Chương 7: Alex's System Bound Involuntary Hunter School Slice Of Life Is Exhausting, As Expected. Part 2
Disclaimer: This is a work of fan fiction based on multiple existing anime/manga series. The characters and settings used in this story belong to their respective owners and creators, and no copyright infringement is intended. This story is purely for entertainment purposes and is not intended to infringe upon any existing intellectual property. I do not own any of the original works that inspired this fanfiction, and I fully support the original creators and their works.
-Story Start-
-Third Person POV-
"Tardiness isn't a very good first impression, Mr. Andrite and Miss Rose." A pompous voice echoed amid the filled lecture room.
All heads turned to look at the figures that entered rather late - Alex Andrite and Ruby Rose.
Weiss leveled an expectant suffocating glare upon the two figures, whilst Pyrrha waved with an awkward yet reassuring friendly smile.
Ruby's shoulders slumped as she genuinely apologized, her tone low, "S-Sorry for being late, Professor...?"
"Peter Port." He stroked his mustache with a bit of swagger.
Much to Ruby's and everyone else's confusion.
"Cut her some slack teach! She's with me!" Yang stood up, flashing a signature smirk and a reassuring thumbs-up at Ruby.
A gesture Peter Port ignored to intensify his glare on the two late students.
...Having lost interest immediately, Alex's eyes scanned the classroom.
Fixating a particularly curious detail.
"What's with the cage?" Alex mumbled neutrally, pointing at the cage that didn't seem all too keen on standing in place - As whatever was held in it thrashed wildly and shook the iron cage it was held in.
Professor Port contemplated for a moment, but his eyes brightened up with an idea, his tone light, "Why this is perfect timing! Who among the two of you would like to better your first impressions?"
The now nervous Ruby brightened up immediately at the chance of proper redemption.
"I do!" Ruby lifted her arms up high.
"She wants to." Alex nonchalantly pointed his thumb at his partner.
[Maste-]
'I'm warning you.'
[...Okay~]
-----------------------------
The lecture room was still in anticipation.
A young Rose stood before a cage, tightly gripping her oversized scythe, Crescent Rose.
"Isn't it rude that she has to pay for your mistake of tardiness?" Weiss hissed in annoyance, her gaze piercing through her unreliable teammate.
While she is upset that Ruby was chosen as Leader, she doesn't spite the girl.
"Yes, it is." He nodded matter-of-factly.
Surprised he was agreeing with her, Weiss shook her head, pressing the attack, "Where's your pride? Your honor?"
He hummed, "Six feet under probably?"
Pinching her brows, she offered, "Mayhaps any sense of manhood?"
"In the current Remnant Society, there are more Huntresses than Hunters. If anything, she should be showing some Feminine Grace. I am but a weak man." He shrugged, his face glued to his table as he leisurely gazed at the approaching spectacle.
"S-She's a child!" Weiss roared indignantly, disbelief crossing her features.
"I trust Headmaster Ozpin's judgment." He lazily replied.
"Why you-"
"Silence students! Let the battle commence!" Professor Port's voice rang out, as the cage revealing a Boarbatusk slammed open with a loud clang.
Ruby's stance was tense, as her silver eyes narrowed in concentration at her opponent.
Yet the excited smirk on her face had indicated her confidence in the coming debacle.
Predictably, the Grimm charged forward, its heavy steps shook the ground in its stampede.
Ruby, in a feat of dexterity and casual observance, sidestepped the Boarbatusk's path, extending her scythe to the side of the boar's face.
With a loud bam, an explosion of dust and gunpowder resonated, a blast hitting the Boarbatusk squarely on the left side of its reinforced bonelike face.
Ruby's goal wasn't to damage it with that move.
"It's to stagger it." Pyrrha smiled as she mumbled her observation.
The generated explosion staggered the Boarbatusk enough for Ruby to kick it lightly, lifting its upper body and revealing the vulnerable belly.
The reaper weaved her scythe, cutting through the soft belly with brutal and gory precision.
The Boarbatusk let out an outcry of agony, before it promptly died, dissipating as all Grimm did.
Allowing Ruby to finish her swing with some theatrical flare, her cape billowing at her movement.
Claps resonated, even the reluctant ones from Weiss, at Ruby's display.
"THAT'S MY LIL SIS! WOOOHOOOO! WAY TO GO RUBY! SUPER COOL!" Yang appeared most enthusiastic.
"Bravo! Bravo!" Professor Peter clapped as he approached the Rose with a proud smile.
"However, such theatrics could be spared. It may spell your or someone else's doom, so do keep those out of the battlefield." He lectured with a lifted finger.
Rolling her eyes lightly, Ruby focused on the attention, rubbing the back of her head sheepishly, an awkward smile on her face, "Thanks! Hehe!" A little smugness was evident in her tone.
-----------------------------
"Well? What did you think Partner? Wasn't I awesome?!" Ruby silently and jovially questioned the nearly asleep Alex amid the continued lecture.
Having been praised to the heavens by both Pyrrha and her sister Yang - Ruby's ego seemed to magically rise to the stars.
Or something.
That's what Alex has managed to figure out thus far.
Lazily lifting an eyelid, he gave Ruby an even look.
She looked like a puppy eager for praise.
Relenting, he mumbled what would get her off his case, "Yes, outstanding." He drawled out.
She frowned, noting the lack of enthusiasm in his tone, "...You don't mean it." She pouted.
Closing his eyelid, he replied, "I'm not gonna try and convince you, so... Whatever let's you sleep at night." He apathetically stated.
Frowning even deeper, she gestured wildly at Alex, turning to Weiss and Pyrrha.
Weiss, for once, mirrored Ruby's dismay, as she nodded, making a completely nonthreatening air gesture of choking Alex.
Whilst Pyrrha, sweating slightly, figured out she couldn't de-escalate the situation any further, her smile having turned strained.
It seems Social Interactions weren't Alex's strong suit.
...Go figure.
-----------------------------
It was after Professor Peter Port's Grimm Lectures that Team RAWP and the rest of their fellow 1st years promptly headed to their class scheduled for 11:15 AM.
Combat Class.
There, Alex found himself in quite the odd situation.
Not that he minded it one bit.
[...You know Master, your rotten nature never ceases to amaze me.]
'How so?' He asked nonchalantly.
[You've managed to turn even the most innocent and pure-hearted girl into your enemy.]
There he was, in Goodwitch's Class.
Sat in a crouching position, hugging his legs alone in the...
As Ruby termed it:
"Bad Boy Corner."
Pyrrha's protests were kept internally, she had no say in the matter.
Truthfully, even if she was to play Devil's Advocate.
This apathetic bastard deserved it.
Though, he didn't seem to mind it as he dragged his body to that little isolated corner in the combat classroom.
Sitting contently in silence.
'You're being dramatic. She's just undergoing puberty.' He nodded to himself assuredly.
[Lacking a little self-awareness there, aren't you? Asshole Master?]
Ignoring the System was standard procedure for Alex, as he casually observed the ongoing duel that seemed to be reaching its climax.
"Go Weiss! Go Weiss! Go Ya... Err Go Yan- Weiss! Go Weiss!" Ruby roared with a hint of reluctance, clearly unconvinced of whom to cheer for.
Truly, the dilemma of her lifetime.
"BREAK HER LEGS! YANGYYYYYY!" Nora seemed to lose her mind, her banshee-like screech making Ren's ears bleed.
The one who was closest in proximity to Nora - Blake was unconscious and foaming at the mouth from the sound-based attack.
Goodwitch's voice reverberated, "That will be enough! Winner! Yang Xiao Long!"
Immediately at the authoritative tone, the two Huntresses ceased their battle.
Sweat trickled down both their faces, Yang's Aura gauge was in the yellow, whilst she managed to bring Weiss's down to the red.
Solidifying her victory.
Weiss's expression scrunched up in frustration for but a moment, but she took a deep breath to calm her nerves.
These first two days were just filled with disappointment after disappointment for the Schnee Princess.
With her only respite being partnered with THE Pyrrha Nikos.
Hands behind her head, Yang called out as she approached, "Great fight! You're pretty tough Weiss Cream!" She smirked confidently.
Weiss was not as stuck up as people might think.
If there is anything Hunters and Huntresses respect - It is strength.
Flashing a look of begrudged respect, Weiss gave the smallest of smiles, extending her arm, "Good fight. You were impressive."
They shook on it, and that was that.
Making their way back to their respective teams.
Ruby shouted compliments to both Yang and Weiss, making careful consideration to include an equal number of praises for each:
"You were awesome Yang!"
"You too Weiss! You'll do better next time! If you never give up, you can never truly lose!"
With each praise, Yang's shit-eating grin only grew.
And with each praise directed at Weiss, it felt like a sharp sting to her pride.
It felt empty for her, even though Ruby was genuine.
The frustration was bubbling.
Back in the seats, Pyrrha nodded respectfully to Weiss, "It was a bad match of Semblances, next time you should aim for a quick victory instead of probing for weaknesses." She advised.
In this school, with the exception of specific Professors and Educators, there was no one Weiss respected more than Pyrrha Nikos.
Taking the redhead's words into consideration, Weiss nodded with a thin line on her face, "Thanks for the advice... I'll beat her next time." She barely masked the strain in her voice.
"Quiet!" Goodwitch ordered authoritatively at the racket of praises and hushed commentary regarding the duel between Yang and Weiss.
Silence reigned once more, as Goodwitch lowered her gaze to choose the next combatants.
"Cardin Winchester! Alex Andrite! Step into the ring!" She lifted her gaze, directing a look at each of the boys respectively.
Her brow twitched slightly at the listless expression and awkward sitting position of the isolated blond.
All eyes turned to scrutinize the next combatants.
However, those aware of Alex's strength - Particularly Team RWP and Team YRBN held expectant gazes.
Truly, strength was his only redeeming quality.
At the prospect of seeing Alex fight once again, Ruby perked up.
Ending her official "Pout at Alex" phase in an instant.
"Hey hey! You're up Alex! Also, you are henceforth released from the Bad Boy Corner!" She waved excitedly.
Ignoring her, Alex raised an arm and loudly questioned, "Can I surrender?" The blandness in his tone reverberated in the room.
Raising an eyebrow, Goodwitch retorted, "Do you wish to get a failing grade?"
[Do you~?] The System not so subtly threatened the consequences of failing that particular quest.
Alex frowned slightly.
"Fuck my life." He grumbled under his breath.
And with getting that dosage of self-pity out of his system, he rose up slowly, as if a titanic weight had been pressing down his shoulders.
He made his way towards the ring slowly, his steps heavy and his posture slouched and reluctant.
Ignoring the bubbly excitement of Ruby and the intrigue of all those keenly aware of his prowess.
Stroking her chin, Pyrrha observed Alex's stroll with a degree of unease.
"Is the uncouth nature of that dolt also throwing you in a loop?" Weiss hazarded a guess.
Smiling awkwardly, Pyrrha replied, "N-Not quite... I'm just confused. I'm getting the feeling he really doesn't want to be here."
...
If Alex had heard those magical words uttered by Pyrrha, he might have cried tears of joy.
...Might have.
Folding her arms, Weiss protested, "That's just plain stupid. If he really didn't want to be here. He wouldn't be. On the contrary, as much of an ape of a man as he is... He's very powerful. It would make sense for him to aim for a career as a professional Hunter."
"Remind me why you think he's an ape?"
"...Gut feeling."
-----------------------------
Alex is most definitely an ape.
He'd much rather eat a couple of bananas... Or do pretty much anything but stand in this arena in front of that smug mace-wielding guy.
"You look like a right prick. I'll beat the shit out of you."
"What'd I do?" Alex wondered aloud, no change in expression.
[You have a punchable face, Master.]
'I think my face is plenty handsome, no? I'm sure my mother would call me handsome.'
'If I had a mother in the first place, though.'
Before Cardin could spout some degrading remark as to why he was so aggressive towards Alex, Goodwitch narrowed her eyes at the reluctant blond.
"Why is the Aura Gauge tied to your scroll not activating, Mr Andrite? Is your scroll faulty?" She inquired.
This was certainly a problem - Without the Aura Gauge functioning properly, the battle could not go on.
An opportunity Alex decided to seize without a semblance of hesitation.
"Yes. Most broken. I'm afraid I can't partici-"
"SLEEP NEIGHBOR'S AURA IS TIED TO THE ACTIVATION OF HIS SEMBLANCE MISS GOODWITCH MISS!"
Alex's scheme?
Foiled.
He deadpanned, 'Ah, my nemesis.'
[She's great isn't she?]
Blinking he mumbled, "When'd I mention that nugget of info?"
"Quit dallying, Mr. Andrite. Summon your semblance and begin." Goodwitch's tone grew sharp, as she held back a twinge of curiosity at seeing that beautiful semblance firsthand.
Sighing in pure, unadulterated agony, Alex extended his right hand.
He stated in the most deadpan voice he could muster:
"Come."
As ordered, motes of light gathered in blinding speed to form the figure of a sword in his right hand.
Gripping the hilt, Excalibur in its whole glory materialized.
Forcing the entire class to freeze up at the sight of its splendor.
Even those familiar with it couldn't help but want to gaze at it for hours.
"It's so... Cool..." Ruby gushed.
"We need to get him to summon it more often," Ren mumbled due to the tranquil aura radiating off the sword, which was like a soothing energy to the soul.
Weiss sweatdropped, voicing everyone's thoughts, "I'll say it again, but... How can a man as bland as him have a Semblance so... Profound and magnificent?"
Alex's deadpan only grew more... Dead.
'I swear they're all Excalibur Diggers.'
[...That's an apt term, Master.]
At the rate things were going, people were just gonna plain beg him to show them his Excalibur.
Note - The Sword.
None were more caught blindsided than Cardin himself, as he had to double-take a couple of times and compose himself to get his casual arrogance back on track.
He scoffed, "T-That's just a pretty sword! Not even a gun attached to it!" Pointing at the lazily held golden blade.
Cardin's taunt broke Goodwitch out of her similar Excalibur-induced hypnosis.
Shaking her head, she couldn't help but marvel at it with a degree of composure.
'Seeing it through a screen is one thing. But in person? It's even more beautiful... I'm sure of it, this is no ordinary semblance.'
Ozpin's aged wisdom wasn't wrong - That was what her own experienced instincts conveyed to her.
It was not simply a beautiful semblance as far as they've seen.
It is a sharp blade.
A powerful blade.
But was there more to come?
Lowering her gaze to the Aura Monitor in her hands that controlled the one in the large screen to display the Aura for all to see... Something was amiss.
While Cardin's Aura was clear for all to see, a green bar indicated his healthy status.
Alex's displayed...
[ERROR. OVERLOADED. ERROR. OVERLOADED.]
Glynda Goodwitch had only seen this occur a few times in her career as a Combat Instructor for prospective Hunters and Huntresses.
...It was an error mostly attributed to the Arc Family who held an uncannily hefty amount of Aura.
She bluntly stated, directing her tired gaze at Alex, "You went over the limit in Aura."
Her words, albeit not loudly uttered, nevertheless echoed throughout the room.
The implications struck surprise in all the others as well, except Ruby who had known Alex's Aura to be extraordinary in capacity.
"THAT CAN HAPPEN?!" Was the wider reaction.
"...Am I free to go, then?" Alex inquired amid the racket.
"No. Rare, but this has occurred before. All we have to do is to connect more Aura Measuring Devices to you."
"...Okay."
-----------------------------
The usual Aura Measuring Devices attached to scrolls and used in Hunter Academies like Beacon and the Academies in other Kingdoms have a capacity of around seven times the Aura Capacity of the average Professional Hunter or Huntress.
Cases of overloading them are exceptionally rare given that range of measurement.
The record was overloading two.
So...
'What in the fuck is this?' Glynda had, for the first time in a long, long time uttered a curse in her mind.
The entire class was in similar states as their combat instructor...
Sure, he overloaded the 1st Aura Measurement Device.
But things began spicing up when he overloaded...
The second one.
Then the third.
Fourth.
Fifth.
Sixth...
Until.
Finally...
Clearly seen on the large display screen looming above everyone's heads:
Was the single green bar of Cardin's Aura.
And...
Ten green bars showcasing Alex's Aura. One under the other, barely fitting the screen.
[Talk about a Boss Fight, huh?!] The System cackled enthusiastically amid the shattered world view of all the peasants in the room... Or so System likes to call them.
'I'm going to resort to drinking after this.' Alex nodded matter-of-factly.
[Avalon will cure you of all intoxication~!]
'What's with you and systematically removing all the relatively little amount of happiness in my life?'
His head turned towards Glynda Goodwitch at her call out.
Who had composed herself, still looking mighty distraught despite doing so.
"Mr. Andrite," she began, her voice betraying a slight hint of exasperation, "This is... Highly irregular... But we will proceed with the match regardless."
"You sure? I'll gladly surrender."
"No, you need to be graded regardless."
Although exasperated, Glynda saw hope within Alex.
His semblance was one thing.
But an Aura SEVENTY TIMES larger than the average professional Hunter?
Groundbreaking is putting it mildly.
This will certainly be reported to Ozpin.
He could very well be this generation's much-needed Hero.
And perhaps... The one who will bring an end to the millennia-old conflict.
...His attitude needs much work, however.
Cardin Winchester, who had been standing across the ring from Alex, was no longer able to mask his apprehension.
His earlier bravado faded, replaced by a nervous sweat beading on his forehead.
The semblance was one thing, but the sheer amount of Aura he possessed was staggering.
No.
Not staggering.
He wasn't stupid and neither the crowd of similarly shocked students were.
Alex's Aura was impossibly large.
An abnormality.
Even Ruby, who was the most keenly aware of its magnitude was surprised at the actual measurement of it.
Still, he tried to save face with another weak taunt.
"Just cause you got a fancy semblance and a bunch of aura doesn't mean you know how to use it, blondie. All I gotta do is hit you a buncha times." Cardin scoffed, raising his mace and taking a defensive stance.
Alex didn't bother to reply.
His expression remained the same.
A mix of apathy and mild annoyance, as if he'd rather be anywhere else but here - Obviously.
He tightened his grip on Excalibur, the golden blade gleaming under the lights of the fight space.
Glynda's sharp voice cut through the tension. "Begin!"
Cardin didn't waste a moment.
He charged forward with a roar, swinging his mace with all his might, aiming straight for Alex's midsection.
But Alex remained still, his gaze fixated on Cardin with a bored expression.
As the mace came hurtling toward him, Alex moved with blinding speed, sidestepping the blow effortlessly as the ground shook.
With a swift motion, he tapped Cardin lightly on the back with the flat of his sword, causing the larger boy to stumble forward awkwardly.
Cardin growled in frustration, quickly regaining his balance professionally.
He turned to face Alex, who was now standing a few feet away, his posture relaxed, Excalibur held loosely at his side.
"...Am I being a bully here?" Alex wondered, almost under his breath.
Cardin's face flushed with anger, having caught onto that innocent yet degrading remark.
He charged again, this time swinging his mace in a wide arc, aiming for Alex's head.
But once again, Alex sidestepped the attack with ease, almost lazily, as if dodging a child's swing.
The speed disparity was most clearly unfair.
The students watching the match began to murmur amongst themselves.
Some were amused, while others were genuinely confused by the lack of effort Alex seemed to be putting into the fight.
Those familiar with him tried their best to curb their disappointment at his lack of effort or showmanship or awesome moves as Ruby puts it.
Even Glynda couldn't help but narrow her eyes, wondering if Alex was taking this exercise seriously at all.
...She had hopes he had a modicum of earnestness in that bland expression of his.
Nevertheless, his speed was the common topic in their whispers.
No one here was certain they could take on Cardin so leisurely and lazily as Alex is doing as of this moment.
Cardin, on the other hand, contrasted Alex's leisure calm with an ever-growing frustration.
His attacks became more erratic, more desperate.
Every swing, every strike, was either dodged or deflected by Alex with minimal effort.
And Alex wasn't very good at swordplay as well.
He was just getting stat-checked.
Alex made sure not to slice Cardin's precious mace due to Excalibur's supreme sharpness.
"You… you think you're better than me?!" Cardin snarled, sweat dripping down his face. His swings became wilder, his form sloppier.
Alex sweatdropped, "Dude... When'd I even say that?"
'What's wrong with this guy? Did my existence offend him or something?'
[Ever heard of... Body language? Your attitude in this battle basically screams your superiority.] The System asked rhetorically.
'...That wasn't my intention.'
Shaking his head, he resolved himself, 'Alright, I'm ending it here. Think this should get me passing with flying colors.' He thought with a hint of irritation.
Before Cardin could respond, Alex moved.
In a blur, he closed the distance between them, his sword moved with great speed. He didn't aim to strike Cardin directly.
Instead, he tapped the blunt side of Excalibur against Cardin's wrist with precision.
And what a tap it was...
The impact was powerful, thanks to the force and speed he had swung it with as the wind shook from his every movement and the ground cracked.
The hit immediately dropped Cardin's aura into the orange and forced him to loosen his grip on the mace, dropping it unceremoniously on the ground with a loud clang.
In that instant, Alex's sword was at Cardin's throat, the golden blade shimmering with an almost ethereal light.
Controlling it ever so slightly, he attempted to pierce his skin, damaging the aura in a split second into the red.
Ceasing his offensive once it had blurred red.
This had all happened in a split second before anyone could react.
'Minimal damage, nice and easy.' Alex nodded to himself proudly at that display of control.
Note - He had not calculated doing that much damage to Cardin just through the strength of the wrist swing.
The first to react, of course, was Glynda Goodwitch who had announced the victor of the bout.
She stepped forward, her voice authoritative. "Winner - Alex Andrite."
The room fell silent, all eyes fixed on the two figures in the center of the ring.
Cardin froze, his eyes wide with shock. He felt a cold sweat run down his back as he stared into Alex's calm and bored gaze.
As if Cardin was but a pebble.
Gritting his teeth, he lowered his gaze to the ethereal blade inches from his throat.
This wasn't a battle.
This was a massacre.
A mixture of awe and confusion rippled through the class.
Some cheered, others whispered amongst themselves.
Ruby, as expected, was bouncing with excitement, "That was awesome, Alex! You didn't even break a sweat!" She waved around the "Go Alex!" flag with a little doodle of him on it.
Note - Ruby has a flag with a doodle for all members of her team and Yang in the case of needing to cheer for someone.
Extra Note - How supportive!
Weiss, on the other hand, was frowning, her arms crossed, "Show-off," she muttered, though there was a hint of that familiar begrudging respect in her tone.
Pyrrha watched Alex with a contemplative look, "He's… As impressive as in initiation... Maybe more so."
Weiss shrugged, "I'm sure you could beat hi-"
The redhead cut her off, "I'm actually not so sure... I'd like to try." An excited smirk formed on Pyrrha's face.
As Alex returned to his side of the arena, he glanced at Glynda, who nodded in approval.
"That was a good display of control and restraint, Mr. Andrite."
Alex simply shrugged, "I'm just here to pass," he replied nonchalantly.
"...With flying colors maybe?" He tilted his head, offering not so-subtly
Glynda's lips curled into a faint smile, "Then perhaps you should consider taking your studies a bit more seriously... If you participate without the need of a threat, your grades will surely be passable." she said, her tone slightly teasing.
Alex gave a half-hearted nod, his expression unchanged.
As he walked back to his spot, he couldn't help but notice the various reactions of his classmates, Team, and Partner.
The admiration.
The curiosity.
The skepticism.
[The shock and awe! Isn't this attention and amazement exhilarating?!]
'Absolutely not. I want my coffee' Alex replied curtly.
'Mhm... Lunch is after class... Good shit.' He was excited for the first time today.
[Well you better get used to it! Things will only be ramping up from here!] System encouraged.
Only to be further ignored by Alex.
He's only thankful it hadn't dropped a quest on his lap thus far...
So far, these two days have been an incoherent experience for Alex.
He doesn't want to take things or even others seriously.
He never wanted this.
He's just going through the motions.
He hopes it'll stay that way for him.
To Be Continued!
-Author Note Start-
Hello hello.
Yes! I know!
I'm just as surprised as you guys are!
I actually updated this thing!
When will the next update arrive?
Who knows!
I might update this soon though.
Soon means a month lmao lmao lmao.
Well, I'll keep this note short.
Jaune Arc is nowhere to be seen, but he's doing his own thing (To be seen in the SOON TO COME chapter lol).
Pyrrha and Weiss still haven't registered the "Alex Superiority" in their minds.
I stated at the start of the fic.
But he's booty-busting OP.
Anyway, hope the chapter was to your enjoyment and Worth (Lmao) the wait.
Love you guys and cya all later!
Bu Bye!
(We're getting to Beacon's Destruction in 30 years at this pace guys!!!!!!!!!!!!! lmao)
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