We open to Ruby giving her mother's monument the run down of the past two seasons and after a few reveals and lampshading the naming choice of the writers, Ruby is off. It's the first day of the 40th annual Vytal Festival Tournament and its team RWBY vs. team ABRN. But while this battle occurs, there are shadows beginning to stir under the light of this event.

In which a mysterious location is uncovered.

In which a choice must be made.

The first episode of the new volume kicks off with a splash as Teams RWBY and JNPR take over the hall for a food fight.

Ruby has been taken hostage by Torchwick and the White Fang, but just as team WBY rescues her, Torchwick sets his plan in motion. On the train, team RWBY splits up and does battle with various enemies, while trying to stop the train and prevent it from unloading more bombs.

Trapped between two huge Grimm, eight students split up into the nascent Teams RWBY and JNPR in a fight for survival.

Team RWBY takes on Roman Torchwick in an epic urban battle, but he has an ace up his sleeve... called Neo.

The fight for Haven continues, but now it's time for our heroes to turn the tides, especially now that a long lost ally has returned with an army at her back.

While everyone enjoys the school dance, Ruby and Jaune struggle to fit in. Ruby's problem is solved when she spots a villain that is up to no good while Jaune solves his by honouring a rather unorthodox promise he made.

While the rest of Team RWBY search for the missing Blake, Blake and Sun investigate the local White Fang activities.

Grimm are attacking Vale, and it's up to team RWBY and friends to defeat them.

RNJR and Oscar train and discuss Semblances. Meanwhile, Yang confronts her mother while Weiss prepares her own escape.

Ruby talks relics with Ozpin and Qrow while Raven meets with Leo. Meanwhile, the attack on the Belladonna house is still going on. Blake and Ilia fight for their ideals.

While Team RWBY prepare for the school ball, Ruby worries about Blake's state of health. Yang, however, has a plan for dealing with Blake that she is certain will succeed.

Weiss performs at the charity concert but remains critical of all the attendees and guests for their shallow and dismissive behavior towards Beacon. At the after party, she is enraged upon hearing a woman mock the Fall of Beacon and inadvertently summons a Boarbatusk. In Mistral, Team RNJR comes across an abandoned town called Oniyuri. Before they can leave, Tyrian ambushes them and is revealed to be a scorpion Faunus. He easily defeats them but is stopped in time by Qrow.

Dr. Oobleck takes Team RWBY on reconnaissance to an abandoned city that is teaming with Grimm. While the girls fight, Oobleck interrogates their reasons for wanting to become Huntresses.

Weiss, Blake and Yang discuss their motivations for becoming huntresses. While everyone sleeps, Ruby discovers a White Fang patrol but gets captured while trying to follow them.

Ozpin informs Oscar that their souls and Aura have merged and they can access each other's memories. While Oscar is reluctant to accept this, Ozpin urges him to go to Mistral to carry out an important task. In Atlas, Weiss is blamed for hurting the Schnees' reputation and, as a result, is confined her to her room and disinherited. In Oniyuri, despite Qrow's warnings to stay back, Ruby joins him in battle. Tyrian grazes him with his stinger. Ruby cuts off the stinger, forcing Tyrian to retreat.

Ren and Nora's past is revealed through a flashback: years ago, Kuroyuri is attacked by Grimm, led by a Nuckelavee, and Ren's parents are killed. Ren's Semblance activates when he sees Nora in danger, which calms him down and hides their presence from the Grimm. In the present, Ren and Nora realize that the Nuckelavee is headed towards Ruby, Jaune, and Qrow.

While Jaune moves Qrow to safety, Ren begins fighting the Nuckelavee recklessly until Nora calms him down. Team RNJR then comes up with a coordinated strategy and Ren successfully executes the Grimm. Two patrolling military airships from Mistral arrive and they take Team RNJR to Mistral. Ruby and her group plan to visit Professor Lionheart at Haven Academy once Qrow's injuries are fully healed. Unbeknownst to them, he is working for Watts. In a post-credits scene, Oscar approaches Qrow in a bar and identifies himself as Ozpin. Qrow returns his cane.

Professor Lionheart's method of passing information to Salem is revealed and Weiss' transport runs afoul of the Grimm. Meanwhile, Adam and Hazel meet with Sienna Khan, who is extremely angry with Adam's attack on Beacon Academy.

The fight with Salem's group gets more intense as Weiss is injured, Hazel goes into a furious rage, and Cinder enters the vault.

Team RWBY start their investigation of the White Fang and Ruby learns a little bit more about their strange friend, Penny.

Ruby and company meet with Lionheart, who is less than thrilled to see that not only is everyone armed but there are more people than he thought.

Team RWBY's cohesion collapses when an argument about the White Fang becomes personal for both Weiss and Blake.