Chương 140: Chapter 133: The Naked Truth

The midday sun shone brightly over the pristine, sprawling courtyard of Atlas Academy, casting brilliant reflections off the polished titanium structures. After spending the early morning hours down in the freezing, frost-bitten streets of Mantle, the Vanguard had finally returned to the upper city. Oscar Pine, Team RWBY, and Team JNPR walked together across the courtyard, the atmosphere among them a mixture of immense relief and lingering, heavy paranoia.

The situation in the lower city had vastly improved, but the shadow war was far from over.

"I still can't believe we haven't found a single trace of the hacker," Blake Belladonna murmured, her amber eyes scanning the bustling military academy around them.

"Mantle is stabilizing, but whoever crippled the heating grid and rigged the election is still hiding somewhere in this Kingdom."

"They have to be the smartest agent Salem has," Weiss Schnee agreed, crossing her arms tightly.

"To bypass Atlesian cyber-security completely... it takes a terrifying level of genius."

"Do you think it's the same person who created the Black Queen virus?" Jaune Arc asked grimly.

"The one Cinder used to hack the Atlesian Knights during the Battle of Beacon?" Ruby Rose shivered, pulling her red cloak a little tighter.

"It makes sense. And if Ozpin's group doesn't catch him soon, we're all terrified he's going to do the exact same thing to Atlas."

"It doesn't help that we hit a complete dead end with Tyrian Callows," Ren sighed, his usual calm demeanor fraying slightly at the edges.

"General Ironwood, Ozpin, and Qrow interrogated him for hours every night. But he is a die-hard fanatic."

"Yeah, the guy is a total psycho," Yang Xiao Long muttered, kicking a stray pebble across the courtyard.

"His devotion to the Grimm Queen is absolute. He completely refused to spill the location of the hacker, or where Cinder might be hiding. It's horrifying." A heavy silence settled over the nine teenagers. The sheer, terrifying fanaticism of Salem's inner circle was a daunting obstacle. Ruby let out a long, wistful sigh, looking up at the blue sky.

"I miss Vale," she confessed quietly.

"I miss Beacon." A collective murmur of agreement rippled through the group.

"Me too," Nora Valkyrie pouted, leaning heavily on her hammer.

"It's been, what, five months since we left? Six? I miss our old dorm room. And I really miss having Saitama around as our 'Special Campus Security Consultant'. Life was so much simpler when our biggest problem was accidentally stepping on his freshly mopped floors." Oscar offered a small, melancholic smile, adjusting the straps of his suspenders.

"I miss my aunt," he admitted softly.

"Back at the farm in the Mistral countryside. I left without telling her... I didn't even say goodbye." Pyrrha Nikos looked at the young boy with deep, maternal sympathy.

"Oh, Oscar..."

"I honestly don't even know what I'll say to her when I finally see her again," Oscar continued, looking down at his boots.

"But I really want to apologize. I want to make her understand about Ozpin, about everything... and why I had to leave." Team RWBY and Team JNPR exchanged heartfelt, supportive glances. They vividly remembered the story of how Oscar had left his home, back when they had first met him at the Mistral safehouse. They could practically feel the heavy burden of guilt weighing on his young shoulders.

"We need to end this," Yang declared, her lilac eyes burning with fierce determination.

"We need to catch this hacker, root out the rest of Salem's inner circle, and finish this mission so we can all go home."

"Oh, and you definitely need to visit Vale with us, Oscar!" Ruby said to him in excitement. Oscar laughed warmly.

"I'd love to. But only after I go home and tell my aunt everything."

"But the most important thing right now is Saitama," Weiss reminded the group, her aristocratic posture returning.

"He is the main reason we need to wrap this up quickly. We have to bring the 'Hero of Vale' back to Beacon. We are all completely exhausted by this geopolitical absurdity."

"That's right! And I feel absolutely terrible for the real Darwin down in Vale. His life has been completely hijacked," Nora added, remembering Saitama's terrified body double who is currently posing as the stand-in of the 'Hero of Vale' in Beacon. However, as the Vanguard discussed returning to their home Kingdom, a sudden, chilling realization washed over them.

"Wait," Jaune stopped walking, his blue eyes widening.

"Bringing Saitama back to Vale... means bringing the Relic of Knowledge back to Vale."

"We can't bring the Lamp back to Haven Academy," Ren analyzed grimly.

"The school is half-destroyed, and the vault is entirely exposed. Especially since he completely shattered the indestructible magical gateway crafted by the Brother Gods."

"Saitama is a walking, invincible fortress," Blake noted, her feline ears twitching.

"He is the absolute safest spot on Remnant for the Relic. There is no other choice. The Lamp has to reside in Vale, in his hands."

"But since the Lamp won't be stored inside a magical Vault..." Pyrrha trailed off, her emerald eyes filled with dread.

"It's going to attract a massive wave of Grimm to the city," Ruby finished, her fists clenching in sudden, lingering annoyance. The teenagers grimaced. They remembered clearly when Ozpin had finally confessed that the Creatures of Grimm were instinctually drawn to the Relics, and that carrying it was like carrying a blazing beacon through the dark. Ozpin had withheld this critical tactical information because he didn't trust them to handle their own emotions, fearing their anxiety would draw even more monsters.

The deception still stung.

"And speaking of the Lamp being in Vale," Weiss added, her brow furrowing deeply.

"That means Vale will hold two Relics. The Relic of Knowledge, and the Relic of Choice." Oscar and the others paused, a collective wave of confusion washing over them. In all the chaos of Mistral and Atlas, they had completely forgotten to ask Ozpin about the Beacon's relic.

"During the Battle of Beacon, Cinder killed Amber and gained the full power of the Fall Maiden," Yang recalled, crossing her arms tightly.

"But the Beacon Vault was destroyed, and Cinder strangely never got the Relic."

"We don't even know what the Relic of Choice looks like," Nora pointed out.

"We'll have to ask Professor Ozpin about it later," Ruby decided firmly. Just as the teenagers approached the grand, sweeping entrance to the Atlas Academy Grand Hall, the heavy glass doors hissed open. Stepping out into the sunlight, looking spectacularly bored, was "Darwin". Saitama was dressed in his sharp black suit, white trench coat, and bowler hat.

"Oh, hey kids," Saitama greeted lazily, his face a perfectly flat oval.

"Good afternoon, Saitama!" Ruby beamed, waving happily alongside Jaune and the others.

"Are you heading out?" Weiss asked, looking him over.

"Did you finalize your plans for tomorrow night's gala?" Saitama let out a massive, highly comical groan, slouching forward.

"Yeah. I just finished talking with the robot-arm guy, the sword lady, and the drunk guy. They decided I have to go." Oscar, Team RWBY, and Team JNPR immediately exchanged highly worried glances. Plunging the oblivious, apathetic anomaly into an elite gathering of Atlesian high society sounded like a recipe for absolute disaster.

"They said it's because of that stupid interview with the politician lady," Saitama complained, adjusting his bowler hat.

"Apparently, since I said all that stuff about being neutral, I can't decline the invitation without making people mad." This book's true home is on another platform. Check it out there for the real experience.

"Well, your speech did heavily emphasize your neutrality," Ren agreed reasonably.

"It makes perfect political sense for 'Darwin' to attend."

"Don't worry too much, Saitama," Weiss assured him, placing a confident hand on her hip.

"We will be there as well, acting as security under General Ironwood and my sister. We can keep an eye on you."

"Oh, thank goodness," Jaune sighed in massive relief.

"If we're there, we can actively watch over him and run interference." However, Oscar and Team JNPR suddenly realized the implications of the venue.

"Wait, Weiss," Pyrrha said gently, her eyes filled with concern.

"That means you'll be returning to Schnee Manor. You will have to face your father again." The air grew tense. The situation between Weiss and the tyrannical CEO was incredibly volatile. But Weiss didn't falter. She stood tall, a serene, unshakeable confidence radiating from her.

"I will be fine," Weiss stated smoothly.

"Jacques wouldn't dare try anything against me. Not when I have my team by my side." Weiss smiled warmly at Ruby, Blake, and Yang, who instantly smiled back, their postures radiating absolute, fiercely protective loyalty.

"Don't worry about me," Weiss told the group.

"The only thing we need to focus on tomorrow is making absolutely sure Saitama doesn't create a geopolitical incident at the buffet table."

"Relax, kids. This mission will be a breeze," Saitama assured them lazily.

"I already forgot half the details the adults told me. But the point is, all I have to do is act completely normal. Nothing will happen." Oscar, Team RWBY, and Team JNPR stared at him, their faces twisting into identical, highly comical masks of profound doubt. Yang chuckled.

"No offense, Saitama. But... Nothing was ever normal whenever you were around." Noticing their skepticism, Saitama's posture suddenly shifted. He stood up perfectly straight, pulling the brim of his bowler hat down with a swift, dramatic motion.

"Do not underestimate my undercover skills," Saitama declared in a cool, cinematic whisper, striking a comically proud secret-agent pose.

"I will infiltrate this gathering and succeed in the mission." Nora loudly scoffed, rolling her teal eyes.

"Yeah, right! The last time you were on a 'secret undercover mission', you literally ripped a serial killer's scorpion tail off in front of a thousand screaming people!" Saitama broke his cool pose, his face scrunching into a highly annoyed pout.

"That guy ruined my beefs!" He let out a heavy sigh, slouching back into his usual lazy stance.

"Look, I don't even want to do anything there. I'm just going for the free premium food and drinks. The drunk guy said since I'm a VIP guest, I can get as much as I want. And I am absolutely determined to clear out their kitchen. I've completely failed to get premium groceries in the Atlas supermarkets, even with the coupons the sword lady gave me! It's always sold out!" Oscar, Team RWBY, and Team JNPR burst into a chorus of baffled, exasperated laughter.

"You are unbelievable," Blake chuckled, shaking her head.

"You are the strongest man in the universe. You can effortlessly obliterate ancient Grimm, and shatter a magic-protected door crafted by the gods themselves... but your biggest struggle in life is a supermarket line." Saitama paused. He blinked his dotted eyes in total confusion.

"Door?" Saitama asked blankly.

"Did I destroy someone's door?" The nine teenagers instantly stopped laughing. Their jaws dropped in sheer, unadulterated surprise.

"You... you forgot?!" Ruby shrieked, throwing her hands in the air.

"Saitama, you literally punched a hole in the indestructible Vault door at Haven Academy!" Yang reminded him frantically, gesturing wildly with her hands.

"We were all standing right there! You, us, Qrow, and Raven! You shattered it into a million pieces!" Saitama tapped his chin, looking up at the sky as his remarkably apathetic brain struggled to access the memory. After a few seconds, his dotted eyes widened slightly in mild recognition.

"Oh..." Saitama nodded slowly.

"You mean that weird door at the academy basement in Mistral? The one with the desert inside of it?"

"Yes! That one!" Jaune cried out, rubbing his temples in utter bewilderment.

"Yeah, I remember now," Saitama mumbled lazily.

"I think I remember grabbing some weird lamp in there and giving it to you guys after that." Team RWBY and Team JNPR let out synchronized, heavy sighs of pure exhaustion. They were entirely bewildered by his profound indifference to such a crucial, reality-breaking moment. The man was simply too powerful for their world. His feats were beyond anything in recorded history. Yet to him, shattering divine magic didn't even rank highly enough to remember.

They even vividly remembered the apocalyptic horror they had felt when he almost tried to sell the Relic of Knowledge to a pawn shop for grocery money. Suddenly, Saitama looked past the teenagers, his attention shifting to the far side of the courtyard. Standing near a parked military Bullhead, wearing her warm black trench coat, was Neopolitan. She was waving her hands excitedly at him, a massive, demanding smile on her face.

"Oh, there she is," Saitama noted, pointing a thumb at the illusionist.

"I gotta go, kids. The umbrella girl and I are heading to a cafe in the commercial district. I promised the brat I'd buy her favorite food again today." The teenagers looked over at Neo, letting out a collective, heartfelt laugh.

"She is so clingy to you," Pyrrha giggled softly.

"It's strangely wholesome."

"It is not wholesome, it's incredibly annoying," Saitama grumbled, a comical sweatdrop forming on his head.

"She's basically extorting me for desserts." Saitama turned away, raising a lazy hand in farewell.

"Anyway, see you later."

"See you, Saitama!" Oscar and the others called out, waving back. Saitama took two steps toward the Bullhead. Then, he suddenly stopped. He stood perfectly still for a second, blinking in his comical deadpan expression.

"Oh, by the way," Saitama said, turning back to face the teenagers.

"I just remembered something." Oscar, Team RWBY, and Team JNPR paused, looking at him curiously.

"What is it?" Ruby asked.

"Well, since you guys brought up that magic door and the weird lamp," Saitama began casually, stuffing his hands into his pockets.

"I remembered that there's actually a weird lamp furniture piece sitting inside my bedroom's wardrobe at the penthouse." The hearts of all nine teenagers instantly stopped. Their eyes widened in sheer, blood-curdling panic.

"R-Really?" Weiss forced out, her voice pitching up an octave as she desperately tried to act normal.

"What... what about it?"

"Yeah, the furniture looks surprisingly similar to that weird lamp I grabbed back in the Mistral basement," Saitama noted mildly. Oscar, Team RWBY, and Team JNPR frantically scrambled to hide their terror. Because Saitama's penthouse was the absolute safest, most secure location on Remnant, Ozpin's group had decided to hide the divine artifact in his closet. It was originally Nora's idea, though.

"O-Oh! That!" Jaune laughed, a completely strained, highly awkward sound.

"Yeah! That lamp is a... super rare, limited-edition product! There are only two in the entire world! That's exactly why we told you not to sell the one at Haven!" Saitama comically raised his eyebrows, completely buying the ridiculous lie.

"Oh, I see. Wow, well, thank goodness you guys stopped me back then."

"Yep! So, uh..." Ren added, sweating profusely.

"You... put the lamp back in the wardrobe, right?"

"Of course," Saitama nodded firmly.

"I don't want anything to happen to the fancy furniture. I absolutely refuse to pay compensation for damages." Saitama then remembered the face of a certain headmistress in her wrath. His face became comically terrified for a moment.

"Besides... I really don't want to make the crop lady angry. She's terrifying." Oscar, Team RWBY, and Team JNPR let out a massive, collective sigh of absolute relief. They were incredibly thankful that Saitama was still entirely oblivious, viewing the Relic of Knowledge as nothing more than a high-end decorative piece. But then, Saitama tapped his chin again.

"Although..." Saitama mused aloud.

"I've been meaning to tell you guys about a really weird experience I had in my bedroom." The teenagers stared at him, their curiosity momentarily overriding their panic.

"What do you mean?" Blake asked.

"Well, you see..." Saitama explained casually.

"Right before I put the weird lamp back, my bedroom suddenly changed. Everything turned black and white. And then, something came out of the furniture." The eyes of all nine teenagers expanded to the absolute limits of human physiology.

"W-What came out of the lamp?!" Ruby gasped, her voice trembling. Saitama looked at them, his face a perfectly flat, unbothered oval.

"A giant, naked blue lady." Silence.

"A... a blue lady?" Oscar repeated, completely stunned.

"Yeah," Saitama nodded.

"She came out of the smoke. She told me she was... uh... some kind of knowledge being, or whatever." Saitama vaguely recalling the incident"She asked me what I wanted to know. She said she could answer any question." The nine teenagers stared at Saitama, their jaws practically hitting the titanium floor. Their minds were racing at a million miles an hour.

"So..." Yang breathed, her violet eyes wide with absolute, desperate anticipation.

"What... what did you ask her?" Saitama shrugged lazily.

"Nothing," Saitama answered truthfully.

"I was way too sleepy back then. I had just eaten a massive hot pot with you guys. I didn't even know what to ask her. Plus, she could have been a scam artist trying to sell me something."

"Then what happened?!" Weiss shrieked, losing her composure entirely.

"She laughed, went back into the lamp, and then I put the lamp back in the wardrobe," Saitama finished casually.

"And I went to sleep." Hearing this, Oscar, Team RWBY, and Team JNPR fell into a dead, absolute, and profoundly shocked silence. Their minds flashed back to the freezing Vault in Atlas. They vividly remembered Ozpin looking them dead in the eye, explicitly telling them that the Lamp will only ever answer three questions every one hundred years, and that the questions were used before he sealed it away. But Saitama had just casually triggered the artifact. The Lamp wasn't empty.

There was an entity inside of it, explicitly offered him a question. Saitama blinked, looking at the nine teenagers who were currently staring into space as if their entire reality had just shattered.

"Uh... you guys okay?" Saitama asked, comically confused. Oscar, Team RWBY, and Team JNPR violently snapped back to reality.

"W-We're fine! Perfectly fine!" Pyrrha stammered frantically.

"Do you guys know anything about that weird giant blue lady?" Saitama asked curiously. The teenagers shook their heads with frantic, desperate speed.

"No! Absolutely not!" Jaune laughed incredibly awkward.

"You... you were probably just really tired, Saitama! It was definitely just a hallucination! Or a really weird dream!" Saitama stared at them with his usual flat face, blinking slowly. Oscar, Team RWBY, and Team JNPR stared back, sweating bullets, praying to the Brother Gods that he would buy the lie.

"Hmm," Saitama pondered for a second.

"That makes sense. I did eat a lot of beef that night." Saitama completely bought the lie. He shrugged off the strange, cosmic occurrence and turned toward Neo, who was tapping her foot impatiently by the Bullhead.

"Well then, I gotta go before the brat throws a tantrum," Saitama said, waving his hand.

"See ya, kids."

"S-See you, Saitama!" the teenagers chorused, forcing wide, awkward smiles as they waved him off. They stood in absolute silence, watching the bald hero walk across the courtyard and board the Bullhead with Neopolitan. They waited until the aircraft's engines roared to life, and the ship took off, disappearing into the Atlesian sky. Slowly, agonizingly, Team RWBY and Team JNPR turned their heads. They looked at Oscar Pine, who looked just as confused and horrified as they did.

But Team RWBY and Team JNPR weren't staring at Oscar. Their eyes were narrowed into sharp, lethal slits, burning with a profound, furious betrayal as they stared directly at the ancient, lying soul residing inside of him.