The initial horrid shock that plastered Yang's face eventually gave way to unbridled rage.
"YOU'RE DEAD TSUTSUMI!"
Yang's voice shook as she hung her head, her bangs falling over her eyes. Her fists clenched so tightly that her knuckles cracked. Small bursts of flame flared from her hair, spreading wider with each breath she took. The air around her grew hotter and heavier, the temperature rising sharply as everyone felt her rage building with every passing second.
When Yang looked up, the soft lilac eyes that usually carried a mischievous tint were gone, replaced by a glowing, murderous crimson.
The rest of Team RWBY shuddered at the sight, turning to see how Tsutsumi would respond.
Tsutsumi stood his ground, weapon still in hand. His purple eyes narrowed slightly before the corner of his lips lifted into a small grin. Straightening to his full height, he tilted his head, motioning for her to come forward.
Yang bared her teeth at his arrogance, her entire body beginning to shimmer as her Aura flared into view. The ground beneath her boots cracked as the pressure around her increased.
It became difficult to breathe. The air dried up from the sheer heat she was giving off.
Blake exhaled slowly, steadying her nerves as she readied herself to move. Even with her legs burning from exhaustion, she bent her knees and prepared to launch the moment Yang did.
Tsutsumi's eyes shifted slightly.
Yang blurred forward, the floor shattering beneath her as she rocketed straight toward him.
Blake pushed off at the same time, matching her partner's intent. Black and yellow streaked across the room, closing in from both sides to trap their target.
Attack Ride: Zone!
Magenta electricity flared from Tsutsumi's eyes. He spun sharply, slipping through the narrow gap between their attacks. His gun shifted into sword mode in one smooth motion.
Attack Ride: Slash!
Using the momentum from his spin, Tsutsumi swung his blade in a wide arc. A trails of blade afterimages followed the strike, slamming into both girls at once and sending them flying back across the arena.
Pyrrha and Nora maneuvered their way toward Ruby and Weiss, who were being pushed back into a corner by Ren's relentless covering fire.
Everyone knew that Tsutsumi had to be taken out immediately, if not, his constant long-range pressure would pick them apart one by one. They couldn't afford to let him sit back and fire freely.
Unending shotgun blasts filled the air as Yang charged forward, punching with all her speed and might, rocketing straight toward Tsutsumi. He simply sidestepped her advance, letting her momentum carry her past him.
Final Attack Ride: J-J-J-Joker!
His right foot ignited with purple flame energy as he spun in a 360 roundhouse kick, slamming into Yang's head and sending her flying across the arena like a ragdoll.
As her body crashed into the far wall, Tsutsumi straightened and drew another familiar card.
Attack Ride: Trigger Storm Bomb!
A rain of glowing light bullets poured down on Team RWBY, blanketing their side of the arena in a storm of searing energy.
Up in the stands, the other students could only watch in awe.
"Holy crap, just look at TNPR's leader go!" one exclaimed.
"Where the hell did someone like him even come from?" another asked, scratching their head.
"My gut's telling me this guy's been holding back the whole time," someone muttered.
Normally, Pyrrha Nikos would have commanded the crowd's full attention whenever she fought. But the way Tsutsumi Ryoko effortlessly handled multiple opponents at once, without even looking strained, left everyone focused on him instead.
If anyone looked closely, they'd notice he hadn't even broken a sweat.
Blake trudged forward with narrowed eyes, using every ounce of her Faunus reflexes to slice through what felt like an endless barrage of light bullets. Each one she dodged or deflected came with another volley right behind it.
Yang wasn't faring much better. The blonde fought her way through the hail of light, teeth gritted, explosions flaring around her. For the few moments Blake took her eyes off him, she barely managed to block a particularly vicious shot with her sheath, the impact left her arms numb.
"Ruby Rose has been eliminated."
"W-What?!" Blake almost lost her footing in shock, stumbling as her eyes darted toward Ruby's position.
In the distance, Ren stood over the fallen leader's body. The ground around Ruby was scorched and cratered, remnants of Tsutsumi's light bullets surrounding her. Ren had recognized the opening and capitalized on it instantly, striking while Ruby was distracted. Weiss had gotten separated somewhere along the way, leaving her partner defenseless.
"Fan… guh!" Blake grunted as she dove, rolled, and sprinted while another rain of bullets crashed down behind her. "Tastic!"
Sweat, grime, and dust covered her body as she pushed forward through Tsutsumi's relentless barrage. Every breath burned her lungs, but the sight of her target growing closer kept her going. She fired back with her pistol, but her shots were useless. Tsutsumi shot them all down effortlessly, not even blinking.
His smirk only fueled her anger. "Cocky asshole!"
Each step forward felt heavier than the last. The final few meters toward Tsutsumi felt like climbing a mountain. Every bullet dodged, every swing of her blade drained more of her strength.
"Give me a break, you jerk!" she yelled, kicking off the ground. A clone split from her shadow and rushed in a different direction, only for bullets to rip through it instantly, dispersing it in an instant.
"Ugh!" Blake growled, frustration twisting her features as she was forced to pull back.
She assessed the distance again, mind racing. If something, anything, could just distract him, then maybe she could...
"Weiss Schnee has been eliminated."
Tsutsumi suddenly turned his back to her, leaving himself completely open. Blake froze mid-step. Her instincts screamed at her that something was wrong. Every fiber in her body told her this was a trap, but curiosity and adrenaline clashed violently in her veins.
Just as she was about to lunge forward.
Her senses exploded in alarm.
"Gah!?" she yelped, vanishing in a blur as her clone was instantly impaled through the chest. The construct shattered into dust.
Nimbly flipping back and skidding to a stop, Blake hissed through her teeth, eyes darting to the new threat that had replaced Tsutsumi.
"Oh boy… out of the frying pan and into the fire," she muttered dryly.
Standing before her was none other than the four-time champion herself.
Pyrrha Nikos stood tall and composed, spear in hand, posture pristine even amid the chaos. A calm smile tugged at her lips, a smile that was confident, yet… disarming.
Blake, on the other hand, crouched slightly, every muscle in her body tense.
"I must say," Pyrrha began, voice smooth as silk, "I am impressed that you were able to last this long against Tsutsumi."
Blake blinked, unsure whether that was a compliment or an insult. "Uh… thanks?"
Pyrrha chuckled softly, tilting her head. "Sorry, that did sound condescending. But I truly mean it; lasting that long is no small feat. Tsutsumi's skill is… unmatched. He learns as he fights, reads his opponent like an open book. The fact you lasted at all speaks volumes of your reflexes."
Blake gave a half-hearted shrug, still wary. "If you consider running, dodging, and praying a skill, then sure."
Pyrrha's smile didn't fade. "Don't be so modest. I had the same struggle. Whether closing the distance or disengaging, it's nearly impossible once he decides how to deal with you." Her gaze briefly scanned the perimeter before returning to Blake.
"Now then," she exhaled softly, lowering her spear. "I think I've stalled you quite long enough."
"What?"
Blake's eyes widened as movement flickered at the edge of her vision. Ren and Nora were already flanking her, weapons drawn, completing a deadly triangle around her.
"I didn't know you were the type to deceive people, Pyrrha!" she snapped, glaring daggers at the redhead. "How many people have you tricked with that smile!?"
Pyrrha didn't deny it, she only kept that same serene smile, and somehow, that irritated Blake even more.
A three-on-one in her condition. She knew exactly how this would end… but she wasn't going down easy.
Her grip tightened on Gambol Shroud. "Fine then," she growled. "Let's get this over with."
"Don't worry," Pyrrha said calmly, taking her stance. "This will all be over soon."
"Wonderful," Blake muttered under her breath. She inhaled sharply, forcing her battered body to move one last time as the trio charged.
The clash was brief, blinding lights, echoes of gunfire, metal striking metal, then silence.
"Blake Belladonna has been eliminated."
"Ughhh…"
Blake groaned as she rolled onto her back, staring up at the arena ceiling. Every inch of her body ached, her head pounding like a drum.
"Never doing that again," she hissed, pressing a hand against her forehead.
Above her, the scoreboard flickered. Her name and portrait dimmed to gray.
She exhaled slowly, a tired, defeated laugh escaping her lips as the sounds of battle continued in the distance. Now that she was out, only one member of Team RWBY still remained standing.
Pyrrha, Ren, and Nora stood not too far away, watching in silence as the dust settled around them.
Yang blazed across the arena like a comet, her right arm cocked back, fire burning in her eyes. Each footfall cracked the ground beneath her as she charged straight toward Tsutsumi.
Nora instinctively gripped Magnhild, muscles coiled to leap in and assist their leader, only for Pyrrha's hand to gently block her path.
The hammer-wielder blinked. "Pyrrha?"
Pyrrha didn't even look at her. Her gaze remained fixed on the battlefield, calm and steady. "No," she said softly. "Let him have his fun."
Nora tilted her head, but when she saw the faint, knowing smile tugging at Pyrrha's lips, she couldn't help but grin back.
On the field, Tsutsumi wore that same relaxed, almost bored smile he'd carried the entire match, a man completely at ease, enjoying himself more than he should have.
From the sidelines, Blake, bruised and weary, managed to push herself up just enough to see what was happening. Pyrrha's tone… that smile… it all felt ominous. Her chest tightened as she turned her gaze toward Yang.
Tsutsumi was toying with her.
He dodged every punch, every Ember Celica blast, moving with the precision of a dancer rather than a fighter. His steps were light, deliberate, not a hint of struggle in his motion.
Yang's fist grazed air again and again as Tsutsumi calmly retreated, hands in motion but never desperate. The smirk never left his face.
Attack Ride: Explosion!
A massive explosion burst from his hand, detonating point-blank against Yang's stomach. The explosion tore through the air, sending her flying backward into a pile of rubble.
For a moment, the blonde didn't move. Then a low growl echoed through the arena, and Yang burst free from the debris, her aura flaring bright gold. She roared, launching herself forward once more.
Tsutsumi didn't even flinch.
While Yang fought with raw power and fury, he was calm precision incarnate. He refused to brawl with her. Every time she swung, he drifted just out of reach, close enough to taunt her, far enough to never be caught.
That distance. That infuriating distance.
"Stand still, damn it!" Yang shouted, her fists blazing as she punched the air between them.
He answered her rage with another flick of his wrist.
Another explosion erupted, engulfing her in smoke. She stumbled through it, battered but unbroken, and when he went for another, she rolled aside, using her momentum to evade instead of charging blindly.
That shift didn't go unnoticed. Her movements were slower. Her breathing labored. Her endurance was fraying.
"Grr!" Yang growled through clenched teeth. "Let. Me. Smash. Your. Face. In!" Each word came with a thunderous shotgun punch, the recoil kicking up clouds of dust. "Even if it's the last thing I do, I'm gonna show you why no one messes with my hair!"
The words burned with fury and exhaustion alike.
Yang crouched low, her aura flickering violently, and dashed forward in a wild, reckless charge.
Tsutsumi's eyes narrowed slightly before releasing another explosion.
The blast collided with Yang head-on, but this time she didn't back down. She powered through it, emerging from the flames like an avenging angel, fist drawn back for a devastating haymaker.
Then Tsutsumi exhaled.
He tilted, dodging her swing, his movement effortless, almost casual, and countered with a brutal right hook straight to her jaw.
The impact cracked like thunder. Yang's body was lifted clean off the ground and hurled across the arena, skidding across the stone floor until she came to a trembling stop.
Attack Ride: Thunder Spear!
Her eyes widened. "Oh no, not again!"
Before she could even rise, Tsutsumi had already launched it. The spear streaked across the air, embedding into the ground in front of her.
"NOT AGAIN!" she screamed as the explosion blasted her skyward.
"NOT LIKE THIS!"
Her voice cracked, desperate, but Tsutsumi's smirk didn't falter. He raised his hand, lining up one final shot.
"TSUTSUMI, YOU BAST-!"
Her words were cut short as the last Thunder Spear detonated, engulfing her in light and smoke. The blast sent her crashing straight up through the hole in the ceiling, her figure disappearing from sight.
Silence fell over the arena.
Then Professor Goodwitch's voice broke through, echoing loud and clear:
"Winner, Team TNPR!"