RWBY: Lex Talionis - Male Reader x Harem (Complete)

Part 171

Roughly an hour had passed and the cadets were physically and mentally drained, all except for one.

Winter was the same age as Y/N when he did this very thing, staying behind to practice a swing that never quite connected, or felt too slow for their liking.

It's what she did now, spar with an imaginary opponent with only the sound of her shuffling boots and the sharp whistle of her saber cutting through the open air.

There was visible frustration on her face, an emotion that was reflected not only to herself, but to the world.

When all the cadets had cleared out, James cleared his voice and called out to her.

"Schnee?"

The girl immediately halted in her movement, and in the next moment, she assumed a quick salute that also needed work in execution.

"S-sir." She greeted with stifled gasps of air.

"Come over here for a moment." The General wave a beckoning hand and she followed to stand before them.

"Yes?" She said questioningly.

"Would you mind reminding me of your entrance scores?"

A frown immediately grew on Winter's face, one pointed to the ground in shame.

"I failed the basic team building exercise." She muttered, but Y/N heard her.

"That's usually a fail, right?" Y/N asked James.

"It is, yes. But I made an exception."

"I can see why."

Winter wasn't sure who this man was, let alone if what he said was a compliment or not. But she did see his face somewhere, she just couldn't quite get it.

"Who taught you?" The man asked.

It was a personal question, but judging by how close he was with the General, she didn't really need to worry about anything.

"Self taught." She replied with unwavering eyes.

"Self taught." He murmured to himself with a nod. "I was watching, and I can say that you're pretty good."

James raised a brow to that. Y/N could be the best duelist he had ever seen, and to see a mere cadet catch his eye? Now that was interesting. He thought that maybe, just maybe, he saw more in her than meets the eye.

"Schnee."

"Sir?"

"Do you know who this is?" Ironwood gestured faintly to Y/N.

"I..." She paused, hesitant to answer. "I-I don't, sir."

To his side, James saw the faintest bits of humor in Y/N's eyes and conveyed by a small smile. He wasn't cocky, of course. He just found it genuinely amusing.

"This is Y/N L/N."

The General wasn't one to show off or display something, he meant Y/N's introduction as a sort of affirmation to her skills.

And it worked. He saw her eyes widen, either in surprise or recognition, maybe both. But the message was sent. Even though this was her first year, all of her hard work had finally been acknowledged by this man, this legend.

"I'm sure he wouldn't mind helping you with a thing or two." James said, and while it was sudden or perhaps too much, Y/N agreed.

"You're working on your footing, right?" Y/N asked and got a curt nod in return. "You're losing your balance, losing momentum and strength in your next strike."