example of this compassion," he said, voice steady. "An entire region that should have been lost to Grimm. One that, by all logic, should be a lawless wasteland, a battleground for bandits, Faunus extremists, and desperate survivors."

His sharp gaze flickered to Team RWBY.

"But it isn't, is it?"

Ruby swallowed. "No. It's not."

Blake's ears twitched. "It's thriving."

Yang exhaled, feeling something settle in her chest. "More than we expected."

Weiss folded her hands in her lap, her voice quiet but sure. "More than anyone expected."

Ozpin nodded.

"The frontier," he said, gaze returning to Ironwood, "sees him not as a threat—but as a savior. A legend."

Ironwood's jaw tightened. "A legend that just wiped a location off the map."

Ozpin's lips curved slightly. "And if Atlas wanted to bring him into custody, or take him down, do you believe the frontier would simply stand aside?"

Ironwood's fingers drummed against his desk. Slow. Uncertain.

The realization was hitting him.

Ozpin leaned forward, his voice quiet, certain.

"If you pursue him, General, you will not only face the wrath of the Invincible Human—"

His voice lowered, the weight behind it sending chills down their spines.

"—you will face all of them."

The words hung in the air like a guillotine, waiting to fall.

Glynda's fingers tensed visibly. She understood the implication.

Team RWBY felt a shiver run through them—not from fear, but from the power of it.

And Ironwood?

Ironwood's scowl deepened, but this time, it wasn't frustration.

It was unease.

Ozpin did not stop.

"The entire frontier is in his debt," he said. "To them, he is not a rogue agent. He is not a danger. He is the reason they have a future."

His gaze sharpened.

"And Atlas would be the one standing against that."

Ironwood froze.

Weiss gasped, her eyes widening. She saw it now.

Yang felt her breath catch. Holy shit.

Blake's fingers tightened against her arms. This wasn't just a resistance.

This was a nation in waiting.

Ozpin continued, voice soft but unyielding.

"What do you think will happen, James, if you turn the might of Atlas against the one man who secured the frontier's survival?"

Ironwood said nothing.

Because he already knew.

Blake inhaled sharply. "That would unify them."

Weiss swallowed. "More than any bandit attack, any Grimm horde, any White Fang raid."

Yang's eyes flickered. "Atlas would be their common enemy."

Ruby's fingers curled around her cloak.

And the thought settled in.

A world where the frontier stood as one.

Not because of a threat against them—

But because of a cause to fight for.

Ozpin sighed, shaking his head. "A kingdom was once formed this way."

Ironwood's lips parted, his breath uneven.

Ozpin's next words struck like a hammer.

"A kingdom not united against the Grimm," he murmured, "but united for the downfall of Atlas."

The air in the room shifted.

Cold.

Heavy.

Ironwood inhaled sharply, but Ozpin was not finished.

"And tell me, James," he continued. "Do you believe Jaune Arc would let such a kingdom rise… with mediocrity?"

Silence.

Team RWBY's hearts pounded.

Weiss looked down at her hands, her mind racing. This was what Jaune had been building.

Yang exhaled through her nose, shaking her head. Damn.

Blake's eyes were sharp. If the White Fang had been a fractured movement of radicals…

This?

This would be a rallying cry unlike anything the world had ever seen.

Humans. Faunus. Fighting together.

Not for survival.

Not for vengeance.

But for a future they truly wanted.

Ozpin's gaze was piercing. "His ship," he said softly. "His weapons. His mind. They are beyond anything we have ever seen."

His fingers tapped against his cane.

"If he has the ability to create far more advanced technology than we have—what makes you think he would let the frontier fight with old and outdated weapons?"

Ironwood's eyes darkened.

Glynda exhaled sharply. "...You're saying that if we turn against him, he will arm them."

Ozpin nodded. "Why wouldn't he?"

Ruby's breath hitched. "That would make them…"

"Unstoppable," Weiss whispered.

Blake's mind raced. "A people armed with technology outside of Remnant's capabilities. With an undeniable cause to fight for."

Yang realized it. "That's how new kingdoms are formed."

The room was silent.

No one moved.

No one breathed.

Then—

Ironwood exhaled sharply.

His glare remained, but he said nothing.

Because he knew.

Jaune Arc's power wasn't just in his weapons.

It was in his influence.

It was in the loyalty he had built.

It was in the undeniable fact that the world had already chosen to stand by his side.

Ozpin leaned back, sipping his coffee with an almost amused glint in his eyes.

"Now tell me, General…"

His gaze gleamed, knowing.

"Would you still like to bring him in?"

---

Ironwood's scowl remained, but the tension in his shoulders had shifted.

Not gone.

But… redirected.

He wasn't a fool.

Ozpin had given him every reason to understand why Jaune Arc could not become his enemy.

A united frontier.

Advanced weaponry.

A legend turned into a cause.

If Atlas pushed too hard, they wouldn't just be fighting an individual.

They'd be fighting a movement.

Ironwood exhaled sharply. "Then what's your plan?"

Ozpin, ever composed, took a sip of his coffee.

"I'll work on getting him back to Beacon," he said simply.

Ironwood's eyes narrowed. "You already said that wasn't an option."

"I said it wasn't an option under normal regulations," Ozpin corrected. "But if that is all it takes to put you at ease, then I will make an exception."

Weiss blinked. "You would… violate school regulations?"

Ozpin smiled. "It wouldn't be the first time."

Blake let out a quiet breath. "You really think he'll come back?"

Ozpin's gaze was thoughtful.

"I think," he murmured, "that allowing a man who never had the chance to be a child… to experience, even for a moment, what it is to not plan for the day after—"

His fingers tapped against his cane.

"—is worth the effort."

Ruby swallowed.

She thought back to that burned-out home.

To the graves.

To the idea of a boy left alone, digging graves with hands too small for the weight he carried.

He never had the chance to be normal.

Never had the luxury to simply live.

And now, Ozpin wanted to give him that.

Even if just for a little while.

"Even those who have lost everything," Ozpin continued, "should have a place to return to."

The room was quiet.

Ironwood clenched his jaw.

Then, reluctantly—

"Fine."

Team RWBY exhaled all at once.

Relief washed over them.

Ironwood rubbed his temple. "I'll place some pressure on Vale's council to allow his team to return—temporarily."

Ozpin raised a brow. "Temporarily?"

Ironwood scowled. "One step at a time, Ozpin."

Ozpin merely smiled.

Yang nudged Blake. "We actually did it."

Blake smirked. "I'm more surprised that it worked."

Weiss exhaled, leaning back. "I don't care how it happened—just that it did."

Ruby's fingers tightened slightly.

They had a chance.

A real chance.

Ironwood's voice pulled them back.

He eyed Ozpin warily. "I hope you know what you're doing."

Ozpin chuckled, taking another sip of his coffee.

"My dear General," he murmured, "so do I."