"Mr. Solus, thank you for joining us."
Of course, like you would ever pass up the chance for extra training.
"Yes. Students, as you know this is an elective combat training course. Some of you are here to learn something new while others are here as a refresher course."
Proffesor Goodwitch continued.
"In order to evaluate what each of you know we share start with the basics for the first three months. Each month we will practice something different before moving on to each of your specialized styles."
She pointed at the board.
"This month we will be learning about unarmed combat. Everything from stances to the body. Now we shall start with some warm-up exercises."
While everyone exercised Goodwitch explained weak points in the body to target and where to look to predict your opponents next attack.
After the warm-up were more practical lessons. Footwork, how to use your whole body into an attack, different fighting styles.
Ms. Goodwitch was a really good teacher and Mordin felt he was learning a lot. Some of this stuff could even be used when he used his sword, at least in helping him dodge attacks.
Class ended with some light sparing to practice what they had learned. Mordin felt it was a little easy, most of them weren't as fast or as strong as Yang, but he felt good about the spar anyway.
He couldn't wait to come back tomorrow.This month we will be taking this class outside. A Huntsman greatest ability is his speed and endurance. Every attack we take strains our aura and leaves us with less for the rest of the fight."
"That means that the best things for a Hunter to learn is how to not get hit and how to keep fighting. Most grimm attack in hordes so you must be prepared. A tired Hunter, is a dead Hunter."
And so training began. Each day they would run a gauntlet in the woods before returning for sparing lessons. One person will be allowed to attack while the other could only dodge.
Using the lessons from last month most students were fairly successful. The Proffesor expanded on her lessons and taught them about parrying and redirecting attacks, to use their opponents strength against them.
Mordin was equal to the others at this. None could truly harm him but he couldn't always tag them, at least without using his domain.
At the end of the week they would take a trip to Vale and practice the art of Freerunning. Mordin enjoyed this the most. The feeling of the wind on his face as he ran, overcoming any obstacle, never stopping, was this feeling Freedom?
Mordin didn't know but he didn't truly care anyway. He became skilled in using Taily to his advantage, increasing its strength to the point where he could use it as another arm to move around. Maybe he could arm Taily with one of his swords one day?
As the students advanced they became faster, stronger, more skilled as the lessons became ingrained into their reflexes.
Matches soon became rounds of attack and counter attack with who ever made a mistake first losing, usually painfully.
And so another month passed.
Go Back
Before you had walked all the way up here, you had visited the armory. You had taken out your new key card and unlocked the doors surprisingly easily.
This wasn't a good security system, you had thought. Good thing you were prepared for any attack or you would have been hit by the sudden hail of fire that came at you.
Whoever had shot at you, they were extremely inaccurate. Looking around, you spotted what had shot at you. It was some sort of trap, it appeared it was set to trigger as soon as someone opened the door.
With that taken care of, you proceed to look through the room. Sadly, it seemed like almost everything was taken. Spending a few minutes to look around, you do find something, namely, a spare uniform in your size.
It has a little sticker with flowers and a name tag that reads "Pals For Life", it even has a nice hat.
Aside from that, you also find-
Oh My God, He Just Ran In
Thinking on it, you decide that you've wasted enough time as it is, so, going through them is the best option for you.
Still, you think a distraction would be very useful. While most of the uniformed men seem too weak to hurt you, it doesn't hurt to give yourself a few more seconds to knock more of them out.
Having chosen a good idea, you quickly put on the hat you found and switch your clothes with the uniform you found not too long ago. Disguise set, you turn the peek around the corner just to get everyone's position once more.
With updated information, you charge forward yelling "Palls For Life!!" all along the way.
Not expecting someone to do exactly what you just did, most of the men just sit there dumbfounded. As you run, you make sure to pick up and hurl as many people as you can against the nearby walls. Approaching the center, you count 20 people that you've already disabled. Sadly, as you aim for number 21, the man from before appears before you. With a swing of his sword, you're forced to retreat or lose your head.
Landing from your back flip, you draw your sword and take note of the fact that he slowed down enough to give his subordinate enough time to dodge your attack and join the others.
"What the shit do we have now! I'm getting sick of these damn intruders in our damn building! MEN! FIRE!" He barks out and prepares to charge you.
You angle your sword in such a way that you bounce a bullet off your sword and ricochet them back towards the ones before you. The sound of sparks and grinding metal fills the air and is soon followed by the pained screams of those unlucky enough to be hit.
"John! John! are you alright?" one of the men says as he kneels by someone that was hit on the leg.
Similar concerns are shown by the other men.
"All of you, stand back! I'll deal with him, though, if any of you have a good shot, you better take it!" He yells and walks forward.
Taking up your usual stance, you quickly analyze him.
He uses what appears to be a single-edged sword and is lightly armored. Perhaps he has a strong aura? His confidence also suggests a large amount of experience.
As you observe him, you see that he is doing the same.
"Little intruder, what are you doing here? You must be like what, thirteen years old? Why don't you just turn around and leave?" He asks.
As you open your mouth to respond, he strikes. Having never been attacked while talking, it surprises you a bit. Really, who attacks another person right before they respond?
He's fast, faster than you if you hadn't been using your time domain, still, you're faster. Growing a tentacle, you put it in the way of his swing. Not expecting a tentacle to grow out of your arm, he gets his face covered in its blood.
Being blinded by the blood, you take this great opportunity to strike.
With his sight lost, he struggles greatly in trying to dodge. Too bad for him that you won't allow him to escape.
Your sword speeds through the air and hits his unguarded side like a truck. His lungs empty and he is soon launched towards the nearby wall. He should be able to survive that, aura can really be quite useful at times, allowing someone to take a single hit as long as it isn't immensely powerful.
His men stare slack-jawed and a couple quickly race towards the wall he crashed into.
Hmm, you seem to be quite good at smashing people into walls.
As the dust settles, you see that the man is perfectly fine. He must have a very strong aura.
"Not bad, guess that means I have to get serious then." He says taking an odd stance.
Was he holding back?
"Of course, I was just testing the waters as it were. But really, this is your last chance, kid. Run home or I'll end you now." He says still in his stance.
Jaune was waiting for Pyrrha in a secluded place. It was almost time for secret training. He could not believe how helpful she was. He had such a good friend in his team. Especially Pyrrha. He was aware that he was weak compared to even worst hunters here. Not mentioning true talents like Ruby, Weiss, Pyrrha, or Mordin. Well, he was not that bad compared to Mordin swordsmanship. It kind of reminded his level, but Mordin was much stronger and quicker. Yes, there was hope no matter what he WILL be a hunter. His head would regret that he was too deep in thoughts to keep attention to surroundings.
There was only blackness.
"Hello there."
Jaune groaned.
"The name is Yang. I am Ruby's awesome older sister."
"Did anyone write down the number of the person who hit me?"
"You gets knocked out and the first thing you do after is asking for a number of the person you just met? Gutsy, but I did sweep you off your feet." Yang said with a radiant smile.
"Huh? You hit me?"
"Yes, I did!"
"Why?"
"I was concerned. Why are you here?"
"What?"
"Why are you here?"
"...Like you to learn how to be a hunter?" Jaune looked at her confused.
"You are weak, your swordsmanship is as bad as Mordin and you are not sharpest tool around. WHY are you in beacon?" Yang glared at him.
"You just said there are people as bad as me here."
"Yes Mordin swordsmanship sucks, but he is quicker and stronger than most students here. My sis told me he and his partner killed Deathstalker on their own."
"Really?"
"Really, so why are you here?"
"To get better."
"What combat school you graduated?"
"Emm Valeeeecombatschool?" Jaune said in an uncertain voice. Quite high-pitched due to a spiral of panic his brain was experiencing now. Yang just gave him a flat look. Something was not right. Why did he avoid answering that question?
"Did you passed entrance exams?"
"Did I pass what?" Jaune asked shocked.
"Entrance exams for people from other places."
"There are entrance exams?" Yang stopped her hand from facepalming.
"So you did not take them. Did you get an invitation?"
"Yes. Yes, I did."
"From who?"
"... em girl named... Ember Drop! From Atlas!"
"So why are you not in Atlas?"
"... Emmm."
"I do not believe you got here legally."
Jaune mind screamed 'SHE KNOWS!' in a totally manly way, not like a frightened little girl. The most logical part of his brain screamed 'Damage control. DAMAGE CONTROL.'. Another more insane part thought 'Abandon ship'. Followed by most insane ones 'Shiping is forever. PxJ OTP. Arcos FTW!', 'Lancaster is better.', 'You and your waifu's wars.', 'Archester?', ' You are sick bro.', 'Mario brothers? ', '...I do not know this one. Oh God. OxP? I need mind bleach now.', but those odd and quite insane thoughts are not important to the story.
"I had to if they did know I have no previous experience they would not let me in. Well, maybe they would if I passed exams, but I did not know about them, so I risked it." Jaune started talking.
"If you did not get better through combat school you probably will not get better here, so getting your family to buy you entrance will probably just get you killed...." Yang said at the same time. It took her a few seconds to process what Jaune said.
"Wait you did not even graduate combat school?"
"Emmm." Jaune sheepishly scratched his neck.
Yang hand met her face and was just standing there.
"Jaune sorry to keep you wai...ting?" Said a new voice.
"No, you can not be here. Fighting Grimm is not a child play. People die if they are killed by Grimm!"
"I am ready to risk my neck."
"Your neck is going to be broken in that case. It is even worse than Cardin thought. I must stop you. Ruby would be devastated if her friend gets torn to tiny golden shreds."
"I just have to get better and everything will be fine!"
"Can you even get better?"
"I believe he can."
Yang and Jaune stared at Pyrrha.
"I firmly believe that he can." Champion said. They looked at each other in the eyes. Yang was the first to break eye contact.
"Ok. Jaune blocks this, if not you going home." Yang said activating her gauntlets and shooting him.
[Jaune dice Roll: 100. Crit die: 100. Crits crit die: 70]
And he stood his ground unshaken by it. Yang gaped.
"Semblance?" Pyrrha asked.
"Gesundheit." Jaune answered.
Pyrrha and Yang looked at him after a few seconds they giggled.
"I guess I lost."
"So I am safe?"
"No, but you got a reward." She wrote something. "Here you go."
"What's this?"
"My phone number. Red here should help you with your swords. I am better at handling hand to hand combat. With Ruby, I can not let you just die and I was moved how you focused on asking for a date. You got much to learn and with Cardin believing you bought your way into Beacon you better learn fast. Will see you around Pukey." Yang left.
Jaune looked at the memo he was holding. He was saved. It was close, but he survived it.
"Yes, Jaune. You got much to learn and you have so little time." Jaune senses were screaming in terror. "Lets up the difficulty level shall we?" Pyrrha asked looking at memo he was holding.
"Pyrrha can we talk about it?" Jaune pocketed the memo.
"No."
"He is quite bad. I talked him into training together."
"What for you did it?" Cardin asked.
"To check if he really bought his way in."
"You think he is stupid enough to confess?"
"You thought he might just have rare semblance?"
"I have a hard time to buy he got a special one."
"Oh? Actually, what is your semblance, Cardin?"
"Is that important Yang?"