Relic of the Future: Chapter 44

Emerald single-handedly fought to get the mats into position until Yang sighed and went to help, shaking off Emerald's glare as she did. "I'm just helping, sheesh."

"Dad told me to do it."

"Not as a challenge. Don't take everything so literally."

Working together, it took them a few minutes to set the mats up in such a way as to make a large enough fighting area.

[...]

Jaune stood before the Schnee siblings with Crocea Mors drawn but held point-down in front of him, tip against the mat.

[...]

"Combat will continue until your aura reaches the red, at which point we will stop. Keep to the ring, but you can enter it again if you are knocked out. If you knock me out, however, I will count it as your win. Similarly, you can retire at any time."

[...]

It blasted some Nevermore back, but the majority continued to hound him like a swarm of angry rapier wasps, stinging, pecking and flapping against every part of his body. A very real danger would be running out of the ring without even realising it, because he could barely make out anything past his knees, let alone the floor. His vision was reduced to white wings and blue eyes.

The crack of a revolver had him twisting to the side. The Nevermore weren't fast or controlled enough to move and several died as a bullet pierced through the mass, missing his face by a few inches. Through the hole left behind, he saw Whitley, but the gap was filled by Nevermore once more.

[...]

Whitley fired twice more, the first shot missing but the second aimed so that when Jaune dodged, he took the second on his chest. Ice burst from the point of impact, creeping up his jacket and freezing his muscles.

—Relic of the Future: Chapter 44