Hey Hey! I'm hitting you guys with a double chapter! yeah, I had two chapters ready when I came back not one. I hope you're ready for some major fights, and new characters! once again I like to give my Thanks to KurokamiRyuuzaki100 for helping me with this and the last chapter. I hope you Enjoy it!

"Speaking"

'Thought'

Techniques

"Phantom talking"

'phantom thought'

Announcer speaking

"Helloooooo Vacou! and all you other kingdoms out there!" Came a loud and energetic voice.

"Coming to you all live from Vacou's battle stadium!" There in a studio above the excited cheer of an audience was a man with transmitting cameras on him.

It was a young man: he had brown skin, about 5'7" tall, deep green eyes with black hair in dreads and a small goatee. He was in his twenties with a multi-star white shirt with various logos on and black vest, white jeans, black dress shoes with dark green skates attached to the bottom, and green techno like wristbands on his wrist. He wore a pair of green shades and a yellow colored headband on his head hiding his hair with his dreads visible, and a headphone wrapped around his neck, this was the man broadcasting on the air.

"It's DJ Luxio Sagara coming to you all!" Luxio said with a cheerful smirk, the camera turned to the whole stadium packed with people here to watch. "We're here for Vacou's Annual battle royal between these great fighters! Just like Mistral, we have our own tournament here and we're going to show you all here today!"

The camera turned back to Luxio who was smiling as he Bob his head side to side. "The rules are simple: The last remaining fighter wins! And the winner will get a choice of the prizes! But for a formal set, here they are!"

The huge screen monitor underneath the announcer booth light up before a set of rules appeared on it.

1. The fighter whose aura goes into the red first loses.

2. A fighter loses consciousness or is unable to continue fighting they also lose. (KO)

3. A fighter's aura is lower than their opponent when they run out of time. (Time, will vary for round preliminary matches: 7 min. Semi-final: 15 Min. N/A for Finals)

4. If a contestant fails to appear, three minutes after their name has been called, it is a forfeit. (No show)

5. A fighter is disqualified if their opponent's aura is in red and the fighter continues to strike with lethal intent after the match has been called, or if their opponent is deemed unable to fight and they continue to attack regardless. (Lethal intent)

The camera turned from the rules after they were displayed and zoomed in on a trophy with a lot of lien on it, next to it was new gear and sponsorship and lastly was a new bike.

The camera turned back to Luxio. "And now it's time for our first match! So viewers tune in for the start of Vacou's tournament!"

[Beacon Academy - Ozpin and staff]

"Hmph… why do we even attend to watch this Ozpin? It's trivial and nothing but people fighting for others entertainment" remarked Glynda as she turned away from the screen.

"Oh Ho! Miss Glynda, there's nothing wrong with watching others right to show their mettle and skills. This reminds me of my younger years when…" Peter trailing off about his youth once again as Ozpin himself chuckled, he turned to Glynda.

"To answer your question Glynda, I believe we all needed a break from our work…you included" he stated as she stared at him with a glare.

"Headmaster I do believe I don't require a break when I can get to start on my plans for my classes… besides, you wouldn't bring us here unless it was important…" she glared at Ozpin as he drinks from his mug of coffee.

"Hmm… maybe…" he said as they all turn their attention to the screen.

[ Team RWBY Dorm room]

" -for the start of Vacou's tournament!..." Luxio's voice announces from their TV as the group of five girls and one male watched.

Yang and Nora were sitting in front of the TV while Weiss, Ruby and Pyrrha are sitting on the couch with Ren sitting in the chair next to them. It was Weiss was on the left side and Pyrrha on the right while Ruby was snug in the middle between them.

Its been a week since their last mission where they met Lily the little lion faunus and her uncle the dragon Rouge. They even met a well known scientist Stein, the girls and Ren haven't seen the three of them after they worked together to kill the beast Chimera.

"Hmm?" Pyrrha looked at the hooded reaper as she looked to be in thought, while everyone else was watching the tv.

"what's the matter Ruby?" she asked her, she snapped out whatever she was thinking.

"Oh! Heh heh I was just thinking of Lily." She admitted scratching her cheek shyly." I wondering if we were ever going to see her again, that's all" Pyrrha looked at her before giggling, Ruby's cheeks redden.

"Oh Ruby, I'm sure we'll see her again. Besides Nora has her number" she explained to her making her look at Nora who was manhandling Ren who didn't stopped her at all but sighed.

"maybe you can ask for it later okay?" she told her with a smile, making Ruby smiled back, both girls turned back to the tv while everyone else were getting comfortable.

Blake was missing since it was her turn get snacks and drinks for them all.

"I can't believe we're actually watching this" that came from the resident ice queen as she sat in her seat, just like everyone else she was watching the tournament as well.

"Come on Weiss, what's wrong with watching people fight in a tournament? It's not like we have anything to do" Ruby said, bouncing in her seat in excitement.

"There's no point of us watching this as we do have our own studies and training to do, it's bad for us if we neglect them." She retorted as she much preferred to do something more productive than sitting around and watch others fight.

"I would agree with you on this Weiss, but this is something that I've been hoping to see for myself since I've only participated in the one in Mistral." Pyrrha said as she was usually training for the next tournament, so she wouldn't have time to watch other kingdom's tournaments. "I do wish to see what sort of people they have fighting…" she said. Weiss just gave up with that and just sighed in her seat with a frown and her arms crossed.

"Shhh! It's starting!" Yang shushed the others as the announcer started to talk again.

[The Arc manor]

Stuffy, loud, sweet, heartwarming;

Those were the words one could use to describe the Arc household, though for the occasion right now let's use loud…

"Mom! Mom! It's starting!" Came the shouting and loud voice of young Blu Arc. The young girl of thirteen with a mop of luxurious bright blue hair that came down to her shoulders with twin bangs framing her face. She wore a white jacket and a cyan t-shirt under it with grey shorts. She bounces in her seat in excitement.

It's been the happiest any of her family has seen her in months since they heard of Jaune's disappearance.

"Yes, yes, yes dear hold on. I'm coming just now." walking into the living room was Merry Arc, the woman who was 5'0 in height, she had golden long hair that shines like radiant gold which reached past her shoulders to her bareback. She wore an orange blouse that stopped at her thighs with grey jeans.

She walked into the living room from the kitchen, a plate of snacks and drinks for them both and another. They both heard a noise coming from the door as it opened to show another woman.

" I hope I'm not late!" The woman in question asked. She had dark green hair with two mirroring blonde streaks and blue eyes. She wears a green jacket with a fur collar, a white and blue t-shirt underneath that reads "Have a blast!" on it, a short grey skirt, and black knee-high boots. This was the second oldest of the Jaune's sisters, Verte Arc. She was taking huge breaths as she walked towards the couch.

Merry herself simply giggled at her second oldest daughter's behavior. " No dear you're just in time to watch it with us." She said smiling.

Blu bounce before complaining. " Come on! Verte! It's starting already!" she said as she dragged her older sister to the couch.

"Yeeowch alright alright!" Being dragged by her younger sister to the couch as she sat next to her mother with Blu landing on her lap with a smile. The family turns their attention to the TV as the announcer began to speak once again.

[Vacou - Announcer Booth]

"Here comes our first fighter!" Luxio said as the first one came into sight. Walking into the huge circular ring was a man who was at least 6'2 tall, dressed in heavy chest armor and bracers with iron boots, wielded a heavy spike ball and chain and appeared to be a seasoned mercenary. "It's Zaff the crusher! A renowned mercenary game for his way of grimm killing!"

He laughed as he walked into the stage, people cheered for him as made his way into the ring.

[Beacon Academy]

Most who were watching didn't find Zaffe appealing, he seemed very arrogant with the way he walked into the ring.

"Ugh…. Its people like him that I don't watch any other tournaments besides the one in Mistral" Weiss stated in disgust at the man's behavior. The others nodding with Pyrrha having a face of disappointment.

"That is true, it's men like Zaffe that turn some people away from watching tournaments." She said as they continue to watch, hoping to see the other fighter.

[Vacou - Announcer Booth]

"And his challenger! Coming all the way from the kingdom of Vale, with a passion burning like a bonfire!" Luxio announced with great excitement, the crowd listening to his every word as the sound of footsteps could be heard. "Give it up for... Jaune! The Scorching Berserker!"He screamed into his mic, as Jaune the man himself walked out of the competitor tunnel and towards the ring in all his glory. His crimson shield visible on his right arm and ready for action, the crowd began to scream ever so loud.

Jaune kept to himself as he didn't know how to deal with the cheering from the crowd since this would be the first time he's ever been in a tournament, why didn't he listened to Pyrrha when she told him about her first tournament when they were still friends? It would've helped if he did.

Speaking of Pyrrha….

[Team RWBY's room]

"JAUNE!?" shouted Pyrrha seeing her partner walk his way to the ring with the crowd cheering him on. While Yang drinking a soda, Weiss, and Ren who were sipping tea at that time as Yang did a spit-take while Ren and Weiss choked on their tea.

"V-Vomit boy!?" Yang sputtered, seeing the one who she once teased and once called a friend now walking down to the arena on TV.

"Arc!?" Weiss herself was shocked to see the young man now in the very tournament they are watching.

"Hey look its Jaune-Jaune!" Nora piped in with a small smile on her face at seeing her former leader on screen.

"Of all the places he could've been…. Why is it Vacuo?" Ren asked the question while others reacted to seeing the young Cali.

With the Beacon staff…..

"I say, this wasn't what I was expecting. What say you, Bart?" Asked Peter.

The green haired profess- 'Doctor!', Doctor who was drinking from his thermos nodded. " Yes it was quite unexpected to see a former student such as Mr. Arc. I think this is a great chance to see what progress he's made, don't you think Ozpin?"

The headmaster who was watching the screen nods to his companion before taking a sip from his coffee. "Yes, yes it is. Though I do wonder why the name change? Hmm?"

With the Arc family….

"Jaune! Look, mom! Verte! It's Jaune!" Blu bounced pointing at the screen, feeling excited at seeing her older brother. while her sister and mother were the exact opposite of her, while the thought of seeing their son/brother was good and a great relief, the thought of him now in Vacou and in a tournament with other huntsmen that were stronger than him is horrifying to them since all they could do is to watch; not knowing that he's gotten stronger than the last time they've seen him.

[Vacou]

"These two are our first fighters to start it up! Are both fighters ready!?" Luxio said to both fighters, Zaffe laughed while Jaune nods towards the announcer.

"Pay attention brat, since you won't get a chance to once I'm through with you" the mercenary spoke, arrogance clearly laced in his voice.

Jaune ignored him as he took in the many people in the stadium there to watch their fight.

"Hmph, you're a foolish one aren't you? That prize money is already in the bag hahaha."

The mercenary continued to gloat in arrogance, believing he already won.

"I may have been a huntsman drop out, but I'm a high ranked mercenary, ya know."

Jaune looked at him with a glint of annoyance, he simply pulls up his shield in front of his chest with his left hand was clenched in a fist at his stomach.

With the others…

' Ugh… This guy may be as arrogant as the Winchester family, but he seems to be strong enough to back it up from all the rumors. Then again, Jaune outranks him in terms of power. He took down a horde of grimm and even groups of white fang all on his own if the testimony from the merchants and people was anything to go by. This won't even be a fight, it'll be a slaughter."

Faust looked on from the side preparing for the fight and taking in every detail, with Lily with next to him bouncing with excitement with little worry. Rouge, the dragon phantom himself was in said faunus girls arms.

"Tch this won't even be a challenge to the kid…. Wake me up when he's getting his ass kick." He grunted as he shut his eyes, Faust chuckled at the dragon's remark. To the normal man, this won't be possible and it would even go against about what they all know but to one as Faust. This only interested hi, about the existence, of phantoms and how do they tick? What do they eat? How do they live their lives? What strength do they have? And is it possible that he himself could create a partnership with one? These are all interesting questions but he won't get them anytime soon. He could wait for the right moment….

He was glad he went with the boy and his daughter, besides…

Looking at the happy lion faunus as she watched her adopted father in the tournament. He didn't mind watching over the little girl, it was refreshing to have someone who wasn't afraid to approach him or even hug him. He chuckled, it was an amusing sight for the little girl's father reaction seeing him and an even funnier sight when she dubbed him 'Uncle'...

"What's got you laughing chuckles?" Came the gruff voice of Rouge who was staring at him, Faust looked down at the currently small dragon.

"Oh nothing just the thought of seeing Jaune being flung across the arena is amusing" he lied as he chuckled, the dragon stared at him for a bit longer before returning to his nap in Lily's arms.

Faust shook his head, chuckling he suppressed those memories for a later date, right now he should enjoy the fight and see what the young phantom Streamer could do...

"Here we goooooo!"

FIGHT!

Zaffe immediately charged forward as soon as the call had been sent out, taking a massive swing at Jaune with his ball and chain. The blonde haired youth brought the large shield up and managed to defend himself against the spike ball, but he was still forced back by the strength the much stronger warrior hard behind the blow.

"Whoa! Zaffe's taking the first move with the first swing of the match!"

'So he's trying to force me back…' Jaune thought to himself as he held his ground as their weapons were in a lock. Jaune took a step back as he brought his shield back, deflecting the blow of Zaffe's spike ball to the ground and then retaliated with a quick jab to his abdomen.

Gurk!" he flinched feeling the hard blow before he smirked, he swung his hammer at Jaune who only dodged to the right.

The moment his feet touched the ground, it lit up. 'What the-' was the only thought that in his mind as Jaune looked down to the ground as it lights up before it exploded with him in the middle of it.

BOOM!

An explosion rocked the entire stadium as when the smoke cleared all it showed was a black scorched mark.

"Hahaha, idiot he let his guards down! Hahaha!" He floated as the audience all were silent.

"Look who's talking.." eyes widening he turned around to see red crimson steel before it crashed into his face, followed up by two hard jabs to his stomach and then a spin kick to his chest.

Sending the mercenary flying across the stadium. Fortunately (unfortunately for Jaune and the others watching that detested his opponent) Zaffe landed within the ring.

"I was off a bit…," he said with a frown, he looked over to where the explosion happened.

'That explosion…'. He didn't get much of a chance to think about it since Zaffe was on his feet and looking annoyed.

"Why you…." He growled, taking up the spike ball, he threw it high before swinging it around himself, Jaune looked at him in wonder.

'What is he planning?' Jaune thought as he watched the boastful man swing his weapon wildly around himself before the spike wrecking ball began to smash against the floor of the arena leaving ugly scars of destruction and craters all around.

"What's this!? Zaffe seems to be destroying the arena!?" Luxio announced seeing the big burly man destroyed the arena with his weapon, many in the audience wondered what Zaffe was planning to accomplish doing that.

After a while it seemed Zaffe was done, the arena looked pretty messed up with the amount of debris and craters left by his weapon.

"Whoa folks! Zaffe didn't leave the arena unscathed from his rampage for the entire arena is covered in craters! Wonder what's his plan everyone?"Luxio announced to the audience both there and watching from the other kingdoms.

"Haha! Come and try that again you fucking brat!" He taunted Jaune, who'd stare at him with annoyance but he complied as he dashed right at him.

Just as he was within twenty feet, the moment he steps forward The ground began to glow once again, Jaune backpedal fast from the glowing area before it exploded like before.

'What?' he thought as he tried to move again at Zaffe into for the result to be repeated, leaving Jaune to back away from him; only this time when he moved backward from the explosion he stepped onto another part of the arena and it began to glowed.

He dashed away but with each step he made it left the ground glowing indicating another explosion to happen.

"What's this!? It seems that entire arena has become a minefield! With every step that Jaune takes, another explosion has taken place!"

'I get it now…. He wasn't swinging wildly before…. ' he looked around to see the entire arena that was destroyed and the very places that he had stepped on. ' His semblance…. He was planting landmines all around himself so that I can't reach him while he tries to take me out.'

As much as he hated the man's arrogance, he had to give him credit for the thought out plan, using his semblance to turn the field into a landmines field so that his opponent can't touch him. It would be an ideal strategy for most, but not to him.

Jaune looked at Zaffe who was grinning smugly at the blonde Cali as he lifted his weapon in both of his hands.

Jaune understands Zaffe's plan, at first, he wasn't sure if he should congratulate the mercenary but then he figured out the huge gaping flaw in his plan in which he was about to exposed right now. Lowering his shield arm to barely above the ground as he aimed it at Zaffe.

Beacon - RWBY's dorm….

"What's that dunce planning to do? He doesn't have any-"

Vancouver - Stadium….

"What's this? What is Jaune planning?"

"Wrath of the Wyvern!" with an upward swing, a trail of flames erupted from the ground and all the way towards Zaffe, ignoring any of the landmines that Zaffe had planted before and cleared the way for Jaune to kick his ass.

The trail ended right before Zaffe as he looked shocked and frightened. The audience was amazed by this stunt from Jaune, and they weren't the only ones….

[Beacon Academy]

"Holy Shit!" All of Team RWY and NPR shouted out in surprise.

"Oum, that surprised me! When could Arc do that?!" Weiss said, not expecting to see Jaune out of anyone to pull something like that off, while Yang realizes something once she wasn't surprised by what she saw.

"Ruby Lila Rose, where did you learn to say that young lady?"

"I/she learned it from you." Ruby and Weiss said.

"What?" she was taken back.

"Yeah. I sometimes hear you say it when something happens and it just kind of caught on in the end"

"Honestly you should've seen this coming for cursing around her so much, it was the likely outcome," Ren added in his two lien.

She glared at him as he wasn't really bothered by her glare while inside Yang's mind.

'Oh fuck! I'm so dead!' Yang thought.

With Beacon's staff….

"My word!" Peters' face was revealed as his eyebrows shot up in shock and surprise.

"This is quite a presentation. Wouldn't you say so, Glynda?" Ozpin shot her a look.

Glynda herself, out of all the teachers, was more bewildered of what she just saw. It took her a moment to come back to reality.

She couldn't believe what her eyes have shown her. Jaune, the former weakest of her students had just, with a single swing, destroyed his opponents trap and some of the arena he was in…. Was this really her former student?

The very question was left in the air for her truly.

With the Arc family…..

"Whoa! Mom! Sis! Did you see that!?" Neither mother or sister was responsive as they try to comprehend what they just saw. Blu herself was starry eye as she watched the TV with focused attention, to see more of what her big brother could do. What had he been up to?

[Vacou]

"*Whistles!* Look at those flames, whatcha think? Not bad huh sis?" Said a young male jovial voice from the competitor box as they watched the current fight. The male in question who said that has short messy silver hair with bangs over his left eye, with both eyes being a teal color. He's of average height and has an athletic build similar to that of an MMA fighter. His attire consists of: a black tank top with a grey unzipped jacket over it; black pants and black combat boots; completing the outfit with a steel gray trench coat with a hoodie, that has what was presumed to be his personal insignia, the broken sword blade, right on the center of the back.

He was sitting on the bench next to a mirror while another figure was watching the screen with

"Maybe… Zilar. Only time will tell" said the woman next to the now named Zilar.

She has medium length blonde hair that is tied in a ponytail with a white ribbon and yellowish amber eyes. She's of average height, a bit shorter than the man with her and has a curvy and busty figure. She wore Valkyrie-like armor, gold, and white plated armor adorn her shoulders and waist. She wore a black dress that's open at the back, in which exposed a good deal of her skin. White breastplates she wore over her chest which held her ample bust while she adorns a golden knee-length skirt and white grayish pantyhose, and golden knee-high armor leather boots with small heels.

Her personal insignia, which was a burning dragon fang, was carved in the middle of her breastplate. She had a stern look on her face, but that was forgotten for the small smile she wore right now.

She was interested in this one. How he holds himself and the aura he excludes.

"Will he give me the fight that I've waited for?'

Back with Jaune and Zaffe…

"W-what?" was all that Zaffe could say seeing his aura land mines gone from the destructive force of Jaune's flames have done.

"What's wrong? Scared of a little fire?" Jaune taunted the mercenary with a small smile, as he began walking towards him.

Zaffe quickly threw his iron ball at Jaune, but he simply vanished much to Zaffe's and everyone's else surprised.

Everyone was surprised to see Zaffe rising from a blow to his chest, pushed back from the impact as he cough. He felt another one, and another, another. He looked around wondering where the hell his opponent was, seeing nothing but smoke; but not feeling safe he reeled back his iron ball as he wrapped his chain around his bracers and held his iron ball in his left hand.

"I don't know where you are but you can't beat-" appearing in front of Zaffe was Jaune, his body low and underneath Zaffe's guard.

"You talk too much…" he said as he nailed him with an left uppercut that send him rocketing mid air across the arena before Jaune jumped after him with his right fist that was engulfed in flame.

"Dragon's Fang!" He bellowed as he smashed the burning appendage into the mercenary's face and into the floor, fire erupting from the aftermath.

He looked at the announcer. "I doubt he's getting up from that" he stated before walking away from his opponent.

The audience was silent before they all erupted into a cheer. It was like a huge wave was set off as Jaune walked.

"You hear this!? Zaffe was defeated by knockout! Our winner is Jaune!"

Jaune didn't bother as he walked to the competitor's room to relax until his next match and maybe see his daughter with rouge and Stein? He let a chuckle imagining how his little girl would react when she saw him again. She be bouncing in a cheer for him, he shook his head as he continued to walk.

…..

…

Watching the blonde as he walked away into the darkness of the halls. Walking out of the shadows was a man in a trench coat, his black hair in a braided ponytail and his eyes amber. He chuckled maliciously with glee at the boy he saw. He couldn't wait until he gets the chance to fight him.

….

With LRS (Lily, Rouge, Stein)...

Rouge and Stein watched as Lily smiles with joy, her father winning his first match.

"Papa won! Papa won! Did you see how fast he was uncles!?" She asked with glee, both 'Uncles' had to muffle their chuckles as they nodded. It was hard to feel anything negative with this girl around, it was like she's a miniature sun.

"Heh heh yes little one we saw, it was a good match despite his pathetic opponent…" Rouge said.

Stein snorted. That was an understatement, Zaffe was truly weak. It showed how he changed up his strategy and how he acted with Jaune who adapted to it quickly. The way he fought was ok….if he was fighting Grimm and newborns at that, but against opponents like Jaune? It's an insult.

Yes, his semblance is one that's deadly in use against foes but it was his initial use of it and how predictable he became that was the thing that brought his quick defeat. Jaune had all the necessary skills and power to work around it so easily and then properly pound his face into the dirt repeatedly.

It just shows you truly who tries their best to become stronger, while those who have power don't absolutely nothing with it. If this first match was any indication of that lesson. There are deadly semblances out there that are possessed idiot users. Then there are ones that aren't deadly but have deadly users who would exploit their semblances to their fullest potential.

Truly it was both sad and frightening when one takes the time to think about it. Stein was broken from his thoughts by the tugging on his coat. He looked down to see Lily was staring at him with a worried look.

"Ah… yes, just like the lizard said little kitten, it was a nice match despite the terrible opponent your father had" He said.

"Lizard!? I'll show you who's a lizard!-" whatever Rouge was going to say next was silence when Lily hugged him. "How dare you! I am a dragon!"

"Well, I don't see a gigantic fire-breathing beast anywhere do you? I only see a talking lizard the size of a dog." Stein taunted Rouge, he glared harder as he tries to break free of Lily's grasp to attack stein.

"…..I hate you." Rouge glared harder at the white head scientist

"And I bask in your hate." He chuckled seeing the phantom try to get out of the little faunus girl's hands.

"Hey what's got you laughing, Stein?" everyone's head whipped to see Jaune walking up to their seats. He looked none the worse for wear, his clothes a bit scuffle but good.

"Papa!" Jaune grunted, feeling the impact of a blonde middle hitting his stomach, looking down to see his daughter hugging him with a large grin.

"Hey, Lily… enjoyed the fight?" He asked her as she nodded.

"You were great! He was 'Oh No!' And you were like 'Graaah!' " She said trying to mimic how the fight went, Jaune chuckled at how similar Lily is to Ruby. Heh… he wondered how she and her team would react to Lilly. Heh, that would be a sight to see.

No… he's not a part of Beacon anymore….

That's right… he's not in Beacon anymore…. He needs to forget Beacon… he has other matters to think about right now. Like winning this tournament for the- " Ow!" Jaune felt the pain coming from his side. Looking down he saw Lily glaring at him with a pout. "Lily, what was that for?"

"You weren't listening to me, papa! You were staring off" she said crossing her arms.

Oh… guess he was lost in thought and wasn't listening to her. Damn, he really was out of it, and now she's mad.

"Sorry about that my little flower. What were you saying?" He apologized to her.

"I'm not a little flower.," she said embarrassed as Rouge chuckled in her arms.

"Well to be fair your still young kitten and you're named after a flower… so you're still technically a little flower" Stein said with a sly smirk as she pouted again at him this time.

Jaune chuckled before he held a hand to his stomach and winced.

*Groan* ' Just shut up already.'

*Groan.* 'Oh come on! You just had something an hour ago before the match!'

*Angry Groan* 'WHAT DO YOU MEAN IT WASN'T FILLING? It was filling enough before...'

* Angier Groan* 'Okay! Okay! I'll get something to eat, that alright? Will that make you happy?'

*Content Groan* 'Good Oum, even my own stomach is against me today. What's next? a battle junkie?'

He turned to the others. " Hey who's hungry? I'm buying." He said before Lily latched onto his left side before he could even say anything else. He looked down at her who was looking at him a starry eye for food. He swears she was a glutton with how much she eats.

The two 'Uncles' tried to muffle their laughter as they watch the little lioness stare at her father with a longing for food.

"Heh heh, why not? Since you're offering anyways" said Stein who then picked up Rouge by the ruff of his neck.

"Hey!" He whined before he was dropped on Jaune's shoulder.

Jaune himself chuckled, making Rouge growl before he heard Lily giggling as well. The dragon huffed, he was a dragon! Not some poor mutt!

"Come on, let's go eat." He said as they left for the stadium's cafeteria. Lily swaying happily while Stein chuckled to himself, Rouge grumbling as he wrapped himself around Jaune's neck with his tail dangling.

They all walked towards the cafeteria, not noticing the few pairs of eyes watching their backs, one of them being a man with cold eyes as he clenches the katana in his hand, while another is a long violet haired woman with a veil watching the group.

[Beacon Academy]

"Well, that was quite the impeccable performance if I do say so myself" Port stated, impressed and entertained of the fight they've watched.

"Why yes, yes that it was Peter. Though I'm more inclined towards Mr. Arc's new abilities that he's demonstrated, like his control over fire" Bart said, taking a sip from his thermos, Port agreeing with his fellow professor. " What do you think Glynda?"

She was snapped out of her thoughts as she heard Bart asked her. "Apologies…" she said as she fixed her glasses." What was your question" she asked?

"What do you think about Mr. Arc's performance in the match? Quite outstanding wasn't it?" Bart asked her once again.

"Ah…his performance…." Glynda fixed her glasses and resumed her stern demeanor as she watched Jaune fight. " If you would call it that… it was mediocre since he was simply toying with his opponent, playing with his food." She said coldly, the other teachers frowning at her harsh words, though…" overall, his form was correct and he never once gave any of his skills or abilities away save for his flames" she said with a soft smile, relieved to see one of her students fighting better than he had when he left. Sure she was harsh on him but that didn't mean she wanted him dead! Glynda knew she crossed a line when she took some time to think about Jaune clearly. Much to say she was disappointed in herself for her quick and unfair judgment towards the young blonde, sighing she turned to Ozpin.

"Headmaster?" Ozpin's gaze stayed on the screen, he was content to see that the young Arc, or is it 'Cali' as he suspected from before? Either way, he was relieved to see the young man alright and even better able to defend himself and his daughter. She's made quite the overwhelming results since he left our doors… He smiled, seeing Jaune's smile as he left the arena. "It's good to see a soul as pure as his remain bright, " he said taking a sip of his mug.

Still... why can't he shake this unnerving feeling like he felt power like that before? The mere thought plaguing his mind as he overlooks Jaune's form.

'More questions keep coming up while you've become more interesting, Mr. Cali…. Interesting indeed' he thought as he took another sip from his mug, then turning towards his staff.

[Team RWBY's Dorm]

"Yeesh, that was quick. That wasn't even a match! Where's the blood!? Where're the broken legs!?" Nora complained as they ignore the other fights going on.

"Nora…" Ren said trying to get her to stop. "Yes it was quick but it was just the first round. There will be more interesting ones to watch."

"Ren's right. But besides that what did we just watched?" Asked Pyrrha, who was still a bit taken back by the abrupt skills of her crush.

"Jaune kicking butt?" Ruby answered innocently.

"The real question at hand is, when did Arc get so... so…" Weiss trailed off.

"Fast?" Ruby offered.

"Strong?" That was Yang.

"I believe the words you are looking for is refined and skilled," Ren said pouring himself another cup of tea.

"Yes… those are the words. Thank you, Ren." Weiss said, Ren, nodding at her. "What I don't get is how he was able to become so skilled in the matter of one month!"

"Actually it's been a month and two weeks if you want to get tech-"

"Ruby… "Weiss growled.

"Being quiet now."

"Um…everyone?" said Ren, the picture of a well-spoken gentleman. Everyone turned to him as he directed them to the screen to see the next match.

With JLRS(Jaune, Lily, Rouge, Stein)…

Jaune was watching Lily devour her burger like it was about to run away from her, which it wasn't with great vigor.

'Dear Oum. Where does all that she eats goes? I mean she's just a little girl for Oum sake!' he thought as he slowly ate his fries.

Well, at least she won't be asking for more later on… or dinner he hopes.

He doubts his wallet or his bank account could last against her appetite, he took notice of his fries and begin to eat them before Lily decided she wanted his too.

"So how's the tournament treating you, Mr. Cali?" Stein asked Jaune who was eating his fries, Jaune's right eye twitched at his voice.

"Oh? Pretty good…. Considering you guys made me enter it!" He growled out the last part at the memory of them forcing him to take part in the tournament, he would say no in a heartbeat if it wasn't for the underhanded tactic they did.

(Flashback starts…)

[Oasis Inn]

Jaune sighed as he relaxed into his bed as he watched his daughter sitting on the peached leather couch surf through channels on the flat screen TV across from her. He chuckled at her as her ears perked up once she landed on a cooking show. The chef on it was cooking fish ironically, she drooled watching him fry it.

*Knock* *knock* hearing the door, Jaune got up and opened it to see his Phantom beast partner Rouge with their new companion Stein…

He really didn't know much about the man besides what his daughter and partner had told him. He was a well honest man that fought alongside them both, even if he has a few screws loose. He wasn't sure what to make out of him but he'll trust them, but that doesn't mean that he won't keep his eyes on him.

Jaune moved out of the way as Stein walked inside. Lily was too fixated on the tv to notice him and rouge walked in.

"So what do you think? Not quite bad huh?" Stein asked him as he sat down in one together with the chairs there was in the room, the room they got wasn't so bad. Two beds, one couch with a coffee table and a mini-fridge.

"It's not bad… though if we keep it up like this, then we might end up broke soon. We're running low on lien after this inn and food… We need to make some cash and fast" Jaune commented as he knew they were pushing it with their budget with the addition of Stein.

"Well if it's cash we need, then why not fight for it then?" Rouge remarked making Jaune stare at him in horror.

"What!? " He couldn't believe what the dragon suggested. " Rouge I'm not beating or attacking others just because we're close to being broke." He stated to his partner who gave him a dull look and rolled his eyes.

"Ahem" Jaune looked at Stein as he cleared his throat. "I do believe what the lizard meant was this…." Presenting a flyer for a tournament.

VACOU GRAND TOURNAMENT!

Sign up today!

Staring at the flyer, he could get an idea what they're getting at. "What… are you two implying with this?" Jaune had to ask as he hopes they weren't suggesting what he thought they were.

" That you should enter it Mr. Cali," Stein said as he got comfortable with a smile grin. Jaune looked up from the flyer and at him.

"And why… should I?" He asked the grey-haired man.

"Besides it being perfect training for you, brat?" Rouge said chirping in from his spot on the mini-fridge.

"Yeeeeeah no" Jaune deadpan at the two of them, no way was he being pushed into fighting people who could wipe the floor with him and have it be aired on live for all to see… if he wasn't much of a disgrace already. He doesn't want all kingdoms to know it!

"Why not brat?" Rouge asked since it isn't such a bad idea.

"I have no need to fight in this tournament Rouge, besides it doesn't help our current problem." He said a bit annoyed that his partner tried to coax him into it.

"On the contrary Mr. Cali it does help our financial problem" Stein smirked as he popped another lollipop into his mouth.

Jaune raised a brow before reading the flyer to see the prize was a cash reward for the winner of the tournament. " 10,000 Lien!" Jaune exclaimed in shock, Stein grinned at his shock face.

"See? If you win this tournament…. You'll win the answer to your problem while the lizard-"

"Watch it glasses!"

"- gets to see you push to your limit. It's a win-win for everyone." Stein said with a wave of his hand, taking in the channel that Lily was watching. Hmm? Maybe they should have seafood for later, seeing the chef preparing salmon in breading.

Jaune knew that he didn't need to enter this tournament, sure they were dangerously close to the red in terms of their budget but that doesn't mean he had to fight. They could earn money another way then this, he thought.

"I don't think this is the answer…" he said catching Rouge off guard while Stein casted him a side glance.

"What? Why?" Rouge asked his partner.

"Why? Because I don't have to fight in a free-for-all brawl so we can have the cash prize, there's more than one way to earn money you know." Jaune stated as he could earn money doing freelance missions or collecting bounty's, hell he could earn money by getting a job here to help pay for their room.

"Come on brat. It's a good deal!" Rouge tried to convince Jaune who only denied the idea of entering.

"Well, that's a shame… imagine what you could've done with that amount of lien?" At this point, Lily stopped paying attention to the TV a bit to hear Stein talking. " You could get your bike repaired, get a home around here to use whenever you are in Vacou... Or~, you use it to buy a good dinner like… oh, I don't know… cooked salmon?" He said, drawing Lily's attention from the screen as she stared at Jaune with a look that he seen on his baby sisters and Ruby.

"Papa! Are you buying fish!? Oooh, can it be salmon!" His daughter asked him in a cheery bubble of joy, while she looked at him with emotional eyes.

"Gah" turning from Lily's stare as he could hear the snickering of his partner and the chuckles of Stein.

"Your father can't right now, not yet Lily," Stein told her chuckling as he did, Jaune immediately glared at the scientist.

"Huh? Why not?" The lion faunus asked but before Jaune could say anything he was interrupted by his own partner.

"The brat needs to fight first in a tournament to win the money to do it little one," Rouge explained to her making Jaune curse the fire-breathing lizard and planning on getting his revenge later.

"Your gonna fight papa!? When is it!? Can we watch!? Who are you gonna fight!?" Lily asked firing off questions with the speed of a Gatling gun at Jaune who was stumped on what to say.

He could see the grins that the other two residents in the room were sending him. 'So this was what you were planning' he thought in anger since now that Lily knows he'll have to fight since they know that he doesn't have the heart to say no to her.

He looked back at his adopted daughter with a Nervous smile…

(Flashback ends….)

The heat from Jaune's glare could've melted an iceberg but it wouldn't have done jack to Stein, which only made Jaune glare harder until he noticed something shining from his coat pocket. A grip handle glistening from the white coat, huh? When did Stein get that?

"Hey Stein, what's that?" Jaune asked the scientist, seeing that he had something.

"Hmm.. oh this?" gesturing to his pocket, Jaune nodding. " Why this is actually for you." He took it out to reveal Jaune's weapon, which was his dagger/revolver only it was vastly different from its earlier form.

"My dagger revolver? That's where it went? You stole it!?" Jaune said shock and surprise that his weapon was with the scientist this whole time when he was looking for it before his match.

"Stole is such a strong word. Let's say I'd... borrowed? Yes borrowed it for a while." he smiled saying that while he gave the upgraded weapon to its owner.

Jaune took it into his hand as he inspects it. It was vastly different than how it was before and he should know since he was the one to create it with his own hands, and what knowledge he had learned from Ruby when they were still friends. It wasn't bad either or even mediocre as he thought, just a simple weapon that was usable, but this? Seeing the twin chambers where there used to be only one, both glistening with one chamber being under the first one. He could see another muzzle was added to the first one as it looked more of a huntsmen's weapon than what he had before. Even the feel of it was different as he could feel the weight difference as it was heavier.

"What did you do to it?" Jaune asked as he inspects upgraded weapon, Stein chuckled with a sly smirk.

" I modified it of course. I changed the inner structure of it so that it could handle more power while withstanding the recoil the shots used. This way it doesn't cause any dangerous backlash from firing it to your body or arm. I changed the dust system that was installed for my own take on it, this way you don't have to use dust shells and can even enhance your shots with whatever type you want. " Stein said pushing his glasses up with a smile. "You're welcome, kid."

Jaune wasn't sure what to do since his weapon was much better than before yes, but it was the first one he had made. He felt a sense of pride and accomplishment when he completed it, looking at it now he wasn't sure what to say.

"Why?" Jaune asked, looking from his upgraded weapon at the silver-haired scientist.

"Hmm?"

"why did you…. modify my weapon?" Jaune had to ask him.

"Hmph.. well Mr. Cali." Stein took out the sucker had as he turned to him. "I'm, by nature, curious… and I have to say that you have gained my interest, from being bonded to such a mythical creature." He glances at Rouge who only glared at him. " to having such an adorable daughter" Lily pouted at being called adorable." To being a man such as yourself…. Think of my help as an investment. Besides I couldn't let you and fight with something so… so.."

"Pathetic?" Rouge said.

"Rouge!" Jaune was offended, he made that weapon.

"Useless?" Lily asked.

"Lily!?"

Stein laughed as he watched the blonde being offended by both his own partner and even his own daughter. "So sad to be honest" he stated as he brought up his scroll to show an image of Jaune's weapon before it's upgraded and pointed out its flaws.

"Okay okay I think I get it," he said stopping Stein from pointing out any more flaws he did in making his weapon, it was both embarrassing and depressing. Jaune slams his head on the table, a cloud above his head, Stein, and Rouge both chuckled while Lily giggled as she rubs her papa's back to comfort him. It was nice for the small party of four, that is until they heard cheering coming from one of the nearby screens.

"Huh? Who's that?" asked Jaune as they all looked at the screen. There on the screen was the next match between two other competitors, one wielding a katana and the other drawing out gauntlets and grieves.

[In the arena, Vacou…]

Standing far in the arena from the north entrance was a good-looking and slender young man with short, stylish gray hair that fell to his chin and sharp green eyes. He wears a black turtleneck and leggings under a gray Japanese-style tunic, dark red gloves, gold military boots, and a crimson red jacket that seemed to be more regal looking with it ending at his knees, with a gold lining.

In his hand was a long katana in a green and silver sheath and a metal device as the guard with five small slots for dust to be inserted, the handle was wrapped in dark blue leather and was long enough for both hands to grasp it.

The man narrows his eyes at his opponent, a vixen faunus who wore brown roman leather chest armor with floral designs around the front, and over that she wore a cropped yellow jacket that reveals her stomach zipped open. A knee length short skirt with silver metal plates padding over the material, with brown jeans shorts with a brown belt loosely hanging around her hips, and white high boots on heels, and brown gloves. A gold medallion hung over her neck with a broken sun over a sunflower engraved on it. The girl shook her head, her short cocoa brown hair slapping her cheeks as she scowled at him with her gauntlets drawn.

The gauntlets and greaves were golden with a somewhat animalistic look. The gauntlets vaguely resemble a fox's head, with fangs and mane. The grieves look like clawed legs. They also have glowing veins that have multiple lights flowing through them, which means they have dust flowing through them.

"Hey hey! It's time for another match down here." Came the familiar and cheerful voice of Luxio as he came skating into the center of the arena. The crowd cheered as they all wait for him to speak. "Coming here from the frosty debts of atlas we haaaaaave the Frozen Prince, Argryos Drachen!" waving his arm towards Argyros, the audience cheered for him as he rose his head as an acknowledgment to their presences."Annnd from Vacou herself, her dessert champion! it's Cidney Brawn!"
he said as he waved over to Cidney who waved to the crowd.

After the introductions were over both competitors looked over at each other, measuring up the over fighter. Argryos scoffed as Cidney narrow her eyes at him, both were ready with Argryos having his hand on the hilt of his blade as Cidney got into a ready stance.

"Well sugah, got anything to say before I punch that pretty face of yours?" Cidney asked with a toothy grin. Argryos shot a small glare at her for being called "pretty".

"Please refrain of even boasting now, Brawn. It's showing your weak side" he barbed at her making her glare.

"What was that you prick!?" Cidney was ticked off by the insult.

" I said stop showboating…" he readied himself, his blade at his side with his hand over the hilt. " and…. show me what you've got."

Just as he said that, Cidney was seeing red, thus Luxio started the fight.

"Alright, here we go!" He said skating out of the arena and out of their way.

Cidney leaped at Argryos with her fist reared back as he drawn his blade out to block it.

"FIGHT!"

{ Cue Blazblue Chrono phantasma OST- Memory of Tears II- }

The clash between them sends shockwaves as Argryos pushed Cidney off only to swipe his blade forward.

An icy mist coming off it as a broadsword made of ice was sent flying at Cidney, which she blocked with her gauntlets. The sword shattering against her gauntlets as she took that as a chance to rush Argryos down.

Cidney charged over, spun and sent a jabbing kick. Argryos easily dodged that just by leaning to the side before he jabbed his sheathed blade into the ground sending a stone pillar of the arena floor to spring up with sharp segments to pierce her.

Evading back from the pillar of stone, Cidney sprints at Argryos with a haymaker as he rose with his blade. He swung a wide arc, wind expelling from his blade as it nailed Cidney. The wind had tore through her aura and sent her skidding back, but it didn't stop her as she came charging right for him.

Only for him to create a spear of ice that he rides, leaps from it and then smashes the flat side of his blade into her as if she was swatted away like a pest.

Cidney grunted as she landed on her knee, recovering from Argyros's attack and retaliated with a series of quick jabs, Argryos having faced similar strikes before from countless fights against his brother, sprung his body backward making as much distance between them as possible, inevitably forcing Cidney to chase after him.

This plays in his favors as he switched dust in his hilt. As she attacked him once more, he struck with his blade glowing darkish purple, he attacked the very ground before him as it exploded into chunks of rubble that were sent flying in all directions. One huge chunk was heading towards Cidney but she blasted through it with wind flowing off her arms.

With Jaune, Lily, Rouge, and Stein….

"Whoa…" Jaune was blown away by how this fight was going. Both fighters are formidable but it's the guy with the katana that had his attention. Having such strength and skill to this point that he hasn't even changed from his first stance must mean he's strong… and unfortunately, that means he might have to fight him. Jaune paled at the thought of the confrontation.

"Wind manipulation, now isn't that interesting …" Stein said drawing the others attention.

"What?" Rouge stopped eating his slightly burnt fries covered in ketchup.

"Her semblance… it's wind manipulation. If you didn't saw, she focused the wind to swirled around her fist to act like a drill to burst through the debris sent her way… honestly, I'm curious on what more she can do with her semblance…" he admitted with a small grin, making Jaune move his chair away from stein a bit while lilies eyes were glued to the screen as she ate her chicken nuggets like her papa.

"What now interests me is what his semblance is, for all that we've seen is him using dust to enhance his blade and skills, which already shows how well trained his swordsmanship is… makes you wonder what else he can do..." Stein stated as they all watched what was to take fold next in this fight.

Back to the fight…

Seeing her distracted with the flying debris, Argyros took the chance to get in close to her as he switched his dust once again, Cidney never saw it coming as he sweeper his blade against the floor up to her. She was caught as she couldn't defend herself as he nailed her, but that wasn't all he did, with his blade he actually lifted her.

He lifted her into the air with all his might before performing a double clockwise spin with his katana catching her as they were engulfed in a tornado of flames.

When the flames died down everyone could see them falling with Cidney burnt but otherwise fit to fight and Argyros alright but not before Cidney launched a huge wind bullet from her fist at him just as they landed.

He grunted as the blow struck his knees with brutal force before another more direct wind bullet shot tore through his right leg unable to vocalize his pain as he a took a punch to the gut then his chin got an uppercut sending him staggering back, stars swarming across his vision. Cidney capitalizes on this as she blitz at his shaken form. Sensing danger despite his stun state, he was fast enough to erect a few walls of ice in front of the danger he was sensing. It didn't help when wind swirled around her fist, forming a vortex-like drill one again as she struck the walls, breaking through them only to find no one on the other side.

"Huh? Where'd he go?" she asked herself not seeing Argyros's figure before her.

"Behind you…" she heard behind her as she turned but not fast enough as he was on her before she could do anything.

"Snow Flower Storm!" she was slashed wildly by Argyros with his sword then encased in ice from his last attack. He switched dust again before hacking away at the frozen faunus with his blade, lightning charging through it, shocking her with each slash before smashing his sheath into it. Shattering it and sending Cidney flying across the arena.

He wasn't done yet as he then proceeds to send an arc of lightning at her for good measure, the arc hit dead center too, a dust cloud erupted as the audience watched in curiosity and expectations while Argyros was tensed.

Seeing nothing and not hearing anything he presumes she was down and unconscious as he turned and walked away with his sword and sheath in hands.

'She was strong… but it seems not strong enough' he thought as he walked away.

Everyone watched him walking away until they heard noises coming from where Cidney was sent. A great gust of wind blown away the dust and smoke as Cidney was looking pretty banged up as she stood with her eyes glaring within a hurricane. She leaped with great speed and momentum at Argryos who turned around to see her.

"Hmph, I guess I was wrong.." he said as he dropped his sheath and held his blade in his other hand. One arm up in front of him while the other with the blade to counterattack.

Jaune who was watching what he was doing couldn't help but vocalize what everyone was thinking. "What the hell is he doing?!"

Just as Cidney struck with her fist with the force of a hurricane behind it to increase the power and force of it, it stopped right before his arm as if it struck an invisible wall. In truth he had channeled his aura to form a small barrier in front of his arm, then at that moment, Argyros grabbed his blade with both hands as it glowed black.

Then he acted as with a single swing of his blade at her, he slashed her. To the audience, it looked like she was being slashed repeatedly while he only hit once; but to the trained eyes of everyone else, Argryos had unleashed a series of slashes so fast it looked like she was being painted with black ink until he was done and she was on the ground.

Sheathing his blade, he turned away from his opponent and walked towards the arena exits.

[Beacon Academy….]

"That man is a monster!" Blake said with wide eyes as she watched the man take control of the fight and decimate his opponent. She was trembling from the way he brought her down.

"Monster isn't a word I would use, but for now it seems fitting" Ren would admit he would be hard pressed harshly to even fight this man in combat from his fighting style to his impressive use of dust. If he could choose between this man or Nora on a sugar rush mix with drinking caffeine. He'd pick Nora.

"Uh… Weiss cream, this guy came from Atlas right?" Yang asked the heiress who was writing down what she just saw in a notebook.

"Do not call me that…. And yes he is." She said as she put away her notebook." His name is Argryos Drachen. Just like me, he comes from a well known prestigious family in Atlas. The Drachen are known for several things and one of them is producing powerful fighters and heirs. The other is their elite forces that makeup FROST, the police force that patrols Atlas." Weiss explained to them, as half of them were taken back while both Ruby and Pyrrha were worried that Jaune would have to fight him.

"Wow…. I didn't know he came from such a family?" Pyrrha said while Blake narrows her eyes at her teammate.

"Though Weiss, how do you know so much about them?" she asked the heiress, suspicious of her book of knowledge she had.

"I was trained by a retired FROST officer" she admitted, which only drew looks of confusion.

"The man that you call a monster is the eldest of his siblings and yet he is said to be only the second strongest." She explained to them, as many of them nodded while Yang looked back that screen.

"Whoa…. So he's like really strong right?" Nora had to ask making Weiss groan in frustration.

With JLRS (Jaune, Lily, Rouge, Stein)….

"Well I can say without a doubt that he's remarkably strong," Rouge said with a savage grin, while Jaune was comprehending if it was too late to question what his life is now?

"Ah… I thought he looked familiar…" Stein said opening the wrapper of another lollipop he had from his stash.

"Wait a minute, you know this ice prince?" Rouge asked, staring at the scientist.

"Quite so my reptilian friend" chuckling at the growling from Rouge once again. "He's the eldest of siblings from a noble family back in Atlas" The other three looked at the screen showing his portrait. " One of the three known and influential families next to the Schnee's. They're known for many things but just as the Schnee's are known for both dust and their summoning semblance, the Drachen are known for their powerful heirs and the FROST Police Force that patrols all of Atlas." He explains to the group as he finished his drink. " FROST stands for Fast Ready and Optimized Soldier Taskforce, it was founded by the Drachen family and has been a part of Atlas military since the ending of the Great Color War."

"Yeesh… talk about being a bit paranoid." Rouge said drawing looks from the others. "What? You try to have something like that up all the time and even have more taught just so that they can join, it makes you think that they're gearing up for war again." Rouge said as he has been around for a long time since he first came to Remnant, "When you have seen empires rise and fall you tend to memorialize how they fall in the first place."

"Anyways Cali" Jaune turned to Stein as he took a serious look. " Argryos is from the Drachen family and has been trained to be one of their best. You should be wary and prepare for when you will have to fight him or any of the children of the Drachen, understood?" Jaune nodded as he steeled himself for the future confrontation with him or anyone like him.

"Good, now I believe you should eat your food before your daughter finishes it for you" Stein pointed out to him as he turned down to his fries to see them half eaten. Jaune blinked before giving a light glare towards his daughter who was hiding some behind her back. He sighed as he went to finish the rest of his food while ordering more. He honestly chuckled as he looked over Lily, who was trying to eat the fires she stole from him then wash it down with soda, then at Rouge his partner, who was chowing down on a mega Steakburger, he was surprisingly halfway done. He then turned his gaze over to Stein who was enjoying his own soda and, weirdly enough, homemade tea from a thermos. He smiled, he likes what he had now. Even if he lost something, he wouldn't give this up for anything.

It wasn't long as they finished their meal that did they heard the intercom, they heard Luxio's voice proclaim the winner of the current fight. "And Zerrin Drachen crushes Indi Viola in a close match! Next up is Jaune Cali versus Zilar Drachen! Will the competitors come to the arena field, please!"

Hearing that, Jaune briefly lifted Rouge off his shoulder and handed him over to his faunas daughter who frowns, he gave her a smile as he did the others. "Don't worry about me losing, I'm in it to win alright? I already made it this far, might as well go all the way to the top." He said as he turned around and began to walk off towards the arena field for his fight.

The others watched as he disappeared into the crowd of people in the cafeteria, Lily got up with Rouge in her arms. "H-Hey little one! What are you doing?" The phantom asked the girl as she grabbed her bag and stuff while Stein just chuckled as he brought their garbage to the bin and followed after the little girl, with a smirk.

[Competitor's Changing/Waiting room]

"Well, looks like I'm up sis." Zilar looked back at his sister. who came back from her fight. He smirked as he walked up to the door but was stopped by Argryos.

"Don't play around like before, I won't have you lose to someone weak like that." He demanded as Zilar gave him a blank stare with a raised eyebrow.

"Hey, I don't tell you how to win your fights and who you can or cannot fight, bro" He got up in Argyros's face with a glare. "I'll fight this battle my way and win" he said as he walked past his brother and out the door, but before he did he looked over his shoulder and at him.

"And if I do lose then that means my opponent stronger than you think."

Walking out of the doorway and into the hall to the arena field for his fight, while back in the room, Zerrin and Argryos are the only two people left inside, the latter scowling at his younger brother's words.

"You should know how he gets when it comes to his fights, dear brother" Zerrin said, her tone accusing and filled with amusement. "Our dear younger brother enjoys his fights just as much as I do," she said, a small smile on her face, void of expression.

"Yes, but you can never find one person that can satisfy you sister, unlike our brother who plays around with his opponent like a dog does with its food. It's unfit for someone such as us, he needs to know that he needs to wait for the day that his true fight comes to him instead of seeking it out like some dog…" he argued with her, the small smile slowly growing into a cheshire grin.

"Oh, are you quite sure brother?" she smiled at her brother, he glares at her with what she was trying to do. "What our dear brother might be doing is like what you said, a dog looking for its next meal but I guess I'm not that quite different?" The air around them grew tense as the feeling of something dark intent was filling the room, and at the center of this malice was Zerrin herself. while with Argryos who wasn't faze that much but if you could look, you see a drop of sweat falling down his face, he glared back at her as the air grew cold around him. The room was filled with the intent of two opposite forces until they heard the voice of the announcer from the screen in the room.

"Dudes and ladies! Are you ready for this!?" They both stopped and stared at each other, amber eyes peered into green ones as both nodded in agreement to continue this later as Zerrin avert her attention to the screen while Argryos walked out of the room.

Vacou Battle Arena

"On my right, we have the fast, the heavy striker, Give it up for-"walking into the arena was Zilar as he raised his fists up in the air, waving at everyone, with a savage happy grin. "Zilar Drachen! Our Hunting Wolf!" everyone in the audience roared as he made his way into the arena.

"On the right, our fighter who burns his way through the competition like firewood. Give a round of applause for-"walking out of the tunnel leading up to the walkway to the arena was Jaune, primed and readied with both his weapons, his mech-shift weapon on his back while his shield was out in the open for all to see. "Jaune Cali! The Scorching Berserker!" the audience roared once more with cheer at seeing Jaune again.

Both fighters looked at each other with curiosity.

"Remember, either aura is gone or your opponent is unable to continue," Luxio states as they both nods, he grins at them. Stomping both feet on the ground as his skates popped out from his boots.

"Alright, here we go!" Luxio said as he backpedaled, noticing the stares both competitors were giving the other.

FIGHT!

{ Cue Blazblue Chrono phantasma OST- Black & White- }

Luxio was barely able to skate aside when both Zilar and Jaune clashed. It started off trading of punches and kicks but it soon was Jaune becoming defensive. Jaune realized he had to fight smarter, considering that he knew next to nothing about his opponent who was skilled in hand to hand attacks it seems and that he didn't let an opportunity pass.

Any small gaps Jaune left in his defense while exchanging blows were taken advantage of, with him sneaking in jabs or kicks

He had even more of a challenge than he asked for. However, he made sure that every punch and kick he countered with would be definitive attacks; ones that he could deal with his semblance.

Zilar was blocking blows from Jaune, his head perked up as he quickly dashed to the left to avoid a spear of shadow trying to stab him in the back.

He looked down to see it coming from the shadow he had projected, he looked up at Jaune, his head tilted.

A small smile grew on his face. "Ooh…. So that's it." His semblance must be Shadow manipulation if he was able to do that….

That's both dangerous…. And very exciting to fight against. An opponent that can use the shadows around themselves to fight back and even their opponent's shadow as well!

Zilar's smile grew into a grin.

Jaune was cursing that he missed. Zilar's was quick, very quick since he was able to dodge his shadows at close range which was faster the closer it was to himself.

What's with that smile? He almost got skewered and he's smiling? Wha- OH SHIT!

Jaune was able to brace himself behind his shield with his shadow springing up to block too as Zilar dashed right into a spin kick that nailed the wall his semblance made and his shield with great strength.

He was pushed back quite a bit but he kept his standing, which he would abandon as he rolled to the side to avoid a one-two combo. As he rolled and onto his bent knees he slammed down his shield to released a volley of flames.

"Hunter's Eruption!"

A wave of fire burst from the ground towards Zilar who to the surprise of many jumped high into the sky from it, but that wasn't all. As he came falling down towards Jaune at a fast rate, Jaune himself was thinking two things along the lines of ' Oh that is bullshit!' and ' need a plan fast!'

As Zilar came down close the ground with the intent to deliver a haymaker using the momentum of his fall to increase it, Jaune then did something unexpected. He launched himself towards Zilar with using the pile bunker of his shield to fly upwards.

As they were about to clash mid-air, Jaune let off another hit with his shield to the air to propel himself away from Zilar at the last minute and into a spin to which he gave an axe kick to Zilar's back.

"Gah!" Meeting the area floor in a burst of speed and pain while Jaune landed on his feet.

"Guess it was time someone kicked you to the curve" he taunted but he was already tense in waiting for his opponent's next move, he can't get cocky. A little taunting yes but never cocky in a fight, as he learned that the hard way after leaving Beacon.

Rolling out of the crater he was lying in, Zilar stood up and rolled his shoulder before flashing Jaune a cheeky grin.

"This is some fight," Zilar said with a smirk.

He raised up his fists once again before dashing forward at him. Jaune did the same as he wouldn't let him direct this battle, both fighters clash in an exchange of punches, jabs and heavy blows.

Jaune fell in step with the jabs, weaving back against the quick jabs. Seeing a kick aimed for his gut, he spun on his foot out of the way. Elbow flying up with shadow crawling up to form hard elbow guard, he aimed to drive into Zilar's face only for the silver-haired brawler to catch it with his own fist and five in return a quick strong punch to his stomach to only follow up with three quick jabs then a kick to the chest.

Skidding back from the kick to the chest he brought his fist down on the floor. "Nox Thorn Spikes!"huge spikes formed from his shadow, all heading in Zilar's way to impale him.

Zilar maneuvered around most of them as a few nailed him hard in his sides, he smashed through them as he ran at Jaune.

Jaune parried off his right hook with his shield, swatting it away before delivering a savage uppercut to his chin, Zilar was stun for a few moments getting his bearings.

While that was happening, Jaune himself took this time to use his semblance, shadows crawl up his form up to his arm to create a huge demonic claw of black aura and red flames. "Purgatory Ripper!"He lunges at Zilar with the claw, only for Zilar to gain his standing again, then backflips and kick him in the jaw all in the same motion.

The kick, knocking Jaune and causing him to lose his Purgatory Ripper and be sent backward. Once Zilar landed he quickly ran up to Jaune, who was in mid-flight, and literally land some hard blows and finished with a haymaker punch to the face.

Jaune groaned once his body finished its flight and hit the ground. 'Why does it feel like I'm fighting another Yang?' he thought in pain as he rubbed his jaw and face.

He blinked a few times before shaking his head and standing up once more. Zilar was across from him with a shit-eating grin.

Jaune's eye twitched at that. He even has the Same. Goddamn. Grin too! Okay that's it, he's knocking that prick out, hard!

Jaune ran right at him, Zilar spin into a roundhouse kick with his left leg but right before his leg could even hit Jaune. He disappeared like he dropped down a hole.

Zilar looked darted his head back and forth looking for him, as he was searching for him a figure soar right out of his shadow with a right huge fist made of shadows and mostly flames right at him from behind.

"Gauntlet Eclipse!" Jaune cried as he delivers a fierce, spinning downward hand swinging of shadows and intense flames to the Zilar who didn't have time to dodge and slam him right into the area floor.

Taking the blow to the face when he turned his head around and being launched across the arena, he stopped himself from flying mid-flight and was skidding to a halt.

Shaking his head as he took a look at the screen to see his aura had dropped to 68% and Jaune's at 86%. That needs to be corrected, right now

Seeing him recover, Jaune wasn't about to let him get the chance attack! He jumped into his shadow once again to sneak attack him, Zilar was back on his feet but once he couldn't find Jaune he knew something was up. He bowed his head as he turned out everything and waited.

...

And waited

...

And waited

…

Until leaping out of his shadow was Jaune ready to deck him in the back of his head. Though this time he was ready for him as he turned around and jumped. Landing a flying side kick to Jaune's gut before he did something unthinkable.

He started to breakdance and with every movement, he literally was juggling Jaune in the air and inflicting pain on him at the same time before he kicked him high into the air. Landing on his two feet after that, he then spun around to give a spin kick right into Jaune's back as he was falling back to the floor and sending the blonde across the arena.

Ignoring the excruciating pain he was feeling all over himself but mostly his back from that spin kick, his aura already working on healing the damage. He stood up, Zilar ready to go for another bout.

"What's with you and kicking me?" Jaune asked with a flat look.

"I don't know man" Zilar shrugged as he sent back a ticked off look. " What's with you and smashing my face?" He retorted.

Both men were feeling anxious.

Before he knew it, Zilar already closed the distance and Jaune caught off-guard was about to be caught in the gut with a mighty left hook only for his shadow to rise up as a wall. Seeing that his hook was blocked Jaune tried to knee him in the gut only for him to cross his arms and block it. Zilar pushed Jaune off him, recovering quickly he spun out of the way of a follow-up right hook from Jaune's shield arm.

He didn't want to be kissing the shield's pile bunker any time soon. Jaune charging forward with a burning spin kick aimed at him, Zilar decided to take out one of his tricks out from his sleeves.

"Tempest-" Zilar then kick at very high speeds with his legs right at Jaune, sending out sharp compressed air blades towards the blonde. " -FANG!"

Wide eye staring at the blades of air, Jaune - who wasn't quick enough to change his body's trajectory mid attack, was vulnerable. So with that in mind, his semblance came to his aid, with a flick of his arm as he commanded it to form.

"Gate of Hell!" He roared as a wall of shadow formed in front of him and the compressed blades of air, the wall was much bigger than a normal one his shadows create. This one was also ten times stronger and thicker with a design of a three-headed dog snarling.

Jaune was gonna collide with the wall but instead, he used the wall to jump back from it and Zilar's attack. The blades of air crashed into his wall and barely, just barely destroyed it.

Landing back on the solid floor after seeing his gate destroyed brought Jaune two emotions relief and fear, seeing the damage that the blades could've inflicted on him if he didn't act fast enough.

'Sweet Oum on a cracker that could've killed me'. He thought, clearly forgetting for the moment, the fact that the match would stop the moment that his aura hit the red.

Zilar whistles at the gate that Jaune made, he also chuckled at seeing it destroyed. It was quite something to see it barely stop his Tempest Fang but in the end, it couldn't endure it. Though he has to give Jaune credit since it did protect him from his move.

As the smoke dissipates, Jaune was there, standing with his head bowed and his eyes away from everyone. Zilar's eyebrow raised as he could see shadows wafting off Jaune's form, unlike before where they were frantic and wild when he moved or attacked him, but now? They looked more peaceful, more tranquil, more… controlled.

With Jaune….

' Think more positive, no more negative thoughts or negative emotions. Think positive...' Jaune thought to himself as he felt the shadows around him started to calm down. Not wild or frantic, not craze or angry, No…. They were at peace.

Jaune thought of positive things to shut down his negative emotions, things like Lily, Rogue and to a lesser extent Stein. As this was happening, the power in Jaune's shadows weakened to an extent but at the same time, they became easier to use now.

None knew this besides his partner and his daughter that his semblance mostly reacts to his emotions. How he felt was what either made him strong and powerful or weak and more tactical.

Negative emotions and thoughts made the darkness, the shadows inside him stronger but at the cost of becoming too wild to control and losing himself. A raging berserker...

Positive emotions and thoughts made them weaker and yet tamer than before, he could control it with ease and efficiency. Thus allowing him to be more lethal in, More controlled moves like chess. A tranquil tactician.

Jaune chuckled as he brought his head up, Zilar stared as Jaune's body shook a little as the shadows around him weak and flux in a silent tame manner.

{ - cue TJ Combo (Back to Rise) from Killer Instincts - }

Zilar grunted as he landed on his knee a bit surprised at Jaune, recovering from his attack and retaliated with a series of quick strikes but to his dismay Jaune flow through them like the wind.

Right before Jaune was before him, ready to strike with Zilar ready to hit back, Jaune disappeared in a puff of black smoke as he re-appeared before him in a burst of speed. He looked to see Jaune on top of him, striking out quickly with a heavy right only to hit the air. Confusion on his face as he felt the wind shifted to his right as he side glances to see Jaune with his shield over his left hand as it's reared back at his right where was open.

"Lance-" behind his shield, Jaune's left hand had traces of shadow over its form as he extended his left hand forward in a stabbing motion right at Zilar's exposed right side. " - of Shadow!" Zilar moved from Jaune but wasn't able to completely dodge the blondes shadow spear, he was grazed as he held his side. He stared at Jaune, who merely gazed at him before he disappeared again.

This time Zilar was able to track him, not letting him surprise him again, he blocked a haymaker for his gut and returned a left hook to Jaune who took it to the chest. The blow sends him skidding back a bit, Zilar raised an eyebrow at seeing shadow cover his chest before dissipating.

Jaune raised his right hand as his shield lit a flame, he sweeps it at him to sent a torrent of flames at Zilar and leaped at him as well with his shield rearing for a solid blow. Zilar smashed his hands into the ground and actually ripped out a slate of it to block the flames before he brought his gauntlet up just in time to deflect the blow, countering with a punch to run Jaune through with his right gauntlet, forcing him to duck before rolling away.

Both men stared at each other. Zilar blinked before spinning to his back to catch a claw from his shadow. He grabbed it and tore it from the shadow to reveal Jaune as the one he was staring at fade away.

With Jaune's wrist in hand, Zilar proceeds to smash Jaune into the ground, before Jaune uses his shadows to create sharp thorns from his wrist down.

Zilar seeth from the pain of the thorns stabbing their way through his gauntlets before he had to let go of Jaune.

Jaune himself had a crash landing as he smashed into a wall, forming a crater. Shaking himself out of it, he saw that Zilar was gripping his hand in pain, this was a chance!

Jaune faded into the shadows, a disembodied shadow slithered towards Zilar. Zilar, who noticed the shadow after gripping his hand then tried to either bash or stomp on the shadow but it avoided his feet before he heard Jaune's voice echo from the shadow.

"Gate of Hell!"A wall rose from the shadow, forcing Zilar to jump back only to see another rise and another, and another before he was surrounded on all sides by the same wall. He was boxed in by the gates in a hexagon.

" Pandora's Box"

Zilar shook his head in disappointment. " Really? Boxing me in but not covering the top, where I could jump out from?" He questioned as he performs said action.

A black blur shot from one wall and axe kicked Zilar to the ground, denying him his freedom, he got off the ground as he turned his right and left to look for his opponents. He readied himself before a black blur shot out once again from the walls and struck him in the back, he tried to strike but he missed as it returned back to the walls.

This happened again and again, the black blur Jaune now that Zilar guessed was doing hit and run tactics by appearing from these walls and then striking him before he could see him and then returned to another wall to hide. Even with this happening and Zilar had a thought of breaking one of the gates but that was quickly thwarted since Jaune will either stopped him mid-attack or appeared from said wall he was going to destroy and attack him.

He was getting tired and frustrated from this until he had enough. He wasn't one to be boxed in like some kind of lab rat or mice!

Spinning in place on one leg as he held his knee up, Zilar began to pick up some wind. Jaune from the shadows watched this with confusion and curiosity.

' What is he doing? Is he plotting to attack again? He does know that won't work so why would-''

"Spinning Tempest Ring!" He roared as he released a huge blade of compressed air in a circle from the center of the box. Jaune's eyes widen to the size of golf balls before he separates himself from the shadows of his Gate of Hell quickly as Zilar's attack destroyed the box.

He stared at Jaune with a wild grin, one which somehow found its way onto Jaune face as well. Both men stared at each other before Jaune leap at his opponent, Zilar doing the same to meet him.

Jaune started with a wild left haymaker, but was easily blocked by Zilar, he threw some focused punches at the blonde. Jaune kept his guard up, after a few seconds of Zilar's pounding did Jaune found an opening in his opponent's attacks countered with a right punch to the face of his head. With Zilar disoriented, Jaune followed with a left jab, then a right he pushed him back with a solid kick to the solar plexus and gave him a devastating right uppercut.

His head rocking back from the uppercut, Zilar regain his bearing as and returned a savage right hook to Jaune's face downward. Jaune head bowing from the blow but he didn't hesitate to strike Zilar in the face in retaliation.

Soon it devolved into a fight of fisticuffs. Zilar brought a strike to Jaune's jaw but Jaune blocked it with his knee bad then made a grab for Zilar's head. Grasping it and then smashing his head against his with a harsh headbutt. Zilar worked through the pain and gave a sharp side kick to Jaune's side, making him grunt in pain.

Backing off, Jaune grunted feeling his ribs hurt even if his aura dealt with most of the hit, he could still feel it. Feeling his control slipping, he decides to let loose and release his control. The moment that he did shadows flowed around him like a blazing bonfire.

Zilar seeing his opponent release the floodgates as he wasn't the only one that was put off by the number of shadows coming off himself. He grinned as he dashed at his opponent with the intent to smack him down.

It seems Jaune had the same thought since he dashed at him as well, a grin present on his face.

The shield in his hand swung at him flames ablaze from its very core, quick and clean with intent to pierce his chest in a burst of flames. Bringing up his left gauntlet of Savage Eclipse, instantly there and parrying the shield away, he took one step forward and then struck with an uppercut to the jaw but the shadows at Jaune's control slithered up his body to form a protection to block it.

Seeing the attack fail, Jaune does another jab with his left fist at him and Zilar once again parries it away, but this time it was stronger than the first one and it caught him unprepared a bit, however it still far from making his guard down. Maneuvering his leg up, he deflects the attack with his greave only to spin and lash out with a spin kick to his face, bringing up his left forearm to block it with shadow forming a copy of his shield to lessen the blow.

This time with firm posture, he put all strength as he could to his hands and launch powerful thrust with his strike to Zilar's face with the intent to end it, but that was not the case.

The strike was powerful, stronger than any of his previous attacks, but even so, it's not supposed to be able to knock Jaune back but set him up for one that will.

Pushing him back as he spins in place the very motion parrying off Jaune's shield and set him up for one of his moves.

"Burst Fang!" he shouted, bringing up both of his fists together, he launches both of them right in Jaune's direction, from point-blank range with his shield away from use, tending to send a devastating shock wave in his opponent's direction. Only something different, from what Zilar knew, happened as his gauntlets glowed just as they made contact with Jaune's chest and shield. An explosive force happened as Jaune was sent packing away with a scorch mark on his clothes and a bit of his shield that he managed to bring up in the time.

Staring off from what he had just done and the end result of his technique, Zilar blinked at the what just happened. Freezing, as he could feel a small tug from his soul, and a slow trickle of his aura leading away from himself right into his gauntlets. The metal gauntlets that he wore and fought with were now glowing like a nightlight!

'What the hell?'

He stared at his forearm garped in his gauntlet, a beacon of light flickering off it. He remembered the feeling of when he struck Jaune and the massive strength he felt behind it.

Is this his semblance?

With Jaune, who was on the dealing side of the attack, he coughed as he got to his feet, staring at Zilar, he noticed the flickering light wafting off his forearm.

'What the hell was that?' Was the thought that raced through his mind as he played back what just happened; and came to the final conclusion that: that was probably Zilar's semblance and he finally brought it out... which is out the window due to the expression on Zilar's face which means that he just discovered his semblance just now.

This fight just got a whole lot difficult.

In the stands…

Watching the fight, the crowd were captivated and entertained by the fight between the two competitors while others took it in another way.

One of them is the same man from before that bore characteristics similar to Zilar, it was Argryos from before. He watched as his little brother fought against his opponent, this man was interesting. To not only match his little brother in terms of fisticuffs, he's tactical with his semblance and how he could use to tip the odds for himself. The only fault he could see is that he doesn't have much experience compared to Zilar, and yet... he's holding his own against him despite the handicap.

Looking upon the blonde who engaged and clashed with his brother, maybe Zilar was right?

"Hmmm…"

In the arena….

Both fists connected, sending a shockwave that rippled through the entire arena and produced a massive indent under the impact spot that broke the floor. Wasting no time, Zilar backed away only to throw himself in the air, flipped forward once, and dove down with a leg up for an axe kick, nearly hammering into his target as the blonde knight was forced to take a step back and avoid the lethal attack. The attack leaving a crater as he landed, Zilar spun his entire body into a roundhouse kick the moment his foot impacted the arena floor, that Jaune managed to deflect with a heavy strike of his own. The two then lunged forward, both of their them scraping against the other before stopping back to back. Jaune, however, used this to his advantage as he disappears only to reappear a moment later behind Zilar.

Zilar forgot he could perform that trick as he quickly turned around only to see nothing, confusing him before he turned around to see Jaune right smack in front of him with his hand stretched out. This caught him off guard.

Catching Zilar by surprise as he grabbed the man's face by his head, Jaune kept running forward. For everyone watching they were confused on why he would until they all saw familiar walls of onyx rise up from the ground. Wall after wall of Jaune's Gate of Hell rose, and that moment everyone watching understood what his plans were.

He was going to ram through them all using Zilar like a battering ram, head first.

"Rawwwwr" roaring as he smashed Zilar's head right into each gate, using him to smash a path through them all as he thrashes in his grip. Using both of his hands to try and pry his claw off his face.

After smashing through the second to last gate, Jaune then rears back and chucked Zilar though the last one.

"Gah!" He yelled feeling the harsh impact with back against the wall, bouncing off the ground, he flipped midair and landed back on his feet as he faces Jaune.

Only to see Jaune pull out his dagger/pistol and aimed it at him, both chambers turning as the lights turned cyan, signaling ice dust. Jaune fired shot after shot as he ran at Zilar, who immediately dodged to the rogue and left to avoid being hit.

He was doing a good job of it but sadly there still pieces of rubble from earlier on which he tripped on. A mistake Jaune quickly capitalizes on as he fired multiple shots pinning his legs as he got back up. Dashing at his opponent with his shield, Zilar got up as much as he could, feeding his semblance into his legs he broke free of his ice prison, but not in time to block a free hit from Jaune as he took a shot to his gut. He was hit hard by the blow as fire erupted from his gut, from the impact he felt as he was burned from the hit.

Jaune wasn't done yet as he rushed him once again. Quickly, Zilar planted his palm on Jaune's stomach. Jaune blinked a few times as he glanced down at his opponent's hand.

"Burst" Zilar murmured.

Immediately, a wave of intense light erupted from his palm, blasting the Streamer up into the air.

Landing on the ground, he swung his fist in a downward motion. Immediately, five pillars of light hit the ground in front of him before they shot at Jaune. Jaune didn't even have time to block with his shield before the barrage rammed into him. He was thrown off his feet, his other weapon flying from his grasp as he smashed into one of the walls of the arena.

With Jaune not getting up, everyone believed that Zilar had won, Lily gasped seeing Jaune not responsive but Rouge and Stein kept blank faces as they watched.

While Argryos stared, he scoffed at his previous thoughts since it looks like this Jaune Cali wasn't much if he was defeated by his little brother.

Everyone watching was glued to the screen, some not believing and some hoping that he gets back up to fight.

Though he looked unconscious, Jaune really wasn't, something was holding him back and he didn't know why?

Jaune looked around, where was he? he looked around, walking and walking but he never found anything. he kept walking until he saw something in the distance. The very remnant itself didn't know this man like he knew who he was, it might not know itself but he did. The memory of this figure was one that he knew the best from all, even if he did not know why. The blackish brown coat, the long blonde hair with the majority of it turning white with age, the white skin, the very presence of the figure all but shouted something at the Streamer that he didn't have the needed aspects to understand.

The black knight seemed to take no notice of the pitiful boy behind him; instead, he faced the wind his face turned slightly to show a stern expression upon his strong old features. He stood in the face of that wind and gave not an inch.

Something . . . Resonance within the streamer, or perhaps it echoed, in this strange world and in the face of the wind of flames and darkness there was no way to be sure. All that was certain was that he knew something, some connection that he didn't need to put into any kind of comprehensible manner, but which he knew none the less with an iron-hard certainty.

"Can you. . . Can you keep up with me Jaune?"

The words carried on the wind, words spoken with both scorn for the one they were spoken to and belief in the same person. He simply stood there and waited as the words registered with the boy.

"No . . . it's not 'can you keep up with me' . . ."

Again something ignited and resonated within him, but this time there was a reaction. The form that was crumbling suddenly firmed, limbs that were withering away tensed and moved, eyes that were dulling sharpened, fire roared through a body that was growing cold with death. A foot stepped forward and arms moved, cutting through the wind like giant claws.

"Can you surpass me!?"

[Vacou - Arena]

Zilar, seeing his opponent not getting back up begin to walk away and think about what he found in this fight. A worthy opponent who made this one the best fights he ever had, not to mention, what he was gifted in this fight. His semblance… the very aspect of his soul and himself, he finally gained it… the very thought made him smile, maybe now his sister won-.

"Where are you going?"

Zilar froze, slowly turning his head back to see Jaune standing once more. Fire burning in his eyes as he stared back at him defiantly.

"We're nowhere finished…" he said with a weary breathe, staring at him. Slipping back into a fighting stance as did Zilar, the two charged at each other.

Dad….

Both fighters clash once more, Zilar's semblance shaping around his feet as he shot off at breakneck speed.

Dad…. That was dad...

Jaune swung but he missed as Zilar was at his back, the shadow was surging up his legs and onto his back, Zilar eyes widen as spikes explode from his opponent back at him.

He didn't want me to reach him…

Zilar grunted as he slid back a bit before he surged once more against the streamer. Jaune once again managed to deflect the blow once more with his shield before the two entered a frenzy of strikes, each one sends a storm attacks so fast it was unseeable to the naked eye.

He wanted me to surpass him!

The ground beneath the two continues to crack with each destructive clash. Ending the lock, Zilar leaped back and the knight was surprised to see that Zilar's hand was glowing with radiant energy. Sending right into the ground, it sent a wave of energy that was similar to that of one of his own attacks.

"What the hell!?" the Jaune demanded as he cleaved through the attack and dispelled the energy with a claw made of shadows. Zilar then rushed forward at high speed and the hands connected and entered a lock between the two.

"Something I'd picked up from you buddy!" Zilar shouted as both fighters vanished from view at the speeds they were traveling at.

Impacts were heard and felt all across their battlefield as Zilar and Jaune both pressed the offensive. Earth was torn from the ground and impacts sent strong winds the blew through the hillside glades like a storm. When the rush down ended, Zilar and Jaune appeared on the ground not far from each other. Jaune spits out some blood while Zilar rubbed his jaw, getting the feeling back into it.

"Hey! Are ya getting real sick of this stalemate we have here too?! What do you say we finish this off?" Zilar called out, standing tall as he rolls his wrists around.

"Two final ultimate attacks launched at the same time?" Jaune called back, rolling his neck and shoulders with a raised eyebrow

"Strongest takes all," Zilar confirmed as he raised his shield arm.

Everyone watched as both drawn out the last of their aura for their final attacks.

Jaune was standing across from Zilar now, darkness swirling around him, but there was something different about him now. He could see his cold blue eyes from the darkness staring him down like a demon from the dark.

Zilar looked taken back but he grinned instead as he felt energy crackle to life around him as he faced the threat, all the energy of the storm.

Light spread out in a circle around Zilar, bursting with power from underneath him, a sharp, static energy that contrasted harshly with Jaune's darkness and shadows.

Both fighters were bathed in their element, to the audience it was like seeing the strength of light and darkness clash against one another.

One bathing in light while the other was drowning in shadows.

Zilar had his arms reared back while Jaune had his shield raised to the sky.

"Tyrant's Sin!" Jaune yelled as he clawed his shield downward at Zilar, a torrent of shadow and darkness in a slashing arc heading Zilar's way

"Heaven Tempest!" Zilar yelled as he thrust both his arms forward as he channels the bulk of the last remaining aura he had left, the shockwave of light that erupted from his fists was massive as it headed for Jaune.

Both attacks clashed in a confrontation of a huge pillar of light and dark.

The audience had to cover their eyes to block the smoke and dust from the collision of the contenders.

Two figures could be made out from the smoke. One on their knees and the other standing, when they came into view…

Jaune was on his knees while Zilar was left standing.

The audience was silent, on the edge of their seats to see who really won this match…

"Hehehe you're…. Pretty good… Cali.." Zilar commented, his hand resting on his chest. " I gotta admit that was one of the best fights I had yet…" he chuckled. " Honestly… I… would… like.." his body wobbling a bit, his vision becoming blurry. "to… fight you again…." Zilar collapsed and fell forward. "…..someday…"

Jaune looked at his opponent that fought him with such vigor and strength now on the floor…

He won…

Jaune chuckled, he was on his knees but...

He won…

Jaune couldn't help the scream that left his throat, adrenaline coursing through his body as he roared to the sky above with his head thrown back. This seemed to start something as the audience cheers exploded the stands.

Jaune couldn't say anything, his throat given out from everything that he's gone through. He tried to stand up, wobbling as he stood on his feet. He began to walk but he stops suddenly as he turned his gaze upon Zilar's body.

The man gave it his all in that match, while Jaune wasn't a battle junkie or feel his blood boil at the thought of a fight like Yang….or Raven, seriously that woman scares him. But besides all that he wasn't, he still holds respect towards Zilar. This guy was a great fighter and held his own against him, he even found his semblance because of this fight…

Jaune walked over to Zilar… tired and injured, Jaune bends down and lifted up Zilar's body as he threw one of Zilar's arms over him, and carried him off the arena. Oh, boy, was he gonna feel sore when he lies down, walking off the arena and into the halls. Jaune carried Zilar all the way to the competitor's room, where he gets where the other people in this fight are gonna be in.

Just as he was about to open the door it swung open as a beautiful woman emerged. Though the look in her eyes brought chills up in his spine and soul, she tore her eyes away from him making him slump a bit in relief. Her gaze was upon Zilar now as his head was facing downward, she shook her head at him.

"Zilar you fool…" she whispered to him before she turned her attention to Jaune. " I thank you for bringing him here." She said as Jaune waved her off.

" Don't mention it, he was my opponent and he fought hard; and well if anything, it's my way of thanking him.." he admitted, making her tilt her head at him, wanting to know his reason behind that. Thanking him? What does he mean by that?

"Thanking him? Could you elaborate on what you mean?" her amber eyes staring into his own sapphire ones, he licked his lips in nervousness.

"Uh… w-what I mean is…" she was coming very close into his personal space. Closing his eyes, he cleared his throat. " What I mean is… well… in our match, he was so…passionate as he fought against me." He started as he looked down at Zilar. "Damn well persistent too…" he whispered under his breath, away from her.

"I see…." Her eyes narrow at him, making him sweat a bit.

" When we clash more and more, I guess I couldn't help it but…." She tilted her head in wonder until he grins. "… I don't know if this sounds corny or not, but fighting against him, I felt a kinder spirit with Zilar, the respect I had for him grew each time he broke through my attacks, each time that he did his best to bring me down…Because of that, I couldn't help but want to fight him with the same passion. I didn't even realize what I was doing as we tried to beat each other into the ground… to be honest I didn't think that much of myself even before this tournament I got dragged into… I thought I was still weak… but.. heh heh…. I have this guy to thank for proving myself wrong." He said, smirking at Zilar, as did the woman, who looked at both him and Zilar with a blank expression.

"Hmmm..." the woman was silent as she considered his words. Jaune himself was a bit nervous, did he say something wrong? Why was it all quiet now? He would like to know considering he just fought with the same guy that he's currently carrying.

The day had been exhausting and took a lot out of him. Not to mention his aura had drained him of energy once his injuries had healed, as minor as they were. Though he does wonder what's this women's connection to Zilar.

"Uh… miss?" He asked, gaining her attention. She turned her head to him. "Uh… not to sound suspicious but what's your connection to this guy? Do you know him?" From the way she was talking about Zilar, it seemed like she had a history with him.

"But of course I do, what sister wouldn't know her own younger brother?" She said, making him blink. She's his older sister? oh…. ooh…. Jaune winced once he just realized that he's holding her brother, the same brother that he took out in their match…

"Ah… I see…." He said nervously while thinking that he may of created an enemy…when he defeated Zilar in their match.

If Zilar's sister thought the same thing then she didn't give much away as she looked at Jaune while in thought, she then turned her attention to her unconscious brother. "Brother, you idiot." She said, sighing as she took her brother away from Jaune, lifting one of his arms over her shoulder as she looked at Jaune.

"Jaune Cali, I thank you for bringing my brother here and for giving him such a gift." She said to him. Wait gift? What gift? He didn't give him anything during their match.

Seeing his confusion, she answered. " His semblance, thanks to you my brother finally has his semblance now." she smiled, Jaune blushed a bit. Her smiling really brought out her features such as the alluring glow of her amber eyes that shine like melted gold, She was beautiful. Realizing he was staring at her Jaune spoke.

" Oh! Um…. Well, I guess we're even then?" He chuckled. " He made me feel like I am getting stronger and he got his semblance." He said, which the woman agreed as it was a fair trade-off.

Though Lily decided to make herself known as Jaune's scroll began to go off. "Oh! Sorry about this." He walked away from her as he answers the call.

"*Papa!*" Jaune winced from Lily shouting through his scroll.

"Hey dear" Jaune chuckled at her demeanor and hearing his partners cries of agony. "What's up?"

" 'What's up?' That was amazing! Your fight against that silver guy-" "Zilar" "- whatever. Your fight was awesomely great!*" She cheered as Jaune couldn't help the smile that appeared on his face.

"First Lily, awesomely isn't a word. Second? I'm glad that you enjoyed my match." He said with a grin.

As Jaune was talking with his daughter, the woman stayed and watched the range of emotions and expressions that cross his face as he talked.

He interests her even more now…

'You certainly are interesting indeed, Jaune Cali...' she thought as she was knocked out of her thoughts as he turned to face her.

"Sorry about this but I have to go… " he said apologetically to which she waved off.

"No it's quite fine." She reprimanded him, making him chuckle nervously.

"Well I'll see you soon, miss…" he trailed off realizing he didn't knew or bothered to ask her for her name.

Seeing his worry, she spoke. "I am Zerrin, Zerrin Drachen." She introduced herself.

"Right…. I'll be seeing you soon miss Zerrin." Jaune said, recognizing the name as it was announced before his match with her brother.

"That you will, for we will meet again in combat. That I assure you, Jaune Cali" was all Jaune heard as he walked away, having his back turned to her he didn't see the smile that graces her face at the thought of them fighting each other.

'Oh great… I'm gonna have to fight her too if she passes the preliminaries…. and from our talk, she seemed very sure of her skills… just like Weiss and Yang….' Jaune let out a frown at the thought, he didn't need a reminder of Beacon Academy right now. Shaking the thoughts away, Jaune headed to where he's going to meet up with the others and his daughter.

[Beacon Academy – Team RWBY's dorm]

The room was silent as the current residents couldn't believe what they all saw.

"What….the….fuck… was that!?" Yang yelled as she couldn't comprehend what she just saw on the screen, she wasn't the only one as everyone in the room was speechless at the spectacle.

'Did….Did Arc really win? Against someone of the Drachen family!?' was the thoughts of one ice queen as she tried to comprehend the spectacle she just witnesses.

'What the fuck!? What the fuck!?' well you can guess who this is by the thoughts. 'How the hell did vomit boy get this good?' She thought, thinking back to the fight as Jaune fought on even standings with someone who was like herself.

'WOOOOOW! Jaune's gotten so cool!' thought Ruby as she watched her best friend fight way better than he was doing back at Beacon Academy, he was even fighting someone that looked stronger than himself. Ruby was both happy to see her friend and was giddy at seeing his weapons he has in action.

'Awww he didn't break any legs' you can tell who thoughts this was. ' Though fearless leader got stronger! He throttled that guy sooooo easily, like when he used him like a battering ram! Maybe we can do the same when he….gets….back…' at that point, Nora's feelings went downhill from happiness as she felt sadness now remembering how they treated Jaune… she felt a hand on her shoulder as she felt her emotions began to dull. She looked at Ren who was the same as he turned towards the screen with his own thoughts.

'Well... this makes it way up onto my list of things that I wasn't expecting when I was awakened by Nora today' thought Ren as he blinked seeing his former leader and friend fighting in a tournament about a kingdom away from Beacon, though he was content to know that he is in good health.

Weiss was still frozen as she took in the very thought of the fact that Jaune Arc (It's Cali but she didn't care) was able to beat someone of the Drachen family. ' What just...happened? How?! how was he able to beat Drachen?! His opponent may be one of the youngest but he was still powerful and yet he won against him, how? how?!' well Weiss was in a bit of conflicting denial at what she just saw.

'Amazing' Blake thought as she watched him fight with such vigor and strength he didn't possess before. ' and that semblance...' she couldn't help but find it uncanny how close it is towards hers, considering hers is creating shadow clones, cloning herself, because she wasn't emotionally strong enough to handle things. She would hide in shadows to hide away from her problems, and when that failed she would try to run away. However, unlike Jaune's, she could see that he could be more along the line of drowning himself in darkness to protect those he cares about...Unfortunately, as far as she knew, it's obviously not them... considering what they did.

'Jaune! Oh, how strong you've become... ' she thought happily, but that happiness soon turned into sadness. ' Much stronger than what I could've helped train you to be...If I hadn't acted the way that I did...' She thought in depression as she remembered how she reacted towards Jaune when he brought the truth of his transcripts to light and her harshly brusque reaction to the truth when he had told her his kept secret... one that she told the others which made everyone in both teams disgusted and loathe with; which forced him to leave them all behind and had crushed his embers of hope that he was hoping she would help keep burning. Sadly she did the opposite of what he wished for. 'It's all my fault...'

[Arc Manor]

The whole room was silent as the family took in what their son/brother had just accomplished.

'My son just defeated a member of the Drachen family... my son, Jaune, just defeated a member of the Drachen family from Atlas... my son just defeated a member of Drachen family, the same family that taught men like his father how to fight….' the same thought ran through her mind like a record going in a loop. She couldn't believe it, her own son, who before couldn't even take the training her daughters and his father when he was alive, was able to defeat a member of the great Drachen family by himself and on the same level.

'Jaune just won a fight against the younger brother of Argryos, when he couldn't even beat me or any of our sisters at all. Jaune, our little crybaby brother...' she couldn't believe what she just watched before her as her younger sister Blu bounced in her mother's lap energetic and happy seeing her brother winning. She couldn't believe it, thinking back to when he couldn't even finish any of their training regiment at the slightest but now he's suddenly able to fight on par with a Drachen.

"Jaune won! he won! he won! " Blu bounced happily in joy as she watched her brother win against the other guy. she was happy that she got a chance to see him win.

[RWBY's Dorm]

"I do believe we're all in shock of what we just watched Arc accomplished," Weiss stated, getting agreements from everyone.

"it's simply astonishing how he fought, he's gotten better in the three months he's been away. I say he's on our level now or even above." Ren theorizes, Blake and Pyrrha agreeing, Weiss was conflicted while Yang was all for it.

"Well, I don't mind if vomit boy is better. It just means that it'll be more of a fight when we find him and I get to deck him for making Ruby cry..." Yang said with a raised fist. "And besides that… I don't mind throwing down with him if he looks like that now." She purred at what she "hinted" at, making some of the girls blush as they could see Jaune's more defined muscles during his fight, Ren rolled his eyes.

"Yaaaaang!" Ruby whined, pulling her hood over her head as a blush took over her face as well with the rest.

Before when he was with them it was easy to call him scrawny when he had his loose jeans and hoodie on, but in form fitting black shirt hoodie and slim jeans, he was just lithe with a nice muscular body, almost like a swimmer build that just fits him perfectly. Ruby groaned, putting her head into one of the couch pillows, though felt odd over her sister's words.

"Very funny, Yang. If you do seek competition however then I would gladly face you instead since you couldn't be at the tournament to fight Jaune as you wish. As a sparring match, of course, that is." Pyrrha said with a sickly sweet smile, a malice aura gathering around her.

Now Yang was nervous. "I think I'll pass on that, Wonder Girl. I fear more for my hair and health than losing out on a chance to fight vomit boy in a tournament like that." She snickered nervously, she didn't want to die an early death by the invincible girl's hands….

"Pyrrha wanting to kill Yang aside…. Did any of you notice something strange about the fight?" Ren asked them as when he was watching he noticed a few oddities around Jaune himself.

"You mean how he was summoning fire? Or how he popped out of shadows like a ghost!?" Nora said acting like a ghost.

"You mean his use of shadows?" Blake dropped in her thoughts.

Ren nodded, as they all unlocked their semblance, all except for Jaune when he was with them but now it seems like he found it. It was strange and… dark, compared to what they were all expecting.

"It's… darker than what I thought it would be…" Blake said making everyone looked at her. " I mean we all know before that his aura was white and that his aura helped…"

[Vacouo]

Jaune was in the tournament infirmary after his fight with Zilar and talking with his sister, Zerrin... Jaune shuddered at the thought of fighting her as he saw one of her fights. She didn't give her opponent a chance at all to even move at all the moment the fight begun.

He was broken out of his thoughts by one of the nurses, a ferret faunus. "Mr. Cali, you're clear to leave now, though the tournament is still going on, you don't have to worry about fighting for the rest of the day." the nurse told him, he nodded as she left him to tend to other patients she had.

Jaune picked up his gear and his weapon as he walked out of the infirmary, he was soon greeted with Lily and Rouge surprisingly. "Lily? Partner? Why are you two here? And where is Stein?" he asked since he didn't see their fourth member as usual.

"That's the thing, he said that he had a surprise for us and he's taken your words to heart. He told the little one here to look for you and to wait for him in the stands." the little dragon said as Jaune rubbed his jaw in the thought of what the scientist has in store for them.

"Are we gonna see what surprise Uncle Stein is gonna show us, papa?" Lily asked, a bit giddy and in excitement, Jaune looked at her and he wished that he hadn't since there's no way he could say no now when she has the look of excitement on her face.

"Ugh... yeah," he said as she cheered while Rouge in her arms had the look of annoyance as he was swung back and forth in the lion faunus's arms.

"...I hate him. I hate him so much…" Rouge's eye twitched.

Jaune sweatdropped at the sight as the three walked through the hallways and towards the stands.

"Now let's give a welcome to an old legend. Faust, the Twin Blade Lotus!"

"Announcer said what now?" Jaune said in surprise, and he wasn't the only one as Lily looked in awe as a familiar face walked into the arena in a different attire.

Walking into the stadium was just like Luxio announce it was Faust, only he wasn't wearing his usual clothes that the others saw him in. This time he was wearing a yellow and black hoodie jacket with a pair of cat ears to stick out as decoration. His TWIN tails sticking out of the top of the back of a pair of black jeans, and on his feet, he wore a pair of black and yellow shoes with bladed tips that looked like claws. His hair reached down to his chin and his bangs were pushed to the side, with one over his right eye. Strapped across his back was his sheathed blades, with handles on both ends.

Faust's outfit had surprised Jaune, Lily, and Rouge, but the one thing that really drew their attention was the fact that he had faunas features like Lily!

"What... in the actual fuck…" muttered Jaune with disbelief as he stared at Stein with wide eyes, cursing in front of Lily as Rouge covered the girl's ears, all of them. he couldn't believe the fact that Faust was a faunus, how could he have hid that!?

"Huh…..looks like glasses had a few secrets" Rouge's gruff voices said as he looked at the man in the arena, it made sense to him now…. That and the smell of catnip coming from his lollipops.

Lily herself was amazed at seeing Faust in the arena in his cool outfit, she wondered how he hid his faunus features but decided she'll ask him later. For now, she'll act like a familiar red hooded figure we all know.

Raising one of his hands he pulls out his sucker as he looked at the crowd, He smirked as his tails sway behind him.

"Hmph… I guess this is a good time to knock off any rust on my skills" he said lazily, looking up at Jaune who was staring back at him. "That is what you wanted….right Jaune?"

What's this?! Stein's been holding out on Jaune and the others? Oh ho ho can't wait to see what happens next in the next chapter! hope you guys like, anyway I'm gonna take a small break for a milkshake and hop to work on Heroic Arc for those who's been waiting for an Update on it. Oh yeah! if you have an idea for a phantom, leave it in your reviews and here's the template once again.

Phantom: [name of the phantom.]

Abilities: [an original skill that they have.]

Attribute: [element it represents.]

Weak Point: [easy spot that causes damage to it.]

Elemental Weakness: [element its weak to].

Origin: [what its based on or what inspired it]

This is Speedy24 signing off, catch ya next time!

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