Yeah, I haven't updated my fics for a while and there's a good reason for it. Recently, I've been really busy with my First Job training. I just Graduated from college and I'll need to find work before that, if not, soon. Reality is going to slap me in the face if I mess this up. That's why I haven't been able to upload any new chapters in my stories. Especially for the Knights of Old Remnant Jaune Chronicles because I'm in the middle of fixing the grammars as well as the miss spelling I had in my very first fic. It'll take some time but I'll put them up very soon.

P.S.: I still lack the skills and the knowledge on some parts… so please, be gentle (=…=)

Chapter 9: The new girl in town

Remarkably, Shisui is still alive.

However, he was in the defensive approach for a while since Uchiha Sarada happens to be not your ordinary girl. She means business. Other than being a Kekkei Genkai user, she seems to be a shinobi who has various knowledge when it came to sealing jutsu. Anything that go against those tricks, the girl quickly switches to her offensive form with hellish strength. The girl has a close combat range and every move she makes were made with swift and graceful yet calculated effort. To be honest, despite being pushed back, Shisui is glad to see her this strong and good.

Another odd Uchiha but a genius nonetheless.

Genius… but not smart. The man now understood the reason behind her shifting stances as well as her sealing ability. There lies the fault, a fatal weakness that can be seen from a mile away.

Uchiha Sarada doesn't have a range ability.

That is why she is keeping a close distance with him. No matter what she does, no matter how hard she punches him, she didn't take a step back nor did she acknowledge the risk of Shisui's Susanoo at that close. She just kept her pace together with her tempo being double, thanks to the Senjutsu. However, she may appear to have the upper hand but that doesn't insure victory.

"I'm surprise, is this how your soul burns for the Village?" He shook his head in a disappointing manner.

The taunting made its magic, "What do you know of my determination!?" she jumped partially in the air and gave a round house kick. It made contact but the Hollowed Armor prove its name.

"You weren't there!" She sharply elbowed him.

"You didn't see what I saw!" She gave a hammer fist.

"What I fought for!" Sarada gave another kick.

Each of the of the attacks that followed were made… a bit desperate, "What I lost!"

"No matter what era, people are bound to die… No matter how one struggles to keep the peace. Someone else will destroy it and raise another hell. I may not have been in the Village to stop its destruction nor help to save the lives I promised to protect. Fight side by side with my comrades… but I know full well of what lost means and what it does to people. I know despair. Don't think that you're the only one who felt like a disappointment or useless!"

Those words lingered in her mind for a sec, not that it shined a reasoning of sorts. Rather, it was the words she always tells herself. Sarada was the last Uchiha in the world of Shinobi that was now dominated by the Ninja tool and other modern weapons used against her kind. Through battles fields and countless death, she seemed to have failed to uphold and revive the Uchiha name. The word 'Shinobi' was now a word that is considered to be in the past. They had no meaning in the modern era anymore.

That is what enrages her so much, and it was the emotion that Shisui quickly felt in her.

If Jaune had a heart torn in two because of his past, who he was, and the present, who is he now…. Sarada holds a grudge in her heart. One that slowly destroys her sanity. Kyle Brown knows this. Uchiha Shisui, the man that he is, desires them to be freed from those negativities first before they can start talking about new beginnings… Before they lie to themselves.

If he took the normal approach like therapy or anything that involves days' worth of talks, it'll be a long process. Time is not on their side. Anything that came out when Jaune saved Vale was nothing but a few days of recovery. Both for the people and the kingdom entirely. Furthermore, any tactical advantage given the present situation with Sarada's arrival, is all used up as well.

Shisui is certain about something, even if they are quiet, the Uchiha Clan is making a move. It's not traditional for them to let this pass. As far as history goes, the Uchiha of this world always sought ways to recruit any one that came from the Shinobi world. When he came to Remnant, Uchiha Hame came for him and offered a position. A job that he disliked and continues to do so. Jaune already disobeyed the code so he won't fall into their influence anymore… However, Sarada is a different case. Good thing Jaune got to her first before they did. There is no telling of what they'll do to her just to accomplish their goals. Uchiha Hame will surely twist her beyond breaking point and rebuild her the way they want her to be.

A pawn….

Right now, Shisui needs to push things forward. He doesn't care if it'll look like he was desperate. The girl needs help right away. That is why a spar of this magnitude was needed. It drags the roots of their griefs and all the darkness in their hearts, out.

With a hand sign ready, he activated his first step towards freeing her. With just a flicker of an eye, the man teleported a good distance from her and flared up a counter, "Fire style! Blazing Petal storm Jutsu!" Raining like freshly fallen Sakura petals, glitters of lights began to cover the girl's space. At first, they innocently floated in the air but Sarada knows better. If these stuff touches her skin, it'll instantly cause a 3rd degree burn, the burning grass already proved that. She carefully—like an acrobat with agility and coordination, hops out of the zone where it covered almost a 10 feet radius, creating gap between them.

Shisui used the opportunity. He quickly teleported at least another 40 feet from her and prepared a jutsu. There are a few more push he had to make to brake Sarada from her current shell, "You're all talk too. That wasn't the will of the fire. That's just some spark… You failed to meet 'my' expectation, Sarada. You're just like that idiot…"

Wait…

"Daichi's Chakra suddenly…"

Shisui was about to look towards Jaune's initial direction but failed when something popped behind him. The sensation it brought was demonic in nature, it made him panic for a sec because it was at his blind sight. The man only had a few Nano-seconds to react and teleport again but oddly, he never had the chance to do so.

Back to the Class…

Ivy wasn't angry about Cardin's rather, disturbing topic that diverted the discussion away. She was plain concern about his tone that clearly got the students tense. Yes, his questions made senses, everyone is certainly asking the same thing. However, it only made them anxious in the negative way.

"Well, I am sure you mean good there, Mr. Winchester. But please, let us not get ahead of ourselves. Let's be rational first before we accept or assume about who the enemy is" She said.

"But Professor… I'm just saying—"

"Noted"

"What?"

"Mr. Winchester, what is the most important thing before you enter a battle field? Regardless if it's a 1v1 fight"

Cardin scowled at that, it was a stupid question, "Know your enemy! Didn't I say that already?"

"No, you did not. You only asked it as a question of which you, yourself, do not know the answer" That word play, even in simple construct as that, confused them all, "Students, you are forgetting the most important thing when it comes to combat. You need to be brave. You need to have courage! For it out plays even destiny it self in so many ways. The enemy? They are the ones who stands against everything you stood for with hostile intent! Weapons and Ammo? Those are physical object which only helps us fight the Grimm or the worst of the worst. And yet, those are nothing but instruments that holds no loyalty to its user! Advantages? strengths and weaknesses…!? Those things can be acquired even during a fight, what you need to have is courage. Believe in your capabilities to accomplish anything! That is what really saves us!"

Ivy cleared her throat as she winds up and continues, "I know that it's terrifying. To face someone who is beyond your level and someone who came from another world. I have faced them too, numerous times than you could imagine. Like you Mr. Winchester and every one of you students, I was scared" She walked in the center of the class and slowly looked at everyone, "It was until I met a certain someone that I am able to beat fear"

"Was it Teacher Kyle?" Asked Yang.

Hearing the name, a smile appeared and it undoubtedly charmed them all, "Yes, it was my husband. Believe it or not, I married an Uchiha"

"YOU WHAT!?" Everyone erupted from their respected seats while they all curse out their own uproars and unluckiness of sorts.

"Quiet now, please" Ivy snaps a stern voice out, it didn't take a second for them to shut the hell up after that, "Now, I know all of you are curious about it so why not share it with everyone? Listen well, this is a rare opportunity and I hope, even with your doubts, will help shine a ray of clarity about the matter"

Everyone nodded their heads and zipped their mouths, eager to know more of the beauty queen before them. Especially Yang, she's seating right next to her, "Even as a kid, I wasn't afraid of the stories that surrounded people with red eyes. I was actually fascinated with the talks. I've searched and studied their culture down to the smallest details of their greatness. However, when the time came, I did not anticipate that their greatness purely gave way to fear. It's human nature to feel fear. Fear of something you do not understand, fear of something you cannot face or do, fear of the unknown, fear of death and so on. Although, the Grimm feeds on that. It's normal"

Normal? Everyone can't believe the words she said or the way she said them. Was it that simple? They all understand that fear is something unavoidable, it is something that you are destined to face or feel as you grow up or socialize. But for Prof. Ivy to say it casually like it doesn't matter anymore is what baffled them all.

"Yes, the Shinobi" Ivy continued, "Or ninjas in Nora's terms, are quite scary with their techniques and chakra and more. However, when I met Kyle, my husband, it became clear to me of what the true power of a true Shinobi. It's not actual power to do everything or do anything that would and could defy the laws of god or the laws of physics. Its Courage! They are fearless because they have courage, that courage evolves to different understanding. Pride being a part of something worth fighting for, Self-confidence, honor, loyalty, bravery, and the list goes on and on. But the root of what a true Shinobi is all about, is courage. According to the first Hokage, the leader or president of sort, of the Hidden Leaf Village where my husband and Jaune Arc came from, a Shinobi are people who endures to achieve their goals. They endure no matter what. Devoted to a cause that they equally believe to produce results"

"That's impossible!" Everyone turned to Cardin, who again, disrupted the discussion, "That can't be true! Courage!? Like hell! We all have courage! To fight the Grimm and those Machines from Atlas! We came out alive after that! It can't be as simple as that!? I've seen Jaune fight. We even had a spar before and I'll admit, he was weak! but after last week. I saw his true ability. It cannot be compared against everyone here, and I dare compare yours to him as well!"

Ivy didn't bat an eye on his words, "People tend to over react and over think even the simple of things around them. That is only because they are afraid of it. Afraid to understand. They will always grab that logic and downsize it to a scale of their own understanding. You all know this is true, right?"

No one dared to nod their heads but internally, they all agreed on that… it's just that… each one of them had different experience about it, especially Blake and Weiss. The Cat Faunus fought for equality, that is why she joined the White Fang. She hoped it would be easy to make the humans understand that they are people too but it was foolish of her to run away, pretending that the past will never chase her. Wiess on the other hand, did not wish to be the same dictator as her father. She is the future of the SDC… but like Blake, it's impossible to be an heiress if she did not acknowledge what the current SDC is and its image to the people.

"Dear students, it's okay to make a mistake. However, it's wrong to refuse reality and pretend that you can control everything even reason itself, that's ignorance. And ignorance gave birth to chaos"

Uchiha…

Raven Branwen… the new-found leader of the Uchiha Tribe, is now standing just outside the borders of Vale. There, the woman watched as the wind brush the plains harmony and peace. As told, the kingdom of Vale is surrounded by a lot of earthly terrains and other land forms that acts like a barrier against the Grimm. Still, that was a misconception that works in her favor. Vale is more suitable for a battle field. Despite what Mantle had to offer then and the current Atlas Kingdom… they were nothing compared to this. Which is why Raven couldn't be happier to set her plans in motion.

Sure, the sudden invasion brought by Salem's pawns surely destroyed if not delayed their own campaigns for all of Remnant. Still, at least after all of that, it goes to show that they weren't the impatient fools in this war. Salem got desperate in a way… and Raven is going to use that advantage.

The queen of Grimm can easily spawn a new army in just a matter of days but she knows full well what will happen if she attacks right away. With an Uchiha like Daichi on Ozpin's side as well as the maiden, it'll be a pathetic campaign. Raven on the other hand or the Uchiha rather, can easily muster up a team that can destroy the entire main city. And unlike the Dragon Grimm, it won't take 2 days just to reduce Vale into nothing. It'll be quick and swift.

However, one party still remains to be a nuisance on this matter… Uchiha Shisui. The guy holds no loyalty to them or the cause. He values his family more than anything which makes it a little difficult to stay out of their way. Whatever happens to the Kingdom will surely force them to intervene on her plans. That means she'll eventually have to fight him and the outcome on that is certain defeat. Her total demise. So, for things to go her way, Raven will need to coordinate with another company. People that she knows will play their part and do just about anything to avenge their fallen comrade.

"Are you sure about this? Are you even up to the task?" Raven asked as she continues to strides forward and waits for a reply. Few people would find it a little awkward but that wasn't the case. Truth be told, there weren't any human or Faunus around the area. There is, however, someone who stood in the darkness of the shade. Lurking in the shadows of the Trees. Hiding in plain sight but with a purpose.

"Of course, we were able to infiltrate Salem's faction through Cinder. What makes you think we'll fail?" said by the mysterious man.

"The fact that you just mentioned that Uchiha Shisui took Daichi under his protection. That concerns me because if you fail… You'll drag us down or worse… expose my tribe. If that ever happens—"

"It won't…" He sharply hissed, "Let's get something straight here. You wanted this, 'we' wanted this—"

"What we want differs in perspective. Yours is nothing but revenge… ours is more on redemption"

"Same thing, sweet heart!"

"Enough! I'll ask again, are you up for this mission?"

"Are we up for the— The hell we are! We were created for this! Don't you dare take it from us. We had a deal!"

"Yes, a deal where you are a double agent… you're not actually worth trusting if you're working for both parties that serves you're benefits and interest"

"I'm not a back-stabbing ass if that's what you're saying!"

Raven just have had enough of it. It felt like she was arguing with his brother, "Just make sure you deliver, Torchtwick"

"Oh, haven't you heard the news? Roman Torchtwick is dead" The man delightedly presented himself as he appeared through a gush of mist. As expected, he wore his Shinobi gear with pride. Clad in a dark blue jacket with tactical camouflage of black and white. On his forehead protector, displays the mark of the Village hidden in the mist, "My name is Sazaki Renjie… and I can't wait to skin that Uchiha Brat alive…"

Back to Shisui…

Kyle thought that he was able to dodge the first kick, he thought wrong. The physical attacks that came next were too fast to keep track, however, Shisui roared his senses to maximum and tried to cope up in the fight with him losing. Jaune defied the word teleportation. He appeared from one spot to another without even creating any indication of footsteps. The grass didn't echo any noise, the breeze didn't tell any direction, the earth didn't offered vibration. It wasn't genjutsu or the teleportation of the fourth hokage either. Shisui, for the first time of his life, is literally and figuratively, blind.

He was helpless.

Jaune is like a monster, flies like a Geist Grimm, sting like a goddamned Goliath. He just attacks Shisui from all directions giving no mercy with each hit. He even destroyed the Susanoo's semi perfect armor with his bare hands. He didn't give the guy a second to respond and if he did finds an opportunity to counter back, Jaune already dodged the effort, twice. The teen moves around too much for the older guy to focus or aim.

The man who thought to have dominated the so-called spar of the afternoon… is laying on the ground, almost beat up to a pulp. Things went beyond his expectation and now, he's somehow beginning to regret his actions…

Shisui may have an outstanding A+ on Genjutsu and Ninjutsu, but that doesn't mean it's the same with Taijutsu. He is skilled with hand to hand combat, of course, that is to be expected of him but not in the same level where Jaune is right now. The blonde Uchiha who was just knockout a while ago is now kneeling not too far from Shisui. He too was in bad shape, perhaps worse than Kyle himself. He is panting his lungs out and sweating like a maniac. Blood dripped from his fingers while his muscle began to spasm out of control. The tissue fibers burn away as the cycle of reconstruction, multiplication, and then deconstruction of the cells continues. In a way, Jaune is killing himself with an unconscionable Taijutsu ability of regeneration. Normally, the Senju in his blood enables to heal himself almost instantly but at the moment, it's the Uchiha blood in him that mimics the ability in a certain aspect.

"This is not… medical ninjutsu… This is… beyond logic…" Sarada lost all her strength in her legs and found herself stupefy at what she just lay witness. Jaune's body continues to shed his skin again and again while new layers take its place. He literally looked like he was gruesomely melting.

Sarada's sanity came back as pints of courage flared up inside of her… He looks like the untamed 9 tale Jinchuuriki who's about to enter the 4th phase of its tales.

"J-just what world… did I got myself into…"

Back to class….

Ivy continued to tell the class of what really drives a huntsman or a huntress and what separates them from a Shinobi. At first, it was hard because the topic is far too big and too complex to explain. However, after hitting the right questions and concerns, it was finally working. Professor Ozpin could agree on that. He was actually listening in the class discussion outside the door of the class. The man hadn't disturbed them yet even when he thought that these lectures could require his help to properly explain everything. But now that he stands just outside the door, he now understands that his help wasn't needed at all. After all, Ivy is a trust worthy Maiden and the most independent of them all. No wonder a woman like her ended up marrying an Uchiha. She's strong, expressive, and intelligent.

"We can claim that we're ready for anything. It's okay, I understand that. We are required to be because we are the ones who can fight the Grimm. It's our job and responsibility. But if you were to say that you are ready to face the world after what you've done or were able to do last week is utterly pointless. It's hypocrite, to think it like that. You are pretending"

"How is it pretending if you said a second ago that we can claim we're ready?" asked by Weiss, "It's really confusing when you say it like that. What are we supposed to do or believe in?"

"Think of it like this… Words are different from Actions. Sometimes, we are required to say something that we are not sure of. However, if we were to say something that we can actually do like run or jump. Then that means we actually have the ability to stand by our words. And when we do that, we can do anything! Now, when you've done all of that, you gain something that I doubt you'll notice right away… It's called dignity. And dignity is a Shinobi's armor"

"So, basically… Courage and Dignity is a shinobi's weapon and shield…" said Pyrrha.

"That is correct"

"And what makes them stronger is that they endure…"

"Right"

"Then there's nothing really separates a huntsman from a Shinobi… There's no difference at all"

On that Ivy smiled, "Yes! That is right! The root of a shinobi's power and strength is no different from us! We can do anything, achieve anything that is because we are the same as them. What holds us back is what we believe in. If we have fear in our hearts then we are the ones who doom ourselves. Doubts and regrets! If we begin to compare ourselves with them then we already set a limit… that we are weak and out match"

Everyone… finally, everyone got enlightened.

The students had their morale boost and their doubts… their doubts were erased from their hearts. That was the problem. They kept on fear the unknown, they kept on setting a limit to themselves and comparing abilities. That was what Prof. Ivy was pointing out, it really was simple. Sure, ninjutsu and genjutsu are quite an advantage but they weren't really the problem, are they?

Shisui found some unknown relief wash over him. It was almost instantly, actually. The limbs that burned through numerous defense and offense he made earlier felt less painful now. The wound brought by brutal hits healed and most importantly, he's regaining his chakra. With a little effort, he slowly regained his senses again. To his surprise, it was Sarada who sat next to him. Tending to his wounds.

"W-where's…. Jaune? What happened?"

"Daichi's…" Sarada sighed at that question. Not fully sure if she can or wants to answer that, "He's okay… He's resting"

Resting? How about recovering? Barely managing to move, Shisui force his arms up and reached for her hand, "Go to Jaune first. Tend to him…"

Sarada didn't even move, "Something tells me I don't need to do that…"

"What do you mean? What is his condition?"

The girl didn't answer the question right away. Instead, she decided it was time for her own questions to be answered, "Why do you keep calling him Jaune? By the way?"

"…."

"He said his name is Uchiha Daichi, but people in this world… Remnant, calls him Jaune Arc"

"…."

"You're silence means something…" she adjusted the last part of the medical jutsu she casted to finish off the last of the broken bones and put it back into one piece, "You also kept calling him with different names during the fight. One moment Jaune, then Daichi later…"

Alright, the man surrendered, not that he wasn't going to explain the entire thing afterwards, "You've noticed that but not what's really happening?"

"What is really going on? Why are you so desperate to anger him and me? What would you get out of it?"

"You young kids don't even know what really entraps you and kept you back"

"There you go again! Why are you adults always using cryptic messages and talks! I'm not a kid anymore, and either is Daichi! Stop treating us like children! Take us more seriously!"

"That's the problem… If we were to tell you everything we know and be harsh and strict… would there be any room for you to learn for yourself? You'd be stuck in a loop and be the same people that you are… It's a loop Sarada… We Shinobi endure to be strong… but we never focus on the meaning of life. We never give ourselves a break or slow down. But most importantly, we never forgive ourselves… and that is the root of misunderstanding which later turns to conflict and ends to war"

"…"

"We're too hard on ourselves because for us, it's the only way we can be stronger… We thought that, in that way we can be conquerors" He then tried to sit upright and cross his legs. He hasn't fully recovered yet but he felt better than a second ago, "Ivy made me realize that I don't need to be strong all the time. Sometimes, it's good to be vulnerable… It lets you understand yourself and reflect… Basically, it lets us move forward"

"Forward!? I—"

"Lost so much?" Shisui interrupted, "That's not your fault. The fall of the Uchiha Clan is our own responsibility, not yours. What you're thinking right now is that you are a failure. You keep on blaming yourself. Sarada, let me tell you something. You are not the cause of the Uchiha's demise. Rather, you were the result of the countless of struggles that I, Itachi and Sasuke endured so that the Clan could continue. It was never a burden, it was a blessing. You keep on placing a responsibility that was never there to begin with. Tell me, what is the Clan that you keep on dreaming to build?"

"…" Sarada had no idea but for her age and current mind set, it was obvious, "To rebuild the clan! To bring back the Uchiha to its former glory!"

"That is what cause the destruction of the Clan… That is what lead them to their deaths… and don't blame Itachi for doing what he did" Shisui took his forehead protector and watched, studied each scratch and damage it received over the years, "Let me ask you another question… What is more important… The Clan or the Village?"

Sarada had no answer, it was felt like a stake stabbed her in the chest.

"You said earlier that true strength came from bonds… Tell me, were the Uchiha had such bonds that made them stronger?"

"Y-yes! My father did so! He had me, my mother and the Lord seventh!"

"Then why do you keep on harboring those emotions inside of you? Why are you giving yourself a hard time? The way you fought today says it all. Your actions differ from your words, Sarada. Let me tell you right now… What you want is not bonds… You want power to protect… I'd commend you for it, a noble cause, indeed… However, you are lying to yourself. That is what drove Indra or Madara to madness and ultimately lead to the rebirth of Kaguya. Indra wanted power to protect and rule… But that means he was alone. You need to be different that our ancestors. Sarada, you need to move forward by accepting the truth. In that way, we can become stronger without swaying from our path or corrupting our goals"

"But!" Sarada hid her face, she was too emotionally in pain right now, "I lost everything! I… I lost…"

"Lost is part of our lives. We need to accept that the Village is destroyed… We lost someone important or that we lost everything. But that doesn't mean it's the end… It means that we can start anew. We can be stronger. How can you fight your future battles if you're still stuck in the past?"

Chapter 9 done,

Next Chapter: The introduction

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