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.
I'm also occasionally chilling in JaxWolf4's (Author of Nah, I'd Adapt and Zenin Days) Discord Server. It's a chaotic lobotomy mess. Not for the faint of heart.
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Disc: HrPrTeam
-Story Start-
-Third Person POV-
They say humans are creatures of adaptation.
From bipedal monkeys running around the plains with spears and stones.
To innovators that managed to land on the moon.
...
The problem is that Remnant's moon is shattered, so that didn't quite happen here.
However!
The point is, eventually, with enough exposure to a specific environment or issue - the Human finds a way to endure.
Our protagonist - Alex Andrite isn't an exception to this rule.
...Much to his dismay.
In a sense, he found it irritating that he's getting used to this environment - that means the 'System' is winning.
...
Anyway!
His name being called for another routine bout didn't drain his energy as much as it did the first few times.
So, with only a tiny slouch in his back, the bane of all existence approached the ring with steady steps; his face pressed into the usual thin stoic line as always.
His eyes quickly took in his surroundings, as he wasn't quite paying attention and even he could tell that...
'A little eager.' He noted.
[Can you blame them?]
Indeed, the crowd of fellow students was more than just a little 'eager'.
Loud talks amid friends and bets were already being made - this appeared to be a match they'd been waiting to happen for a long time.
Pyrrha Nikos - The Invincible Girl.
Alex Andrite - The Undefeated 'Stick' Wielder.
A flawless record of matches and the top scorers for the Combat Exercises.
"Oh, boy... Weiss!" Ruby shook her fellow teammate with a most distraught expression.
"What?"
"Who do I cheer for?!" She grabbed Weiss's face, a look of distress set on her face.
Weiss sighed, "Just cheer for your partner, and I'll cheer for mine. That way it's fair."
Lowering her head for a moment to contemplate the advice, Ruby's hands were still uncomfortably clutching Weiss's face.
Rising up with a bubbly and goofy smile, Ruby thanked her, "Do you know how much I appreciate you, my wise teammate?"
Weiss snorted, slowly lowering Ruby's hands from her face, "Always a pleasure... Leader." A small smile on her face.
...
[Oh~! How heartwarming!] System cooed as Alex managed to hear the conversation as he headed down to the arena beside the silent Pyrrha.
Alex hummed, 'They have come pretty far from wanting to strangle each other on the first day.' He noted internally.
[Indeed! Now you're the primary strangling victim!]
He shrugged, 'I'm just being myself.'
Though, Alex couldn't help but sneak a glance at Pyrrha beside him.
The red-haired girl noticed his look, smiling confidently at him.
"Give it your all, Alex." She requested sincerely.
He sighed, 'Guess this isn't going to go like the usual fly swatting?'
[That's disrespectful to your fellow Hunters in training!]
Of course, Alex ignored the system's pointless rambling.
He turned to Pyrrha with a nod of acknowledgment, "Sure."
-----------------------------
The crowd was still in silence.
Even Nora herself was silent, as a legendary face-off was about to commence.
The atmosphere was tense, a mix of uncertainty and excitement flowed through the air itself.
Both combatants stood from one another.
Pyrrha Nikos held her weapons with a tight grip, Milo and Akouo - Mechashift Javelin Rifle and Shield respectively.
On her wrist was a single Aura Measuring Device; translating to a single bar of aura under her face on the large screen.
She, herself donned an excited yet firm expression - not willing to underestimate her opponent in the slightest.
For good reason.
As in front of her was...
A familiar anomaly.
Familiar, but still mind-bogglingly nonstandard.
Alex Andrite.
He stood tall, with Ten Aura Measuring Devices on his body, as his oppressive aura could be felt even from a distance.
Under his name, as always, were ten whole bars that represented his freakish aura reserves.
His face, was the usual stoic thin line as he regarded Pyrrha with a simple look of acknowledgment.
However, it was clear for all to see.
His gaze wasn't the usual distant indifference, as if he was squashing a bug.
...
It was all the same for the last week.
Each opponent chosen is utterly massacred with no chance to either react or deal meaningful damage.
The one who managed to deal actually meaningful damage was Nora Valkyrie.
But that was, due to Alex's unexplainable fear of her allowing her to get a single hit with her hammer.
A powerful blow indeed, one that had sent the arena to temporary repair for a whole day!
All that...
Just to take out nearly a single Aura bar.
Nevertheless, could one blame him for not caring for his opponents beyond finishing the match quickly and not accidentally slicing them in half or bashing their heads in?
...
He could tell, that he could not make use of that luxury of holding back TOO MUCH against Pyrrha.
At the very least, for her sake...
...He deserves a pat on the back for his consideration!
[Do you want one? You need just ask your teammates they'd be glad to-] System inquired.
'Shut the fuck up. I'm doing this in the first place because of you.'
[Are you now~?]
He ignored the System once more.
Indeed, with time and exposure - all Humans adapt.
Pyrrha's eyes gravitated toward the oppressive, magnetic, and awe-inspiring aura emanating from 'Stick'.
She had to hold herself back from the deep-seated desire to gaze at it for hours on end.
Noting internally to avoid any and all direct strikes from the weapon, lest her treasured partners be sliced cleanly.
The sharpness of 'Stick' had resulted in one sliced-up weapon already from one of Alex's prior spars.
What is that thing? is quite a popular question.
One theory is:
"Sunshine, rainbows, and soul metal!" - Ruby Rose after trying to melt the blasted thing in the school's forge at a whopping heat of over 10,000 degrees and failing.
The System was crying tears of anguish and blood during those moments.
Alex was eating a cookie, meanwhile.
"How do you even gobble so many of these?" He genuinely inquired, with a look of perplexion settled on the half-eaten cookie in his hand.
With folded hands and a proud expression, Ruby presented her strategy, "Oh! That's easy... I eat nothing else!"
"Diabetes." He retorted.
Ahem!
Another theory is:
"Hopes, dreams, and POWERRRRRRRRR!" - Nora Valkyrie after trying to smash it with her hammer only for the consequence of such an act being cobweb cracks on her beloved smashing tool.
...
[The fools have no inkling as to the majesty of Excalibur! Alexander, enlighten them!] The System cried out as Alex's grip on Excalibur tightened, his tired eyes settling on Pyrrha.
'No.' He denied the order immediately and ruthlessly.
Glynda Goodwitch did well in hiding her curiosity and excitement at the upcoming match-up under her stern exterior, her eyes drifted from one fighter to the other.
"Are the two of you prepared?" She questioned.
"I am." Pyrrha nodded with a confident grin, sweat trickling down her pale skin.
"Mhm." Alex regarded her with a nod and a hum.
"Then..." Her eyes narrowed as her sharp voice drawled out.
"BEGIN!" Her voice reverberated amid the silence and excitement, announcing the beginning of the legendary bout to finally set things straight:
The Pecking Order Of The 1st Years.
Pyrrha launched towards Alex with momentum, Milo shifting into the form of a javelin as she hurled it towards the man who... stood still.
Alex's movement was both swift yet simple, as Pyrrha had expected, with a swing of Excalibur's blunt side, the javelin was ricocheted aside.
A subtle hum was suddenly heard and the javelin's trajectory... Ceased.
Pyrrha's free hand extended towards the javelin, relaunching it with some sort of seemingly telekinetic ability back towards Alex.
Alex lifted an eyebrow in slight surprise at the first-ever usage of Pyrrha's Semblance.
'She'd never used that one before.' He noted nonchalantly.
Slapping it away once more, the javelin gravitated back toward Pyrrha who grabbed it and shifted it into its short sword form.
Now, she was in close-range combat.
She swung Milo in blinding speed and expertise towards Alex in a flurry of blows, mixing in blunt strikes from her shield, Akouo.
Stab to the head.
Blocked.
Kick to the abdomen.
Dodged.
Elbow and a swift cut to the throat.
Weaved out of the way.
Each strike was easily evaded or blocked by Alex who had yet to make a single move.
In this exchange, Pyrrha's excited smirk only broadened as more sweat built up on her face and body, the air shook as their interplay of combat sent ripples of wind around them.
She was...
Having fun.
"Go Alex! Go go go!" Ruby's cheers echoed loudly.
"Go... Pyrrha!" Weiss's cheers were a note less excited and cheerful, given she wasn't particularly comfortable with loud cheering.
But it was an effort all the same.
...
Nevertheless, anyone could tell - Pyrrha wasn't making any progress and Alex has yet to strike.
"My turn," Alex stated simply, no showmanship, no theatrics.
His grip tightened on Excalibur as he swung it towards Pyrrha at blinding speed.
She kept her attention on Alex's grip on the blade for a long time since the start of the spar; the twitching of his muscles was a forewarning for his movement.
Throwing her shield towards Alex, she stopped his swing for him to catch it with his bare hand, she ran forward to hop on top of it, Milo shifting into its semi-automatic rifle form.
And with a surprising movement, she appeared in front of Alex with Milo aimed just between the eyes.
Throwing her away with a powerful push of the shield she stood on, she still managed to shoot rapidly.
The shots reverberated across the awed crowd's silence, as thanks to Alex's strength, Pyrrha had landed a great distance away after managing to finally hit him.
Undeterred, he managed to block the last shots with Excalibur.
Thus, the first exchange was over.
Pyrrha's gaze for a moment drifted to the Aura Meter to note the damage done.
...
She sweatdropped slightly, noticing that only 1/8th of a single aura bar dropped.
However, she did not let that discourage her.
Finally... here was a worthy opponent.
She's, not alone.
No longer suffering alone in the solitude of strength.
...
But Pyrrha made a single crucial mistake.
Suddenly, her eyes darted at the sound of the ground cracking, Alex stood there his aura overflowing from him, as if a nuclear reactor of pure aura had been activated.
It was clear, he had mustered up the full force of his Aura.
But what Pyrrha was clueless about was...
That there were Levels to strength's solitude.
Alex's was magnitudes beyond hers.
His dull voice felt more powerful, as a titanic pressure settled on the resolute Pyrrha's shoulders, "Playing with you would be more disrespectful than putting my back to it, right?" He lightly questioned.
Pyrrha nodded, her smile persisting, "Yes, thank you." Warmth emanated from her lips.
Then...
Pyrrha's sharpened instincts flared as alarm bells rang in her mind.
Whatever was about to happen was something she needed to stop at all costs.
She was planning on using this card to catch Alex off-guard for a decisive blow, but circumstances call for a change of plans.
She lifted her palm, trying to use her semblance on 'Stick'.
Yet... she felt no reception.
'It's not made out of metal?!' She gritted her teeth as she brought her guard up and readied herself.
Then, Alex displayed a feat of speed he had never displayed before.
The closest to this speed they've ever witnessed from him, was his explosive first impressions against the giant Nevermore.
The air shook and the ground he stood on shattered as he seemingly 'disappeared' from his spot, appearing in an instant in front of Pyrrha with Excalibur primed in a broad swing at her face.
Pyrrha's eyes couldn't register the movement at all, only instinctively bringing her shield up in an impressive display of skill.
A loud resonating clang reverberated as the blade met the shield.
Excalibur's supreme sharpness coupled with Alex's strength was met with Pyrrha's shield Akouo and her own defiance.
The outcome she had planned to avoid, occurred all the same in spite of her intentions.
Akouo was sliced cleanly with little resistance and continued in its trajectory toward Pyrrha's chest.
Her aura reacted automatically, trying to negate as much force as it could.
Rapidly, the aura bar depleted before she could even try and escape the swift and decisive cut.
Reaching the red, Excalibur was about to reach her chest, to cut her diagonally...
Only for Alex to exert himself and cease the swing by pulling himself, stomping powerfully on the ground beneath him to ground himself, a booming explosion of dust and debris kicking up in the air at his action.
Shock and awe.
The stupefied and stumped crowd couldn't even register what happened in the last few seconds.
"Miss Nikos! Are you alright?!" Glynda collected herself first, yelling in worry as her eyes noted that Pyrrha's aura had shattered before she could even blink.
The cloud of dust cleared to reveal the two opponents standing across from each other.
Pyrrha's expression was a pale, sweating mess, her eyes lowered to see that Excalibur stopped inches from her heart; having cut only slightly into the skin of her chest and through the cloth of her left lower pectoral muscle - a thin line of blood trickling down her chest.
Alex stood with a sweatdrop of his own, his stoic expression morphed into an uneasy frown as he slowly drew back Excalibur with a whiff of relief.
His tone came out in a rare, genuinely apologetic form, "Sorry, Pyrrha. I tried a little too hard." He admitted with a shake of his head, rubbing the bridge of his nose as he dismissed Excalibur.
"Too... hard?" She repeated, her tone laced with disbelief.
To Be Continued!
-Author Note Start-
Yahallo my lovelies!
I've been feeling kind of goofy (Procrastinating from the dreaded Gojo Chapter I have to post)
So here's a surprise chapter! I'll post the next one after I'm done with a Gojo Chapter (Curses!)
Anyway, hope you've enjoyed it and it was up to snuff in quality.
Love ya and thanks for your patience.
Bu bye!
If ya'll feeling frisky and rich you can donate to my P. A .T R 3 0 N to show some nice and kind support - This is purely support no benefits except early chapters (That I do not do yet properly lmao) which will eventually be available for everyone... like a twitch donation typa thing.
Here's the link:
patre0n.com/BurgerNoTomatoes