I do not own DxD or RWBY

-xXx-

"They have eyes to see but do not see and ears to hear but do not hear." — Ezekiel 12:2

-xXx-

Sparks tore the air as steel clashed in the clearing, each strike echoing like a gunshot through the forest.

Two figures danced a brutal rhythm, both clad in holy vestments, but only one moved like he meant it.

Sieg grimaced as he brought his massive red blade down with the force of a guillotine. Gram's cursed heat shimmered around it, hissing with unholy fire. And yet...

Clang

A broken sword stopped him again.

Not blocked. Not deflected. Stopped.

Jaune's weapon, a half-snapped thing, no longer than a forearm should've shattered under the pressure. But it held. And worse: it moved like something longer, like it remembered being whole when Jaune didn't.

Something was wrong with that blade, especially since Gram is growling at it!

Sieg stepped back, recalculating, but Jaune was already inside his guard.

There was no warning. No flash of anger, no cry of effort.

Just a blur.

Jaune's elbow cracked against Sieg's jaw, blunt and exact. No hesitation. Then a knee found his ribs. Then Sieg was airborne — bear-hugged and tossed like a sack of grain.

He twisted mid-air, landing hard, kicking up dirt, cursing. Blood lined his teeth. His grin stretched, proud and wary. This wasn't luck. This was instinct.

But something was off.

Jaune wasn't following up. He stood several feet away, wobbling slightly. His breathing wasn't labored. His eyes blinked — slow, confused. Like a man waking from sleep.

He doesn't even know he's doing this, Sieg realized. He's fighting on reflex.

"FOCUS!" Sieg barked, masking the chill crawling up his spine. The ground exploded under his feet as he lunged, bringing Gram overhead in a brutal arc.

Red steel and a feral grin came down...

...only for the impact to crash into earth, not flesh.

The ground liquified under the blow, steam and molten dirt spewing upward. Sieg stumbled back, blinking against the heat.

And Jaune?

Jaune stood twenty feet away, unmoved, still blinking like he didn't know how he got there.

Sieg's breath caught. His temples throbbed. What the hell?

"Again?" Jeanne muttered behind him.

Sieg turned, eyes bloodshot from the pressure. Georg stood surrounded by flickering magic circles, frowning deeply.

"Do you feel it, Miss Jeanne?" the mage asked. "That ache in your mind?"

"Yeah," she said, her voice tight. "Like I'm watching something I don't understand..."

Sieg turned back to Jaune, just in time to see him right at his face!

The wind swirled as the edge of Sad Sword sung a haunting tone just as it bulled to Sieg's nect!

DING!CLANG!

The world cried again, as the sparks burn into life. Sieg grit his teeth in fustration as he knew he had an opening, but once again, Jaune's broken weapon acted like it has the mass and length to defend its wielder.

Squaring his stance, Sieg pulled back and slammed his heavy blade at all of Jaune supposed opening with consecutive strikes!

DING!CLANG! DING!CLANG! DING! CLANG

Blades met once again, as Gram held bay against by the non-existing upper half of a the broken sword. The albino smiled, as he saw the conerntrated look of Jaune.

BAM!

"Ah, ah, ah" Sieg teased as he caught the knee of Jaune before it can slammed at his torso, "You got to ha-"

BAM!!!

Sieg tasted blood as Jaune slammed his forehead at the albino's nose! Sieg's ache worsen as his brain rattled from the head butt. Trying to get a grasp of his surroundings, he said double as Jaune looked like her was blurring out of existanance.

"Hah!" Jaune roared, as Sieg felt it in his bone that he was going to get struck! The warrior braced as an blurred Jaune struck!

DING!

Nothing made contact, as Jaune missed and his sword, for the first time, acted its real lenght of a broken sword.

CRACK!BANG!

A noise interupted Sieg's toughts as the crash's impact swept the wind of the clearing.

"What?!" Georg's mask of stoictism broke as he looked blankly behind Sieg as Jeanne covered her mouth in shook.

Sieg slowly turned, and found the tree behind him, split into two.

The old and heavy wood colapsed to the roots, as its bark was cut and stretched open by a mysterious force.

"That is enough for today," Georg announced as all three gave him their attention, "Cao Cao will be returning soon, so you all have to be prepared for the briefing" he finished as he used his Sacred Gear to collect the split tree.

Jaune nodded, before tripping to the side like a drunk man. Sieg was there immedietly to catch him, "Geez, it makes it like using that sword has more draw backs than positive uses."

"Like your demonic swords, right?" Jaune replied back, trying to defend his sword.

Sieg scoffed, "At least my weapons has a clear function, yours... well..."

"Don't be like that." Jeanne came in to defend her brother, "we are conducting these test for a reason."

"Well, we got to find out Jaune's weapon special abilities." Sieg shrugged, "It is more a burden to him now."

"He --" Jeanne once again tried to defend, but Jaune spoke first.

"Hey, I worked well with a regular sword." Jaune finally found his footing, "I just have to treat the sword as one before using its special abilities."

Sieg accepted Jaune's reasoning while Jeanne continued to look worried, as they slowly walk to their camp.

-xXx-

The tent was big enough to hold a oak war table, as Jaune, Jeanne, and Sieg waited for their leader. Across them, was a hulkinggreek warrior, arms crossed, and projecting an aura of indifference while looking at them with a light glare.

Sieg broke the silence, "We fought scarier devils, you know."

"Heh... those mindless beast?" Hercules shook his head, "Power with no control? A rabid animal is easy to kill."

"Hoh? Really?" Sieg challenged while leaning forward, Jeanne held his shoulder to calm him down.

"I am a WARRIOR, boy." Hercules gave a cocky smirk, "something the dogs of the church are not trained to fight."

Tension rose as the insult hang in air. Sieg, trying his best to not make a mistake and Jeanne having a displeased frown.

But despite that, Hercules was the one who was more annoyed, as the other blonde didn't dare hear his jibs and was too focus in Georg's discussion.

"...despite devils magic and human magic having different application for their results, teleportation spells of all magic origins require the percision of human magic."

"Doesn't devils just, imagine their magic?"

"True, but for think it like this." Georg was in a mentor mode, "if you just imagine the location, even now, sometimes you just give an bird's eye view of the place or from a specific corner. If imagination is used alone in devil magic, they litterally will appear where their point of view will be."

"Meaning?"

"If you imagine the Golden State Bridge, you will just teleport as the spot looking at the bridge, which is on the air, and above the water."

"Ah.. that is dangerous."

"Indeed, and devils, considering their pride and classical noblity mannerisms and rules, they are required to teleport at doors and certain spots for formality and manner. You cannot teleport inside a office of a fellow devil. Well, unless you are the Maou."

"I see." Jaune nodded.

"Still nose deep with that boy's twig of a blade?" Hercules called out sarcastically.

"Yes, it requires patience and consistency... traits you are not known for." Georg bit back.

Hercules growled, but the tension was cut immediately once their leader entered.

Jaune watched Cao Cao walked in with measured steps to the table, and pointed a location without a second glance at the map, or them, "This is a camp full of strays at the uninhbited areas of the Underworld, doing dark rituals which involves with the devil's contract system." Cao Cao said with a single breath.

Jaune glanced at the map. The area was overgrown and oddly shaped — less like natural terrain and more like a place forgotten on purpose. His eyes caught Cao Cao's thumb brushing against the table's edge. A small, repetitive motion.

"What's the terrain like?" Jaune asked, tone light. "Anything we should prep for?"

Cao Cao's answer came a beat late. "Forest. Nothing out of the ordinary. We'll arrive during night hours. You'll have the cover you need."

"Any local anomalies?" Jaune asked. "We're still talking about the Underworld. Strange wildlife, cursed plants?"

"No," Cao Cao said.

Then, just as Jaune started to nod, Georg added, "Actually-"

A glance from Cao Cao.

Georg adjusted his glasses. "—nothing significant."

Sieg tilted his head slightly, but didn't say anything. Jeanne frowned faintly.

"Teleportation is ready when you are," Georg added, "I am at your service."

"Good," Cao Cao said with a smile that didn't quite reach his eyes. "Let's see what the three of you can do."

Jeanne gave a respectful nod. Sieg smirked. Jaune smiled, too — faint, unreadable.

His eyes lingered on the edge of the map. Then on the rhythm of Cao Cao's thumb. Just for a moment longer than needed to be.

Jaune looked at Georg, "so we teleport in?"

"Yes." Cao Cao nodded.

"Sieg, Jeanne, Jaune." Cao Cao smiled, "let's see what you three can do."

Jaune smiled, "we won't dissapoint", Jeanne said with her own smile.

-xXx-

"Are you sure you are not dizzy, Jaune."

"I'm not." Jaune replied the nith time as he touched the soil at a nearby tree.

"You are touching the ground and trees too much, ma--"

"Shhh!" Jeanne glared at Sieg, "You want to see how he hunts his targets with minimal injury, or not?"

"...I thought it is his brutal fighting style" Sieg mumbled as Jaune continued to inspect the tree.

"We are near."

"What?"

"The tree, or the trees around here." Jaune pointed the patch of trees around them, "they are protection wards meant to confuse wandering people; force you to go around or steer away from the protected area."

Sieg and Jeanne looked around and began touching the trees, "I feel no... magical energy." Jeanne said.

"That is because the magic is not to hide, but to reflect presence back to the person, like a mirror." Jaune looked at the ground and marched forward, "and like a mirror, it can also angle reflections, forcing you to adjust your course away from the protected area."

"Wait, so how can you find them?" Sieg asked as he and Jeanne followed Jaune, "won't we just run around circles if thats the case?"

"Yes, if we are finding 'current' presence or magic." Jaune continued to look at the ground, "I am looking for 'past' presence... aka, footprints or traces of activity."

"This is a big forest Jaune, it is like finding a niddle in a haystack."

"True, but as you all know, all roads lead to Rome, or home for this case." Jaune shrugged, "I just need to find a small trace, before--"

After some walking, Jaune found what he was looking for.

"A dirt path?" Jeanne asked in shook.

"We are creatures of habit," Jaune followed the path, "besides, these creatures don't want to get lost too."

As the three continued their walk, it didn't take long before they felt devil magic and presense. The three walked to the side, as they hid in buches and shrubs.

Below was something surprising, usually stray devils hide in ruins or abandon homes, but the picture below them was more lively than usual.

A sprawl of tents laid down below, as camp fires lit the place making it look like a regular camp site, not too different from the Hero Faction's current camp site.

Of course, the only difference here are the monsterous creatures below, making the cozy camp site into a horror film where one can assume the human campers got eaten.

"Okay, remember our real goal is to destroy their ritual, from their numbers killing is unavoidable", Jaune briefed his friend, "quite frankly, we do not have enough information on our opponents, it can be dangerous."

"I think it is a test. To see our adaptability" Jeanne offered

"Yeah, well lowering risks is my preferred taste." Jaune looked at the targets below, "what makes it hard is we do not know their magic capabilites, plus the know huge monstrosities down there."

"Possible stray bishops, since there is a ritual" Sieg offered.

Jaune looked serious, "when push comes to shove, we have to use our magic."

"Good." Sieg grinned, as multiple arma burst from his back and he excitedly pulled out his Cursed Norse Swords.

"Which will attract both the Devils and the Fallen." Jaune sighed, "not we have a choice, lets just hope those trees will buy us sometime."

"How much power should we use." Jeanne asked a fair question.

"Considering that Sieg will inevitsblly use his swords," Sieg made a mocked offended face, "we have to be quick."

Sad Sword appeared in his hand as Jeanne summoned her own Holy Sword, "if things go south, scatter and let's meet at the pick up area. Let just hope those tree will cover our tracks for a moment.

Looking down, he saw multiple monsters walking around. Looking like chimeras of different animal species with body parts of humans.

Jaune's eyes got cold, as the sword in his hand vibraded slightly, as a slight tinge wash over Jaune's being, like a anxious relief of holding your breathe too long, "Jeanne, torch the tent!" He order as he burst forward!

Dozens of tents exploded in Holy Fire, as scream roared the plain! The strays panic by the blessed flames as the many occupants ran screaming in extreme pain as their skin melted and their blood got poisoned.

One burning devil got some mercy as a broken blade pierced its chest, before Jaune grabbed its limb and threw it at spiderlike giant!

The second stray lit in blessed flames, just as Jaune slammed his fist into a paniced stray with long horns at its face, before delivering two quick stabs at its torso before moving on to his next target.

Sieg came crashing with a fury of blades, as he roared with a dangerous grind, his speed near impossible due to the weight of his swords, but he cut down every stray, big or small as if it was just meat on a chopping block.

Jeanne stabbed her rapier to the ground, as dozens of Holy Swords erupted from the ground, as devils felt sharp blades strike! Many hanging in pain, as blood showered the ground with their life draining.

The chaos was too much for some devils, as the fires casts a fearsome shadow over Sieg and Jeanne with their blades of power, cutting and stabbing their devil life away, not noticing a blonde striking the frozen devils one by one!

All it took was a slash or a stab with his broken sword, as he drove it though ribs and necks before moving to the next target.

A stray devils who looked like a spile of rocks was able to ground himself, as he roared at Jaune with much anger. A heavy hand rose, as the wind shifted as it race to Jaune!

BAM!

The devil hit his target, as it's fist burried Jaune into the ground, but something felt wrong, as the ground he smashed felt empty, like punching a hole.

STAB!

ROAR!

Jaune, for his part found himself on top of the monster, stabbing through its exposed shoulder to get a grip on it. He clenched his fist, as his aura glowed slighting, before slamming it to the golems hand!

BAM!

The earth shook, as Jaune directed the golem to the remaining strays, hammering its head so that it smashes the ground, and kill more of its allies.

"Only you will do that!" Sieg yelled as he round up the last devils.

"You said you won't do that again!" Jeanne yelled in fustration. But Jaune ignored them as he shook the dizziness off, and used the golem to get a better view of the area, finding the ritual site they are meant to destroy.

Jaune directed it to the remaing tents, smashing it through, killing the occupants in red as he continue to fail looking for the ritual site or circles.

"Guys! You found it?!"

"No!"

"Nope!"

Jaune fustration grew, as he approached the last tent, but before he can force the golem to smash it, a black figure burst out of it and through the forest!

"Guys! Someone escaped!" Jaune pulled the sword and drove it throught the golem's skull! "Check the tent for the circle!"

"Jaune wait!" Jeanne yelled in concern as she saw her brother chased down the escapee.

"Jeanne! Its not here!" Sieg yelled, as he tore the tent and only found bandages and medical potions.

Suddenly, the dark night gained stars from the distance, "Fallen Angels! Let's go!" Sieg yelled.

"But Jaune!"

Sieg felt a chill when he saw those Spears of Light, "we will meet him later." Sieg grabbed Jeanne's arm "he will kill me if something happens to you."

Both humans ran, seeking cover in the magical trees around, leaving a once peaceful camp, in blood and fire.

-xXx-

Jaune's senses blurred around, as the tree presents fucked with his mind.

He frowned, as he felt magic fligng towards him and bounce around by the trees. But it was not an offensive magic, it was "presence" magic.

Jaune had to resist the temptation of the magic, as it pulled him in other random directions. His eyes blurred slightly, and his head ached with dizziness. He tried to focus on the footprints ahead, chasing the runaway.

Then, without a thought, the Sad Sword pulsed in his hand. Its broken, ethereal edge humming low and cold. The pain dulled. The dizziness faded. It wasn't healing; it was ignoring. A haze settled over his senses, not blinding but narrowing them, like a fog consuming his unwanted distractions.

The world became quiet, colors fading to a dull gray-blue. Emotion drained from his limbs like warmth from a corpse.

Denial.

It wasn't comfort. It was numbness. He didn't feel fear, or anger, or confusion. Only the footsteps in front of him. Only the chase. The Sad Sword didn't help him understand the magic. It helped him forget it. Which is impossible in itself.

That was the trade. For clarity, for the hunt.

He had to stop being human...just for a little while.

Jaune's breath came steady—too steady. The Sad Sword pulsed faintly in his hand, casting a cold, gray hue on the forest floor. His eyes tracked the faint trail of footprints, shallow yet swift. The scent of lingering magic twisted in the air like perfume on wind.

And then...her.

A figure emerged through the mist: tall, sleek, and feline. Long hair like raven silk. Golden eyes gleaming...with fear.

He didn't think. The sword quieted his doubts, so he lunged forward.

Right through her.

His body passed through the illusion like mist through moonlight, his arm swiping at nothing but air. The clone shimmered, chuckled, and popped like a bubble of smoke.

The sudden shift threw off his balance, but he didn't feel the panic. Denial had him locked in.

What he did feel was tree bark slamming into his face a second later.

Thud

He staggered back, more from physics than pain. The sword's numbing effect dulled the ache, but not the humiliation. A few leaves floated gently down like confetti.

He heard a rustle, as his dizziness ache just a bit when a fire blasted near by him!

"STAY AWAY!" The figure yelled, as Jaune finally got a good look at her, or atleast he assumes is her as multiple clones immerge around him. But grtting a good view of everyone, he can now describe his target.

He know saw a you lady, maybe about to turn 20, with cat ears on her head. Her robes blew and rustle with the wind, revealing two cat tails and a rather mature figure.

But what contracts all of that, was the too many bandages on her, and that some of her wounds reopened due to her escape, "I didn't WANT THIS! HE WOULD HAVE DONE HORRIBLE THINGS TO HER!"

As many more clones multiplied, Jaune rose his sword and charge his aura.

His target flinched, possibly recognizing either is mysterious sword or ki.

"Wait!" She tried to reason, "are...ar-"

The young woman visibly shuddered, breaking Jaune's tunnel vision, as her face turn into pure horror to the sky.

Jaune turned just in time to see it.

A Fallen Angel hovered above them.

Spear of Light in hand.

-xXx-

Author Notes

Third chaprer of this story, and as you can see there are more hints on what the sword is.

And what is this, who is that character.

If you guys can guess right, then you know what "date" we are from canon.

Also, Jaune's and Sieg attire is the same design as what Freed wears in canon

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Thank you and Godspeed!