The air in Beacon's training hall buzzed with a mixture of anticipation and curiosity. The students had gathered in the large combat arena, murmuring amongst themselves. Today was not just another combat class. Today, they would witness something extraordinary: their new professor, the youngest to ever hold such a position at Beacon Academy, would demonstrate his abilities for the very first time.
Standing at the edge of the arena with his arms folded and a calm, unwavering expression, Onyx Thorn looked every bit the part of a seasoned fighter. His age, a mere 16, seemed almost incongruent with the power he exuded. Beside him stood Professor Glynda Goodwitch, her stern expression belying the excitement she herself felt. She had seen Onyx's talents firsthand and knew this would be an unforgettable lesson for the students.
"Class," she said, her voice cutting through the low hum of conversation, "today's demonstration will feature Professor Thorn sparring with one of our finest students, Pyrrha Nikos."
A ripple of surprise moved through the students. Pyrrha Nikos, the champion of Mistral, the one who had effortlessly decimated many in combat tournaments, was now going to face off against a 16-year-old professor. It was impossible not to feel some sense of awe-and maybe even a bit of nervousness-at the thought.
Pyrrha stepped forward, her weapon, Milo, already in hand. The weapon was a combination of spear and rifle, capable of rapid fire, and she was known for her precise and graceful fighting style. Her eyes locked with Onyx's, a silent acknowledgment of the upcoming challenge. She smiled, confident in her skills, but she could already tell there was something different about this professor.
"Whenever you're ready, Pyrrha," Onyx said, his voice smooth and even, almost as if he were inviting her to show him her best.
Pyrrha wasted no time, leaping into the air with fluid precision, her spear aimed directly at Onyx. Her movements were as sharp and calculated as ever, and the students watched in awe as she closed the distance between them in mere moments. She struck-fast and powerful, but Onyx didn't flinch. With a subtle shift of his body, he sidestepped the attack effortlessly, the spear missing him by inches. His movement was fluid, almost predatory, but completely controlled.
"Did he just... dodge that?" Nora whispered, her eyes wide.
"I... I don't think Pyrrha even touched him," Ren added, equally stunned.
Pyrrha quickly adjusted, spinning in the air to try another angle, but Onyx had already anticipated it. He effortlessly evaded each of her follow-up strikes, his reflexes seemingly beyond human, his motions as natural and precise as a wolf dodging an attack from its prey. To the students, it looked as if Pyrrha's spear was moving in slow motion compared to Onyx's effortless dodges.
"He's not even breaking a sweat," Ruby muttered under her breath, watching in disbelief. Even she was finding it hard to keep up with the pace of Onyx's movements.
Onyx's expression remained as calm as ever, but his movements spoke volumes about the extent of his control over his own body. He was neither showing off nor holding back, merely demonstrating the kind of combat finesse that only years of intense training could produce. Still, he knew it was time to escalate the demonstration to truly showcase the breadth of his abilities.
With a small, almost nonchalant motion of his hand, the shadows around him seemed to respond. A flicker of dark energy filled the air, and in an instant, two Beowolves-fierce, wolf-like Grimm-materialized beside him. The class gasped in shock, eyes widening in disbelief.
"Did... did he just summon Grimm?" Weiss asked, her voice barely above a whisper, her earlier confidence evaporating as she struggled to comprehend what she had just witnessed.
Onyx nodded subtly, his focus still fixed on Pyrrha as the Beowolves growled, their glowing amethyst eyes locking onto her. The creatures didn't hesitate; they charged toward Pyrrha, their fangs bared.
Pyrrha didn't miss a beat. She fired a round from Milo and skewered one of the Beowolves in mid-air. The creature howled as it collapsed into a heap of shadowy energy. But before she could react to the second Beowolf, Onyx raised his hand once more, and two skeletal Dragon Blasters-massive, floating dragon heads made of shadowy energy-emerged in the air above him.
The students were left stunned, unable to process the sheer scale of what they were witnessing. The dragon heads floated and turned with unnatural speed, locking onto Pyrrha. Without hesitation, they fired twin beams of concentrated shadow energy toward her.
Pyrrha, ever the professional, dodged the blasts, twisting in the air with acrobatic grace, but she could feel the raw power of the energy surging through the air around her. The beams crashed into the arena floor, creating massive explosions of dark energy where they landed. Yet, despite the magnitude of the attack, Onyx's control was evident-he'd made sure the blasts were non-lethal.
"Impressive," Pyrrha said, a genuine smile gracing her face despite the intensity of the fight. "But I'm not done yet."
Onyx gave a small nod of acknowledgment and, with a flick of his wrist, the Beowolves and Dragon Blasters disappeared into thin air, returning to the shadows from whence they came. The demonstration was not over, however. Onyx turned his attention toward two statues that had been placed at the edge of the arena.
With another subtle motion, Onyx's amethyst eyes activated. The statues, once simple stone carvings of ancient warriors, began to shift. The stone cracked and broke apart, and from within the statues, shadowy energy began to seep. The dark energy warped the statues' forms, transforming them into eerie, Grimm-like constructs that were still in the shape of their original forms, but now with a corrupted, unnatural aura.
The students watched, wide-eyed and speechless, as the statues became animated, moving as if they were alive. Their stone surfaces now bore the telltale signs of Grimm-like corruption-sharp, jagged features, glowing eyes that pulsed with dark energy, and an overwhelming presence.
"Grimmification," Onyx said casually, as if what they were witnessing was an everyday occurrence. "It's part of my Semblance. I can corrupt inorganic matter and turn it into a form of Grimm. These statues were once just carvings, but now they're infused with the essence of Grimm. They retain their shape, but they're far more dangerous now."
Weiss was still in shock. "That's... that's impossible. You can turn anything into Grimm?"
Onyx nodded. "Anything inorganic. The statues haven't changed shape entirely, but their essence is now Grimmified. They're much stronger than before, but they're still a form of controlled creation."
With another wave of his hand, the statues froze in place, their glowing eyes dimming as they returned to their inert, corrupted state. Onyx then dismissed them, causing the shadowy figures to disintegrate into nothingness.
The entire class was silent. The power, control, and precision Onyx demonstrated were unlike anything they had ever witnessed. Even Pyrrha, ever the professional, was left in awe of his skill.
"Well... that was a little more than I expected," Pyrrha said, wiping the sweat from her brow, though she was clearly impressed. "You're not just a regular professor, are you?"
Onyx gave a small smile, his expression softening just for a moment. "No. But I have a lot to teach."
Professor Goodwitch stepped forward, her gaze sweeping over the class, who were still processing what they had just seen. "That will be all for today. You're dismissed, but I expect you all to take some time to think about what you've witnessed. Professor Thorn's abilities are not something you'll encounter every day. Don't take them lightly."
As the students slowly filed out of the arena, their minds still reeling from the demonstration, Onyx remained behind, his calm demeanor unchanged. He had shown them his abilities-his power-but there was so much more that they had yet to learn.