บท 24: Chapter 24: Invited
Words: 2,183
...
It wasn't easy to beat Cinder, but I didn't have to do everything I could to win either.
For example, I never drew my sword made of Eighth Metal. Still, I used up about half of my energy during this fight.
It was hard to defend against such a powerful magical fire.
"Cortana, I need a view of what's happening around me."
I said to Cortana, and soon a holographic screen appeared showing everything happening within a radius of about four hundred meters.
I could see some Grimm and decided to engage in another "training session."
I focused on my magic and watched through the screen as small stone spikes pierced the head of a Beowolf who simply didn't expect an attack from below.
I didn't stop there, so I focused on my senses on the ground and tearing Grimm apart with stone spikes.
There was a very quick and unpleasant death for every Grimm within my senses.
...
[3rd POV]
"Hm."
After seeing the Grimm he was about to ambush simply torn apart by earth tentacles, Qrow Branwen was at a loss for words.
There were several of them, and they all died a very unpleasant death.
"Are those the newbies?"
Glynda asked while adjusting her glasses.
"Pyrrha, how are you feeling?"
Glynda inquired of one of the academy students they encountered as they approached the communication tower.
"I'll live."
Pyrrha with bruises under her eyes forced a smile through sheer willpower.
"How about Tony?"
Pyrrha's question clearly interested her more than her own health.
"If you're asking about that light show they put on with that hot lady, then I don't know. They fell somewhere in the city, but this Earth-based Semblance is definitely his, so he should be fine."
Qrow stated.
"Ozpin, where are you..."
Glynda muttered.
They could see battle marks under the tower and found his cane there, but there was nobody.
"You know perfectly well where he is."
Qrow said.
"Let's return to the evacuation site. There's nothing more for us to do here."
...
"... We have evacuated the hunters, and the academy is currently empty. The culprits behind the incident are still unknown, but those who took control of the Atlesian Airship are Roman Torchwick and his accomplice Neopolitan. These two people are being held in custody and are wrapped in some kind of stone case."
The man in the Atlesian uniform reported to the general.
"How many of our personnel survived?"
General Ironwood asked a crucial question.
It was terrible news to lose the androids because they were expensive, but it wasn't a big deal, and the casualties for humans hurt him a lot.
There weren't many people left as it was.
"Seven hundred and fifty-three personnel survived. Half of them have minor injuries, but nothing serious. Twenty-three people are in critical condition. Ten people have died."
The man reported.
"Did you predict how many would survive a full-scale airship crash?"
General Ironwood decided to ask an important question.
He was more than relieved that the losses were small, but this was something that shouldn't have happened.
There weren't many people on board mostly support staff even though they brought three military airships with them.
What was even worse was that they were able to hack into them. The thief and his partner got into the newest defense systems!
"... Not many."
The man swallowed his response.
"The losses would have been significant because no one anticipated them to come under fire from their own."
He said
"We'll have to thank this Tony guy."
General Inwood spoke slowly and with pleasure.
He didn't know who this guy was and couldn't find any records of him or anyone else from his company.
The paranoid part of him wanted to be suspicious, but he suppressed it with logic.
They helped minimize the losses. He also saw the battle in the sky and the fiery Maiden's power.
However, he had long been aware of the maidens, and he had the Winter Maiden under his protection, and if Tony could fight her on equal terms, then he was a damn good hunter.
In addition, Tony managed to assemble Penny who was already being examined by her father.
...
"Fool..."
Weiss murmured quietly to herself while adjusting the blanket on her friend's body.
After that strange, bright light emitted from Ruby's eyes, she immediately lost consciousness.
Weiss still blamed herself for being scared when she saw Yang and her arm.
While she stared at the injured Yang, Shinoa fought Adam Taurus and even won!
She didn't want to admit it, but that scythe-wielding girl was a very good fighter—very good indeed.
Why did all the weirdness and trouble come from scythe girls?
Fortunately, Blake came to her senses faster and came to help Yang which she soon did as well.
Ruby was now lying in a separate ward of Vale Hospital, with Yang lying next to her behind a curtain.
What happened was a terrible tragedy for all of Vale, and her father had already called her clearly wanting to take her away from here as the situation was dangerous.
Weiss resisted as best she could, but... Beacon wouldn't be functional for a long time.
"Where are my girls? My little ones?"
She heard someone enter the room. It turned out to be a tall blue-eyed blond with messy hair.
"W-who are you..."
Weis wanted to ask, but the man was by Ruby's bed before she could blink.
"Oh, my little Ruby..."
Taiyang Xiao Long closed his eyes, satisfied that one of his daughters was okay, and then moved to the second bed.
"Um, I'll go..."
Weiss hurried out of the room and bumped into her concerned sister.
"Winter!"
"Weiss, lower your voice."
Winter said sternly, causing Weiss to lower her head. However, in the next moment, she felt strong arms around her.
"I was worried about you. Are you okay? Not injured?"
Winter asked, and Weiss timidly took her long braid of hair in her hand.
"N-no, I'm fine."
Weiss shook her head and took a deep breath.
"Good."
Winter nodded and relaxed slightly.
"Oh, so you're not as heartless as I thought."
An irritating voice spoke up, and Winter frowned slightly but replied without turning around.
"Qrow, go wherever you were going."
"I am... I need to take the nieces back home."
Qrow said, slightly more friendly, and then entered the girls' room.
"What can you tell me about those strangers?"
Winter asked after stepping aside from the ward with Weiss.
"Are you referring to Shinoa?"
Weiss furrowed her brows slightly.
"Yes, her too."
Winder nodded.
"Two girls in iron armor, a red-haired girl named Rias, the girl with the scythe."
Winter's gaze became slightly cautious as if she had too many acquaintances with scythes.
"And Tony, who managed to regain control of the ship for us and capture two dangerous criminals."
"I... don't really know much. I saw him briefly; Ruby has known him longer."
Weiss found something to answer.
"I see."
Winter said that and fell silent.
"Do... do you suspect something about them?"
Weiss asked Winter while gathering courage.
"Classified information."
Winter said without blinking an eye, but she paused for a moment and continued.
"... No, they helped, and the general wants to thank them. Shinoa says nothing and just smiles saying she's waiting for "Administrator-kun," which applies to the others as well."
...
"Anthony's POV"
"And how are you all?"
After getting rid of the Grimm in the area, I asked Rias and the others. I even tested my sword on them, and it cut through them like butter.
They tried very hard to defend themselves, but it cut through their flesh and bones as if they weren't there.
A stone ball floats behind me and contains Cinder.
"We're fine, it was an interesting experience. Those fighting robots and Grimm. There were even a couple of strong ones."
Shinoa said with an empty expression, but her tone of voice hinted that she was holding back a smile.
We were now on the edge of the evacuation zone near Beacon, and Atlas soldiers were nearby.
I had cleared the area of Grimm, so there shouldn't be any more problems, and Cortana had returned control of the ships to the general.
"It was like hunting strays... a huge number of strays."
Rias remarked while adjusting her hair with an elegant movement.
"It was a very good workout; I was caught off guard several times."
She said it as if she didn't want to admit it.
"I saw you quickly flying into the air with a panicked expression when the Grimm sneaked up on you."
Shinoa covered her mouth with her hand, and she probably couldn't contain her smirk right now.
"Hey! That didn't happen."
Rias proudly declared, not at all fazed... well, almost.
"Who's blushing here?"
Shinoa continued, and Rias's cheeks flushed slightly.
"Besides, you should have seen how proud she was of herself when she helped those people. It looked like you could fill a bucket with her pride.
"Shinoa!"
Rias turned to her with anger on her cute face, clenched fists, and a blush going up her neck that she wouldn't stop blushing anytime soon.
"What? I didn't say anything."
Shinoa pretended as if she hadn't said anything at all and was just a little innocent girl.
"Hermione, I see you've started doing what you like again, and that is reading."
I addressed Hermione who still hadn't dared to take off her armor completely but had removed the her helmet.
She had a scroll in her hands which is like a phone in this world, and she looked like she was reading something interesting.
"Yeah."
Hermione nodded.
"I'm trying to lower the probability of a breakdown."
Hermione glanced at me briefly and returned her attention to the scroll.
"Erin."
I sat down next to Erina who also hadn't fully removed her armor.
"Are you sure everything's okay?"
"If you don't count feeling like I was in a horror movie and witnessing those Grimm being killed... and seeing... a lot of things."
Erina hesitated for a moment.
"Then, yes, everything's fine."
"We didn't get a chance to meet properly at the beginning; we were thrown into the fire right away."
I said this while observing the girls.
"Do you like what you see?"
Shinoa asked her, her expression unchanged while sitting on a rock.
She sat in such a way that her skirt barely covered her and anyone would notice her panties if the wind came in their way.
"Shameful..."
Hermione whispered softly, pursing her lips.
"Your actions often remind me of Akeno; I think it would be dangerous for you two to meet."
Rias shook her head, and there was a soft smile on her face.
"It seems we've completed the mission."
Rias added casually.
"Indeed, but it lasts for two days... so we won't be able to return so quickly."
I said while glancing around at them.
"We'll need to find accommodation for these two days and, well, get to know each other better."
"Sir."
A man in an Atlas uniform approached us.
"General Ironwood requests your presence aboard the ship for a conversation."
He said this politely while constantly glancing at the levitating chunk of rock—at least that's how it looked from the outside.
"General Ironwood?"
Shinoa tilted her head.
"A significant figure."
I said while looking at her, and she nodded seriously and looked adorable.
"Yes, of course, if we're asked, why not have a conversation? Are you all okay with that?"
I glanced at them.
"I'm for Administrator-kun."
Shinoa said first.
"Me too."
Hermione took a timid step forward.
She felt awkward around the man in uniform and seemed to be lowering herself in his presence as if he were an adult who knew better.
"Hmm."
Erin will come with us too, she doesn't want to be left alone.
"Tony-kun, are you sure we need to talk to someone... like a general?"
Rias decided to ask, but she relied heavily on my decisions.
She might feel different now that she knows she's alone in the world because her family and friends are not with her.
"Why not."
I shrugged.
"We haven't done anything wrong anyway."
"Don't worry about it. I'm very grateful to you. If it weren't for you, my brother on the ship could have died."
This officer said it sincerely.
"Then it's settled. And yes, here's the prisoner."
I pointed to the levitating "stone ball."
"Let the general know she's the one who fought with me in the sky."
I said, and the officer nodded seriously, then went to forward the information.
Meanwhile, we headed towards the Bullhead.
"We can fly to the ship on our own."
Shinoa suggested perhaps enjoying flying on my back.
"That's not appropriate. It's better not to irritate people even more."
I expressed my point of view as we settled into the transport vehicle.
The pilot was a bit nervous about the levitating chunk of rock next to the flying transport, but I reassured him that everything would be fine, and he just nodded with a crooked smile.
...
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