In the training grounds of the SIGIL Headquarters, Damien panted as he weaved and dodged the ruthless kicks of his senior. Francine intensified her pressure, forcing him to be on the defensive. She was much faster and stronger than he was. Even he wasn't confident in the realm of endurance.
Cold sweat dripped from his forehead as he shifted his posture and barely dodged another spinning kick. There was power behind each and every attack, prompting him to be cautious and ready against a possible impact.
The practical training between the junior and senior had been amplified. It seemed that Francine took his words at the end of the commission seriously. After all, it was grueling and felt no different than torture.
But nonetheless, Damien didn't utter a single complaint. If he wanted to get stronger, pain was an unavoidable aspect of accelerated growth. That much he understood.
As he evaded the assault of his senior, he noticed her body decelerate. His eyebrows rose for a moment, wondering if it was an instigated trap. Regardless of his suspicions, however, it was an opportunity. A rare one.
'I'll take it, Francine.' Without any hesitation or delay, Damien threw his counterattack. He punched forward, only for her to dodge with a backflip. 'You shouldn't have done that.'
In the air, the human body wouldn't be able to shift its position without external propulsion. Francine was practically a flying duck. Grinning to himself, he bolted and pitched a swiping kick.
Sadly, she stirred her body and instead used his leg as the external propulsion. She hopped away midair and landed in the distance with poise. On the other hand, he could only watch with astonishment.
'Huh?' Damien didn't expect his senior to use his leg as the platform for propulsion. After all, he wasn't slow and was faster than even the best of human athletes on the Old World. But that was to be expected.
Since she could keep up with the thunder-like assaults of the sixth Paragon, such a maneuver was probably nothing for her. Although his determination to defeat his senior stood rigidly, unwilling to be budged.
The two of them continued fighting, becoming blurs in the training ground. Onlookers begin to gather nearby, watching as the members of Block 7 engage in combat against one another.
Most were central personnel of the SIGIL Headquarters, but some belonged to the Block 6, the sentinels of Brooklyn. All were black-suited men, observing with undeterred scrutiny.
A week has passed since the commission that almost brought about complete chaos within Brooklyn and the SIGIL Headquarters. To think that such an assignment would result in the flattening of Manhattan.
Without a doubt, the instigators of the destruction were reprimanded by the higher-ups of SIGIL. It was even taken on camera from the opposite side of the river. The dismantling of buildings and the emergence of a fissure. None of it was hidden from the public.
The chaos of the devastation incited the Federation of North America to condemn the suspects. Unfortunately for them, Francine and Dante didn't care since the two of them didn't want others delving into their past histories.
Besides, there wasn't much they could do about it. One was an actual Paragon of the SIGIL, while the other almost stood at the same level. They were vital for the survival of humanity. The death of one meant the lower the guillotine of existence would become.
On the other hand, Damien was ignored by both the higher echelons of SIGIL and the FNA. Although it was his commission that caused the confrontation between the two. He wasn't that involved in the flattening of Manhattan.
His association ended with one sentence.
The third member of Block 7, Damien, managed to survive the sixth Paragon. It was something to be proud of, after all, if Dante wanted someone to die. They would die no matter what.
However, Damien didn't consider it to be an excellent achievement. He didn't doubt that the old swordmaster was holding back during their scuffle. Otherwise, his body would have been buried amidst the flattened Manhattan.
In any case, he gasped for air while staring at his senior from afar. Apart from Francine's calm breath, she didn't seem exhausted. There was no sweat, no trembling, and no panting. She was as serene as before the fight had begun.
'Her endurance is a bit too strong.' It made him recollect how his senior had returned from her confrontation against the sixth Paragon. Even then, she wasn't bothered by the fight and remained lively.
Perhaps, Francine could fight against an opponent for days before exhaustion would even dare to take hold within her body. The more he thought about it, the more possible it became.
"Let us stop here, Damien. It appears that we have attracted quite an entourage." The edges of her plump velvet lips curved into a gentle smile. Even though exhausted, he responded to her with a nod.
The two of them left the training grounds amidst the murmurs of the distant crowd. Along the way, Damien followed behind Francine, gazing upon her swaying hips and shifting strands of hair.
Since the two of them were members of the same SIGIL Division, they had usually spent their time together. Whether it'd be training or studying. But today was a special day for Damien. It was time for him to receive his own armament.
Armaments were special weapons utilized by Jaegers. These types of arsenal were a different breed of aetheric weapons, as they could only be employed by the metahumans. Francine's Zweihander and Dante's blade were the prime examples of Armaments.
Through his merit in securing SIGIL several aetheric weapons before the devastation of Manhattan, Damien was granted the opportunity to enter the Crucible, the research department division.
There, he would receive the ability to choose an Armament that would be his partner from the beginning to the end. At any rate, he was somewhat excited about the prospect.
"Damien, you have been growing fast these past few days. How about we postpone our practical training for the moment?" Francine halted, glancing at her junior standing from behind.
Her sapphire-like irises pierced through her golden-tinted eyeglasses as she observed him from top to bottom. The physique of her junior was incredible, capable of adapting to augmented stress. His regeneration was also not to be understated.
'Is this the core advantage of Aberrants?' She pondered to herself while waiting for the reply of her handsome yet humble junior. While she doubted her boss before, there were times when she would be dumbfounded by Miss Alastair's wisdom.
It reminded her of what had happened a few years ago. That strange, arrogant outlook of the world as though its secrets had been unveiled before those pearl-like eyes.
"Alright, I also need some time to understand how to integrate the Armament into my current style." Damien nodded in understanding since he also needed to comprehend his growing army of monsters.
With the addition of his newly evolved two-star EX monster, Eclipse, he was confident in surviving the dangerous powerhouses of the New World. Although he wouldn't be able to defeat them, at least he could live for another day.
Obviously, he didn't intend to stay in their shadows. After all, in his path, he wasn't willing to stop because of unprecedented obstacles.