I woke up the next morning feeling like a literal ghost. My body felt light, empty, and somehow hollowed out. The sunlight hitting the ballroom floor felt aggressive, and the general noise of hundreds of girls waking up and packing their bags was like a jackhammer to my brain. I just lay there for a minute, staring at the ceiling, wondering if I had actually left my soul back in the Empire.
Ping.
The system notification sounded right inside my skull. I winced and opened the chat with one eye squinted shut.
[Scathach]: It is finished. I have sent the prototype to your inbox. Do not lose it, or I will take the replacement cost out of your hide.
I opened the inbox tab.
**[System: You have received 'Cerberus' (Custom Build) and 500 rounds of High-Caliber Runic Slugs from Scathach.]
I sat up, rubbing my face. Five hundred rounds? She really didn't do anything halfway. I noticed the ammo wasn't Dust-based—obviously, since Scathach has no access to them. Instead, the bullets felt incredibly heavy and were engraved with faint, glowing red runes. They looked like they could punch through a tank.
I looked around to make sure no one was staring directly at me, then quietly selected the item.
A heavy, cold weight materialized in my hand.
It was beautiful. It was a triple-barreled revolver, sleek and finished in a matte gunmetal grey that matched my armored arm perfectly. It had the weight of a serious machine, with intricate engravings along the barrels that looked like stylized wolf heads. It was exactly like Vincent Valentine's gun, but it felt even more dangerous.
"Cool," I whispered, the mechanical perfection of it giving me a small spark of life back.
I quickly shoved it back into my system inventory before anyone could ask why a first-year student was casually wielding a three-barreled hand-cannon.
I got up, packed my sleeping bag with slow, sluggish movements, and headed toward the locker rooms with the rest of the students. My legs were still a little shaky, and every time I saw a girl with blue hair in the crowd, I felt a phantom twitch in my lower half. My stamina was shot.
The locker room was a chaotic mess of steel, clanking weapons, and teenage girls shouting over each other. I found my assigned locker, shoved my suitcase inside, and started pulling out my gear. I felt incredibly out of place—just a guy in a sea of high-energy Huntresses.
"Katsuya! Hey! Katsuya!"
A high-pitched voice cut through the noise. I turned my head, still feeling a bit in a daze.
Weaving through the crowd of tall, armored girls was Ruby. She was already in her combat gear, her red cloak fluttering behind her. She was waving her arm frantically to get my attention.
And walking right behind her, with a confident, predatory smirk that made my stomach do an anxious flip because it reminded me way too much of Esdeath, was Yang.
"Morning, gamer buddy!" Ruby chirped as she finally reached me, looking completely energized while I looked like I had been through a meat grinder. "Ready for initiation?"
She didn't wait for an answer before Yang stepped up beside her, crossing her arms and letting her eyes roam over me in a way that felt way too familiar.
"So this is the guy you were playing with all night?" Yang asked, her grin widening as she looked me up and down. "I have to say, Ruby, your taste is way better than I thought. He's a total catch."
My body felt like it was made of lead, but I managed a small, tired smile.
"I'm Katsuya," I said, offering a slight nod to the blonde. "And yeah, Ruby's pretty good. She almost had me in that last round of Dust Arena."
Yang's grin turned predatory. She took a step into my personal space, leaning one hand against the locker right next to my head. "Is that so? I like a guy who can hold his own. You know, Katsuya, since you're clearly so good with your hands when it comes to controllers, I was thinking maybe later tonight you could—"
THUMP.
Before she could finish the sentence, Ruby's fist connected squarely with Yang's stomach. It wasn't a playful tap; it was a genuine, practiced gut punch.
Yang's eyes went wide, her flirtatious smirk vanishing as all the air left her lungs. She doubled over, clutching her midsection and let out a strangled, wheezing sound.
"I am so, so sorry!" Ruby chirped, looking at me with a mix of embarrassment and frantic apology. "She's a brute! She doesn't know how to act like a normal human being around boys! Please don't think we're all like this!"
I watched Yang struggle to breathe for a second, and suddenly, a genuine laugh bubbled up in my chest. After the sheer, exhausting absurdity of Esdeath's "mutual rape" legal documents and the twelve-round marathon that had drained my literal soul, seeing a legendary Huntress get flattened by her own sister was the funniest thing I'd seen all day.
"It's fine, really," I said, still chuckling as I grabbed my gear and prepared to head toward the cliffs. I looked down at Yang, who was still wheezing on the floor, and gave her a wink. "Don't apologize, Ruby. Honestly, being hit on by such a beautiful girl is always awesome. It's a great ego boost before I go risk my life."
I didn't wait for a response. I just gave them a casual wave and walked away, feeling a lot more awake than I had five minutes ago.
———
[Ruby Rose POV]
I stood there, frozen, watching Katsuya walk away.
My brain was having trouble processing what just happened. Usually, when Yang started her "predatory blonde" routine, boys would either turn bright red and run away, or act all offended and high-maintenance about their "virtue." But he just... laughed? And then he called her beautiful?
In this world, boys were supposed to be the ones being complimented and chased. They didn't usually just throw out compliments like that so casually, especially not to someone as aggressive as Yang. It was... surprisingly cool.
"Ugh... Ruby..." Yang groaned from the floor. She was still clutching her stomach, but she managed to look up, her eyes wide and sparkling with a manic kind of excitement. "Did you hear that? He called me beautiful. He didn't even flinch at the punch."
I sighed, crossing my arms. "He's probably just being kind, Yang."
Yang rolled onto her side, looking at me with a desperate, hopeful grin. "Ruby... sis... please tell me it's okay if I keep pursuing him. I think I'm in love. Or at least in extreme like. Can I keep him? Please?"
I didn't even answer. I just looked down at her for a second, feeling a massive wave of second-hand embarrassment, and then simply turned around and walked away toward the airships.
"Wait! Ruby! Don't leave me here! Is that a yes?!"
———
[Katsuya Akiya (MC) POV]
The cool morning air hitting my face as I walked out of the academy and toward the Beacon cliffs finally managed to wake me up the rest of the way. I still felt a deep, lingering exhaustion in my bones.
I found my place among the lineup of silver metal platforms situated right at the edge of the massive drop-off. I stepped onto my assigned tile, casually testing my weight. It felt solid, though knowing what was about to happen, I knew it wasn't going to stay that way for long.
As we waited for the teachers to arrive, I casually scanned the crowd of first-years lined up along the cliff. I saw Ruby a few platforms down, adjusting the straps on her gloves. Yang was a bit further away, doing some aggressive leg stretches. I spotted the famous heiress with the white hair Weiss, and a tall girl with red hair and Spartan armor probably pyrrha nikos.
But as my eyes tracked the rest of the line, my brow furrowed slightly.
Where's Jaune?
I checked the lineup again, looking specifically for the familiar mop of blonde hair and the black hoodie with the pumpkin Pete logo. He wasn't there. In fact, looking closely at the handful of boys who had actually made it to the cliffside, none of them looked remotely like the awkward, clumsy knight from the show.
Did he not make it to Beacon? I thought about the newspaper I had read. In this gender-flipped society where men were heavily pressured to stay home, be delicate, and avoid danger, it made sense. Maybe his family had actually managed to stop him from running away. Or maybe without the typical societal push to be a masculine hero, he just never forged the transcripts in this timeline.
It was a pretty big ripple in the plot. But before I could think too deeply about what that meant for the future teams, the sound of a throat clearing echoed over the wind.
Headmaster Ozpin and a stern-looking blonde woman with a riding crop stepped up to the front of the platforms.
"For years, you have trained to become warriors," Ozpin began, his calm voice carrying easily across the cliffside. He held his mug in one hand, looking down the long line of students. "And today, your abilities will be evaluated in the Emerald Forest."
The blonde woman, who had to be Glynda Goodwitch, stepped forward with a tablet. "I'm sure many of you have heard rumors about the assignment of teams. Well, allow us to put an end to your confusion. Each of you will be given teammates... today."
Ozpin took over again, explaining the rules. We were going to be launched into the forest
The first person we made eye contact with after landing would be our partner for the next four years. We had to navigate the Grimm-infested woods, find an ancient temple at the northern end, grab a specific relic, and make our way back to the cliff.
"Do not hesitate," Ozpin finished smoothly, taking a slow sip from his mug. "For you will not be given a second chance. Are there any questions?"
A girl a few spots down from me raised her hand tentatively. "Yeah, um, sir? About the landing strategy. Are we just dropping in, or—"
Ozpin didn't answer. He just tapped something on his scroll.
CLANG. WHOOSH.
The metal platform out from under the girl violently sprung upward with the force of a cannon. She was launched screaming into the sky, arcing high out over the dense green canopy of the forest below.
I watched as, one by one, the platforms triggered in a rapid ripple down the line.
WHOOSH. WHOOSH. WHOOSH.
Students were being catapulted into the air like human artillery shells. I watched Yang get launched with a massive "Woohoo!" followed quickly by a slightly panicked Ruby. It was honestly a completely ridiculous, utterly unsafe way to enter a combat zone.
I took a deep breath, braced my legs, and kept my eyes fixed on the distant forest.
SNAP.
The metal plate beneath my feet sprang upward with the force of a bomb. My stomach completely dropped out of my body as I was launched high into the air.
"Whoa!" I yelled, a brief spike of genuine panic hitting me as the ground rapidly disappeared. But as I arced over the massive, sprawling canopy of the Emerald Forest, the panic quickly shifted into a sharp, thrilling rush of adrenaline. The wind roared in my ears, and for a few seconds, it felt exactly like flying.
But gravity eventually took over, and I started plummeting toward the dense trees.
I didn't have a landing strategy like the others, so I improvised. As I crashed through the upper canopy, I focused on my left shoulder. The intense heat flared, and my arm instantly transformed into the heavy, grey metallic claws. I reached out, my sharp metal fingers biting deep into the thick bark of a massive tree branch. My momentum jerked me to a halt, the reinforced muscles in my arm easily taking the strain.
I hung there for a second before dropping the remaining twenty feet to the forest floor, landing in a crouch. I deactivated the power, watching the grey armor seamlessly shift back into my normal jacket sleeve.
I stood up and brushed the dirt off my jeans, letting out a long sigh. The forest was incredibly quiet around me.
"Okay, now what?" I muttered to myself.
Ozpin's rule was simple: the first person I made eye contact with was my partner for the next four years. I really needed to be careful about who I bumped into. If I ended up with someone hyper-aggressive, or someone who couldn't hold their own, the next four years were going to be a massive headache.
I started walking through the thick brush, thinking over my options. Ruby was nice, but she was a magnet for chaos. Yang was entirely too much to handle, especially after my exhausting night with Esdeath.
Pyrrha Nikos, I thought to myself, nodding slightly. That's the best option.
She was a four-time regional champion, incredibly strong, and most importantly, she had a genuinely polite and level-headed personality. If I could find her, I wouldn't have to carry the team, and I wouldn't have to deal with any crazy diva drama.
Deciding on my target, I picked up my pace, pushing my way through a thick cluster of tall bushes and keeping my eyes scanning the ground for tracks.
Thump.
I suddenly walked face-first into something. It was soft, yielding, but firmly attached to a solid person. My nose bumped right into the center of a very pronounced chest.
I quickly took a step back, blinking in surprise. "Oh, my bad. I'm sorry—"
I looked up.
Standing right in front of me, wearing bronze Spartan armor and a red sash, was Pyrrha Nikos. Her bright green eyes were wide with surprise, looking down at me.
"Oh my goodness!" Pyrrha gasped, her surprise instantly vanishing as she reached her hands out, hovering them nervously around my shoulders. "I am so sorry! I didn't mean to block your path. Are you alright? Did you hit your head too hard? Are you dizzy?"
I stared at her for a second. In my old world, walking face-first into a girl's chest would have immediately resulted in a slap, a scream, or at least a very angry glare. But here, Pyrrha was looking at me like I was a porcelain vase that she had accidentally bumped off a table.
Right. The flipped society laws. Boys were supposed to be fragile and easily hurt. I was still really not used to being treated like I was made of glass.
"I'm perfectly fine," I reassured her, stepping back slightly so she wouldn't try to coddle me. "It was my fault, I wasn't looking where I was going. I'm Katsuya."
Pyrrha let out a visible sigh of relief, offering me a warm, apologetic smile. "I'm Pyrrha. It's a pleasure to meet you, Katsuya. And I suppose... this makes us partners."
"Yeah. Looks like it," I said, genuinely relieved that my plan had actually worked out perfectly, even if the execution was a little clumsy.
"We should keep moving," Pyrrha suggested, gesturing toward the dense trees ahead. "The headmaster mentioned a temple at the northern end of the forest. I believe we should head that way to find the relics."
"Lead the way," I nodded.
We fell into a comfortable pace, running side-by-side through the thick foliage of the Emerald Forest, keeping our eyes peeled for any signs of Grimm or the ruins we needed to pass the initiation.
———
[Ruby Rose POV]
I pushed my way through the thick ferns of the Emerald Forest, my silver eyes darting around the greenery.
I needed a partner, and fast. The headmaster's rule was absolute: the first person you make eye contact with is your teammate for the next four years. I absolutely did not want to get stuck with someone scary, or someone who would just yell at me.
Suddenly, through the trees ahead, I spotted a flash of white hair.
My face instantly lit up. Katsuya! My gaming buddy from last night! He was perfect. Not only was he super chill and great at video games, but he was also undeniably a really hot, older-guy type. Since I was only fifteen and everyone else here was seventeen, he had that cool, mature aura that made him feel like a big brother—or at least someone who wouldn't be mean to me. If I partnered with him, the next four years were going to be a breeze.
"Hey! Katsuya!" I yelled cheerfully, bursting through the bushes with a massive grin.
The person with white hair spun around.
My excited grin instantly shattered into a look of pure horror.
It wasn't Katsuya. It was a girl wearing a pristine white combat skirt, holding a rapier. It was the angry, bossy girl who had yelled at me in the courtyard yesterday. Weiss Schnee.
We locked eyes. The realization hit both of us at the exact same time. The universe had completely betrayed us.
"You!" Weiss shrieked, pointing her rapier at me like I was a Grimm. "Of all the people in this entire forest, I had to make eye contact with the clumsy child?!"
"I thought you were someone else!" I groaned, dropping my head into my hands.
Before Weiss could start lecturing me again, a loud, artificial chime echoed through the canopy above. Glynda Goodwitch's voice projected clearly from the hidden speakers.
"Attention students. We have our first official pairings. Katsuya Akiya and Pyrrha Nikos have made eye contact and are now partners."
Weiss gasped, her hands flying to her mouth, her rapier dropping to the dirt. "No... Pyrrha Nikos?! The four-time regional champion! She was supposed to be my partner! We would have been the perfect, unstoppable team! Who on Remnant is Katsuya Akiya?!"
"That's my gaming buddy from last night!" I whimpered, feeling a massive wave of defeat wash over me. "I wanted to partner with him..."
We both stood there in the clearing, completely devastated. Weiss had lost her celebrity idol, and I had lost my cool gamer teammate. Now we were stuck with each other.
———
[Yang Xiao Long POV]
I ducked under a massive, swiping black paw and delivered a brutal, explosive right hook straight into the Ursa's jaw.
BOOM.
The shotgun gauntlet on my wrist fired, sending the giant Grimm crashing backward through the trees. I blew a strand of blonde hair out of my face and cracked my knuckles.
I was currently navigating the forest while actively staring at the dirt. I had heard the distant shouts of people running around, and I was being incredibly careful about where I looked. I was on a mission. This academy was packed with competitive girls, and there were only a handful of decent-looking boys around. I was not about to spend the next four years teamed up with another girl when I could secure myself a cute guy to protect.
Then, the loudspeaker chimed overhead.
"Attention students. We have our first official pairings. Katsuya Akiya and Pyrrha Nikos have made eye contact and are now partners."
My eyes went wide. "No way!"
Dammit! The good ones were already getting snatched up! the remaining boys in the forest are going to be scooped up by the other girls at record speed. If I didn't find someone in the next five minutes, I'd be stuck with a girl for the rest of my Beacon career.
I heard a sudden rustle in the bushes right behind me.
Perfect, I thought, a desperate, flirtatious smirk spreading across my face. No time to waste. Time to catch myself a guy before they're all gone.
I spun around gracefully, throwing my shoulders back and looking up to make direct, undeniable eye contact with my new future partner.
My eyes locked onto a pair of amber ones.
Standing in the clearing, holding a black katana and wearing a neat little bow in her dark hair, was a girl. The same quiet girl who had been reading her book in the ballroom last night.
We stared at each other for three agonizingly long seconds. The realization of the eye contact rule cemented itself into reality. I had avoided looking at anyone for twenty minutes, only to panic, turn around, and partner up with a girl who looked like she'd rather be anywhere else.
Behind me, the heavily battered Ursa let out a final, groaning roar before dissolving into black ash.
My flirtatious smirk completely vanished. I dropped my arms to my sides, tilted my head back toward the forest canopy.
"FUCK!!!"