PA6/HA25

"Neo. Beat him into dust and I'll buy you some of those chocolate wafer cones for your ice-cream." Jaune sighed at the ridiculous comment and looked towards the girl to see what she thought, only in time to see a white boot connect with his face.

[...]

"Better kid." Roman cheered from the couch he was still lazing on, right as Jaune slammed painfully into the ground. Practice had taught him better than to lay where he landed, and he rolled away just in time to avoid Neo's foot crashing into the floor. Oh yeah, he'd learned the first time that this girl didn't really know what mercy was. If a person was on the floor, that just made them an easier target.

Looking up from where she was crouched, a pout came to the girl's lips as she realised his escape, before she dashed towards him faster than he was actually able to climb to his feet, kicking his legs apart so his face fell back down to the floor. Another desperate roll avoided what seemed to be her favourite finishing move. And this time he had enough sense to climb to his feet as fast as he was able, rather than watch the little monster.

The training, if it could be called that had gone on for over two hours now. Something he would have found impossible before due to his stamina reserves. Seemed like his aura was working overtime to keep himself going. That was pretty lucky too, considering if it wasn't unlocked then he was sure he would be nursing a broken nose and jaw from her first attack. The brutality of the moves had not decreased since then.

Even her typical kicks use an almost unfair application of high heels! He thought to himself as he weaved between her legs, using his shield and armguard to knock aside any further attacks. She seemed to favour kicks, since she wasn't actually armed with anything, but she was so quick at resetting and chambering her kicks that he didn't have any time to counter-attack! Also the heels of her boots helped to focus all the force into a single sodding stiletto!

His eyes widened as he ducked below a flying roundhouse kick, partly amazed that such a short girl could reach his face. Her follow-up heel drop landed on his shield with a mighty clanging noise, even as the girl's hands were visible below it, propping her up in a handstand while she flipped backwards.

Jaune didn't bother drawing his sword. There was no way he could actually attack her, apart from the fact that was insanely fast, she was also attacking without a weapon and this was sparring more focused on teaching him to dodge. The other fact was that he was actually finding it easier to block and deflect her blows with his free hand, using his metal plate on the back of his gloves.

"Two scoops if he eats dust in the next ten seconds!" Roman called out tauntingly, prompting Jaune to sigh as the girl disappeared instantly, before re-appearing inside his guard. He still tried to throw himself to one side, but buckled over her knee as she blocked his escape, before grunting painfully as her other leg snapped over his back, and she was able to flip him over, just using her hands as a pivot. "Oh man, this is gold."

Jaune struggled to push himself off the floor, his tongue probing his teeth to see if any were loose. Luckily it looked like his aura was still protecting him.

"I don't see you fighting her!" Jaune called out in a useless effort to shut the laughing man up. The training had been pretty useful so far. Not that he had come any closer to actually beating Neo… in fact that still seemed impossible. But he had definitely improved in his ability to get out the way! Now when he tried to dodge Neo, he only got badly hurt… instead of outright slaughtered in a single attack!

That was an improvement, right?

"Take a break Neo, you did well."

—PA6

[...]

"How long did Headmaster Arc last in his first fight?" he asked.

Jinn shrugged helplessly. He knew that she knew, but the gesture made it clear she couldn't tell him. Ozpin couldn't either for obvious reasons, so he looked to Neo for an answer. He found her holding three fingers up.

"Three minutes?"

Neo shook her head and kept those fingers up.

"Three hours?" he despaired.

Neo rolled her eyes.

—HA25