Authors Notes At The Bottom.

A Hunters Pride
Chapter Four
The True Apex Predator

"Hmmm…I must say that that is a very interesting weapon that your apprentice has, Mr. Demor. Did he create it himself?"

Junior huffed and crossed his arms. "The kid is smart, but I made that. It cost a pretty Lien, and I fucked it up more times than I can count, but what you're looking at is the result of pure technological genius and ingenuity."

Glynda looked up from her scroll and the hidden cameras with unimpressed eyes. "I would appreciate it if you could watch you language, Mr. Xiong. If you're going to be teaching alongside me I will not tolerate such disrespectful words around the students."

He waved her off. "Oh please, get those kids alone and they'll say things ten times worse than anything I could ever think of."

She looked peeved and was about to speak but Ozpin beat her to the punch with a separate subject entirely. "You certainly have a talent for building weapons. A weapon with sixteen forms is nothing short of amazing. I must say that I am glad that you accepted my offer to come to Beacon."

Junior grinned and puffed up his chest. "At least my talents are recognized. Feels good. Hey, Alas-hey…you good man?"

Alastor had been quiet the entire time, staring at his Staff Scroll that Ozpin had given him and Junior. He was following his Apprentice through the forest using the cameras. Normally he'd leave him to his own devices, but something felt off. Very off. Every so often he would see something moving in the shadows around them. Stalking them like a true predator. Junior patted him on the shoulder and he jumped a little. "What is it, Junior?"

He held his hands up in defense. "Hey, sorry man, you were zoned out. What's the matter?" He knew Alastor and if something was able to grab his attention like that it was either really good or really bad. Given how he snapped a bit, it was more than likely the latter. Despite this, he looked back to his Scroll and spoke, garnering the attention of both Ozpin and Glynda. "Something…isn't right. Something is hunting Jaune and the girl."

Ozpin sipped from his mug and brought up the same cameras, deftly moving through recorded footage and saw what he was talking about. His eyes narrowed in confusion. "What…on Remnant is that?"

Alastor clenched his teeth. He was torn. On one hand, this wasn't anything like Jaune had ever faced before. It shouldn't even BE on Remnant to begin with! But…at the same time, he trusted his Apprentice to do the right thing. He had his partner and so long as he stayed alert he'd be able to counter the monster that stalked them. But still…the question remained…what was it doing HERE?! He looked to his right and saw Death in a state of confusion. He wouldn't have an answer for this one…

"Mr. Demor, do you know what this thing is?"

After glancing at Ozpin he looked back at his Scroll and went through footage again, finding a point where he could see the piercing blue eyes of the beast. Though it was a blur, when he looked closer he saw the gnarled teeth…the red scales that looked like pure muscle. He felt excitement and fear when he saw it. It was a formidable foe for veteran Hunters, and an impossible obstacle for a fledgling. He sighed and looked back at Ozpin. "I do. It's a dangerous monster. It's not a Grimm. It's something else. Rage given form. Its hunger is insatiable…it's…"

He looked back at the deadly blue eyes, surrounded by the abyss in the rest of its eyes.

"…Odogaron."

-X-X-X-

Jaune and Weiss continued to walk, dispatching any Grimm that was unlucky enough to cross their path. Jaune, though, for the life of him, couldn't shake the feeling that they were being watched. Every time he would try to catch it, it was nothing but a blur. It irritated him, but if Grimm were stalking them, they'd be able to deal with it no problem.

Weiss led them through the forest with what felt like a practiced ease. She was blissfully unaware that something was stalking them, but Jaune still kept his guard up. "So, what finally convinced your dad to let you come here?"

The Heiress kept her eyes looking in front as she spoke and weaved them through the trees. "Father, while not fond of my choice, believes that by coming here, I will grow to appreciate the thought of taking over the company instead of, as he puts it, 'Toiling away with the peons'."

Jaune grumbled as he rolled his eyes. He met Jacques when he met her, and the man left much to be desired as a person. "Yes, because sitting at a desk in some stuffy office is SO much better than being out in the fresh air killing monsters that plague the world. Ok…it might be safer, but seriously, this is where the fun is at!"

She giggled and they soon came to a large clearing, but still, the tip of the ruins they were meant to find was far off. Scattered around the clearing were small patches of flowers that looked beautiful in her opinion. "Indeed, though, with you as my partner, luckily I won't have to do too much heavy lifting. That labor is best left to the 'Peons'."

Jaune saw her look back and he caught the playful glint in her eyes and he couldn't help but smirk. "Oh no, princess, I don't think so. You're gonna be pulling your weight over the next four years!"

She sighed and put her hands up in mock defeat. "Oh…if you say so…what ever will I do with you…"

He chuckled and was about to run ahead of her, but stopped. He heard it…he heard the snapping of a twig. Something was close. Then he heard the rustle of grass being crushed beneath the feet of a giant. Acting in the heat of the moment, he swung Grimm's Fable from his back, turning and used it to block the rush of a great red beast. The monster bit down on the case with a growl, making Weiss turn and scream at the sight. Jaune was forced to release his hold on Grimm's Fable as the beast dashed passed him, screeching to a halt and turning slightly, like a wolf staring down its prey.

Jaune was sure of one thing. This beast was no Grimm. Though not the largest beast he's faced, it was large and lithe. If Jaune had to estimate, from the head, that still held his weapon, to the tail, this beast was at the very least twenty-three feet long. Jaune stared right into its deadly blue eyes that betrayed nothing but rage and hunger. On its clawed feet, he saw another set of retractable claws ready to tear into whatever flesh they could get to. Its skin looked like it was made of pure muscle-like material and its teeth were terrifying and mangled, as though its bite was designed by some force of nature to cause as much pain as it possibly could. Its tail was long and had so many bone-like protrusions that he couldn't count. Simply staring at the beast, he knew this thing had evolved for one simple purpose.

Kill.

Weiss had run to his side and had her sword drawn. There was panic in her eyes as her form trembled. Jaune wasn't as bad, but seeing this new enemy before him…seeing the pure hunger in its eyes…it set him on edge. "Jaune…what is this thing?!"

He grimaced, not knowing how to answer that question. He didn't know either. And now he was at a massive disadvantage. This thing had his weapon in its maw and while he knew how to project his aura into an attack, it wasn't that powerful. That and he still hadn't discovered his Semblance. "I…I don't know. But I don't think it's going to let us run. We need to get my weapon back and take this thing out!"

Before either of them could move, the Odogaron reared its head back and let loose a terrifyingly guttural roar that forced both of them to cover their ears. Luckily, the roar made the beast drop Grimm's Fable, but still, Jaune had no way of getting to it without going near the monster and he couldn't focus his thoughts enough to bring forth a weapon. He needed that keypad.

Before they were able to recover, the Odogaron charged. It crossed the expanse in what felt like the blink of an eye and went for what it felt was the easiest target first. Its retractable claws came out and it swiped at Weiss, but Jaune recovered just in the nick of time and grabbed her, dodging out of the way of the attack. Unfortunately, that wasn't enough, as right as they landed, the monster swung its tail out, flipping back and sending rocks and dirt at them while the tail itself smashed into the side of the Hunter-in-Training.

Jaune let out a scream of pain as he was sent flying away from Weiss, who rolled back slightly. Jaune recovered from his daze and stood slowly, noticing that its eyes were staring directly at him. It stalked around him, like wolf waiting for the right moment to strike. Weiss pushed herself up with a pain grunt as the blonde saw Grimm's Fable lying on the ground behind the Odogaron. "Weiss, I need you to get to my weapon! I'll distract it! Get there and put in Two-Eight-Seven-Six!"

Right as he finished, the beast charged once more, trying to bite down on Jaune, but he dodged through its front legs and focused his Aura as best he could, sending a punch to what he thought was its gut, but that only made it angrier as it jumped back and lunged forth once more with its claws. He barely dodged in time bit found the tail coming for him again out of the corner of his eye. He braced for impact and was sent flying once more. "Gah! Dammit! This thing is relentless!"

Weiss was already moving, using her Glyphs to skate across the ground at high speeds. She reached Grimm's Fable, but unfortunately it had fallen in such a manner that the keypad was on the ground. She sheathed Myrtenaster and tried to flip it over, but could barely get it to budge. She grunted, but didn't stop. "Of all the…ugh! Things that could happen!"

The Odogaron was once more upon Jaune with its mouth open wide. He focused his Aura in front of him and formed a barrier between him and the terrifying teeth, but with the strength that the beast bit down with, cracks started to form alarmingly fast. He used the momentary distraction to roll out of the way as the barrier broke and its face slammed into the ground. His small victory aside, the Odogaron recovered quickly and roared once more, making him fall to his knees.

This wasn't looking good for him or Weiss…

-X-X-X-

Junior was livid. They all saw the initial attack of the beast that Alastor called the Odogaron and all four sets of eyes were glued to their separate Scrolls. "We need to help them! This thing…it's not like normal Grimm!"

Alastor watched as his Apprentice was tossed around like a chew toy by the beast and grimaced. He knew how hard these things could hit. "It's not a Grimm at all. It's a monster, and a very dangerous one. An Odogaron is pure agility, power and rage. This thing…if it were any other person…this monster would kill them in a moment's notice."

Ozpin looked up for a moment his expression beyond curious. "What do you mean 'any other person'? Is Jaune Arc special?"

The Hunter nodded and never looked away from his Scroll. "The Odogaron hits with such speed and strength that I don't think anyone aside from Veteran Huntsmen or Huntresses would have the Aura to withstand it. Hunters can, because it's what we trained for…but this thing…it's not like Grimm. The Grimm are mindless. They're easy. This thing…it thinks. It plans. It has the mind of a pure, perfect killing machine. You thought Grimm were dangerous, Ozpin? Well…you have no idea. Jaune, though…he has the Aura to withstand it. Junior knows. After all, he's the one who unlocked it."

Junior nodded. "Yeah…tired the hell out of me too. But what about the others? If we don't go take care of this thing and it gets away, it could kill the rest of them."

Alastor held his hand up, getting everyone's attention and stopping everything. "No. As dangerous as I know this thing is, this is Jaune's hunt. This is Jaune's kill to make. I will not mar his pride as a Hunter. He has his partner and he has my training. He WILL come out on top. The Odogaron is an Apex Predator, built solely by nature to kill whatever it comes across…but Jaune. He's no simple meal. He's no Huntsman."

He looked back to his scroll, watching his roll out of the way of the monster as his barrier shattered.

"He's a Hunter."

-X-X-X-

Jaune dodged once more as he saw the tail coming for him. Weiss almost had his weapon standing and was sweating immensely. They would have to work on her strength over the next four years if they made it out alive.

Finally, with one last heave, Weiss got the insanely heavy case standing and looked at the keypad. "Ummm…oh yes! Two-Eight-Seven-Six!" She quickly put in the combination and turned to see Jaune dodge out of the way. "Jaune! I got it!"

He nodded and the Odogaron watched him keenly. It was tiring itself out, but the beast was sure that its prey was getting tired as well. It didn't take long for Jaune to notice that nothing was happening though. "Uh, Weiss?! What's going on?!"

She panicked and turned back around. "I put it in!"

The Blonde was forced to dodge an incoming swipe from the monster. "Did you hit the pound key?!"

She looked flustered and shouted out in irritation. "You didn't tell me to! I don't know how this thing works!"

She quickly hit the pound and the Grimm's Fable entered Tower Mode before it went to work. The hatch opened once more, but this time, instead of a show of blades, a long handle came out followed by what she was sure was a flow of the fluids that Jaune had mentioned.

He felt his armor react and turned to grab the handle that shot towards him mid-dodge. The moment the handle came in contact with the magnetic field, the fluids all shot towards him like lightning and immediately solidified while another handle shot out of Grimm's Fable. This weapon took the form of a massive lance with a large barrel at the end of it. There was a blade at the end as well, but it seemed more like a large bayonet more than anything else. It also had a revolving chamber that was filled with various types of Dust, having been moved with the nano-bots.

He grinned as the Odogaron reacted to this development violently. It tried to hit him with his tail flip again, but this time, he countered with a powerful, sundering slash that shattered a few of the bone-like protrusions on its tail, making it roar in pain ready to back off, until he pulled the trigger, revolving the chamber to Red Dust and an explosion rocked it so hard that it staggered back.

Jaune then reached back and caught the other handle that formed a shield that was large enough to cover his torso, all the way down to his thighs. His grin got wider as Weiss made her way over to him, watching the Odogaron shake and seethe with what she assumed was rage. They then saw lines appearing on its flesh like veins, glowing blood red as it released another terrifying roar. It then rushed them both with a speed even faster than before.

Jaune barely had time to block the strike of its claw and didn't have the time to counter as it leapt over both of them, spinning in midair and slamming its tail into both their backs. Weiss tried to create a wall of ice but the tail bashed through it like it was nothing. She let out a pained scream while Jaune picked himself up and looked to see that the monster had torn through her Aura like paper. The bones on its tail had cut her slightly and tore her dress, but so long as she stayed out of the fight, she should be fine.

He growled and watched as it charged it him, but he positioned his Modified Gunlance so that it was facing behind him and he charged up a shot it his Aura. "Blast Dash!" He let the shot go and the explosion sent him flying fast at the charging Odogaron. He held up his shield as the monster swiped, but he let go of it right as the beasts claws stuck, planting his feet into the shield and using it to launch himself high into the air, at the apex of his jump, he gained a hardened look and turned himself to face the monster who now looked up at him with rage and hunger. He positioned himself once more and took a deep breath. 'This is stupid and dangerous!'

"Blast Dash, Terminal Velocity!"

The explosion propelled him back towards the ground as he clenched the handle of the Gunlance in both of his hands, pointing it towards the ground. The Odogaron tried to swipe at him with its tail, but Jaune channeled his Aura once more into the barrel of the Gunlance, making it glow hot red as he closed in stabbing the tail, impaling it into the ground while at the same time, yelling out, "Dragon's Breath!"

The ground cratered from the gigantic, self-sustaining fireball that soon exploded, making the Odogaron fly back, flailing like a maniac as its tail wasn't just cut off, it was disintegrated from the blast. Weiss once more bore witness to a fireball of terrifying proportions as Jaune stood slowly in the gathering flames. His Aura protected him as he walked and picked up his shield. The flailing beast was up once more, though it was without its tail, thankfully. It charged him regardless of the damage it took and Jaune took up a more traditional stance he had learned from his Master and blocked the initial swipe before sidestepping out of the way of a feral bite. He jabbed at its head and made contact, drawing blood, though it did nothing but enrage the beast once more, and making it glow again and roar. Covering his ears, he saw Weiss trying to stand and fight. 'Dammit…this thing…we can't beat it! we need to get away!'

'But how…'

-X-X-X-

Alastor watched the impressive display of Hunter Arts that he had taught Jaune. He used them in such a way that they had pretty much become something else entirely. It took one massive attack to sever the Odogaron's tail, which impressed him, but he knew that Jaune seeing it get back up with no problem would demoralize him. Having never dealt with a beast of this magnitude, he was sure to feel the pressure.

Ozpin was shocked at the amount of power behind the weapons Jaune controlled while Junior was smiling with pride at the damage his creations could cause. "Hell yeah kid! Damn! You taught him some crazy shit, Alastor!"

He grinned in pride. "I taught him the Hunter Arts; he merely applied them in a manner that I never thought of. That's all him."

"Interesting…" Ozpin stared back and replayed the explosion a few times before taking a sip. "Perhaps you WOULD be better suited for Combat Class, Mr. Demor. Are you sure that you wouldn't want to switch with Mr. Xiong? I'm sure that other students could benefit well from skills such as these."

Alastor lost his smile and Death saw the rage boiling inside of him. A Hunter taught their skills to their Apprentices. Not to everyone who wanted to learn them. Alastor was a Weapons Master and taught pretty much everything he knew to Jaune. He put work into the boy because he had shown him something that the Hunter felt was worthwhile. Death knew why the rage was there. Ozpins suggestion would spit in the face of the Hunters efforts. He calmed himself, though. The Hunter knew that Ozpin wasn't aware of the way Hunters trained.

"No dice, Oz. Jaune is my only apprentice and honestly, with how he pulls the techniques, once more, it's only because he has such a massive Aura that he can do them like he does. Besides, even if the kids could learn, none of them have what he has."

Ozpin raised a brow at this and question the man. "And just what might that be?"

Alastor watched the screen of his Scroll, watching Jaune dodge and roll while attacking the Odogaron in between its attacks. "Jaune doesn't want to do this for money. He has plenty of it from Grimm's Fable. He's not doing it for fame. He never once gave people his name when he saved them. He always told them that the Hunters of Grimm's Fable are always there to help. Jaune does it because he's the same as me…"

He continued to watch as Jaune used his shield to block the bite of the monster, only to have it ripped from his grip and tossed away. "When I lost my family, I dedicated my life to making sure that no one ever feels that pain again. I wanted to be the reason they slept soundly at night. That's what he wants. He just wants the world to be safe. For Humans AND Faunus. He wants to be a Hero."

Ozpin hummed and sipped his cocoa. "Interesting, though I'm sure that there are others in the school that share the same philosophy. Skill such as these could benefit the Huntsmen and Huntress community as a whole."

Before Alastor could snap at the man, he was surprised when Glynda actually spoke up. "Sir, with all due respect, the relationship between a Master and an Apprentice is sacred. Their teachings aren't something that can be simply passed from person to person. If Mr. Demor says that Jaune is the only one worthy of these techniques…then in my professional opinion, Jaune should be the only one to learn them. Besides…with some of the students, I don't really think they need techniques this destructive."

Ozpin closed his eyes and sighed. "If you think so, Glynda. However, Mr. Demor, should you change your mind, I won't mind changing you over."

Alastor silently thanked the witch to himself and crossed his arms. "Don't hold your breath. Jaune is it."

-X-X-X-

"Fuck! Just How Tough Is This Thing?!"

Weiss was back on her feet, her Aura doing its best to heal her, but she stayed back, playing a more supportive role as she would randomly create spikes of ice beneath the beast when it would lunge for Jaune. While they never hit, they made it reposition itself so Jaune could strike it. "We need something big! Wait…I got it! Weiss! Can you get back to Grimm's Fable and put in Seven-Two-Two-Seven!"

She nodded and started to run, but then the monster turned its attention to her. Jaune hadn't expected this, as its attention had been on him the entire time. He grit his teeth and positioned himself for another dash, only this time, he had his shield in front of him. "Blast Dash!"

Shooting forward once more, the Odogaron didn't have the time to register what was happening as a massive blunt force slammed into its side. It roared and fell over; giving Weiss just enough time to get to Grimm's Fable and put in the code. With a mash of the pound button, the weapon in Jaune's hand liquefied before the magnetic field changed, making the fluid take the form of a massive silver blade that was easily longer than he was, but it was also incredibly wide. He acted quickly, as the Odogaron had yet to recover, and swung his Great Sword in a massive arc, using it to gather his Aura before he absorbed it all, intensifying it and shrouding his face in darkness, making his eyes glow almost red. "Lions Maw!"

He looked intimidating before he took a position and gathered the energy into his blade and reared back. "Brimstone…"

The Odogaron tried to rise to its feet, but Jaune had already begun his slash. "SLASH!"

The impact created another crater and Jaune fell to his knees, gasping for air as dirt and dust filled the air. He could feel it. His Aura was finally reaching its limit with so many Hunter Arts. He tried to stand, but his body refused to move. "Dammit…I overdid it…"

"Jaune!" Weiss came running through the dust and debris as fast as she could and tackled him out of the way as the Odogaron leapt through the vision-obscuring smoke. Jaune looked terrified at the sight. That didn't kill it?! No…it's not that…

He missed…

He groaned in pain as Weiss stood, Myrtenaster at the ready as she put herself between him and the monster. "Don't worry Jaune…we can get through this!"

The Odogaron looked as though it had gotten its second wind and Jaune was holding his side in pain. "Weiss…you need to get out of here!"

"I'm not leaving you!"

The moment she said that, it charged. She created a wall of ice to stop it but it barreled through like it had done with everything else. She prepared for the impact, but once it got close, something crazy happened.

There was a long and loud scream, followed by a pink and orange blur slamming into the Odogaron, and then there was a pink explosion that toppled it once more. The blast, though, also sent Jaune and Weiss flying back. Jaune, though, was caught and Weiss was able to right herself and land on her feet with stumble. "My apologies…Nora has a tendency to overdo things."

Jaune looked up to see a boy with long black hair with a pink strip in it. He had a small, friendly smile on his face and Jaune sighed with relief. He then heard another scream and looked to see a ginger girl in a skirt swing her massive hammer, slamming it into the jaw of the Odogaron before another explosion took place. He was impressed that this girl was keeping it down, but it wouldn't be long before it got back up. "Ren! I need help!" Jaune groaned and stood, albeit shakily. "We…ugh…we need a plan…and it needs to work perfectly…"

He fell to his knees, only to be supported by Weiss and the boy. "Nora and I will help if you'd like. If I'm being honest, you look like you kinda need it."

Jaune nodded and looked to see Grimm's Fable. "I have an idea, but if I use it, I won't be able to move. I'll need to have absolute focus. Can you two keep that thing busy?"

The boy smiled and from his sleeves came two small, green machine pistols with blades attached to them. "Leave it to us!"

He dashed in and Jaune looked at Weiss. "I need you…to get me to my weapon…"

She nodded and picked him up, supporting him with her shoulder as they circled around where Nora and Ren were keeping the Odogaron busy. They soon made it and Jaune took a moment to collect his thoughts. "What are you going to do?"

His breathing was heavy and he looked at the keypad. "As a Hunter I was trained in fourteen weapon types. The man who made my weapon, though, included two more, utilizing the earpieces that I have. The Zero Form and my weapons Final Form. To use either one I need absolute focus so it's not really practical for a fight. With them holding it off, though, I should be able to use it. I hope…"

He looked back and saw the beast was back on its feet and he groaned while Weiss supported him some more. "Alright…time to do this…"

-X-X-X-

"Holy shit he's going to actually use it?! Right now?!"

Junior looked stunned and slightly terrified. He looked at Alastor in a small panic. "Alastor, I know how you feel about this but this is getting too dangerous. This thing isn't stopping and Jaune is talking about using his weapons Final Form!"

Alastor grimaced and looked at the screen. The clearing they were in was in shambles. It looked like a true battlefield. But…

"I can't…"

Junior was in his face, grabbing him by the collar. "What do you mean you can't?! Grimm's Fable's Final Form could do some serious damage to him as he is right now! His mind is taxed from the fight! What if he can't handle it?! He'll be brain dead, don't you get it?!"

Ozpin looked wide eyed at that information. "I must agree with Mr. Xiong. If that weapon could do such a thing to Mr. Arc then this must end now."

Alastor grit his teeth and nearly crushed his Scroll. "No! I told Jaune that he has to believe in himself! That he needs to be confident in his own abilities! If he thinks he can do this then he can! I trust his judgement!"

Junior looked angry, but when he saw the look in his friends' eyes, he sighed and slowly let go of him. Ozpin, however, didn't feel the same. "Jaune Arc's weapon is incredibly dangerous to himself if this is causing this much concern. Perhaps, Mr. Xiong, when this is over, you should lock those dangerous forms away until we are certain he can use them without fear."

Alastor looked at Junior and he looked back at him, as if asking his permission. The Hunter nodded and the Broker and he looked back to Ozpin. "I'll make sure to lock them away. So long as he makes it out of this, that is. Damn…the twins are gonna be MAD!"

-X-X-X-

Jaune stood beside Grimm's Fable with Weiss supporting him, trying to collect his thoughts as best he could. It was hard, though. Here they were, two more people putting their lives on the line to help him beat this monster. It crept up in his mind more than he liked and no matter how much he tried to get rid of it, it crawled back. "Weiss…we can't wait anymore. Please…I'm going to take a seat, try to take the pain off my mind. Key it in please. Code Zero-Zero-Zero."

He slowly lowered himself from her grip and sat cross-legged, his eyes closed as he took deep breaths. Explosions rocked the air around him as Nora held up a relentless assault on the Odogaron, with Ren trying his best to maintain control with his weapons. Weiss, though, looked worried as she keyed in the code he told her. The moment she hit pound, the earpieces Jaune had lit up as Grimm's Fable hissed, releasing steam and making her back away. Jaune looked to be meditating as his weapon started to open up, revealing the massive amounts of liquids within the case.

He flinched as his armor flared its magnetic aura and the liquids reacted, moving through the air and spiraling around him. He opened his eyes slowly and stared at the form of the beast that was giving him so much trouble. In an instant, the fluids reacted and shot towards it, specific parts sharpening as it attempted to pierce the monsters flesh.

It was, once more, proving to be too fast, though. After an initial connection, the Odogaron dodged out of the way, only to be greeted once more by Nora's hammer. The resulting explosion staggered it and gave Jaune another chance. He focused his thoughts and surrounded it as best he could, trying to leave no room for error as he formed the liquid into needle-like blades and telling them to attack.

Nora and Ren backed off as the needles pierced the beast, forcing it to stop, but not go down. Jaune looked on with wide eyes as he was SURE that at least ONE of those had to be fatal. However, despite this, the Odogaron merely stared him down, its blue eyes betraying a deep rage, deeper than before. Its growl was low and menacing and Jaune could feel something wafting off it in waves. It was its pure and unwavering intent to kill. To destroy him and consume him. The fear crept into his mind and in that moment, that single second of wavering fortitude, the blades piercing the beast liquefied and oozed from the wounds they had made, returning to the case to hover in its personalized magnetic field.

The beast did not charge, though. It stared at Jaune and the blonde stared back with fear in his eyes. Weiss was worried for her partner and tried to shake him out of his stupor while Nora and Ren restarted their assault. This time, though, it proved fruitless. Though blood was certainly leaking from the beast, it seemed to be no more hindered than it had been before. Nora tried to hit it with her hammer, but in a show of speed, dexterity and sheer ferocity, it caught the long handle in its mouth and jumped while spinning down and slamming the ginger into the ground, forcing the air from her lungs and stunning her. Ren ran in and slashed at its legs before it could bite at Nora, but he was forced to focus his Aura into a barrier to block a ferocious bite that had him digging his feet into the ground, sweat beading on his forehead as his teeth clenched.

Weiss was in front of Jaune, her hands on his shoulders as she continued to shake him. "Jaune…Jaune! Snap out of it! We need you here with us! Come on!"

"We can't win…"

His voice was small and she almost didn't hear him. But she did. His voice was overtaken by fear, but at the moment, she wasn't having it. "Jaune, Ren and Nora are fighting that thing with us! We're all still here. We're not going anywhere. We can win…we just need you to stand and fight with us. I know…it's scary…terrifying…but we can beat it. Jaune…"

She pulled him into a hug, the sudden contact snapping him back to reality as he noticed what was happening. Nora was slowly recovering as Ren barely held back the Odogaron. Weiss was hugging him and Grimm's Fable was back in Tower Mode. "I…don't have enough Aura…even if we could…I'm exhausted…you guys should run. It wants me the most for some reason…I can distract it long enough for you three to get away."

Though he couldn't see her face, she shook her head into his shoulder as she gripped him tighter. "When we first met you told me about how your Master was training you to be a Hunter, not a Huntsman…you told me that if I ever needed your help then you'd be there for me. Well…I need your help now."

It was then that he felt something both icy cold and blazing hot at the same time. She pulled back with a small smile and held a hand over her chest. "It's not much…but I hope that my Aura can help you…please…"

Jaune stared at her and then looked down at the ground. He looked then to see the Odogaron batting around Ren and Nora like they were toys. He narrowed his eyes, looked at Weiss and nodded firmly. Slowly and shakily, he stood up, propping himself on his knee and taking a deep breath. "Weiss…Eight-Seven-Two-Four-Three-Three-Nine…please…"

She smiled softly and nodded, walking over to Grimm's Fable as Jaune stood up straighter. He heard the clicks of the keys pressing down and soon, the hiss of the hatch opening up. He took another breath and held out his hand, a handle now in his grasp and the liquid metal forming a long, thin blade that gave off a glint in the sunlight above. Though he was beyond exhausted from overusing his Aura and taxing his body with massive attacks, the embers of Weiss's own Aura burned in his chest. He focused it, moved it into the length of his blade, making it glow white, then yellow and finally red.

Slowly, he spread his legs into a deep and powerful stance, watching as the Odogaron batted away the two who were brave enough to face down such a beast. It did not bother with such meager meals, however. It turned and its hungry eyes fell on Jaune who had sweat pouring down his face, chest and back. He felt his grip slipping on his handle and noticed the edges of his vision blurring. "Come on…you MONSTER!"

Jaune clenched his teeth as the beast charged him, howling as it did. He denied his body the right to fall to the roar, though. He held his blade in front of him, focusing what he had left of his Aura into his arms and making a small gust of wind swirl around him as he flexed slightly.

The Odogaron closed in.

Hungry blue eyes met their determined blue counterparts.

"CRITICAL JUNCTURE!"

-X-X-X-

"By the Sapphire Star…"

Alastor smiled with pride as he saw his Apprentice do what many Hunters would consider the impossible. Sure, he had fought and killed Grimm, but to fight an Odogaron and…well needless to say, congratulations were in order for the young blonde.

"Mr. Demor, I would like to employ your services on this matter. Since you seem to know what that thing was, I hope I am right in assuming you know how to deal with such a beast."

Alastor kept his grin. "Sure thing, Oz. I'll take care of it for you. Damn…that…that's why I chose you Jaune…"

He felt a small, prideful tear welling up in his eye before he wiped it away and pocketed his scroll with a smile. "Hey, Junior…he's not gonna die from using so much Aura, is he?"

The Broker shook his head. "Nah, he'll just need some rest and a decent meal. I gotta say, he definitely earned it too. That thing was a monster and he sent it running with its tail between its legs! Well…what was left of it, anyway."

Alastor chuckled before something hit him. "Holy shit…I can make him a proper weapon!"

Junior looked peeved and crossed his arms. "What's that supposed to mean?!"

The Hunter patted him on the shoulder, his grin still in place. "Hunters use the corpses of our kills to harvest parts for weapons. It's a tradition that we use whatever we can to maintain a balance with nature. However, we left a majority of the corpse behind as tribute to the ecosystem so the scavengers could benefit from our kills. Don't worry, Junior. Once I take it down and get the chance to make something, the weapon is pretty much going to be a traditional piece. I'm just happy that my Apprentice will get to have one!"

Junior smiled a bit and nodded. "I gotcha, man. Just bring me what you need and plans. I'll get it made, no problem."

-X-X-X-

Ren and Nora both staggered over to the Heiress and Jaune. While they had little Aura left, the majority of it being shattered by the Odogaron, they were still able to stand for the most part. Jaune himself was passed out completely with Weiss having already put the code back in Grimm's Fable as she had seen him do, stowing his weapon back inside the case. She knelt beside him and had placed his head in her lap, not caring about the dirt that would surely stain her dress. As Ren got closer, he smiled lightly at the blonde. "I have to say, that was certainly impressive. But, I'll have to ask him if he can do that a bit sooner next time. Any longer and I'm pretty sure we'd be food."

Nora slammed her hand into his back, making him fall flat on his face without resistance. "We're alive, Renny! Who cares if it took a little longer than it REALLY should have? We live to eat another day!"

Weiss smiled at the two and then down to Jaune. Truly, the display was impressive. He had countered a feral bite from the monster and had taken its left eye as a result. He had almost made a pretty long, yet shallow gash along its side. After Jaune collapsed, they were sure they were done for until it roared and retreated.

Ren stood up and dusted himself off. "Of course. Now…I think its best we get out of here before that thing comes back. Nora, can you help me carry him?"

Weiss looked like she wanted to protest, but Nora smiled and put the blonde over her shoulder. "You need rest too, sister. Just follow us. We were near the ruins before we heard that AWESOME explosion. We'll make sure the both of you get there in one piece."

Ren was impressed that Nora was being as calm as she was, though he attributed it to being beaten into the ground by the beast from before. He walked up beside her and gave Weiss a smile. "We will, you have our word. He saved us, so allow us to return the favor."

He took Jaune from Nora, and the girl went to go pick up his weapon. It shocked her with how heavy it was at first, but it didn't change that she was able to lift it with little effort. Weiss followed behind them, her hand over her heart as she fought back tears. 'I need to get stronger…both of them came in and helped and Jaune made it run away. I…I barely did anything…I can't be a damsel in distress…I won't be!'

In that moment, her eyes hardened and she wiped away a tear that slipped through. Her decision was made. She would catch up to Jaune. She wouldn't be a damsel. She would be his partner.

On that, she swore her name as a Schnee.

-X-X-X-

The auditorium was filled to the brim as students sat in silence, waiting for the naming of the first-year teams. Ozpin stood in front of them all and cleared his throat. He spoke with authority as pictures of the people he called out appeared on the screen above the stage they all stood up. "Russel Thrush. Cardin Winchester. Dove Bronzewing. Sky Lark. The four of you retrieved the black bishop pieces. From this day forth, you will be known as Team CRDL (Cardinal), led by your own Cardin Winchester."

The four boys had smirks on their faces as they nodded and followed their new leader off of the stage. After this, four more took their places before Ozpin as he spoke. "Ruby Rose. Yang Xiao-Long. Melanie Malachite. Pyrrha Nikos. You four took up the white rook pieces. As of now, you will be known as Team MPYR (Imperial). Though, tradition typically states that the first to be named in the team is the Team Leader, in this situation I will be breaking tradition and naming Ruby Rose Team Leader."

The young girl looked stunned as her sister shook her happily, walking her off the stage and leading her to the side so she could congratulate her. Four more took their place and Ozpin continued. "Blake Belladonna. Miltia Malachite. Brazz Gust. Rust Thistle. You all collected the black rook pieces and as such, you will be known as Team MBBR (Ember), led by Miltia Malachite."

The four of them bowed before Ozpin and made their way off the stage to make way for the three that took their place. It was known throughout the school that during Initiation, there was a student that had fought so hard that he burned through his Aura and knocked himself out and has been out for the last day. Some romanticized it, claiming he did it to protect the one he loved, while others said he was being a show off and got carried away. Others simply didn't believe it. "Weiss Schnee. Lie Ren. Nora Valkyrie. Jaune Arc. Though one of you is currently indisposed, the four of you collected the black knight pieces…" Nora frowned. She had wanted the castle…

"You four, once Mr. Arc has recovered, will be known as Team SNRA (Sangria). You will be led by Weiss Schness."

Weiss was stunned. She was actually frozen in place and stared at the Headmaster in shock. Ren and Nora both picked her up and walked her off the stage before setting her down. She stared at the other teams as they walked away, making their way to the infirmary as Ozpin named off the other teams. She didn't understand. This was what she had wanted. What she had trained for. But…

Why did it feel wrong?

-X-X-X-

Alastor sat at his Apprentice's bedside as Death hovered over him. "Man, you looming like that is gonna make me think he's gonna die. He's…not gonna die…right?"

Death shook his head and hovered lower, taking a position where he seemed to be sitting. "No. If anything, his Aura should come back even stronger than before. Though, he must learn to control it. He is a lot like you, in the sense that he has much power, but cannot completely control it. He wastes a lot of it, in fact. Though, that will come in time. What of you? It has been some time since you used my Scythe in combat and I'm unsure as to whether or not you're rusty. Was the Odogaron a challenge?"

The Hunter scoffed and released his hold on Deaths Scythe, letting it disappear from the world of the living to rejoin her master. "Hardly. I've fought more of those beasts than I can count. They're an invasive species that has a tendency to slip into other ecosystems, much like the World Eater. Though, I have to give credit for a lot of it to Jaune. He did some major damage, even if he didn't kill it. Also, thank you for transporting the corpse to Junior's warehouse. I know you didn't have to."

Death didn't speak for a moment, his skull betraying no emotion before he coughed into his bony hand. "Y-yes…well. You're welcome. I couldn't leave something like that lying around. Gods only know what would happen if a Grimm ate something with so much power."

"…"

"Alastor…"

"You're wondering too. Aren't you?"

The Reaper nodded and looked out the window, seeing the sun high in the sky. "There is no way that something such as that should be in this world. I have a bad feeling about what it may imply."

Alastor looked at Death with curiosity in his eyes. "And what is that?"

Normally, a few years back, the Reaper would deny him knowledge such as this, but over time, he became something of a gossiper with his Agent. "This could mean that the Agent of Chaos knows you are here. It is also possible that her governing deity granted her certain abilities. One of those could very well be the power to pull creatures such as that Odogaron into this world. This could be very bad for the Huntsmen and Huntresses. It means that her power is stifling. With Grimm already here, the introduction of monsters from your world could upset the already fragile balance this world teeters on."

The Hunter shut his eyes and clenched a solemn fist. "Then it's best that I help Ozpin take care of this Salem chick, and then go after the Agent of Chaos."

Death nodded. "Yes, that seems to be the best plan. Help the Agent of Order and then have him help you take care of the Agent of Chaos. After all, Order and Chaos are sworn enemies, or at least the Gods are."

Alastor hummed, but before he could reply, the door opened to reveal his Apprentice's new team. He smiled and stood up, dusty off the shoulder of his leather jacket. "Ah, Team SNRA! Come to see Jaune, have you? Well, I'll leave you to it. He's still resting, so keep it down. If he wakes up, make sure he gets some food, ok Team Lead?"

Weiss smiled at the form of Jaune sleeping and nodded as the Hunter passed her. Before he could leave the room, though, she turned to face his back. "Mr. Demor…"

He stopped, turning and giving her a grin. "Don't. You'll do fine, ya hear? Jaune doesn't care about that leadership crap anyways. Besides, behind every leader is a strong second-in-command. Remember that. Don't go thinking you aren't strong enough. MAKE yourself strong enough."

She nodded, but that only made him turn around completely to face her, crossing his arms with a smirk. "Uh-uh, girl. I wanna hear it from your lips. What're you gonna do?"

She stole a glance at the blonde behind her, both Ren and Nora flanking him and joking around. "I will get stronger. As a Schnee, I promise that I will become strong enough to call myself worthy of leading them."

He got a look of surprise in his eyes before chuckling. "Uh…yeah…you related to Winter Schnee by chance?"

Weiss leveled a playful glare at the Hunter turned Teacher and crossed her arms haughtily. "She's my sister and I would appreciate it if you would apologize to her. The paperwork she was left with was to be split evenly among the both of you and she was left to debrief General Ironwood on her own!"

He scratched the back of his head and nodded. "I'll send a message to Ironwood to give her my apolo-…"

"That won't do. I will contact her myself so you can apologize properly."

Alastor rolled his eyes with a smile and turned around. "Whatever you say, Snowball."

The door closed before she could really go on about how her name was not Snowball and she sighed, turning to face her team. Ren was keeping Nora from jumping on Jaune in order to wake him up and she sighed once more. She certainly had her work cut out for her, but…hopefully with Jaune's help; she would be able to get stronger.

She sat in a chair at the end of his bed and thought back to how she was before she met him. How would she be now? Sure, she retained her regal demeanor and serious attitude, but his influence in her was definitely present. Winter had noticed it only weeks after he had left Atlas. She wasn't as stiff. She joked more. Smiled more.

She smiled at that simple thought as she stared at his peaceful face. The peace didn't last very long before the door burst open and in came the Malachite Twins, followed by their respective teams. The two jumped onto the bed, with Melanie begging for him to wake up while Miltia cried animatedly into his chest. Weiss, though, was too stunned to register what was actually happening until she heard Jaune scream out, yelling for them to get off of him. She jumped up and was by his head, sighing when she realized that he was ok and smiling, albeit painfully, considering the two twin missiles he was hit by in his weakened state.

She smiled and took her seat once more. She would let the others see him. After all, she was his leader.

She had four years of the boy all to herself.

END:

I do hope that this chapter was to everyone's enjoyment. I tried a few things in this chapter that I hope showed where Jaune sat in terms of skill and power. Plus, I really love Odogaron. He's pretty much my favorite monster that was introduced in World. It's always a tie between him and Vaal Hazak. I would like to thank…

TheXIIIth

Who I am assuming is a guest since I can't click on his/her name. But thank you for the idea to integrate Hunter Arts into the fighting styles. While that may not have been your full intention, it is an idea that I attribute to you, so thank you. Also, another thanks to…

Artyom-Dreizehn

For his history lesson on the MH world. I was never one really for the lore, but the way he described it, makes it sound interesting. Plus, it gives me more ideas for side stories from the main storyline.

Anyways, please continue to enjoy the story and don't hesitate to say what you want in terms of weapon variants. The weapons, while they have basic forms, can be programed with sub-functions, through the use of Dust. Though there hasn't been much mention of Dust usage, only Aura so far, he will start to dig deeper into his arsenal as the challenges start to rack up against him. Also, any monster you would like to see the cast fight? Elder Dragons you want to see later on? Feel free to suggest whatever you want and I will most definitely read it. I read every review you readers write and take all things into consideration. If you feel as though I could improve, by all means, please say something. Anyways, that does it! Until next time!

Elemental Shadow Out!