Partner

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-

At the crack of dawn, Alex emerged with an annoyed expression from the cocoon of his sheets, having sought refuge from the persistent chatter of the Orange-Haired nuisance.

Whether it was the genuine plea for sleep or the evident internal suffering conveyed in his tone, the girl who had pestered him the day before finally relented, granting him the coveted blessing of rest.

Alex, typically not a morning person, found himself at odds with the previous owner of his body, who adhered to early morning routines in pursuit of lofty dreams of becoming a great huntsman.

A waste of precious sleep hours, if you were to ask Alex.

With a groan of pure agony, Alex reluctantly raised his upper body, shooting a disgruntled glare at the large window. However, to his ever-rising irritation, the sun had just begun its ascent, leaving the breathtaking view only half-bathed in sunlight.

Irritation coursed through him, perfectly capitalized and enhanced by the unwelcome banter of his schizophrenic slave-driving parasite.

[A perfectly good morning to you, Master! Today promises to be beautiful! So wipe that grump-] The System greeted with unbridled cheer.

'Shut up. Give me a second to process the harsh reality of having to wake up to all this,' Alex groaned internally, rudely interrupting the System with a rather concerning statement.

Lying there, Alex contemplated the impending day, silently mustering the strength to face it within the confines of his makeshift bed, his mind grappling with the unwanted challenges ahead.

Can you blame him? He really couldn't be bothered.

But, the prospect of enduring 100 Years of Torture did sound motivating enough to prompt action.

Sighing, his eyes scanned the room, noting that he was the sole early riser, evident by the loud snoring, sleeping initiates, and the quietude of the ballroom.

Oddly, the loudest snoring came from the girl beside him.

No, not just due to proximity; she genuinely snored like a siren.

'...What is she?' Alex mused, his gaze fixed on the enigmatic girl beside him.

Her goofy grin persisted even amid snores that could rival a siren's call.

The fact that everyone, including himself, managed to sleep through such symphonic snoring was a testament to either sheer exhaustion or exceptional tolerance, creating an odd ambiance in the room as the snores blended with the quietude.

Shaking off the peculiar thoughts, Alex refocused, 'Ah... Might as well start my day, if I can't go back to sleep. Got to check something outside anyway.'

Alex was the type of person who, were you to wake him up, he couldn't fall back asleep unless extremely exhausted.

So, having woken up initially, he had no hope of falling back asleep.

He'd simply lay there attempting to fall asleep for 2-3 hours, and then it'd be too late and he'd have to go to initiation.

Essentially he has wasted all his time in such a case.

Although Alex wouldn't complain about such a thing, laying in bed for hours and not doing anything is something he appreciates, he has something he has to check.

Silently getting up so as not to bother anyone, Alex headed to the restroom to freshen up without disturbing the still-sleeping initiates.

Once revitalized by the magic of Cold Water and dressed early in his combat garb, he ventured into the peaceful outdoors, exiting the ballroom, skidding between makeshift beds with sleeping initiates so as to not accidentally step and cause a chain awakening.

That'd be pretty bad.

-Scene Change-

Alex, a self-proclaimed expert in finding great places to chill and be alone, relied on his built-in sixth sense as he scoured Beacon's Campus for a quiet and neat spot.

Enjoying the cool dawn breeze and the gradually brightening campus, he strolled towards a destination further away from the academy buildings, seeking refuge from prying eyes.

After around 40 leisurely minutes, Alex reached a small cliffside in a secluded corner of the campus. The artificial forest's trees shielded him from plain sight, and the cliffside offered a breathtaking view.

Beyond the pleasure of sightseeing and relaxation, which Alex valued, his reason for seeking such a remote spot was more practical.

Flexing his muscles, he observed, "Given the memories of this body's previous owner, I am extremely weak and lethargic. System, I assume this is related to the 'Show Your Hand' debuff?"

[That is correct, Master! As specified, you are completely powerless, and your Aura is sealed as long as it is in effect, essentially making you a powerless civilian!]

Alex nodded neutrally in response to the System's affirmation.

Truthfully, Alex's purpose in coming here was to unveil Excalibur for the first time.

Why?

Aware of Excalibur's nature, he couldn't risk being mesmerized or paralyzed during combat with Grimm.

He needed to become familiar with it at least, for the first time he used it.

In addition to gauging his strength upon deactivation of the "Show Your Hand" Debuff.

The "Don't Die" failure penalty ensured Alex remained vigilant over his life - To his dismay.

Opening the transparent panel, he checked the System Status.

-Main Quests-

↓

-Don't Die-

↓

Requirements - The User must not die.

Rewards - ????????

Time Limit - Until the Main Quest "Save The World" is complete.

Punishment For Failure - Eternal Damnation

Difficulty - ???

Before unleashing Excalibur, Alex carefully read its System Status, bringing it up in front of him.

-Abilities-

↓

- Excalibur The Sword Of Promised Victory -

↓

Excalibur, the revered Holy Sword Of The Planet, is not beautiful in the conventional sense - its splendor transcends mere aesthetics.

Crafted as an illusion, superior to many Noble Phantasms, it resists classification as merely "beautiful" as the very term seems inadequate.

Instead, it embodies sacredness, shaped by the collective conceptions and hopes of Humanity and Faunus.

This legendary blade is not a myth but a crystallization of the purest human and Faunus emotion—a "crystal trained by the heart alone," reigning as the epitome of fantasy.

Wielding Excalibur, the User taps into the legitimacy of the Human and Faunus Order, a proof of Humanity and Faunus' future, and channels the crystallized prayers named "glory."

The sword bears witness to the dreams, both nostalgic and sorrowful, etched into the hearts of warriors past, present, and future.

It is a beacon of hope in the midst of the bloody hell of the battlefield.

Excalibur, appearing as a typical Golden Western sword with Fairy Letters inscribed, holds the capacity to measure "Threats to Human and Faunus History," drawing energy from the Remnant's core as a defensive mechanism.

Excalibur, being a "sword that amplifies" converts the User's Aura into offensive might, releasing it as a directive energy beam.

The blade's speed, attack power, and reach remain unrivaled, surpassing all but the mightiest Noble Phantasms.

Once unleashed, Excalibur manifests as a giant beam of light, an "ultimate slash" cutting through everything in its path.

In User's hands, Excalibur is not merely a weapon - It is a manifestation of Humanity and Faunus' indomitable spirit, a symbol of hope, and a force capable of reshaping destinies and saving the World.

[FOR THE SAKE OF CONSISTENCY, MANA HAS BEEN CONVERTED TO AURA FOR ALL ABILITIES AT THE BEHEST OF [REDACTED]]

Taking a good 10 minutes to carefully read through Excalibur, Alex had a pained expression. "I expected this, but the overly dramatic and symbolic description certainly isn't helping..." he muttered.

Shaking his head, Alex thought, 'Now how do I...'

[Master must merely wish for it to materialize!] The System answered Alex's unasked question.

"Wish for it?" he repeated.

Once again, Alex quickly scanned the surrounding area for any prying eyes. Confirming that the coast was clear, he was ready to summon it.

Shrugging, Alex took a deep inhale. 'This might sound cringe, and it probably is.'

Internally calling out to Excalibur, Alex muttered, "Come."

At his command, motes of light gathered at a blinding speed in Alex's right hand, quickly forming the shape of a sword.

With a flash of light, Alex was left with the genuine article.

Blinking, Alex directed his gaze at the sword that had materialized in his right hand, captivated by its radiant brilliance.

Alex's eyes widened at the moment of contact, as he stared awestruck at the sword in his hand.

The Golden Western Sword bore an unknown language elegantly etched into its surface, radiating the most brilliant light. Its aura was subtle, yet majestic and tranquil.

No, mental preparation, System description reading, and Nasuverse knowledge could prepare him for how...

Beautiful, it was.

No, actually, the description gave it a much more fitting title.

Beautiful is merely scratching the surface, instead it is Sacred.

"Calling it beautiful would only taint it, huh?" Alex chuckled lightly as he gripped the handle of Excalibur harder.

Still gazing at it, Alex complained with a sweatdrop, "All Fate media, no matter what format, really downplayed how beautiful the sword is."

Alex took a deep breath, savoring the adrenaline rush that summoning Excalibur for the first time brought. Composing himself, he delved into the critical analysis of the sword's information.

His expression was a mix of wariness and hope as he stated, "System. Besides the fact that Excalibur is supernaturally mesmerizing and beautiful. Nothing else comes to mind about it. Nothing at all about its actual role and purpose, the significance behind it. At the core of it, it would amount to a "Pretty Sword" to the clueless onlooker, to put it mildly."

[Master, your observation is spot on! Only you hold the knowledge of Excalibur's legend and significance. For now, at least. Though... referring to Excalibur as a "Pretty Sword" seems a bit disrespectful, don't you think?]

At the System confirming his hopes, Alex couldn't help but sigh in relief as he scratched his head with his left hand. "Thank God for small mercies."

[You may share the legend of Excalibur if you so wis-]

"No."

Now, for the next thing, Alex exerted his aura and stomped on the ground, hard.

Easily cracking it and sending spiderweb cracks.

'Much, much stronger than what this body was before my takeover. "Dragon Aura Core" is it?' Alex noted with a mix of reluctant gratitude and displeasure.

Grateful that his job is being made much easier - Him being buffed left right and center.

Displeased that this is his job in the first place - Having swiftly accepted the weird reality he had been granted, was one thing. Facing it in the moment is another.

He clicked on the transparent panel of The System, clicking on the Ability's description.

-Abilities-

↓

- Dragon Aura Core -

↓

The User has the Aura Capacity and Aura Generation of a True Blooded Dragon - Due to the Dragon's Blood flowing through his veins.

The scale at which Aura is generated and contained can be described as follows.

if the Mediocre Huntsman has the daily output of a few factory workers.

Then the User in comparison has the daily output of the entire factory, both in capacity and generation.

Additionally, due to the Dragon Blood in the User's veins, the User is granted a high level of Magic Resistance.

Lastly, the User is granted a boost in his overall physical prowess in proportion to his Aura.

[FOR THE SAKE OF CONSISTENCY, MANA HAS BEEN CONVERTED TO AURA FOR ALL ABILITIES AT THE BEHEST OF [REDACTED]]

As Alex read through it, he couldn't help but mutter, "Completely overpowered."

[That's what I was saying, dear Master~! You're set up to win! Just avoid being completely stupid, ignorant, or worst of all! Disobedient~] System chimed in with glee.

"Sure."

After giving a final cursory glance at Excalibur, Alex, satisfied with the information he had gathered, dismissed the sword by willing it away.

The monstrous Aura and strength disappeared alongside it into nothingness.

Turning him back into a powerless civilian.

Huffing, Alex took out his scroll and took a look at the time, "6:20 AM. Gotta head back."

Initiation is at 7:45 AM, so he has to be punctual.

...Not out of choice, mind you.

-Scene Change-

Taking advantage of the extra time on his hands, Alex strolled leisurely toward the ballroom, opting for a more scenic route to explore the campus.

No need to fuss over luggage retrieval or the unnecessary SpeaRifle - Both could wait until he was properly enrolled and assigned accommodations.

As he arrived, a woman's voice echoed through the speakers, announcing, "All initiates are to go to Beacon Cliff within the next 25 minutes."

"Ok."

Unfortunately, Alex found himself without a flock of fellow initiates/sheep to follow.

Lacking a sense of direction for unexplored places, he resorted to the classic technique for clueless travelers - asking the locals.

Approaching a grass-cutting employee, Alex inquired tiredly, "Excuse me, do you know where Beacon Cliff is?"

With an apathetic tone, the employee replied, "Yeah. Use the map on your scroll, head in the direction of the Emerald Forest on the paved roads, and you'll see a sign or two directing you to Beacon Cliff. I think."

"Thanks, cya," Alex responded in kind, waving as he walked away.

"My pleasure," echoed the employee's voice as he continued cutting the grass.

[Woah, Master! I didn't know you had a brother! I wonder if that would have been your occupation without me~!] System teased.

"Would have honestly been the better alternative," Alex said with certainty.

[...Even I have feelings, you know?']

"Don't care."

-Scene Change-

Arriving just in the nick of time after missing a few signs, Alex found himself amidst the familiar assortment of multicolored, multi-weaponed initiates.

Although just a minute before being late, Glynda and Ozpin were very much present.

Glynda hummed neutrally as she glared at Alex, "Just on the nick of time, Mr. Andrite? Was it?"

With that, Alex became the center of attention.

"Yeah," he replied straight-faced as he lined up alongside the crowd, standing to Jaune's right on a peculiar pad.

Seeing the fellow sheep/initiates lined up, Alex had to blend in and line up as well.

Superior survival instincts, he'd say, if one were to ask him.

With a surprised expression, Jaune pointed at the straight-faced Alex, "Woah! Water Bottle Hero! Nice to meet ya! Jaune Ar-"

Continuing with a raised eyebrow as she cut off Jaune, Glynda stated, "You may get familiar with each other later. Mr. Andrite, where is your weapon?"

At that question, gazes intensified on Alex.

Though, not out of interest, but more so out of pity.

"Aww, I think he forgot it..." Ruby commented in sadness, at the lost opportunity of seeing another weapon.

As these false conclusions quickly formed and spread through the lined-up students, Alex quickly put a stop to them as he bluntly stated with no change in expression, "My Semblance summons my weapon."

A collective "Ah!" echoed through the line.

And with that, all the attention that was directed at Alex, died a cold, brutal death once Glynda dismissed it, "Fine. Headmaster, everyone's gathered, if you may."

Steaming coffee cup in hand, Ozpin began his speech, "Until now you've trained as Warriors. And today, your progress will be tested in the Emerald Forest."

As he took a sip of his coffee, Glynda continued, "Now, I'm sure many of you have heard the rumors about the assignment of teams. The rumors are correct, of course. We will be announcing your teams following the results of the initiation. You will be acting as teams for the rest of your time at Beacon. It is in your best interest to be grouped with someone with whom you get along."

She then gestured to Ozpin, who was practically dying to deliver the punchline.

With a thinly veiled smirk, Ozpin added, "That being said, the first person you make eye contact with after landing will be your partner for the next four years."

"WHAT?!" Ruby echoed out.

"Told ya!" Nora poked at Ren.

Yang shrugged, a smirk mixed with confidence and excitement on her face.

Jaune shivered.

'As long as it's not the orange-haired gremlin, I'm cool.' Alex thought for a moment.

Coughing to bring back attention to him, Ozpin continued, "After you've partnered up, make your way to the northern end of the forest. You will meet opposition along the way. Do not hesitate to destroy anything in your path, Grimm and Forest included. Or... You will die."

Jaune's shivering intensified as he gulped.

"You will find an abandoned temple at the end of the path containing several relics. Each pair must choose one and return to Beacon Cliff. You will be graded according to the order of arrival and the retrieved Relic. Any Questions?" Ozpin completed his explanation.

Without hesitation, Jaune's hand rose, "Yes, um, Sir?"

"Good! Now, take your positions." Ozpin announced.

At that, everyone began taking guard and pulling out their weapons.

Except Jaune and Alex, that is.

"Erm, is this a launch pad?" Alex muttered aloud as he observed what he mindlessly stood on.

Upon comparison to the others, his was angled towards the center.

With the first person being suddenly launched into the air, Alex hummed, "Ah, I see. it is a launch pad."

An astute observation, by our protagonist.

'Why's it a different color though?' Alex thought for a moment, upon noticing the red coloring of the pad he stood on.

Before swiftly concluding, 'Must have run out of paint. Hate it when it happens, then you either substitute for something else or bother going out to buy more.'

Then in quick succession, the second, third, fourth, etc... Launched.

Even Jaune who was in the middle of asking Ozpin a rather important question regarding his safety and life.

Then, it was Alex's turn.

"Good thing I didn't eat any breakfast." Was his last sentence before being launched unceremoniously into the air, a lot higher than the others.

Upon seeing how high up in the air Alex was launched, Glynda sighed and asked Ozpin, "Was it really necessary to let him stand on the punishment launch pad?"

Sipping his coffee with glee, Ozpin responded, his tone amused, "It was intended to be a punishment for those who arrived late, true. But who am I to stop a passionate young man from taking on a challenge?"

Letting out a groan of disappointment mixed with suffering, she decided it would be more prudent to observe the initiates.

-Scene Change-

Alex was in the middle of skydiving, without the parachute, as he took a look at the ground that was getting closer and closer.

Of course, he's not allowed to die - So he had to react.

"Come," he muttered as Excalibur materialized from motes of light in his hand.

Unleashing his monstrous Aura.

He was speeding towards the ground, about to reach the height of the trees at any given moment.

Now... What was Alex's landing strategy?

Well, that's just the neat thing.

He didn't have any.

With a large resounding explosion, ringing aloud throughout the forest to the ears of all initiates, Alex faceplanted onto the ground.

Causing the birds from the nearby trees to disperse.

Caving himself in and cracking the surrounding ground.

Thankfully, though, his Aura managed to protect him from the damage.

Although eating away at its seemingly endless supply from the sheer impact Alex endured.

"Ow," he uttered halfheartedly as he lay on the ground, Excalibur tightly gripped.

Slowly getting up, Alex's attention is grabbed by the concerned shout not far from his impact crater.

"Are you alright?!" A squeaky girl's voice was heard, as Alex turned his head around to meet the eyes of the concerned girl.

With that, Amber Eyes met Silver.

To Be Continued!

-Author Note Start-

Heyo! Hope you've enjoyed this chapter!

As you may have noticed, I have chosen Option (1).

There are many reasons for that, but I'm sorry to disappoint those who hoped for Option 2.

Nevertheless, this option seemed the most entertaining in my eyes in the long term, and option 2 may have a short-term funny element, it wouldn't be nearly as good as option 1 in my eyes.

As you can see, Ruby Rose has been chosen to be Alex's partner in Beacon! (Notice - this doesn't mean romantic partner.)

Now, my options were Nora, Ruby, Yang, and funnily enough - Jaune.

You may notice a theme in these 4 options as to why they were the options for Alex.

But Ruby won out since she'll be vital in Alex's intended development (Keyword "intended").

So yeah!

Hope you like that decision, though I'm sorry to disappoint the others who were hoping for someone else.

Also, feedback on how I wrote the Canon Characters thus far would also be much appreciated!

Feedback is the method to improve, people! Yeah!

Also, feedback on the System and tips would also be nice! Since I'm not really good at writing that type of stuff. I have read System related works and they have such intricate stuff, it always impresses me how people can keep track of that stuff.

For real like how?

Anyway the system isn't supposed to take center stage in terms of "Physical Growth" as technically, Alex is already at peak strength, only skill needs to be raised at most. Nevertheless, I'd appreciate feedback on that facet and tips on how to write it better lol.

Have a great day!

-Author Note End-