In the stadium the crowd was a mix of humans, Faunus, Awoken, Exos. They were all waiting to see how Guardians hold their tournaments. Many of the Remnant populace were speculating about there being special rules or the use of rubber bullets whilst those who know how the Crucible truly works were already placing bets. The screens lit up with Lord Shaxx being seen on them.

Lord Shaxx: Welcome to the Crucible! This will be a simple match of Zone control! Now for those who don't know how this works let me explain it simply! There are three zones, the more captured the more points you earn for each kill!

With Teams RWBY and JNPR

Ruby: Wait, did he say kills?

Yang: I wonder what that means.

Weiss: Probably similar to having your Aura go into the red.

Blake: I'm not so sure. Jeane, do you know what that means?

Jeane: Why are you asking me!? I barely know what Jaune has been up to!

Pyrrha: Jaune seems a lot more...

Ren: Angry?

Nora: Maybe he'll accept pancakes as an apology!

Ren: Nora he already said that we'll never be friends again.

Back with Shaxx

Lord Shaxx: Now onto the Teams! This will be a 3V3. On Red Team we have the Hunter Rose, a newly rezzed Warlock and hunter Cayde-6. On Blue Team we have the Hunter Chan'cla, Warlock Gerald and the Titan Jaune!

Jaune: You guys ready?

Gerald: I am. Chan'cla how about you?

The view pans to Chan'cla who was drinking from a comically large coffee mug.

Jaune: Yeah she's ready.

Lord Shaxx: BEGIN!

The three run to across the field, Jaune sees Rose and begins sprinting in her direction. Rose notices him and fires at him but Jaune tosses a storm grenade disorienting her before he uses his shoulder charge. Upon impact Rose is killed.

Ruby: He killed her!

Yang: Oh, when I get my hands on him he is so dead!

Weiss: How is this allowed!?

Blake just glares at Jaune.

Shaxx: And Jaune with the first kill!

In one of the corners of the field a flash of light appears and dissipates revealing Rose, unharmed.

Rose: Oh man I feel like I've been hit by a truck.

She runs back into the fray.

With Gerald

Gerald had just captured the first zone and was making his way to the second one. Rounding a corner he immediately blasted in the face by a shotgun. Killing him instantly. Amber being the owner of the shotgun.

Amber: Sorry!

In her moment of apologizing she fails to notice Jaune had thrown a void shield at her. Turning she is met with the shield hitting her square in the face of her helmet. Knocking her onto the floor.
Her view is filled up by Jaune pointing the barrel of his Auto rifle at her.

Jaune: Keep your guard up constantly, New Light!

Amber: T-thanks.

Jaune: No problem.

He unloads his weapon into Amber killing her.

With Chan'cla

Chan'cla and Cayde were staring each other down in an open area. Their eyes squinted. Cayde with his hand holding Ace of Spades whilst Chan'cla was keeping a firm grip on Night Watch. A lone tumbleweed rolls between the two.

Cayde makes the first move. He aims his gun and fires off three rounds in rapid succession. Chan'cla dodges out the way but still gets hit in the head, killing her.

Cayde: Sorry kid, but you just weren't fast enough.

Cayde turns around to leave, but he bumps into something... or rather someone. It was Rose.

Cayde: Woah, watch where you're going kiddo.

Rose just gets up and just runs away, disappearing behind one of the corners.

Cayde: Yeah, no worries! It's not like a sorry would've worked!

Just as he finishes dusting himself off Jaune comes running around the corner  wielding "Thunderlord".

Cayde: Oh poop.

Jaune pulls the trigger and soon another kill as added to the scoreboard.

In one observation booths Ozpin, Goodwitch, and some other Beacon staff are watching Jaune who was once considered the worst fighter in Beacon, now currently decimating his opponents without being killed yet himself.

Ozpin: He sure has changed.

Goodwitch: As much I hate to admit it he certainly has become an efficient fighter.

The door opens and Lord Saladin enters

Ozpin: Ahh, Lord Saladin. What brings you here?

Lord Saladin: I overheard you talking about Lord Jaune from outside. I thought a bit of insight into who he is might be appreciated.

Port: Insight eh? Why that reminds me of that time-

Lord Saladin: Quiet. Your "stories" are nothing compared to Jaune's. They are but a meager buter knife trying to go up against the sword that is Lord Jaune.

Goodwitch: Um excuse me, but I do not understand.

Lord Saladin: Warriors are like iron. You start with the ore, which is like new warrior. You break it apart, keep the material needed and melt it together leaving you with a bar or ingot. You take that metal put under intense pressure and heat, every hammer and beating it receives the more it is shaped, that's the experience you earn. Over time this repeated pressure and shaping turns a warrior into a weapon. They become sharpened, swift and most importantly they become highly effective

They see Jaune deploy a Rally Barricade and take cover behind it before tossing a concussion grenade at Amber and Rose. He uses the time to put in a new mag into his Auto Rifle. Getting up from the cover he takes the two down and moves towards the third zone that Cayde is trying to capture.

Lord Saladin: There's a reason he is an Iron Lord.

With teams RWBY and JNPR

The teams are both sitting with their eyes threatening to bulge out their sockets after witnessing (heh) Jaune's efficiency in battle. Jeane was the first to break the group's silence.

Jeane: He's got a tactical mind, I'll give him that.

Pyrrha: Looking back, he's always been one for strategy. It's kind of scary seeing him do what he is so... so effortlessly.

Ren: I agree, although now his demeanor is more akin to that of soldier.

Nora: He's more grumpy is what you mean.

Ruby: Look at their weapons!

Weiss Ruby, you dolt! Don't scream in my ears!

Ruby: Sorry Weiss.

Yang was paying a lot more attention Rose than the others.

Yang: Yeah, Rubes.

Blake sees this and asks what's up

Blake: You're paying a lot of attention to Rose. You're convinced she's Summer aren't you?

Yang: Maybe? I-I don't know. She looks like her but... she said it unlikely that she is or was Summer Rose.

Blake: So you're looking for something that might point to her being Summer?

Yang: I mean if Vomit-boy can "come back from the dead" why can't other people?

Weiss joins in

Weiss: It's obviously a lot more complex than just that. There's obviously a criteria, a process and so on and so forth.

Ruby: Uh guys? Jaune is running around with electricity surrounding him!

They look to see Jaune charging towards a zone where Red Team was trying to capture a zone, which they've been struggling to do all match. Taking a massive leap, Jaune slams his fists on the ground, taking out Red Team and ending the match.

Shaxx: And that's the match! Blue Team has won, with the Titan Jaune scoring the most points!

The guardians leave the arena floor and the grounds start shifting to get ready for the next match. Meanwhile Cinder and her group are plotting how to defeat the Guardians, completely unaware that their every move is being monitored by The Hidden.

Chapter End