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985. The Vermilion Moons VS The Rogue Moons
🕑 Added 2025-04-23 02:24:23 +0000 UTCMeanwhile, at the Site Core–
Two sets of Moons engaged in a face off.
Five belonged to the Head and wore the banner of the Vermilion Moons.
The other ten belonged to the Broken Thorn as Rogue Moons.
The battle had begun the moment the Head and the Aberration departed. Varied weapons collided with the blades, polearms and maces of the Vermilion Moons.
Like them, they did not have weapon standards and were instead allowed to use whatever they were most skilled in.
Vermilion Moon
< Bulwark of the Head >
Soul Rank: Incandescent | Body: The Head
LEVEL : 200 ORIGIN : X HP : 100,000 ATT : 3,200 (+2,100) MAG ATT : 0
ATT DEF : 2,600 (+2,000) MAG DEF : 2,600 (+2,000) MP : 25,000 RESIST : 100 AGI : 50
However, it was not as simple as this. If it was, then the combat difference between the Vermilion Moons and the Rogue Moons would be at an equal level.
This couldn’t be further from the truth. Just one Vermilion Moon could easily take on two Rogue Moons. Their 5 additional points in AGI did not amount to anything in the face of the Bulwark of the Head.
Two spears pieced the chest of a Vermilion Moon. It gouged the red body suit made of Quality IX Cloth and tore through their body with zero resistance. Yet, the Vermilion Moon in question smirked at their efforts.
“Well, well, well. As Moons you should know that a lull in your opponent’s movements is an invitation.” She laughed, grabbing the tips of their spears.
She churned her innards with it.
Her HP did not even drop by a single point.
“You’re not dying? What happened…?”
“Her insides are gone.” The Rogue pair of Rogue Moons couldn’t believe their eyes.
This was the effect of Serum V – Vacuity. Only the outsides of the Vermilion Moon were susceptible to damage. This also meant that they had little to no weaknesses.
The Vermilion Moon chuckled devilishly before pulling their spears deeper into her body, yanking them close before landing a catastrophic blow to their chests.
“Xpulsion.”
Serum X – Xpulsion. It was a prohibited combat Serum that condensed energy into a singular point before abruptly dispersing it into a target.
It was functionally closer to thermite than an explosion.
As a result, the Rogue Moons flayed off cloth and flesh on afflicted parts.
Letting them linger would cripple them. But they were not allowed to regain their bearings. Immediately, another Vermilion Moon adorned in golden medallions and a peaked cap descended upon them.
She landed a punch that caused pieces of the Rogue Moons to disintegrate as they were launched meters away. Following this, the Vermilion Moon – Argon the Manager of the 4th Vermilion Division – raised a hand upwards.
“Avoid killing our Sisters. We are under the orders of the Head to initiate a rescue.”
Serum V had a secondary effect. This allowed the Vermilion Moons to harness the power of Serum V’s erasing powers. Souls, body parts, atoms and molecules – if the target’s RESIST was low enough, then they would cease to exist.
“Round them at once. Weaken them if language is ineffective. Retroactive rehabilitation is the purpose of Hora Therapeutics.”
She crushed the air, and a twenty-meter crater formed around her. Sins were crushed into a fine mist before they disappeared without a trace.
“Dogs of the Nexus. You’re traitors. Like us! Why are you fighting on their side!” A Rogue Moon pleaded.
“We were given a path to redemption. As are you.” Argon announced.
“Impossible! We were condemned! Thrown into the Iron Coffins and made to wander in the Subcut! Have we not already been atoning!?”
“Times have changed, Sister.”
“Have they? Will we be burned again by buying more false promises? The Ateliers we sided with told us we were on the side of the Nexus. That we were in the right during the War in Heaven. But we were still blamed. We paid the price. We are traitors. The Head will throw us away!”
A Rogue Moon wailed. The left side of their body morphed into a dark mass. Pincers appeared in the place of her arms, and she struck a Vermilion Moon with a Qliphoth-powered Skill.
This managed to greatly injure a Vermilion Moon. But it was barely a blip in the grand scheme of things.
“The Nexus has its own personalized version of your manifestations.”
A Vermilion Moon manifested a temporary Corrupted Skill thanks to a possess Corrupted Persona – The Ruby Maiden – which allowed her to reflect the same amount of damage she took.
This was a Corrupted Persona that resembled a reverse iron maiden.
“You can manifest Corrupted…?” A Rogue Moon uttered in disbelief.
“Perks of working for the Head. It is, by no means, an easy thing to wield. They gave you an inferior version. Looks to me that they’re mistreating you, Sister~”
“We… will never consider you to be one of us! Don’t pretend like you know what it’s like to harrow hell! Your atonement is nothing compared to ours!”
“Let’s not compare the depth of our despair. If the Head has taught us anything, it is anything but quantifiable. Scarlet Logic betrayed the Nexus. As did we. But like you, I imagine you’re being compelled by another body.”
“You know nothing!”
There was a large gap in not only power, but how they fought.
Despite being outmatched two to one, the Vermilion Moons operated as a team rather than individuals. Rogue Moons initiated attacks based on what they believed they could get away with and paid no attention to the synergy or preparedness of their comrades.
Vermilion Moons by contrast fought using tactics adopted from Scarlet Logic. This put emphasis into the effort of the group rather than the individual. Furthermore, the spirit of the Head’s will to embrace their individual talents came through by constant telepathic communication.
“Allow Serum Y (Ylem) to replenish. Hold onto the excess of Serum R (Red Riding), Serum U (Ultimo), and avoid using Serum T (Traumatic). Under no circumstance will we use Serum Z (Zenith).”
Every milliliter of Serum used was relayed back to the Manager. She wore an Atelier Lens. It contained a visual chart showing the number of resources they had left, what moves were available to their Division as well as their approximate (subjective) HP and MP.
They were an overwhelming force. Rogue Moons struggled to wrap their minds around the concept of a Moon that could not be killed.
They knew what Serum V was.
After all, they had fought in the War in Heaven. The quickest way to deal with Serum V was to blanket the target with attacks. The Rogue Moons vividly recalled how they used magic to riddle every inch of Inflow Direct’s Obitutors with magic.
This made blunt damage and area of effect magic effective against targets with Serum V.
But it was a different story in the hands of a Moon.
Obitutors were highly augmented humans.
Moons were a force of nature.
Argon swung her hands in various directions like she was conducting an orchestra. Craters formed across the battlefield. Rogue Moons caught in the invisible blasts were pressed into the earth with a divine weight.
“Serum V low. Let’s settle this peacefully. I doubt you’d survive the effects of Xpulsion. We need not remind you that we have been limiting ourselves to a select few Serums.” Argon announced.
“You dare brag!?”
“We are not as shameless as the Stars to brag to another Moon who so clearly requires salvation!” Her voice was like thunder. “We are not Stars. As Moons you understand well that we require a ‘star’ to feasibly live!”
“… That’s why they pair us with a Star. We know that… That’s how Ateliers have always functioned.” One Rogue Moon admitted. “Even here it remains the same. Shackled to a Star… Blamed for no fault of ours… And you, a traitor – a once bold ally of Scarlet Logic – serves the Nexus under its ruler? All we did was follow what we thought was right!”
She clashed with Argon. They bounced back and forth. Argon allowed herself to be stabbed by the Rogue Moon’s dagger. The more the blade dug into her chest, the more the Rogue Moon’s face contorted with a conflicting expression.
“As did we.” Argon slowly said. “But we were given another chance. Understand that the Head has only recently arrived to reform the Nexus! The Ateliers! Even we were unaware of your existence!”
“Because we were supposed to die! What was supposed to be punishment became our chance of redemption! But somewhere along the way… Somehow…!”
The Rogue Moon’s words came to an abrupt stop. She swallowed her words. Her tongue rolled as other Rogue Moons slowed their offensive. They were far too injured to continue fighting.
But this wasn’t why they stopped.
“We understand.” Argon reached towards the Rogue Moon.
Only for a bullet to barely graze the tips of her fingers. The jaw of the Rogue Moon was removed. Her eyes followed the bullet trail, and it led to a smoking barrel.
“Thou shan’t speak on behalf of thy kind.”
It was a Star of the Nexus. An orange robed and armored figure had emerged from the red portal, and hovering around him were brightly lit crystal firearms. They compensated for the lack of inherent light he emanated. It was not something Argon could see but feel from Stars.
“A tool serves its purpose. Chisel out thy sins on their ribs. Return their heads to us. Thou shall not fail less thou wish to drown in the River Phlegethon. Thy punishment will be most severe.”
Argon’s eyes narrowed.
“I was correct. Stars were behind your misery after all. Seeing that none of you will speak must mean this isn’t the first time you’ve been punished.”
“Thou wish to join thy ill kind in the quenching process?” The Star murmured, his voice becoming double as another four Stars emerged from the portal. “How delightful. The hums. The ruminations. The echoes of the Nexus of the deep… It yearns for your annihilation!”
“Nexus of the deep–!?” Argon snapped her fingers to erase the barrage of incoming bullets.
Meanwhile, her Vermilion Moons utilized Serum V and martial arts to cut down the absurdly powerful bullets. They could not be blocked. Therefore, they had to use the shape of their weapons to deflect the bullets in another direction.
Suddenly, the tides were turned on them.
“The true Nexus. Ah. Ill-fated ones such as thou will never hear the murmurs of the truth. The Nexus above is but a false one.”
“There is only one Nexus! The Nexus of the Lower Half may as well be a rot!” Argon argued before relaying an emergency message.
“All Serums are available for consumption. Face the Stars. Save the Moons.”
Bubbles formed in the tubes entrenched into their backs.
And suddenly, the bullets that were impossible to block were ricochetting off their bodies.
