Fist 7: Martial Art

Fist 7: Martial Art

The first thing his mind registered was the characteristic smell of a hospital room. He hadn't been in one for a long time, not since he stopped being that inexperienced young hunter who thought he could do it all, not since Summer died.

His eyes slowly opened, but the light from the ceiling made them close again, with his pupils burning slightly.

That brought back the other sensations, and Qrow wished he hadn't woken up yet.

There was a dull pain running through his body from the inside, every muscle felt numb in some way, and every bone seemed to have stabbing pains.

He felt his aura, that power that had saved his life countless times, trying to help him, heal him, but aura wasn't infallible, it couldn't do it all, and it seemed that this time aura wouldn't help him heal as quickly as he would have liked.

Still, feeling that comforting warmth amidst the myriad of uncomfortable sensations was enough to make him relax, as much as someone who felt pain in every inch of their body could.

"You woke up," a tired and youthful voice, with a touch of maturity that contrasted with its tone, reached the huntsman's ears. He opened one eye and looked to his left side.

In a bed not far from his own, there was a young man with messy blond hair, bright blue eyes like a crystal-clear lake, and a small smile on his face.

His hands, from fingertips to shoulders, were wrapped in bandages and casts resting on armrests that Qrow had seen before when someone had the misfortune of breaking a bone.

Qrow didn't recognize him at first, his mind still somewhat clouded due to the painkillers and confusion.

Slowly, the memories began to come back to him, and his expression darkened.

"H-how, how are you awake?" Hadn't this boy been at the center of that blinding light that made him lose consciousness?

The fact that his arms were in that state was a clear indication of that, but the fact that he could stay awake while Qrow had been unconscious for who knows how long reaffirmed his internal thoughts.

'This guy is a monster.'

But even a monster can bleed, huh...

"Oh, believe me, I would have wanted to pass out like you and sleep peacefully. Unfortunately, I can't relax. That's a luxury I still don't have."

Qrow wanted to say that it should actually be a luxury that a boy his age should have, but he didn't say it because this world wasn't one that allowed everyone to be so fortunate, and this boy wasn't like any other boy his age.

Instead, he tasted the lingering blood in his mouth and asked a question.

"What was that at the end, that blinding light?"

The boy glanced at him thoughtfully before responding.

"That Grimm, it seems like my final attack did enough damage to put it in a desperate situation. Somehow, it redirected the energy I hit it with back at me, so I returned it with more than double the force" He said as if that wasn't crazy.

Qrow blinked and decided he was too lazy to try to understand it.

"I'm sorry about that, by the way. I couldn't control the energy properly due to the situation, and the shockwave hit you."

The apology was unexpected. If he had to choose between being hit by a shockwave and being eaten by a Grimm... well, it wasn't a difficult choice to make.

"Don't mention it. As far as I'm concerned, I'm still alive and not in the stomach of a Grimm, thanks to you."

His tone was softer than when they first met. Truth be told, Qrow wasn't the kindest person when dealing with strangers, but even he knew when to be grateful.

The boy nodded, accepting the gratitude easily.

There was a peaceful silence. Qrow was still processing his memories of the battle, and the boy simply seemed bored, staring at the ceiling.

"What's your name? I'm still thinking of you as 'the huntsman' in my head, and that's getting old quickly," the question made Qrow look at him, snapped out of his thoughts.

"Qrow Branwen. How about you? I can't keep calling you 'that guy' in my head either."

The boy thought for a second.

"Jaune, just Jaune." That was unusual but not impossible. Having only a first name without a last name was not commonly seen in Vale or Sanus.

"Well, just Jaune, I also have to... apologize." The word felt strange in his mouth. He wasn't one to apologize.

But he certainly wouldn't be so petty as to receive apologies and not give any in return.

Jaune smiled slightly before speaking.

"If you're referring to our first encounter, then don't apologize. You're a huntsman, it's your job to deal with Grimm. A 14-year-old boy trying to get involved in something as serious as the complete destruction of a settlement is too dangerous. If I were you, I would have wanted that boy to leave too."

Jaune didn't really blame the man. Sure, he could have been kinder or chosen his words better, but at the end of the day, the man didn't know him or what he was capable of. As a huntsman, having him around, thinking he was just a 14-year-old boy, even if he were a hunter-in-training, would still be too dangerous in a situation like that.

In truth, Jaune also dismissed the man due to his wounded pride, being looked down upon. He had to remind himself that he was no longer a world-famous hero and that people wouldn't easily be willing to work with him or follow his orders.

He no longer had that influence... for now.

"Still, I could have been less harsh, I don't know. Just let me apologize," Qrow felt somewhat uncomfortable with the boy's understanding. The fact that he understood so easily only made him feel more ashamed.

"It's okay, I accept your apology. Don't dwell on it too much, man. The past is the past, let's focus on the present."

Qrow had to agree with that, at least for this matter.

The sound of the door opening caught both of their attention, and soon a beautiful young woman with white hair cascading down to the middle of her back and amethyst-colored eyes entered.

She was dressed in a doctor's coat, which seemed a bit contrasting with her age, no older than 20. She had a somewhat exhausted expression, but when she saw them awake, she immediately sprang into action.

Bianca entered and swiftly examined them with agile and practical movements that only someone who had spent their entire life caring for others could offer. She checked every instrument measuring their vital signs, inspected the IV drip, and asked the appropriate questions at the right time.

If you had to depict the description of a competent doctor in an image, you could put a photo of her at that moment, and it would be unanimously accepted.

And when it was all over, that image shattered, and a long tired sigh escaped from a young girl who seemed too exhausted for her age.

She sat down next to Jaune and gave him a stern look, as if saying, 'I'm so exhausted, and it's all your fault.' This type of trust between a doctor and a patient was not normally seen, but Jaune and Bianca had long ceased to be just a doctor and a patient.

In this days, it was more accurate to call them close friends.

"I've already apologized, so I won't do it again no matter how many stern looks you send my way, Bianca," the mentioned girl pouted.

Qrow observed their interaction with some interest before speaking.

"What's the diagnosis, doc? How long will I be bedridden?"

Bianca looked at him, and the image of the doctor returned to her, albeit more faintly than before.

"Normally, I would say that you would have to be in bed for at least a couple of months. Whatever happened to you attacked your nervous system in a way I've never seen before. If you weren't a huntsman, you would probably have serious consequences. Your aura has been helping your body a lot, preventing the worst outcome. I would say a week should be enough for you to be back on your feet, but it's better to have a more thorough examination in Vale. I've arranged for transportation, and it should arrive tomorrow."

She finished speaking, causing Qrow to grimace. He didn't like Vale's hospital.

"My things, my weapon, and my scroll are still in that settlement?" Qrow asked Jaune, assuming that only he had been brought, and his belongings had been left behind.

Jaune chuckled and shook his head.

"I brought the sword, and you wouldn't let go of your scroll. Bianca had a tough time getting it out of your hands," Jaune would have gestured with his hands if they weren't broken.

Bianca nodded in agreement, recalling the effort it took to remove something from a hunter's grip.

"I'll have them brought along with you on the transport."

Qrow nodded gratefully; having to go back for his things wouldn't have been pleasant.

Bianca did one final check before leaving, leaving them once again in a quiet silence.

Jaune had thought about many things during this time. That Grimm had been so strong, stronger than any other Grimm he had ever faced, and he had faced entire armies of them.

Of course, it wasn't as strong as some of the monsters he had faced as Charanko, but it certainly wasn't weak either.

Moreover, its intellect was too advanced, able to form words and even devise new tactics. It wasn't something a mindless beast bent on humanity's destruction could do.

that was more than a Grimm... something derived from them, some kind of special class?"

There was only one way to find out.

"That Grimm, have the kingdoms encountered something like that before?" Jaune's question broke the silence, and Qrow, who was about to try to sleep, opened his eyes again.

"No, I've been a Huntsman for over ten years, worked for the high councils of all the kingdoms, especially Vale, but I've never heard of anything like that thing. If it wasn't black with red eyes and those white bone plates, I would seriously doubt it's a Grimm."

Qrow also pondered it, as one of the strongest Huntsmen in the world, he was obviously aware of many things, many secrets.

But this... this was very different. If such Grimm existed, then humanity and the Faunus would have no place in this world anymore.

"I see... and I hope you don't mind this question, and I hope you'll be honest, how do you rate your strength among Huntsmen?" The change of topic pulled him out of his thoughts, and he considered the question before answering.

"To be honest with you, until recently, I thought I was one of the few people who could genuinely be called strong in this world. I don't want to sound arrogant, but few Huntsmen can compare to me." A faint smile formed on his face, but it quickly faded as he remembered who he was talking to.

"If you're asking to know if there's someone as strong as you out there, then I have to disappoint you; I don't believe there's anyone as strong as you" 

Qrow sighed; words like these were not something he ever expected to say. For someone to be so strong that they could be called one of a kind was unheard of. Everyone had their limits, right? It seemed like that was no longer the case.

Jaune heard the response and couldn't help but feel a sense of disappointment. No one was as strong? Not a single Huntsmen?

Of course, relying solely on a man's words about this was difficult; he could be exaggerating or lying. But Jaune didn't feel like he was.

He'd probably confirm it somewhere else, but if it were true, then this world was in big trouble.

Did that Grimm appear in his previous life? He tried to think, but nothing came to mind that could give him a hint.

What if the Grimm had changed or mutated due to his return to this world? Are there more like it, or is it unique? If there are more, then how many are there, and where are they?

Is that the limit of their strength, or can they go even further?

Taking the hints given by the Grimm, it seemed like consuming humans or living beings in some way was something the Grimm wanted and needed. It mentioned increasing the number of cells, right? That by consuming, it could increase its cell count or something like that.

So, perhaps it could become stronger?

There were many questions, but Jaune decided to take the darker path in his thought process. He assumed that there were more Grimm of its kind out there, capable of altering their anatomical structure at will and with a power at least at the demon level. They could consume humans and Faunus to grow stronger, and their strength could reach unknown levels.

He was the only one in this world capable of facing them and protecting the people from them. The more he thought about it, the darker his expression became.

While he didn't expect his third chance at life to be a walk in the park, he also didn't anticipate bearing such a heavy responsibility on his shoulders.

Nonetheless, he arrived at the same conclusion he had once reached as Charanko.

He couldn't do this alone.

Defending an entire kingdom by himself, or even an entire continent, wouldn't be too challenging if he set his mind to it, especially if his strength continued to grow up to its previous maximum. He might even handle two or three continents simultaneously. But watching over the entire world wasn't feasible, at least not for him. Even if he were willing, what would that turn him into?

So he had a thought.

Can I train others, right?

If he couldn't do it alone, then he wouldn't do it alone. He would simply take the right people under his guidance and teach them.

But that raised a different problem: time. He didn't have the time to start from scratch with someone like his master had done with many students. Laying the groundwork, conditioning the body, and then teaching martial arts not only required the student's time but also the master's.

And the time for each student varied depending on their own level of understanding and compatibility with the martial art.

"No, if there are more Grimms like that out there, and problems keep coming into this world, I can't teach anyone from scratch," Jaune thought, glancing at Qrow.

If he couldn't start from scratch with anyone, what if he taught someone who already had a strong foundation and a fit body?

Jaune knew better than anyone the speed at which you can learn a martial art when you already have a certain level of fighting knowledge and a certain level of physical conditioning.

Hunters were very physically strong, but for that reason, their fighting techniques were superficial. Not that they were bad, but they relied too much on the power their aura gave them. They didn't seek more power than that and thought that was all there was, that the human or Faunus body couldn't go further.

They were wrong, of course.

And for that reason, their 'martial arts' were at best very average. But even if they were average, they still provided a solid foundation, and their physical strength was there, so using certain types of movements shouldn't be impossible for them.

Additionally, aura increases the body's natural recovery rate, right? So, what if you combine it with your medical techniques to accelerate natural healing? How fast could someone learn with aura in that way?

Feeling an increasingly intense gaze on him, Qrow glanced at Jaune from the corner of his eye.

"Do I have something on my face?" To that question, Jaune responded with another question.

"Tell me, Qrow, do you want to be strong?"

To that question, Qrow couldn't answer immediately. Did he want to be strong? He used to think he had reached the peak of his strength, that there was nothing more for him.

Qrow wasn't very ambitious, he appreciated the things he had, and he lamented the things he lost, but he never sought more than that.

But now... he pictured that Grimm reaching Patch, reaching his nieces. He clenched his fist.

"Yes... I want to be stronger."

Jaune nodded, satisfied with the response and the sincerity in it.

"If that's what you want, I can teach you."

Teach him? Qrow blinked in incredulity, confused.

"Teach me? What do you mean?"

"I'm a martial artist, a very good one, I must say. Everything I can do is due to special techniques and training methods, and I'm a master in all of them. So, if you want to be strong, I can teach you," he said as if it weren't a complete madness. Could someone else learn those monstrous strength and impossible speed techniques?

Qrow would have laughed in disbelief if he hadn't seen the boy bleed and take hits with no sign of aura.

"So, that's the secret? Special martial arts?" His voice sounded quite surprised, even to himself.

"Basically, yes. There's more to it, but I could explain better if you're willing to learn," he offered again.

Qrow thought for a moment, but the truth was that he had no reason to refuse. If he could truly gain the strength he had seen displayed in that destroyed settlement, then he had to do it. He had to try.

"Then please teach me," his voice was a bit low and slightly hoarse. He had never asked for something in this manner, but if it was for the sake of his nieces, then bowing his head was a very small price to pay.

"Very well, then I will teach you." The words were soft but carried great determination.

Jaune contemplated how to teach a Huntsman or Huntress his martial arts. Most of them used weapons, right? That limited the pool of potential students.

While he was a great martial artist, he'd be lying if he said he mastered every weapon and combat style. His primary strength lay in hand-to-hand combat and swordsmanship, regardless of the various types of swords. Even things that weren't strictly swords, as long as they had an edge, he could teach a thing or two.

Of course, the further away from a sword, the more difficult it would be for him to teach something adequate. That's why he couldn't take in every Huntsman unless they were willing to change their combat style almost entirely.

So he began to think.

What martial art should he teach, or should he teach them all, or just individual techniques that could be combined?

The last option made him pause.

Now, he could combine all his martial arts in a way that could create synergy between them.

What if he created a martial art specifically for Huntsmen to become stronger? Combining various key elements from other martial arts with the innate advantage of Huntsmen who possess aura...

He started to envision it, creating scenarios in his mind, and studying every martial art, every technique, and training method.

He discarded some, considered others, and kept some.

As a base, he would use the Water Stream, for deflecting and counterattacking, a defense that would save lives no matter the situation, and also using the flow as a crutch to accelerate growth.

As explosive force, he would use the Exploding Heart Release Fist, so that every punch and kick would be more lethal to the clear enemy: Grimm. This martial art should focus on killing them, so it should be deadly for them. However, there should also be enough self-control since a Huntsman doesn't always fight Grimm.

As a movement technique, he would use the ninja arts of Flashy Flash for speed, agility, and elegance.

If they used weapons like swords, he would use the Hikūken: Air Blade as a base to increase range, lethality, and strength. Additionally, he would incorporate all the sword techniques he knew to provide more versatility.

Perhaps he could adapt the Water Stream to use the sword as an extension of the body, deflecting blows with it and countering with double the force? He visualized it in his mind, and it was more than viable. Not only the sword, but weapons like a spear or staff could also fit with this martial art.

He could also incorporate some movements from other Class S heroes that he had learned.

The concept solidified in his mind, and an image of himself practicing this martial art quickly appeared in his mind.

In a matter of moments, he corrected mistakes, improved methods, and combined movements. He studied the learning process and used his knowledge of aura to theorize how it would affect the training level. He still lacked some knowledge about aura, but Qrow would help him figure that out later.

It wasn't perfect yet, not entirely. There were more things to polish, more things to add. He would have to test it in reality and gauge its effectiveness.

But in all the essential aspects, he had created a new martial art specifically designed for Huntsmen.

What should he call it?

Grimm Fist? No.

Slayer Fist of Grimm? No.

How about Fist of Grimm Annihilation? Too long.

Calamity Fist of Grimm? That was embarrassing.

"Grimm Slayer Fist." Jaune's voice rang out in the room, catching Qrow's attention.

It might have seemed like Jaune had spent a long time thinking, but in reality, only three seconds had passed since he last spoke.

"What?" Qrow asked.

"That's the name of the martial art I'll teach you, Grimm Slayer Fist – a martial art specifically designed to kill Grimm." Jaune smiled, his eyes gleaming with excitement as he thought about the possibilities.

Qrow tested the name in his mouth.

"It doesn't sound bad," he admitted. Only a martial art with that name would be fitting for a Huntsman, right?

So the two of them contemplated the not-so-distant future.

And so, in a simple room, on an ordinary day, in a small and unassuming settlement on the outer edge of Vale, the most significant martial art of Remnant was born.

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Fist 7: Martial Art: Grimm Slayer Fist!

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