Disclaimer: Wildbow owns Worm, I own nothing, especially not the series that makes a small cameo in this chapter.
For the airborne capes keeping an eye on the Endbringer, the first indicator anyone had that something unusual was going on was when Leviathan came flying head-first out of a street, crashing into a large building with an enormous boom.
Armsmaster slowly idled into view. "Unstoppable force projector," he said calmly, "It sends out a wave of force that will crash into a fucker, and send him flying the fuck away."
Leviathan pulled itself free of the collapsed building, and rushed him. Another wave collided with it - Leviathan lost. It was sent crashing back again.
"When I say unstoppable," Armsmaster said, almost scolding it, "I meant unstoppable. But of course, this isn't the only measure I have developed for dealing with particularly troublesome fuckers."
The armour around his shoulders parted, small launchers appearing at each side.
"Fucker-fucking missiles," he said blandly, "I don't know how they work. They do this."
The missiles fired.
Leviathan darted to the side at full-speed in an attempt to dodge. It was in vain, however, as the missiles changed directory in mid-air and continued to follow it - smashing into the torso of the creature and causing a contained explosion of some kind of dark energy.
Leviathan buckled and staggered as large chunks were carved from its body. It turned towards the sea, in an attempt to retreat.
"Oh, no," Armsmaster growled, "We're not done yet."
He activated a button on his wrist. Almost instantly, a square energy shield sprung up, surrounding the pair, and travelling as high as the eye could see. Leviathan crashed into the field and staggered back.
"Fucker-containment field," Armsmaster continued explaining, "For when a fucker needs to stay the fuck still."
Leviathan turned back towards him. He hefted his halberd.
"Miniaturisation is my Tinker speciality," his voice took on a lecturing tone, "These devices should probably be mounted on something the size of a large starship. I made them man-portable, mainly because I am so sick and tired of those thieving fuckers constantly absconding with my property. This is my newest halberd design. I call it the Fucker-Annihilator. It makes lightning fall from the sky," he clicked a button and the world lit up. Leviathan staggered again as hundreds of lightning bolts hit it at once.
"It also makes heads implode."
Leviathan's head seemed to cave in on itself over the space of several seconds - leaving a headless body, still standing, and trying to reach Armsmaster.
"So you don't need your head to function," Armsmaster nodded appraisingly, "We'll have to see what else we can remove," he reached for another button, "Now this one, I don't even know what it does. Let's find out."
A beam of energy shot out of the tip of the halberd, hitting Leviathan's left claw. The Endbringer's arm suddenly began changing colour at a rapid pace - in a panic, it lashed out with its other arm, cutting the arm off at the shoulder. Armsmaster observed the fallen limb with curiosity.
"Polystyrene," he muttered, "Huh."
Leviathan got down onto its knees at this point, holding its remaining arm up in the most non-threatening gesture a thirty-foot tall murderer of millions could produce.
Armsmaster pressed another button.
Leviathan collapsed down onto the ground, apparently unable to move.
"Gravity manipulation in a localised area," Armsmaster nodded, "I've never managed that one, before. Isn't today just full of surprises? Nod if you agree. Ah, sorry," he paused, "You can't. So inconsiderate of me." He shrugged, as if to say 'What can you do?'
He looked over the destroyer of Kyushu. Leviathan was in a sorry state at the moment - no head, one arm, large chunks carved from its torso and apparently unable to move.
He pressed a button again. "I actually know what this one does," he nodded to his opponent, "It makes you..."
The gathered capes watched attentively as Armsmaster explained the next part of his device. Alexandria nodded eagerly at parts of the explanation while reaching for another handful of popcorn from Legend's bucket - the leader of the Protectorate shot her a dirty look and clutched it closer to his chest.
"Mom, Dad." Skitter voiced uncertainly, "This is almost definitely our fault, isn't it?"
"Yes."
"Absolutely."
"So..." she scratched her head as best she could over the helmet, "Do you think we should stop annoying the man who is currently curb-stomping an Endbringer?"
Ocean and the Midnight Feline gave each other a look. They then looked back at Taylor.
"No."
"Not really."
Skitter audibly sighed. "All right, then."
"-They took my beard, you know," Armsmaster said conversationally as he practised throwing Leviathan around the force-field with his newly-discovered telekinesis function, "It took me thirteen years to grow that perfect blend of goatee and full-face beard, and they took it from me in a night. I was not pleased. I'm sure that if you could grow facial hair, you'd agree."
He let the battered Endbringer drop to the floor and pressed yet another button.
"Oh," he observed the effects with a nod, "Lightning again. This really is doing wonders for my anger issues."
"Ocean," the Midnight Feline suddenly clutched a hand to her chest, "I've just realised... this is terrible!" she sounded genuinely distraught, and drew a few curious looks.
"What is it, dear?" Ocean asked in concern.
"Well... we're indirectly responsible for this," she waved towards the scene where Armsmaster was currently using that strange telekinesis again to force Leviathan to kick itself repeatedly in the crotch, "Do you understand what this means?"
His tone was confused. "I don't... oh, god," what was visible of his face went pale, and he staggered, "Darling, what will we do?"
"What's wrong?" Skitter asked in confusion, "Have you finally realised that stealing from Armsmaster is a bad idea from now on?"
"No," Ocean shook his head, "No. Skitter, honey..." he forced the words out, "We've become a public service."
"The biggest public service ever," the Midnight Feline sobbed, "Nothing we ever steal will ever make up for this."
"What will we do?" Ocean cried despairingly again.
"Well," Armsmaster continued, unaware that his greatest nemesis was currently having a breakdown, "I suppose I should finally try out this big red one and see what it does."
A small launcher appeared at the bottom of the halberd. Armsmaster stared at it, nonplussed. Then he shrugged, aimed it at the defeated-looking form of Leviathan, and pressed the button again.
A small, red and white ball shot out, bouncing off the Endbringer harmlessly. It then split open, and Leviathan was transformed into red light and sucked inside. The ball snapped shut, and dropped to the floor. It twitched once, then twice, then a third time, before lying still.
"GOD FUCKING DAMN IT! FOUL!" he heard a cry that, for some reason, sounded vaguely like Uber and Leet, before he shrugged, let the forcefield drop, and went to pick up the ball.
He blinked as applause began to ring out around him, and when he looked at the scene that surrounded him, he froze.
He saw capes of every nationality and every alignment. Villains, heroes, rogues, mercenaries, healers, Tinkers, Thinkers and Brutes, American, British, Russian and others. All applauding loudly, and cheering his name. All apart from two. He then locked eyes on his two greatest arch-enemies... sobbing uncontrollably, as their hell-spawn tried to comfort them. He felt a tear slide down his cheek, and wondered if this was, perhaps, the greatest day of his life.
-Meanwhile-
Lock Master L stood in the atrium of the headquarters of Protectorate New York, staring at the receptionist with building fury.
"WHAT DO YOU MEAN, HE'S GONE TO FUCKING BROCKTON BAY?"