RWBY: To Conquer

The wind roared in my ears as I plummeted through the sky, the ground rushing up to meet me at an alarming speed. Despite the imminent danger, I found myself calm, eyes scanning the sprawling expanse of lush green trees below. It was clear I was in the middle of a dense forest, but the question remained: Why was I falling to my death?

BOOM!

My thoughts were abruptly cut off as my body slammed into the ground with enough force to carve a small crater into the earth. Dust and debris erupted around me, but to my surprise, I felt no pain. No broken bones, no shattered limbs, just a faint numbness. I lay there for a moment, before slowly climbing out of the me-shaped hole. Brushing myself off, I muttered, "Couldn't Satan have given me a softer landing? Or, better yet, not dropped me from the sky at all?"

As if in response to my complaint, a translucent blue screen materialized before my eyes.

[System Loaded]

Oh?

[Name: Sin]

[Title: Satan's Apostle]

(You are the Apostle of Satan. You possess a natural affinity and control over dark abilities. Your body has been enhanced to superhuman levels.)

-Passives-

[Conqueror]

(A basic requirement for one who seeks to conquer. Defeated enemies will transfer a percentage of their stats to you.)

[Natural Predator]

(A gift from Satan. When fighting enemies stronger than you, all stats increase by 50%. When fighting weaker enemies, they suffer a 50% debuff to all stats.)

-Abilities-

[Hellfire]

(A cursed flame from the depths of hell. Capable of annihilating anything it touches.)

[Conquest Points: 0]

(Earned by defeating enemies or completing Hidden Achievements. Can be used to create new abilities. The cost depends on the power of the ability.)

I stared at the screen, my mind racing. Was this Satan's idea of a gift? He had promised me power, but this felt like something straight out of a video game. The title "Satan's Apostle" likely explained why I survived the fall, though it still seemed absurd that I could drop from such a height and walk away unscathed.

The passives were interesting. Conqueror and Natural Predator seemed tailor-made for combat, encouraging me to seek out and defeat enemies. As for Hellfire, it sounded incredibly useful as it was the only ability I had, but I had no idea how to use it.

Before I could ponder further, a low, guttural growl snapped me back to reality. I turned to see a massive, wolf-like creature emerging from the underbrush. Its black fur bristled, and its glowing red eyes locked onto me with predatory intent.

"Well, you certainly don't seem friendly, now do you?" I muttered, tilting my head as the creature crept closer.

I raised my hand, instinctively thinking of Hellfire. To my surprise, a small orb of black flame materialized above my palm, crackling with a chaotic energy. The creature froze, its growls turning into panicked barks. Quite annoying, honestly.

I want it gone.

As if reading my thoughts, the flame shot forward, engulfing the beast in an instant. There was no scream, no struggle—just silence as the creature was reduced to ash. The flame dissipated, leaving no trace of its existence.

[Killed Beowolf]

[+10 Conquest Points]

"Beowolf? Is that what it's called?" I mused, glancing at the notification. If this was the weakest of its kind, I had a long way to go before I could gain another ability. Apart from that, I felt a slight increase in my strength, barely noticeable but enough to confirm that Conqueror was working.

A shadow passed overhead, and I looked up to see a flying creature, similar to the Beowolf but with massive wings, soaring through the sky. For a moment, I thought I saw two figures riding on its back.

...Surely they can bring me to civilization.

Without hesitation, I sprinted after it, weaving through the trees. If there were people nearby, they might have answers, or at least a way out of this forest.

/X/X/X/X/X/X/

High atop a cliff overlooking the Emerald Forest, Ozpin stared at the tablet in his hand, his expression unreadable. The screen displayed a live feed of a black-haired boy sprinting through the forest, effortlessly dispatching Grimm with bursts of black flame. Each time the fire erupted, Ozpin's instincts screamed at him.

In his long, long life, he had never seen anything like it. Not even during the age of magic had such a power existed. It was unnatural, dangerous, and yet... intriguing.

He swiped the screen, pulling up the boy's profile. Sin. 17 years old. Citizen of Vale. Semblance: Fire Manipulation. The details were sparse, almost too sparse. No records, no history, just an ID and a name. It reeked of her influence.

Since Summer's death, she had been eerily quiet. Was this boy another pawn in her game? Or something else entirely? A wildcard, perhaps? No, highly unlikely. She wouldn't do something this obvious...

Ozpin's thoughts were interrupted by Glynda's voice, sharp and urgent. "Professor Ozpin! The Emerald Forest, it's on fire."

He blinked, glancing up from the tablet. Sure enough, a part of the forest below was now a sea of black flames, their unnatural glow casting an ominous light across the landscape.

Semblances were powerful, yes. Depending on how they were used in the right hands... But could such a semblance do something like this?

"This changes everything," Ozpin murmured, his mind racing. If this boy was what he expected, then things had changed drastically.

/X/X/X/X/X/X/

The flames were everywhere. Black fire danced across the ground, consuming trees and spreading ash into the sky. The air shimmered with heat, and the crackling of the flames was deafening. It had started as an accident. A stray thought that sent the Hellfire spiraling out of control. But now, it was a full-blown inferno.

I walked through the chaos, the flames parting around me as if in reverence. My Conquest Points were steadily climbing as whatever lurked in the forest perished in the blaze.

[Conquest Points: 539]

The points were adding up quickly, around 40 every 10 seconds, but I needed more. I focused on the system, testing its limits. Anything for healing?

[Enhanced Regeneration]

(Minor wounds heal in hours, broken bones in days, serious injuries in weeks.)

[Cost: 5,000 Conquest Points]

Too expensive. What about something like combat skills?

[Unarmed Mastery]

(Reach the peak of human hand-to-hand combat proficiency.)

[Cost: 1,200 Conquest Points]

Still out of reach. I sighed, closing the screen. It seemed I'd need to rack up a lot more points before I could upgrade.

A low rumble shook the ground, pulling me from my thoughts. I turned just in time to see a red-haired girl sprinting past. "Watch out!" she shouted, her voice tinged with panic.

Moments later, a massive scorpion-like creature burst through the trees, its stinger poised to strike. It was easily three times the size of the Beowolf, it's black fur gleaming in the firelight. The ground trembled with each step as it charged after the girl.

I blinked, processing the sight ahead before shrugging. Truly, this day just kept getting weirder.

/X/X/X/X/X/X/

Okay, Ruby thought nervously, gazing up at the approaching Death Stalker. So maybe she couldn't take on a Death Stalker on her own. Or well, maybe she could've, but the Nevermore had pinned her to the ground!

This was not how she imagined Beacon's initiation would go. First, she got paired with someone who disliked her, then they flew the same Nevermore that had her pinned to the ground with it's feathers. That was cool and awesome... But then the forest caught on fire! Black fire, no less. That doesn't even make sense!

And then she met up with Yang, and now she was here.

"Ruby!" Yang's voice cut through her monologue, filled with concern. "Get out of there!"

"I'm trying!" She shouted back, voice strained as she struggled to unpin her cape as the Death Stalker charged forward. How were feathers so strong!

Come on, come on! Ruby struggled in vain as the Grimm loomed over her, golden stinger poised to stab into her helpless figure. She stared up, fear entering her as the the stinger slammed down.

Time seemed to slow as the stinger descended, the world narrowing to that single, terrifying moment. Ruby squeezed her eyes shut, bracing for the inevitable. This is it, she thought, her mind racing. I'm going to die before I even get to be a real Huntress. Mom, I'm sorry-

"SHRIEK!!!"

.....Huh. Do Grimm normally shriek in pain before attacking people?

The ear-piercing scream of the Death Stalker ripped through the air, snapping Ruby out of her thoughts. Her eyes flew open, and she gasped at the sight before her. The Grimm was thrashing wildly, its massive body wreathed in black flames that clung to it like a living thing. The Death Stalker's pincers flailed, uprooting trees and sending debris flying in its desperate attempts to extinguish the flames.

"Seems that some of these creatures take a bit more to kill." A calm, almost detached voice said from ahead.

Ruby looked ahead, her silver eyes widening as the black flames crackling throughout the forest parted like a curtain, and out stepped a boy, his expression unreadable. In his hand, a small orb of black fire danced, casting an eerie glow across his features.

"Woah..." She stared in awe, watching as the black flame above the boy's hand flickered and vanished. He snapped his fingers, a sharp, crisp sound that seemed to reverberate through the air like a gunshot. In an instant, the flames engulfing the Death Stalker erupted outward, surging with a intensity that made the air itself tremble.

The heat hit her like a train, her aura flaring instinctively, flickering alive to shield her as the inferno roared before her. The black flames devoured the Grimm completely, its monstrous form crumbling into ash and smoke. The ground beneath it cracked and blackened, the grass and dirt incinerated in seconds.

When the flames finally died down, all that remained was a massive crater, its edges still smoldering, and steam rising from the destroyed land.

"That… was AWESOME!" Ruby shouted, her voice ringing with pure excitement. She threw her arms in the air, her silver eyes sparkling like stars. The boy stared at her for a few seconds before walking over, starting to pluck the feathers out of her cape.

"You just snapped, and then it went woosh! And then BANG!" Ruby continued, gesturing wildly from the ground as if reenacting the entire scene. "Was that your Semblance? It was so cool! No, wait, it was beyond cool! It was, like, super-mega-ultra cool! I've never seen anything like it!"

"Thank you," was the simple reply as the final feather was plucked out. She quickly sprung up, stars in her eyes as she gazed at the boy as he begin to speak. "Do you know where I can find the nearest civilization."

"...Eh?" She titled her head. "Um, aren't you here for the initiation?"

"What's that."

Ruby froze, her mouth hanging open for a second before she snapped it shut. "Wait, wait, wait. You don't know what initiation is? As in, Beacon Academy's initiation?"

The boy shook his head, expression unreadable. "I've never heard of it in my life."

"But- you- uh-" Ruby was at a loss for words, unable to comprehend the boy in front of her. How could someone not know about Beacon Academy? It was one of the four most prestigious Huntsman academies on Remnant! And they were literally in Vale, where the school was located! Was he living under a rock? Or maybe he was from some remote village that didn't get news? But even then—

Before she could dwell any further in her thoughts, two arms wrapping around her body before she was pulled into a bone-crushing hug, courtesy of her sister.

"Ruby! Are you okay?" Yang's voice was a mix of relief and worry as she squeezed her younger sister tightly. "I got caught up fighting the Nevermore, and then I heard this huge explosion! What happened? Are you hurt?"

Ruby squirmed in her sister's grip, unable to pull herself free. "I'm fine Yang," she answered with a slight wheeze. "I was, um... saved by that guy over there."

Yang loosened her grip just enough for Ruby to wriggle free, then turned her attention to the boy. Her lilac eyes narrowed slightly as she took in his appearance. His dark clothes, his calm demeanor, and the faint smell of smoke that clung to him. "Saved by him, huh?" she said, crossing her arms. "And who exactly are you?"

The boy met her gaze, his expression still unreadable. "Sin," he said simply.

Yang raised an eyebrow. "Just Sin?"

"Just Sin," he confirmed.

Ruby stepped forward, her excitement bubbling over again, arms waving animatedly. "Yang, you should've seen it! He just went snap, and then there was this huge explosion of black fire, and the Death Stalker was gone! Just, poof, like that! It was amazing!"

"Black fire..." She gazed at the boy, before he gaze slowly creaked over to the burning forest behind her, the flames a black color. "So, is this the guy who sent half the forest on fire, eh?"

"It was an accident," the boy replied simply. "I was still understanding how to control my powers."

Yang raised an eyebrow, her arms crossing under her chest as she leaned slightly forward. "Riiiiight," she drawled, her tone dripping with skepticism. "And how, exactly, does that explain why half of the Emerald Forest is currently a bonfire?"

"It was a really big accident." 

Yang stared at him, her eyes narrowing further. For a long moment, the only sound was the crackling of the flames in the distance. Then, she let out a slow, deliberate breath, her voice flat. "You're kidding, right? Can you atleast, I don't know, put it out?"

"I..." He suddenly furrowed his brows, turning his back to the two girls as he extended his arm outwards towards the burning forest.

The black flames, which had been crackling and dancing wildly through the trees, suddenly froze in place. Then, as if drawn by an invisible force, the flames surged toward Sin, swirling and converging into a single, concentrated stream of black fire that hovered above his palm.

With a sharp, deliberate motion, Sin clenched his fist. The flames vanished, extinguished in an instant, leaving only faint wisps of steam curling through the gaps between his fingers.

/X/X/X/X/X/X/

I zoned out after I pulled that little stunt. Recalling all those flames had taken much more out of me then I thought it would. All I knew was that I was now walking with a group of eight towards an apparent academy.

But really, my attention was elsewhere, focused on the blue screen in front of me.

[Hidden Achievement: Defeat Death Stalker]

[Reward: 1,000 Conquest Points]

I had achieved my first hidden achievement. The reward from it, coupled with the final tally from my little accident had brought my points up to a sold 3,843. 

But still, the amount was still small. Along with that, Conqueror had upped my strength much more noticeably this time with the Death Stalker being the main reason. Sadly, in total, my strength hadn't even increased by a single percentage. A long way to go, it seems.

"Sin, we're here!" A tug on my shirt sleeve pulled me out of my thoughts. I blinked, glancing down at the silver-eyed girl beside me. Ruby, that was her name. She was practically bouncing with excitement, pointing towards a duo up ahead.

A man and a women. The man had tousled silver hair and brown eyes that seemed to hold a thousand secrets. A sleek, ornate cane sat in his right hand.

Beside him stood a woman with light blonde hair and piercing green eyes that could probably cut through steel, currently giving me an intense stare as if I'd set a forest on fire... Oh wait.

The woman's voice broke the silence, her voice stern and serious. "So, you're the one who set half the Emerald Forest on fire." It wasn't a question. My gaze briefly went to the black riding crop in her hand before looking back up at her.

"I've said it twice now, but it was an accident."

Her eyes narrowed, her gaze seemingly growing sharper. "Accident or not, your reckless actions could have endangered the lives of others."

"But nobody got hurt, so why should I care." It was a genuine question. Besides, would it really matter if someone died? To me, they were nothing but strangers. Faceless, nameless, and when it came down to it. Insignificant. Their existence would not have registered in my mind unless I was told about them.

My words only seemed to ignite the anger in her more, eyes flashing with something dangerous before the man beside her raised his hand, instantly silencing her, though her posture remained tense and poised. Clearly, he was someone she respected, or at least someone she was willing to defer to.

"Now, now, Glynda. Let's not be rash." His voice was calm and collected as his brown eyes turned to me with an unreadable look. "While his actions could've done harm, let's be glad they didn't. And in the end, he got rid of the fire, did he not."

Glynda's lips pressed into a thin line, her jaw tightening as she weighed his words. The distrust in her eyes was palpable, but whatever authority the man held over her seemed to win out. After a moment, she turned sharply toward the group of eight students, her voice clipped but calmer now. "Students, follow me to the auditorium. Immediately."

Ruby tried to speak up. Keyword, tried, but a single look from Glynda was enough to make her follow along with the rest of the group.

"Now that we're alone Mr. Sin." I turned my gaze back towards him, watching his eyes gleam. "Care to have a chat?"