Figured I upload this so you guys can see what I got cooked up for Sun's intro. Voting will still go on for 5 more days then I'll take it down. Please enjoy this new chapter. Hopefully gives you an idea of how I am changing it up.


Chapter 11


The sound of shattered glass echoed through the streets of Vale. The dim glow of streetlights flickered across broken displays, Dust crystals scattered across the floor like shattered gemstones. The shopkeeper cowered behind the counter, hands trembling as he peeked toward the entrance.

A red-coated figure stood near the exit, the tip of his cigar glowing faintly in the dark. Roman Torchwick twirled his cane with lazy amusement, a smirk playing on his lips.

"Ladies and gentlemen," he announced, tipping his hat toward the terrified store owner. "It's been a pleasure doing business."

With a flick of his wrist, the end of his cane ignited, firing a blast of energy that shattered the last standing window of the shop. Shards rained onto the street as White Fang grunts hurriedly loaded crates of stolen Dust onto an unmarked Bullhead.

"Move it, move it!" one of them barked, shoving another Faunus forward.

Torchwick exhaled slowly, taking a deep drag of his cigar before flicking it to the ground. "Shame, really. This used to be such a nice neighborhood." He turned, stepping toward the waiting Bullhead—

"Stop right there!"

A blur of red streaked through the alley, boots skidding against pavement as Ruby Rose landed in a defensive stance, Crescent Rose already unfolding into its scythe form.

Torchwick sighed. "Oh, wonderful. And here I thought we'd go a whole evening without the 'Huntress-in-training' routine."

Ruby's silver eyes burned with determination. "You're not getting away this time!"

Torchwick smirked, twirling his cane. "Kid, I admire the confidence. Really, I do. But you're a little outnumbered, don't you think?"

More White Fang grunts emerged from the shadows, weapons drawn.

Ruby's grip tightened on her scythe, but she didn't falter. "I've handled worse."

Torchwick chuckled. "Oh, you poor, delusional child. Alright then—boys, show her what happens when little girls play hero."

The White Fang charged.

Ruby moved.

A blur of crimson petals exploded forward—she weaved through the first attacker, twisted mid-air, and brought Crescent Rose crashing down onto the second.

A grunt flew backward, slamming into a crate, while Ruby ducked under another's blade, firing her weapon point-blank to launch herself skyward.

She twisted, scythe spinning, coming down like a meteor.

Two more White Fang dropped.

Torchwick arched a brow. "Huh. That's actually kinda impressive."

The remaining grunts hesitated.

Torchwick rolled his eyes. "Ugh, honestly, do I have to do everything myself?"

He stepped forward, leveling his cane—

BANG!

Ruby dodged at the last second, the explosive round shattering the pavement where she had just stood. The force sent her skidding backward, Crescent Rose scraping against stone.

Torchwick sighed. "You know, I'd love to keep up this little tango, but we really do have a schedule to keep."

The Bullhead's engines roared to life.

Torchwick tipped his hat, stepping backward into the cargo hold as the White Fang piled in after him. "Do me a favor, Red—next time, bring backup. It's getting boring winning so easily."

Ruby grit her teeth, raising Crescent Rose for one last shot—

BANG.

Torchwick's cane fired first, an explosion erupting between them. The force sent Ruby flying back, tumbling against the pavement as the Bullhead lifted off, escaping into the night.

By the time the smoke cleared—

They were gone.

Ruby groaned, pushing herself up with a wince. The shop owner peered over the counter.

"D-did you get him?"

Ruby clenched her jaw, eyes still locked on the distant sky.

Not this time.


"You went after Roman alone?!"

Weiss's voice echoed through the dorm room, her arms crossed as she glared daggers at Ruby.

The younger girl shifted slightly, rubbing the back of her neck. "It wasn't that big of a deal..."

"Not a big deal?!" Weiss nearly sputtered. "You confronted one of Vale's most wanted criminals by yourself! With no plan!"

"Hey, I had a plan," Ruby mumbled. "It just... didn't work."

Yang, seated on her bed, smirked. "Well, you did pretty good considering you were outnumbered. Sounds like Torchwick's finally taking you seriously."

Blake, who had been silent this whole time, stiffened slightly at the mention of Torchwick.

Her mind flickered back to what she had overheard last time.

The White Fang… working with him.

Something wasn't right.

She stood abruptly. "We need to look into this."

Weiss blinked. "Excuse me?"

Blake turned, her golden eyes sharper than usual. "Torchwick is working with the White Fang. That changes everything. This isn't just about stolen Dust anymore—this is organized."

Weiss frowned. "How do you know that?"

Blake hesitated for a split second. "I... overheard something the last time we fought him."

Yang arched a brow. "You sure about that, kitty cat?"

Blake didn't flinch at the nickname. "Yes. We need to investigate."

Ruby, still bruised from the fight, nodded in agreement.

"Alright," she said firmly. "We track down Roman, figure out what he's planning—and we stop him."

Weiss sighed, rubbing her temple. "I have a feeling this is going to be a disaster..."

Yang grinned. "C'mon, Weiss. Where's your sense of adventure?"

Weiss shot her a glare. "Somewhere far away from whatever insanity we're about to get into."


The salty breeze rolled in from the harbor, carrying the scent of the ocean as Team RWBY strolled through Vale's bustling dock district. The streets were busy, cargo being loaded and unloaded as ships came in from all over Remnant.

Weiss walked a few paces ahead of them, her posture suspiciously stiff.

Yang smirked, nudging Blake. "So, remind me why we're out here again?"

Blake gave her a sidelong glance. "Weiss insisted."

"I did no such thing," Weiss interjected far too quickly, her arms folded in what could only be described as defensive arrogance. "I merely thought it would be prudent to familiarize ourselves with Vale's infrastructure before the festival."

Yang gave her a knowing look. "Ohhhh, right. That makes so much sense. It's not at all because you wanted to scope out the competition for the Vytal Festival."

Weiss's eye twitched. "I—That is completely unrelated."

Ruby snickered. "Weiss, you've been taking notes on every Huntsman-in-training we've seen since we left Beacon."

"I observe to be prepared," Weiss huffed, holding her chin up high. "It's called being thorough."

Yang rolled her eyes. "Sure, sure, princess."

Blake let out an amused hum but remained silent.

Weiss cleared her throat and was about to retort when—

"Ha! You're gonna have to be faster than that, old man!"

A blur of gold and blue darted across their vision, leaping from a stack of crates onto a high beam. The figure twisted mid-air, flipping gracefully before landing onto another dockside container.

From behind, two police officers stumbled out of a side alley, one of them panting as he leaned on his knees. "Get back here, you damn stowaway!"

The figure—a young man with golden-blond hair and a monkey tail—grinned widely, wagging a finger at them.

"Stowaway?" he scoffed. "A stowaway would have gotten caught." He placed a hand on his chest with exaggerated pride. "I, however, am a great stowaway."

Yang blinked. "…Okay, that's kinda impressive."

Weiss was frozen in place, her expression shifting rapidly between confusion, frustration, and strategic calculation.

Before she could think twice, Yang grinned devilishly and clapped her hands together.

"Well, Weiss," she said, leaning toward her. "You did want to see the competition. There he goes."

Weiss snapped to her with wide eyes. "Wait—wha—NO! Don't just let him escape! We must pursue and observe!"

Ruby blinked. "Pursue and… observe?"

Weiss clenched her fists, then pointed dramatically toward the fleeing Faunus.

"AFTER HIM!"

There was a beat of silence.

Blake sighed heavily before rolling her eyes and walking forward.

Ruby grinned and followed.

Yang chuckled, shaking her head. "You're lucky you're funny, Weiss." She cracked her knuckles and jogged after the others.

Weiss—now flustered and slightly panicked—quickly scurried after them.


The chase through the docks had been fast-paced, but despite Team RWBY's best efforts, their mystery Faunus was just too slippery. They turned a sharp corner, boots skidding against the cobblestone of a narrow alleyway tucked between two warehouses.

Ruby huffed, resting her hands on her knees. "Did we lose him?"

Blake scanned the area, her sharp eyes flicking over every possible escape route.

Yang glanced back the way they came, brows furrowed. "How the hell did he disappear that fast?"

Weiss straightened her posture, smoothing out her uniform with an air of forced nonchalance. "Tch. Clearly, he's using his environment to his advantage. Cowardly, but effective."

There was a beat of silence.

Then—

"Man, I don't usually get four girls chasing me like this."

Ruby, Yang, and Weiss whipped their heads upward.

Sun Wukong was lounging casually on an overhead ledge, one leg hanging off the side as he finished the last bite of his banana. He tilted his head down at them, grinning like a smug idiot.

Blake's golden eyes narrowed but held no hostility.

Ruby's mouth fell open.

Yang blinked. "Oh, come on!"

Weiss took a deep breath, massaging her temples.

Ruby, still staring, pointed at him. "HOW?!"

Sun licked his fingers, tossing the banana peel over his shoulder. "Monkey business, Shortstack."

Ruby gasped, offended.

Yang barked out a laugh, but Weiss huffed impatiently.

"Oh, for heaven's sake—stop acting like a monkey and get down from there already!"

There was a beat.

Blake gave Weiss a side-eye of pure disapproval.

Then—

PLAP.

A banana peel landed directly onto Weiss's perfectly groomed face.

The silence that followed was legendary.

Ruby and Yang—previously entertained but restrained—immediately went wide-eyed in utter disbelief.

They turned to Sun.

They turned back to Weiss.

Then—

They lost it.

Yang wheeze-laughed so hard she nearly doubled over.

Ruby was on her knees, hands slapping the ground, cackling.

Weiss… Weiss stood there, frozen.

Her eye twitched.

Blake, still composed, slowly turned away and hid her smirk behind her hand.

Sun, meanwhile, stretched lazily before dropping down from the ledge in a smooth flip. He landed effortlessly, hands tucked in his pockets as he flashed them all a cocky grin.

"Well," he said, pointedly looking at Weiss. "I'd say we got off on the wrong foot, Princess."

Weiss gritted her teeth and peeled the offending fruit from her face. "You—!"

Sun chuckled, giving a dramatic bow. "Sun Wukong, at your service."

He gave a friendly nod toward Blake, Ruby, and Yang as he introduced himself.

But then—he turned to Weiss, his eyes gleaming mischievously.

"And you, Miss Perfect, can just call me Monkey."

Weiss's eye twitched even harder.

Yang laughed so hard she had to brace against a wall.

Ruby—still on the ground—slammed her fist against the pavement, wheezing.

Weiss looked like she was about to combust.

Blake sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

Sun, completely unfazed, just grinned wider.


The group made their way out of the alley, weaving through the city streets. The night air was cool, the faint scent of the ocean drifting from the docks.

Ruby walked ahead, hands behind her head, bouncing slightly with each step. "So, Sun! Where're you from?"

Sun stuffed his hands into his pockets, strolling beside them with an easy swagger. "Vacuo."

Yang grinned. "That tracks. You've got 'carefree beach bum' written all over you."

Sun chuckled. "Hey, you gotta be laid-back in Vacuo, or you'll go crazy. Sandstorms, bandits, heat that'll fry your brain—it's not exactly paradise."

Blake hummed in understanding. "Vacuo values strength and adaptability. Everyone has to pull their weight."

Sun snapped his fingers at her. "Exactly. No dead weight."

Ruby turned, walking backward. "Soooo what brings you to Vale? You got a reason, or do you just like running from the cops for fun?"

Sun grinned. "Little bit of both."

Weiss scoffed. "Great. Another delinquent."

Sun placed a hand over his heart, gasping. "Wow. Judging me already, Ice Queen?"

Weiss shot him a glare. "Stop calling me that."

"Not my fault it fits," he teased, flashing his sharp canines in a cheeky grin.

Yang snickered. "I like this guy."

Weiss groaned.

Sun shrugged, answering Ruby's original question. "I wanted to see the world a little, check out what Vale had to offer before the Vytal Festival. Figured I'd catch a ride over and do some sightseeing."

Weiss narrowed her eyes. "By stowing away on a ship."

Sun grinned. "Great stowaway," he corrected. "Haven't been caught yet."

Yang elbowed Weiss playfully. "You wanted to check out the competition, right? Well, here he is, fresh from Vacuo."

Weiss frowned, crossing her arms. "Hmph."

Sun, always eager to poke fun, leaned a little closer. "You worried I'll be too strong for you, Princess?"

Weiss huffed. "Hardly."

Sun grinned wider. "Wow, she's got confidence. I like that."

Weiss's cheeks barely pinkened before she pointedly turned away. "I am not engaging with this nonsense."

Sun laughed, falling into step beside Blake. "So, how about you?" He tilted his head at her. "You're way too quiet to be running around with this crew."

Blake arched a brow. "And you're too talkative to be from Vacuo."

Sun blinked. Then—he laughed. "Alright, alright, fair point."

Ruby, still walking backward, grinned. "So, Sun! Any fun stories about Vacuo?"

Sun smirked. "Tons. Ever seen a guy wrestle a giant scorpion with his bare hands?"

Yang perked up. "Oh, this I gotta hear."

As Sun launched into a very exaggerated tale, Weiss sighed dramatically, but didn't stop listening.

Blake, however, was paying closer attention. Something about Sun's attitude, the way he carried himself—

She had a feeling this guy wasn't just here for fun.

And she was going to find out why.


The streets of Vale bustled with the usual nighttime activity. Neon signs flickered in the distance, and the salty breeze from the docks carried the sounds of passing conversations.

Team RWBY and Sun continued their casual stroll when they overheard a pair of Vale police officers talking near a streetlamp.

"Another White Fang sighting near the docks," one officer muttered. "Damn terrorists are getting bolder."

His partner sighed, adjusting his hat. "Atlas is already getting antsy about it. Wouldn't be surprised if the higher-ups start bringing in more security."

They walked past, leaving the group in thoughtful silence.

Sun casually stepped behind a pillar, hands in his pockets.

Weiss, ever suspicious, arched a brow. "What exactly are you doing?"

Sun grinned. "Great stowaway, Weiss. Unless I get caught."

Yang chuckled. "Gotta admit, he's committed."

But then—his grin faded just slightly.

"I just… don't want people thinking I'm one of those White Fang freaks."

The mood shifted.

Yang's brow furrowed. "So you're not a fan?"

Sun's easygoing smile turned sharp. "Not even close." He crossed his arms. "Honestly? I hope they get wiped out."

Silence.

Ruby's eyes widened. Weiss's brows lifted in mild approval.

Blake, however—Blake recoiled.

Her golden eyes flickered, lips parting as she stared at Sun in absolute horror.

"How can you say that?" she demanded, anger creeping into her tone.

Weiss huffed. "For once, I actually agree with him, but I'd still like to hear your reasoning."

Sun glanced at them, then exhaled. "You wanna know why?"

Blake folded her arms. "Yeah, I do."

Sun's expression darkened.

"They almost killed my grandfather."

Silence again.

Blake froze.

Sun continued, voice tight. "A few years back, the White Fang tried to recruit from my town. They didn't ask—they just showed up and took. And when we fought back, they got violent. My grandpa—Elder Wukong—tried to protect everyone. He stood his ground. And they nearly killed him for it."

His hands clenched. "We were losing. The White Fang had numbers, better weapons… we weren't gonna win."

And then—his entire demeanor shifted.

"But then he showed up."

Sun grinned. Not his usual playful smirk—something genuine.

Ruby perked up. "Who?"

Sun looked at them like it was obvious. "The Invincible Human."

Weiss blinked. "Excuse me?"

Sun nodded enthusiastically. "You guys have no idea! He was like something out of a legend! Silver and gold armor, glowing blue visor—it was insane!"

Ruby froze. Her breath caught.

Weiss, Yang, and Blake all noticed.

Sun kept going, completely oblivious. "And his sword? Gods, that thing was insane. Sliced through the White Fang's Aura like it was butter! One swing, and BAM! Their weapons were gone!"

Ruby couldn't hold it in anymore.

"Wait—Jaune was there?!"

Sun stopped. His entire expression shifted.

"…What?"

Ruby, buzzing with excitement, grabbed his sleeve. "That was Jaune! Jaune Arc! He was the leader of Team JNPR at Beacon! He only wore that armor one time when he was here!"

Sun stared.

"…Wait, wait, wait—" He waved his hands. "You're telling me the Invincible Human—the guy with the super cool silver and gold armor, the blue visor, all of it—was just some student at Beacon?!"

Ruby nodded vigorously. "Yup!"

Sun staggered back. "Holy—oh man, I need to meet this guy!"

Then—Ruby's excitement dimmed.

Her face fell, and she rubbed her arm. "You, uh… kinda can't."

Sun blinked. "What? Why?"

Yang sighed, arms crossed. "Because Team JNPR doesn't exist anymore."

Sun frowned. "What?"

Yang waved vaguely. "Long story short—his partner couldn't handle not being needed by him, so she ditched back to Mistral. Team got disbanded."

Sun's expression fell.

For a second, he looked actually disappointed.

Then—he scowled.

"Ugh, of course she was from Mistral."

Weiss's eye twitched violently.

"Excuse me?!" she snapped, glaring daggers at him.

Sun grinned sheepishly. "Oh, c'mon, Princess, you know how Mistralians are! They can't stand losing, they've got that stupid pride thing—"

Weiss jabbed a finger at his chest. "My closest friend is from Mistral."

Sun rolled his eyes. "Yeah you sound like you are friends with one.."

Weiss huffed. "Ugh. Vacuo barbarians…"

Sun smirked. "You love us."

Weiss groaned, turning away.

But Blake…

Blake wasn't processing any of it.

Because in front of her was a Faunus—an actual Faunus—fanboying over the person who was supposedly Faunus enemy number one.

Sun continued rambling enthusiastically.

"Man, you guys have no idea how popular he is. If Jaune really is the Invincible Human, then, wow—there's a ton of people in Vacuo who'd love to see him again. Especially my family."

Blake's mind short-circuited.

Blake couldn't believe what she was hearing.

There were Faunus—actual Faunus—who supported the Invincible Human over the White Fang?

That was impossible.

The White Fang was supposed to be the savior of their people. The only ones willing to fight for them. The only ones strong enough to stand up against humanity's oppression.

And yet—here was Sun Wukong. A Faunus from Vacuo. Talking about the Invincible Human like he was some idol.

Blake's voice came out shaky. "Your people… really supported him?"

Sun snorted. Like it was a funny question. "Support? Weiss, tell her how dumb that sounds."

Weiss rolled her eyes. "For once, he's not wrong."

Sun grinned. "Blake, my town celebrates him."

Blake's brow furrowed. "What?"

Sun leaned forward, grinning. "Yeah! We made it a holiday!"

Blake's brain stuttered. "You—what?!"

Sun laughed. "We call it Salvation Day!" He grinned like it was the most normal thing in the world. "Every year, we celebrate the day the Invincible Human obliterated the White Fang scumbags who tried to take our people."

Blake felt her stomach drop.

Sun continued, beaming. "And you know what's crazy? Swords got super popular after that."

Yang raised a brow. "Swords?"

Sun nodded eagerly. "Yup! After watching five White Fang guys get beheaded with one swing—" he gestured dramatically, making a slicing motion, "—everyone wanted one! I mean, who wouldn't? It was epic!"

Blake's mind completely shut down.

She barely registered Sun's enthusiastic reenactment of what was, apparently, a mass execution.

He was talking about it like it was exhilarating. Like it was legendary.

Like it was something to be proud of.

Blake couldn't breathe.

And then—

"Oh yeah," Yang said far too casually, "Ruby totally has a crush on Jaune, by the way."

Sun froze.

Then his entire face lit up.

"No way! Really?!"

Ruby groaned loudly. "Yaaaaaang!"

Sun grinned like a madman. "That's amazing!" He turned to Ruby, absolutely buzzing with energy. "You better hurry up and catch him, though! A lot of ladies are interested in him over there!"

Ruby bristled.

Her entire posture stiffened.

Yang noticed immediately. And oh, she was loving this.

Sun, oblivious to the danger, kept going.

"I mean, we're talking dozens of girls, high-class ladies too—"

Ruby's eye twitched.

"—like, my cousin's best friend said her aunt's sister—"

Ruby's hands clenched into fists.

Yang chuckled, finding Ruby's jealousy absolutely adorable.

The more Sun talked about the other women, the more Ruby tensed up.

Finally, Ruby huffed, crossing her arms, looking away. "You know, I was going to call Jaune and let you talk to him…"

Sun paused mid-ramble.

Ruby's voice turned dangerously smug. "…But I guess you just lost that privilege."

Sun's entire soul left his body.

"Wait—NO!"

And then—

He dropped to the ground, bowing his head.

"This monkey apologizes!"

He slammed his forehead against the pavement.

"Forgive me, oh mighty Ruby Rose!"

BAM!

Blake's brain fried.

"WHAT IS HAPPENING—"

Sun kept bowing. "I take it back! Every word! Ruby-sama, please forgive this foolish monkey!"

BAM!

Ruby, smug as hell, smirked. "I don't know…"

Yang was dying.

"Oh my gods, this is the best thing I've ever seen."

Blake, meanwhile, just stood there.

Her entire worldview is crumbling.

Faunus worshipping the Invincible Human.

Salvation Day

The White Fang beheaded like nothing.

Sun Wukong groveling on the floor.

Blake's brain simply—

stopped working.

Ruby sighed dramatically, waving a hand. "Fine, I forgive you."

Sun collapsed with relief. "Thank you, merciful one!"

Weiss rolled her eyes. "You're so dramatic."

Sun grinned. "Dramatic? I wasn't the one who almost killed over some gossip!"

Ruby huffed. "You deserved it."

Yang smirked. "You totally did."

Sun shrugged, standing back up, rubbing his forehead. "Man, I didn't think you'd get that mad. Guess you really like the guy, huh?"

Ruby's face exploded in red.

Sun grinned but changed the subject before she could threaten him again.

"Anyway," he continued, "it's actually kinda wild hearing you guys talk about Jaune like that. Where I'm from, he's basically a bedtime hero for kids now."

Blake blinked. "…What?"

Sun nodded. "Yeah! He's like a frontier legend. Parents tell their kids that if they ever get lost, or if they're ever scared, they should just call for him—because if they really need him, the Invincible Human will come."

Ruby's eyes sparkled.

Yang raised an eyebrow. "You mean, like, some kind of guardian figure?"

Sun grinned. "Exactly! Settlements know that if they send out a distress call, he'll be there. No haggling, no charging for the effort, no even asking for meals no matter how much people insist." He shook his head in awe. "It's crazy!"

Weiss looked skeptical. "You're telling me he just… shows up? Without any reward? No payment? Nothing?"

Sun shrugged. "Nothing. He just helps. That's it."

Blake crossed her arms. "And you're saying people believe in that?"

Sun gave her a deadpan look. "Blake. I watched a guy get cut in half with a single sword swing and still try to run because he knew what was coming next."

Blake opened her mouth.

Then slowly closed it.

Weiss grumbled. "This is ridiculous."

Sun ignored her, continuing excitedly. "He inspires people, you know? A lot of the militia and the new Huntsman out in the frontier—when things get bad, they don't give up. Because they believe in him. They believe that if things go south, he'll come."

Weiss couldn't process it. "He's just… a man. Not a god."

Sun tilted his head. "Maybe. But tell that to the people who would've died if he hadn't shown up."

Ruby's awe deepened.

"Jaune is amazing."

Sun nodded enthusiastically. "No kidding! And honestly? Personally? I owe him a lot too."

Blake stiffened. "What do you mean?"

Sun's grin softened slightly.

"When my grandpa got hurt… the Invincible Human was the one who healed him."

Team RWBY froze.

A wave of memories crashed into them all at once.

Jaune. Kneeling over them. His hands glowing. His aura surging.

Their wounds closing. Their pain disappearing.

A power that shouldn't have been possible.

A power that saved them all.

Blake's breath hitched. "He… he healed your grandfather?"

Sun nodded, serious now. "Yeah. He was injured badly. We thought we lost him. But then… I don't know how, but the Invincible Human just fixed him. Like it was nothing."

Ruby's awe doubled.

Her hands clutched at her hoodie, her face filled with utter admiration.

"Jaune is so cool"

Yang leaned back, intrigued. "Huh. Guess that makes sense."

Sun raised an eyebrow. "What do you mean?"

Yang smirked. "Well, he kinda did the same thing for us once."

Sun looked surprised. "No way."

Weiss exhaled sharply, rubbing her temples. "This is insane."

Blake stayed quiet.

Because she remembered.

She remembered how wrong it felt when Jaune did it.

Not because it was evil.

Not because it was cruel.

But because it was too powerful.

Like he was something more than human.

And now, hearing all of this—

She was starting to believe it.

Sun sighed, shaking his head. "You don't get it. When the people out there—when the frontier folks—heard that the Invincible Human hated the White Fang? That he was actively hunting them?"

His eyes gleamed.

"They were ready to join him."

Blake froze.

"What?" she whispered.

Sun grinned. "Oh yeah. Human, Faunus—it didn't matter. They started hunting the White Fang. Whole militias were forming just to track down their cells. Every time someone heard about the Invincible Human showing up, they knew what was coming next."

Blake felt her blood run cold.

Weiss crossed her arms, skeptical. "That sounds ridiculous."

Sun snorted. "Yeah? Let me show you something."

He rummaged through his pocket, pulling out his scroll. His fingers tapped rapidly, searching for something.

"Here," he muttered.

On the screen was a community forum, the header reading:

! WHITE FANG REPORTINGS !
—Keeping the frontier safe, one sighting at a time—

Weiss leaned in, frowning. "What is this?"

Sun grinned. "This is where frontier folks post anything suspicious. If someone sees something sketchy—if there's even a whiff of the White Fang nearby—they put it here. And you know what happens after that?"

He scrolled down, tapping an old post.

"Here's a post from a year ago," he explained.

User: Hunter15
Saw a supply convoy roll into the outpost south of Blackstone Ravine. Definitely sketchy. Gotta be White Fang. Someone check it out.

He scrolled further down.

Another post—this time from a different user.

User: SableFang
Something hit the outpost last night. No survivors. Tracks say it was one person. Reports say it was the Invincible Human.

Sun chuckled, shaking his head. "This happens a lot. People report something, then a little while later—bam. Whole base wiped out. Nobody ever catches him coming or going, but we all know it's him."

Blake's stomach twisted.

That's how Jaune knew.

That's how he always knew.

She swallowed, gripping her arm.

Sun suddenly exclaimed. "Oh! Check this out!"

He turned his scroll, showing a video feed.

A grainy clip played—footage taken from the air, likely from a drone.

Several towns' militia groups, armed to the teeth, stormed a White Fang base. They moved with terrifying precision, striking hard and fast, their confidence unwavering.

They weren't afraid.

They had rallied.

The frontier had rallied.

Against the White Fang.

Blake's heart pounded in her chest.

Faunus and humans.

Side by side.

Fighting together.

Not for Faunus rights.

Not against oppression.

Not for a cause.

But because they hated the White Fang.

Sun glanced at her reaction, his expression shifting.

"…What's wrong?" he asked.

Blake flinched.

Sun's eyes narrowed.

"…Why are you so nervous?"

Blake didn't answer.

Weiss sighed, completely missing the tension. "Because she used to be in the White Fang. She's probably realizing what happened."

The atmosphere shifted.

Sun froze.

Blake felt something inside her snap as she watched his face change.

His easy grin vanished.

His golden eyes went cold.

For the first time, she saw it.

A Faunus looking at her the way humans did.

Like she was something disgusting.

Something that shouldn't exist.

Blake tensed, the weight of that stare suffocating.

Yang, Ruby, and Weiss immediately noticed.

"Whoa, hold on, let's all just—" Yang started, raising a hand.

Sun's body was coiled, tense.

Blake tried to speak, but the words stuck.

She had never felt this kind of fear before.

Not from a human.

Not from Atlas.

But from another Faunus.

Sun's jaw clenched, his tail flicking once in agitation.

Then—

"She's alive."

Ruby's voice cut through the tension like a blade.

Sun blinked, startled.

Ruby swallowed hard, stepping forward. "She's alive, Sun. Jaune let her live."

Sun stared at her.

Blake felt her lungs freeze.

Sun's fists relaxed slightly. His tail stopped flicking.

For a moment, he just… thought.

Then he let out a breath.

"If she's good by him," he muttered, "then I don't need to be stuck on it."

Blake's legs nearly gave out.

Weiss looked at Sun like he'd grown a second head.

"Are you serious?!" she exclaimed. "That's all it takes?!"

Sun shrugged, but his gaze never left Blake.

"She's breathing," he said simply.

The message was clear.

She was alive because Jaune allowed it.

And that was enough.

Blake didn't know if she should feel relieved…

Or terrified.

Sun exhaled slowly, his gaze still locked onto Blake. His tail twitched, a flick of agitation that hadn't quite settled.

Then, he spoke.

"I don't know what you did," he said evenly, his voice calm but firm. "But if the Invincible Human didn't kill you, it's because you didn't do anything horrific."

Blake stiffened.

Sun tilted his head. "But if you ever go to the frontier? If you ever set foot past the cities, into the places where people are still fighting to survive?"

His golden eyes hardened.

"Never. Tell. Anyone. That you were White Fang."

The weight in his voice made the air feel heavier.

Blake swallowed. "Why?"

Sun let out a small, humorless chuckle. "Because unless you're standing next to the Invincible Human himself?"

His expression turned deadly serious.

"You'd be a target."

Blake felt her stomach drop.

Yang crossed her arms, frowning. "That's kind of excessive, don't you think?"

Sun didn't argue. He just pulled out his scroll.

Wordlessly, he tapped on a post and turned the screen to her.

User: LockNLoad
Got a report of a White Fang rat trying to lay low in Greystone. Coward thought they could hide among the rest of us. We'll be sending someone out later to take care of it.

Team RWBY stared.

The post had hundreds of likes.

A string of comments followed.

User: IronClaw
Damn right. We don't forget what they did.

User: MarksmanX
Make sure they don't make it out alive.

User: RedBrand
No mercy for butchers.

Ruby gulped.

Weiss went pale.

Blake felt the world tilt.

It wasn't just anger.

It wasn't just revenge.

It was vengeance.

And it had no room for forgiveness.

Sun sighed, locking his scroll.

"…Now you get it," he muttered.

Weiss licked her lips, glancing at Blake. "That's… a little terrifying."

Sun shrugged. "I mean, yeah. But if you're talking about the old Fang? Then you're probably fine."

Blake blinked, forcing herself to focus. "What do you mean, the old Fang?"

Sun crossed his arms, his tail flicking. "The ones who didn't agree with the new movement. When the White Fang went nuts, some of them—hell, a lot of them—ditched. They shed the name, stopped following orders, and started doing things their own way."

He glanced at Blake.

"They weren't fighters anymore."

Blake stared. "Then what were they?"

Sun smirked faintly. "Builders. Farmers. Cooks. Medics. Missionaries. They travel all over the frontier, helping people that got hurt because of the White Fang. They fix houses. Grow crops. Hand out food. They make sure people—human and Faunus—can live."

His voice softened slightly.

"They're the reason Faunus aren't seen as monsters out there."

Blake felt like she couldn't breathe.

The White Fang—the ones she had followed, the ones she had believed in—had become the very thing people feared.

And the ones who abandoned them…

They were the ones keeping the dream alive.

But before she could speak, Sun dropped the real bomb.

"The White Fang is actively hunting them down."

Silence.

Yang's eyes widened. "Wait, what?"

Sun nodded grimly. "They see them as traitors. So yeah, they get targeted all the time. Sometimes militias protect them, sometimes roaming Huntsmen step in. But when things get really bad?"

His grin returned, sharp and knowing.

"The Invincible Human comes in."

Blake felt her head spin.

Sun pulled out his scroll again, searching through a few more posts. Then, he stopped and turned the screen around.

A recent post.

User: HearthKeeper
Old Fang just came through. Food run was a success. The kids ate well tonight. Thank you.

User: Forager24
They brought blankets, too. These guys are saints.

User: Stormborn
May the King of Vale watch over them.

User: LoneTracker
We don't need kings. We got the Invincible Human.

The messages were endless.

Blake felt her breath catch.

The Old Fang—the ones who abandoned the fight—were being thanked.

Not just by Faunus.

By humans.

She stared at the screen, her mind a whirlwind of emotions.

This…

This wasn't the world she thought it was.

Sun was casually scrolling through the platform, his usual grin fading as his eyes narrowed at a newly posted update. Then, his entire posture tensed.

"Damn it," he muttered, exhaling sharply as his ears twitched in agitation.

Ruby, catching the shift in his mood, tilted her head. "What's wrong?"

Wordlessly, Sun turned the screen towards them.

A fresh post had just been uploaded.

User: PrairieWatcher
Old Fang is in trouble. They're protecting a supply caravan heading to Greystone. New Fang found them. It's getting ugly.

Blake's heart stopped.

The first comments were already rolling in.

User: EmberStrike
Screw that. We're not letting those bastards get away with this.

User: Ironhide-Faunus
Militia from Red Hollow is mobilizing. Moving out now.

User: DustStorm
We'll join up with you. Heading east from Dry Mesa.

User: TalonBlade (Huntsman)
Sprinting there with five others. The rest are behind us. We're bringing the fight to the New Fang.

More and more comments flooded in, names of different town militias, independent Faunus communities, and Huntsmen teams confirming they were heading toward the fight.

User: WinterStag
We got your backs. Call the Invincible Human if it gets bad.

Blake's legs nearly buckled.

Yang barely caught her in time, her arms wrapping around Blake's shoulders as her breath hitched.

"Whoa, easy there," Yang said, concern clear in her tone. "You okay?"

Blake couldn't answer.

There were so many people.

So many humans and Faunus rallying together, all fighting against the White Fang.

Fighting against everything she once believed in.

Sun glanced at her reaction, his tail flicking. "Damn… if you're freaking out this much, maybe you're not so bad."

Blake felt like the world was upside down.

"…Is there a way I can talk to them?" she asked suddenly, her voice barely above a whisper.

Sun raised a brow. "The Old Fang?"

Blake nodded.

Sun shrugged. "Easy. Just make a post. Someone will reach out."

Blake stared at him. "That's it?"

"Yeah," Sun said, like it was obvious. "They don't exactly have a base or a secret hideout. They're people. You just gotta let them know you wanna talk."

Blake looked down at his scroll.

The comments kept pouring in.

More responses.

More people rallying.

More people fighting.

Her hands tightened.

Everything she believed—everything she thought she knew—

It was wrong.

She didn't know whether to feel relieved or heartbroken.

But she knew one thing for sure.

She needed to talk to the Old Fang.

Just as Blake was staring at the flood of comments, another notification popped up.

A new post.

Sun's eyes flickered to his scroll, then narrowed.

User: ValeWatcher
Spotted some New Fang trailing an SDC cargo truck near the docks. Looks like it's loaded with Dust. Not saying they're up to anything, but… someone might wanna check it out.

Team RWBY stiffened.

Blake felt a surge of something sharp and burning deep in her chest.

This was happening right here.

Right now.

Her jaw tightened. I let them get away for too long.

"We need to stop this," she said, voice firm, determined. "If we can do something, we have to act."

"Agreed," Weiss said immediately, her grip tightening on Myrtenaster.

"Yeah," Yang cracked her knuckles, a dangerous grin forming. "Let's send these guys packing."

Ruby nodded, her silver eyes sharpening. "We can't let them get away with this."

Sun… Sun grinned, but it wasn't his usual playful one.

It was sharp. Feral.

"Oh man," he cracked his knuckles. "It's about time I get to do my part."

He turned to Blake, a fierce excitement in his gaze.

"Let's go kick some New Fang ass."


The docks stretched out before them, bathed in pale moonlight.

Team RWBY and Sun remained crouched behind a stack of wooden crates, keeping out of sight as they observed the scene unfolding near the cargo container.

The SDC logo gleamed under the floodlights, its cold metal reflecting off the still water. The container was massive—far too much Dust for just a simple robbery.

Then, from the shadows of the cranes, they saw them.

White Fang members.

They moved swiftly, their dark uniforms blending into the night. More than a dozen of them. Armed, organized. Not just some reckless raid—this was something planned.

Blake's grip on Gambol Shroud tightened.

They're not just here to steal. They're preparing for something.

"Look," Weiss whispered, tilting her head.

A truck rolled in, quiet and careful, its headlights dimmed. The back slid open, revealing even more White Fang members inside, ready to offload something.

Weapons.

Explosives.

Yang let out a low breath. "That's… a lot of them."

"They're stocking up for something big," Weiss muttered.

Sun leaned forward, his brow furrowing. "What I don't get is…"

Blake glanced at him. "What?"

Sun pointed toward the crane operator's cabin—and the figure standing there.

Roman Torchwick.

His white suit practically glowed in the dim lighting as he leaned against the railing, puffing on his cigar like he didn't have a care in the world.

The leader of the White Fang—a human.

Blake's expression darkened.

Sun shook his head. "Why the hell are they working with him?"

Blake narrowed her eyes, trying to make sense of it.

The White Fang despised humans. They wanted to end human rule, destroy the SDC, take what they believed was owed to them. And yet—

Here they were, working side by side with one.

Following one.

"Doesn't make sense," Sun muttered. "They should hate this guy. But look at them. They're treating him like he's in charge."

Blake swallowed, watching as White Fang soldiers unloaded crates, passing them off to Torchwick's men like it was just another business transaction.

"They're desperate," she whispered.

Sun turned to her. "Desperate enough to follow a human?"

Blake couldn't answer.

Because even she didn't understand.

Not yet.

"Something's not right," Yang murmured. "We've seen the White Fang fight, right? They're extremists, but they never let humans into their ranks. Especially when it comes to dust."

Weiss nodded. "They hate my family. My entire bloodline. They'd rather burn an SDC building to the ground than let a Schnee breathe near them."

Sun exhaled, looking back at the scene. "Then why him?"

Torchwick stood there, laughing, clearly enjoying himself as he gave orders.

Blake's stomach churned.

The White Fang had changed.

And this—

This wasn't the White Fang she had once known.

"Whatever they're planning," Ruby whispered, determined, "we have to stop it."

Sun cracked his knuckles, grinning. "Now you're speaking my language."

Blake took a steady breath, her fingers reaching into her pocket and pulling out a black ribbon.

With a practiced motion, she tied it around her cat ears, concealing them beneath her usual bow. It felt heavier than before. Like a weight pressing down on her.

She was walking into something dangerous.

Sun shot her a glance, curious, but saying nothing.

"You're gonna go in, aren't you?" Weiss hissed, her voice low.

Blake didn't answer—she simply moved forward, keeping low, weaving through the stacked crates and barrels as she approached the gathering.

She could feel the others hesitate behind her. Good. If things went south, they needed to be ready.

Sun, however, didn't wait long before tailing her.

Of course, he wouldn't.

She stepped out into the open space, her posture calm, controlled. Not aggressive. Not fearful.

The moment she appeared, the White Fang guards stiffened.

Hands went to weapons, but no one drew first.

Blake locked eyes with the closest one—a wolf Faunus, his white mask reflecting the dim light. She could see the momentary flicker of confusion.

The bow was still on. They didn't know who she was.

Not yet.

"Use that."

She took another step forward, keeping her hands loose at her sides.

"I want to talk."

The air thickened.

For a second, it seemed like no one would move. The guards exchanged glances, unsure, but then—

"Talk?"

A new voice.

One of the higher-ranked members stepped forward, his mask marked with crimson streaks, his uniform a bit more refined. He looked her up and down, then tilted his head.

"Who are you?"

Blake's heart hammered.

Pick your words carefully.

"The same as you," she said. "A believer."

The White Fang soldiers around her stirred, shifting at the statement. Some interested, some suspicious.

Sun tensed beside her, but to his credit, he kept his mouth shut.

The leader's eyes narrowed. "A believer?"

Blake kept her expression neutral. "I came because I wanted to see what's really going on. I've heard rumors. About the change."

She let her gaze flicker toward Roman Torchwick, who was still laughing with his hired goons.

The leader's expression darkened slightly.

"Funny," he said, voice sharper now. "Most believers wear our sign."

Sun stiffened.

Blake felt her chest tighten.

They were testing her.

"Stay calm."

She let out a slow breath. "And yet, you follow someone that doesn't."

The leader's body shifted, the tension rising. The White Fang soldiers surrounding the SDC cargo containers were now fully focused on her.

Blake held his gaze. Did not flinch.

This was the moment.

She had to play it right.

"You're fighting for our people," she said. "For equality. For respect. For a better future."

The leader didn't move.

Blake continued.

"But is this really the way?"

Her gaze flickered back to Torchwick. "You take orders from him? A human? You put our fate in his hands?"

The tension snapped.

"Careful what you say," the leader warned.

The other guards bristled.

Blake stayed calm, unreadable.

"I'm just asking," she said smoothly. "Are you really fighting for the Faunus, or are you just helping a human's cause?"

A moment of silence.

The White Fang leader stared at her, expression unreadable behind his mask.

And then—

"You don't know what you're talking about," he said, stepping closer.

Blake held her ground.

"We're not taking orders from him," he said lowly. "Our leader ordered us to work with him."

Her breath hitched.

"That's… impossible."

The White Fang would never let a human have that kind of cooperation.

Would they?

Sun shifted beside her. "You guys sound pretty cozy for people who supposedly hate humans."

That got a reaction.

The leader snapped his head toward Sun. "And who are you?"

Sun grinned, unfazed. "A concerned citizen."

One of the guards scoffed. "You're a stowaway."

Sun gave a mock gasp. "A great stowaway, actually. Learn the difference."

Blake barely kept herself from groaning.

The leader's patience was wearing thin.

"You should leave," he said coldly.

Blake inhaled slowly.

She was losing them.

The White Fang wasn't interested in debating. They had their mission. Their orders.

She needed more time—but then, Torchwick turned from the crane railing and took notice.

"Oh-ho!" His mocking voice carried over the dockyard, smooth and confident. "And who are these lovely strays?"

Blake's stomach dropped.

Damn it.

Torchwick smirked, stepping forward with his usual swagger, his cane tapping against the ground.

The leader turned toward him. "We were handling it."

Torchwick waved a hand. "Oh, sure, sure. But I'm a people person, you know?" He grinned at Blake. "And I love meeting new people."

His eyes flickered toward her ribbon-covered head.

A smirk pulled at his lips.

"But you," he said, smugly, "you look familiar."

Blake's breath hitched.

He knew.

Torchwick's grin widened.

"Why don't we chat a little longer, kitty?"

Blake's hand twitched toward Gambol Shroud.

Everything was about to go very, very wrong.

Blake's grip tightened around Gambol Shroud.

Her heart pounded in her chest, her pulse quickening as Torchwick's smirk deepened.

"He knows."

The way his eyes flickered with amusement, the casual ease in which he held himself—it all screamed one thing.

Control.

Torchwick knew exactly what he was doing.

And he was waiting for her to move first.

Blake forced herself to breathe.

Think.

Plan.

Do not let him dictate the flow.

Sun, however, wasn't as patient.

"Hey," he cut in, stepping forward, his posture still casual but tense. "I don't know what's going on, but I do know I don't like how this guy is looking at my new friend here."

Torchwick barely glanced at him before waving his cane dismissively.

"And who's this? Another street rat?"

Sun's eye twitched.

Blake could feel the heat rising in the air.

Torchwick chuckled, spinning his cane between his fingers.

"This is adorable. Really. You kids coming down here, sticking your noses in things that don't concern you." He shook his head. "But unfortunately, I have business to attend to, and you lot are—how should I put it—" he flicked his cane upward, pointing it directly at them, "in the way."

The White Fang leader tensed, but Torchwick only smirked wider.

"Take care of them," he said lazily. "I have a schedule to keep."

Everything happened at once.

The White Fang soldiers lunged forward, weapons drawn.

Blake reacted instantly.

She twisted backward, her blade flashing in the dim light as she parried the first strike, kicking off a crate to gain some distance.

Sun leapt into action, his staff extending with a metallic snap as he batted away an incoming strike, spinning into a swift counterattack.

The moment combat started, the others rushed in.

Weiss dashed forward, summoning a glyph beneath her boots as she slid into position, rapier drawn, ice dust crackling along the blade.

Yang's fists ignited, her golden hair flaring as she slammed her first opponent into a stack of crates with a single explosive punch.

Ruby, moving faster than the eye could track, zipped between enemies, her scythe flashing as she cut through their ranks, forcing them back with wide, arcing sweeps.

Blake exhaled sharply.

They had no choice now.

They had to fight.

She ducked low, dodging a pair of strikes before twisting her blade, disarming one of her attackers with a sharp flick of her wrist.

A White Fang soldier lunged at her—she sidestepped, slamming her elbow into his ribs before flipping over him and kicking him into another.

It was chaos.

A pure clash of weapons, fire, and steel.

And through it all, Torchwick watched with bored amusement.

"Wow," he drawled, dodging a stray ice shard as he adjusted his collar. "This is—how do you kids put it—hype?"

Sun growled.

Blake wasn't listening.

She had to keep her focus. Had to stay ahead.

A White Fang soldier charged her, his blade swinging downward—

She dodged to the side, flicking her weapon out to counter—

Only for a deafening explosion to shake the docks.

The SDC cargo container erupted in fire, sending a plume of smoke into the sky.

Blake barely had time to react as the explosion rocked the docks.

The shockwave sent a plume of smoke and flame skyward, illuminating the battlefield in flickering orange light. Embers danced in the air, casting erratic shadows along the cracked pavement.

Her breath hitched.

"That wasn't us!"

She saw Weiss slam into the ground, rolling to a halt with a pained gasp.

Sun landed beside her, staff raised defensively, eyes darting between their enemies and the raging fire.

And then—

A deep, mechanical groan cut through the air.

Something shifted within the inferno.

A loud, metallic hiss, like a pressurized system venting steam, echoed through the night.

Blake's ears twitched, her senses screaming at her to move, but she was rooted in place—staring into the fire as a massive shadow stirred.

No.

Not a shadow.

A behemoth.

From the roaring flames, a hulking machine emerged.

Not the standard Atlesian Paladin.

This was something worse.

A Heavy Paladin.

Nearly twice the size of a standard model, reinforced with thick plating, its already-imposing frame covered in extra layers of composite armor meant to withstand direct anti-tank fire.

The hydraulics hissed as it took a step forward, each movement punctuated by the grinding sound of heavy servos.

Its visor glowed red, scanning the battlefield with a predator's cold, artificial gaze.

Blake stiffened.

It wasn't fast like a standard Paladin.

It didn't need to be.

This thing wasn't built for speed.

It was built for annihilation.

"…Oh, you've got to be kidding me," Yang breathed, her golden eyes wide with something that almost resembled fear.

Torchwick's grin widened.

"Ohoho," he hummed, tapping his cane against his shoulder. "Now this is what I call an entrance."

A second hiss of steam vented from the Heavy Paladin's joints, a deep, rumbling whirr resonating from within its core as it began to power up fully.

Something clicked.

Then, with a sudden, terrifying roar, the entire left arm unfolded, revealing a high-caliber rotary cannon.

The barrels spun once, letting out a shrill, mechanical whine—a warning of the firestorm that was about to follow.

Blake's stomach lurched.

"That thing—"

Torchwick flicked a mocking salute.

"Well, kids, it's been fun! But I think it's about time you meet my new friend here." He gestured grandly toward the towering war machine.

The Heavy Paladin's optics locked onto them.

And then—

The gun began to spin.

Weiss barely got up before Blake yanked her backward, just as a hailstorm of metal erupted from the rotary cannon.

The dock exploded with fire and debris.

Splinters of wood and steel burst into the air as the sheer force of the barrage ripped through crates, walls, and pavement alike.

Ruby blurred out of the way just in time, a split-second from being shredded.

Yang was already moving, diving behind a container as bullets tore through it, leaving gaping holes in the thick steel.

Blake landed in a crouch, her pulse thundering in her ears.

Sun barely rolled out of the line of fire, eyes wide in sheer disbelief.

"This is insane!" he shouted over the roar of gunfire.

Blake didn't respond.

She was too busy calculating.

The Heavy Paladin wasn't just durable.

It was an armored fortress.

And worst of all—

It wasn't alone.

Because behind it—

The White Fang were advancing.

The gunfire didn't stop.

The Heavy Paladin roared forward, its reinforced frame shedding sparks as it plowed through obstacles like they were nothing.

And the White Fang weren't hesitating.

Blake ducked under a slash from a Fang soldier, her blade parrying sharply before she twisted, flipping over his body and slamming him into the ground.

Not enough time.

Another fighter lunged at her. She kicked off the crate behind her, twisting mid-air and striking him down with Gambol Shroud.

Sun surged forward, his staff extending mid-spin, cracking against an enemy's skull before he flipped over a second and slammed his heel into their chest.

Another gunshot rang out.

Yang's blast knocked back a Fang soldier, sending him tumbling against a rusted shipping container.

A pulse of white-blue dust erupted beside them—Weiss's glyphs igniting mid-combat as she reinforced their movements.

Ruby blurred past them, her scythe carving through an enemy's weapon, sending the rifle clattering to the ground.

They were holding their own.

But the Heavy Paladin was still there.

Its optics flared, targeting them.

A loud whine filled the air as the rotary cannon spun up again.

"TAKE COVER!" Blake shouted.

—A moment too late.

The bullets screamed through the docks, tearing into the pavement.

A crate exploded beside Weiss, sending her flying.

"WEISS!" Ruby cried out.

She barely had time to move before another hailstorm of rounds came in—

And then—

A golden staff spun through the air.

Sun crashed into Weiss, grabbing her by the waist and twisting their bodies mid-fall.

The bullets shredded into his back.

He gritted his teeth, suppressing the cry of pain as he shielded her from the worst of the attack.

They hit the ground hard, rolling over debris.

Weiss's heart stopped.

"Sun!"

He let out a pained breath, shifting slightly before grinning through the pain.

"Y'know," he coughed, wincing. "If you wanted me on top of you, Princess, all you had to do was ask."

Weiss's face flushed.

"You insufferable—"

She cut herself off when she saw the blood seeping through his jacket.

Her breath hitched.

Sun grunted as he forced himself up, his hands shaky.

"Still alive," he muttered. "Been hit worse."

Ruby scrambled toward them, sliding to her knees beside him.

"Sun, you're bleeding!"

Sun smirked weakly.

"Yeah, well, it's not my first time getting shot, short-stack."

Ruby scowled, pressing her hand against his wound.

"Hold still, dummy!"

Another explosion erupted nearby.

Blake staggered back, barely avoiding a strike from an advancing White Fang soldier.

She gritted her teeth, flipping Gambol Shroud to counter—

And then—

The Paladin shifted.

The air shimmered with heat, hydraulics hissing as it aimed its cannon again.

Weiss's eyes widened.

"MOVE!"

The cannon spun again.

The docks trembled under the weight of the Paladin's fury.

And the third shot was coming.

The air burned with heat, the docks shuddering under the relentless firepower of the Heavy Paladin.

The world seemed to narrow—the ringing in their ears, the chaos, the exhaustion creeping into their limbs—

And then—

Gunfire erupted from the opposite side of the dock.

A new force crashed into the battlefield.

They weren't huntsmen.

They weren't a professional unit.

They were whoever had answered the call.

A ragtag squad, some dressed in casual clothes as if they had just walked out of a bar. Others bore faded military fatigues, their weapons well-worn but steady. A few had police badges clipped to their belts, their eyes sharp with duty.

And mixed among them—

Academy students.

Not from Beacon.

Not from any major school.

They were too young to be in a Huntsman Academy—kids who trained in small Vale combat schools, where the path to becoming a hunter wasn't prestige but desperation.

They rushed in with battered weapons, crude yet effective, some wielding swords, others with basic rifles. They weren't the best—but they were here.

And among them—Faunus.

A lion Faunus barreled into a White Fang soldier, throwing him off balance before driving his knee into his gut.

A rabbit Faunus vaulted onto a crate, her hands glowing as she threw a Dust-laced strike that sent an enemy flying back.

A wolf Faunus yanked a rifle from a White Fang operative and turned it on them, firing into their ranks without hesitation.

They weren't winning.

But they were fighting.

And for the first time since the Paladin had entered the field—the fight felt even.

Blake froze, watching in stunned silence as the battle shifted.

It wasn't just the frontier.

Even in Vale, the capital of ignorance and naivety, there were still people willing to fight.

For something better.

For a world where Faunus and Humans didn't tear each other apart.

The realization shook her more than anything else.

She had spent so long thinking that nobody cared.

That if the world wasn't as active as the White Fang, then it was passive in its cruelty.

But now—she saw them.

They were here.

And they were fighting for her too.

A burly man in a faded military jacket barked orders, ducking behind cover as he reloaded his rifle.

"Students!" he snapped. "Get the wounded up—help those kids recover!"

A group of the academy students broke off, sprinting toward Team RWBY and Sun.

"Come on!" one of them—a girl with dark green hair and a crude-looking sword—grabbed Blake's arm, pulling her up.

A younger boy—no older than fourteen, with a bolt-action rifle that looked ancient—knelt beside Sun, pressing a cloth to his wound.

"Just breathe," he said quickly. "We got you, man!"

Weiss stared, still catching her breath, as another student handed her a small dust crystal.

"Use it," he told her. "It's all we got, but it should help."

Another group of fighters took positions around them, laying down fire on the Paladin.

The mech shuddered, its heavy plating eating the rounds, but the sheer volume of fire forced it to adjust.

They were making a difference.

Blake could see it—could feel it.

This wasn't a single town.

It wasn't a random militia in the wilds.

It was Vale itself.

They weren't all blind.

She swallowed hard, gripping Gambol Shroud.

We can win this.

And for the first time—

She wasn't just fighting to stop the White Fang.

She was fighting for the people who still believed in something better.

Even in the heart of Vale.

Even here—there were people worth fighting for.

The battle raged.

Gunfire, steel, and pure desperation filled the air.

Team RWBY was struggling to get back on their feet, yet as they watched, their exhaustion wasn't what weighed on them the most.

It was the sheer support.

So many people—from so many backgrounds—had answered the call.

Sun let out a breathless chuckle, leaning against a crate as he scrolled through his scroll feed.

His grin widened.

"Look at this," he said, flipping it around.

Weiss, Ruby, and Yang glanced at the screen—and their eyes widened.

The post about the disturbance at the docks had exploded.

It wasn't just dozens of people responding.

It was hundreds.

From Vale. From the frontier. From everywhere.

"Someone get over there and put those freaks in the ground!"

"White Fang's hitting Vale now? Nah, not on our watch!"

"I'm on my way—someone keep that feed going!"

"Huntsmen! Any Huntsmen available near the docks, get there NOW!"

And the most frequent post, the most repeated cry:

"Call the Invincible Human!"

Blake felt her stomach twist.

The ground trembled.

Her breath hitched.

The battle wasn't over.

Because it was about to get so much worse.

A deafening, mechanical whine split the air—

Followed by the thundering stomp of reinforced metal.

Two more Heavy Paladins entered the docks.

Towering, thick-plated, reinforced monsters of steel.

They weren't standard combat mechs.

They weren't meant for fast skirmishes or suppression.

These were siege machines.

Made for war.

And now—

They were bearing down on them.

The third party fighters paled.

Sun stopped grinning.

Yang tightened her fists.

"Are you KIDDING ME?!" she yelled. "TWO MORE?"

The streets shook as the first of the reinforcements opened fire.

Dust-powered cannons fired blinding streams of energy.

The crates near Team RWBY exploded into splinters.

The lion Faunus that had been throwing enemies collapsed as a barrage gutted through his aura, sending him sprawling.

Another student screamed as they were flung back, crashing into a pile of cargo.

A cop, just barely reloading, grunted in pain as a stray shot clipped his leg, sending him to the ground.

The fight had been even.

Now, it was overwhelming.

Blake gritted her teeth, moving to help the rabbit Faunus student, only to hear a weak, gasping voice.

"Someone… call…"

Blake turned sharply.

It was the young Faunus boy from earlier.

His small body trembled, barely propped up against a broken crate.

Blood trickled from a wound near his temple, staining his short, dark hair.

"Call… him…" he rasped, his lips quivering.

His eyes were unfocused.

Blake rushed forward, grabbing his shoulders.

"Stay with me," she whispered.

His head slumped.

He was out cold.

Blake felt something crack inside her.

Sun cursed loudly.

"Everyone's doing it!" he barked, showing his scroll again.

Post after post flooded the screen.

They weren't just asking.

They were pleading.

They were praying.

"Call the Invincible Human!"

"Where is he?! He never lets us down!"

"If anyone sees this—CALL HIM NOW!"

"HE'LL COME! HE ALWAYS DOES!"

Blake's hands shook.

Sun swallowed hard.

Weiss and Yang stared at the posts, at the sheer volume of them.

Even with their own situation crumbling, even as more screams of pain filled the air—

The people still had hope.

Hope in him.

Hope in the man that Vale had turned its back on.

Ruby's voice was small, almost fragile.

"Do you think he'll come?"

Silence.

The battle raged on.

The Paladins advanced.

The cries of pain grew louder.

The battle had turned bleak.

Gunfire and screams mixed in a desperate cacophony as the reinforced Paladins pushed forward, crushing crates, stone, and bodies alike under their relentless assault.

Blake could barely breathe, her chest tight with anxiety. She ducked behind cover, dragging the unconscious Faunus student to safety.

Weiss gritted her teeth, her Aura flickering dangerously low, her rapier feeling far too light in her exhausted hands.

Sun was panting, his side bleeding from a grazing shot, but he still held his staff in a ready grip, his tail twitching as he searched for an opening.

The third-party fighters were starting to break.

A burly officer took a direct hit, his body crashing into a pile of metal debris.

A teenage student wielding daggers screamed in pain, her Aura shattering under the relentless assault.

Even Yang—Yang, who never faltered—was looking at the battlefield with gritted teeth and clenched fists, knowing this wasn't a fight they could win.

And then—

A boom.

Loud. Sudden. Deafening.

Something shot into existence.

Ruby's head snapped up, her breath hitching.

Above them—looming over the entire dockyard like a silent titan—

The Tempest.

She gasped.

"No way—"

The air rippled from the sheer force of its sudden arrival, the sleek, impossibly fast warship hovering with a terrifying, unshaken presence.

The Tempest's landing bay door snapped open.

Three figures—three armored figures—dove.

Ruby's eyes immediately locked onto the one in the center.

A silver and gold figure, the light catching against its plated armor, its blue visor glowing like a piercing gaze.

Jaune.

Her breath stilled.

But the two beside him—

She didn't recognize them.

One was clad in heavy orange armor, bulky with reinforced plating.

The other was slimmer, built for speed, draped in hues of deep green, a glowing energy blade already ignited in one hand.

The three of them descended like meteors.

Jaune struck first.

His armored form crashed directly into the leading mech, his momentum sending both him and the towering war machine flying back into the deeper parts of the docks.

The second figure moved mid-air, hurling a massive war hammer, arcs of electricity crackling through it.

The hammer slammed into the second Paladin's chest with a thunderous crack, its sheer force lifting the entire machine off its feet and sending it crashing backward.

The orange-armored figure redirected in mid-air, angling towards their target.

The third figure—

A snap-hiss of energy.

From a handle in its grasp, a vibrant green energy blade extended.

With a single fluid motion, it sliced through the arm joints of the second mech after it fell.

The severed limbs hit the ground, sparking violently.

The green figure landed with grace, immediately dismantling the now-staggering machine with practiced, lethal precision.

In an instant, the battlefield had changed.

Jaune, the Invincible Human, was here.

And he wasn't alone.

For a moment, no one moved.

The entire battlefield was frozen in shock as they processed what had just happened.

The Invincible Human had arrived.

And he wasn't alone.


Two towering heavy Paladins, ripped apart, sliced through, and crushed into the dockyard, their armored frames completely destroyed by the three figures now standing tall amidst the wreckage.

Jaune's silver and gold armor gleamed under the dim dock lights, his blue visor staring coldly at the battlefield, as if calculating everything in an instant.

The orange-armored warrior, still holding her massive, electrified hammer, stood beside him with an air of confident dominance, shifting her stance.

The green-armored fighter, their energy blade still humming, finished inspecting the last fallen mech before turning their head toward the others, a silent presence but no less imposing.

And then—

A single voice broke the silence.

"THE INVINCIBLE HUMAN ANSWERED OUR CALL!"

The militiaman's voice was raw with emotion, filled with something more than just relief—

Hope.

A rousing cheer erupted from the third-party forces, voices filled with renewed determination as they took up arms once more.

"REENGAGE!"

Gunfire erupted again as the militia pressed forward, shifting their focus to the remaining White Fang fighters.

Some of the enemy faltered, their morale shaken as they saw the three fallen Paladins.

But others, more dedicated, more fanatic, still fought.

The battle wasn't over.

Yang's golden eyes burned with excitement as she turned back toward the remaining Paladin, her fists clenching.

"Oh, now this—" She grinned, cracking her knuckles. "This I can work with."

She charged forward, Ember Celica roaring as she fired herself toward the towering mech.

Ruby was already moving, her sniper rifle unloading round after round, aiming directly for the mech's joints—the weakest points in its armor.

Weiss followed, her rapier glowing as she conjured glyphs, sending sharp spikes of ice to lock its feet down, forcing it into place.

Blake moved next, her semblance flickering as she dashed around the battlefield, using her shadows to confuse the mech's targeting array.

Its cannons whirred, struggling to keep up.

Its movement slowed, its systems failing, as Team RWBY worked together, hammering it from every angle.

Yang dashed under its guard, her gauntlets roaring as she delivered a devastating uppercut to its chassis.

The metal groaned, crumpling inward from the force.

The Paladin staggered, its hydraulics failing—

And then, it collapsed.

A final blast from Weiss's rapier, a piercing strike from Ruby's rifle, and a downward slam from Yang's Ember Celica sealed its fate.

The last mech hit the ground.

And with it—

The White Fang's morale shattered.

One by one, their weapons dropped.

They raised their hands in surrender as the third-party militia and Team RWBY surrounded them.

The battle was won.

But—

Roman Torchwick was gone.

Somewhere in the chaos, he had escaped.


The green-armored figure finally approached, striding toward the others now that their target was neutralized.

Behind them, Jaune and the orange-armored warrior finished regrouping, turning away from the wreckage of the mechs they had destroyed.

Sun, still clutching his side, checked his scroll.

"Man, these comments are crazy," he muttered, scrolling through the post that had first called for help.

People were wilding out.

Dozens of messages flooded in.

"THE INVINCIBLE HUMAN JUST DOVE INTO A HEAVY MECH, WHAT THE ACTUAL HELL."

"WHO ARE THOSE TWO WITH HIM? NEW ALLIES?"

"GOLD AND SILVER. GREEN AND ORANGE. THE COLORS OF HOPE, FEAR, AND WAR. WHAT IS HAPPENING?!"

"I DON'T CARE, THE INVINCIBLE HUMAN CAME TO SAVE VALE. HOLY SHIT."

Ruby, still catching her breath, turned toward Jaune.

Her eyes shined with relief, admiration, and a hint of lingering awe at what she had just seen.

"...Jaune?" she breathed, taking a step forward. "Who—who are they?"

The orange-armored warrior shifted, resting her massive hammer between her shoulders, her stance relaxed, but smug.

A playful lilt entered her voice as she tilted her head at Ruby.

"Really, Ruby?" she teased. "You forgot about us already?"

The realization hit all at once.

For a moment, the battlefield's tension was forgotten.

As the dust settled and the remaining White Fang were being restrained, all attention turned to the armored warriors standing before them.

Ruby's eyes flicked back to the orange-armored warrior, her brain finally clicking as her voice shot up in disbelief.

"...Nora?"

The orange warrior—Nora Valkyrie—grinned, placing a fist on her hip while resting her giant hammer across her shoulders.

"In the flesh!" she chirped. "Or, well… in the newly reinforced armor, at least!"

Team RWBY's jaws nearly dropped.

The changes were shocking.

Nora looked taller, her stance more balanced, and her armor—sleek and heavy-duty—was nothing like the dress and gear she used to wear.

It was heavy, bulky in the right places, yet she carried herself with the same effortless ease as if it weighed nothing.

Even her weapon had changed—her old hammer, Magnhild, was now reinforced with glowing energy nodes, humming with power.

"Whoa," Yang breathed, looking her up and down. "Nora, you look like you could take down a building."

"I could take down a building," Nora corrected cheerfully. "And, uh, fun fact—I did once, while training!"

Weiss choked. "You—what?!"

Before they could ask further, a new presence approached.

Ren.

Standing off to the side, his green-armored form blended effortlessly into the dim lighting, his expression calm and unreadable.

His posture was perfectly controlled, but even he seemed different.

More composed. More powerful.

Blake noticed immediately.

It was in the way he moved, in the way he stood.

Everything about him radiated control and lethal precision.

There was no wasted energy.

He was a fighter that had been refined.

Yang grinned, looking between them. "Ren! Nora! You guys got serious upgrades."

"Of course we did!" Nora beamed, slamming a metal-plated fist against her chest plate. "Fearless Leader himself trained us! Personally. Brutally."

Weiss's brows shot up. "Wait—Jaune trained you two? Personally?"

"Yup!" Nora nodded enthusiastically, pointing to her armor. "Then after all that, he gave us these upgrades! New armor, new weapons, new everything!"

Team RWBY exchanged stunned glances.

Ruby, on the other hand, sparkled with excitement.

"He made your armor?!" she practically bounced forward. "That's so cool! What else did he do? Did he give you secret training techniques? Can he build me something?!"

"Ruby," Weiss sighed, pinching the bridge of her nose.

Ren, standing beside Nora, finally spoke up in his usual calm voice.

"This was the first time we got to try out our new gear in the field," he said.

Nora stretched her arms, tilting her head. "Yup! And so far—it works great!"

"Wait." Yang raised a hand. "You're saying… this is just your first time using all that?"

"Yeah!" Nora nodded. "Because we just finished Phase 1 of training."

Silence.

Weiss blinked. "Phase 1?"

"...How many phases are there?" Blake asked cautiously.

Ren exchanged glances with Nora before turning back to them.

"Jaune said there are five phases."

That made Team RWBY go stiff.

"And what exactly are the other phases?" Weiss pressed.

Nora's expression turned sheepish. "Well… we don't know."

"...You don't know?" Yang repeated slowly.

"Jaune said knowing what the next phase is would just help us prepare for it," Ren explained in his usual composed manner.

Another silence.

Yang sucked in air. "Damn. That's brutal."

Nora grinned, flexing her arms. "It is! But hey, look at me! Worth it!"

Team RWBY looked at her again.

They couldn't argue.

She looked stronger. Faster. More dangerous.

Ruby, despite all the questions buzzing in her head, only had one excited response.

"I can't wait to hear about everything you guys went through!"

And with that—the reunion truly began.

As Team RWBY soaked in Nora and Ren's transformation, they slowly noticed Jaune standing off to the side, his cold blue visor turned toward someone.

Sun.

The carefree and boisterous Faunus, who had been teasing them just a few hours ago, was now a stammering mess.

He stood frozen, ears twitching, tail stiff, looking like a student caught cheating on an exam.

Jaune's presence alone had completely unraveled him.

His usual cocky grin? Gone.
His usual smooth charm? Dead.
His usual boundless energy? Reduced to a nervous wreck.

Sun tried to speak, his hands twitching as he fumbled for words.

"Uh—hey—I mean, uh—Sup? W-Wait, no, that's too casual—um—yo? No, no, that's even worse—uh—I mean—!"

Ruby giggled first, her voice light and amused.

It was quickly followed by Yang's barely suppressed chuckle, then Weiss' soft snort, and finally, Blake—who, after everything, truly understood just how much Sun looked up to Jaune.

He wasn't just nervous.

This was outright hero worship.

Jaune, still as calculating as ever, tilted his head slightly before speaking.

"You're Elder Wukong's grandson," he said, his voice even, sharp, yet holding the slightest trace of warmth.

Sun's ears perked up in pure excitement.

"Yeah! Yeah! That's me! Sun Wukong! That's my grandpa! You—you actually remember?!"

Jaune nodded. "Your grandfather fought well when I encountered him. I assumed he made a full recovery?"

Sun nodded quickly, all nervousness fading into excitement. "Oh yeah! He's doing great! Talks about that day all the time! You should totally visit!"

Jaune hummed.

"It would be good to see him again," he admitted. "And how's your town? The last time I was there, your defenses were still in early development."

Sun brightened even more, his tail swishing wildly.

"Oh! Dude, you wouldn't even recognize it!" he grinned, eyes shining. "After you saved us, we got a ton of people helping out! Militia's bigger than ever, defenses are solid, and—get this—the kids there are obsessed with swords now."

Jaune gave a small nod, as if filing the information away.

"Good. That means they'll be ready if trouble comes again."

Sun grinned wider.

"Man, you seriously gotta come back and see it sometime! We'll throw a festival in your honor!"

Jaune's visor tilted slightly in thought.

"...We'll see."

Sun looked absolutely thrilled, completely missing how everyone else was staring at him.

Yang leaned over to Blake, whispering with an amused smirk.

"Well… he recovered fast."

Blake just sighed, still processing how far Jaune's influence really reached.

The docks, once a warzone, now sat in a stunned silence.

Bodies littered the ground—not dead, but injured. Bloodied, bruised, weak.

Those who had fought to defend their home now struggled to even stand. Off-duty officers, ragtag militia, students too young to be in a Huntsman Academy.

And yet, as they gazed upon the golden and silver figure before them, awe filled their eyes.

Jaune Arc—the Invincible Human.

For many, it was their first time seeing him in person.

For others, it was the first time he saved them.

Jaune surveyed the injured, his calculating mind working quickly. His gaze swept over wounded students clutching their ribs, soldiers struggling to stay conscious, militiamen groaning from broken bones.

He had seen this before.
And he knew what needed to be done.

Jaune raised his hand, and a warm golden glow enveloped his entire form.

The militia barely had time to react before an enormous golden sphere of energy expanded from his body.

Like a rising sun, it spread outwards, washing over everyone in its reach.

Those writhing in pain froze.

Then—gasped.

Because their wounds were fading.
Pain—gone.
Broken bones—set.
Exhaustion—erased.

They blinked in disbelief, their hands running over their previously injured bodies.

And then—realization dawned.

"He—he healed us!" a young Faunus boy stammered. "He actually healed us!"

A murmur of excitement rushed through the crowd.

Some stared at their hands, flexing fingers that had been broken mere moments ago.

Some patted their chests, where bruised ribs had been healed without so much as a scar.

And then—the cheering began.

"Oh my god, he really came!"

"The Invincible Human saved us!"

"We actually fought alongside him—holy shit—!"

"That was real?! He's real?!"

The comment section exploded even more violently than before.

[Holy crap, HEALING AURA?]
[I THOUGHT THIS WAS A MYTH?!]
[LMAO IMAGINE GETTING YOUR ASS KICKED BY A MECH AND THEN WAKING UP TO SEE YOU GOT SAVED BY A LEGEND.]
[Bro, did we just witness divine intervention?]
[Goddamn it I should've picked a fight with one of those mechs, maybe I'd get healed too.]
[BLOOD FOR THE INVINCIBLE HUMAN, HE TOOK ME TO FULL HP, I'D DIE FOR HIM.]

Team RWBY stood frozen, the display unfolding before them like something out of a dream.

Ruby's eyes sparkled, heart racing as she was reminded of the time Jaune healed them all in the Temple.

She gripped her chest, recalling the miracle she had felt back then.

We were dying… and he brought us back.

Weiss, who had once doubted Jaune's character, was now watching dozens of people kneeling before him in awe.

Even Blake—who had been struggling with what to believe about Jaune, was completely speechless.

Yang, normally unfazed by almost anything, sucked in a sharp breath.

"Okay, wow," she muttered. "I, uh… forgot how crazy he is sometimes."

Ren and Nora simply smiled knowingly, not the least bit surprised.

Because for them?

This was normal.

Jaune lowered his hands, the golden aura fading as he took one last glance at those he healed.

"Go home," he said simply, his tone even, but undeniably firm. "You've fought well. Rest now. I'll take care of things from here."

The crowd hesitated—they didn't want to leave.

But before they could resist—

A young Faunus girl suddenly sprinted forward.

Before anyone could react—she threw her arms around Jaune.

Everyone stilled.

Even Jaune.

She clung to him, burying her face into his armor as silent sobs wracked her body.

"Thank you," she whispered.

Jaune hesitated, before slowly placing a hand on her head, gently patting her in comfort.

The onlookers melted.

The comment section erupted even more.

[OH GOD HE PATTED HER—]
[GUYS THIS MAN IS A SAINT, I REPEAT, A SAINT.]
[YEP, THAT'S IT, HE'S NOT HUMAN, HE'S AN ANGEL, I'M CONVINCED.]
[EVEN THE KIDS LOVE HIM, HOLY SHIT.]
[FUCK, WHY AM I TEARING UP?!]
[I WANNA HUG HIM TOO, DAMN IT.]

As the girl slowly let go, Jaune nodded at her before gesturing for the others to leave.

The militia, though reluctant, slowly started helping each other up.

They were still in awe, still in disbelief, still gushing with excitement.

But they listened.

Because when the Invincible Human spoke?

People obeyed.

And Jaune?

He turned back toward the remnants of the battlefield, ready to move forward.

The energy that had once filled the battlefield slowly dissipated as the injured were led away, their awed whispers still lingering in the air.

Jaune, his glowing blue visor still obscuring his face, turned back to the battlefield.

His voice, cold and unwavering, cut through the silence.

"Nora, Ren. Secure the White Fang."

Nora cracked her knuckles in anticipation, grinning as she hoisted her hammer onto her shoulder.

"On it, boss!" she said cheerfully, moving forward with frightening ease.

Ren silently stepped beside her, his calm demeanor a stark contrast to the chaos from moments before.

Team RWBY watched as Nora and Ren made quick work of the captured White Fang members.

Nora, despite her usual playfulness, tied them down with ruthless efficiency, making sure their bindings were tight and unbreakable.

Ren, meanwhile, stood over them, scroll in hand, as he started scanning their faces.

Blake frowned, watching as Ren's scroll lit up with profiles and data.

It took her a moment to realize—he was looking up their history.

"What… what are they doing?" she asked cautiously, eyes narrowing.

Sun, arms crossed, exhaled deeply.

"Sorting them," he answered simply.

Weiss, still watching the efficient operation, raised an eyebrow. "Sorting them?"

Sun tilted his head toward Jaune, his expression unusually serious.

"The Invincible Human doesn't kill everyone," he explained. "He only hunts the worst of the worst—the ones with blood on their hands."

Weiss blinked in surprise.

Yang frowned. "You mean he doesn't just… execute them?"

Sun snorted. "Hell no. He's not some mindless killer. If anything, he's more thorough than most."

Weiss crossed her arms. "So what happens to them?"

Sun gestured toward Ren. "That one looking up their ledgers right now—checking if they have any kill counts, major assaults, or if they were involved in any real atrocities."

Blake stiffened.

"And if they are?" she asked, voice hesitant.

Sun's expression darkened.

"Then they don't walk away."

Blake felt a cold chill run through her spine.

Team RWBY turned back to watch Ren work, his scroll lighting up with name after name.

Some of the White Fang captives trembled, knowing exactly what would happen if their names popped up on the wrong list.

And Jaune?

He waited in silence, his presence looming over them like a shadow.

Ren's eyes scanned the profiles flashing across his scroll. Line after line of offenses—but only a few truly stood out.

After a moment, he lifted his head.

"Three."

The single word was final.

Jaune gave a slow nod. "Separate them."

Nora moved first, yanking three White Fang members out of the kneeling group and dragging them roughly to the side. They thrashed and struggled, their muffled protests stifled by the restraints binding them.

The remaining White Fang members watched in growing terror, realizing they had just been spared—but forced to bear witness.

Yang shifted uneasily, her arms crossing over her chest. "Hey, uh… is this really necessary?"

Sun didn't even hesitate. "Yes."

Yang looked at him, startled by the firmness of his voice.

Sun's golden eyes remained fixed on the captives, his usually relaxed demeanor now sharpened by experience.

"This is how he does it," Sun murmured. "The ones that walk away? They never forget what they saw."

Blake felt her breath hitch.

"They go back to their people," Sun continued, "and they tell them what happens when you cross the line. When you kill innocents. When you—" his lip curled in disgust, "—become monsters."

Blake's hands clenched into fists.

"And the ones that can still be saved?" Weiss asked carefully.

Sun exhaled, watching Jaune closely.

"He lets the local government handle them. Trial, prison—whatever it takes."

Weiss gave a slow nod, her face unreadable.

Then, Jaune moved.

With no dramatics, no glowing surge of power—just calm finality—he materialized the Infinity Blade into existence.

A quiet shimmer. A subtle hum.

The sword appeared in his hand without flare, as if it had always been there, simply waiting to be summoned.

He stepped toward the separated captives, his movements controlled, measured—without hesitation.

Ruby's breath hitched.

That made them even more anxious.

The three condemned began to panic.

They struggled violently, their bodies thrashing in their restraints, trying to claw away from the inevitable.

Jaune merely stared down at them.

A warrior. A judge.

An executioner.

Then he spoke, his voice cold. "Ren. Nora."

They snapped to attention.

"Get Team RWBY out of here."

Ren turned immediately, stepping toward them. "Let's go."

Blake was frozen, unable to move.

Yang looked uneasy but willing to follow.

Weiss clenched her jaw but nodded.

Ruby… Ruby didn't move.

Instead, she took a step forward.

Her horror-stricken eyes locked onto Jaune's back. "Jaune, don't—"

Nora's grip was on her instantly, catching her before she could get any closer.

"Ruby," Ren said, his voice firm, "we're leaving."

She struggled.

"Nora, let go! We can't just—he can't—!"

Nora didn't budge, her arms tightening like a vice.

"Trust me," she said softly, but with an unshakable finality.

Ruby thrashed.

"JAUNE!"

But he didn't turn.

Didn't react.

Didn't even acknowledge her.

The cold presence surrounding him never wavered.

And that terrified her more than anything.

Ren and Nora dragged Team RWBY away, their stunned and struggling forms guided out of the docks.

Jaune did not move until they were completely gone.

The moment the last echo of Ruby's desperate cries faded into the night, one of the condemned White Fang members snapped.

A surge of panic-fueled desperation filled his veins.

With an enraged snarl, he lunged forward, his legs coiling beneath him as he tried to throw himself at Jaune.

But Jaune had already moved.

A blur of motion.

A single, devastating kick.

CRACK.

The impact sent the man hurtling backward, his body twisting violently before he smashed into the ground.

A sharp wheeze tore from his lips as he curled in on himself, choking on the force of the strike.

The others flinched, eyes wide in disbelief.

But the man wasn't done.

With ragged breaths, he tried to push himself up, his arms shaking as he struggled to rise on trembling limbs.

Jaune's foot came down.

CRUNCH.

A grotesque snap echoed through the docks as Jaune crushed his leg beneath his boot.

A wretched scream tore from the man's throat, raw and agonized, his body convulsing from the sheer magnitude of pain.

The rest of the prisoners trembled.

Their bodies stiff, their breath shallow—pure terror etched into their faces.

Jaune showed no emotion.

No anger. No pleasure.

Just the cold, calculating efficiency of a man fulfilling a duty.

With slow precision, he lowered his sword, its silver edge gleaming beneath the moonlight.

Then—

He plunged it into the man's chest.

A pulse of golden light.

The man's screams cut off instantly.

His eyes rolled back, body slumping lifelessly against the pier.

Jaune stepped back, pulling the blade free.

The sword's glow dimmed.

Without hesitation—

He turned to the next.

The second prisoner fell to his knees, hands trembling as he tried to raise them in supplication.

"P-Please!" he stammered, his voice cracking with terror. "I—I didn't have a choice! They forced me into it! I didn't—"

Jaune stepped forward.

The White Fang member crawled backward, his breath hitching as he scrambled to avoid what was coming.

"I swear," he continued, desperation bleeding into his words. "I'll turn myself in! I'll help you! I'll tell you everything—just please—please don't—"

SCHLK.

The Infinity Blade pierced his chest.

A golden pulse radiated from the sword, the same silent, final judgment as before.

His mouth opened in a final, choked gasp.

Then—nothing.

His body collapsed.

Jaune turned, the soft sound of his armor shifting as he faced the final prisoner.

This one was visibly shaking.

His breathing was erratic, sweat dripping down his forehead as he frantically tried to compose himself.

"Listen, listen," he whispered hurriedly, eyes darting left and right, as if searching for an unseen escape. "You're a businessman, right? I can pay. I have money—resources. I can make this worth your while."

Jaune did not respond.

The man swallowed hard, his voice growing more frantic.

"Come on, man. You're a Huntsman, right? You—You don't have to do this!"

Jaune lifted the Infinity Blade.

The White Fang member fell apart.

"I was just following orders! I was—It wasn't my decision! Please, please, I'll— I'll do anything! Anything you want! I swear!"

Jaune stabbed him through the heart.

The golden glow flashed.

His body slumped, falling limp against the docks.

Silence.

Jaune exhaled, pulling the Infinity Blade free.

The bodies hit the ground with a sickening thud, rolling to a stop in front of the remaining prisoners.

The White Fang members stared, their breath stolen from their lungs as they gazed at the lifeless corpses of their former comrades.

Some tried to recoil, shifting in their restraints as if they could get further away from the brutal reality in front of them. Others just froze, the horror of the moment leaving them utterly still.

Then—Jaune moved.

Slow. Methodical. Unrelenting.

Each step was deliberate, his silver-and-gold armor gleaming under the harsh dock lights, the Infinity Blade still in his grip, shimmering with power.

The prisoners refused to meet his gaze.

They kept their eyes locked on the ground, on the corpses, on anything but the figure standing before them.

But Jaune wasn't going to let them look away.

His footsteps stopped just in front of them, the weight of his presence bearing down on them like a specter of death.

And then—one of them made the mistake of looking up.

The moment his eyes met Jaune's visor, a violent shudder wracked his body.

It was like staring into something inhuman.

No emotion.

No hesitation.

Just judgment.

More of them started glancing up, only to immediately regret it.

The tension in the air was suffocating.

Jaune slowly raised his sword, the tip hovering just inches from one of their chests.

The prisoner flinched, his breath catching in his throat.

Jaune's voice, when it came, was calm, steady—but ice-cold.

"Next time… if I see a reason…"

The sword did not move—but the words alone felt like a death sentence.

"You won't be sitting there safe."

The implication was clear.

They survived today because they hadn't crossed the line.

But if they ever did…

There would be no mercy.

No salvation.

Only the same fate that awaited the three corpses at their feet.

Jaune lowered his sword, the tension in the air thick enough to choke.

Then, without another word, he turned.

The Infinity Blade faded from existence, disappearing as if it had never been there.

Jaune walked away.

And not a single one of them dared to breathe until he was gone.


Hopefully you all enjoyed it. Consider this your teaser chapter. Good luck to people's votes.