The tension in the air thickened as the Death Stalker and Nevermore loomed over the two groups. The Death Stalker, its massive form covered in black chitinous armor, let out a guttural screech and charged toward Jaune, Ren, Pyrrha, and Nora. The ground quaked with every step it took. Above them, the Nevermore soared, its shadow swallowing Ruby, Weiss, Blake, and Yang, as its piercing cries echoed through the forest.
Weiss's eyes narrowed as she analyzed the two Grimm. These were stronger, tougher than anything she had seen in training or her memories of the canon. Her gaze lingered on Ruby for a moment before returning to the fight. Weiss knew she could handle both monsters on her own if she wanted, but this wasn't about showing off her overwhelming power—it was about ensuring Ruby grew into the leader Weiss knew she was capable of being.
As the Grimm bore down on them, Jaune's voice cracked, his nerves getting the better of him. "Uh... what do we do now?!"
Weiss turned her head sharply toward him but held her tongue. 'This is his moment. Let's see what he does.'
Pyrrha stepped forward protectively, her weapon raised. "We need a plan, Jaune. You're the leader."
"Leader?" Jaune's voice wavered, but he took a shaky breath. "Right... a plan. Okay." He looked at his teammates, his mind racing. 'Think, Jaune. You can do this.'
Pyrrha's calm encouragement and Nora's unwavering excitement snapped him into focus. He glanced at Ren. "Ren, I need you to keep its attention. Try to bait its stinger while staying mobile. Nora, wait for an opening and hammer that thing's tail when it overextends."
Nora grinned, spinning Magnhild in its grenade launcher form. "Oh, this is going to be fun!"
"Pyrrha," Jaune continued, his voice growing steadier, "stay close to me. We'll look for a weak spot together."
Pyrrha nodded, her confidence in him unshaken. "Understood."
Weiss raised an elegant brow, impressed despite herself. "Let's see if he can pull this off," she murmured, almost inaudible. She turned back to Ruby. "Focus. That bird is our problem."
Ruby gulped but nodded. She looked to her team, her silver eyes shining with determination. "Alright. Weiss, we'll need you to ground it with your glyphs. Blake, focus on keeping its feathers from hitting us—those things are sharp as blades. Yang..."
"Say no more!" Yang cracked her knuckles, her golden hair glowing faintly as her fiery aura surged. "I'll keep it distracted long enough for us to take it down."
Ruby took a deep breath, gripping Crescent Rose tightly. "Okay, let's do this."
Weiss's lips twitched into a faint smile. "Finally. Let's see what you've got, Ruby."
Before Weiss could focus on the Nevermore above, the rumbling of the Death Stalker charging drew her attention momentarily to Jaune's group. Its massive claws tore through the ground, snapping wildly as it barreled toward them. Ren darted to the side, his movements fluid and precise as he peppered the creature with gunfire from StormFlower, drawing its attention. The Grimm's tail lashed out, narrowly missing him as he rolled away.
Nora leaped into the air, her hammer held high. "Time to smash!" she yelled, bringing Magnhild down onto the Death Stalker's tail with a resounding crash. The force of her strike cracked its armor, but the Grimm roared and retaliated, swiping at her with one of its pincers.
Pyrrha moved like lightning, intercepting the attack with her shield and deflecting the blow. "Stay focused!" she called, covering Nora's retreat.
Still hesitant, Jaune stepped forward and said, "Nora, keep hitting its tail! Ren, circle around and get its attention again! Pyrrha, cover them!"
The Death Stalker shrieked, rearing up on its hind legs. For a moment, Jaune froze. His breath hitched, but Pyrrha's voice snapped him back to reality. "We're with you, Jaune. Keep going."
Meanwhile, above the temple, the Nevermore unleashed a volley of razor-sharp feathers at Ruby's group. Ruby dove forward, spinning Crescent Rose to deflect the projectiles. "Weiss, now!" she shouted.
Weiss conjured a series of glyphs midair, creating a barrier that blocked the remaining feathers. "Blake, get into position. Yang, keep it distracted!" she commanded, her voice calm but assertive.
Blake moved silently, disappearing into the shadows as she fired her grappling hook toward the Nevermore's wing. The cable latched on, and she swung herself upward, slicing through the wing with Gambol Shroud. The Nevermore screeched in pain; its flight destabilized.
Yang took the opportunity to leap onto a nearby pillar. "Hey, ugly! Over here!" she taunted, firing a barrage of explosive rounds at the Grimm's face. The blasts disoriented it further, forcing it lower.
Ruby grinned. "Good work! Let's finish this!" She darted forward, using Weiss's glyphs to launch herself high. Crescent Rose gleamed in the dim light as she aimed for the Nevermore's neck, a sharp whistle cutting through the wind.
Meanwhile, Jaune, Pyrrha, Nora, and Ren were facing a threat from a dangerous Grimm and were facing the Death Stalker.
The Death Stalker lashed out furiously, its pincers snapping at Ren as he danced just out of reach. With a fierce battle cry, Nora swung her hammer into its damaged tail again, the impact reverberating through the ground. With a sickening crack, the stinger finally broke free. The Grimm howled in pain, its movements increasingly erratic by the second.
Jaune spotted an opening. "Now's our chance! Pyrrha, with me!"
Pyrrha nodded, her spear shifting into its rifle form as she unleashed a volley of shots, targeting the Grimm's eyes. Jaune rushed forward, slashing at its exposed underbelly with surprising precision. The Death Stalker reared back, weakened but still dangerous.
Nora and Ren regrouped beside them, their breaths heavy. "One more push!" Jaune yelled, his confidence growing with each command. Together, the four of them launched a coordinated assault, striking the Grimm's vulnerable points until it collapsed, dissolving into black mist.
Jaune staggered, his chest heaving as he turned to his team. "We... we did it?"
Ren placed a steadying hand on his shoulder, nodding. "We did."
While Jaune and his team finished, not far away from them, the battle of another team continued to rage on as Ruby and her team faced the Nevermore that targeted them.
The Nevermore, now grounded, thrashed wildly as Ruby's team closed in. Weiss conjured another series of glyphs, pinning its wings to the ground with icy restraints. "Don't let your guard down, Ruby," she said sharply. "It's not down yet."
Ruby nodded, her expression determined. She charged forward, Crescent Rose spinning in a blur of red as she struck the Grimm's neck. The blade dug deep, but the Nevermore screeched and fought back, snapping its beak dangerously close to her.
Blake appeared from the shadows, slashing at its legs to destabilize it further. Yang roared as she delivered a devastating punch to its head, her gauntlets blazing with fiery energy.
Weiss stepped forward gracefully, Myrtenaster in hand. Her calm, confident voice carried a hint of determination. "Allow me to handle this." With a fluid wrist motion, she conjured a massive glyph beneath the Nevermore, encasing it in shimmering ice. Her composed expression never wavered, exuding both control and poise.
"Ruby," Weiss called, her voice steady. "Finish it."
Ruby grinned, leaping into the air one last time. Crescent Rose glowed crimson light as she brought it down, cleaving the Nevermore in two. The Grimm let out one final shriek before disintegrating.
The forest grew silent, the tension hanging in the air finally dissipating.
At the temple, both teams regrouped, their exhaustion evident. Ruby wiped the sweat from her brow, her silver eyes bright despite her tiredness. "That... was intense."
Jaune chuckled nervously. "Tell me about it. I didn't think we'd survive that."
Nora clapped him on the back, nearly knocking him over. "Are you kidding? You were a great, fearless leader!"
Pyrrha nodded, her emerald eyes shining with encouragement. "You did well, Jaune," she said warmly, her voice carrying a quiet confidence that made Jaune stand a little straighter.
Weiss observed the exchange a few steps away, her icy blue gaze softening as it fell on Jaune. Despite her usual composure, there was a gentle warmth in her tone as she spoke. "You're improving, Jaune. Keep practicing, and you'll reach your potential." Her graceful stance and calm expression gave the weight of her words, making them feel both genuine and inspiring.
Jaune's face turned crimson as he rubbed the back of his neck, the corner of his mouth twitching in a bashful smile. "Uh... thanks, Weiss. That means a lot coming from you." His voice cracked slightly, earning a small chuckle from Pyrrha, though she quickly stifled it with a polite smile.
Ren cleared his throat, his serene voice cutting through the moment. "We should get moving. The cliff and the relics are waiting."
Ruby, who had been lost in thought, perked up suddenly. Her silver eyes sparkled with renewed energy as she hopped in place. "Oh, right! The relics! Let's go!"
The group began to reassemble, the forest canopy above them casting dappled shadows over their determined faces as they prepared for whatever lay ahead.
Later, back at Beacon Academy, the students gathered in the hall. The buzz of excitement and anticipation filled the room as Ozpin stepped forward, his clipboard in hand. His calm voice carried across the space. "Now that you've all returned, it's time to announce the teams."
He began with the first group. "Cardin Winchester, Russell Thrush, Dove Bronzewing, and Sky Lark. You will form Team CRDL, led by Cardin Winchester."
Cardin smirked, puffing out his chest as his teammates groaned.
Next, Ozpin's gaze shifted to Jaune's group. "Jaune Arc, Nora Valkyrie, Pyrrha Nikos, and Lie Ren. You will form Team JNPR, led by Jaune Arc."
Jaune's jaw dropped. "M-me? Leader?!"
Nora whooped, throwing her arms around him. "Yeah, that's right! You're our fearless leader!"
Finally, Ozpin turned to Ruby's group. "Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, and Yang Xiao Long. You will form Team RWBY, led by Ruby Rose."
Ruby's silver eyes widened in shock. "Wait, me?! Are you sure?"
Weiss stepped forward, her graceful posture radiating elegance and calm. She placed a reassuring hand on Ruby's shoulder, her voice kind yet firm. "You'll do fine, Ruby. I believe in you."
Ruby blinked up at Weiss, her nervousness melting into a shy smile. "Th-thank you, Weiss. I won't let you down... I promise."
Weiss gave her a gentle nod, her icy blue eyes warm with sincerity. "I'm sure you won't."