Villain Retirement

"School, huh..."

A click and a whir smoothly whispered in the air as V continued surveying the area; her mecha suit, almost looked like it was dancing as it showed her somewhat childish excitement,

"I bet some of the students here are older than me," V then breathed out as her eyes landed on the gates of the Academy, "Although I wouldn't really know since I haven't been into one before."

"As it should be," Butcher, who had been quietly observing beside Empress, finally opened his mouth, "There was a 100% chance that you would have killed everyone with the electric discharge coming out of your body."

"I will have you know that my control is at 150%! You're just jealous because you've always been 100% bald!"

"What does that even have to do with any–"

"Focus, everyone!"

And before the members of the Hope Guild could continue to talk, Empress waved her hand– causing a slight wind to erupt with the sheer force of her swing; the rings on her arm, dangling like the chimes of a bell loudly as she did so.

"Remember our goal!" She bellowed as her eyebrows began to furrow, "Our priority is not to capture or kill Dark Millenium, but to prevent her from ever entering the Academy! Bern– Whiteking, report!"

[Based on the readings, the target is still moving. Sluggishly, but recovering at an extremely fast rate.]

"...Even with all the bolts of lightning I let loose?" V's heavy breathes almost pierced through everyone's eardrums.

"I think it's fairly obvious now that we're dealing with someone we can't take it easy on," Empress then said as she took a small step forward; her eyes, not leaving the approaching silhouette for even a second,

"Our opponent is not Darkday, but we will need to face her like how we would him– without any hesitation," Empress breathed out, "So just for today, as your leader, all the damages within the vicinity, collateral, and even loss of life...

...would solely be answered by me."

"Sweet."

"Are you 100% certain about this, Empress?"

"No taking it back now, boss."

"Good, now I can still make it in time for my photo shoot."

And as soon as her words reached the other member's ears, a small smile all rose on their faces. As members of the most famous and distinguished superhero group in the world, each of them were capable of doing critical and extreme damage to a city... and they needed to make sure that they don't even leave a knick on the pavement so as to not attract the noses of the quisling reporters.

As even more so the supervillains and terrorists, their enemies were the reporters and the opinions of the masses. But of course, with Whiteking by their side, most of the damages they do would be erased from mainstream media... and with their abilities and the level of enemies they face, causing wide radial damage was something they could not escape.

But of course, so is the case with the modern internet... nothing really ever goes away.

And so, with Empress volunteering to answer for all the damages, none of them had to worry anymore and could use their powers to their fullest– with appropriate restraint, of course.

"Whiteking," Empress then whispered, "What about the citizens from the neighboring town a kilometer away from here? Have they already been evacuated?"

[You do not have to worry about anything but the Academy.]

Whiteking answered through the comms, [All the houses and establishments within a 10-kilometer radius around the Academy are all fake, no one lives there except a handful of people from the Government.]

"That's good and creepy at the same time," Tempo let out a small but deep breath.

"Bulwark..." Empress then turned to look at Bulwark, who has been quietly standing from behind them; his back, almost resting at the gates of the Academy,

"...I thought you were no longer part of our group, why are you here?"

"To make sure the Academy is safe, Empress," Bulwark answered without any hesitation. He then ever so expertly swung his fist, and as soon as he did so, threads of golden light appeared around his arm; soon turning into the shape of a shield.

"I wish all of you return safely from battle, Empress," Bulwark then was as he gently placed his palm on the Academy gate; and as soon as he did so, the invisible dome shield that protected the Academy from the outside world flickered.

Not so much that it disappeared. But rather, it even became visible– carrying a brilliance similar to that of gold bathing in the rays of the sun.

"Jeez, that was so cheesy," V breathed out as her mecha suit began to wriggle in disgust, "I know you're old, but you don't have to follow the–"

And before V could finish talking; the sound of the footsteps coming from the cloud of dust suddenly became louder. The ground beneath their feet, starting to tremble as the silhouette of Dark Millemiun walked closer and closer to them.

And soon, within the cloud, a hint of red could be seen. And ever so slowly, Dark Millenium once again revealed herself to the world– the insides of the jet-black helmet, emitting some sort of red light through the visor.

A small but very deep sigh then echoed through the air. The sigh was disgruntled and almost exploding in pitch as it seeped from Dark Millenium's helmet– most likely a damage on the voice-changing chip installed inside it.

And without saying any more words, Dark Millenium disappeared from her spot. And right when the Hope Guild thought that she would be running away, she flew straight towards them... or rather, above them. Her fist, already loaded and seemingly ready to ram its way through the gates of the Academy.

"..."

But before her fist could land on the gigantic gate, a small crack whispered in the air. Dark Millenium turned her head towards the direction of the quiet noise, only to see Empress's hand gripping her foot.

And with a smirk, Empress then rotated her body; the momentum, enough to create a skirt of wind around her arm as she swung Dark Millenium back to the ground. But before Dark Millenium's ankle could even leave Empress's hand, a grey first was already waiting for her.

"!!!"

Another crack then whispered in the air as Hera's fist cleanly connected to Dark Millenium's stomach, causing her body to fold in a curve as it shot away from the Academy.

The pavement, erupting multiple times as Dark Millenium's body violently rolled across it. Her pirouette of death, only stopped as it hit a post; which also bent and eventually fell to the ground.

"..." Dark Millenium's fingers started to flinch... but before she could even do anything, a rhythmic beat echoed through the air. And just like that, Dark Millenium's view once again shifted as she felt herself being bombarded by almost a hundred invisible strikes within a second.

Her body, almost a paper doll stuck inside a storm as it once again rolled on the ground helplessly.

[Tempo, you're too far! Re-group!]

"Aye, aye, boss."

And with those words, the strikes that left her with no rest suddenly stopped,

Leaving her sprawled on the ground to stare at the unusually clear skies above her.

Leaving her with one thought in mind– The Hope Guild...

...is strong.