Extraction Point

"Collection! Berserker Gear! Zeroth Gear! Third Gear! Zeroth Gear! Berserker Gear! ...Zeroth Gear! Fourth Gear! Berserker Gear! Third Gear! Zeroth Gear!"

Collection was shifting gears rapidly, leading into a chain of comboing attacks that alternated between a defensive and offensive path. Chika began to notice that Yato wasn't fighting in patterns anymore, but erratic unpredictable motions. Soon, she even began to notice that there was almost two to three Yato's fighting her at the same time.

This speed was unimaginable. With the way afterimages worked, normal people that go through that speed move at an insanely fast pace. For Yato, it was a normal speed to the point where he wasn't sloppy enough to leave behind any afterimage. This was different. For Yato to leave behind traces of afterimages meant that he was attempting to go faster than his comfortable level, accelerating at a speed faster than light. Collection had the reflexes and prediction to counter Yato's speed, but with how fast Yato was exponentially increasing, it wasn't going to last for long.

WHAM!

Chika slid onto the floor, a large kick mark hitting the side of her hip. She was now vulnerable to Yato's attacks. He could now maintain this speed to expend the least amount of energy when engaging an attack. Chika had tried her best to raise her arms and block, guessing where Yato would hit, but by then he had adapted his mindset for feint attacks, giving an unpredictable approach. With the amount of hits Chika was taking, it was likely that she would die soon.

There really wasn't anything she could do to someone that was so fast. Yato was quite possibly the fastest person in the multiverse at this rate. She just had to endure the hits until they had found Reo Uihara.

—

"Any sign of Uihara, Jacobs?" asked Derek through the radio.

"Negative," replied Mara, "My zombies are looking through all the rubble. There have been no traces of her yet."

Derek looked at the black orb that had arose in the sky. Whatever Chika was doing, she was holding down Yato longer than even he could've thought to hold him down. It was likely that Yato could've increased the heat of his electricity, forcing Derek's mist body to explode. As for Rachael, he could've easily sped up around her to take away the oxygen that she could've breathed to keep her invincible. This method could've even worked against both Derek and Chika, but there must've been something about Chika Derek must've missed. Her relationship with Collection must've prevented Yato from using that method.

"My soldiers aren't coming up with any leads either," stated Christina, "At this rate, we'd likely lose the time Sakuramuri had bought us. She'll die in vain."

"Wait!" yelled Michael, "I'd.... rather not let someone like her die.. Please.. let me help."

"The tree boy?" asked Derek.

"I know I can only summon tree roots," mentioned Michael as he began to sprout some wooden stumps from beneath the surface, "But these tree roots are connected to the Earth. They can bring about the 'life energy' that exists all around us. Everyone has a distinct life energy, so if you could give me some time, I could hopefully find Reo Uihara soon."

"We'll continue to be on the lookout," replied Christina, "But just remember that your time is only limited by how long Yato is held inside that domain. Please be quick."

"Got it!"

—

"The only reason I'm alive is because of Collection," thought Chika in her head, constantly being thrown around by Yato's attacks, bloodied in injuries all over, "When Ryder transferred his Collection to me, it's as if I had two souls within me.. Collection refuses to die... and so I can't die right now as well..

Is this what life has led me to? Collection is trying their best to protect me, and I'm just being thrown around without any means to fight back? At the very least... I could meet Ryder on the other side...."

Chika felt her blood rush to her head. Everything felt hot.

"Is what my time spent through the multiverse useless? Were my battles against Hazama, Jukkon, and Jujo worthless? No... I'm against it.. It can't end here!"

"Collection! Zeroth Gear!" Chika yelled as she curled up.

Collection pulled his arms in, holding Chika into a defensive stance. With this defensive stance, Collection would cover Chika all over, preventing her from taking damage. Collection didn't feel any injury, so the attacks from Yato were useless. She was planning on a war of attrition, preventing herself from attacking Yato and Yato attacking her.

Knowing Yato though, he'd find a way to breach these defenses soon. Chika pulled out a small bottle from her pocket as the relentless attacks continued. It was empty.

"This is our last trick, Collection," whispered Chika, "Get ready. We're going to pull out one of the oldest trucks in the book.

Collection! First Gear!"