RWBY : Remnant Hulk

Chapter 11: Strength and Consequences

The morning sun rose over Beacon Academy as Jaune trained diligently with his sword and shield. Pyrrha stood beside him, offering guidance while gracefully wielding her own weapons. Ren, Nora, Ruby, Blake, and Yang cheered him on, their voices filled with encouragement, while Weiss, mesmerized by Pyrrha's precise and elegant technique, quietly thought to herself that she should be the one receiving such training.

After an intense session, Pyrrha called it a day, reminding Jaune of the importance of rest and focus for their upcoming classes. Jaune, however, had another priority—the legendary special bread from the cafeteria. Freshly baked every morning, it was a rare treat that always sold out fast. Without hesitation, he tossed his weapons to Nora and sprinted toward the cafeteria with unbelievable speed, faster than ever before. Everyone stared in shock at how much he had improved.

Meanwhile, Blake turned to Yang, quickly realizing that her sister was about to skip class again. "Yang," Blake called out, narrowing her eyes. "You promised you'd take class seriously."

Yang smirked and shrugged. "I made a promise to some other friends to meet them somewhere."

Ruby, Weiss, Pyrrha, and Ren all shot her disapproving looks. "Studies are more important," Pyrrha reminded her.

But Yang was already halfway out the door. "See ya later!" she called. Nora attempted to follow her, only for Ren to grab her by the hood and pull her back.

Jaune successfully secured his special bread and sat down to enjoy his victory when Bruce appeared out of nowhere. "Yo, kid," Bruce greeted with a grin.

Jaune looked up, surprised but happy to see him. Bruce took a seat across from him. "So, did you accept your friends' help?"

Jaune nodded. "Yeah."

Bruce leaned in, raising an eyebrow. "Because you truly believe in them? Or just because you listened to me?"

Jaune hesitated. For the first time, he questioned himself.

Bruce suddenly let out a hearty chuckle. "Relax, kid! I'm just messing with you."

Jaune sighed in relief, shaking his head in amusement. Bruce then handed him another piece of candy. "Now finish your breakfast and don't be late for class."

Jaune rolled his eyes but took the candy anyway. "How much candy do you even have?"

Bruce just smirked. "Yes."

As Jaune walked to class, he suddenly spotted Cardin and his gang bullying Velvet again. This time, he refused to stand by. Fueled by his newfound strength and confidence, he strode forward and shoved Cardin hard, sending him stumbling onto the floor.

"That's for pushing me down the stairs," Jaune spat.

Cardin's teammates moved in to retaliate, but Cardin, furious, pushed them aside. Without warning, he threw a punch straight at Jaune's face.

The impact barely fazed Jaune. His Aura instantly healed the minor damage, and before Cardin could react, Jaune seized him by the throat and slammed him against the wall.

Cardin's teammates trembled as Jaune's overwhelming Aura surged, a powerful gold glow surrounding him.

Jaune's voice was ice-cold. "You're going to stop bullying people. Got it?"

Cardin, gasping, managed a glare. Then, with a wicked sneer, he spoke.

"You're nothing but a pathetic loser playing hero. You and your so-called friends? They're just a bunch of weaklings. Ren is a quiet freak, Nora is a crazy idiot, and Pyrrha? Pfft. She acts all high and mighty, but she's nothing special. Honestly, she should've never even been born."

Everything went silent.

Jaune's pupils shrank. His entire body tensed.

Then, an explosion of red Aura erupted from him.

With a single, devastating punch, Jaune punch Cardin repeatedly even though Cardin is on the ground.

By the time Team RWBY, JNPR, and CFVY arrived, they were met with a horrifying scene—

Jaune stood there, his fists dripping with blood. Cardin lay on the floor, his face unrecognizable, his teeth scattered around him. His team was frozen in absolute terror. Velvet just covered her mouth in shocked by the situation.

Jaune was suspended for two weeks.

Lying on his bed in his dorm, he covered his eyes with his arm, drowning in guilt. His hand, fully healed, clenched into a fist. What have I done…?

A sudden knock on the door.

Bruce. Again.

Bruce stepped in and looked at Jaune with concern. "How are you holding up?"

Jaune scoffed bitterly. "Take a wild guess."

Bruce sat beside him. "You don't have to carry this alone."

Jaune turned his head away. "I lost control. I… I hurt someone. Badly."

Bruce cut him off immediately. "It's not your fault."

Jaune's breath hitched. He shook his head. "No. It is my fault."

"It's not your fault," Bruce repeated, firmer this time.

Jaune clenched his teeth. "Stop saying that."

"It's not your fault."

"Stop it."

Bruce placed a hand on Jaune's shoulder. "Jaune. It's not your fault."

Jaune trembled. His vision blurred. His throat tightened.

Then, he broke.

Tears streamed down his face as he sobbed uncontrollably.

"Why…" he choked out. "Why is life so hard…?"

Bruce sighed, pulling him into a firm embrace. "Because, kid… that's just how it is. But you don't have to go through it alone."

After class, Just after leaves the dorm, his friends visited him, offering their support and comfort.

Ruby sat beside him, giving him a reassuring smile. "Jaune, you're still our friend. We all make mistakes, but that doesn't change who you are."

Pyrrha knelt next to him, placing a gentle hand on his arm. "You're not alone in this. We'll help you through it."

Ren crossed his arms and nodded. "We all have struggles, Jaune. But isolating yourself won't make them any easier."

Nora leaned forward with a grin. "Yeah! If anyone gives you trouble, I'll just hammer them into next week!" She paused, glancing at the others. "Well... maybe not literally this time."

Blake stood at the back, arms crossed. "You did something reckless. But I think you understand that already. What's important is that you learn from it."

Weiss sighed, flipping her hair. "You were an idiot. But even idiots can improve."

Even Team CFVY came to check on him, expressing their concern and reminding him that despite everything, he wasn't alone.

Coco crossed her arms and gave Jaune a reassuring nod. "Look, kid, you screwed up, but that doesn't mean you're beyond saving. Everyone stumbles. It's what you do next that counts."

Velvet offered a gentle smile. "Thank you, Jaune. You really stood up for me. I just... I don't want you to get hurt because of me."

Jaune sighed, shaking his head. "It's not just about you, Velvet. I let my anger get the best of me. I lost control."

Coco smirked. "Then get a grip, Arc. If you're gonna be a knight in shining armor, at least learn when to draw your sword."

And they started to laughs warmly and Jaune started to smile thanks to their friends understanding him...