Once Neo finished petting the unconscious Grimm Neo's head, (which she would admit getting a little lost in), the battle had concluded. Though team RWBY was more than prepared for the fight, due to Neo's training and advice on how to get through to their counterparts. Fou decided not to use his blades and started to just beat them with his small paws. It amused Tearwyn to no end seeing him bounce from target to target and beat them into submission. Neo noted he kind of looked like he was using spin dash, like Sonic.
Blake had simply used her Senjutsu and enhanced physique to take on both Coco and Velvet. Though she did end up breaking some ribs and Coco's arm during the fight. Team RWBY met back up with Neo, Tearwyn, Fou and Blake. All of them setting their counterparts down.
"We did it.. It was kind of heartbreaking though" Blake 3.0 said, looking at her masked counterpart sadly.
"Yeah.. She was so driven to succeed.. to do right by her team. But only because she was so scared of Salem and what she would do to them" Weiss replied, looking at her beaten counterpart.
"Well we're helping them out now. I messaged Ozpin to come pick them all up so he can hold them until Salem is dealt with" Neo got up and looked at them all with a proud smile.
"Also Neo and I are proud~ You put that abu-tortu-training to good use!" Tearwyn chimed in, hearing what sounded like a snicker from Fou.
"Did she say abuse.." Weiss asked quietly.
Just then, they heard the sounds of multiple bullheads nearby. Hearing that, Neo nodded before carrying Grimm Neopolitan and turning to them.
"Alright come on, guys. There's still the hauling we gotta do. Grab your Grimm self and start walkin'. Oh and try not to drop them or grope them" Neo advised, hearing their confusion as she made her way to the exit.
"Hehe. Only Neo would try to grope herself.." Yang snickered as they followed, carrying their counterpart while quite a few Vale huntsmen ran into the cave.
Getting outside, they all saw Glynda and Ozpin along with several bullheads nearby. Seeing all of them okay, he smiled. Waving them over, they set their counterparts down on some nearby stretchers before Ozpin addressed them.
"Very good, team RWBY. I'm glad to see that week off school truly paid off. Miss Neo, you have my thanks as well. In time, I believe with your help, we can take Salem on together. But for-" Ozpin was cut off when he heard the Bullhead behind him start to take off.
Confused, he looked up and noticed Neo was on it. Along with Arturia, Tearwyn, Blake and Fou, of course. Ozpin, Glynda and RWBY looked over where Neo used to be, seeing their image shatter like broken glass.
"W-Wait! Neo!! Where are you going!?" Yang yelled up at her friend.
"Sorry for doing this but Salem can't wait. I'm not willing to put you in harm's way by rushing you into that fight and I can't wait that long or Salem will do something else. I'll be back!" Neo shouted down to them, seeing Yang and Ruby's hurt expressions as the bullhead flew away quickly.
"Are we really that weak that we can't even.." Ruby muttered while watching the bullhead fly away.
Yang clenched her fists and watched, though after a few moments, she let go and exhaled. Thinking about it rationally, it made sense. Neo had barely demonstrated her power during training but still beat them all. Tearwyn was an untouchable Goddess. Fou was some kind of cute monster with sword magic. Blake was like some legendary Ninja-Monk-Sage and Arturia is an incredibly strong lance. They really had no place in a battle like that. But it still really irked her to no end.
"I don't like it either, Ruby. But what can we do as we are now?" Weiss rationalized, biting her lip.
~That other me is capable of it though.. I wonder what she did to get to that point?~ Blake 3.0 thought.
Unknown to Neo, she had stoked something within the hearts of team RWBY.
"Did she just STEAL a Bullhead!!?" Glynda angrily screamed.
"...." Ozpin remained silent, hoping not to be the one who had to answer her.
-Bullhead, flying over Vale-
"I think they might be angry with you" Blake commented to her lover, who was flying the Bullhead.
"Better mad than dead, Blakey" Neo responded with a rather serious tone.
"Mas-Neo, you can fly these.. machines?" Arturia asked, seated next to Fou and Tearwyn, who was inspecting the blades he traced.
"Had to buy 'piloting' but yeah. We'll be over there in two hours so get some rest if you can" Neo responded, the atmosphere tense as she quietly flew the Bullhead.
-Dragon Continent, former city of Acadia-
Neo had been told that humanity expanded into the Dragon Continent since Salem's disappearance. A vast city, much like Vale, Atlas, Vacuo and Mistral had been here. Now? It was a desolate ruin with an enormous gothic castle in the now desolate city's center. It looked like someone placed Castlevania right in a post-apocalyptic city.
"Yeah this is some Fallout meets Castle Wolfenstein shit here" Neo noted, watching out for any Grimm but there was nothing.
"It is a nice looking Castle though.. hmm~" Tearwyn commented, looking at the impressive Castle as they landed.
"It feels rather.. ominous though" Arturia replied, looking over to Neo.
"I imagine it's supposed to, being Salami's evil lair. I get the feeling this won't work but.." Neo looked over to Arturia, who nodded and took her lance form, coming to Neo's hand as Tearwyn and Fou took both of her shoulders.
"Thank Tearwyn I don't have to say the chant anymore.." Neo heard a soft giggle from Tearwyn after saying.
Magic was once again released. This time, to a far greater extent than the first time she used it on Mt Glenn or Salem. Forming a spiral of divine energy around Rhongomyniad, Neo aimed the lance at the Castle and slowly exhaled before releasing the mighty power of the lance.
"Rhongomyniad!" Neo shouted as the huge light fell upon the Castle, only to meet a barrier that surrounded it.
Though the enormous Castle still shook, it did not break. Only until the end did it show any sign of fading. But Neo knew spamming it would only tire her out. Something she'd rather avoid doing. Fou looked at her and traced Ea with an inquisitive look.
"I suggest you don't try that one either. I'm rather fond of all my possessions here and you almost knocked them all over.." A calm yet annoyed voice spoke out to them.
"Guessing you're Salem then? Well.. the fake one" Neo asked, looking up at the Castle.
"And you're the fake Neopolitan? The one my underlings saw in that Soul Eater world? I had a feeling I'd meet you. Well, come on in. I've been waiting long enough" Salem spoke in a flat, bored tone.
"How does she.." Blake seemed alarmed but Neo put her hand up to stop her.
"We'll ask once we're inside" Neo replied, though she too was on edge.
"Kyu.." Fou looked a bit worried at the strength of the barrier and dismissed Ea as they walked inside.
"Be careful, Neo.. I feel a very strong Godly connection to this Salem" Tearwyn warned.
The barrier closed behind them after they entered, ensuring that escape would be hard unless they killed Salem. They walked in and saw a magic platform lift they obviously needed to use. After a solid minute of ascending up the enormously tall Castle, the lift stopped at a throne room. Salem was seated on the throne, not really taking them seriously. Though she looked quite different. She had dark red hair, fair skin, amber eyes, black horns adorning her head and clawed wings that acted as another pair of arms that jutted from her back. On top of that, she was fully dressed in heavy plate Grimm armor that covered everything but her face and perfectly contoured to her body.
"Nice to meet you. I was starting to get bored again. Ever since I lost contact with Cinder I figured you weren't going by the script anymore" Salem shrugged and picked up a golden goblet, taking a drink from it.
"Well who the fuck reincarnates in a story and follows the script? Pussies who don't get far, that's who" Neo iterated, observing her foe.
Salem set the goblet down and laughed.
"Yeah, I agree! I mean why even bother telling that story at all if it's simply the original plus some insert?" Salem retorted, seeing Neo slowly nod in approval.
~What is happening right now..?~ Blake asked, though she did agree with the point.
"But that doesn't matter right now. Why'd you do all this? Some Dark God's demands? And how are those two reincarnators connected to you?" Neo asked, slowly pacing in front of her.
"Ah, some evil villain dialogue? Okay. I guess I can give some not so tragic backstory" Salem shrugged and stood up, seeing all of them tense in anticipation for a fight.
"I was hit by a train and died. Some sketchy God offered me a chance to be reborn but gave me a stipulation. He wants to rise in power after being cast down by some competitor Dark Gods. I didn't care so I agreed pretty easily. Life wasn't very exciting before so why not, right? Anyway.. I woke up as Salem a few years after her attempted suicide by black Grimm water. I decided to try and be a good person. I built up towns around me.. kept the Grimm away. I essentially became a beloved Goddess. Ozpin came back with some flowery words so I decided to be with him and we'd be Remnant's new gods" Salem narrated as she swished the contents of her goblet.
"Let me guess! Something bad happened? Your perception changed and-" Neo was interrupted by Salem's laughter.
"Oh god no! Hahahaha! I just got bored. Playing the good route and all that for a hundred years? I got so... bored of it all. I decided to take a different turn one day. I wanted to see Ozpin's lawful good face when he found out I killed our kids. Not like I really cared for them to begin with, anyway. Oh I tell you.. his reaction? Chills.. It was fantastic. So then we fought and I killed him, knowing he'd reincarnate again. I started this shadow war with him. A little incentive here.. a little manipulation there.. and I had minions to throw at him. It was a blast. Until I got bored again. So I took my patron's advice and explored other worlds. Killed, betrayed, set against.. you name it, I likely did it. All over different worlds. As a result, I got very strong and took in other reincarnators like myself" Salem explained as casually as one could be.
"Neo.." Tearwyn muttered, feeling Neo's anger rising.
"Ah, then I invaded the other Remnant. During the Atlas siege. I consumed the other, lesser Salem then flooded Atlas and Mantle in my Grimm water. It was kind of fun, experimenting with the main cast like that. I didn't want them to be mindless Grimm though. I wanted to feel their suffering and other feelings. Now I get to fight again! It's been so long too.." Salem stretched her limbs and unleashed a suffocating semi-divine pressure around her.
Neo responded in kind, taking her Proxy form. The next millisecond later, they could see Neo locking her lance against Salem's greatsword she created out of Destruction magic. Salem's manic grin grew as their semi-Divine auras clashed. Blake and Fou were next, both backing Neo up with a barrage of blades and a Tsubame Gaeshi, which Salem evaded with incredible speed, sliding back to her throne.
"You did all this shit because you... were 饾棷饾椉饾椏饾棽饾棻? Like you were fucking playing a game..?" Neo scowled in anger, though Salem licked her lips and grinned a toothy grin.
"I'm not a good person. But you..? You took their freedom- no.. an entire world's freedom for shits and giggles.." Tearwyn gently pat her head to calm her before she urgently notified them of something alarming.
"She's a Demigod, Neo. One that's been one far longer than you have. She's almost reached Godhood herself" Neo seriously nodded as Salem tilted her head with a cocky grin while looking at Tearwyn.
"Oh you have a Goddess with you? Young too. After I'm don-" She didn't have time to finish the threat as Neo had smashed her fist into her jaw, making Salem fly into her throne and subsequently destroy it.
The punch containing her full speed and strength battered the throne room with the force. Though she quickly stood up with a malevolent smile, licking her slightly bloody lip that immediately healed.
"You keep my Tearwyn's name.. out of your fucking mouth!" Neo glowered, fist smoking from the force.
Salem simply grinned and in the next second, locked weapons with Neo once again, turning from an incoming flying red spear courtesy of a fluffy white blur. Breaking off from the lock, Salem catches Blake's blade with her knee and elbow before a lightning fast swing of her greatsword came at her head. Blake quickly moved her body back, using her flexibility to bend backwards, allowing the blade to pass her face by a hair's width. Salem's follow up attack on Blake was interrupted by a heavy thrust of Rhongomyniad from Neo and Gae Bolg from Fou. Though she used the flat side of her greatsword to block it while holding her ground.
~Those can actually harm me huh..?~ Salem thought before widening her eyes as the red spear was launched at her.
Knowing what it was capable of, she waited until the last moment, right as it pierced her, to cover her heart with Grimm plating and destruction magic to counter the red spear. Yanking it out, she tossed it aside and tilted her head away from Neo's lightning fast thrust and punched her in the stomach, shattering her illusion like glass. Salem felt a Divine presence behind her and Blake beside her. Deciding to take the slashes Blake gave her, she threw up her blade and unleashed her own Dark Divinity and threw it at the pillar of massive light coming at her.
There was a cataclysmic clash of Divinity that shook the room for a moment as Darkness met Light. Darkness overcame it after a moment and Neo was hit with the full force of Salem's Divinity. Neo was carried off through several dozen rooms before the energy erupted. Neo landed in a study on the other side of the Castle. Her aura shattered and missing an arm and a leg.
"F..uck.." Neo coughed, trying to pick herself up quickly while her Proxy physique began regenerating her lost limbs.
Rhongomyniad hummed in concern as Neo wiped the blood off her lips.
"Ahhh, Divinity. Sometimes, getting it can cost you an arm and a leg" Tearwyn commented, much to Neo's confusion.
"I'll have to repay her by taking her fuckin' head" Neo got back up, limbs regenerated.
Oddly enough, Rhongomyniad hummed in acknowledgement to Tearwyn's words. Though Neo had no time to ponder their meaning and quickly moved back to the throne room, just in time to see Blake axe kick Salem's head into a fine paste on the floor before taking a concentrated blast of destruction that firmly planted her into the wall and destroyed her aura. Meanwhile, Fou had pinned her limbs with traced Gae Bolg's that were breaking from the destruction magic Salem was emitting. Though he did look winded.
~Y谈o痰u谭 谭m痰u檀s潭t谈 谭N潭O痰T痰 谈f痰a檀l潭l谈 檀h檀e痰r痰e谭!谈!痰~ Salem heard a malevolent shout in her mind, scoffing at its words.
Salem's head regenerated, her limbs flexing and snapping the red spears as she saw Neo descending on her, Rhongomyniad in hand. She hid a dark smile as the sacred spear descended upon her. Right as she snapped the last spear and moved her body away plunging her blade through Neo's heart. She lifted up the shocked looking Neo with her blade as she stood up with a victorious smile.
"One down.. two left!" Salem smiled, not expecting Neo to as well.
Neo gently put her fingers close to her face before pointing to Salem's side. Salem glanced over quickly, only to see nothing as she felt a glowing lance pierce her heart from behind. The Neo in front of her fading away. It was an aura clone. Salem grunted as traced Gae Bolgs pierced her body repeatedly, causing the God she was connected with to scream in her mind.
Neo, seeing her target's soul was fading fast, sighed in relief and went to help Blake out of the wall.
"It's done.. That Divinity shit hurts though! Damn.." Neo complained while Fou panted and ran over.
"As it should! Gods are no joke, Neo. Even Demigods~" Tearwyn pat her head and commented.
"Heh.." They heard Salem laugh, turning over to see her smile victoriously.
"Oh well. Would have been more merciful to die to me.. See you in Hell" Salem stilled before emitting a real Divine presence. The entire Continent shook as her body slowly picked itself up.
Her presence changed completely as darkness encroached upon them all. A god had descended into her body, initiating the Ascension with its own power. Her power eclipsed all of theirs instantly. Salem's face broke into a snarl as she gave them all a Death Glare that began to choke Blake while Fou was pressured along with Neo. Neo heard her system's notification.
[This cheating bastard...] It seemed at a loss as well.
Neo had no time to think about what that meant though. The Goddess had moved at speeds she could hardly see and shattered her ribs with a single punch, knocking her breathless. She had no time to scream or fly back either. The Goddess had grabbed her throat and formed a new, deadlier black greatsword with an irked expression.
"Do you know the penalty I have to pay for this...? Hmph.. Suffer and die. I'll reunite everyone you care about with you soon after" She plunged the blade into Neo's chest and slammed her battered body on the floor, glancing at Tearwyn before scoffing and walking over to Blake and Fou, who stood in front of her protectively.
"Neo..." Blake's eyes watered as she was stared down by the Goddess.
Tearwyn was awfully quiet up to this point, she was watching Neo's body silently. Blake collapsed to her knees, reality finally hitting her.
"Sh.. She's.." Blake muttered out.
"Dead? Yes. Such a nuisance, these reincarnators.. Useless bunch" The Goddess spat.
Blake was despondent, covering her face as the tears never stopped coming. Seeing her target's state, the Goddess grinned before raising her greatsword. Though she was puzzled when she heard the joyous giggle of Tearwyn.
"What's so-" The Goddess was blindsided by a fist impacting her face at lightspeed.
She fell fourty floors down and violently landed in a library, scowling with wide, angry eyes as she looked up and saw what should have been impossible.
Neo was back up. Though she looked quite different, with nine flowing fox tails behind her, the fox ears on her head and the divine armored clothing she wore.
(Picture here)
But the most unsettling change to the Dark God was the fact that Neo was radiating Divine Authorities.
She had Ascended.