Corvid [RWBY/Naruto]

Chapter 4 – Teacher


“Weiss Schnee, Jaune Arc, Lie Ren, Nora Valkyrie, the four of you retrieved the ‘white knight’ pieces. Going forward, you will work together as, Team Watermelon. Lead by Weiss Schnee.”

Weiss looks over at him in shock.

“Congratulations young lady, fine work.”

“And finally. Ruby Rose, Pyrrha Nikos, Blake Belladonna and Yang Xiao Long. The four of you retrieved the ‘white rook’ pieces. From now on you will work together as team Raspberry. Lead by Ruby Rose.”

He steps back onto the forefront of the stage, the new teams arrayed behind him.

“This year is going to be an ‘interesting’ year.

My sisters are finally on the pathway to their dreams.

Gods help us all.

I resisted the urge to go and visit them to congratulate them in their dorm last night. I think the headmaster is right, I need to find a way to step back and let them breathe a bit. Not distancing myself, but just being available for them rather than stifling them. I just sent them a scroll message instead.

It was so easy when I was out on mission with Qrow. Out of sight and out of mind was how I dealt with leaving Sasuke to his own devices back in Konoha too. Compartmentalization was a key skill for ANBU. But being back at home it feels like I should make up for lost time.

Like I never did for Sasuke.

Instead I need to finish prep for this afternoon’s lesson.

How did I let Ozpin talk me into becoming a teacher. Sure back before the massacre I would have loved to have been teaching at the academy instead of running back-to-back wetwork ops.

But now, with this much blood on my hands…

Well I agreed. No backing out now.

…

Standing in the corner of the first-year combat class is enlightening. It’s amazing how susceptible aura users are to environmental illusions if they aren’t specifically trained to combat them. Given that personal illusions require physical touch here, it’s become incredibly important for me to master my environmental illusion weaving. It’s exponentially more expensive the larger the illusion gets, but it doesn’t require me to put my Chakra into someone.

Back in the elemental nations it was much easier to use personal illusions, I just used my eyes or fingernails or some other focus to manipulate the other persons chakra in their coils to mislead them through a sympathetic chakra connection.

Here? No-one but me even has Chakra, so the only way to enforce an internal illusion with Chakra manipulation is to inject them directly with my own Chakra, as I did with Roman, using the lightning technique to bring down his aura so I could touch his skin directly.

It’s actually been a fun challenge, I’ve always excelled at illusionary arts so having to switch my speciality over was no great chore. I wonder how Tsukuyomi would function here given it hijacks the opponents mental energy via their eyes bypassing Chakra entirely. I have to assume people here still have the basic energies of life within them even if they cannot mix or manipulate them.

I don’t miss my Mangekyo, if only because it’s nice to not be blind and in constant agony.

Turning my attention back to the class, Glynda is wrapping up, and about to introduce me. The first test.

“Okay good work today class. You all for the most part” she says with a sly look at Jaune “have at least a rudimentary mastery of your personal weapons. Next Combat class we will work on basic dust infusions via weapon enhancement so come prepared accordingly.”

One of the students puts their hand up.

“Uh Miss Goodwitch, our schedule says our next class is “Advanced Survival and Combat” but it doesn’t list a room. Do you know where we are supposed to go?”

She smirks.

“Why yes, the advanced class will be held right here, your teacher has been here for the past twenty minutes.”

She then turns to leave.

“Enjoy your class children and be respectful of your new teacher.”

She leaves the room as I watch the kids look around the room and at each other in confusion.

“But the schedule doesn’t even list a teacher.” Yang says to Blake as her partner starts looking around the room.

They slowly start to relax, maybe believing that Glynda was lying.

Time to start messing with them.

A flicker of a senbon pins a book to a desk as the student gasps at the sight of the large needle stuck in the desk in front of them.

Then I am flickering up to stick on the ceiling as a red and gold spear pierces the wall where I was.

Pyrrha looks up at exactly where I am with a smirk.

How the hell does she do this?!

Ruse already discovered I drop the illusion and hold my finger up to my lips. She smiles and nods as the rest of the class looks on in confusion.

Then a gasp, as Ruby spots me hanging above them.

“Itachi!”

She points up at me and the rest of the class looks up at me and gapes. Flickering down to the edge of the combat stage I face the class.

“You are all, with the exception of one person, hilariously susceptible to illusion.”

I didn’t even work hard on the illusion, there were multiple mistakes they could have picked up on. No illusion is perfect, not even semblances. They rely entirely on the brainpower and imagination of the caster. Even Neopolitan, who has by far the strongest illusionary ability I’ve faced in either world leaves specific tells.

Had I cast the illusion on myself, fair enough they miss a man sized illusion I wouldn’t expect anyone without training or expertise to find me. But I used an illusion on the entire room, including the desks they were sat at!

“I am Assistant Professor Uchiha Itachi. You can call me Itachi-Sensei, or Mr Uchiha. Your choice. I will be teaching you advanced survival and combat in the style of Shinobi. Many of you may know my name. However I have been working as a hunter since I was sixteen, mostly from the shadows as I am primarily a ninja, before I am a hunter.”

One of the boys in the back of the class raises his hand.

“Yes Mr?”

“Pontus Norwood sir! I was wondering what you meant about being a ninja sir! As far as I think most of us know, ninja are mostly from fiction.”

I smile.

“I was raised in a village far outside the frontier. I trained as a shinobi from the age of five, before joining Professor Ozpin at 14 as his apprentice. I can assure you Mr Norwood, that while rare, shinobi are anything but fictional.”

The Belladonna girl snorts, quietly, but I still hear it. Turning my eyes to her she looks at me with wide eyes before looking away rapidly, cheeks darkening.

“This class will be the last we spend in a classroom. Today we will be checking your stamina and general fitness. In future classes I will be teaching you skills I was raised with. Skills I have used to survive and thrive. You will learn the core hand to hand combat style of my village, open leaf hand. You will learn survival techniques, how to throw generic throwing weapons. You will learn to lay traps and snares. How to recognise illusions. I will teach you advanced aura control exercises that will allow you to manipulate and navigate your environment. But make no mistake. I will teach you to fight, and more importantly to win, in the direst situations you can imagine.”

I look around the room to an enraptured audience.

“You will not spend much if any time on your personal weapons with me. Those will be saved for Professor Goodwitches core combat class. Please note that this class is not a core part of the curriculum. You can and will be ejected if you are disrespectful or should you abuse what I teach you.”

I am interrupted by an extremely arrogant tone.

“Why do we need to learn to fight with our hands anyway. That’s the kind of thing animals do. All I need is my Executioner and a single shot to blow away anyone who comes at me with their hands.”

“Mr?”

“Cardin Winchester. Of the Winchester family.” He ends his introduction with a smirk.

“Firstly, please raise your hand if you wish to speak in my class. Secondly, are you saying that you could beat any opponent in hand to hand combat with your mace?”

He looks down on me, not for the last time I curse the slight build I inherited from my mother. I never got past 5’10 in my previous life and he stands at least 6’2.

“Yes. Filthy animal fighting will never beat a good weapon.”

I nod and he smirks, seemingly thinking he has made a good point.

“Gear up Mr Winchester and meet me on the combat stage. We will put your theory to the test in a quick spar.”

He looks me up and down and has the temerity to smirk. Dismissing me.

Well then. That was a poor choice from him, I feel my Uchiha blood sing in my veins at the challenge.

He returns from the locker room in plate armour and carrying a very large mace. Still nothing compared to Samehada of course, but impressively large, nonetheless.

Syncing our Aura up to the wall monitors, I indicate over to Pyrrha.

“Miss Nikos, if you could referee for us please. The first to drop below, shall we say 30% Mr Winchester?”

He nods with a smirk.

I can feel a fire beating in my veins and I know I’m going to have to be careful here. Something about this arrogant eighteen-year-old rubs me up the wrong way.

“Begin.”

“Now class, notice that Mr Winchesters weapon is quite heavy, even with Aura, there is a slowing effect in place when he swings it sheerly from the air resistance.”

I weave out of the way so his initial swing moves past me. But I don’t counterattack at all simply weaving my body like a puppet with Chakra.

“This means that many openings will present when the weapon is swung. Heavy weapons without a large arc of control are the weakest against hand-to-hand combat.”

He attempts to backhand me with his gauntlet as I pass but I flip over his arm and land back-to-back with him. Striding away and turning toward the class, I continue my lesson.

“When fighting a weapon user in hand to hand, first you have to analyse the weapon type you are facing. The most dangerous, outside of ranged weapons, are short, bladed weapons such as a dagger or a knife. A sword is of course dangerous, but conversely easier to deflect due to the increased surface area.”

He attempts a two handed swing at my head but I don’t even need to dodge this one, it passes over my head due to his overswing and my hair ruffles slightly in the wind.

“The most important facet of facing any opponent is to of course, pick your battles. It is obviously not ideal to face someone with your bare hands if they have mastered their weapon, but outside of a few wild options-” I duck under his next swing and use chakra strings to look like I casually dance out of the return attack. “-like the chain whip, the kusarigama, or other weapons of the unpredictable movement type, mastery of hand-to-hand combat will allow you to face the vast majority of handheld weapons without much of an issue. If you are smart.

I look up at the aura monitor. I’m still sat at 100% while he’s drained 10% attempting to hit me.

The end of his mace glows as he attempts to use fire dust to catch me in an explosive attack.

I use the barest minimum chakra to leap over the attack, the explosion on the floor missing me, already in the air and landing further away on the stage. I need this to look a casual as possible so they buy in. I’m already at a disadvantage being barely older than them.

“A civilian with martial arts mastery almost always loses to a civilian with even a spear carved from a stick. But Aura is the great equaliser for hunters.”

He screams and charges at me, all caution thrown to the wind. Desperate to land just one hit.

“Arrogance is the biggest killer of hunters ahead of any Grimm.”

Instead of dodging I grab the haft of his weapon next to his hand and layer my chakra into my fist as I jab a single casual uppercut into his diaphragm. His Aura craters, sinking from 84% to 28% in the single chakra enhanced blow. He folds over my fist feeling the full effect of the punch due to the critical loss of Aura.

I flicker around him to his back as he hunches over trying not to vomit.

“Winner, Itachi-Sensei.” Pyrrha says dutifully.

“Any questions?” I ask the class.

The class is silent as a tomb, staring at me in wide eyed wonder.

A gasp from Yang and an alarmed look from Pyrrha is my only warning as the boy behind me attempts a golf swing at my head.

I catch the flange of his mace in my bare hand, as my aura dips a single point. Pulling the mace from his hand as he goes slack-jawed in shock I grab him by his leading arm and shoulder throw him off the combat stage and onto the walkway between desks. Charging after him I sweep his legs as he attempts to rise, and place my knee on his upturned chest.

“Did you just attempt to attack my back unprovoked Mr Winchester?”

He coughs and splutters, then turns his head away refusing to look me in the eye.

Placing my hands in a familiar cross sign I bring out a shadow clone. Another gasp from the class, and an interested look from Belladonna arise from my action.

“Ten laps around the outer ring of Beacon for bad sportsmanship. Fail to complete them and you will be ejected from the class and I will report to the headmaster that you attempted to attack a teacher. Go.” My clone follows him out with a glower.

As if some pissant fresh student is going to challenge me.

My eyes flicker to Pyrrha.

Well, most of them anyway.

With three percent of Winchester’s aura left after my counter, He will get through two or three of his laps before his aura enhanced stamina fails. A fitting punishment.

“Now, any questions?”

A sea of hands is raised before me.

“Miss Nikos, you refereed I will give you the first question.” I point to her and take a seat on the edge of the combat stage.

“How did you stick to the ceiling?” she asks.

“I have access to a unique form of energy through my semblance that allows me to manipulate my environment in many different ways, similar in a way to Professor Goodwitch. I can use this energy to stick to surfaces and even walk on water. There is a away to partially emulate some of the techniques with Aura, though it is expensive. Some of those will be a part of this class.”

The semblance excuse is one that the Headmaster has asked me to use. I have not found my own actual semblance yet, if I even have one given my unique situation. There aren’t any semblances quite as wide ranging as chakra, but the headmaster thinks the excuse should hold.

Aura being used to emulate chakra control exercises was surprising even to me. It’s extremely draining but I managed to teach the Headmaster to walk on walls with his Aura. It requires large reserves and immense control, however he believes it could be the start of a new frontier of Aura control and expansion exercises and this class will be the blueprint.

She nods at my answer, seemingly satisfied.

“Mr Ren.” I point to the quiet young man sat in the back with his partner.

“How did you use so little Aura, you caught his weapon twice but showed no loss in Aura.”

“Most of the technique I used was simply a reinforced martial arts technique for catching weapons. I barely needed any aura because the fulcrum of his first attack was weak and the second attack I used my semblance given he had decided to cheat.” I reply with a smile.

“Okay, one more question. Miss Schnee.”

Ruby looks disappointed I didn’t pick her but I can’t be using favouritism. I’m already only teaching first years, I don’t need a bigger target on my back.

“What if we have no desire to learn hand to hand combat?”

I point at the door.

“The door is there. The techniques I teach you will save your life should you ever be captured or otherwise left without a weapon, but I won’t force anyone to learn them. This class is optional, and only graded as an extra bonus to your core combat grade. If you don’t want to learn, leave. I won’t stop you.”

She glares at me a while before turning up her nose and seemingly deciding to stay.

I clap my hands together in a chakra enhanced clap, and everyone jumps.

“Now, everyone go and get your workout gear on and meet me back here while we work through stretches and a fitness test so I can see where you all are.”

The groans are music to my ears. I can do this. Just treat them like ANBU newbies.

Well maybe without the hazing.

Okay a little hazing.

…

I leave behind me a pile of quivering sweat soaked flesh as the class curses my name. Even my sisters have bowed out, only Pyrrha and Lie Ren are still going as I work through the final set I have for them. Lie Ren is tired however and pushing through it with experience.

“Mr Ren, I’m impressed by your flexibility, do you practice martial arts already?”

He nods.

“Mostly meditation and sport arts rather than combat though, Tai Chi and Qigong learned through reference manuals. I also practice Yoga regularly.”

I nod.

“Speak to me after tomorrows outdoor class, I want to see how you take to the kata but I might have a side job for you to earn a little extra lien.”

I know from the records he is an orphan and that him and Nora support each other. So every little helps.

“Miss Nikos, impressive stamina shown you have barely worked up a sweat so I may have to tailor a routine for you closer to my own. Is this acceptable?”

She nods, I offer her the option in case special treatment makes her uncomfortable.

Clapping my hands again I call in the class. They groan and moan as they line up in ranks on the stage.

“Good job class, I got more than I expected, you are all beyond the fitness standard expected of Beacon first years. So that puts the majority of you about twenty five percent of the way to my own standard. The next two lessons this week will be outdoors in the eastern plaza. Check your schedules and do not be late if you intend to attend. If you choose to drop out of class note I only teach full teams, so if one of you goes, you all go. Dismissed.”

The class all file into the locker room to shower and get changed after their workout as I return to my desk to work over the copious amounts of notes I need to transcribe.

I wave at my sisters with a smirk as the class files out and they glower at me in return. I sense much pain in my future with those expressions.

As I continue with my work I notice Pyrrha has not left yet and is seemingly waiting for the class to empty out.

Once the last student has left she approaches my desk.

“Sensei, can I speak freely?” She asks politely.

“Go ahead.” I reply with a smile.

“You owe me a rematch.”

“Oh?” I reply glibly.

She seems frustrated but trying to remain polite.

“We never got to even the score. We need to finish our best of three?”

I chuckle at that.

“I need a few student teachers to help me with hand to hand, you interested?”

She’s taken aback by the change in subject.

“And my rematch?” She pushes again.

“We can have a proper fight outside as an exhibition for the students in a few weeks. When I have time.”

She turns to me with a glare.

“Don’t hold back this time.” She says sternly.

“Oh don’t you worry about that. We will be fighting, not sparring this time. But Pyrrha, be careful what you wish for.”

She shudders, whether in fear or anticipation I don’t know.

“I intend to offer Lie Ren a position as Student teacher once he has the kata down, his body control is impressive and he has a natural talent for it. I obviously already know you are skilful at combat so I will likely offer the same. There will be extra credit and some small amount of lien involved if you accept.”

She looks at me thoughtfully.

“If you beat me, then yes. Once I have learned the combat style you wish to teach.”

She crosses her arms and glares at me again.

I hold my hands up in surrender.

“Fair enough, and it is good to see you again Pyrrha, I genuinely had no intention of insulting you the last time we met, it was stupid misspoken words. I apologise unreservedly.”

Her expression softens, and she turns to look at me fully.

“I forgive you. I still want my rematch though. Thank you for apologising. I know I’m technically your student so it is appreciated.”

I hold out my hand for he to shake and she returns the gesture.

“Thank you for your forgiveness, now excuse me for dismissing you but I need to consolidate my notes from today’s class.”

She nods and turns to leave as I get back to work with a lighter heart.

 

Chapter 5 – Partner


The passing weeks have been a whirlwind of lessons and training my own body to make up for lost ground.

As time has passed and I’ve had a lot more free time than usual to work on training my Chakra, instead of solely working on Aura or assisting Qrow with missions.

Well.

I’ve steadily have to come to the realisation that I may never be the same type of fighter as I once was.

What once was a battle between capacity and control, has instead become a dichotomy. And one that greatly favours capacity. Had I these reserves back home, I would possibly have been able to stop Madara myself.

Instead I am caught in a mad dance between practicing control of my Aura, and having to submit to the fact that every time my control of my aura increases, my control of my massive chakra pool decreases.

If I don’t find a solution to this issue soon, I may one day end up unable to use even the basic techniques of my fighting style. Instead restricted only to flashy and vulgar displays of power.

I’m missing something. Something that isn’t obvious but something both my chakra and my aura is trying desperately to tell me.

As I continue my musing while jogging, I notice Yang whispering to her partner.

“If you have time to talk, you have time to run!” I yell, increasing my pace and expecting my class to follow.

As we jog the outer ring of Beacon, many of the older students watch us with perplexed expressions on their faces. Some of the wandering students even point and laugh.

However my students are concentrating on one thing and one thing only.

Surviving.

Most of them are relatively fit, but only my sisters, Lie Ren and Pyrrha make the run look anything other than torturous.

Or rather they did, until I made them wear heavy ankle weights. If the murmurs behind me ever come to pass they may never find my body as my class conspires against me.

My sisters of course were already a little used to my idea of training. I bet they regret not joining me on my daily runs now!

I never knew teaching could be such fun. I know why Kakashi was such an unrepentant monster when training us in ANBU.

It was his hobby.

I wonder how Ozpin would react to me sparring with my students while wearing an eye patch and openly reading ‘Ninjas of Love’? Kakashi certainly found it fun to beat his squad bloody while reading Icha Icha. Maybe I could even blame the headmaster and tell him “Well you told me to find a hobby.”

Thoughts for later maybe when my position is more secure.

“Okay class, cooldown pace, lets head back to the plaza.”

The plaza is on the opposite side of the school.

Cardin Winchester leans over to my sister and I tense up for a moment, before almost immediately relaxing. He doesn’t have the testicular fortitude to attack my sister in front of me.

I vaguely catch the low murmur as he takes his attention off me.

“Hey Rose, Sensei is your brother right? Is he always like this or does he just hate us in particular?”

Winchesters sudden respect for me comes after a very interesting conversation with the boys father. As it turns out, rich well to do governors of frontier towns very much like it when their children are taught by the kind of person who can kill Callows. When Cardin reported my behaviour to his father, Flavius Winchester proceeded to call me on my scroll, bought his son into a conference call, thanked me for my actions, and then told me to beat him twice as hard if he tried to attack me from behind again.

The look on the boy’s face I have to admit, sustained my good mood for days. I know the old coot was just trying to butter me up, his snooty, holier than thou attitude left a bad taste in my mouth But I will take wins where I can get them. At least for now the boy knows no help will be available from home.

He has also turned out to be an adequate student. Though his first impression will be difficult for him to overcome.

The rest of the class is talented. RPBY has the skill edge while WARN definitely brings the firepower. Team CRDL takes up a solid third in the rankings. Two of the other three teams initially in my class have since dropped out. They were… talented, but a little dull in comparison. Which does feel rather unfair to them, but with the main three teams being exceptional, it left the others lagging a little bit behind. The remaining team, POMR, Team Pomegranate is struggling to keep up with the work but I appreciate their effort in working to catch up with their peers.

Sixteen students is more than enough for the test class anyway. Though things may change if the headmaster sees value in the class and takes me on full time in future.

We finally arrive at our usual training plaza, an isolated, turf covered courtyard surrounded by hedges that the headmaster has granted me as my primary classroom.

“Okay teams, ranks. We will be working on the second set today. Ren, Yang, with me.”

My two little helpers take up ranks in front of me, having already mastered this exercise they help me to correct and instruct the others. Ren is an extremely fast learner, and Yang mastered the main steps of open leaf hand years ago.

Ruby has told me since we started training she regrets not spending more time on hand to hand with me and Yang, but it isn’t like I didn’t warn her! At least she will excel when we move on to Kunai and Shuriken techniques.

Thirty minutes of kata later and the class are flagging.

But I am unbelievably proud of all of them.

“Okay class, that’s all we have time for today. Finish off your cooldown stretches and go and get cleaned up. Coming up in week or two we have a special treat for you. Pyrrha and I will be facing off in an unrestricted, all-out exhibition fight at the outdoor fighting arena, with Professor Goodwitch as referee. An example of hunter vs hunter combat that you will be expected to observe carefully, and take very thorough notes on. So be warned.”

Excited murmurs pop up as Ruby starts looking between myself and Pyrrha in worry.

“Dismissed.”

The class disperses as the four teams rush to get back to the showers in time to catch their last lesson.

Ruby lags behind seemingly waiting for me to catch up, speeding up my walk I catch up with her and rub her head playfully.

“Good job today Ruby, I’m seeing some real improvement in your hand-to-hand skills and general stamina recently. How are you doing with school?”

She smiles a radiant smile in my direction, before frowning.

“Schools okay, its just a bigger Signal really, at least right now. The Grimm class is pretty boring though. Professor Port just talks about his fights.”

She stops and hesitates, before finding her courage and moving to the subject that is clearly bothering her.

“I wanted to ask, are you still mad at Yang and me? You’ve not been round as much as you usually are when you are at home. You usually always bother us to train and to read and learn things with you, but since you came back and told us off we haven’t really seen you much!”

She tapers off with a raised voice, clenched fists to her side. This has clearly been bothering her.

I put my hand on her shoulder and smile at her.

“When you were having your induction test in the forest and the giant nevermore appeared, I tried to charge into the forest to help you both but the other teachers stopped me. After a conversation with the headmaster I realised I had been babying you both, and that if I didn’t take a step back and give you some room to grow it could really hurt your development into hunters. I’m always here if you need me little sister, you know that. I just won’t be stifling you constantly. But if you need me for anything or even if you just want to talk, just give me a call.”

Her shoulders relax as she understand what I am saying, and her expression turns from the uncharacteristic frown, to the smile I’m used to seeing on her face.

“It’s never bothered me; I think Yang probably will be happier but I still have lots to learn! I’m glad you aren’t mad at us though! Yang was super worried!”

Without warning she kisses me on the cheek.

“Don’t be a stranger big brother, Love you!” Looking at her scroll her eyes widen “I’m going to be late for professor Goodwitch!!”

Then she disappears in a swirl of rose petals.

That girl I swear.

Chuckling I make my way back to the school, I have my own lessons to get to.

…

“Yang! He isn’t mad at us!”

She rolls her eyes.

“I told you he wouldn’t really be mad at us Ruby. Maybe still a bit pissed at me about Juniors club but Itachi doesn’t hold grudges. He’s probably just busy!”

I shake my head at her.

“No, he said he’s just worried that he was spending too much time protecting us and not enough time letting us grow up so he’s taking it easy on us now so we can do our own thing.”

Yang pumps her fist in response.

“Finally! It’s nice having someone so protective at ya back but none of the guys back in Patch would even look at me without pissing themselves!”

I laugh at her before bouncing over to Pyrrha.

“Pyrrha are you and my brother enemies or something?”

She frowns which isn’t a good sign.

“Not enemies Ruby. We had some spars a few years ago that ended… unsatisfactorily, and he was rude to me. He agreed to clear the air with a proper fight.”

Yang’s head emerges from the towel she was using to dry her hair, and even Blake looks intrigued.

“You fought with Itachi? Which one of you won!?”

She frowns even deeper at this.

“He won the first spar, the second was a draw because I let my anger get the best of me.”

I look her up and down with a questioning expression.

“Pyrrha I’ve never known you to get angry, ever.”

She reddens.

“He made me very angry. He spent a whole fight making me fight the air while he stood making illusions. Then he arrogantly told me how he beat me as if I couldn’t beat him without him spilling his secrets nor work it out for myself. Then he let me challenge him again and still didn’t go all out. He was incredibly disrespectful and insulting of me. Father later told me that Itachi wasn’t a Mistralian, or a tournament fighter and didn’t understand our culture. But I was still mad! He was the best fighter I had ever faced and he didn’t even take me seriously!”

Me and Yang look at each other, before nodding our heads in unison.

“Yeah that sounds like big bro. He once made our dad fight a bunch of trees while he drank tea with mom and laughed. He likes his illusions.” Yang chokes out. “You remember that Ruby?”

I laugh, remembering back to dad chasing Itachi around the woods after he realised.

“What about when him and mom were trying to pick his weapon and he kept using his kunai to block instead of whatever crazy weapon mom had picked up for him to try? Then when she got spitting mad he dropped the illusion and he had been using the weapon all along.”

Now we are both laughing.

Pyrrha’s head snaps up.

“He doesn’t use a weapon?” she asks.

I’m about to answer but Yang beats me.

“He has a sword now, not really mechashift because he doesn’t like it. Does funny things to his head if he watches it while his eyes are purple. But it’s super high quality, mom got it made in Atlas especially for him off his own design. Not sure on all the features but he only pulls that thing out if things are really bad. He quartered a Grimm Alpha with it once. Just like *swish* and it was in pieces. We didn’t even see him move.”

She hums.

“So he is a swordsman as well. Interesting…”

Me and Yang have one of those moments of sisterly mind reading.

“Itachi doesn’t really lose, as you probably know. So for the rest of this week me and Yang are gonna drill you on all the different ways our brother fights. You really have some work to do if you’ve only seen the illusion stage. We saw him fight the headmaster once. He spat a fireball at the headmaster that was bigger than a bullhead.” I say with a firm nod.

She looks between us with a confused expression.

“But he’s your brother? Why would you help me?” She asks.

We both laugh.

“Itachi has never lost, ever. He’s like your reputation, but also our big brother who makes us spar with him if he thinks we aren’t taking our training seriously.” Yang says.

“We love our brother, but being able to potentially give him his first loss, that’s real payback for all the training pain.” I add on.

Blake takes her turn to interject.

“I’m confused Pyrrha, isn’t your reputation ‘The Invincible Girl’ because you’ve never lost a fight. But you lost to the professor right?”

She shakes her head.

“My reputation only applies to tournaments. I’ve never been touched there. If it applied outside of tournaments then I would have lost it when I was losing to my father back when I was nine.”

She slowly nods in acknowledgment, before returning to whatever book she is reading.

“You’ll help too Blake won’t you? Big Bro uses clones so Pyrrha will need your semblance to practice.” Yan says to her partner.

She looks between us, before sighing and nodding.

“Invincible Girl vs Invincible Teacher does sound like an interesting fight, kind of like something from one of my books.”

Yang laughs out loud.

“Are you comparing Pyrrha and our brother to two of the characters from your porn?”

Pyrrha turns a deep maroon colour as Blake sputters.

“It’s not porn!” She shrieks.

“Ah so you just read it for the articles?” Yank winks at her partner to let her know she isn’t being serious.

Deciding to throw Blake a bone, I turn to Yang with a pretend confused expression.

“Yang, what’s porn?”

She looks at me out the corner of her eye, her expression turning white.

Dashing for the door she turns to Pyrrha. “You’re her partner, you explain.”

Then she’s gone, and I burst out laughing as Blake looks over at me with a thankful expression.

“Thanks Ruby.” She smiles. Probably the first time we’ve actually got a smile out of her.

“What’s a team leader for?”

…

“Still having trouble with your control Itachi?”

I stop channelling my aura and turn to the headmaster in exasperation at the interruption.

“It’s like every time I channel my chakra, my aura gets jealous and starts to fizz. Conversely if I channel my aura, my chakra becomes extremely turbulent in response. The gains I am making In control in one of them leads to a capacity increase and volatility increase in the other. Which then negates the control I gained in that same energy. It is incredibly vexing.”

He pats my shoulder with an empathic look on his face.

“The good thing is at least your capacity continues to rise apace. If nothing else it will at least make up for your lack of control. In aura at least, I’m not sure how chakra works but I have to assume bigger is better?”

I shake my head.

“My primary technique set is based around mastery of control, rather than expression of power. Due to my previous illness, I was working off about ten percent of my total capacity available with the rest focused on keeping me alive. It means I had to be extremely frugal with energy. With my control as it is I’m even struggling to layer my illusions properly. I cannot even currently use two of the basic techniques we teach to beginners with any reliability. Even my sensory skills that I developed to bypass my blindness have lapsed into a mess of confusing contradictions.”
He sits down opposite me looking thoughtful.

“Have you ever thought that that might be a part of your problem? If you are psychologically afraid of expressing power and always trying to hold power back to heal yourself, that would partially explain your issues with expressing your impressive pool of aura properly. I’ve never met someone of your level of intellect who couldn’t enhance their strength or speed with aura, nor use dust with anything resembling reliability. You are lucky that your chakra allows you to cover these weaknesses but I think you may need to look at your combat philosophy to make any proper gains in aura control as it stands.”

I sigh.

“It was never needed when I was out with Qrow, he taught me how to be a hunter, and my chakra skills combined with my aura shield were more than enough to complete the challenges he put before me. But something smells rotten in Vale’s underbelly, and with the reported restlessness of the Grimm on the frontier I feel like now I need to make the next step.”

He nods and turns a genuine smile to me.

“Itachi I have no doubt you will find the answers. You are already impressively powerful for your age and you will only grow more so as time goes by. Work on more widespread usage of your power. Work on your meditation and maybe work with Doctor Bianco in the clinic to see if you can nail down the chakra healing you were practicing. Your need to vary your experiences to try to find your semblance. And you need to find your balance.”

Nodding in return I sink back into my meditation pose as the headmaster makes his way out.

“Your request for a field trip to the falls is approved, pending the signature of another Professor to act as backup. I recommend asking Professors Oobleck and Greene if either is interested.”
Good, I need to get my students out somewhere for their test.

He stands watching me wrestle with my energy for a short while, before clearing his throat. Something is clearly bothering him.

“Are you sure the fight with Miss Nikos is a good idea?” he finally asks.

I turn a perplexed expression in his direction.

“She asked, and I agreed. A good idea? Probably not all things considered but I disrespected her greatly back then, and I owed her an apology. If she wants that apology to come in the form of a fight then so be it. She asked me not to hold back, and the students need an idea of what unrestricted hunter vs hunter combat looks like in case they end up facing a rogue. So I am happy to be an example. Glynda wasn’t enthusiastic but she appreciates the chance to teach a lesson too. Her cost was letting the students watch, which I’m not happy about but I will have to deal with it. Plus I know you’ll be hiding somewhere to make sure things don’t get out of hand too.”

He nods.

“Being straight with you, the two of you represent two of the greatest warriors from the upcoming generation I’ve seen in a very long time. I know I have a tendency to treat people as game pieces and I know you are aware of this so I’ll just put it plainly for once. I do not want my two greatest chances for resistance against her legions taken out of the game by their own pride. Are you doing this for the right reasons?”

I flinch in understanding.

“The reasoning is not right or wrong, but I understand your position. If the fight ends up looking like it could cause permanent injury to one of us, I will subtly concede. Does that work for you?”
He frowns but nods anyway.

“I can see I won’t dissuade you from fighting, your blood sings with anticipation to fight a worthy opponent but be wary that in your haste to test your capacity that you don’t extinguish the fire of someone else’s.”

I nod with a frown, before turning back to my work.

Sinking back into meditation, I don’t even hear him leave.

The pale blue glow of my chakra and the deep blue-violet of my aura rise up around me as I attempt to broker peace between the two warring energies. Desperately wrestling with them at the same time I try to stop them from rubbing against each other, in order to grab at least some rudimentary form of control back.

My mood is unfortunately no longer conducive to the effort and I give up in disgust.

If this continues I may have to enlist some outside help.

 

Interlude – Rival


I’m interrupted from my weekend training by a loud beep from my scroll.

Not many people message me on the weekends. My sponsors know better, and my friends…

Well less said about that subject the better.

‘Pyrrha, meet us in Ruby HQ for a strategy meeting!’

Maybe this time I can build a friendship that actually lasts.

Public smile engaged, I make my way out into the halls and toward our dorm. The only place Ruby would call ‘Ruby HQ,’ People get out of my way in a hurry as I pass, and whispers behind unsubtly placed hands erupt.

I almost lose my public smile.

Why can’t they just let me be a normal person? Is it so hard?

...

Ruby has seemingly gathered all eight members of Raspberry and Watermelon together in our small dorm room, and as I walk in they all turn to me with a critical eye.

What?

Ruby has somehow set up a group of whiteboards, on which I see my name, and Itachi’s. Below each grouping is a blank lined list waiting to be filled in.

“Okay fruit gang, our lady Pyrrha has a fight with my big bro coming up an-“ Ruby tapers off as Weiss interrupts her.

“Fruit gang?” she questions with a disgusted tone?

Ruby smiles and nods.

“Raspberry and Watermelon! Fruit gang! I was gonna go for fruit salad but who makes a fruit salad with only two fruits!”

Ren chooses to interject.

“Technically, Watermelon is a berry, so we could be called “Berry Bunch?”

Ruby looks thoughtful, and Weiss expression if anything looks even more disgusted.

“Okay, ‘fruit gang’, why are we all gathered here?” Weiss quickly locks in the original name.

“Maybe if you let Ruby finish we would all know by now.” Blake interjects.

Despite myself I snort in laughter, until everyone turns to me with a weird expression and I feel myself turning red.

After a quick chuckle from everyone, Ruby continues.

“Well, I thought we could go over strategies and stuff. Weiss I was hoping you would help expand Pyrrha’s dust usage, she will need it if she’s going to face off with my brother.”

“I’ve fought him before, he uses his illusionary semblance and throwing weapons. I almost had him in the second fight.”

Ruby shakes her head as Yang takes her turn to snort.

“Pyrrha, that was a spar. Itachi doesn’t use his destructive stuff in spars. His semblance is a pool of energy that lets him ‘manipulate the world and terrain around him’. We’ve seen him ‘fight’ with the headmaster, our parents, and Uncle Qrow, who is a high tier professional hunter. He’s taken wins from all of them. Even beat the headmaster once on a technicality.”

A feeling of anticipation shoots up my spine unbidden. A real test of my ability. I’ve been training almost without cease since that second fight. Spurred on to even greater heights by the loss.

How much can I grow if I force him to go all out?


“So what can I expect to face if he is true to his word and treats it as a fight.”

Ruby and Yang mirror smirks, and for a moment, I truly see the resemblance between them.

Yang pulls out her scroll and expands it into tablet mode. From there a video is loaded.

“I spent some time in yewedit last night pulling clips of all the fights and spars we have managed to record when we were allowed to watch.”

On screen a truly colossal dragon of fire is coiling around a battlefield as Itachi and what must be their Uncle Qrow clash blades in the eye of the firestorm. The dragon rears up into the air and crashes down on ‘Qrow’ ending the fight. The clips continue, from blazing fast sword combat against an older version of Ruby, to a barrage of rapid fire martial arts against what must be their father.
Seeing this I truly realise the enormity of the job ahead of me.

“So I’m going to teach you some of my gravity dust tricks, you have better control than me so you can do some of the really wild stuff with it if I get you up to scratch. I’m hoping Weiss will work with you on hardlight and ice.” Ruby turns to Weiss with a pleading expression at that.

Weiss nods with a hard expression.

“I will even fund the dust myself, even if only to put that man in his place.”

Ruby’s eyebrow twitches, but she continues on regardless.

“Ren and Yang will work with you on hand-to-hand, you’ll need to spar both of them at once to get the full Itachi experience, but we need to get you comfortable with people being in your face while you are unarmed.”

She turns to Nora.

“Can you work with her on lightning. I know your dust is limited so I’ll chip in, but she will probably need it for personal enhancement at least if Big Bro really drops his restraints.”

Nora nods as Weiss opens her mouth.

“I will provide the dust. Fire, Lightning, Ice, Gravity and Hardlight.”

Ruby nods.

“Thanks Weiss, I’ll find a way to pay you back!”

Weiss shakes her head.

“No need, it’s for a worthy cause.”

Ruby starts writing peoples jobs on the whiteboards as Yang moves to sit next to me on Ruby’s bed.

I’m still struggling to find my voice, the words choke in my throat as seven people, four of which I barely know volunteer to help me train.

Jaune then interjects.

“What can I do to help? I know I’m not very good yet but even if it’s just carrying bags, I want to be useful.”

Weiss turns to her partner with a complicated expression.

“You’ll be training alongside me, while observing Pyrrha’s training in the meanwhile. If im training Pyrrha on hardlight dust then you are also going to learn. It’s impressively powerful with a shield, for you with your brute force especially. You won’t be able to make constructs with it like Pyrrha likely will once I show her how, but you will be able to enhance your combat effectiveness which we need.”

A confident smirk appears on his face.

“You got it ice princess.”

Weiss scoffs and slaps the back of his head.

“Every time you use that obtuse fake hero tone with me im going to stab you from now on. Somewhere where, and i can sssure you of this, Aura will not assist with growing back.”

He cringes and covers himself as I laugh out loud.

These people are amazing.

“Blake, I need you to go at Pyrrha like your trying to end her in the spars. Of all of us here you fight the most similar to Itachi in his close up style when he has his sword, especially with your clones.” Ruby pipes up while writing ‘Blake stabby stabby pyrrha clone zone’ on the board.

Blake looks at me with a question in her eyes, as I nod in acknowledgement.

“Pyrrha.” Yang is looking at me intensely.

“I don’t mind helping you fight big bro, and I don’t mind spending my time training with you especially given how strong you are. But I have to know. What did Itachi actually do to piss you off so much. You kinda gave Ruby a summary, but what actually happened?”

I sigh.

“It was almost four years ago that I met your brother. I was recently turned fourteen and had just won a tournament championship for the first time.”

I lose myself in my reminiscing as I tell my story.

===

Four years previous.

“Pyrrha, can you come inside for a minute please, I need to speak to you!” Mom yells from inside our kitchen.

I end my sparring against the wooden dummies, my stamina is still suspect in protracted fights so I need to keep pushing my boundaries. That trainee almost took my eye out in the final round. But I sent him back to Atlas Academy with a bloody nose and a new respect for girls three years younger than him.

“Honey, one of your fathers contacts is coming by with his apprentice in a short while. He’s just like you, a prodigy of the arts and recently graduated early as a hunter at sixteen! Your Dad found out he will be in the area for a while and asked if he could set up a spar.”

I feel giddy with anticipation, someone on my level! Maybe a mentor, or even a rival. Someone who won’t be jealous of my being strong or look down on me for being a girl like the idiots from Vacuo sometimes do.

A knock on the door barely 15 minutes later heralds the arrival of our guests.

“Can you get the door dear, I just want to finish up lunch.”

I nod, and make my way over to the door, as I get to the door I can hear voices on the other side.

“Qrow. Is this not a waste of my time. I’m already sparring with you, Taiyang and Summer. We have work to do in Mantle. Those disappearances are not going to solve themselves.”
A deeper voice chuckles and replies.

“Itachi, you have literally no friends. I’m your mentor, Tai and Summer are you parents. Ruby and Yang are your sisters. You. Have. No. Friends. This girl is probably not as lethal as you are, but she is absolutely a prodigy. Maybe you can finally make a friend if they are on your level.”

A derisive snort erupts and I feel myself getting irritated.

“Qrow, I don’t need friends. I need to finish my training and get working on the real problem.”

“Give her a chance Itachi. According to her dad this girls almost as good at making friends as you are. Maybe you can find some common ground?”

“I came to Mistral with you because you wanted to see your sister. Not to attend a play date with a junior tournament fighter.”

I open the door with a wooden smile.

“Nice to meet you, I’m Pyrrha. Mom is in the kitchen and Dad is just finishing up in his workshop so let me lead you to the dining room and show you where you can freshen up.”

I turn away without acknowledging the small one. I’m not sure if I could keep my tone clean.

‘Give me a chance’ as if I’m some sort of a burden.’ Will you.

My hand tightens around an imaginary handle.

===

“Wow big bro was a bit of a dick!” Yang exclaims.

I nod, but then qualify.

“In his defense, I later found out that Qrow had made them walk from the coast, he had traipsed through half of Mistral at that point and was exhausted. He ended up falling asleep at our dining table.”

Ruby shakes her head. “It doesn’t excuse him though, he’s always been super polite with us!”

I nod in reply.

“He’s always been polite with me in private, but I feel like his relationship with your uncle is a little different. It feels like he doesn’t clamp down so hard on his inner thoughts when it’s just the two of them. He was very polite to me in person. Well, until the fight.”

===

Nikos private training ground - Mistral

How did he win so easily? He seemed to barely even move but he still had me dodging and weaving around the arena.

He is stood exactly where he started, with the haughty blank smile on his face I’ve come to hate.

Unbidden I hear him turn to his master. I don’t think I was supposed to hear, but he wasn’t exactly subtle.

“As I said Qrow. A waste of time. I didn’t even need to move, just sent her chasing an illusion. Can we head back to mantle now or are you going to make me engage in any more playdates?”

“Excuse me!?”

He turns to me wide-eyed, he was so engrossed in his conversation he didn’t even notice me behind him.

“I’m sor-“

“Arena. Now.”

I stomp back to my starting point and ready my weapon.

I can’t trust my eyes. There aren’t any illusionists in the current circuit, but they aren’t completely unheard of.

He’s covered in metal though, weapons seemingly weaved throughout his gear.

Perfect.

We clash again and again, his expression one of shock when I bullrush his fake copies and false surroundings and move through the illusions, Lashing out at him for a final time he kicks my shield in a panic, but it only causes my spear to run up his inner thigh and bounce off the aura, barely missing his… private area.

His concentration lapses from the near miss, and I take the opportunity to grab him by the collar and headbutt him in the eye socket.

“Draw! Both combatants are at critical Aura!”

My head aches from the reverberated pain of the last ditch headbutt, but from the way he rubs his eye he got it worse than me.

He looks at me with a confused expression as I turn to return to my father.

“Give that a chance you arrogant braggart.”

His expression sinks as I leave him behind me.

I remind myself not to feel guilty, he was rude first. Hand grasping about the hilt of my blade I storm out of the practice ring and head to the changing room.

By the time I leave they have already left.

“Where’s the boy wonder gone; I wanted a third round.”

Father snorts in amusement.

“We weren’t sure if either of you would survive it so Qrow admonished his apprentice for his rudeness, apparently the boys from some backwater and had no idea of Mistralian customs, and they left.

He apologised for what it’s worth. Holding back against a Mistralian isn’t a mistake I feel he will make again.”

I give a firm nod.

“He’s the Beacon headmasters apprentice did you say during dinner?”

“Yes, Ozpin and Qrow are his teachers, mostly Qrow at the moment.” Father replies.

I sit and think for a while. I wrestle with my thoughts and emotions for a while before making up my mind.

“I’m going to Beacon. If the headmaster can make someone like that then that’s where I need to be.”

Him and mother look at each other with a smirk.

“Fair enough, you have three years yet. Let’s see what you can learn in that time. Maybe during the next fight you’ll be the one giving him a chance.”

He turns a knowing look to mother that I don’t understand.

===

“I never saw Itachi act like that to someone before, like, dismissive isn’t really his thing. He tends to either act polite, or act like you are the worlds greatest threat, without much in between.” Yang says with a confused look.

I nod.

“Like I said, he apologised and it’s water under the bridge now. Once I get my fight the issue is ended between us. He was obviously out of sorts and I won’t hold it against him.”

However I think I made a mistake in my retelling as Nora pipes up.

“Hey Pyrrha, I noticed you said you came to Beacon because of Sensei. He must have made quite the ‘impression’ on you.”

Yang cackles and Ruby giggles as everyone else picks up on what I said.

I turn up my nose in an overdramatised expression of haughtiness.

“I’m here more for Headmaster Ozpin than your brother. If he can produce a warrior like Sensei, then like I said. His school is where I want to be.”

Left unsaid is that if I went to another school, I wouldn’t be in a position to get my rematch.

And I will pull out everything i have to win.

 

Triple chapter release warning! Go back two chapters

===
Chapter 6 - Warrior


The day of the fight arrives and my class have been almost vibrating in anticipation.

In a few short moments I will be facing off with possibly the strongest student in the school, a duel of pride and respect. And contrition.

I have a tendency to compare the people I meet in this second life to people I knew in my original life. But I struggle to think of many people who remind me of Pyrrha Nikos. The fourth Hokage maybe? He also had a battle lust that he tempered with politeness, kindness, and charity. She’s a kind and honourable girl but beneath her surface rests a warrior who itches for the thrill of battle. To constantly test herself and her capacity.

Just like myself.

Her competitiveness unfortunately stokes my own, and my Chakra bubbles beneath my skin in anticipation of the upcoming fight. My Aura is sparking and rolling and my hands twitch in anticipation.

As I look outside I see the seating around the arena is dotted with Students. Most classes are suspended for the duration of the fight, as this is being used a lecture and lesson opportunity by Glynda for all of her classes.

Students at this level don’t usually get to see high level Hunter fights, mostly being relegated to student spars unless their community work happens to include bandits and something goes really wrong. So this is being seen as a real opportunity to teach some harsh lessons.

I center myself and relax into my breathing. In and out.

It’s almost time, I’d better get changed.

I think this will be the first time anyone in Vale, including my sisters, has seen me in my full hunter gear. My old Akatsuki gear is long burned and in its place something that looks similar to the Uchiha Jonin uniform, but with the vest replaced with a high collared long robe in the standard Uchiha blue. The Uchiha crest on my right shoulder is the only reference to my old clan, and instead of red clouds, my new outer robe has a red, orange, and silver dragon coiling around me, with scattered rose petals interspersed around the coils.

My way of honouring Summer and Taiyang for adopting me.

The standard complement of belts and pouches finish the look, before I look to my sword.

Kogarasumaru. The melted down remains of my old Anbu swords including the sword that ended my clan. Reborn in fire with the help of Summers training in weapon crafting. A straight bladed hiltless ninjato, black bladed with a black hilt, a chain hanging off the hilt with raven feathers on the end. The sheathe, blood red decorated with black rose petals.

Summer wanted to add some mechashift abomination, but looking at a complex active mechashift with my Sharingan gives me an incredible headache. Instead I conceded to a wire reel in the handle, that carries much more ninja wire that it looks like it should, and a contraption to rapidly winch the wire.

I think she’s probably trying to stop me from dislocating my arm again, which while unnecessary, is an appreciated sentiment.

Sitting in Seiza, with my sword across my knees, I recite the old blessings of the Uchiha clan. Offering honor and glory to the old gods of the clan, from before the Rabbit Goddess ended the age of spirits.

The gods from which our Mangekyo techniques take their names.

She asked me to take her seriously. It’s time to let people know exactly what they are getting in to if they challenge me.

“Itachi, we are ready.” Ozpin nods. “Have a good fight.”

I nod and make my way out into the arena. On a whim, as I approach the exit I pull out my forehead protector. And tie it around my head.

I will face her as a Shinobi of the Leaf, honoring her request fully.

As I exit into the cool morning air, a flash of red from the opposite side of the area heralds Pyrrha’s arrival. She looks tense, wound up tight and ready for the fight.

She’s in her standard armor, with some new embellishments on the arms. Some form of metallic, full arm gauntlets in segmented gold similar to her leg armor.

As I am observing her she is observing me, taking note of my pouches and checking me over for hidden weapons. In spite of myself I smile, and nod in approval.

She scowls at me and I smile back in return. Illusions and head games don’t always start after the start of the fight is called.

Glynda calls us to the center of the field.

“Combatants, rules are set to the same rules as the Mistral tournament finals. That means no techniques are restricted, combat is until critical aura, as defined by the rules of the Mistral circuit, or surrender. Any attacks launched after aura has sunk below 10% will immediately disqualify the aggressor. Leaving the ring for greater than ten seconds will result in disqualification. Do you both agree to this ruleset.

A formality, we know the rules going in.

We nod.

“Then face each other, and bow.”

We bow to each other, as Glynda speeds over to the referee’s podium.

“Three, Two, One, Fight!”

She’s on me instantly, her sword speeding toward my head in a flash.

“Too slow.”

Her eyes widen as I catch her blade on my partially drawn sword. Half drawing my sword and twisting at the waist I catch the blade at the back of my neck and lash out with my elbow in a counter.
She leaps back and throws her shield at me, as I throw a brace of kunai at her. Rolling under her shield I charge at her as my kunai miss her by a hair.

She disengages as I charge, her sword changing into a rifle as she starts shooting at me as she leaps back. Hearing the swish of wind at my back, I dodge as her shield nearly clips me in the back.
Drawing a kunai I start defecting her bullets, as I did the last time we fought.

She smirks as the barrel of her rifle glows black, she braces herself and fires, as a massive black streak crosses the air between us, shattering my kunai and exploding in a wave of force that pushes me back across the field.

That was a damn gravity dust round, unbidden my eyes turn to Ruby, who is cheering and hollering at the attack.

“You’ve been taking lessons from my sister I see.” I murmur.

Well okay then if you are pulling out the dust, then I suppose I can escalate.

Her barrel glows black again as she lines up another shot.

Earth Style:Granite Rampart.

I slam my hands into the ground as blocks of hardened earth start raising up between us.

I hear the explosion of another gravity round hitting one of the walls as the crowd cheers.

“Shadow Clone Technique!”

I shimmer into three clones and start layering illusions around the arena. The rustling of metal heralds Pyrrha vaulting over the last rampart with her weapon in spear form. As she descends her eyes widen at the sight of three of me.

Myself and my clones weave through signs as she falls toward us.

“Fire Style: Grand Fireball!”
“Wind Style: Breakthrough!”
“Water Style:Mist Waltz!”

The combined attack flies up toward her as she braces her shield and a bright shield erupts ahead of her.

Hardlight dust as well! She didn’t use this last time!

The wind enhanced fire technique slams into her shield and the force launches her up into the air as the water technique reacts with the flames, flooding the battlefield in a thick mist.
“Earth Style, Shrapnel Grenade!”

The walls I raised earlier crumble into sharp shrapnel that is launched explosively towards her. She deflects the ones that would hit with her sword before switching it back to rifle form.

This time the barrel glows white as she starts firing ice shards at me. The shards explode and freeze as they hit the ground.

I won’t even be attempting to deflect these with a kunai. I test the waters with a fan of shuriken, with her sword in rifle form it should be easier to land a hit.

They miss by a whisker again, but the hidden wire allows me to pull them back toward her.

Only for them to miss again with a tug on my wire.

Okay, what. Something is going on here.

“Earth Style – Shrapnel Bullet!”

Stamping my foot on the ground my chakra disperses into the ground around me, hardening and then firing off small sharp stones at her.

She takes cover behind her shield again and my understanding clarifies.

She’s the damn third Kazekage.

She controls metal! That’s why my illusions aren’t working on her, that’s why I cant hit her with ranged weapons.

She lands on the ground with a flourish and dashes into the dust cloud and remnants of steam left by my previous attacks.

Slamming her way through the remains of the previous barriers she charges at me with a smirk.

Reaching out to my shoulder I cut the leather strap holding my gear pouches to me and drop my boots. If my suspicion is right my sword *should* be fine. Chakra Alloy isn’t magnetic.
She pays no attention and continues her rapid charge at me, raising her sword she stabs out as I move to parry and attack.

Only for my attack to pass right through her! It’s a damn hardlight construct!

The swishing of air heralds the arrival of her spear to the center of my chest with insane force. My aura holds but that definitely wiped out a chunk. The phantom pain that accompanies a blocked attack feels like a heart attack.

I clutch my chest while putting my other hand on the handle of my sheathed blade.

She smirks.

“Thanks for the inspiration. Illusions really are a fun way to fight."

Did she just. Challenge me at illusionary arts?

I activate my Sharingan and am satisfied to see her flinch as my glare hits her.

“Well done Pyrrha. You surprised me.”

I release my restraints designed to preserve my chakra reserves and allow my Sharingan to spin, fully empowering all three tomoe.

“You truly were ready for me to not hold back. So behold, the consequences of receiving exactly what you asked for.”

I body flicker at her, she tries to dodge but I see her move almost before she considers moving. I spin and kick out as my bare heel catches her in the jaw. Her eyes widen as she realises I have dropped my shoes and she has no metal to catch on to.

The blow staggers her, but I don’t let up. Immediately keeping on top of her I uppercut her in the stomach, before flickering to her back and grabbing her arm. I use the leverage to throw her up into the sky.

Leaping into the air, I grab her by the waist with my left arm as I go to slam my right elbow into the side of her head. Her gauntleted hand rockets up to block the blow and she kicks out at my groin. I lower my hands to defend myself, but she manages to call her shield, forcing me to dodge.

We hit the ground at almost the same time as I flicker back toward her. She glows red before almost matching my speed and flickering back at me. Her sword arm comes down and I draw my own sword to block, but the sword is fuzzy and I realise it will go right through my sword to no effect.

My eyes catch the shimmer in the air, allowing me to catch the truth as she aims a stab right at my throat. I deflect it with my blade and the next few moments are a flurry of blades and shield as she tries to break through my guard to no avail. My eyes are copying her movements and I have to admit, she’s efficient if nothing else. Using the minimum of force I weave and dodge where possible and deflect where it isn’t. Her expression, a firm expression of absolute concentration flickers as the exhaustion caused by high speed sustained combat starts to catch up with her.

I could do this all day. Not in an arrogant way, but in an ‘I am really enjoying this fight’ kind of way. Her moves are perfect, every single one trained to absolute perfection. Whatever her semblance is, magnetic control or something else, she has perfect control over it. She uses it to make atypical slashes and to manoeuvre her body into unwieldy and unnatural positions to dodge against.

My return attacks are deflected, either by her forcing her shield into place, or by her deploying hardlight constructs out of her gauntlets.

I draw my sword in a rapid-draw movement and aim to reverse slash through her remaining aura with the backside of my blade, but at the last moment the handle flickers and the blade flies over her head.

The blade might not be magnetic, but the pommel chain is! She uses the distraction to stab through my chest, the blade enters and pierces straight through the middle of my sternum as her eyes widen in shock.

Then my shadow clone disperses, and seemingly she remembers that earlier in the fight there were three of me.

Bracing herself to guard, my other clone launches itself at her from behind, as I emerge from underground.

“Water Style: Shockwave!”

I spit out a small but deadly burst of water, one that will explode as soon as it hits a solid surface. My expectation is that she will block with her shield and It will launch her into my clone.

What I don’t expect is for her to launch her shield at frankly insane speed, dispersing my clone while she deploys her rifle and fires an ice dust round directly at my technique, freezing it in transit.

She drops to a knee panting as I risk looking at the aura board.

She’s down to 31% while I am sat on 55%. That stab with her spear earlier in the round did me no favours.

I decide to end the fight quickly, charging at her ready to engage in taijutsu.

She stands and bellows, her aura glowing a bright crimson as the air behind me hums.

My utility pouches, dropped with my gear earlier shred themselves into nothing as the kunai, shuriken and senbon all fly at me at incredible speed.

“Wind Style: Great Breakthrough!”

I actually yell the technique instead of incanting it in my head as panic starts to rear it’s head. These are chakra hardened but still steel weapons and they are incredibly sharp. The sheer amount of them near darkens into a solid wall of steel as she holds out her hands, fingers twisted and crooked as she summons my own weapons to destroy me.

My gale force winds slam into the construct, but against all odds it does nothing but slow them down.

I have to attack the source, my chakra is getting low and If this hits me it will almost certainly break my aura.

I throw myself at her, trying to knock her out, but to no avail. The wall of metal slams into me from behind as the full force of my own weapons starts to burn through my aura.

Then I am lay on the ground coughing with multiple kunai stabbed through my limbs. She staggers over to me exhausted, looking at the board in confusion.

Itachi Uchiha: 7%
Pyrrha Nikos: 17%

She looks to Glynda in confusion wondering why she hasn’t called the match.

The scoreboard flickers, and her understanding crystalises.

Itachi Uchiha: 37%
Pyrrha Nikos: 17%

My body on the floor lifts an arm to the sky, Pyrrha follows the hand as it points back toward where I entered the arena.

Her eyes narrow as she sees me stood in the same spot I started the fight. My last clone, the one she didn’t see me make disperses on the floor next to her after my replacement swaps us in the middle of her barrage.

She charges at me with a wild scream of rage, Spear leaping to her hand as she tunnel visions on ending me. She burns her aura charging at me at incredible speed, before thrusting forward with wild abandon.

Only to pass through my illusionary clone as I flicker to her back and chop the back of her neck, dropping her aura to 9% and ending the match.

She drops to the floor in exhaustion, feeling the phantom blow and listening to Glynda as she calls the match.

Winner: Itachi Uchiha!

I reach out a hand to her as the crowd of students cheers. She glares up at me for a moment, before snorting, and starting to laugh.

“I never had a chance did I?”

I shake my head.

“You had me twice. Inexperience lost you the fight if you blocked my kunai instead of using your semblance to deflect them I never would have realised you could control metal. After that, you allowed me to control the flow of the fight, misdirecting you. I know of one other metal manipulator before you and if I could offer some advice. Iron filings. He dispersed them into a cloud around the battlefield so he could never be taken by surprise.”

She nods and reaches up to grab my hand.

“Next time, I will win. I promise.”

I nod my head.

“Your work with the hardlight dust was sublime. You really got me. The only other person to manage that was the headmaster. Who gave you the idea?”

She smiles.

“Your sisters drilled me on how you fight with your parents and the headmaster, and Weiss ordered me the gauntlets and the hardlight dust to help ‘Put you in your place’, Ruby taught me how to manipulate gravity dust in ways I never thought of before, and Weiss and Blake helped make the other bullets I used on you. They use too much aura to prime though.”

I nod.

“That’s what our class is for. Your aura stamina will improve over time. Come see me on Thursday evening and I will teach you some advanced aura control techniques that you can do daily to improve your capacity.”

She nods. Then bows deeply.

“Thank you for the lesson. Sensei.”

Then she turns and walks off down her tunnel with a smile on her face.

The illusion on the board shatters as she leaves.

Itachi Uchiha: 11%
Pyrrha Nikos: 9%

If she realised how close it was, she might have gone for the double knockout again. I managed to replace myself out of that storm of metal at the last possible moment. Thank the gods and Tobirama Senju for the shadow clone technique.

Hell of a girl. I almost can’t wait to fight her again.

Glynda walks over with a smile.

“Well, that was a fight to remember. I almost want to challenge you myself now.”

She smirks as she says the last part.

After seeing how she fights that’s an emphatic no from me.

“No thanks Glynda I like my limbs where they are.”

She laughs out loud and starts repairing the arena behind me.

Gathering up my abandoned gear and calling off the semblance twisted throwing weapons a complete loss, I head off for a shower, truly content for the first time in a long time.

---

Did you ever accidentally write a 4k word fight scene? This was originally part of the previous chapter until time somehow warped and it ended up beign a chapter of its own!