"Uughhh."
A long, drawn out sound escaped my lips as my eyes opened and moved to sit up.
My armour was intact which was expected as Battle Armour was made to stretch, but what mattered was the notification in front of me.
[You have killed:
X4295 Beowulfs
X100 Alpha Beowulfs
X2000 Ursas
X200 Ursa Majors
X750 Death Stalkers
X150 Geists (Small)
X250 Geists (Large Objects)
X800 Beringals
X200 King Taijitus
X5 Wyverns
X1000 Nevermores (Small)
X50 Nevermores (Giant)
X200 Goliaths
X50 Regular Huntsman
EXP Gained: 3,696,000]
[Ding! You have levelled up 65 times
Stat Points Gained: 650]
[Ding! Oozaru (C+) has reached LVL 2: You are uncontrollable, but can tell foe from friend, or ally from enemy]
Oh...
I mean, I expected to kill Regular people during this, but the amount of Grimm killed totalled exactly 10,000.
50 people died during my rampage...
I felt nothing for the people I did not know.
The only people I cared for were Mei, Akari, and Yami.
I stood up, yawning somewhat.
The Oozaru must have drained me. Made sense to an extent.
The crater around me was massive, probably spanning miles was nothing short of a great showing of the Oozaru's power boost.
10 times was nothing to scoff.
I began walking back to my little temp base.
I knew I was far enough away that my base for now would not be affected.
I stopped just shy of the cave as I felt a decently strong presence inside. Not strong, on my level, but decently strong.
I felt the ground tremble beneath me, a low, vibrating hiss that made the air shift around me. It started faintly, like a whisper, but quickly grew into something more—something threatening.
I narrowed my eyes, listening carefully. Then I saw it.
A massive, black chitinous creature emerged from the shadows of the cave, its exoskeleton gleaming in the dim light. It was a Death Stalker, its long, segmented body moving with unsettling speed. Its tail was coiled high, gleaming like a deadly scorpion's sting, and its red, glowing eyes fixed on me. Its mandibles clicked together, and I could practically feel its predatory gaze.
It didn't waste time.
With a screech, it lunged at me, its tail snapping forward, aimed straight at my chest. I could see the poison gleaming on the tip of its stinger, ready to tear through my flesh.
But I didn't move. I didn't even flinch.
I raised my hand and formed a small orb of blue energy spiralling the Ki orb on my fingertips. I had remembered how the Makankōsappō's piercing power came from it's concentrated amounts of Ki, but also how the energy spirals as it was charged.
I focused, watching the tail approach. As it neared, I didn't hesitate.
I fired the orb through it's tail the stinger shattering in an instant, but it wasn't done yet. My basic Piercing Blast continued through, unstoppable and powerful. I slammed my fist into the Death Stalker's body, and its exoskeleton cracked under the force, splitting apart like brittle glass.
Before the beast could even react, its massive form crumpled to the ground. Its legs twitched once, then went still. The screech it let out was full of agony, but it was silenced almost immediately. Then I was watching the last bits of its shattered body fall to the ground in a rain of blackened shards.
"Pathetic," I muttered under my breath.
This was truly nothing to me.
After eating, I went immediately back to the massive crater and once more transformed.
(Third Person POV: Ozpin's office: 4 days later)
Ozpin sat at his desk, staring out the window of his office in Beacon Tower. His fingers drummed slowly against the surface, rhythmically, as his eyes wandered over the landscape. Below, the city of Vale was a picture of tranquil prosperity. He could see the glistening spires of the city stretching upward, the markets bustling with activity, and the people going about their day, oblivious to the dark forces that lurked just outside the borders of their peaceful world.
He allowed himself a moment of peace. It had been a long time since the city had felt safe—since there had been growth, progress, and hope in the air. It was small solace, but it was something. Even amidst the eternal fight against Salem, seeing humanity thrive gave him a fleeting sense of relief.
'Perhaps things weren't entirely lost,' he thought.
But then, the quiet reverie was shattered.
GATHUNK!
Ozpin flinched at the sound—a powerful, jarring noise that reverberated through the office. His thoughts immediately snapped back to the present. His fingers froze mid-drumming, and his eyes narrowed in concern. There was no mistaking the significance of that sound. It was too deliberate, too forceful. He didn't have to look behind him to know what it was.
The door to his office slammed open, and in walked Glynda, her expression grim and unyielding. Ozpin didn't need to ask. The look in her eyes said everything.
"Glynda," Ozpin said softly, his voice steady but tinged with a touch of concern. "You have news."
Glynda didn't hesitate. She'd grown accustomed to the weight of difficult information in her time at Beacon, and she knew Ozpin well enough to understand the importance of his focus in moments like these. She placed a file down on his desk—reports, memos, and news summaries detailing the latest developments.
"The Great Ape of Vale," Glynda began, her tone flat but serious. "It's been spotted again."
Ozpin's brow furrowed slightly. He had heard rumours, stories whispered in the halls of Beacon and among the people of Vale, but nothing had ever been substantiated. "You're sure it's the same creature?" he asked, though his voice betrayed a subtle hint of disbelief.
Glynda nodded. "Absolutely. It's become more than a legend at this point. The reports are consistent—people who have encountered it first-hand describe the same massive, ape-like figure. A creature of unimaginable power. It's not just some wild Grimm; this thing is... different."
Ozpin leaned forward, eyes sharp. "Tell me what you know."
Glynda's expression didn't change. She was used to delivering heavy news, but this was unlike anything she had faced before.
"The creature is massive, as tall as a 5 story building. With brown fur, red eyes, and seems to walk on 2 legs, akin to a Beringal just much larger. It appears to have once been a danger to both humans and Grimm alike, but that was only on the first day of its appearance." She hesitated, sorting through the reports for emphasis. "It's primarily attacking Grimm. It only targets humans if they try to harm it. Otherwise, it leaves them alone. It's only fighting them in self-defence whilst only targeting the soulless monstrosities."
Before Ozpin could ask though, Glynda mentioned one more thing.
"It also appears as if the creature appears only for 90 minutes at a time, at random intervals, coinciding with a bright white ball of energy in the sky. When it vanishes so too does the creature. Reports from Huntsman, Garrat has stated that the creature wears armour similar to a Faunus girl he met, going by the name Kaelith."
Ozpin's fingers laced together as he absorbed the information, his expression unreadable. Glynda stood rigid before him, awaiting his response. The silence stretched between them, heavy with implications. Finally, Ozpin exhaled softly.
"This is troubling," he admitted. "Not just because of the creature, but because of this… Kaelith."
Glynda gave a curt nod. "She's an anomaly. There are no records of her. No background. No indication of where she came from. Just a sudden appearance, immediate success, and now—this." She gestured to the reports. "And what's more, her strength—Ozpin, she didn't take a single hit in the Arcadian Tournament. Even the best Huntsmen take at least some damage."
Ozpin leaned back slightly, his gaze still fixed on the reports. His mind worked quickly, piecing together possibilities. A Faunus girl appearing out of nowhere, winning a tournament without effort, and now coincidentally linked to a massive, uncontrollable beast that fought only Grimm?
It didn't add up.
He reached for his coffee mug, taking a slow sip before placing it back down with an audible clink. "You said Huntsman Garrat confirmed the connection between this creature and Kaelith's armour?"
"Yes." Glynda adjusted her glasses. "He swore on it. Said the armour was identical. That can't be a coincidence."
"No… it cannot," Ozpin murmured. His gaze shifted out the window again, but this time, he wasn't admiring Vale. His mind was elsewhere, running through possibilities.
A creature appearing in the mountains, levelling thousands of Grimm in one night. A mysterious combatant winning an entire tournament without suffering so much as a scratch. And now, whispers of a white energy sphere that signaled its arrival.
What are you, Kaelith?
Glynda crossed her arms, her expression darkening. "Should we bring her in?"
Ozpin closed his eyes briefly. "No… not yet."
Glynda's brow furrowed. "Why not?"
"She's an unknown," Ozpin said simply. "We do not know her allegiances, her motives, or the full extent of her abilities. If we move too soon, we risk driving her into the hands of our enemies. If we wait too long… well, we may not have a choice in the matter."
Glynda pursed her lips. "Then what do you suggest?"
Ozpin opened his eyes and finally looked at her directly.
"We watch. We gather information. And if the opportunity arises… we invite her to Beacon."
Glynda frowned but didn't argue. It was the logical move.
Still, something about this entire situation made her uneasy.
She turned on her heel, preparing to leave, but before she reached the door, Ozpin spoke again.
"One last thing."
She paused.
"Have Qrow look into her."
Glynda hesitated. "Do you really think she's that much of a risk?"
Ozpin exhaled, his fingers tapping once more against his desk.
"I think she's more than we understand," he said simply. "And in our world, mysteries tend to be dangerous."
(Back to Kaelith - Third Person POV, Mountain)
Kaelith exhaled slowly, sitting cross-legged atop a jagged cliffside, watching the purple sky over the mountains. The wind howled around her, but she remained still, her tail flicking absently behind her.
Her training was progressing.
She had transformed 30 times since that first time.
But she'd not managed to tame the primal beast of the Oozaru until today.
The last time, she willed herself to take control—not letting the primal mind consume her, but taming it instead.
And thus—
[Oozaru (C+) LVL 3/3:
The Oozaru is a Saiyan exclusive transformation similar to Werewolves where in order for the transformation to take place, the Saiyan needs to have a tail, as the biochemical glands responsible for initiating the transformation are located exclusively there. The Saiyan also needs to absorb at least 17 million zeno units of Blutz Waves through the retina of the eyes to initiate the transformation. Blutz Waves are found only in sunlight reflected by a moon. If there is no moon, a planetary body will reflect the same number of rays and initiate the transformation.
An Oozaru's power is equal to the Saiyan's power level prior to the transformation multiplied by ten.
The colour for the Great Ape's fur is brown and their eyes are red as well. A Saiyan loses the ability to reason in this form, and will typically display berserk and destructive characteristics. Despite the lack of self-awareness, as Saiyans mature, they can potentially be taught how to rein in their instincts and retain normal cognitive functions as an Oozaru.
Wisdom, Strength and Agility all increase by 10X in Oozaru and you are now able to control the form.]
She was proud, of course. But was annoyed it took 30 full attempts to do so.
She could only access it for 90 minutes with the Power Ball technique she learned.
30 x 90 was 2700. 2700 minutes was 45 hours exactly.
In 4 days, which was 96 hours, she had wasted 45.85% of her time on this.
The rest of that time was spent resting, and working hard on training her physical abilities, since she couldn't exactly study much, she recalled pages of text and thought deeply on philosophical topics.
And of course, Ki Suppression.
She wanted to enjoy her fights. She wanted real challenges. And if she kept flattening everything in her path, that wouldn't happen, thus she wanted to suppress her absurd power since Power Levels were related to how strong one was, she could assume her PL had grown to around 11,250 thanks to the Limit Breaker skill exponentially allowing her training to give her immense growth.
And of course, she had the Goal Boost.
Characters in DB grew exponentially stronger when training with a goal in mind within short periods of time.
Everyone surpassed Raditz in the Saiyan Saga, outside of Chiaotzu, but even he grew massively stronger, because of course everyone had surpassing him as a goal.
Kaelith's goal was surpassing the prick that was Frieza.
But she wanted to enjoy her fights.
Thus here she was, sitting on a cliff, cross legged. She was meditating, her breathing controlled.
Meditation seemed to increase Ki Control, so she was hoping that by doing this she would learn to slowly put a seal on the ocean within her.
Kaelith's breathing remained steady as the wind howled around her, yet she could feel it—the subtle yet unmistakable presence of another.
It was faint, almost imperceptible, but her finely tuned senses caught it with ease. A power level around 5 times higher than most Huntsman. For most, that would be an absurd number, higher than nearly any Huntsman in existence, but to her? It barely registered.
She kept her eyes closed, pretending to ignore it.
A crow, huh?
The familiar, winged shape was perched a short distance away, its black feathers ruffled slightly by the wind. It wasn't just any bird. She knew exactly who it was.
'Qrow Branwen. A Huntsman. A man infamous for his skill, his drinking, and most of all, his ridiculously bad luck. More importantly, Ozpin's right-hand man.' Kaelith thought.
Kaelith's lips curled slightly in amusement. So, the old man's already taking an interest in me? Took him long enough.
She didn't react. Didn't acknowledge him. Let him think he was unnoticed. Let him watch.
Her training continued. Her breathing remained slow and measured, focusing inward. Suppressing her power was proving excruciatingly difficult, like trying to hold back a flood with nothing but a wooden dam. But progress was progress, no matter how slow.
Meanwhile, Qrow just sat there. Watching. Waiting. Probably thinking himself clever.
She could have just called him out right then.
She could have pointed right at him and said, "Nice try, old man."
But that would expose her that she knew a 'secret' only few others know.
She wanted to see how long he'd keep up the act.
And then, like divine intervention, it happened.
The universe did what it did best.
It reminded Qrow Branwen that he was, in fact, Qrow Branwen.
One moment, he was perched all cool and mysterious. The next—
CRACK!
The branch he was perched on snapped like the universe itself had personally decreed it.
With an undignified squawk, the crow plummeted straight down, flapping its wings wildly before—
POOF.
Smoke erupted mid-air, and in an instant, where a bird had been, now stood a very unfortunate-looking man with messy hair, a battered red cape, and a flask barely hanging onto his belt.
THUD!
Qrow hit the ground face-first with all the grace of a bag of bricks.
Silence.
Kaelith finally cracked open one eye, staring at the scene before her.
Qrow groaned, pushing himself up onto his elbows, coughing up dirt.
She exhaled through her nose. "...Seriously?"
Qrow blinked, clearly caught. His eyes flicked toward her, then back at the very obviously broken branch he'd been sitting on.
"Uh." He coughed, dusting himself off as he slowly stood. "So, uh. Fancy meeting you here."
Kaelith raised a brow. "Fancy."
Another beat of silence.
Then Qrow sighed. "Alright, alright, you got me. I've been watching you." He crossed his arms, trying to look casual. "Orders from the boss, y'know? Just keeping an eye on the kid who's got the whole city whispering."
Kaelith didn't reply. She just kept watching him.
Qrow sighed again, rubbing his temple. "Look, I'm not here to start trouble. Just wanted to see what you were about. And, uh…" He glanced around at the utterly obliterated landscape. The crater. The lingering, ominous absence of thousands of Grimm.
"Yeah. You're somethin' alright."
Kaelith still didn't respond.
Her expression was unreadable, but internally?
The hell does this guy want?
She could sense no hostility. No immediate danger. Just… curiosity.
And misfortune. Lots and lots of misfortune.
She finally tilted her head slightly. "And?"
Qrow blinked. "And…?"
Kaelith gave a slow, deliberate blink. "Are you just going to stand there and waste my time, or do you actually have a point?"
Qrow whistled low, shaking his head. "Man. You're just as much of a pain in the ass as I was told."
She smirked. "Flattered."
Qrow let out a dry chuckle, finally straightening his posture. "Alright, kid. I'll make this simple. You've got a lot of eyes on you. Oz wants to know what your deal is. And frankly? So do I." He gestured around. "You show up outta nowhere, wipe the floor with everyone in Arcadia, then go full kaiju on the mountains out here. You don't seem to care about much, you don't play by any rules, and yet… you only go after Grimm unless provoked."
He tilted his head. "Why?"
Kaelith stared at him for a long moment.
Then, she simply leaned back, resting on her palms. "Because I feel like it."
Qrow blinked. "That's it?"
"Why does anyone do anything?" she asked lazily. "You hunt Grimm because it's your job. I do it because I'm bored. And because I like fighting strong things. Grimm are strong. Simple."
Qrow let out a short laugh, shaking his head. "You are somethin' else, kid."
Kaelith just smirked.
A gust of wind passed between them.
Then Qrow sighed again, taking a sip from his flask. "Look. I won't tell you what to do. But if you really wanna test yourself? Beacon's got some decent competition."
"Eh, I was already planning on going actually."
Kaelith studied Qrow for a moment, her tail flicking behind her. She stretched her arms above her head, cracking her neck before speaking.
"So… the bird thing. That your Semblance?" she asked, her tone casual, but her eyes sharp.
Qrow, to his credit, didn't flinch. He barely even hesitated. "Yeah. Something like that," he said with a shrug.
Kaelith's smirk widened. "Liar."
Qrow raised an eyebrow. "Excuse me?"
She tapped her temple. "You've got a tell. Your right eye twitches just a little when you lie. Like 5 millimetres at least."
Qrow blinked, then scoffed. "Oh, come on. I've been lyin' longer than you've been alive, kid. I don't have a tell."
Kaelith looked at him, her face completely flat. "You just admitted to lying."
Qrow's fingers twitched. He scowled. "Tch. Lucky guess."
Kaelith leaned forward, resting her chin on her fist, "Nah. I don't believe in luck."
Qrow took a long, slow sip from his flask, eyes narrowing.
"...Huh. You're a sharp one."
Kaelith tilted her head, her expression unreadable now.
"So. If it's not your Semblance, then what is it?"
Qrow sighed heavily, rubbing the bridge of his nose.
"Look, kid, there are things in this world that don't fit in neat little boxes. Some things just are."
Kaelith grinned, "Oh, I know."
That made Qrow pause. His sharp crimson eyes studied her, trying to read her like she'd just read him.
"...How much do you know?" he asked finally, voice lower now.
Kaelith gave a lazy shrug. "Dunno. How much are you willing to tell me?"
Qrow sighed, rubbing the back of his neck. "You're a pain in the ass, y'know that?"
"Flattered," she shot back smoothly.
Qrow let out a dry chuckle, shaking his head. "Right. Well. Let's just say… some people got a little more than what they were born with."
Kaelith's smirk didn't fade. "Magic, huh?"
Qrow's jaw clenched just slightly and he tightened his grip on his flask before subtly getting combat ready, only stopping himself when he realised he couldn't just attack the girl. It was all very subtle.
But she saw it.
Bingo.
Honestly Kaelith just did that to mess with the bastard, but now she actually had a reasonable excuse to learn about the Maidens and Magic in this world.
If she didn't plan this out in her head the second she noticed she was being watched by Qrow the Crow, she'd be pretty impressed with herself.
"So Magic does exist, huh? And I'm assuming it's very very rare. It might resemble Semblances, but is completely different, right?"
'As stupid as it is that the 2 power systems are that similar,' Kaelith added in her thoughts.
Qrow exhaled sharply, rolling his flask between his fingers. "Alright, kid. You got questions, but so do I. So let's make this fair—an answer for an answer."
Kaelith smirked. "Fair enough."
Qrow gestured at her tail, his expression unreadable. "You're not a Faunus. We don't know what you are. And that big ol' ape stunt? Yeah, that ain't normal. So, what's your deal?"
Kaelith stretched lazily before resting her elbows on her knees. "Saiyan."
Qrow raised a brow. "That supposed to mean something to me?"
"Didn't think so." She flicked her tail. "Long story short? My people are warriors, built for battle. We get stronger every time we fight, heal, or push past our limits. And that 'big ol' ape stunt'? Oozaru. It's a form Saiyan's undergo when they intake Blutz Waves reflected from a celestial body. At least 17,000,000 zenos is required. Normal Saiyan biology."
Qrow squinted. "And you just… showed up here?"
Kaelith's smirk faltered slightly. "Something like that. A fracture in space-time happened as I was travelling through space, and suddenly I crash landed here. I'm pretty sure the Attack Ball isn't even salvageable anymore, so I ended up in a new dimension. No clue how or why."
Qrow hummed, swirling his drink. "That's one hell of a problem."
Kaelith snorted. "Tell me about it."
Qrow's eyes flicked to her armor. "That suit of yours—haven't seen anything like it. Custom?"
Kaelith smirked. "Nah. Standard issue. Back home, Saiyans were Combatents of the Emperor of the Universe's Army. This was the gear for us. Recognize it?
"Can't say I do."
"Thought so," Kaelith murmured. "Your turn. Magic. It's real, isn't it?"
Qrow tensed for half a second before sighing. "Yeah. It's rare, damn near forgotten, but it's real."
Kaelith's eyes gleamed. "If I were to take a guess, it's know to less that 0.01% of the population, and there's conditions for it, right? Probably this, Oz you keep going on about is the main one that knows it."
Qrow let out a sharp exhale, rubbing his face like he was already regretting this conversation. "Kid, I'm startin' to think you're too damn smart for your own good."
Kaelith grinned. "And yet, here you are, answering my questions anyway."
He shot her a dry look. "Yeah, yeah. Just don't go thinkin' you can charm your way into every answer. Some things are better left alone."
Kaelith hummed, unbothered. She had already learned more than she expected. And besides, she had her reasons for spilling her own story—at least, the version she was willing to tell.
For one, it was funny watching Qrow squirm. He was a veteran Huntsman, a skilled warrior, and someone clearly used to having the upper hand in conversations. Watching him realize that wasn't the case here? Delightful.
But more importantly, she had already decided that Qrow was someone who could be trusted—at least with this much. The man had the weight of too many secrets on his shoulders, and she knew the type. He wasn't the kind to go blabbing unless it was absolutely necessary. And if anyone could keep their mouth shut about her being an alien monkey warrior from a different dimension, it was him.
Not that he had much choice now.
"Well," Qrow said after a long sip from his flask. "This has been... enlightening." He exhaled and shook his head, muttering, "Oz is gonna love this."
Kaelith smirked. "Tell him I said hi."
Qrow snorted. "Yeah, I think I'll let him experience this headache for himself."
She chuckled, stretching out her arms. "So? We done here, bird boy?"
Qrow rolled his eyes. "For now." He took a step back, already shifting into his avian form. "But don't think this is the last chat we're havin'."
Kaelith waved lazily. "Wouldn't dream of it."
And with that, Qrow disappeared into the sky, leaving Kaelith alone once more.
She leaned back, staring up at the sky, a smirk still playing on her lips.
Exactly as planned.