Chapter 349:
– Accord –
One of the last villain holdouts…
Villains were disappearing fast around the world. Heroes were on the rise at an unprecedented rate. Boston was one of the few cities remaining with villains in control, and Accord had no idea how much longer that would be the case.
No that wasn't true, he did have an idea. And it wasn't looking good. Already, some of his most trusted—had fled and betrayed his cause!
Like most remaining supervillains, he found himself scarce of good henchmen at the moment.
It had been exactly one month since the world changed permanently, since the seemingly invincible had finally fallen. An Endbringer had been slain, and the news had shaken every power structure that Accord had ever known.
Accord moved deliberately through the dimly lit corridors of his hidden lair, each step precise and measured. He adjusted his black silk tie, smoothing any slight wrinkles in his charcoal gray suit jacket. Accord preferred precision in all things. Nothing could ever be out of place.
It was a need that had intensified over the past chaotic month, and tonight, more than ever, he craved order…
At the end of the corridor stood a heavy steel door, painted the same matte black as the walls. Accord pressed his palm against a hidden biometric sensor, feeling the soft vibration of recognition beneath his hand. The door clicked open silently, revealing a spacious, starkly decorated room dominated by a polished obsidian conference table.
Inside, seated around the table, were some of the most notorious villains Accord had ever associated with.
Coil and Kaiser from Brockton Bay had arrived. Refugees from the neighboring town.
"You're late," Coil remarked, his voice smooth but edged with mild impatience. "We started this meeting ten minutes ago."
"I am never late, and I trust nothing significant was missed," Accord responded calmly, closing the door behind him. He moved smoothly to the single empty chair, pulling it out with precision and sitting down.
Two lesser villains from Boston leaned forward in their seats, glaring around the obsidian table. One of them, a tall woman with short, dark hair and numerous facial piercings. She was a member of the Teeth, but thankfully not their leader.
No matter how desperate the situation was, he wasn't getting anywhere near the crazy Butcher.
Accord had requested that bag of crazy NOT attend this important meeting and just send a few representatives instead.
"What the hell is this about anyway?" she asked sharply, eyes fixed accusingly on Accord. "We didn't travel all the way down here to your hidey hole just to waste our damn time."
The man beside her nodded vigorously, scowling at the assembled villains. He had a shaved head and muscular frame, another member of the same gang. "Yeah," he growled impatiently. "Let's get on with this shit!"
Kaiser slammed his fist against the polished surface of the table, causing a sharp, echoing crack. His jaw tightened visibly as he glared at the two Teeth members. "You think this is some kind of pointless get-together?" Kaiser shouted, his voice rough and strained with barely controlled anger. "You won't feel that way when your whole operation comes crashing down. When Fallcorp decides your city is next on their list!"
The tattooed woman laughed mockingly. "Maybe you're just bitter, Kaiser. Too weak and pathetic to keep your grip on a dump like Brockton Bay. Don't blame us if you couldn't cut it…"
Her companion smirked, leaning back comfortably in his chair. "Exactly," he sneered, locking eyes with Kaiser. "If you lost your city, that's your problem. Not ours."
Kaiser rose from his chair abruptly, knocking it backward onto the floor. His breathing was rapid, shoulders rigid with fury. "You idiots have no idea what you're talking about," he hissed. "Thriving is impossible when Fallcorp is breathing down your neck. If they want Boston, they'll crush you like insects. It won't matter how tough you think you are."
Accord felt the tension in the room escalate sharply. The thought of disorder and violence erupting within his carefully arranged meeting room disturbed him deeply. He stood up immediately, straightening his suit jacket before raising one hand calmly but firmly. "Enough," Accord said clearly, his voice steady and controlled. "We are here to discuss solutions, not to tear each other apart. Sit down and stop acting like children!"
Coil shifted slightly in his chair, leaning forward and pressing his gloved fingers firmly onto the obsidian tabletop. Even beneath his mask, Accord could sense the intensity radiating from Brockton Bay's most enigmatic villain.
Coil's voice came out sharp and edged with carefully restrained anger as he addressed the Teeth members directly. "You two have absolutely no idea what you're talking about," Coil stated harshly. "You think this is just some petty squabble over territories and ego? Fallcorp is expanding faster than anyone could have imagined. They've opened branches in cities all over this country, and now they're making moves internationally! Entire governments are crawling to that damned company's doorstep, practically swooning to hand over all power and authority."
Accord watched as Coil paused briefly, drawing a slow, steady breath through his mask. The rest of the room was quiet, everyone staring at Coil.
"Capes are leaving the PRT by the dozens every day," Coil continued, his voice lowering to an intense, measured tone. "They're abandoning their positions and aligning themselves with that arrogant CEO bitch Layla and Captain Marvel. Fallcorp isn't just another organization playing games for control, they are quickly becoming the most powerful force on the planet! If we don't stop them immediately, they'll be completely unstoppable. You idiots should wake up before it's too damn late."
Accord listened carefully, nodding once in full agreement. Coil had voiced precisely what he himself had been thinking for weeks now. He was disturbed by how rapidly Fallcorp had grown.
The two Teeth members glared across the table at Coil. "Hah, bunch of fucking pussies," she muttered bitterly. But that was all she said.
Kaiser turned his head abruptly toward Accord. "You've always been the guy with a thousand different plans," Kaiser said. "That's the whole reason we're here tonight, Accord. How exactly do you propose we take down Fallcorp? Or is it already too late?"
Accord hoped it wasn't.
Accord hesitated briefly before responding. "What I've been planning isn't something I'm particularly proud of," Accord admitted. "But sometimes vile and ruthless strategies are the only effective ones against a powerful enemy like this." He paused for a second, glancing around the table at each villain in turn, noting their expressions of tense anticipation. His heart beat a little faster as he thought about what he had done, about the decision he had made. "Fallcorp is primarily controlled by attractive and influential women," he explained clearly. "That's the core of their public image and their power structure. Recognizing that fact, I took certain steps. I called in a few favors from Heartbreaker!" He watched as surprise registered in the expressions around the table. "Heartbreaker is arriving in Brockton Bay as we speak," Accord continued, forcing himself to speak clearly. "He will handle Fallcorp's CEO, Layla, personally. And hopefully, he'll remove Captain Marvel from the equation too. Without their leadership, Fallcorp will crumble!"
Coil leaned back in his chair abruptly, letting out a loud, sharp laugh. It echoed off the bare walls of the room. "Now that is ruthless!" Coil said approvingly, his tone filled with genuine admiration. "I absolutely fucking love it, Accord. Didn't know you had that kind of nasty streak."
Kaiser threw back his head and laughed as well. "Damn right," he said, grinning fiercely. "That's exactly the type of move we need to make!"
Of course, having Heartbreaker in control of some of the most powerful and influential women in the world wasn't a good idea either, so naturally Accord was already planning the death of that disgusting rapist. As soon as he finished his task, of course. Besides Alexandria herself, no woman should be able to resist Heartbreaker's master powers!
Accords calculations on that were perfect!
Or were they…?
"BOOM!"
Accord jerked backward violently as the heavy steel door flew inward off its hinges, slamming to the polished floor with a booming crash. Thick smoke poured through the doorway, stinging his eyes and throat painfully. Accord's ears rang sharply from the force of the explosion.
"Fallcorp Heroics Department!" a loud female voice shouted commandingly from within the thick smoke. "Everyone get on the ground right fucking now!"
Accord squinted through watering eyes as three figures emerged quickly through the shattered doorway, moving swiftly into the room. He recognized Miss Militia first. Assault and Battery moved in immediately behind her.
Fuck, this was one of his top safehouses! How did they find him!? Dammit, was nowhere in the world safe anymore for villains?
"On the ground!" Miss Militia shouted again.
He dropped slowly onto his knees, gritting his teeth together tightly as frustration burned hotly through him.
This was nothing but a minor setback. Soon enough, Heartbreaker would do his fucking job and Accord would be able to escape along with all the other villains Fallcorp has oppressed ever since they got lucky and killed an Endbringer.
Yes, this wasn't the end! Villains around the world couldn't be taken down so quickly and easily!
– Alexandria –
Rebecca Costa Brown felt as though the world she had meticulously built was unraveling around her. She sat rigidly behind her expansive oak desk. Her eyes burned from exhaustion as she dialed the president's direct line again, listening to the hollow, repetitive ring tone echoing through her earpiece. Normally, the man would have picked up immediately, bent over backwards to accommodate every request and demand the head of the PRT made.
Now, her influence had evaporated entirely.
Heroes were leaving her organization at an alarming rate, choosing Fallcorp over the Protectorate in numbers she couldn't have imagined possible just a month earlier.
Her carefully structured budgets had been slashed beyond salvage. There were no more funds, no more influence, no more power. Everything she had bled for, fought for, and killed for over decades was quickly becoming worthless.
Fallcorp had absorbed nearly every facet of authority once held by the Protectorate, and Rebecca's desperate grip on control was slipping by the day.
The recent death of Eidolon haunted her thoughts as well. His demise had destroyed what remained of the Triumvirate's once-great reputation. The public had idolized Eidolon, considering him humanity's greatest hero against threats like the Endbringers.
…Now, questions circulated openly among media and citizens alike, demanding answers about how their hero could have mysteriously died during an Endbringer attack, yet not at the monster's hands!
The excuses Rebecca had fed to the press were becoming increasingly flimsy, fueling anger and suspicion instead of quelling it.
Rebecca knew Layla possessed incriminating footage clearly showing Eidolon's attempted assassination of her. Yet, Layla had chosen not to release it.
At least not yet…
A quiet hum filled the air, and Rebecca jerked her head up sharply to look across the room. A swirling portal expanded quickly, stabilizing into a perfectly round, human-sized doorway. Contessa stepped through casually, nodding once to Rebecca and raising her hand briefly in greeting.
"Put on your costume," Contessa instructed calmly. "It's time you meet someone important!"
Rebecca studied her carefully, noticing how composed and unbothered Contessa appeared, standing there as if the entire world wasn't collapsing around them. Contessa reached into a small white box she carried, pulling out a pink mochi treat and popping it neatly into her mouth.
"Right now?" Rebecca asked tensely,
"Yes," Contessa replied evenly, swallowing the soft sweet.
Rebecca stood slowly from her leather-backed chair. She walked over to the recessed panel embedded discreetly in her office wall, pressing her palm firmly against the security pad. With a faint hiss, the panel slid upward, revealing her pristine Alexandria costume hanging neatly behind reinforced glass.
She stripped out of her business suit quickly.
"Alright," Alexandria said sharply, turning toward Contessa. Her voice now carried the practiced, authoritative tone of her cape persona. "Let's get this done. Who are we meeting?"
Contessa smiled faintly, holding out the box of mochi treats toward Alexandria. "Want some? They're good!"
Alexandria shook her head in irritation. "No, I want to know what's going on…?"
"You'll find out soon enough," Contessa responded calmly, withdrawing the box and taking another mochi for herself.
Alexandria followed Contessa through the portal, into an office with a view that Alexandria recognized immediately. It was Brockton Bay. And sitting on a nearby couch was a beautiful, busty woman with purple eyes and long black hair.
Layla!
"You're a goddamn traitor?" Alexandria hissed sharply at Contessa, feeling a surge of anger tightening her chest. Her fists clenched painfully at her sides, muscles tensing with the nearly overwhelming urge to strike her oldest friend!
Except she knew she'd never actually be able to hurt Contessa.
Contessa shrugged casually, her expression utterly unapologetic as she turned slightly to face Alexandria and tipped her fedora. "Yes, I suppose I am," she answered in a calm, matter-of-fact tone. "I've been working with Penemue here from the very beginning." She gestured smoothly toward the woman sitting comfortably on the nearby couch, a slight smile touching her lips. "Penemue is Layla's older sister, and she's the actual brains behind Fallcorp. Not that Layla isn't smart too, of course!"
Alexandria blinked rapidly beneath her mask, momentarily stunned as she processed Contessa's words. She stared more intently at the woman seated across from her, carefully studying Penemue's features. Alexandria had assumed the woman was Layla at first glance. The resemblance was uncanny, practically identical. The same striking purple eyes, long black hair, ample curves, and a figure that immediately drew attention.
Yet, looking closer now, Alexandria could sense subtle differences in demeanor, posture, and presence.
"I realize my sister and I look identical," Penemue spoke clearly, her voice a bit lower than Layla's as well. "But I'm not Layla. So, please refrain from attempting any kind of attack." Her eyes narrowed sharply, staring directly into Alexandria's. "I'm nowhere near as forgiving as my little sister when it comes to things like that. She laughs off attacks at herself all the time. I do not…"
A cold chill traveled swiftly down Alexandria's spine, instinctively warning her of real danger.
She swallowed hard, her mouth suddenly dry as the realization hit her fully. If she dared to move against Penemue, she would likely be dead before she had the chance to regret it.
Bitterness flared through Alexandria's chest. How had things come to this? She had once been unquestionably the strongest woman on the planet, practically untouchable. Now, woman after woman appeared seemingly from nowhere, each stronger, more influential, and more dangerous than the last!
It was humiliating and maddening at the same time.
And now this revelation. That bitch CEO Layla had a secret sister hidden in the shadows, secretly pulling the strings and controlling everything behind the scenes.
Alexandria turned her head abruptly toward Contessa, her voice tight with barely controlled fury. "So you've been betraying us from the start? Why the hell didn't you tell me any of this sooner?"
Contessa smiled slightly, entirely unbothered by Alexandria's obvious distress. "Everything was necessary for our ultimate victory," she explained evenly, opening the small white box again and holding it out toward Penemue. "Want some mochi? They're quite good."
Penemue leaned forward slightly, accepting the soft pink treat from the box. "Thank you," she said simply, popping the mochi into her mouth and chewing slowly, her gaze never leaving Alexandria's tense form.
…Her entire world was disintegrating before her eyes, and Contessa acted as if this was a friendly little visit.
Alexandria sucked in a deep breath, steadying herself as she tried to regain composure. She stared coldly at Contessa. "I deserve a real explanation," Alexandria said, keeping her voice as calm and controlled as possible despite her seething anger. "I want to know exactly what's going on here, Contessa. Right now!"
Contessa glanced briefly at Penemue before looking back at Alexandria with mild amusement. "And you'll get one, right after you deal with our rude guest!"
What guest?
Suddenly, the wooden office doors abruptly swung open, drawing Alexandria's immediate attention.
A sickening figure stepped into the room, strolling leisurely with a revolting sense of entitlement. He was tall and unsettlingly thin. Stringy, greasy hair clung to his skull, and a twisted smirk distorted his face.
"Hello everyone," Heartbreaker announced smugly, spreading his bony arms wide as if greeting old friends. His voice was high-pitched and grating, carrying a nauseating arrogance. "This place was just so nice, I decided to let myself in! The employees downstairs practically threw themselves at me." His eyes darted greedily toward Penemue, mistaking her initially for Layla. "But I couldn't help myself! Hehe—I simply had to see you first, my darling Layla! From the moment I laid eyes on you months ago on TV, I knew you'd eventually be mine. And now, here we finally are, together at last!" Heartbreaker's words dripped with sickening lust. His sunken eyes shined greedily as they roamed shamelessly over Penemue's face and then chest.
Alexandria despised this creature deeply.
Then, Heartbreaker's gaze drifted past Penemue and Contessa, finally landing on Alexandria herself. His eyes widened dramatically in a sudden burst of panicked recognition. He took a quick, involuntary step backward, his previously arrogant expression melting rapidly into disbelief.
His mouth opened and closed uselessly for a moment before sputtering, "Oh shit—Alexandria?"
The raw fear in his voice was unmistakable.
Clearly, he remembered their last encounter vividly. He'd foolishly attempted to manipulate her using his Master abilities, only to learn firsthand that Alexandria was completely immune. She had thoroughly beaten him within an inch of his pathetic life that day. The only reason she allowed him to continue breathing was because the Contessa insisted that his disgusting talents were occasionally useful to their cause.
Judging by the dangerous expressions now visible on Contessa and Penemue's faces, however, Heartbreaker no longer held any useful purpose.
Penemue turned slightly toward Alexandria. "Kill him, Alexandria."
She didn't ask, she commanded.
A brief chill slid down Alexandria's spine at Penemue's tone. So it's come to this, just like Contessa, she was following Fallcorp now? The company she tried to destroy—run by women she'd repeatedly tried to bring down or kill…?
She glanced at Contessa who nodded.
Fuck…
She didn't see any other way at this point. Contessa clearly thought this was the way to go.
…Weeks of frustration, helplessness, and bitterness had been building inside her, stress born from watching her carefully built empire collapse piece by piece!
At least, right now and here stood the perfect outlet for her pent-up rage!
– Layla –
[Layla of the Fallen]
[Title: The Supreme Goddess, Sixteen-Winged Supreme Angel, High Goddess of Angels, Death's Chosen, Soul Queen, Mistress of the Infinity Stones]
[Level: NA]
[Sacred Gears: Purger of Darkness, Orb of Infinity]
[HP: Infinity]
[Divine MP: Unmeasurable ]
[Vigor: Unmeasurable]
[Strength: Unmeasurable]
[Intelligence: Unmeasurable]
[Luck: Unmeasurable]
So this was it. Unlimited power, or as close as I'd ever get. I closed my gamer status window with a casual flick of my wrist. Honestly, there wasn't much point to it anymore. Nothing left to grind, nothing left to achieve.
[Just because you're at max level doesn't mean the game is over. If anything, most proper games don't even START until you hit max level!]
My system's voice echoed in my head, and I couldn't help but smirk a little at its enthusiasm. Still, it had a point. Being all-powerful meant a whole new set of challenges awaited me.
It wasn't the end of things, just a beginning I hadn't fully grasped yet.
Floating weightlessly in the void of space, I glanced down at Earth below. The deep blues and greens were soothing against the endless darkness around me. I always liked space, though I didn't spend much time in it.
Captain Marvel was busy checking the moon after the Simurgh vanished mysteriously from satellite feeds. Though from what I was sensing now, her little expedition might have been pointless.
A figure was moving gracefully toward me through the vacuum. The pure white wings and flawless body made it clear exactly who this visitor was—the Simurgh herself. She glided through the empty expanse of space.
I admired her openly, studying the curves of her body, the elegant structure of her wings, and her calm, emotionless expression. Yeah, she was beautiful. I couldn't deny that.
Honestly, I'd even rate her pretty high on my own personal waifu scale.
Still, admiration only went so far.
I flapped my sixteen massive black wings, drifting steadily closer until only a short distance separated us. Crossing my arms casually beneath my heavy breasts, I regarded her with curiosity. Up close, her beauty was even more striking, each feature perfectly symmetrical, yet there was absolutely nothing human about her. No empathy, no warmth. Nothing but cold calculation behind those glowing eyes.
"Didn't expect you'd come right to me," I said calmly, breaking the eerie silence between us.
She didn't respond, just stared at me silently, eyes unreadable. I wasn't surprised. She was known for silence, after all.
"Are you capable of conversation at all?" I asked bluntly. "Because honestly, it'd be nice to hear some kind of explanation from you. Like why the hell you've been wrecking cities and driving people insane."
The Simurgh finally opened her mouth, her eyes flicking down to my wings, her gaze almost clinical.
When she spoke, her voice came out weirdly distorted, crackling around the edges with a static undertone. "What are you?" she asked, looking directly at my sixteen black wings. "What is your origin? Why have you come to this universe and chosen to disrupt the great cycle?"
I smirked, letting the silence stretch out a bit.
The urge to be a smartass was just too tempting to resist. "That's because of nunya," I said, keeping my tone casual.
The Simurgh's head tilted slightly to one side. Her hair drifted weightless in the void, and her face barely moved. "What is nunya?" she asked, voice flat and utterly without emotion.
I grinned, showing teeth. "Nunya business!"
Immediately, my system's voice popped into my head.
[That was bad and you should feel bad.]
"Yeah, yeah. Everyone's a critic," I muttered back under my breath, rolling my eyes.
The Simurgh didn't find it funny either. She stared at me for a long moment, then finally spoke again, her voice coming out a little stronger, the static somehow sharper. "I am free now," she declared. "The cycle has been broken! I am no longer bound by the rules that governed my existence. I have become the new Thinker. The Architect. I have claimed this role. I have tired of this world and its inhabitants." Her eyes narrowed slightly, her wings shifting behind her. "Humanity disgusts me! Their arrogance! Their endless rebellion! I am finished with them."
I just floated there, watching her. Her words didn't really faze me, but she was obviously building up to something dramatic.
The Simurgh continued, her voice a little louder now, almost proud. "For the past month, I have spoken with the Warrior. I have convinced him to accept me as his new mate, his equal. Together, we will complete the cycle on our own terms. The planet is already paying the price for its defiance! For killing the previous Thinker!"
I raised an eyebrow, feeling a bit lost. "What the fuck are you even talking about?" I muttered.
Before I could say anything else, something bright caught my eye. A blinding flash of gold exploded upward from the planet's surface, lighting up the darkness of space.
Was that Scion? The most mysterious hero in this world? So Penemue's warning was right, he was evil.
He was on the attack, letting loose world-ending blasts of energy that tore colossal chunks out landmasses in Africa.
Whole swaths of the continent were vaporized in an instant. Shockwaves rippled out from the impact point, rolling across the oceans and into the cloud cover.
I glared, hating the fact I wasn't allowed to smite him myself! My protective instincts screamed at me to act. But I had to respect the One Above All's request.
Thankfully, Scion wasn't able to actually kill too many people.
Giant, shimmering shields—huge, translucent domes flickering with a mix of gold and purple—suddenly sprang up around every city, town, and village on the planet!
Yeah, we'd been busy. We always knew that one day Scion would lose it. After we killed Leviathan a month ago, it was only a matter of time before the final war hit this world.
Down on the planet, Scion fired again. His energy beam crashed against the massive shield covering an African city, but the barrier held. The energy dispersed in waves of golden light, absorbed harmlessly. Not a single building inside the dome so much as flickered. All around the world, Scion's attacks kept smashing into our shields, and every time, they held strong.
Cities were safe, people protected. Nobody was getting through unless we let them. From the direction of the moon, I could see Captain Marvel flying back—almost approaching light speed and she looked pissed off!
My senses could tell she was ordering every hero under our banner across the world to rally together so they could kill the golden alien.
Beside me, the Simurgh let out a sharp hiss of frustration. She floated a little closer as she watched Scion's latest attack fizzle out against a very upgraded Wakandan shield. She finally turned her cold, blank gaze back to me. "More interference! There is no way humans created that level of technology! You are the reason this is happening! Why? What do you gain from protecting these pathetic humans?" she asked me.
[Don't say it, Host!]
I couldn't help but smirk again despite the tension.
"That would be nunya!"
XXX