*Chomp*!
The monstrous jaws ensnared Jaunes' arm, their vice-like grip forbidding any chance of escape.
Anticipating agony, Jaune instinctively attempted to strike back, but he hesitated as a surprising realization dawned upon him.
No pain coursed through his body.
Intrigued, he couldn't react swiftly enough before the beowolf shook him vigorously in its jaws and flung him into a nearby tree.
Regaining his composure mid-air, Jaune managed a controlled landing. As he glanced at his arm, disbelief turned into certainty.
A faint, ethereal white glow enveloped his flesh, emitting a soft, radiant light.
Staring at this ethereal energy encasing his arm, a single word escaped his lips.
"Aura!"
In a mere instant, Jaune recognized his own oversight. Everything suddenly fell into place. What separated a transmigrate from an ordinary person?
Some may argue it was the transmigrates' knowledge of their previous world or their foreknowledge of future events, but the truth held a subtle distinction.
And Jaune had foolishly forgotten about it.
The answer lay in a cheat.
In every novel, manga, or show featuring a transmigrate, there existed a concept of a cheat. A metaphorical golden ticket.
These cheat-like abilities could assume various forms.
Systems bestowing overwhelming power, skills providing unparalleled advantages, or bloodlines granting immense strength.
The golden ticket, the advantage bestowed upon interlopers, was the source of envy. Jaune himself, being an interloper, possessed such an advantage.
While his advantage may not rival that of a sentient system, it was not to be dismissed as worthless.
Described as the light of the soul, Aura presented itself as a protective force field shielding its wielder from harm until depleted.
In the original universe of the show, RWBY, Aura served as the cornerstone for all Hunters. It augmented their physical abilities and could enhance various skills as well as a person's senses.
Proficient wielders could even develop an extra ability known as a semblance.
However, the denizens of this world lacked Aura. Their sole advantages over the grimm were their class skills and the ability to level up. While these attributes made them considerably stronger than their original counterparts, the creatures of grimm were likewise scaled up in strength.
Jaune, possessing abilities from both worlds, embodied a walking manifestation of a cheat.
With newfound clarity, understanding blossomed within Jaunes' mind. His Aura functioned akin to an undiscovered muscle.
With concentration, albeit with some difficulty as the energy slipped through his grasp like water, he managed to envelop himself in its embrace.
Yet, the grim creature before him allowed no respite or time for further refinement.
Perhaps due to heightened emotions triggered by his newfound Aura or the mere presence of his awakened power, the beowolf grew increasingly excited and restless, bounding through the forest with an unmatched ferocity.
Its snarling countenance exuded primal savagery and an insatiable thirst for blood as it lunged toward the young heir of the Arc lineage. Its jaws were wide open, threatening to consume him.
A flicker of trepidation passed through his eyes. He had awakened his Aura, but he found himself weaponless in this dire confrontation. Nevertheless, a fierce determination welled up within him, refusing to be stifled.
Time seemed to slow to a crawl as Jaune's instincts kicked into overdrive. With an agile sidestep, he narrowly avoided the creature's snapping jaws, feeling the rush of air brush against his skin. The beowolf's claws swiped through empty space, barely missing their mark, while Jaune assessed his options.
His mind raced, desperately searching for a strategy. The absence of a weapon left him vulnerable, and the beowolf sensed his momentary hesitation, growling with an air of triumph. But Jaune was not one to succumb easily.
With calculated movements, he danced around the frenzied onslaught of the creature, relying on agility and precise footwork to evade the razor-sharp claws. Each step felt like tiptoeing on a tightrope, the forest floor beneath him a treacherous battleground.
Jaunes' muscles burned with strain as he deflected a series of swipes with deftness, his trained reflexes guiding his actions. He knew that a single misstep could cost him dearly. His body became a canvas for the beowolfs' relentless assault, absorbing blow after blow with grim determination.
His Aura flickered, the ethereal glow struggling to maintain its shielding presence against the creature's relentless assault. Jaune could feel his energy waning, his reservoir of strength depleting with each passing moment. Yet, he refused to surrender to despair.
Summoning the last reserves of his resolve, Jaune mustered all his remaining strength for one final gambit. With a burst of speed, he launched himself into the air, twisting his body mid-flight. His legs extended outward, delivering a powerful kick to the beowolfs' snarling visage.
A moment of respite ensued as the creature recoiled, stunned by the unexpected strike. Jaune landed with a thud, pain shooting through his weary muscles. Sweat dripped down his forehead, his breathing labored and ragged. But he didn't allow himself to dwell on the ache or the exhaustion.
Knowing that time was of the essence, Jaune gathered his remaining energy and prepared himself for the next onslaught. Though unarmed and weary, he stood tall, ready to face the beast once more. The odds were stacked against him, but his unwavering determination burned brighter than ever.
The beast's recovery was swift, catching Jaune off guard, but he had prepared himself for this very moment. Aware that mere evasive maneuvers would only delay the inevitable, he made a daring decision, placing his life on the line and relying on the strength of his waning Aura.
Like an unstoppable force, Jaune met the creature's charge head-on, akin to a raging bull on a collision course. His diminishing Aura radiated with a faint brilliance, its protective glow a testament to his resolve.
With a surge of adrenaline coursing through his veins, Jaune sprang into action, deftly evading a swipe of the beowolfs' menacing claws. In a seamless motion, he twisted his body, using the creature's own momentum to vault himself onto its spiny back. Though uncomfortable, the spines lacked sharpness, sparing him from immediate injury.
Thinking swiftly and utilizing grace, not at all like a drunk ostrich attempting to breakdance and stand on its head while singing a Taylor Swift song, Jaune secured his position, wrapping his legs tightly around the beast's torso, effectively immobilizing its powerful arms.
The strategic maneuver strained the beowolfs' joints, leaving it trapped and unable to escape without risking serious injury.
However, this advantageous position came at a cost, as the creature's snapping jaws loomed perilously close to Jaunes' legs, threatening to clamp down with bone-crushing force. Undeterred by the impending danger, Jaune hatched a risky, audacious plan, driven by a sense of desperate determination.
Ignoring the absurdity of his actions, he threw both his arms around the beowolfs' gaping maw, his fading Aura radiating a protective barrier, shielding his flesh from the razor-sharp teeth. Aware that time was running out before his dwindling Aura would fail him, Jaune summoned every ounce of strength within him, channeling it into one final, desperate act.
With a surge of power, he exerted a tremendous force, aiming to pry the creature's jaws apart and deliver a brutal, devastating blow. Yet, the beast's vice-like grip only tightened, its jaws becoming an impenetrable fortress against Jaunes' assault.
The last vestiges of his Aura flickered, signaling its impending demise in a matter of seconds. An epiphany struck Jaune in the midst of this life-or-death struggle, prompting him to swiftly execute an alternate plan.
Quickly unraveling his legs from the beowolfs' torso, he pivoted his body, now fully facing the front of the creature. Caught off guard by this sudden shift in weight, the beowolf faltered, its own strength inadvertently working against it as it toppled to the ground, bewildered and disoriented.
Seizing this golden opportunity, Jaune capitalized on the confusion, jamming both his feet deep into the creature's agape jaws. Drawing upon the additional leverage, he unleashed a final surge of primal strength, tearing the beast's face asunder, ripping it into two distinct halves.
His Aura, having served its purpose, faded into oblivion, leaving Jaune drenched in sweat, but triumphant. The dying howls of the beowolf echoed through the air, serving as a testament to Jaunes' hard-fought victory.
He stepped back, observing with a mixture of satisfaction and awe as the beast disintegrated into shimmering particles, dissipating into nothingness. Fatigue washed over him, and he sank to the ground, taking a well-deserved moment to catch his breath.
Despite the grueling battle, Jaune couldn't help but flash a wry smile.
"Well... that was quite the pain in my ass," he quipped, a hint of amusement lacing his voice.
A subtle notification chimed in his mind, signaling a level up. The joy of victory intertwined with the satisfaction of progress, fueling Jaunes' determination to continue his journey.