Battle at Lapse Headquarters

Meanwhile, the Sages returned to their pale office.

— It seems things returned to normal then.

— We must still keep a close eye on Killerkill.

— I disagree. We are lucky she was the one who resolved this incident.

— Her duty to the organization comes first. Whatever it is she knows about the VSS, the anti-humans or the Wetlands. It will not concern any of us.

— Until she utilizes any secrets to her and her squadrons’s benefits…

— It shouldn’t hurt to remain vigilant, after all.

The Sages agree. It is improbable to think that Killerkill would create a problem based on her own selfish desires. She simply wasn’t that type of person. A sudden knock on the door calls their attention. It was wildly understood, that unless called, you should not disturb the directors. This must be quite important, or quite stupid.

The door opens to reveal an unfriendly figure.

— Utter fools…

He enters like a phantom and the doors close behind him. The Sages are assaulted with the horrific vision of Despise. Who forced them to be locked in a room with him.

— Your imminent annihilation…

— Despise…

The Meteor Blade is drawn.

— Has been demanded.

And scorching air engulfs the room. A thunderous pressure emanates from him, repelling everything away from him. The light coming from the blade is blinding. A literal sun took presence in that room. Their legs, along with the tables and walls are vanquished by the heat wave from the draw. And then, with perfect posture, he attacked. The Lapse is sliced in half. A wave of sun fire, so intense it seemed like a laser that cut through the entire building.

The old men are incinerated. They didn’t even have time to make sense of the situation. And with every swing, a part of them disappeared from this world. They didn’t know what Despise was trying to achieve. What drove him to this point or what Limbo had even ordered him to do. Either way, they were purged without a second to think about their ending.

The Searchers present in the Lapse feel the impact, like a quick, yet vicious explosion.

— What now-

Juice is interrupted, struck by another stray book. Franchise and Killerkill run to the edge and see the side of the building. Blazing red energy could be seen rupturing out the walls. It was easy to recognize such devastating power.

— That’s Despise… — Franchise worried.

— That’s the Sages Office!!! — Killerkill worried more.

Despise had already sheathed the blade when the directors turned to dust.

— I am… finished.

Epicenter and Useless enter the black room and witnesses their ally.

— It took you ten seconds to do this? Thought you’d be faster.

— I still have… more to do.

— Go for it bud.

Despise exits the room and leaves the woman on their own. The tall woman draws her knife and heads towards the entrance to the vault, inside the director’s office. Useless simply followed, muttering things she hates about herself. From the rooftops, Killerkill orders Franchise and Ragnarok to intervene and take her along.

The first woman jumps by herself and presses her mace against the walls to slow her descent towards the flaming hole. Franchise and Killerkill hold each other and jump together. Turning to face the building, the man licked his fingers and once he had a good view on the entrance, swiped the air. Cutting the space between them, Franchise and Killerkill are thrown inside. Ragnarok lands inside an instant later.

— What about us? — Imperium asked.

— Let’s go through the inside. — Juice spoke.

— We can check on everyone else too. — Evangelist agreed.

Turning back, they see another person enter the rooftop.

— Oh my…

Limbo walks their way.

— I thought Killergirl would be here.

— She just left… what do you want Limbo?

— I wanted to invite her on a date. — Limbo blushes shyly.

Ragnarok, Killerkill and Franchise look for Despise but heading towards the Vault’s entrance they witness Epicenter and Useless. The giant metal doors of the vault had been crumbled and made into rust. Probably because of the flames moments earlier.

— Stop right there!! — Killer ordered.

— Get your groove on. — Epicenter told her short creepy ally.

— I’M GONNA GO FOR IT!! — Useless yelled. — I’M GONNA BE USEFUL!!

The three become mildly startled by the sudden screaming coming from such a quiet and reserved looking Searcher. Another explosion takes place by the entrance of the Lapse. A gigantic pillar of fire, akin to a solar flare, ravaged the entrance. Despise called attention to himself once more after starting a battle with other squadrons.

— A date?! Why?! — Imperium asked.

— I feel like we understood each other. Oh well, I should be talking about such personal stuff. I guess since you’re here… I can do something too.

Limbo’s blue eyes stare through the trio. Many Searchers answer the call of distress, just outside the Lapse’s doors. The Meteor Blade, Despise, had gone rouge. The swordsman was soon surrounded by all the six hundred Searchers, present at the time. Other Captains were also present, hurrying to the main point.

— Captain!! I can’t contact Limbo!

— I can’t contact the Sages either!!

— What the hell is happening!?

As Despise ravaged the masses with his sun-laser sword, he began to be affected by all sorts of VSS’s. What he and the other Captains knew, was that an all-out battle like this could not go in his favor. Eventually, he would be overwhelmed by all sorts of abilities, that he had no knowledge of.

— This position… is unfavorable. — He says after killing the 40th Searcher.

— DESPISE!

One of the many Captains that gathered shouted.

— YOU ARE HEREBY DECLARED A TRAITOR TO THE LAPSE AND YOUR PUNISHMENT IS INSTANT DEATH.

— Would you like to… have an advantage?

— What?!

— I can close… my eyes.

The Searchers grow intimidated by his stare, while their Captains become furious.

— Maybe then… your position… will be favorable.

The thin blade itself was black as coal and about 50% longer than his entire arm. It was made out of the pure rock that consisted of the comet that created the wetlands. When moved through oxygen it would make it combust. But the energy generated was mostly contained inside of it. Causing the sword to overheat and spill out plasma. The sun rays were like projectiles, giant slashes of pure heat that gave Despise range and a massive area of effect. As to how he acquired this weapon, an unknown story. Not to mention the man’s own VSS. Despise was a big problem.

— Surround and subdue him!! — A captain yelled.

— Don’t let him use his VSS!!! — Another captain ordered.

Finally converging, the Thirty-Five Captains move against Despise, for that was a problem that needed to be dealt with as immediately as possible. Some searchers were still present to support them, but they began to retreat back into the Lapse as it was both a safer and smarter option. Who knows what the rest of the Draught were up to.

Water and lighting come from above to strike the swordsman but Despise saw it coming. Swiping from left to right, a colossal flare expands upwards, consuming every attack directed towards him. A Captain that could move through objects came from the dirt, to grab Despise by the feet. In his mind, if he could probably remove both his legs by phasing him into the ground.

— Fox…

Despise noticed the Captain not before he was shot in the shoulder with an arrow. Another Captain managed to use their ability on Despise to control the air the man breathed. The swordsman swings down to explode the ground and rid the world of the Captain beneath him.

— Leaves…

The air inside and outside Despise is turned into obsidian. And man is trapped inside a ball to suffocate to death. The Captains knew it was already hard to talk to the enemy Searcher and like his own captain, he wasn’t very liked. Whether, he was following an order, lost his absolute mind or was even being brainwashed by a hidden enemy, did not matter. This was among the most optimal of situations. A chance to get rid of Despise with no questions asked.

— Palace…

Nonetheless, the blade melted the sphere. The others are simply forced to watch an incandescent beam severe the black molten stone. In order to give more time to her allies, the captain used her obsidian sphere again but Despise took aim at her. Thrusting his sword forward, a cannon of flame cut through the battlefield, killing three captains at once.

— Moon…

Despise spins, scorching the grounds around him. The words that accompanied the strokes had no particular meaning. And the other searchers definitely found no meaning in them. Despise used the first words that came to his head to maintain his focus in battle. A technique he learned during his training.