The roaring crowd slowly quieted as the familiar figure of Ozpin stepped forward onto the open air as if it were physical ground.
"Ladies and gentlemen," Ozpin began, his tone warm and composed. "The Rank 1 matches of this decade's Vytal Tournament has now concluded."
The crowd stirred with excitement.
Ozpin continued speaking as he looked out across the thousands of spectators.
"Among all of the competitors present, one kingdom has distinguished itself above the rest."
His gaze briefly shifted toward the group of young fighters who had gathered near the arena exit.
"The teams representing Menagerie have demonstrated exceptional strength, discipline, and cooperation. By winning the final match, they have proven themselves to be the strongest among the Rank 1 competitors gathered here today."
For a moment the stadium remained quiet for a moment before the applause began.
It started polite before gradually growing louder as the crowd acknowledged the achievement. Jaune joined the applause along with everyone else around him, though his mind remained occupied with the overwhelming performance he had just witnessed.
Menagerie really had dominated the Rank 1 bracket.
Three of the final five teams had belonged to them.
And in the end their strongest team had claimed the victory. After allowing the applause to continue for several moments, Ozpin raised his hand slightly.
The crowd quieted almost immediately.
"However," he continued calmly, "the tournament is far from over. The Rank 2 combat trials will begin shortly."
That announcement immediately caused a wave of excited murmuring to ripple through the stands.
Ozpin continued.
"In preparation for the next stage of the tournament, the arena will undergo several modifications. Please remain seated as these adjustments are completed."
He paused for a moment.
At first nothing seemed to happen, then the entire structure of the stadium began to shift.
Jaune felt the movement beneath his feet as the enormous stands surrounding the arena started to detach from their original positions. Massive sections of the seating platforms separated smoothly from the coliseum walls as if guided by invisible machinery.
A strange pressure filled the air.
Without warning, Jaune felt a gentle but unmistakable force pushing against his body.
"Oh, here it is again." Yang muttered.
The invisible pressure guided every spectator below Rank 3 toward two large translucent platforms that had formed along the sides of the arena. Jaune glanced around in mild curiosity as he and his friends were gently pushed toward one of the floating platforms.
The movement was smooth and controlled. No one stumbled or fell.
Below them, he could see a few hundred of other spectators moving in the same direction.
Two platforms had appeared. One platform gathered the Rank 2s, both competitors and spectators while the other platform collected those who belonged to Rank 1 or below.
Jaune and his friends were directed toward the second.
Once everyone had settled onto the platforms, the invisible force faded.
Then the platforms began to rise.
They lifted smoothly into the air, ascending far higher than the original stands had been positioned. The entire stadium seemed to shrink beneath them as they climbed further and further into the sky, ever closer to the crimson moon.
Jaune leaned slightly against the railing and looked down. The arena was smaller-looking now, though it was still massive by any normal standard.
Then the real transformation began as the coliseum itself started to change.
Stone walls shifted outwards and massive structures unfolded and expanded like mechanical petals opening beneath the sky.
The arena floor began to stretch.
Jaune watched in slight disbelief as the battlefield expanded further and further outward. The transformation did not stop after a few hundred meters. It continued until the arena spanned an enormous distance.
Kilometers.
Entire sections of terrain rose from beneath the structure as Ozpin's power reshaped the battlefield. Jagged ridges of stone erupted upward, forming something that resembled an inverted mountain range spreading across the vast arena floor.
The battlefield now looked less like a traditional coliseum and more like an enormous landscape suspended within the stadium walls.
Jaune stared in awe.
"Whoa," Yang muttered beside him.
She let out a long whistle.
"Seeing the power of a Rank 3 like Ozpin actually being put to work is... kinda humbling."
Ruby stood beside her, staring wide eyed at the massive transformation below.
"Yeah," she said softly. "It really is."
Ruby folded her arms slightly as she continued watching the shifting terrain.
"Reminds me of the old Myths... well, not really myths anymore, I guess... about gods, heroes and all the like, wielding incredible power."
Jaune glanced toward her.
"Hmm. I remember those. Those beings were all awakened right?"
Ruby nodded.
"According to the history books, they were practically treated like gods a long time ago."
She gestured vaguely toward the sky as she spoke.
"Stories about Zeus, Poseidon, Horus, Kukulkan—stuff like that. Most likely those were rank 3's. At least... that's what the records suggest. Every kingdom had legends about incredibly powerful individuals who could reshape the world around them."
Jaune looked back down at the enormous battlefield Ozpin had just created. Suddenly those old myths felt a little more believable.
Meanwhile Nora had been staring excitedly at the newly formed battlefield.
"This is awesome!" she said with a grin.
Then she turned toward Ren.
"Hey Ren, how are the Rank 2 matches supposed to work anyway?"
Jaune blinked and looked at her.
"You're asking that now?"
Nora shrugged.
"Well yeah. I never paid attention when they had that big explanation in the LUCID base a couple of days ago."
"They... also explained it today before the arena was constructed."
Nora shrugged.
Jaune rubbed the back of his head.
That was very much like Nora.
Ren, however, was used to her antics and answered patiently.
"The Rank 2 combat trials operate differently from the Rank 1 matches."
Nora leaned closer with interest.
"Oh?"
Ren gestured toward the massive battlefield below. "The next stage of the tournament will be a battle royale."
"Ooooh."
"Each kingdom will deploy a team of four Rank 2 fighters. All of the teams will enter the arena simultaneously."
"So whoever wins the big fight wins the tournament?" Nora tilted her head slightly.
Ren shook his head. "The overall winner will be determined by a point system."
Nora blinked.
"A point system?"
Ren nodded again.
"Yes. The general rules are known." He pointed toward a large holo screen that had appeared near the edge of their floating platform.
Rows of seating structures were rising behind them as the new stands continued forming in the distance. Bleacher-like platforms expanded upward in enormous layers as the stadium adjusted to its new configuration.
Meanwhile the holo screen displayed a scoreboard.
Ren gestured toward it.
"Each elimination during the battle royale will grant points to the kingdom responsible."
Nora leaned forward to read the numbers. "And how many points do you get?"
"Each Rank 2 fighter is worth one hundred points."
Ren continued.
"The Rank 3 seals placed on the competitors will prevent fatal injuries. When a fighter receives a lethal blow, the seal activates and teleports them out of the arena."
Nora grinned.
"So basically whoever gets the most knockouts wins."
"Essentially," Ren replied.
He pointed at the scoreboard again.
"Menagerie currently holds the lead with one hundred points."
The other kingdoms had zero.
"Since Menagerie won the Rank 1 tournament," Ren explained, "their kingdom was awarded one hundred points before the Rank 2 matches."
Nora nodded thoughtfully.
Jaune crossed his arms as he looked out over the enormous battlefield again. The Rank 2 teams would be fighting across an arena that spanned several kilometers.
He was looking forwards to it.
Soon, Ozpin's voice echoed across the sky once again.
"Now that the arena has been prepared," he said calmly, "I ask that the Rank 2 participants please make your way to the designated starting positions."
A few seconds passed before movement began below.
Small figures started appearing along the edges of the vast arena, walking toward various glowing markers scattered across the enormous terrain. Each kingdom had several different entry points positioned around the battlefield.
Jaune leaned slightly forward against the railing, trying to make out the fighters from this distance, ignoring the holo screens.
"Hey," Blake askes suddenly, glancing toward the others. "Do we know who's participating for Vale?"
Weiss folded her arms as she considered the question.
"It will most likely be Qrow and Raven," she said thoughtfully. "Goodwitch will almost certainly be participating as well."
Jaune nodded. That sounded about right. Those three were some of the strongest people associated with Vale—as far as he knew, at least.
Weiss tilted her head slightly as she continued.
"As for the fourth member, I am not entirely sure. It could be Oobleck. Or possibly Port."
Before anyone could comment further, someone casually walked over and sat down beside Ruby. The entire group turned their heads at the sudden arrival.
Ruby blinked in mild surprise.
"Oh," she said.
The newcomer smiled pleasantly. It was Counselor Vex. She sat comfortably beside Ruby as if she had been part of the group all along.
Yang raised an eyebrow almost immediately.
"Uh... counselor what are you doing up here?" she asked.
She gestured vaguely around them.
"This section is for Rank 1 spectators."
Vex simply smiled.
"I thought it would be fun to switch things up a little, and besides, haven't I already told all of you to just call me Vex?" she said prompted casually.
Her tone was light and playful, as though the matter required no further explanation. Yang stared at her for a moment before shrugging.
"Fair enough."
The others exchanged a few curious glances before eventually turning their attention back to the discussion. Oscar rested his hand against his chin thoughtfully.
"It could also be someone from outside Vale City?" he suggested.
Ren immediately shook his head.
"That seems unlikely," he replied calmly.
Blake tilted her head slightly.
"I wouldn't say it's impossible," she said.
Ren glanced at her.
Blake gestured vaguely toward the massive battlefield below.
"There are plenty of strong fighters outside of Vale City. Take the current new commander of Belmont for example."
She shrugged lightly.
"After what happened there, I heard that this new guy is much more exceptional. Though... I don't really know how he looks... so, you know... it probably might now be him at all."
Before Ren could respond, Vex suddenly spoke.
"Oh," she said casually. "Actually, I know who it is."
The group turned toward her almost instantly.
Jaune raised an eyebrow.
"You do?"
Vex leaned slightly back in her seat, looking rather pleased with herself. Her eyes drifted toward Ruby and Yang and a slow, mischievous smile spread across her face.
It was a very sly smile.
Ruby tilted her head and Yang frowned slightly.
"What?" Yang asked.
"It mostly pertains to the two of you," she grinned with the playful look still across her features.
Both Ruby and Yang looked even more confused.
"What are you talking about?" Ruby asked.
Instead of answering directly, Vex lifted one finger and pointed toward the massive holo screen floating near the edge of the platform.
Everyone turned around. The screen displayed the team lineups for the upcoming battle royale.
Four kingdoms and four fighters each.
The camera feed zoomed in on the Vale team.
Jaune immediately recognized three of the figures standing together on the battlefield.
Qrow Branwen.
Raven Branwen.
Glynda Goodwitch.
But the fourth member...
The man standing beside them looked a quite different from the others.
He was tall and broad shouldered, with the build of someone who had spent many years fighting. His muscular frame was clearly visible even beneath the simple clothing he wore. A plain black shirt and combat trousers made up most of his outfit, though his fists were covered by a pair of heavy gauntlets that looked powerful enough to shatter stone.
His hair was shoulder length and beach blonde, moving slightly in the wind as he stood there with his arms folded across his chest. Despite his somewhat casual posture, there was a quiet confidence in the way he carried himself.
He looked like someone who had seen plenty of battles. Experienced and undoubtedly strong. For a moment the group simply stared at the screen.
Then two voices shouted at the exact same time.
"Dad?!"
.
.