King: This should be fun... First things first, we passed 1000 reviews! They're mostly requests, but I take what I can get at this point... If nothing else, it shows engagement in the story. Hope you've all been enjoying this as much as I have~

Inspiration: My Hero Academia

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When everyone regathered, the dynamics of the theater had changed. Roman, Neo, and a newly revealed extra-dimensional Salem had taken more neutral positions away from the villiain groups. Sienna, after explanations, profuse apologizes, and a knuckle sandwich from Kali, had taken a spot near the Belladonnas. Ilia, after seeing her leader move from her position, started to feel uncomfortable remaining with the others on her side. However, Adam kept her in line, reminding her of her mission.

Once everyone had settled in again, King reappeared in the theater proper, "Hello again, everybody~! Welcome back." The fireball spun around in a small circle, "So? Everyone ready for the next round~?" Once he was satisfied with their answers, he disappeared again and let the screen begin its work.

"A hero is someone who acts not from their own selfish desires, but to protect the innocent and the weak without thoughts of compensation."

Nora giggled, "Another Jaune voice over opening."

Yang crossed her arms and sat back. "I mean… He does have a point though."

Ironwood groaned, "A bit idealistic, though. Heroes like that just can't exist anymore. We all need compensation for our work."

Salem huffed, "And that's why you're not a hero."

"What did you say?!" Ironwood was still semi-hostile toward this Salem. Old habits die hard for a grizzled soldier.

"You can have a job and be compensated. For you, you're a soldier. They are huntsmen. These are professions. A hero is someone that can have these careers, sure, but its not exclusive. It's someone that acts for the good of others when they're needed. Anyone can be a hero, Ironwood."

"But the world forgot what hero means. These… phony hypocrites condemn the people that use their quirks for themselves, doing the same exact thing! Just with government permission… Wealth. Fame. Prestige. Popularity…" Jaune spoke with a level of venom no one in the audience had ever heard before. "But… there is one that still embodies these ideals…"

The screen showed a picture of a tall, muscular blonde, but not the same one as the last time they say this type of reality. This was Taiyang Xiao Long, the Symbol of Peace.

"All Might… is worthy."

Tai smiled, "Symbol of Peace? I like it."

Ruby was bouncing in her chair, "I remember that one! That's the world where Jaune was a super hero!"

Yang chuckled, "Guess dad is the hero this time."

"Okay… Then what is Jaune in this?"

The screen flashed and fell off to reveal Jaune hunched on top of a water tower. He was dressed in tactical gear with four large knives (two on either side of his torso), one larger knife across his lower back, and a katana strapped to his back. His boots were spiked at his toes as well. His face was obscured by a white mask tied back with long fabric hanging behind him and a crimson scarf around his neck.

Nora chuckled a bit, "Modern ninja Jaune~!"

Blake cracked a smile as well.

"I will fix this world. I will reclaim the word hero."

The screen panned down to show Yang running through the streets of the city. At one moment, she slid on the ground and into an alley where Jaune was waiting. In the darkness of the alleyway, they could see his eyes glowing a blood red. The pin-like irises made him seem clearly unhinged.

Ruby groaned, "Another psycho version…"

Blake took a breath, "Not quite… He's not a madman… He's a fanatic."

Yang turned to Blake, "What's the difference?"

"A madman uses logic foreign to the world. A fanatic needs no logic, only his cause."

"Well, that's unnerving."

Jaune glared toward Yang as she approached, "I will purge these false heroes from this world." As Jaune drew his sword, a flash of light blinded the world and acted as a way to transition to Ruby walking down the same streets.

Ruby was dressed in a set of red armor designed to accent her super speed. A sleek set of plates that made her resemble the old knights.

Salem frowned a bit, "I'm a little disappointed. Jaune would absolutely love armor like that. Really fit with the chivalrous style he has."

Oobleck readjusted his glasses, "It does seem to be inspired, but also perfectly modern."

This got a few of the audience members to jump in their seats, having forgotten the history professor was in the audience. This, in turn, led to another mini heart attack when they realized Port was sitting next to him.

Ruby was looking around, constantly on edge. Something was on her mind during the patrol, not paying attention to the lesson being imparted by the professional hero she shadowed. It was what pushed her to this point. What made her run off when her mentor wasn't paying attention. She ran into the alleys, a growl escaping her throat.

Yang chuckled nervously, "Yikes… I can't even see your face, but I already know I've never seen you that mad. What do you think happened?"

Ruby wasn't sure. But given the way this opened… She didn't like the implication.

Ruby slid to a halt in a back alley. "I finally found you!" The screen snapped to show Jaune turning his head toward her. As it panned back, it revealed his katana was currently pinning Mercury Black to a wall behind him through his shoulder. Ruby's voice followed through as the scene came into view, "The Hero Killer, Stain."

Ruby shook, "Hero… Killer?"

Velvet shrunk in her chair, "Oh… that's not good."

Jaune raised an eyebrow. "And what are you supposed to be?"

Ruby charged forward, trying to tackle Jaune, "I'm the one who'll beat you!"

Jaune removed his sword from Mercury's shoulder and sliced up toward Ruby, knocking off her helmet and forcing her to the ground. He placed his blade at her neck before speaking again, "A child in a suit of armor?"

Ruby's eyes were filled with fear of the blade, but a righteous fury toward the man holding it.

Jaune let out a breath, "Leave child. This doesn't concern you."

Ruby clenched her teeth, "Like hell it doesn't." She started to raise back up to her feet. "You think I care what you have to say after what you've done? My older sister was a hero. Her dream was to help others. But you severed her spinal column! She'll never walk again! What gave you the right to take away her dream?! I will make you pay for what you've done!"

Yang was in shock hearing that. Everything fell into place, and Ruby's anger made sense… but learning she was paralyzed in this world because of Jaune… that was just crazy to think about.

Ruby was just as bad. The idea of someone hurting Yang like that was insane! Yang was more likely to be the one doing the hurting. Granted, this kind of attitude could very well get her injured beyond repair. What if she lost a limb?! Ruby officially went into a freak out.

Jaune glared toward Ruby. "If you fight me, I will be forced to cull you with the rest of these false heroes."

Ruby's foot dug into the concrete beneath her, "SHUT UP!" Ruby swung a kick toward Jaune, who jumped over the attack.

Jaune was able to slash at Ruby with his sword, which was now revealed to be either deliberately serrated or was never sharpened properly. A bit of the blade was able to dig into Ruby's armor and caused her to bleed at her upper arm. Ruby was able to avoid the worst of the damage as she jumped back. Jaune held the blade up toward himself and licked the blood caught by his blade.

Nora was trying to diffuse things by focusing on that specific action, "I never got why people do that…"

Sienna, strangely, was the one to answer her, "It's an intimidation tactic at times. Ingesting blood, however, would be above and beyond for that…"

Ruby was about to charge when the effects finally kicked in. She fell onto the ground, unable to move her body, "What?! What's going on?!"

Jaune approached her slowly. Once he arrived, he buried the tip of his blade into Ruby's shoulder, rendering the limb nigh useless until/if the wound was healed. Jaune took a breath, "I tried to warn you child."

Ruby was able to move her eyes, allowing her to glare up toward him, "Shut up! You attacked my sister and took away her ability to be a hero! I am Draconium! And I will avenge my sister! I'LL KILL YOU!"

Qrow took a swig form his flask, "You know Ruby… You can be pretty scary if you tried."

Tai turned to his old teammate and shook his head, indicating this clearly wasn't the time.

Jaune pointed toward Mercury, who was propped up on the wall and affected by the same power that now held Ruby down, "Shouldn't you be more worried about him right now, hero?" The amount venom in that last word could probably kill a Goliath.

A chill ran through the audience. He… wasn't actually wrong. And that scared them. She ran into a scene where a man was being attacked, and she didn't care about that. Revenge had blinded her to the point of being a hero, saving lives and protecting others.

Jaune removed the blade from Ruby's shoulder, causing even more damage thanks to its serrated blade. "Goodbye, false hero. Your death shall pave a way to a new world."

Before Jaune could finish the job, he was decked in the jaw by a certain flying fist wielded by Velvet Scarletina. As she landed, they could see her chocolate-brown hero's uniform. She spun midair after the punch knocked Jaune back, landing on her feet. She glanced back to Ruby, but kept her stance for the fight at hand, "Ruby! Are you okay?!"

Coco grinned, "Go Velvet! Saving the day~"

Velvet groaned a bit, "I'd feel better if it wasn't Jaune being the bad guy…"

"Trust me, Vel, that feeling seems to be mostly universal in this room."

Ruby tried to struggle, "Velvet! I can't move! I think it's his quirk! Something when he cut me!"

In the background, Jaune drew one of his smaller knives, revealing it to be a toothed military-style blade. An efficient pain bringer designed to rip into the flesh apart going in and out. Jaune growled and lowered his stance, "Another child?"

Velvet noticed Mercury slumped on the wall, "Well, so much for grabbing Ruby and running." She dragged her foot across the concrete for a second to ready herself for a leap. "I just need to buy time for the pro heroes to get here. Sit tight Ruby! I'll protect you until then." She charged forward, jumping from the ground and up to the side of the nearby building. She instantly leapt from this perch and down toward Jaune. When Jaune made to swing his blade toward her, she spun her body away from the attack and under him. He went to swing his knife behind him, only for Velvet to have jumped up and nailed a punch onto the top of his head. With her foe having face planted onto concrete, she hopped back and started to make for Mercury, hoping to get the two in one place and make a break for it.

Tai nodded to himself, "She certainly has a good technique, but it's also clear all of her training was rather recent. A skilled opponent could read her and get the drop on her."

Coco shot a glance toward Tai, "Yeah? Well he doesn't seem to be one of those trained ones, is he? Otherwise Velvet wouldn't have gotten that hit in."

Port's face fell into a frown, "Don't be so sure…"

As Port spoke, they saw Jaune's smile as he licked at one of his knife's teeth, a small splatter of blood barely visible on the weapon.

"Sometimes, it may in your interest to take the hit."

Velvet's body suddenly collapsed from under her. "What?! How did he…?!" She noticed the cut on her shoulder before she looked back toward him. "Wait a second! It's not the blades! It's the blood!"

Jaune's smile faded, giving him the visage of a man at work. "You, child, are not burdened by the falsities of this wretched world. You have potential to be a true hero. You shall live." He turned back toward the still lying Ruby, "You on the other hand, shall die with the rest of these false heroes." As Jaune raised his blade again, he was cut off by a torrent of fire, "Another one?!"

Standing at the entrance to the alleyway was Weiss Schnee, dressed in a style reminiscent to a more practical version of a blue school uniform. "Velvet, next time you need help, be a little more specific than just a location."

Velvet tried to move, but found that to be an impossible task, "Weiss! Be careful! If he gets any of your blood, he can immobilize you!"

Weiss scoffed, "Then I'll just have to keep him at a distance." Unlike the other two, she was more than capable of fighting at range. Unfortunately, this single moment of distraction allowed Jaune to chuck a throwing knife toward Weiss without being noticed. Weiss was able to move out of the knife's path, but her cheek was cut by the blade as it flew by.

Winter glanced toward her sister, "Let this be a lesson, never take your eyes off your opponent."

Jaune was able to close the gap between them thanks to the distraction. With Weiss off guard and off balance, he leaned forward and was about to lick at her wound.

Weiss felt a shiver run up and down her spine, "That is disgusting!"

"No kidding…" Coco grimaced.

Weiss was able to force him away before he could get at her blood by using a protective layer of fire. "I can't carry everyone out, but I can buy time." She raised her hands out in front of her. Her right hand had a flickering flame and her left hand had a chilling effect. "Just need to keep far enough away and on my toes."

Jaune growled and dug his feet into the ground. "This is getting ridiculous." I don't have time for this. One of them is going to start moving again at this rate. I need to get this moving.

Weiss swung a fire ball toward him, only to be met with a pair of switchblade knives embedding into her left arm.

Qrow winced, "That's got to sting."

Ironwood tapped his foot, "At least it's still attached."

"Right… Forgot about the tinman's situation."

"Stop calling me that."

Velvet strained her muscles to move. She had to get back up! If they were both up, they at least had the chance to get away carrying the others. Her hand dragged across the ground. This got her to grin. After a moment, she was on her feet again and jumped into the fray, knocking Jaune back again before he could take another swing at Weiss.

Velvet raised a hand toward the screen, as if to will it to stop, "Hold on! If I was the last one to be affected by his power, why was I the first one to get back up?!"

Weiss was equally surprised but was kind of in the middle of something. "So, his power has a time limit."

Velvet nodded, "Yeah. But I was the last one to be affected. I have two theories. The first is his quirk gets weaker the more people he uses it on. The other option being that it has something to do with blood types. I'm type O."

Ruby strained on the ground, "I'm type A."

Mercury groaned, "B."

Jaune licked his lips as the screen froze, almost resembling a comic page. They could hear the voice of a very enthusiastic Professor Port, "Hero Killer Stain! Real name: Jaune Arc. Quirk: Bloodcurdle. By ingesting the blood of his victim, he renders them paralyzed for up to eight minutes depending on the target's blood type. From shortest to longest, these range from O, A, AB, then B."

Port chuckled, "Well, that explains that at least. Not the best ability for group tactics, as you can't be sure what blood type a person has."

Ruby smiled a bit, "That's actually a neat way to introduce a person's powers in this world."

Ruby growled from her position, "Listen! Both of you! Get out of here! This is my fight! I need to… avenge my sister! For the name of Draconium!"

Weiss raised an eyebrow as she unleashed a column of fire to keep Jaune back, "Really?! You're supposed to be Draconium now? Well then, start acting like it! The Draconium I knew wouldn't let emotions get in the way of saving people! Of being a hero!"

Ruby was stunned. Her eyes finally took in Mercury slumped nearby. She had ignored him when she arrived… She was supposed to be out here trying to help people… It was her life's mission. Ruby was filled with disgust in herself. "Damn it!" Her fingers dragged into the round beneath them. "I'm so stupid!"

"Calm down! We can still fix this!"

In the background, Velvet was fighting back Jaune as best as she could with Weiss's help. All the while, Ruby was berating herself in her head. I have super speed, damn it! I should have grabbed him and ran! But no! I let my head run off, away from what was important! She was starting to stand again. "Weiss! Can you use your ice to give us some room?"

Weiss cracked a smile. "Sure." She formed a wall of ice to separate the group from Jaune.

But Jaune was well trained and of sharp blade. He cut through the ice and leapt over the barrier. This, however, put him in the crossroads between two young heroes charging him. When they collided, Velvet landed a heavy punch to his jaw and Ruby landed a nasty kick into his ribs. To seal the deal, Weiss singed him on his way down. And like that, he was out cold (irony~).

Salem let out a breath she'd been holding for a while. "I know he was a villain, but that's rather hard to watch."

Velvet nodded, "It usually is in the worlds like that."

Ruby apologized profusely to Mercury, Velvet, and Weiss for how she acted. But they didn't have time to dwell. They had to tie up Jaune and get him to the police. They were lucky enough to find some rope someone had thrown away. They were able to drag him out onto the main streets. As they left the alley, a few pro heroes approached them having been told to arrive from Weiss's father, who was fighting villains nearby. Ruby was thoroughly berated by her mentor for running off on her own and how she almost got herself killed. Velvet got the same dressing down from her mentor for the week, an older, shorter version of Ozpin dressed in a green costume complete with bright emerald cape and black mask.

This visual got a few chuckles out of the audience. One such being Salem. This got Ironwood to lean toward Ozpin, "This is surreal."

Ozpin nodded, "And then some, but it's far from the strangest thing I've seen."

A piercing scream rang out in the air as a winged beast flew toward them. It was a twisted looking creature with its brain exposed and its eye bulging outward, the other having been seemingly destroyed earlier. Its arms were wide wings as it swooped down toward them. When it flew down into their group, it clutched its talons around Velvet. With its target in claw, it made to fly off again as its eye continued to bleed. A small splatter of blood landed on one of the pro hero's cheeks.

Emerald blinked, "That's like the Hazel from the last version of this."

Said hero tried to spring into action, but her power wasn't capable of making any effect on the weird creature. "We need to…!" Before she could finish her sentence, Jaune was up next to her and licking the blood off her cheek.

Weiss shook again, "Does he not understand personal space?!"

Ruby thought for a moment, "But, doesn't his power…"

The creature was suddenly falling out of the sky. The screen returned to ground level to show Jaune running, his eyes glowing red, as he cut through the ropes with a blade he had hidden away. "The word 'hero' has lost all meaning in this wretched society! The world is filled with false heroes and villains like you chasing after petty dreams!" One leap later, and Jaune buried the switchblade knife into the creature's good eye. He grabbed Velvet from its claw and shielded her from the impact with the ground. "You must all be purged."

The heroes on sight were stunned by the events that proceeded. "Did… he just save that kid?"

"No, you idiot! He took a hostage!"

Jaune let out a breath and ripped his knife out of the beast's head, "Everything I do, is to create a stronger society."

One of the heroes adopted a fighting stance, "Heads up everyone! We've got a fight on our hands!" This got the others to prepared themselves as well.

"What's going on here?"

Weiss and Winter went wide eyed. "No way…"

Jacque Schnee rounded the corner and ran up to the group. He was wreathed in fire around his costume, head, and face. "Why are you all just standing around?!" Jacque noticed Jaune, who was still holding Velvet against the ground in his weakened state. "Don't tell me that man is…"

Jaune turned slightly to see Jacque. "Endeavor…"

"Hero Killer! You're coming with me!" Jacque seemed almost ecstatic to see his target. This was his chance to really make a name for himself and surpass All Might!

Jaune spun on his heel, his mask falling off. Now, with his face revealed, they could see his fanatical visage completely. His bloodlust fueling his anger. This was a man in name only. "YOU FALSE HERO!"

Everyone in the room went silent. Everyone, and I do mean everyone, was shaking in fear of this man. A sentiment definitely shared with those on screen.

Jaune took a step forward, "I'll make this right!" His eyes were covered in a red light. The moon behind him turned a blood red. "These streets must run with the blood of hypocrites! HERO! I WILL RECLAIM THAT WORD!" His spiked foot slammed on the ground as the camera panned back up toward his shrouded face. "COME ON! JUST TRY AND STOP ME YOU FAKES!"

This even got Jacque to flinch and recoil at the scene before him.

The screen zoomed in to show Jaune's frantic eye, almost shaking in place with his zealous passion, "There's only one man I'll let kill me! He is a true hero! ALL MIGHT IS WORTHY!" The screen flooded with a mass of malicious aura. A pair of blood red eyes seemed to form in the dark mist. This was pure, unadulterated bloodlust and hate.

No one moved. No one dared to speak out of fear. Even from beyond the screen, they were afraid.

Jaune's knife fell to the ground and the aura was gone in an instant.

Everyone in the room relaxed again.

Ruby took a few breathes, trying to calm her nerves, "What… was that?"

Tai mimicked his daughter and shook in his chair, "Horrifying."

Jaune stood in the streets, his eyes blank and his mouth hanging open. It was later revealed by a medical check that his broken rib had punctured his lung. He was arrested on the spot and taken away. But his words still rang out for many. To some, the word Hero was held by hypocrites and self-important pricks that care more about their image than saving lives. Jaune's words that night would spark the fires within so many, on both sides.

For what does it mean, to be a hero?

Ozpin took a deep breath, "The worst part about it all… even thought his actions were reprehensible… his core ideology holds weight. And to be honest… that terrifies me."

Everyone in the audience, huntsmen, villain, criminal, or extradimensional oddities couldn't help but agree.