When Sasuke arrived where the initiation would take place, all the other students were already there, lined up in front of the Emerald Forest cliff, waiting to begin, and it didn't take long for him to become the center of attention.
His mysterious appearance and the events that had transpired the day before left a strong impression, but this was especially true with an enthusiastic Ruby, who didn't help by shouting his name and waving at him alongside a smiling Yang.
In a way, it even seemed like Sasuke was back at the academy in Konoha, with girls happy to see him and saving a place for him at every opportunity they had.
The unexpected difference, however, would be that Sasuke didn't hate it. In fact, Ruby's interest was mutual, even if only to a certain extent, and aligned with his goals.
While Sasuke still didn't know what her silver eyes were capable of, that spark of divinity and the mere possibility that she was connected to a god completely different from those of the Elemental Nations was more than enough to pique his curiosity.
That and the need to find a potential ally remained.
Alongside this pair of sisters was Weiss, and unlike the other two, she did not seem very happy, even though her mood had visibly improved with Sasuke's arrival.
The reason for this was the unexpected presence of the blond boy, who seemed even more in love with her and ready to participate in the initiation.
There was one difference, however: his Aura was unlocked, explaining the way he was looking at Weiss, confusing her altruism with affection in wanting to prevent him from dying a fool's death.
This also meant that Ozpin made a decision similar to the one he made for Sasuke and allowed the presence of someone who had broken the rules, but not without taking the necessary measures to prevent the worst from happening.
With Sasuke, he would be constantly monitored. With this blond boy, his aura had been unlocked.
Still, Sasuke continued to believe that merely having access to Aura didn't amount to much.
It's not my problem, he repeated to himself, but now he was aware of his indifference to the lives of others. I did my part.
Even if it wasn't his intention, informing Weiss about this stupid boy's limitations had resulted in a change.
Now, whether this boy would survive or not depended on his own determination.
"Welcome, Uchiha Sasuke," Ozpin greeted this tragic young man with a friendly smile, happy to see him after helping bring their attention to the problem related to Jaune Arc. "You arrived just in time."
Literally.
Neither late nor early, frighteningly punctual to reinforce his military origins.
It was hard to say whether this was a quality or a flaw.
Regardless, he was eager to see what Sasuke was capable of during the initiation and would keep a close eye on his every move.
This test would serve as proof of his words and of the five years he had spent in the field serving Konoha, reaching the point where he had become strong enough to claim the title of Hokage.
Ozpin was expecting great things from this boy.
Sasuke just nodded to this man and took his place among the girls, where he was welcomed with open arms and greeted by the beautiful pair of sisters.
When Ruby was about to ask where Sasuke had been during the early morning, Glynda ordered everyone to be quiet and maintain their positions.
It was time.
"Now that you are all here, I want to clarify a few things," Ozpin began, gaining the attention and curiosity of his potential students. "Before you lies the Emerald Forest, where this initiation will take place. Your goal is simple: make your way to the north side of the forest where an altar is located, retrieve one of the many relics placed there, and return."
It seemed simple enough, perhaps too simple.
Sasuke couldn't help but compare this initiation to the second part of the Chuunin Exam in the Forest of Death, which seemed less dangerous since there were no students from enemy nations participating.
Now, while assassination attempts were unlikely, he was curious about the number of relics available and whether fights between students to "obtain" them were allowed.
Should I ask? Sasuke pondered and chose to remain silent. Better not.
Not only to avoid drawing more attention, but also to avoid planting dangerous ideas in the minds of others and making them suspicious of everyone around them.
There were already enough problems waiting for them in this forest in the form of creatures of darkness that threatened to destroy this world.
Sasuke could sense countless small presences of corrupted energy scattered for miles before him, some of them slightly significant and more than capable of killing many of these students individually.
It wasn't for nothing that teams were necessary.
As for the Grimm, in a way, Sasuke felt as if they were corrupted sage creatures or bearers of the Curse Mark in its second stage, perhaps even like... mini Bijuus?
Interesting.
Now he was even more curious and eager to come face to face with these creatures.
"As you can imagine, there will be obstacles in your path in the form of Grimm that infest this forest," Ozpin added, which came as no surprise to anyone but Jaune Arc, whose smile had disappeared and turned into a grim expression as reality set in. "Do not hesitate to destroy anything that stands in your way, otherwise... You will die."
A risk that was impossible to eliminate and was part of the job.
Unfortunately, most of these kids didn't take his warning seriously, and that was a problem. After all, many of them grew up protected by the walls of the kingdoms and had not experienced loss at the hands of the Grimm.
A flaw born of complacency and the false illusion of peace.
For some time now, many young Hunters tend to underestimate the Grimm after defeating a few Beowolf during training in controlled environments, treating them as if they were not a real threat.
While individually, most Grimm were not a cause for concern for those with access to Aura and who knew how to fight, the true strength of these creatures lay in the many aspects that make up their cursed existence.
Not only did they not tire, sleep, or need food, but they could fight and kill on the same day they were created.
Above all else were their endless numbers.
No matter how many were defeated, more would appear to replace them and even increase their numbers indefinitely if they were not hunted down regularly.
A cycle that would only end when one side was completely eliminated, and considering the decline in population, the future looked grim... literally.
Salem certainly didn't help by making the situation even worse by manipulating everything from the shadows.
Still, Ozpin had hope that humanity would triumph.
Now, for those who were aware of most of these facts and had expressed concern, there was good news.
"Fortunately, you won't have to go through this ordeal alone." Ozpin smiled for two reasons: to comfort those who had a complicated past and for his own amusement. "After all, today, you will gain a partner and form a team. In fact, the first person you make eye contact with will be your partner for the next four years."
As expected, the reaction of those listening was just as entertaining as ever.
Sasuke raised an eyebrow under the shadow of his hood, intrigued.
Well, this is certainly different.
Creating teams completely at random and with people who, for the most part, didn't know each other.
On paper, it sounded as absurd as it was stupid.
Much like putting the best student on the same team as the worst one, especially when the two visibly hated each other.
However, when considering the fact that Hunters were not perpetually tied to their home Kingdoms, working with strangers was inevitable and a necessity that could happen in the heat of battle.
In that case, the method being used to create a team made sense when considering the bigger picture and unexpected situations.
Now, on the topic of having a partner and a new team, even if only temporarily.
While Sasuke knew it was inevitable and a necessity to join Beacon, he still didn't like the idea.
It wouldn't be an exaggeration to say that his original team had traumatized him with their obsession and relentless pursuit.
No matter how competent Naruto, Sakura, and Kakashi had become, the last thing Sasuke wanted was to relive that nightmare.
Fortunately, there was hardly anyone in this world capable of pursuing him through space-time and becoming a headache.
With that in mind and the need to find an ally, Sasuke decided to put his concerns aside.
Whatever happens, happens.
Just like his decision to ignore the possibility of forming bonds when he chose to extend his hand to Ruby Rose.
All that mattered now was to complete this exam without drawing more attention than necessary, especially when he would be under constant surveillance, finish perfecting his revolution, and start training.
With that in mind, it's best to avoid using Ninjutsu. Sasuke already defied common sense more than enough. Just Kenjutsu and Taijutsu.
That, and keeping his power level similar to what Yang was capable of, whether in strength, movement speed, or reaction time.
Which should be more than enough for this exam, since she was only below Pyrrha Nikos, the supposed genius of this generation.
Now, he just needed to know what a "landing strategy" was, and the mere fact that the blond boy with the stupid face shared the same doubt left a bad taste in his mouth.
I should have read more about Hunters. Sasuke could only regret his enthusiasm and obsession with his revolution. Too late for that.
Besides, it wasn't something he couldn't learn in the next few seconds.
On the other hand, Ozpin was ignoring the redundant questions of the young Jaune Arc, which only served to reveal the extent of his ignorance and how unprepared he really was.
There is no turning back now.
Ozpin would have to trust the Arc family legacy and hope for the best.
Checking his students one last time, he gave Glynda the green light. With that, she used her Semblance to illuminate the ground and launch all the students at once toward Emerald Forest.
"Good luck," Ozpin wished these children as they flew through the air. "You'll need it."
Some more than others, but hopefully, no one would die today.
Sasuke didn't like being thrown off a cliff without warning, narrowly avoiding acting on instinct and anchoring himself to the ground using Chakra.
Well, now I know what a "landing strategy" means... literally. He had a small smile as he watched the other students. Surprisingly, most of them seem to know what to do in this kind of situation.
Sasuke could only imagine the training method used for something so absurd, especially with the little show Yang was putting on.
However, considering that there were means of air transportation in this world, perhaps landing maneuvers like this were necessary in emergencies.
"Ahhhhhh!"
Sasuke turned toward that desperate scream to see the Naruto of this world plummeting toward his own death.
Truly pathetic. He sighed and drew two Kunai, throwing them simultaneously to collide above the boy, ricochet, and change trajectory to hit his hood precisely, trapping him in a tree just at the right moment. If I really want to become a guardian deity of an entire world, then every innocent life matters.
No matter how stupid said life might be.
Even so, don't expect anything else from me. Sasuke would rather fail this exam than have another Naruto on his team, so he pulled out another kunai, one with a string attached to it, and threw it in the opposite direction of the blond boy to hit a tree, redirecting himself and landing further away from the others. Finding a partner can wait a little longer.
Even if it meant losing the best options like Ruby, Weiss, Yang, and Pyrrha.
Sasuke was too curious about the Grimm to care about anything else.
Fortunately, it only took a few seconds for his wish to be granted with the sudden rustling of a bush, drawing his sword, and having the head of a person-sized, bipedal black wolf-like creature pierced through the mouth.
Well, that was quick. Sasuke removed his sword, letting the thing fall lifeless and begin to dissolve. So this is a Grimm?
According to the books he had read, this was a Beowolf, one of the weakest and most common Grimm in Remnant. One of their most striking characteristics was the fact that they always moved in packs, and Sasuke could confirm this with the countless presences appearing around him.
Still, he ignored all of that as he focused on the body of this Grimm.
These things really resemble a Bijuu, even if it is an extremely weak and corrupted one. Sasuke was using both his Sharingan and his Rinnegan to try to understand what was before him. Even the characteristic of dissolving back into nature after death is similar.
Considering that these things never ended, it wouldn't be wrong to assume that they also reformed back into the world after some time.
This could be a problem and has raised countless questions about the true origin of these creatures.
Just like the Bijuu back in the Elemental Nations, there was no way these Grimm could be a natural manifestation of the world like the Juubi.
Considering the spark of divinity in Ruby's silver eyes, it would be correct to assume that the God of Light really existed, and the same could be said of his brother, the God of Darkness and creator of these things.
The mere possibility of such a superior entity, one that was said to have helped create humans and faunus, having a hand behind the current state of this world, bothered Sasuke deeply.
After all, this was proof that gods truly were pieces of trash, and he didn't want to end up the same way.
Be that as it may, the origin of these Grimm and the entity behind their creation was something that needed to be investigated further.
The last thing Sasuke wanted was to deal with another Kaguya.
Soon, the other Beowolfs in the pack began to emerge in waves from the surrounding vegetation to interrupt his train of thought, advancing directly toward him without a hint of hesitation.
I had also read about these creatures' hatred of humans and faunus, but I didn't think it was that extreme. With clean movements and deadly precision, Sasuke responded accordingly and began cutting these things down one by one. Slow and weak, but erratic, persistent, and numerous.
While this particular Grimm was not a threat, not even to the Hunters in Training, he could see the danger these things posed to regular people.
It's not for nothing that kingdoms and settlements have walls or are suspended in the air. Sasuke jumped as soon as the ground broke beneath his feet with the appearance of a large snake and landed gracefully on a tree branch. This one is called King Taijitu, a snake with a head at each end of its body.
Strange, but he supposed that creatures like this, which didn't need to eat or reproduce, had no need for certain parts of the anatomy of the animals they were imitating.
I wonder if there are any humanoid Grimms out there? Sasuke jumped again and drew kunai and shuriken, throwing them to stop the frenzied assault of the Beowolf and King Taijitu. I know there are some really big ones out there, almost like real Bijuus.
But you know, weaker ones.
Those Grimm possessed the title of Elders and their own names, being creatures so ancient that they had existed longer than the kingdoms themselves and could be counted on your fingers.
Again, just like the Bijuus.
According to the books Sasuke had read, these Elder Grimm were sentient and spent most of their time sleeping.
Thankfully, there were only a few of them.
I could get rid of them. Sasuke continued jumping from branch to branch, using his Kunai and Shurikens to reduce the number of these things. Using that broken moon as a container to seal them, along with most of the Grimm.
That way, they would be unable to return.
While this wasn't his world or his problem, Sasuke was no longer an indifferent and heartless monster... even if his skill and lethality might tell a different story.
Shaking his head, Sasuke removed his sword from the throat of a Ursa, another common and weak Grimm, and collected his ninja tools only to have to move again.
I've already taken down dozens of these things in the last five minutes. He buried his sword in the ground, killing another head of another King Taijitu, and did a backflip to decapitate the other head coming from behind. Even though it's easy, this is starting to get ridiculous.
Which raised the question of the well-being of the others.
While Sasuke knew Yang would be able to handle an assault like this, that was only true for a certain amount of time.
If that blond boy isn't clinging to the tree, he must already be dead. Somehow, that bothered him more than he wanted to admit. What about Ruby and Weiss?
Because of these things infesting the forest and coming at him nonstop, Sasuke couldn't sense the presence of other people.
"Annoying," he let a grunt escape his lips along with a mere spark of his Chakra as his eyes glowed red and purple. "Really annoying."
Then there were the negative emotions naturally linked to his power, a lot of it.
In a way, it was almost like dropping a drop of blood in the middle of the ocean, alerting and attracting sharks from miles away.
Just like that, all the Grimm of the Emerald Forest advanced toward Sasuke.
This initiation was just beginning.