Pyrrha's Defeat

The combat stadium went silent after Crimson's bloodthirsty outburst.

Ruby and Yang exchanged uneasy glances, visibly shocked. "I have never seen him angry before," Ruby admitted, her voice tinged with disbelief.

Blake crossed her arms thoughtfully. "Maybe he's nervous. So many people watching could—"

"No," Yang cut her off firmly. "Crimson's not like that. He's... different. And that wasn't nerves."

Weiss nodded in agreement, her gaze fixed on the arena. "Whatever it is, you can ask him about it later. For now, let's see how this plays out."

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Professor Port wisely chose silence after Crimson's chilling threat. He had heard and seen enough in the last few days to know this was no idle threat. The guest was different from the rest of the students, and Port had no intention of provoking him further.

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In the arena, Crimson's focus returned to Pyrrha. His cold gaze locked onto her, and for the first time, he took a deliberate step forward, his hand drawing the katana from its sheath.

Pyrrha instinctively tensed, adjusting her stance. The moment the blade cleared its scabbard, a profound change washed over Crimson, this was his first time holding a real sword in this life. 

His eyes sharpened, his movements became fluid yet purposeful, and a serene aura enveloped him. There was a bittersweet look in his expression, a mixture of reminiscence and sorrow.

Pyrrha could feel it—something about him had changed. Though she couldn't explain it, her instincts screamed of danger.

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"Moon breathing: Second Form - Pearl Flower Moon Gazing" Crimson whispered.

The next moment, the distance between them vanished. Crimson's katana arced toward her neck with blinding speed. Pyrrha raised her spear just in time to block, but the weight of the strike sent a numbing jolt through her arm. She staggered back, only to realize too late that the pressure on her weapon had vanished.

The katana flashed upward in a second strike, forcing her to parry with her shield. She barely managed to hold her ground before Crimson's third strike came diagonally from above. Her semblance saved her as she redirected the blade's trajectory ever so slightly with her shield, buying just enough time to thrust her spear forward in counterattack.

Crimson flipped to the side through the air with effortless grace, his body and katana spinning in a deadly arc. Pyrrha, who lost sight of Crimson, noticed a glint of cold steel heading to her neck again from the side, she raised her shield just in time to block the strike, but the force dislodged her balance. To her shock, Crimson wrenched the shield from her grasp in a seamless motion, tossing it toward her legs before landing lightly on his feet.

As she stumbled and turned to recover, Crimson's downward slash forced her to block with her armored forearm, sending her skidding backward. She somersaulted to safety, retrieving her shield with her semblance while catching her breath.

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Crimson halted his advance, his katana resting lightly in his grip. "You have remarkable reflexes and instincts," he said with genuine admiration. "Your semblance's usage is ingenious, now I see why they call you the Invincible Girl. You are much more talented than I initially gave you credit for."

Pyrrha stared at him, stunned by the unexpected praise. It felt sincere, yet it stung— It felt like a seasoned warrior speaking to a novice, rather than an equal. She stole a glance at the aura meter: 100-82. Crimson held the advantage.

Breathing deeply, Pyrrha refocused. But Crimson's next words stopped her short. "Does your semblance have a higher output?" he asked.

"What?" she replied, confused.

"I'm faster and stronger in a direct confrontation. If you stick to your current style, it will be your downfall. You need a wide-area attack. If you don't have one, improvise—bombs, dust, whatever works."

Pyrrha was stunned, it was the first time an opponent started advising her mid-fight, who gives their opponent advice mid-battle? Yet Crimson did and he spoke without malice, his tone sincere.

Pyrrha's calm mind in the face of his onslaught, her talent, skill and demeanor stirred something in Crimson's mind, she reminded him of the young mist hashira he killed, him giving some advice felt like a small retribution in its own way.

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Pyrrha tightened her grip, her eyes thoughtful then determined. She breathed deeply, then unleashed her semblance at full strength. Crimson felt the pull immediately as his katana was wrenched from his grasp. Around him, the metallic arena groaned and cracked under Pyrrha's influence, shards and fragments of metal rising into the air.

Eventually, the katana snapped from the hilt under the pulling force, and a moment later, Pyrrha directed the storm of metal toward him. The fragments converged from all sides, burying him in a destructive vortex.

Pyrrha panted, the effort draining her reserves. She glanced at the aura meter: 70-50. Crimson was still standing.

Her stance shifted as she fixed her gaze on the pile of debris, preparing for his next move.

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The metal heap stirred, then pushed started crumbling as Crimson emerged, walking forward with a sincere smile. "Now we're getting somewhere," he said, brushing off the remnants. "It was actually quite impressive, but still need some work"

He drew the katana's sheath from his waist. "I'm going to end this match now."

The air around him changed as he inhaled deeper than usual, the Demon Slayer Mark flared to life, jagged flame marks appeared on his face. His eyes were sharper than ever.

"First Form: Dark Moon, Evening Palace" Crimson whispered as he moved, his speed surpassing anything Pyrrha had faced before. He struck her with the sheath without holding back. The strike sent her flying, her body armor barely absorbing the blow. Before she could realize what just happened, he appeared behind her midair, striking again and sending her hurtling in the opposite direction.

Right after that strike, the stadium speakers blared, signaling the match's conclusion.

Pyrrha stood up dazed, staring at the screen: 70-15. She had lost. As the entire stadium fell into a heavy silence

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Professor Port coughed awkwardly into the microphone, breaking the heavy silence. "Well, uh, what a… riveting performance from both combatants! A testament to their exceptional talent and dedication." His voice wavered, betraying his unease. After Crimson's earlier threat, he was all too happy to move on quickly.

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Ruby's excitement shot through the roof, her wide silver eyes darting between the battlefield and the scoreboard. "Crimson won!! I knew he was the best" she finally said. Her voice filled with pride.

Yang nodded at Ruby's words and turned to her teammates and friends "I told you he is on a whole other level" 

Weiss's expression was not hiding any of the shock she was experiencing "I still don't believe it, Pyrrha was actually defeated!! And his strength and speed at the end were…. astonishing"

Blake's amber eyes narrowed slightly. "It wasn't just strength and speed" she said quietly. "Did you see how calm and precise he was? Like he knew what she was going to do before she even did it." She paused, then added, "This didn't feel like a sparring match, more like a mentor testing a student"

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Nora's usual bubbly demeanor was replaced with wide-eyed amazement. "Whoa…" she breathed, clutching Ren's arm tightly. "Did you see how fast he was? And the way he dodged everything in the first half of the fight? That was so cool!" She suddenly gasped. "Wait, does this mean he's invincible now?"

Ren, ever calm, shook his head. "No one is truly invincible. But he's… something else." His gaze lingered on Crimson.

Jaune, next to them, stared at the scoreboard and said under his breath "She lost…" disbelief thick in his voice. Pyrrha was his team's rock and the greatest warrior he ever knew.

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Ozpin sipped from his ever-present mug, his expression inscrutable. "Interesting," he said quietly, his voice carrying just enough weight to catch Glynda's attention.

"Interesting?" Glynda repeated, incredulous. "Ozpin, that was beyond what any student—or most professionals—could manage."

Ozpin's faint smile didn't falter "Perhaps. But we have learned something valuable today: even those who seem invincible can be challenged. It's a lesson I think Ms.Nikkos will take to heart."

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In the middle of the arena, Pyrrha stood motionless, still staring at the aura meter. Her defeat felt surreal, the weight of it sinking in slowly. Despite the outcome, her lips curled into a small smile. For the first time in a long while, she had truly been pushed to her limits.

Crimson approached her smiling faintly and said "Well fought"

Pyrrha looked at him with a smile of her own "Thank you for the match, it was enlightening"

"I am going back, I had enough of this ridiculous monkey show for a lifetime" Crimson said seriously, he then took off, he swore he will never agree to something like this ever again.

Pyrrha couldn't help but laugh, Crimson was truly a unique individual, who else would describe an arena match as a monkey show and feel insulted?

She watched his retreating figure while replaying the fight in her mind, she felt a strange mixture of frustration and respect. Crimson's praise echoed in her ears. 'You are much more talented than I initially gave you credit for.'

She clenched her fists, determination lighting up her green eyes. "This isn't over" she whispered to herself. "I'll get stronger. I'll learn from this."