Blake shook her head once more. Faunus were out there dying as they fought against the toys and the Grimm. But the reappearance of those Cthnonians made Blake freeze in her place. Everyone was being evacuated to Mistral from what she heard. The Maiden, one Raven Branwen, was demanding that everyone move fast. Her semblance was used overtime with those Maiden powers being used to keep her aura reserves up.
"Hey!" Raven called out to Blake. "I know you. So what? Fight got too tough for you so you ran?"
"I don't see you out there fighting," Blake retorted.
"In case you haven't noticed, kid." Raven gestured to the line of civilians, there were still plenty of them though that number was decreasing rapidly to an orderly file. There was a rush there with those breaking free from the line being those crazy enough to join the fight. "I am currently occupied. You, on the other hand, are not."
"What if I am an evacuee?" Blake looked away.
Raven nodded as if confirming something. "Fight actually got too tough for you, huh. Decided to run away."
"Don't you see what's going on out there?" Blake's gesturing of the battle outside the windows were more frantic. "What good am I against all of those? You're a Maiden and I can see that even you wouldn't win against them."
"That's what I thought too, kid." Raven shrugged her shoulders. "Cat's out of the bag anyway so you might as well know this. Before all this, there was an immortal dread queen called Salem. She's a Master in this Grail War, Caster specifically if you want to know, considering Menagerie. Can't be killed before this one. Gods exists too, but you already know that. I didn't, and I ran. I've been running for years now."
"So what's stopping you now?" Blake put her fists on her hips. "Decided to throw it all away and hope for the best?"
"No." Raven shook her head. "Took those idiots a while but they convinced me to stay."
"A fight worth having for?" Blake had read that too many times in her books. It was cliché.
"I got nowhere else to run." Raven shut her down. "Whoever wins this Grail War, decides what's going to happen to Remnant. I, for one, am not willing to give that to Salem or the brother gods. I pick the side that would let me run away. I'm a rat cornered, kitty cat. All of us are. We got nowhere else to go."
Raven walked away.
"You want to find another corner to die in, get in line. I can't promise all of you making it."
Blake's fist tightened. Her teeth grind. She looked out and witnessed the skirmishes happening all over Vale. Huntsmen and huntresses, toys, Grimm, Cthnonians, all of them fighting one another in a chaos with beams and pillars of light manifesting all around them.
It wasn't at all like the fantasies that Blake read. She wished it were only that: a fantasy.
Her teeth grind. She paced back and forth.
"Hey," Raven said. She threw her weapon which Blake caught. "If you decide that this is the corner for you, I want that back when you get out of it."
/-/
"Saber!" Ozpin commanded. "Focus on support! Make sure that Astolfo gets to either Salem or light!"
"Understood, Master!" Saber was off. Green sword beams slashing through Grimm, Cthnonians, and toys alike.
Ozpin still rode atop his white, paper horse. Gilles' sword feeling more natural in his hands with every swing. He had been an adventurous magic user in his mortal life, but swords had felt just as normal in his hands as it would it any other time. He cut off the head of an Ursa in one clean swing and stabbed a Cthnonian right after.
These tentacle enemies were much more difficult to handle than the Grimm. But the memories of the Great War brought forth that old flame in the crownless king of Vale. Gilles and he had prevented the abomination that Salem tried to bring forth. Seeing these Cthnonians gave Ozpin an image of what would have happened had he and Gilles failed in their duty that time.
He shook his head and swung at a Beowolf. Now wasn't the time to celebrate small victories. He'll pile them on top of each other once this battle is over. Astolfo was still struggling to get past the air defense. Chiron's arrows were fast and plenty but the Grimm of the skies were far too numerous for any of them to take down. Even Saber's output could only do so much, and they had to balance that with their opponents on the ground.
Rider was fighting with greater prowess and skill than Ozpin had ever seen before. Fitting for a knight, Rider was closing the distance between himself and the retreating Caster fast. The Repha'im were proving themselves the greatest obstacle to Rider with their aura, and those Grimm had people inside them, just like Salem's plans from the Great War.
Jaws hardened. Ozpin should have burned that book when he had a chance that last life. But if he had, there was no telling what would have occurred in this Grail War. He might not even be a Master if that had been the case. He smashed the Boarbatusk with the pommel. He got distracted on what-ifs again.
Ozpin and Saber furthered their distance from one another. Grimm and Cthnonians were getting between them, almost isolating Ozpin from the rest of the group. These enemies believed themselves clever, keeping him away from the Servants who would fare better against them than he would. They quickly found that Ozpin wasn't so easily to take down.
Jeanne was on the ground, heading towards Lancer and the other students. Ozpin led his paper horse towards them. Huntsmen and huntresses operated in groups but these were still students, no matter what their licenses say. Ozpin could only hope that they would still be like students after this Grail War. No one should have to battle like this so early.
Another Servant was spotted. It must be the reason for Jeanne leaving her duties to Astolfo. Curious Cat, still in the form of whom Ozpin assumes to be Sanson, is headed towards the group as well. Ozpin couldn't reach them in time but he could divert some of the Grimm and Cthnonians away. Less attention on Jeanne meant more of her path would be clear.
The two of them made eye contact and nodded. Ozpin would hold the enemies chasing Jeanne from behind as she blasted her way towards Lancer, hoping to intercept Curious Sanson along the way. Once again, Ozpin found himself surrounded on all sides, freeing himself to swing his sword any which way.
Ozpin rode the paper horse straight where the enemies were thickest. He danced with his sword in a deadly and swift rhythm. Cthnonian tentacles and Grimm claws flew everywhere. Toys' heads popped off.
All around him were the sounds of Grimm, Cthnonian and toys. Blasts of energy from the distance barely reached into his hearing. Dragon roars and huntsmen calls couldn't reach past the sounds that surrounded him.
It had been Ozpin's mistake.
A sudden force had put Ozpin on the ground. He couldn't move by his own will for the momentum kept going, displacing further the damaged streets of Vale. Grimm and Cthnonian were caught in that crossfire. Aura flared as he defended himself from any other sort of damage.
He was lifted into the air and thrown further off. He bounced on the ground like a pebble skips across water. When his body twisted just right, Ozpin slammed Gilles' sword into the ground. But the momentum had strained him that he felt a pain on that shoulder.
Cinder Fall had been the cause of it. She levitated above him, eye flaring brightly with the Maiden's powers, hands gripping glass swords. She wasn't alone this time. Her two allies, Mercury Black and Emerald Sustrai from their disguised records during the Vytal Tournament, were some distance behind her; neither of those two were fighting any opponents. But they kept their watch on Ozpin. Emerald's eyes were on Mercury's back, a potential traitor among them?
The sword nudged as Ozpin pulled himself back up. There was some strain when Ozpin pulled Gilles' sword back out. The blade hadn't been nicked nor was there any damage. Ozpin was impressed at the craftsmanship of the sword. Perhaps, this was just to be expected when it came to Servant weapons.
Suddenly, Ozpin felt the urge to move his sword. There was a danger but he couldn't see it. Cinder Fall was right there in front of him. His sight was wrong but his instincts saved him. Glass shattered as Cinder, now behind him, had committed to swinging both swords at once. That was her mistake, having both swinging towards the same direction meant that she left herself open.
Ozpin would have ended it there had it not for Cinder's liberal use of her Maiden powers. A ring of flame had forced Ozpin forward, still exposing his back to them. Experience had him keep the sword on his back. He raised his foot, matching the flying kick of Mercury on his front. He lost balance in that attempt but he kept all three opponents at a safe enough distance from him.
Cinder, Mercury, and Emerald gathered in front of him. Ozpin rose to his feet and readied the sword of Gilles de Rais. It aligned to the center of his face with the edges parallel to Ozpin's ears. Gemstone faced Cinder's group directly. There was no illusion there; he was sure of that. Ozpin inhaled, then exhaled.
Glass swords manifested in Cinder's hand. Mercury bounced into his rhythm as though he was loosening his mechanical legs like they were flesh. Emerald readjusted her grip on her sickles, chains dangling on her side.
The three of them charged. Ozpin stepped forward, sword pointing at them.
It was Cinder who struck first. Ozpin swung his sword downward, forcing Cinder's glass blades to follow along with its wielder. Cinder nearly stumbled as Ozpin swung the sword to the side, meeting with Mercury's roundhouse kick. Ozpin leaned back as the sword bounced off of Mercury's leg and the flat of it met with Emerald's sickle.
Cinder had been the first to recover as she swung for his head. Ozpin leaned back again, taking that necessary step and twisted to swing and meet with Emerald's second attempt at a strike. Cinder's continued swing had stopped Mercury in his advance.
The full weight of Ozpin bore down on Emerald and she fell on her back. Cinder lunged for Ozpin which he had parried. Her momentum meant that she kept moving forward, meeting with Ozpin's coming elbow as he held the sword in one hand, still keeping Cinder's glass ones away from him. He kept the handguards positioned in their place, keeping those blades from sliding into him.
Mercury had found his chance and leapt in. But having one's weapons being their martial prowess meant that he had to get in close. It didn't help Mercury that his focus was the legs. Though he was capable, Ozpin had years of experience dealing with various combatants and his old strength returned the longer he gripped Gilles' sword. Every habit Ozpin thought he had lost was returning to him.
An axe kick had redirected the sword into the ground. Mercury missed Ozpin's head with his other foot. As Mercury's upper body moved forward with that poor step, Ozpin pulled the sword out; its pommel striking Mercury in the face.
Ozpin heard the burning flames of a barreling Cinder. He sidestepped but nearly lost his balance as Cinder had been fast; he was forcibly turned, leaving his back exposed to the other two. Ozpin didn't have much time to gather his balance and so moved along with it, sword following along. He barely managed to get Emerald's blades and Ozpin's falling on his back had stopped Mercury's attempt at a body strike.
He rolled and quickly got back to his feet. Both Cinder and Mercury were far too aggressive. But they both got into each other's way. Emerald was less so, waiting for her chance to find an opening when either gave her such.
Each step backwards welcomed all three of them to attack. Cinder was first again with Mercury following behind. Ozpin moved his head down and the sword up, allowing the blade to lock with Cinder's glass as the sword moved to his back. Cinder commits too much to both blades. Though his back was to Cinder, her glass swords were locked on his.
Mercury came next. But Ozpin had put himself into a position for an overhead swing. The metal sung as it slid across the glass from behind him and won the bout against Mercury's mechanical shin. Ozpin continued his swinging, not allowing Mercury to gain any sort of rhythm. He eventually forced Mercury to brace with his arms as Ozpin swung like a batter at baseball.
His grip quickly went into reverse and Ozpin held the blade in one hand. The other took hold of Emerald's wrist. Ozpin struck Emerald in the liver with the pommel of the sword, Emerald's aura flaring to take the damage, and he quickly released the grip on the wrist to follow up with his own hook.
There was grace here. No, an elegant dance. Ozpin went back to those days of battles. Showcasing powers was one thing. But Ozpin didn't always have the benefit of magic nor did he have the benefit of his host's semblance, if they had been discovered at all; he would have been fortunate more times if he did.
Returning to that orthodox grip again, Ozpin parried Cinder's blades. The force behind each of Cinder's swings broke the glass swords with every clash. They reformed, each time in Cinder's planned grip as she swung back. They were wild, unfocused, and relentless. There was a monstrous strength behind them but hardly any direction. She was predictable.
Swords locked. Cinder was the first to pull back, one glass sword vanishing. In its place was a ball of flame.
Ozpin moved his hand to the blade of the sword. He leaned back and caught Cinder's burning hand in the handle. Ozpin continued the spin of his blade before he struck hard, reinforcing it with aura. Cinder was tossed back a great distance, even hitting the toys as collateral damage. Grimm mauled on those toys and Cinder burned them all, uncaring of the death of her allies.
Danger was felt from behind. Ozpin had expected Mercury but found Emerald's chains wrapping around the sword. Ozpin pulled hard and Emerald was brought closer. She managed to pull the sword out of his hands. But she mustered all the strength she had to overcome Ozpin's own that she left herself exposed.
Before Emerald could face him, Ozpin's fist had already found its target on her cheek. Ozpin wasn't helpless without a weapon. That wasn't even his to begin with nor was he himself worthy to wield it. These three had less of a claim to touch it, let alone swipe it from Ozpin.
Emerald wasn't the best direct combatant and Ozpin abused it. A knee to her stomach forced her to bend and Ozpin struck the exposed back of her head, knocking her out. Ozpin quickly raised his hands and bent down himself as Mercury tried to avenge Emerald.
Ozpin got into a boxer's stance as he and Mercury battled for superiority in hand-to-hand combat. Mercury's sudden turn into this dance-like movement proved to be difficult for Ozpin to get inside on. But Ozpin kept moving back, inching himself closer to the dropped sword. Taking a risk, he bore the brunt of Mercury's spinning-top-like kicks to push Mercury off-balance. Ozpin quickly grasped the sword and Mercury had to get back on his feet from the loss of momentum.
His grip on the sword didn't last long until Ozpin felt some form of restraint on his person. A tight ring appeared to put him in place. Cinder's motioned as though she were choking someone.
"Finally getting creative with the Maiden's gifts, miss Fall?" Ozpin commented. He could feel the ring getting tighter. He forced himself free, breaking the restraint apart.
Cinder's breathing was labored. "It was to get you in place, dear Ozpin."
Ozpin's eyes widened. It was then that he remembered. A large shadow suddenly loomed from behind him. Berserker had appeared. In the distance, Ozpin could hear the faint sounds of Saber rushing towards him. Berserker raised its claw, glowing in a sort of light; it was its Noble Phantasm.
"Vorpal Bandersnatch!" Berserker cried out.
Aura broke in that instant. Something had left Ozpin's body. No. Something had left his very soul. He looked over his shoulders. Ozpin recognized those mirages behind him; they were his lives, his past lives.
The claw was pulled out and Ozpin fell on his knees. He looked up and met with Berserker's looming glare. He could still hear Saber rushing in. Ozpin's eyes fell on the sword of Gilles de Rais.
"Saber…" Ozpin's voice grew weak. "By my Command Spells… give Vale's defenders… the opening they need."
His fell on his side. A green light engulfed his vision. Ozpin could no longer hear Saber's voice. His vision blackened to nothing.
/-/
"Oh flag of mine, protect our comrades! Luminosité Eternelle!"
Vytal Calibur's light had been the most massive in this Grail War. Hordes of Grimm, Cthnonians, toys, and papers were completely gone. They did not turn to ash; they have been deleted. Jeanne's flag still flew violently from the winds generated even as the green day faded back into the familiar sight of morning hours. Jeanne could only take one breath as she, along with every Servant here, paused and realized what had just happened. Even the god of light halted in place just to bear witness at the large crater that once had Saber at its center.
"Ozpin…" Jeanne said. She looked above to the heavens. "May you rest in peace. May you be welcomed in paradise, in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit." She was not a priest, but it was the least that she could do. Jeanne made the sign of the Cross.
"Behind you!" Lancer positioned herself to be between Jeanne and Curious Sanson.
Curious Sanson had been held back just as any other Servant. Their executioner's sword was at the mercy of Lancer's kamas. The hook-shape of Lancer's weapons allowed Lancer to control Sanson's weapon and Lancer used it to pull Sanson's weapon away. Lancer believed it when Sanson had been disarmed but Curious Cat's capabilities were also there; Curious Sanson wasn't helpless without that weapon. Humanoid arms turned to large feline claws that stretched and grabbed the executioner's blade, putting it back into the user's hands.
Lancer and Jeanne swapped places. Lancer was a proper Servant of the Grail War. Jeanne was a mere Companion. Her death would not mean the loss of any Master since she had none. Curious Sanson, both aspects, were also Companions. They had a different task to do and Curious Cat wasn't fulfilling their part. Sanson was the unfortunate victim in Curious' machinations.
"Oh, so you must be Jeanne d'Arc!" Curious' claws served as fingers, pointing at Jeanne in recognition. "You know, ever since this whole Grail War knowledge thing has gotten into each of our little heads, I've been wondering about you in particular in the background. You really, really remind me of good ol' Jaune Arc. Even got the names the same!"
Jeanne raised one eyebrow. "What of it?" Lancer was moving the others to a different location. Pyrrha was still out cold that Lancer had to carry her.
"Wow." Curious Sanson did not look impressed. They looked disappointed. "You two really are alike, you might as well be siblings. At least Jaune was more entertaining to watch. Maybe we should throw in some homunculus with a self-sacrificing hero complex and personality no greater than cardboard for some spice, hmm?"
Curious screamed like a cat when a spear of light barely missed them. Jeanne shook her head. She had been too hasty and threw the spear to early.
"Struck a nerve?" Curious had a sly grin. "Maybe not you specifically but maybe a you of another time?"
Jeanne had her banner pointing directly at the Cat. She kept the leaves hidden from sight. The space was wide open and the winds could blow away the smoke if she were to burn them here. Even with her Maiden powers, Curious might choose to avoid it this time.
She moved first. Small balls of Maiden light rapidly flew at Curious Sanson like bullets from a gun. They were a distraction at most, and hardly worth any sort of acknowledgement from Jeanne's opponent. Curious Sanson twirled the large weapon and bore it without any strain; it was like shooting soft peas.
Grimm and toys clashed with one another and Curious made full use of the chaos. Toys were beings of light and were thusly one of the Cat's kin. But Cat's alignment with Salem meant that the Grimm would have to fight alongside them, as much as the Grimm didn't want to. Only the Cthnonians knew which one was friend and which one was foe, and Jeanne was definitely a foe.
Curious' entire weight bore down Jeanne's banner when she had been distracted by the Grimm. Jeanne forcefully repelled Curious away and kept the spear point towards Curious. Her banner's cloth had long since been dirtied by the grime and dirt of the ground.
When Curious charged at her again, Jeanne thrust the banner forward and fell into Curious' trap. They leapt over her. Before she could defend herself, Sanson's foot had struck the back of her head. Jeanne quickly put the banner between herself and Curious Sanson who had begun to swing wildly, further putting Jeanne off balance.
Their movements weren't like Sanson's at all. There wasn't any grace nor any attempts for her head. Sword swung sporadically in any direction that Curious felt in that moment. A whirlwind of unorthodox fighting that wasn't remotely humanoid. Curious would claw and scratch alongside the swinging of that blade which kept Jeanne back; she couldn't grasp the rhythm before Curious would switch again. Grimm, Cthnonian, and unfortunate toys were aiding Curious in that regard.
But this version of Jeanne d'Arc had spent time in a different Remnant. This version had the experience of a huntress. She took a page out the Ruby Rose of her timeline.
Her banner was no scythe but she could swing it like one and the threat of getting cut was still there. The banner's cloth also hid the pointed tip as Jeanne's own version included hit-and-run tactics. Weaving in and weaving out, the cloth always kept the tip hidden until it was close enough to strike. The pole itself wasn't always that straight with how hard Jeanne swung it; there was a slight bend in the banner that Jeanne was too familiar with.
She couldn't claim the momentum when it was Curious Sanson that forced the rhythm. But she could force things back in her favor, willfully taking hits just so she could put Curious off balance and take the lead herself.
Her Maiden abilities, when used with more subtlety, allowed Jeanne to change her own rhythm. She couldn't shoot out bullets like Ruby could but being a Maiden meant that she could recreate it without the risk of running out of ammunition. Putting herself within and without her own effective range made it difficult for Curious to adjust.
Curious caught Jeanne committing a thrust and gripped the banner tight as Jeanne was about to pull back. Jeanne was forced closer towards Curious, one hand of theirs already swinging the executioner's blade.
Thinking quickly, she pulled on the banner and planted her feet on Sanson's body. She leapt off of him and the executioner's blade only nearly cut off the braid of her hair. One of her palms was open, a ball of light had filled it. She threw it like a pitcher in baseball. It wasn't enough to cause damage but it put distance between them, resetting the battle distance.
There wasn't going to be another chance. Jeanne pulled out the leaves and gripped it tight, got close as she could. Curious Sanson had been caught off guard by the sudden slam. Jeanne got behind Sanson and put them in a chokehold, her hands held the leaves close to Curious' nose.
Eyes glowed and the leaves burned. A colorful smoke soon engulfed Sanson's face and Jeanne quickly pulled away.
Curious Sanson could only laugh at the realization. "This? Oh, this brings back memories." Curious took a deep breath and inhaled all that smoke. "The good scent of ye olde Ever After. Didn't think you would have had a chance to drop by."
Banner held steady and ready, Jeanne kept her feet apart in her battle stance.
"But I regret to inform you that this isn't going to work for someone like me. I'm the one who heals people in the Ever After. Not to mention, even if it would work on me now that I am a Servant, I don't have any regrets. I'll just come back as I am!"
"Maybe." Jeanne adopted her little brother's smug as her own. "But what about Sanson? He still has Menagerie."
Curious, at first, had a look of confusion. Then, their face contorted into something hideous. Sharps claws were scratching Sanson's head, drawing blood as Curious was screaming in agony. Grimm, Cthnonian, and toy stopped their skirmish as they witnessed the sight of Curious Sanson writhing on the ground.
Then, Sanson's jaw went wide open. The first thing to come out of that mouth was the Cat's tail. Hind legs tried to run back in but couldn't for there was no ground to push off of. Jeanne took that chance to get behind Sanson.
The front legs' claws buried deep into Sanson's gums as the head of the Curious Cat, full of desperation and anger, kept screaming: "let me in! Let me in!" Jeanne smacked the head of the Cat and forced the rest of them to come out.
Jeanne quickly apologized for the pain that Sanson had to go through. But there was no time for it. Sanson was weak.
Before the Curious Cat could recover, Jeanne readied her banner for another fight. Sanson was lain there on his stomach, unmoving except for the rising and falling of his chest. Cat growled and grew in size. The Cat changed in color from purple and blue to white and black.
But Cat didn't engage. Instead, they ran away.
Jeanne would have chased but Sanson was still out there. Cthnonian, Grimm, and toys knew that these two Servants weren't allies in the slightest. Given the chance, they would attack Jeanne and Sanson. Sanson was still too weak to move.
The banner was slammed hard on the ground. A small ring of light grew into large spikes that kept all enemies at bay. Jeanne used that chance to put Sanson on her back. She could feel his weak breath on her.
Eyes glowed and Jeanne was in the air. Better that she risked it with the Lancer-Grimm and the Nevermore than any of the opposition in the ground. That crater where Saber had been was slowly filling up with fighters as the space had been cleared for everyone else.
Buildings were no longer safe nor did they provide any sort of strategic advantage. Everyone was out there in the open space with the exception of the civilians, still being evacuated since Jeanne could still see the figures moving in the shadows.
Sunlight nearly blinded her as she rushed towards Lancer. Jeanne's attention was on team JNPR.
"Pyrrha, you're alright!" Jeanne declared as she made her descent. Pyrrha still wasn't quite there yet but she had recovered. She had too much aura pumped into her being Rider's Master.
"I'm okay." Pyrrha didn't have the best balance. She was nursing a headache. "It was like the transfer process all over again. What's happening?"
"Rider has fully become the Fairytale Knight," Jeanne replied. "Any longer and Jaune won't be coming back."
The sight of Rider dominating the battlefield made everyone hesitate.
"I-isn't that a good thing?" Weiss hesitated. "I mean, look what's happening. We're winning. B-besides, it's not our Jaune."
"Pyrrha," Jeanne asked, ignoring everyone else. "Your decision?"
"Why does it have to be mine?" Pyrrha demanded.
"Because you're the Master, kid." Lancer swung at a Grimm. "Is this how you want to win? You got your fairytale hero but you're going to lose him a second time."
Made a dome of ice to protect them all. "Pyrrha," Jeanne asked once again. "Now is the time to make a decision. What you choose, I'll support you, and I know that Jaune, both living and dead, would do the same."
Pyrrha didn't want to be put on the spot like that. She took a deep breath and made a choice.
"I want Jaune back. I don't know if that means my Jaune or him, but I want Jaune back."
Jeanne nodded once and helped Pyrrha back up.
"You hear that, Master?" Lancer added. "Looks like it's free game moving forward, now!"
"Not the time, Lancer!" Ruby chastised. "Also, new guy? He's stirring? I think?"
Jeanne was by Sanson's side. He was blinking as vision had to be blurry for him.
"Where…" Sanson managed to say his first words after returning to them. "Where are… the people… of Menagerie? Where's… where's Blake?"
/-/
In Mistral, a farm boy looked out of the horizon. Great dangers had fallen on Remnant. Everyone, himself included were ushered towards the shelters. Yet, despite that, he felt as though there was something missing, that there was something that he should be doing instead of this.
He felt it strongest in that moment. Foot nearly taking that step towards that other direction, towards the greater world out there.
"Oscar!" cried his aunt. "What are you doing? Get inside the shelters!"
"R-right!" he followed orders. Whatever it was that pulled him had gone. "I'm sorry."
Oscar Pine would live the rest of his days on the farm, never going on an adventure, always yearning for something more, never feeling complete. But he was just a farm boy. What greater calling could possibly come for someone like him?
AN: Vorpal Bandersnatch, in FGO game mechanic terms, basically removes guts. My assumption here is that if the Infinite Man (whether for Saber or for Ozpin) would translate into game mechanics, it would be as a guts skill of sorts.
Though I didn't mention it here, I'm operating under the idea that it is LESS than Rank A. The reason is that Infinite Man is influenced by Heracles' God Hand and the possible prospect of having the Jabberwalker actually capable of killing Heracles only once because of the effect I'm giving it is nuts.
I've also considered the idea of throwing a sort of "Concept of Death" into the mix, considering that Jabby over here is the end of ascension for Afterans which would likely translate into the hypothetical legend, ergo one who could bring real and permanent deaths. But the idea of Jabby going "First Hassan" on anyone is too many nuts for me to handle. It doesn't help that as a creation of brother darkness, Jabby likely would have an affinity for death and destruction.
I'll come back to this one specifically after giving more thought on Jabby. You can find my Google Slides file online, I welcome comments there too.
And yes, all of this means that Ozpin is our final life in this fic.