17 Lets get ready to rumble.

<Avip:< strong> I'm back bitches… jokes aside at the end of the fiction, I'll go into more details about these past few weeks at the end notes.>

"Dialogue"

{Scroll}

[Pyrrha Nikos]

The sound echoed throughout the gym every time my strikes connected with the kick pad shield.

BOOM!

Despite the sound being as strong as thunder, it had more to do with my form and technique than mere strength.

BOOM! BOOM!

Even though the equipment was meant for kicks, I used it to train punches and other types of strikes too. Punching bags usually hang on walls or even chained to the ground, becoming a static and dull target.

With a shield, you could almost simulate a fight by moving, feinting, clinching, and evading advances.

BOOM!

"Damn!" Complained my teammate. "If you're going to hit that hard, go punch the bag and spare me."

Another good thing was that I could train Nora to read her enemy and anticipate their attacks.

"Sorry, Nora." I replied. "But you know the importance of training in unarmed combat."

"The hammer slips from my hand once during training, and I'm haunted for the rest of my life." My teammate commented in a dramatic tone.

"It was more than once." I responded, shaking my head in disapproval. "And one of those times was fighting that Death Stalker Jaune took us to hunt."

"He-he." Nora chuckled awkwardly, turning her face away, avoiding my gaze.

Nora had been holding the shield for me for almost half an hour, and I hadn't started sweating yet, but it wasn't fair to take out my frustration on my teammate.

"10 minutes break."

"Thanks!" Said Nora, throwing herself on the ground.

I reflect on my situation as I reach for the water bottle I brought. Drama aside, I always end up laughing at the jokes of my only female teammate. Drinking the refreshing liquid from the bottle, I looked at the training area.

It's a gigantic gym, with a complete weightlifting gym, space for running, and 6 arenas for various types of fights.

"Yoh!" Said a cheerful and irritating voice approaching from afar. All good, invincible girl?"

"Yang." I almost growled as I uttered her name.

"Oh! Sorry there, you don't like that nickname, do you, 'cereal girl'?"

My blood started boiling instantly. I don't like it when people call me that, but coming from her, it makes me angry in a special way.

"What do you want, Xiao Long?" I asked sharply.

"Oh boy, you're sour today. You don't need to bite my head off." Yang said, giving a mischievous smile. "Just because someone didn't bite you."

CREEEEK!

"Another steel beam bending?" Nora complained aloud. "This school is falling apart."

"Tell me about it." Added Yang unsuspectingly.

I need to get back to my meditation exercises. If I keep bending beams every time I get irritated, I'll bring down Beacon before the end of the school year.

"I came here to talk to you two about your leader."

"What do you want to know-."

"Unfortunately, we can't talk," I interjected, cutting Nora off.

It doesn't make me happy to treat a friend so rudely, but it was better than helping Yang try to corrupt poor Jaune.

"Oh come on, Nikos, I want different perspectives on the virgin knight."

My response was to turn my back and ignore her.

The blonde frowned. However, before she could protest, Nora stood between us.

"Did you talk to the rest of your team?" Nora inquired.

"Weiss said she wouldn't give out any confidential information about her business partner, and Ruby and Blake went out shopping."

"Really?" Nora asked incredulously. "Didn't know they were that close."

Yang shrugged, unconcerned, turning towards me.

"How about a bet between you two?"

Curious, I turned to my teammate.

"A bet?" I asked, intrigued.

"Something like what Jaune and Cardin did this morning. You two duke it out, and the loser has to do whatever the other says."

"Hmm." Murmured Yang, considering the idea.

I wanted to decline the proposal immediately. Despite being happy with Jaune's victory, I find it childish and a waste of time to make bets, and forcing others to do something they would rather not do is deplorable.

But at the same time…

"I like the way you think, Valkyrie." Yang commented, smiling like a fool.

A chance to put this blonde cow in her place shouldn't be wasted.

"But we're low on Aura due to fights and training during the day, what do you suggest?"

"How about a mano a mano without weapons or Dust? Pyrrha's already wearing gloves and foot guards, you're the only one missing."

"OH, IT IS ON!" shouted Yang, running to grab her gear.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

In a few minutes, we were stretching in a ring identical to those used in boxing matches.

With closed eyes, I took a deep breath, trying to relax before the match. I was a bit apprehensive because Yang had more training in unarmed combat than I did, but in my favor, I have more experience facing more competent fighters than hunter apprentices in fights like this.

As we finished stretching, we didn't notice Nora positioning herself with her radiant smile, taking a breath. She stood in the middle of the ring while Yang and I took opposing corners.

"Ladies and gentlemen, welcome to the fight that will decide the strongest Huntress of the first year!"

What?

Surprised by the announcement, I looked around and noticed that we were attracting a small audience. Some students had stopped training to watch our fight.

Damn… I thought, disheartened.

The last thing I wanted in my life at Beacon was the attention I received in tournaments.

"A true clash of titans here and now! No breaks, no points. Just knockout."

Even without a microphone and speakers, everyone around the ring could hear Nora's loud and powerful voice.

"In the red corner, we have the Invincible Girl from Argus with her dexterity and epic skills, you know her, you love her, the Mistral champion. PYYYYYRRHAAA NIIIIKOOOOOOS!"

I was caught off guard by a round of applause and cheers that erupted from the audience around the ring. Despite being in a training room, people were cheering and shouting my name, activating my "champion's etiquette" training. In response, I raised my right arm, posing for the audience, who began to chant my name even louder.

In the yellow corner, the untamed beauty of Patch with her unyielding strength and fury, has built her reputation as the fiercest student in all Beacon, the Dragoness of Vale. YAAAAAAAAAAANG XIAAAAAOO LOOOOONG!"

Instantly, Yang raised her hands to a crowd chanting her name.

[Image]

Intoxicated by the attention, Yang raised her arms, elevating the excitement of the audience. Yang's enthusiasm in response to the public applause made it clear she wasn't accustomed to this kind of setting.

With a smile, I concluded that I could use this to my advantage. Looking around, I noticed there were more people around the ring than there had been training just a while ago.

"How did so many people find out and come here so quickly?" I thought aloud.

"To the center, both of you!" Exclaimed Nora.

The audience erupted in applause and excitement as they saw both of us ready for the fight, approaching Nora in the center of the ring.

"All right, I want a clean fight, no punches on the tatas or hoo-has." Nora said in a serious tone, despite her humorous vocabulary.

"Okay, but why did you announce this as a competition to find out who's the best?" I asked my teammate.

"It's just a little thing to make the fight more exciting, don't worry about it." commented Nora, trying to dodge the subject.

"I'm with the cereal girl on this, this is just a friendly sparring match with a bet involved."

"Okay…" Nora muttered in an annoyed tone to us. "Would you prefer if I said you were fighting over a man?"

We both went pale instantly and shook our heads in denial. With a mischievous smile, Nora took a step back, raising her hand.

"IIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIT'S TIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIME!"

When her hand descended, we moved towards each other.

Yang advanced with a right punch straight towards my head.

Although the punch was powerful, she had telegraphed the entire movement. Twisting my body a bit was enough to dodge the blow, taking advantage of the opening I ended up delivering a kick to her stomach in return.

"Humph!" grumbled Yang, stepping back trying to catch her breath.

Assuming a boxing-like orthodox stance with the left hand forward, she advanced this time with jabs. The punches were weaker than her first strike, but were harder to dodge due to their superior speed.

Was she probing my defenses? This wasn't normal for her.

Don't get me wrong, Yang has good posture and great technic with her punches, but she usually throws herself into the fight headfirst against her enemies, and when they don't yield to her attacks, she simply activates her semblance, bulldozing anyone in her way.

With a high guard, I began intercepting and evading her jabs, trying to find the blonde's rhythm.

"Wow! We're witnessing a show of skill and power here! Pyrrha, with her agility, evades and blocks Yang's powerful punches with little difficulty! It's a battle of experience against sheer determination!"

Normally, I'd disagree with Nora's comment, but Yang's jabs cut through the surrounding air with the weight of a direct blow from a veteran competitor in Mistral. Fearing the worst, I countered towards her head when she opened her guard.

THWACK!

"Fuck." Murmured Yang; my attack had reached her face, but I couldn't connect with force, although the impact made a sound.

"FIRST BLOOD!" shouted Nora. "The Mistral champion landed the first blow of the night on the face, and the audience goes wild."

In response, the audience, which seemed to have grown even larger, cheered and roared, rooting for us. It made me wonder if Nora had some sort of formal training as a showwoman.

BOOM!

"AND THE DRAGONESS OF VALE COUNTERS!"

A punch connected with my abdomen while I was distracted.

"Heh." Chuckled Yang, smiling in my direction.

Irritated by her arrogance, I clenched my fists and shifted to a more aggressive stance, with my knees flexed.

"Are you going to take a chance, Nikos?" She asked, widening her smile even further.

"I'm going to put an end to this game!" I exclaimed furiously.

"Go for it, cereal girl."

We continued exchanging punches for a few minutes. Yang's punches were more powerful than mine, but she landed them less frequently. With my guard high and quicker punches, I started wearing down Yang's resistance. The fight had turned into a battle of attrition, if we kept this pace up, my victory was guaranteed.

Even in my advantageous position, I kept my cool to avoid giving Yang another opportunity for a direct hit.

"Psst, Nikos." Yang whispered in my direction with her guard up.

I scowled, ignoring her, and started throwing more jabs, looking for an opening.

"Do you want to know what Jaune came to talk to me about yesterday?"

BOOM!

A punch came out more open and heavier than I planned, hitting Yang's high guard, but I quickly managed to raise my guard, preventing Yang from capitalizing on my mistake.

"I think you know the kind of thing a boy comes to ask a girl about." He said in a mocking tone. "Especially when they're alone, right?"

"ARGH!" I roared furiously, advancing towards her.

BOOM!

Taking a wide step, I lunged with a straight right punch at her closed guard and kept punching, driven by my emotions.

BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM! BOOM!

Each punch was heavier than the previous one, but each punch was also more open, sloppier and slower. Smiling, Yang advanced, crouching to evade my last punch.

As I hit the air, she was already within my range. With no way to defend myself, Yang leaped, punching my chin.

BAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAM!

The punch connected with all her force and body weight.

A punch that made everything go white, until my vision started darkening.

A punch that knocked me out.

[Cardin Winchester]

That Jaune, son of a bitch.

First, he drags me all over Beacon, humiliating me and draining what little Aura I had recovered, then he brings me to some club all beaten up where we're forced to show our Aura levels at the entrance.

"Humph!" I grumbled furiously, taking a sip of my whiskey and energy drink.

The worst part is that this is actually nice; Jaune offered to pay for the drinks, and just to mess with him, I ordered a bottle that cost over Ⱡ2,500. In response, the idiot smiled and said it was a good idea.

What I didn't know is that this clown had already paid for a table in the VIP area, and the drinks came as a courtesy.

"I still can't believe you're drinking such expensive whiskey with an energy drink." Jaune commented in an accusatory tone.

"Fuck off." I replied curtly, taking another sip of the drink.

In response, he just sighed tiredly and took a sip of his drink.

That was the only good thing about this shitty gathering; until today, this idiot always got beaten up and lost with an optimistic smile. Now, the exhaustion and frustration he's been showing throughout the night were a pleasant change.

"You could make it easier for me, Cardin." Said the shield knight, mocking me.

The hypocritical statement from this animal boiled my blood instantly.

"Easier?" I asked, getting up. "Because of you, I was humiliated and nearly arrested."

Jaune just leaned back in his chair, staring at me with a serious, stoic look, and spoke in a dry tone.

"There's no need to get worked up, please calm down and sit."

Calm down? This idiot wins ONE fight against me and already thinks he's better than me?

"I'M NOT GOING TO DO A DAMN THING! YOU DON'T ORDER -."

Something cold and sharp touched my throat, silencing me. Paralyzed, I looked to the left and beheld the figure holding a black blade with a blood-red edge against my neck.

When we entered the bar, this girl with black hair and green eyes, wearing a red dress, was at the bar talking to what seemed to be her twin sister, who had the same hairstyle and makeup but wore a white dress.

[Image]

"Are we having any trouble here, Mr. Arc?"

Giving a tired smile, Jaune responded to the girl.

"Not yet, Miltia, but thanks for keeping an eye out."

She removed the blade from my neck, but staring at me, she warned.

"Don't cause trouble, kid." Her tone was professional and dry.

I turned to face Dorky Knight, who resumed drinking as if nothing had happened.

"I'm serious, Cardin." Jaune commented once he finished his drink.

With a thud, Jaune placed his glass on the table and started filling it up again. Once he filled his, he filled mine too.

"I want to resolve our issue, put our feuds behind us, and move forward."

He handed me my full glass and took a generous sip from his before continuing.

"And I didn't humiliate you or get you arrested, you did that to yourself."

I lowered my head, trying to avoid his accusatory gaze.

"Cardin, I got you out of jail, went out for drinks with you, and paid for the best table in the house with some of the finest drinks they have to offer."

"So what?" I replied, crossing my arms and shrugging.

"So, I've done a lot less for girls I wanted to fuck in the ass!" The frustrated blonde exclaimed.

My eyes widened at the statement. Talking like this, Jaune almost seemed like a normal guy—actually, he almost seemed respectable.

"Since I'm not going to fuck your ass today, stop being a bitch, or I'll send you to jail, where they'll love messing with a white ginger boylike you."

"Humph!" I grumbled, this time frustrated, taking another sip of my drink. "I've made that stupid video, my reputation can't get any worse than it already is. What do you want from me?"

Cruelly smiling, Jaune raised his glass as if toasting to me and said, "Your friendship."

…

"Have you smoked crack?" I asked incredulously.

"You have crack here?" Jaune asked, surprised, looking around.

"What are you talking about?" I complained to the idiot blonde. "In this kind of bar, I bet you could rent a private room with girls to get high." 

"Wow… I know where I'll celebrate my birthday." Jaune said, laughing at the end of the sentence.

He finds it amusing to buy drugs and get hookers to have a birthday party?

…

Maybe Jaune Arc isn't such a bad guy after all.

"What's your plan for us to become friends? Spending the whole night drinking whiskey at your expense is nice, but after a while, that'll get boring." I complained, trying to get something more from the idiot blonde.

Banging the empty glass against the table once again, this guy is a drinking machine, Jaune burps before continuing.

"I'll bribe you." I widened my eyes at his proposal.

"With what?" I asked, suspicious of his intentions.

"How about a new weapon?"

Raising an eyebrow, I stared at the slightly intoxicated blonde.

"I'll give you a weapon identical to the 'Executioner,' only heavier and indestructible."

"Indestructible?" I asked incredulously.

"Yes, and if it breaks, I'll make you a new one for free." He commented, refilling his glass once more. "What do you think?"

He emphasized the question, extending the glass towards me, inviting me for a toast.

The idea of being friends with this idiot still doesn't appeal to me, but it's a small price to pay to avoid jail and get a weapon if I just have to pretend to like him and ignore him from now on.

"Deal." I replied, toasting.

I guess I'll drink until I'm sick at this jerk's expense.

"Oh my God! It's JAAAAUNE!" Shrilled a high-pitched voice behind my ear.

PUFFF!

I spat out the drink due to the shock. I turned, furious, ready to strangle the crazy person who yelled in my ear, but I was paralyzed by the sight of the two women in front of me.

[Image]

The one who yelled had long pink hair like bubblegum and yellow eyes. She wore a shocking pink top that barely contained her chest, while her tight black shorts accentuated her rear.

The other was a sexy goth, wearing a tight purple corset that made her breasts stand out in a wonderful neckline. Her long hair, eyes, and lipstick were all purple.

It was an interesting contrast between the two: an enthusiastic party girl and a dark goth, both extremely attractive.

"Good to see you again, Cherry." Jaune said, standing up and receiving a hug from the beautiful woman in pink. "Hello to you too, Miss Shade."

In response, the goth girl made a respectful nod.

"A-A-Arc!" I exclaimed, stuttering. "Do you know these women?"

"Of course, he knows!" Shouted the girl in pink, leaving Jaune's chest. "Daddy Jaune is always so good to us."

"True, despite not sharing the enthusiasm or lack of manners of my friend." The voice of the purple girl was low and lascivious, almost like she was purring.

Sulking, Cherry stuck her tongue out at her friend.

I can't believe this. This loser has been in town for less than a month, and he already has two girls of this caliber throwing themselves at him?

"Who's your friend?" Asked the girl in pink, approaching me.

My heart raced when Cherry approached. She was different from all the other girls in Beacon. Her graceful stride seemed like a dance as she moved through the room. Her radiant and captivating smile was like an invitation to a world of possibilities.

Near me, I caught the scent of Cherry's perfume. It smelled like… bubblegum? All I know is it's a sweet and captivating fragrance, a peculiar blend that captured my attention unexpectedly. Normally, I'd find this kind of scent too sweet and cloying, but today it's my favorite.

"I think I know you…"

A lump formed in my throat as she stared at me with those beautiful golden eyes. My hands began to sweat, and I desperately tried to find a place to fix my gaze, avoiding eye contact.

This had never happened to me before. I had never felt so small and awkward.

For a moment, our gazes met. Cherry, with her vibrant personality, sensed my hesitation. She offered me a smile, trying to dispel any discomfort.

"SHADE!" She shouted in a shrill voice, pointing her pink-painted nail at my face. "It's him."

The girl in purple looked at me suspiciously, but soon her expression of doubt was replaced by one of surprise.

"Holy shit!" She said, breaking her gothic and serious persona. "I think you're right."

What are they talking about? I've never seen these two in my… Could they be the ugly girls I mistreated when I was younger, and now they've become attractive?

As if my life didn't already seem like a badly written high school drama.

"Cardin!" Exclaimed the girl in pink, jumping into my arms.

"Hmm?" I grunted, surprised.

I got distracted for a second, and now there's a cutie in my arms? Not that I'm complaining, but an explanation would be good.

"It's a pleasure to meet you, Mr. Winchester." Commented the girl in purple, hugging my arm, fitting it between her breasts.

Another one?

"T-t-thanks." I replied quickly. I can't act like a loser. "Hi." I whispered.

"Awww, so cute." said the girl hanging on my neck, resting on my arm. "He's shy."

The two were giggling softly, but they didn't seem to be mocking me. Were they really into me?

"Let me explain." Said Arc, inviting us to sit back down at the table. "I had told the girls about Cardin Winchester a while ago, the strongest guy in all of Beacon Academy."

What?

"We wanted to meet you so bad." Cherry said, sitting next to me.

"When we found out Jaune was having a meeting with you, we convinced him to bring you into our presence." Added Amethyst, putting a hand on my leg.

That hand, so small, so soft, and so warm, pressing against my thigh.

"We also watched your fight, didn't we, Amethyst?"

My blood froze, thinking I could do well with two cuties, but there's no way they'd be interested in me after that humiliating fight.

"True, your strength and demeanor were formidable and… intense." The last word the goth whispered in my ear, almost purring.

"I was very disappointed in you, Jaune." Complained Cherry, sticking her tongue out at him. "You fought like a coward."

Jaune remained calm, raising his hands in apology, but my head was spinning.

Do they understand me?

A smile formed on my face at that thought.

Of course, they understand me, only fools didn't. It all made sense.

Jaune may have won, but the victory was mine.

Finally, the world made sense again.

"That coward thinks strategy is better than raw strength." I commented, laughing at the blonde's stupid ideas.

"Seriously, Jaune?" Cherry asked, full of disdain for the blonde. "That's so icky."

"Unfortunately, I have to agree with Cherry, Mr. Arc." Added Amethyst in a cold and judging tone. "I thought you were a real man."

"Yeah! Like Cardin here, wouldn't have let you have your way if that old hag hadn't gotten involved."

The feeling of having my confidence restored is like a ray of sunshine after a long storm. These two amazing girls understand me, they know what I truly deserve. How they highlight my qualities, my efforts, and even those small things that I never thought would be noticed is simply incredible.

These moments with them are not just about beautiful words, but also about how they make me feel.

I feel like…

Before finishing the thought, I open my arms and hold the girls by the shoulders, pulling each one into a hug on either side of my body.

"I'm Cardin fucking Winchester, THE MAIN MAN!" I unintentionally shouted, interrupting the conversation and bringing an uncomfortable silence to the table.

Jaune looked at me with surprise and concern, but Cherry Ray and Amethyst Shade, the only sane people at this table besides me, started applauding.

"Bravo!" exclaimed Amethyst. "Finally, a real man."

Cherry, on the other hand, sat on my lap and started kissing my neck.

I feel renewed, stronger, and more confident than before. The gratitude I have for these two girls is indescribable. Their words have an immeasurable impact on me.

Exhausted, Jaune sighed frustrated and got up.

"I know when I'm not wanted."

Wait? Is this serious? Is he leaving? Did I really win?

"Don't worry about the bill; drink whatever you want with the girls."

He walked out of the VIP area, dejected and defeated.

Ha-ha! Arc, you are an idiot. You're not a bad person, but you're no match for the big shot.

"Let's drink until we drop!" I shouted, raising the expensive whiskey bottle.

[Hei Xiong Junior]

"Any problem, Mr. Arc?" I asked the boy approaching the bar counter.

"No, to tell you the truth…" He whispered, sitting at the counter. "Everything went according to Keikaku."

"Hmm?"

"Don't worry about that, let's talk business."

___________________________________________

First, thank you for the consideration and support during these past few weeks.

Know that I read all the positive comments, wishes for health, luck, and prayers that you sent across all platforms to my brother. You brightened his day on one of the hottest afternoons of the year while he was hospitalized in a room without air conditioning or a fan.

But to sum it up, without giving too many details, I stayed in the hospital with him, helping him with eating, going to the bathroom, and other things like administering his medication.

And for those curious about why I couldn't write anything while at the hospital: I have ADHD, I mentioned this in a few chapters ago. When I write, I practically isolate myself to concentrate. In the hospital, that wasn't ideal for two reasons:

1- I needed to be attentive to help my brother.

2- Whenever I'm interrupted while writing, I get very stressed and nervous, and I would rather not direct that towards my brother.

Once again, thank you for the consideration and the positive messages for both me and my brother.

The next chapter of Multiverse-Crafter will be released on December 30, 2023.

[Story of what I did in the hospital to pass the time without being able to read or write.]

My brother bought Pokemon Shining Pearl before the accident, but he hadn't defeated Cynthia yet. In fact, he lost to her 5 times.

So, sitting by his bedside, I did a grind to level up his Pokemon enough to… in his words:

"Defeat that b****'s Garchomp with a one-shot from my Gardevoir."

It took a while because Cynthia is tough, but here is my brother's winning team.

[Image]

From left to right, we have:

Garchomp - Jorgina 

Rapidash - (no name)

Empoleon- Aquaria 

Lucario - Myle Cyrus

Roserade - Rita Lee

Gardevoir - Frëyr 

According to my brother, despite the Pokémon being males, they have female names because they are drag queens.

…

Neat.