Chapter 123: Grudge

"Is this one of those super relics? And what can this one do?" 

Ruby immediately bombarded Oscar with questions, but it's clear that she's become a little calmer... just a little.

"Um." 

Oscar staggered. 

"Uh... hi, I'm Oscar Pine."

He introduced himself.

"Anthony Luthor." 

I smiled at the kid, and his soul was quite bright... unlike what I felt from Ozpin. 

He's not pure evil, but definitely not a wise and bright sage. 

"And yes, Ruby, what do you even know about the relics?"

"That there are four of them, like the Maidens." 

Weiss said.

"One of the Maidens is before you." 

I gestured towards Winter. 

"I helped her become the Winter Maiden without killing the previous one..."

"Hmm." 

Yang reacted somewhat ambiguously to this information. 

As far as I understand, she knows that her mother was also a Maiden... and she probably killed the previous one.

"Really?" 

Ruby redirected her burning gaze to Winter.

"Yes... it happened literally an hour ago." 

Winter nodded. 

"We came here for the second relic."

"So what can this one do?" 

Yang stepped up and approached me closely while examining the staff.

"This is the Relic of Creation... Ozpin said." 

Oscar forwarded it to us.

"Yes, it allows you to summon a spirit capable of creating anything you want, but it will create exactly what you ask for... in short, beware of your desires."

 I chuckled. 

"There's another relic here: the Relic of Knowledge."

"At the Academy?" 

Blake approached while twitching her cat's ear.

"Yes, I can feel her..."

"We need the Spring Maiden to get it... Ozpin said." 

Oscar added.

"I don't necessarily need that. I'll quickly get the relic." 

I moved into the cave where the relic's dimensional entrance is located. 

It looked similar to the one in Atlas, but more technological and without those huge crystals.

"Well, sorry for the intrusion..." 

I simply opened a passage to this space by force that looked like a desert with a pedestal on which stood a golden lamp with a blue core. 

I also remembered to activate the live stream for the curious girls in the chat.

As soon as I took it in my hand, a large, blue woman with a quite attractive figure and face appeared.

"I like this relic spirit much more." 

I couldn't help but acknowledge her while looking at her.

"Thank you for the compliment, but didn't you come here to ask questions?" 

She said, and I felt how Remnant responded to this spirit, and I also felt something similar to time magic...

She could gain direct access to knowledge of the entire world and even more by using clairvoyance. 

It's clear why she's the spirit of Knowledge.

"No, and even if I did, you wouldn't have helped anyway. Do you know how powerful those two are?"

"Ask more specific questions... but I understand who you're talking about. The true power of the gods is unknown to me... as is yours." 

She said this while pausing before responding with interest and surveying me.

"Understood, that was useless information."

"Well, sorry, I can't grasp the power of the creators. Maybe they rushed to prevent anyone from figuring out how to oppose them. Anyway, no one here could do that before you came." 

She replied. 

"I know you want to challenge them, so I'll go back. I don't want to die stupidly. Good luck." 

She retreated into the lamp.

Hermione Granger: That was... kind of strange. Or awkward... I haven't found the right words yet.

"Well, so far these spirits are quite friendly beings to talk to." 

I said this while teleporting back. 

"Did I miss anything?"

"Only Ruby's cries that she wants to see the Maiden's power." 

Yang smirked. 

"You've grown taller?" 

She noticed.

"I'm growing, and you've grown taller too." 

I gestured with my hand, indicating that she used to be slightly shorter. 

"And plumper..."

"Hey! I'm not fat!" 

She protested. 

"Do you wanna fight?"

"Yang... I've become much stronger and I'm ready to challenge the gods. Maybe you don't fully understand how powerful they are?" 

I asked while drawing everyone's attention in the area.

"Well... probably very powerful?" 

Yang nervously replied.

"They're perfectly capable of destroying this planet and all of Remnant." 

I said. 

"And that's not an exaggeration."

"Perhaps everything can be settled peacefully." 

Ozpin took control again and Oscar's posture changed with his tone.

"We need to gather the four relics and summon the gods, ask them..."

"You've already asked." 

Winter said while frowning. 

"It's because of the gods that you suffer, and it's because of them that children die at the hands of Grimm. I don't think you can negotiate with them."

"I understand how it looks to you. But now... From what I see, Mister Anthony here is perfectly capable of gathering all the relics. If we summon the gods, they may see that people have become better..."

"Unlikely," 

I shrugged. 

"I think they just don't care. I may not look as majestic as a god... but that's because I don't want all of you to pass out while losing consciousness."

There was silence as Ozpin let out a heavy breath. 

He wasn't convinced that I was a god, but he was certainly convinced I was a mage or, rather, a powerful mage.

"And yes... I sense Grimm in the academy." 

I continued.

"What?" 

Weiss blinked, and the others looked surprised. 

"Grimm? That's impossible."

"I can clearly feel it. We need to inform the headmaster of this academy that we've taken the relic, or things could go south." 

I glanced at Winter.

"I agree, but where are the Grimm?" 

She asked.

"If I'm not mistaken... they're near the headmaster's office." 

I said as I exited the dormitory common room and headed towards the main building, followed by teams RWBY and JNPR.

"Hey, are you... also someone like Headmaster Ozpin?" 

Jaune decided to inquire.

"What were you listening to?" 

Weiss glanced at him.

"You could say that... but I'm not that old." 

I heard with a smile from some of the girls.

"And you don't give out information in small amounts to conceal more. You immediately mentioned that you use magic... even if we didn't believe it at first." 

Yang interjected while glancing at Oscar, likely referring to the former headmaster.

The headmaster of Haven Academy is a faunus with the loud and resonant name of Leonardo Lionheart. 

Winter spoke with his assistant, and we were easily allowed to enter his office... and everyone entered, and I didn't turn anyone away.

"Welcome to Haven Academy, are you from James?"

Leonardo looked us over... from whom I could feel many negative emotions especially fear.

"We're here for the Relic... Hturt eht llet." 

I said, and he began to look at us with some suspicion. 

"What is a Grimm doing in the academy?"

"Salem left it here to be able to communicate with me and tell her important information and give her the locations of hunters on missions." 

He said this while quickly covering his mouth with his hands, and fear was evident in his eyes as he looked at me.

"What?!" 

Ruby exclaimed, along with the other girls behind me.

"Is he, like, a villain?" 

Nora asked uncertainly.

"Maybe..." 

Ren answered, leaning against the wall.

"What... Leonardo! We just talked about my sister and how she might have joined Salem's side, and now you too?!" 

Qrow was clearly outraged by this information.

"What? Mom's on that witch's side?" 

Yang's eyes widened, looking at her uncle.

"Um... no..." 

He realized he had said too much.

"What else am I supposed to do? Salem can't be beaten, and Raven knows that just like I do!" 

Leonardo spoke, his heart beating much faster than usual out of fear. 

"I-I can't fight her!"

"Unexpected." 

Oscar said, with Ozpin back in control.

 "Since when Leo?"

"For years now... it's been quite a while." 

He sat down at his desk and put his head in his hands. 

"And I realized that you reincarnated into Oscar and passed that information to HER..."

"..."

Ozpin closed his eyes and once again retreated to the background while giving control of the body back to Oscar.

"Alright..." 

I reached out and teleported the Grimm... which resembled a jellyfish in a way. 

The long red tentacles with sharp ends only made the picture more dangerous.

"Grimm..." 

The two teams quickly prepared to fight instinctively.

"And who do we have here? Leonardo? Did they find out about you after all?" 

A voice sounded and a pale-skinned woman appeared... and I found her attractive purely by appearance.

"And who do we have here? The Dark Goddess Salem... or whatever your fanatics call you." 

I said.

"You... "

She looked directly at me, and somewhere Ruby squealed in fear and not only her.

"Me." 

I nodded.

"I'll visit you soon, but first, I'll deal with your accomplices..."

I closed my eyes for a moment and easily sensed the magical signatures of two Maiden. 

It was probably Raven and Cinder.

"Until we meet again." 

I destroyed this Grimm purely with the power of Will.

"You're insane... That's what Ozpin said."

Oscar forwarded it to me, looking somewhat frightened himself.

"Alright, who wants to go on an adventure to the camp of the Branwen clan of frauds and killers?" 

I looked around to see who was present. At the same time, I bound Leonardo with magical bonds so he wouldn't escape.

"Finally, action instead of constant talking!"

Yang flared up with enthusiasm.

"Wait, wait, this is dangerous!" 

Qrow objected.

"With us will be the Winter Maiden and a mage who has defeated Maidens before..."

Weiss spoke casually with her face still showing signs of not fully recovering from her father.

"So, you're admitting now that Tony has magic powers!"

Ruby exclaimed while pointing her finger at her.

"Don't point your finger at me." 

She raised her eyes.

"Look who's talking?" 

Winter said with a smile which caused Weiss to freeze like a statue.

"So, are we going to fight or not?" 

Pyrrha interjected who had been silent until now and often threw glances at me and Jaune.

Shinoa Hiragi: I'll be back in this world soon! Let everyone know! I want to see how much better they've become over the past few months.

"Let's go." 

I nodded to Ruby while glancing sideways at Chat. 

Winter activated the live stream so all the girls in the Chat could see what was happening there. 

I also activated the livestream when approaching the relics and will do so when summoning the gods.

"Wait!"

Qrow stepped forward.

"Ozpin, say something! They want to go to the camp of... well, it's more than dangerous! And Raven can teleport. She might not even be in the place you learned about!"

"Qrow..."

Yang's eyes turned red for a moment. 

"I want to talk to her again... heart to heart. Since last time, we've become stronger, and Tony is with us."

She patted me on the back with a smile.

"He has nothing to say... b-but I also think it's dangerous, but I'll help you."

Oscar said, not raising his eyes from the floor. He seemed shy or just not used to social interaction.

"Oscar, you're doing great and don't be shy. You're holding up well for someone who was just a farm boy not long ago... Do you want something more? Tell me, Oscar, what do you truly desire with all your heart and soul?" 

I smiled at him and approached him closer to look into his eyes. 

He raised his gaze to meet mine at first, then lowered it again and shrunk, but still found the strength to look me in the eyes.

"I... I want to help Ruby's team and everyone else however I can before I lose myself." 

He confessed, and Ruby was ready to rush to hug him with her look, but Weiss held her back.

"I don't want to become... just another regret in Ozma's or Ozpin's life."

"You're a kind soul, aren't you?"

I smirked, causing him to blush slightly and feel a bit embarrassed.

"So be it. I may not be the embodiment of kindness, but I don't want to watch your "self" slowly die either."

My eyes lit up with bright golden light, and beside him, a body similar to Oscar's formed but only a few years older. 

A seal appeared under the unsuspecting boy, just like under the other body. 

I promptly separated the souls, and Ozma's soul quickly transferred to the nearest suitable vessel—the body I had created.

"You split them?" 

Winter asked.

"Yes. Are you feeling okay?"

I asked Oscar.

"Y-yes..."

Oscar looked at the older version of himself, now with gray hair starting to show.

"Well, the big guy did a good deed... and you wouldn't get that from the gods."

"Balance..."

Ozma looked at what was happening with confusion.

"How... this can't be..."

"Balance is a load of crap. I don't feel any limitations at least in this world. Just accept that your gods are bastards who played with you and then threw you away. Shall we?" 

I opened a portal straight to the camp, and the first one to rush in was Yang, with a bloodthirsty grin on her face.

...

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