V.I.R.A.L

"The plan for the operation is simple yet effective. The target in mind is not trained in any sort of combat, nor do they have experience in these sorts of tactics. We believe they should easily fall for our trap without any problems. So, to begin with, we will use a large distraction. Jinx will be the bringer of chaos for this. Once they take the bait Scarlett and Alice's group will draw out the cult into the open where they will take care of the stragglers. Don't allow the lower ranks to get in your way; however, the lieutenants are your priority go by the priests of the Cult; they are known to be highly dangerous and powerful. Taking them out will cut the Cult's chances of victory heavily. I assume we can leave those high-ranking members to you?"

"Hey, if I get to blow shit up, I'm not going to complain."

"Once the large majority of the Cult has been taken care of Gale's team will dispose of any lingering members at the entrance before sneaking around towards the back. You'll be in charge of taking care of any cowards who choose to flee."

Goro looked at the plan raising his hand. "What about any other high-ranking members who choose not to fall for the trap. I mean idiots or not; this plan is undeniable."

"Of course, we expect as much that some stragglers are a problem. That's why your group will infiltrate the front door and take down the leftovers if any. Once the main force has been taken care of, you will engage against the real targets together. We are not sure how powerful these foes are so we will overwhelm them with numbers and force. We cannot allow any of the three targets to escape. If even one of them slips throughout fingertips, we could be back to square one all over again. Any questions?"

Alton tapped his hand on the table, leaning back. "Yeah, I have one, is there any sort of surprises we should be worried about? Unique powers? Third parties involved?"

"Third parties?"

"Yeah, I mean like the Garden of Grief or the Syndicate Family."

The CEOs began talking to each other whispering. "As of this moment, we are unaware of any third party's involvement. And while we cannot rule out the possibility, we shall say this. If the Garden we've heard so much about lately is at the foot of this operation. Retreat. That is an order. We will take over." The instructions slightly threw everyone off.

Moreover they felt uneasy by the demands. Alton nodded, sitting back as the CEO turned to everyone. "If that is everything, I officially announce operation viral is a go."

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****

Scarlett dived through a set of rocks rolling over onto her back seeing the Cult in the hundreds swarming the small cavern they had taken shelter at. She raised her hands, yelling out. "Now!"

Jinx smirked sitting over the carven looking down at her prey. Aiming her hands out into a window, she began adjusting her aim. She stuck her tongue out nodding. "I got it."

"Hurry!" Zinnia yelled, seeing the Cult pushing in.

"Easy dear, I need to adjust to my shot. Don't want to miss." She pulled out a minigun firing, blindly the whole aim situation thrown out the window. The mountain was blown apart as large boulders broke off crashing onto the Cult. Jinx eagerly awaited the chaos that was about to happen only for the boulders and all of the Cult just to vanish. She blinked a few times, rubbing her eyes. "What the fuck?"

Zinnia leaned over the edge seeing Scarlett standing up confused. "Are you ok?!" She turned back, confused. "Where did they all go?"

Jinx kicked a small rock tutting. "That was the money shot…" Before any of them could react, they were teleported down to where Scarlett was. Zinnia looked shocked as a long spear impaled jinx. She coughed up blood, turning to see a Cult member in long gowns and a blindfold. "At least buy me dinner before penetrating me."

Jinx screamed out in pain as the spear dug further into her. "Such unworthy apes. None of you is nearly on the level of the messiah Vanguard."

"You couldn't sit still like our bishop asked could you Priest David." Another figure chuckled also wearing a long pair of robes with bandages around his hands. "You were meant to make them think they had taken our forces."

Scarlett held her hand out, stopping Zinnia from aiding Jinx. "There's nothing we can do for her…"

Priest David turned to his ally, smirking. "You are one to talk Priest Michael can't keep away from any sort of action, can you?"

Scarlett eyed each one down, analysing her foes. "So, you must be the Priests the CEOs warned us about. Mind telling me where you sent your buddies to?"

"Why back to the base of course."

Zinnia flinched looking worried. "Alton and the others are there right now!"

"Oh, did you honestly expect us not to prepare for a lousy attack like that? The lower devotees might have fallen for it, but we were more than prepared. Your allies shall fall to our large numbers."

"Not if we take you down right now." Scarlett snapped, pulling out a tarot card the moment she did it was teleported from her hand and into the hand of Priest David.

"We are well aware of your abilities Mistress Justice; we won't allow you to cast a single attack."

Scarlett looked her hand tutting. "Huh, well isn't that just inconvenient. Well, it's a good thing I was prepared myself."

Priest David glanced down seeing Jinx holding a shotgun to his face. He flinched, yelling out. "Impossible!"

As the shotgun fired, Priest Michael stood in the way holding the barrel taking the shot head-on. His skin was a cold metal as he bent the gun back. Jinx flipped back in the air landing next to Scarlett and Zinnia shuffling. "An attack like that was dirty."

Jinx spun around, giving a single finger salute. "Well, my name is Jinx for a reason."

Priest David walked back, catching his breath. "Just how on earth are you still alive? I'm sure I killed you."

"Oh, you did." She chuckled, holding her hand out as small pixelated faces of her appeared. There were three floatings. "Sorry to say though you took out one of my four lives. I'm still in this game."

"Whoa, summon weapons out of thin air, and you have multiple lives. You're like a real-life video game character."

Jinx giggled resting an assault rifle over her shoulder. "In the first age, in the first battle. When the shadows first lengthened. One stood. She chose the path of perpetual chaos. In her ravenous joy, she found no peace, and with boiling blood, she scoured the Umbral plains seeking adventure the dark lords who had wronged her. And those who tasted the bite of her sword named her. The Stream Slayer."

"You dare mock us with those words?!"

Jinx scoffed, lowering her rifle and firing away. Priest Michael blocked each shot with his metal body, his movements at a snail's pace. The moment her gun began clicking, she would pull out another gun and continue to fire laying waste to her target. As the second rifle ran dry, she threw it away, crossing her arms. "Usually, my enemies drop like flies in a matter of seconds. This is a nice change of pace." Priest David teleported behind Jinx jerking his spear forward. Scarlett rushed forward leaping in the air, throwing a roundhouse kick. David teleported away, standing on top of his spear.

"What about it? Work together?" Scarlett questioned.

"Sounds like fun."

Scarlett readied her tarot card knowing all well Priest David would teleport them away. The moment he readied his counter Scarlett aimed a pistol at him firing serval shots. Priest Michael was unable to reach his ally in time as David's line of sight was forced on the gunshots. Teleporting each one away, Scarlett was able to cast her ability through the Star Arcana. Holding it above her head, she cast a blinding light which made it impossible for anyone to see. Jinx used this advantage, cranking out two grenades throwing them into the blind. A short moment passed as both exploded. Priest David was knocked down to the floor badly injured as Priest Michael seemed reasonably unharmed. Still unable to move due to his metal body this would change holding out a wooden stick. Absorbing the material, he charged at the two streamers.

With no one able to stop her now Scarlett was able to call on more tarot cards to aid her. Calling on the magician card a substantial black hole was called sucking Michael back turning his body back into metal he stopped for a short moment until Scarlett combined her cards together with the two arcana of the star and magician floating around her. The black hole was much more robust now being impossible to stop. Priest Michael was sucked in before the black hole collapsed on itself and exploded. He was knocked to the ground the metal cracking from his body. Priest David, lying on the floor, teleported Priest Michael above them. Both of the girls were thrown off as he slammed to the ground, pinning them both beneath his arms. The two were being chocked out, unable to move their bodies being crushed by the weight. Scarlett gritted her teeth, dropping one last tarot card. The strength arcana.

Michael was horrified as Scarlett began lifting his arm, upholding her own. Using all of his weight, she managed to throw him over her shoulder as a large crater was made, leaving the Priest defeated. Zinnia stood by shaking, wanting to help but too scared to move. Jinx began coughing stumbling around. "Motherfucker!" She kicked his side only to jump up and down, hurting herself more. "Two priests down just like clockwork."

"Not so fast." Another Priest appeared this time a girl in a long white dress and a veil covering her head. "Never send men to do a woman's job."

"Nun, Mary!" David yelled.

"You two let yourself fall to two mere streamers. How pathetic. No worries, though. I am here to aid you." She put her hands together and began to pray as the others got up seemly unharmed. "The might of Vanguard is behind you."

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Priest David and Michael were ready for action. Still, in his metal form, Scarlett was prepared as he bolted across the cavern kneeing Scarlett in the stomach. She gagged being sent flying back, crashing into the cliffside. Jinx flinched pulling out armour-piercing weapons, but every single one was instantly taken from her hands as David was now keeping up with her weapon spawning until she was left empty with dozens of weapons behind him. Michael readied another attack as Jinx was left defenceless. As the attack connected, a large pillar appeared stopping the attack. Michael repelled back by the knockback as the pillar crashed down into a small cube smacking him back. David glanced around, throwing his spear at Jinx before it hit her a portal was opened sending it back at him grazing his cheek. Zinnia turned seeing Scarlett being aided by Iris and Alice. "Sorry to keep you waiting. You all did great."

David looked nervous, staring at the Hawthorne twins. "I know these two. That's the girl who was just one place behind Vanguard. Alice Hawthorne."

Jinx managed to grab one of her shotguns during the commotion as she pumped it ready as the girls stood side by side, ready for the fight. "Don't let them tilt you! We stand behind the true number one streamer. These phonies are nothing more than weaklings compared to the messiah!"

The two priests gained newfound power cheering. Alice stood idly, shaking her head. "The Alice finds this situation bothersome. That girl is boosting their powers through her prays."

Iris twirled her cube around tutting. "It doesn't matter; they are just a minor distraction from the true fight. Let's breakthrough and give the boys some backup. Let's do this girls!"