Chapter 98. Initiation

Silva POV

???: It's morning, It's morning, it's morning~

I heard someone call out in a singsong voice which irritated me, and I opened one eye to glare at the offender. It's Nora; she is almost always energetic, so hardly surprising that she is waking everyone else up along with Ren. I groaned and got up, only to be unable to move with Emerald sleeping on my right arm and Blake on my left, plus Weiss, who is for some reason sleeping on top of me.

Emerald, I could understand; Blake is a pleasant surprise, but Weiss sleeping on me does not make sense. I sent out gentle vibrations throughout my body to wake everyone up, and as they were starting to, I heard Yang say.

Yang: Wow, casanova, look at you.

I looked up to see Yang standing over me with a crooked grin, and I greeted her.

Silva: Morning, Yang.

Yang: Morning! I got to say you must be quite the LAY to get so many girls with you.

I groaned at Yang's pun of replacing Laid with Lay as in laying down like I am now. I then heard Ruby say, half asleep.

Ruby: Yang, it's too early in the morning for puns.

Yang: My cute little sister, it is never too early or late to be PUNNY!

I groaned in annoyance along with Ruby and told her to make a joke of my own.

Silva: My condolences Ruby for growing up with her.

Ruby: At least Dad isn't here to add his Dad jokes in the mix.

Hearing that, I wonder if I should have kidnapped Ruby in the past to give her a day or two away from that comedy nightmare. Yang gave me a mock glare between Ruby and me then said.

Yang: Hey, what's that supposed to mean!?

Ruby and I shared a look, and I was surprised that we were of the same mind when we said together.

Ruby/Silva: You're not as funny as you think you are.

Ruby and I erupted into a fit of giggles when we were surprisingly in synch, and Yang then said.

Yang: Of course I'm not funny; I am PUNNY!

As Yang looked pleased with her pun Ruby and I gave her a deadpan stare. The three girls sleeping on me finally woke, which gave me a pleasant view of Weiss in a cowgirl position on top of me. She then quickly realized what was happening and sputtered.

Weiss: Wait! How? Why? When? Silva!?

I grinned at her and said.

Silva: Morning Weiss, enjoyed last night?

As Weiss turned bright red, my smile widens, and Emerald says.

Emerald: Morning Silva, how's your morning wood?

I would facepalm myself if my hands were free, and Blake just quietly got up. I looked to see Yang looking at Emerald incredulously, and Ruby asked.

Ruby: What's morning wood?

Well, this morning is undoubtedly hectic.

( At Breakfast)

After Yang distracted her sister from the conversation of male bodily functions, everyone went to grab breakfast after brushing their teeth. I could still hear Nora chattering away at Ren as they were having breakfast near us. Everyone's breakfast was quickly finished, and they went to the lockers to get their weapons except me.

As I waited for everybody to get their weapons, Glynda came up to me and said.

Glynda: Mr.Cloud, a word.

As she gestured for me to follow, I wondered what she wanted. We stopped a distance away from everybody, and I asked her.

Silva: What's up, Glynda?

She narrowed her eyes at me and said.

Glynda: You will address me as Professor Mr.Cloud.

Silva: Whatever you say, Glynda.

She pinched the bridge of her nose in annoyance then got to business.

Glynda: Mr.Cloud, the Headmaster, has informed me of your... History and despite my protests against your admittance to Beacon, the Headmaster is providing you a different test for initiation to test your abilities thoroughly from the other students.

I looked at her curiously and asked.

Silva: Such as?

Glynda took out her tablet scroll and showed me images of a Grimm I have never seen before, then explained.

Glynda: This is an ancient Grimm known as a Spartoi, and your assignment is to kill it.

I looked closely at the images; the Grimm is a humanoid with dragonic features like horns that point forward and a mace-like tail plus three long blade-like claws on each arm. The images of it displayed moving on both its hind legs with long curved clawed feet that dig into the ground and on all fours. Another feature that stood out was sharp-bladed spines on its back and a long snout full of razor-sharp teeth.

This Grimm made me think of it as a mishmash of dinosaurs rolled into one ferocious package. Glynda also continued her explanation.

Glynda: I will also be supervising you from a distance as you confront the Grimm to judge your abilities.

I felt myself smile as I ask her.

Silva: When do we go?

The sooner I deal with it, the quicker I can watch the formation of Team RWBY and friends.

Glynda POV

Seeing the silver-eyed tiger Faunus reveal a bloodthirsty smile only confirmed some of my questions on his personality. I wish Ozpin listened to me and barred Silva Cloud's entry to Beacon. While I am grateful for the tutoring robots he made to help the students, the trail of bodies he left in his wake in his short life gave me pause to concern. I suppressed a sigh at my situation to watch over him as he takes his special initiation, which is designed to separate him from the other students.

Ozpin's plan is to keep a close eye on Mr.Cloud by setting up a specialized curriculum run by me, primarily. I already have my hands full with my current duties, but I will respect Ozpin's decisions to the best of my abilities. I had better be getting a bonus for this!

Silva POV

( A few hours later)

Glynda and I are flying overhead on a bullhead far to the west of the Emerald Forest. As I expand my sonar to sense the Grimm, I felt Glynda stare at me, and so I asked her.

Silva: Can I help you, Glynda?

As she looked exasperated at me by calling her first name but did not bother correcting me, she then asked me a question of her own.

Glynda: Why do you want to attend Beacon?

Silva: To get my Huntsmen license and because Beacon's entrance exam is looser than the other Academies allowing most walks of life to attend so long as they are strong enough, it made it ideal.

Glynda narrowed her eyes at me, and before she said anything, the pilot called out.

Pilot: Getting ready to land!

Glynda got up and checked her gear, same as me, and when the airship landed, we got off it. Glynda then explained to me.

Glynda: Mr.Cloud, as you know, your test is to face an ancient Grimm, and there is no time limit, so proceed in whatever fashion you are comfortable with.

Silva: Call me Silva, Glynda no need to be formal with me.

She adjusted her glasses and did not reply. I shrugged at her silence then sent out a giant but gentle pulse to examine the area. After a few moments of expanding my range with each new pulse, I found the Grimm I am after. I went in the direction of the Grimm, with Glynda following me.

After several minutes have passed, Glynda commented.

Glynda: This is odd. We should have run into at least one Grimm by now.

I smiled as I lead the way at her comment, knowing the reason why we haven't run into any Grimm yet. My weapons Midnight and Reaper's Thorn are at work here; they scare away the weaker Grimm for some reason. I only found out this ability when I went out to test them when I first forged them a while back. While useful, it can be a bit inconvenient when I want to try my new weapons on Grimm.

I stopped in front of a large hill and clenched my fist as I charged up my semblance for a powerful strike to wake up the ancient Grimm sleeping beneath the hill. I unleashed a strong shockwave that leveled the hill, and Glynda asked me.

Glynda: Mister Cloud! Why in the name of Remnant did you find it necessary to level that hill!?

I didn't answer her as I drew my sword and waited for the Grimm to get up. The earth soon shook, and the Spartoi came out of the ground with an ear-splitting roar. I waited for it to come out of the ground, and I saw that it stood over 15 feet tall. It raised one of its claws to swipe at me, but I slashed at the incoming claw, severing it from the Grimm.

The Spartoi reeled back in pain at its now missing claw, and I did not stop there. I hacked at its two hind legs causing the Grimm to fall forward. As it fell, I sliced it in half; Midnight cut through it like a hot knife to butter. As the two half's fell in opposite didn't of me with me in the middle in an anticlimactic fashion and started to fade into black particles, I asked the stunned Glynda Goodwitch.

Silva: So do I pass?

I am starting to wonder if nothing can pose a challenge for me anymore; well, that's a good problem to have because that means I am pretty strong. Glynda shook herself out of her stupor and told me in a slightly shaken voice.

Glynda: I believe so, Mr.Cloud.

I shrugged, then sheathed Midnight and then opened a portal with magic to Ruby as I placed a magic marker on her to make it so I can find her with relative ease along with everyone else I am close to or want to be close to. Seeing Glynda surprised by the sudden portal, I reminded her of my usual excuse to hide my magic.

Silva: I can copy semblance, as you should be aware, and this portal will lead us back to Beacon's usual initiation. Ladies first.

I gestured for her to go through the portal first, and after a few moments, she processed everything and went through without a word, and I soon followed. The moment I passed through, I heard Blake question.

Blake: Did Silva and Professor Goodwitch just come out of a portal?

And Yang just went ballistic.

Yang: CAN EVERYONE JUST CHILL FOR TWO SECONDS BEFORE SOMETHING CRAZY HAPPEN!

As Yang took a few times in the 2 seconds she demanded, and Blake then tapped her shoulder and pointed up, and Weiss is falling from the sky. Everybody just watched Weiss fall from the sky, thinking she will be alright, okay time to save a damsel in distress. I summoned a pair of wings on my back, then leaped into the air to catch Weiss, and I teased her.

Silva: So Weiss, any particular reason you jumped off a giant Nevermore, or is that your new hoppy?

Weiss: It was RUBY'S idea, and she talked me into riding the Nevermore to help find the temple. Furthermore, she jumped off it with hesitation; she's crazy! Who in their right mind would think of riding a Grimm in the first place.

I slipped my arm under her legs and pointed to myself because I have ridden Grimm a few times in my travels, mainly for amusement. Weiss just sighed at my silent answer, and I put her down on the ground gently. After brushed off her skirt, she thanked me. After everyone got their relic, the Nevermore started circling back, and Pyrrha commented.

Pyrrha: I think we should run.

Jeanne: Yeah, that sounds good. Live to fight another day.

As everyone except Glynda and I started to run, I noted who is with who, Ruby with Weiss, Blake with Yang, Jeanne, and Pyrrha, then, of course, Ren and Nora. As the Nevermore seemed to ignore me, I saw Ilia and Emerald show up out of the forest, and Emerald asked me.

Emerald: Silva!? I thought you were taking your initiation somewhere else?

I shrugged and gave her a quick explanation of why I am here, and I heard Glynda cough to get my attention.

Glynda: Mr.Cloud, I believe we should meet the headmaster post haste.

Silva: Later, I am going to see how those eight handle the Nevermore.

No way I am missing this. It did not take me long to reach the ruin where everyone is fighting against the Grimm. Currently, they are all bombarding it with their long-range attacks but with little effect. Nora launched herself in the air with Pyrrha's help and landed on the Nevermore. She then proceeds to hit its left wing with her hammer, and Yang gets picked up by the Grimm in its beak and started firing in its mouth with her Shot-Gauntlets.

The Nevermore barreled rolled, knocking off both of the girls hitching a ride. Weiss makes a Glyph to catch Yang, and Blake throws her to Nora, grabbing her and bringing her back to solid ground. Then they all huddle near Ruby, and after a few minutes, they split; I guess they have a plan now. They all concentrated their fire on the Nevermore's wings, making it crash into the ruins.

Weiss then froze its tail feathers to the ground, then Ren and Nora bombarded it on the left side while Pyrrha and Jeanne took the right. I got a better look at Jeanne's weapon; it's a spear equipped with a triangular flag with the Arc family emblem on it, and it changed into an assault rifle. Blake wrapped her ribbon on her weapon on a pair of pillars, and Ruby got on it then was pulled back like in a giant slingshot.

Weiss aimed and held her in place with a Glyph, and Yang was helping out the others with long-range fire support. Ruby was then launched at the Nevermore and hooked it with her scythe, and slammed it against the cliff. A series of Glyphs appeared, and Ruby ran up against the cliff while using the recoil from her shots to propel her upward.

And she separated the Nevermore's head. Well, let's see how the teams pan out.

( Later on)

Ozpin: Pyrrha Nikos, Jeanne Arc, Nora Valkyrie, Lie Ren, together you retrieved the white rook pieces and now form Team PLAN ( Platinum). Led by Pyrrha Nikos.

Well, this is unexpected but interesting, and as Pyrrha's new teammates congratulated her, Ozpin went on.

Ruby Rose, Weiss Schnee, Blake Belladonna, and Yang Xiao Long, you retrieved the white knight pieces and now form Team RWBY. Led by Ruby Rose.

As Yang patted her sister on the back, Ozpin continued.

Ozpin: Emerald Sustrai, Ilia Amitola, you retrieved the white pawn piece, but no one got the other one, so the two of you will form a two-person team.

Ozpin then cleared his throat and told everyone in the auditorium.

Ozpin: I have one final announcement before we call it a day. Silva Cloud, step forward.

I complied and wondered where he was going with this as he then announced.

Ozpin: Silva Cloud, in the face of great peril that would end the lifes of even veteran Huntsmen/Huntresses, you overcame it with surprising ease. So it is my esteemed pleasure to name you an elite huntsman-in-training, and you will be attending a different set of classes than the rest of the students to ensure you reach your full potential.

This little! I know what he's doing. He's isolating me from everyone else, hoping I don't let a slip of the tongue near anyone who should not know about his shadow war. It hardly matters, in all honesty, because he can't stop me, and he has already lost. He just does not know it yet after all; even if Salem doesn't agree to my alliance, we do not yet have a reason to be antagonistic to one another.

But we do have a common enemy, and I how to get to the Maidens and the Relics beneath the academies. Plus, I know how to take him out of the game for a long time, just let him die, then imprison Oscar Pine in a comatose state. Let's see how this year plays out, wizard.