"Save them, please save them." The policeman, just rescued, repeated incessantly, not even celebrating his own narrow escape, but looking at Kiana with pleading eyes. "They're that way, my wife, my child."
"Please, save them." He kept repeating, despite being clearly terrified, his thoughts still clinging to his family.
Kiana frowned, feeling waves of weakness wash over her after using her Herrscher of the Void powers to save the policeman.
She hadn't eaten properly for days, relying on scavenging wild vegetables in the outskirts to fill her stomach. Combined with the constant running around to rescue civilians from Honkai beasts, that meager amount of food was nowhere near enough to sustain such high-intensity activity. She could clearly feel that her body had almost reached its limit.
If it weren't for the sheer power of the Herrscher of the Void's Honkai energy, she probably would've collapsed long ago.
See, humans are so greedy. They get rescued, yet they still ask for others to go save their families.
The long-dormant voice resurfaced, Sirin's Honkai personality beginning to pour her negative emotions into Kiana.
Ever since Sirin's last outburst at Ren's house, where she hurt him, Kiana dared not let her guard down, suppressing Sirin's consciousness with all her might.
However, as her body grew weaker and with the heavy usage of the Herrscher of the Void's powers, Sirin's consciousness finally found an opening and reemerged.
Ignoring Sirin's snark, Kiana gently helped the policeman lean against the wall, nodding. "Don't worry, they'll be alright."
"Thank you."
With the policeman's plea still ringing in her ears, she leaped into action, using the walls on either side to propel herself forward, chasing after the Honkai beasts.
Hey, vessel, you're not really thinking of going to your death, are you?
"No, I'm just doing my best to help those who need it." Kiana, with her kind heart, wouldn't be swayed by Sirin's words. She tried to gather her strength, sensing for any survivors nearby.
Why? They're complete strangers, they don't even know your name. No matter how many people you save, you won't even receive a thank you.
Maybe in their eyes, you're just a tool, there to be used and discarded as they see fit.
Have you forgotten how your friends have treated you? Your best friend, Mei, pointed a blade at you. Your most trusted class monitor has been watching you all along, even getting you into St. Freya Academy just to facilitate the Herrscher of the Void awakening ritual.
You are just a vessel for my awakening, your very existence is nothing but a pre-planned farce.
You've saved so many people, has anyone ever cared about you? Has anyone ever said thank you?
The voice in her head grew clearer, Sirin seeming ready to take over Kiana's personality at any moment. She repeatedly questioned Kiana's heart, trying to make her waver.
"Yes."
Huh?
"Ren, he said it." Vaulting over a low wall, the enormous body of a Honkai beast came into view. Kiana stood on the ruins, picking up a baseball bat that was still in decent condition from the side of the road.
"Living in a dysfunctional family, yet still holding kindness toward others."
"Despite having a terminal illness and less than half a year to live, he still held onto the desire to live."
"When I saved him, his eyes were filled with clear gratitude."
"Even after being hurt by me when I lost control, he never thought of abandoning me."
"He never gave up. He just wanted to live, he was just quietly yearning for the world to give him the smallest bit of kindness. How could someone like that not be worth saving?"
You!
Somewhat exasperated, Sirin never expected that weird little brat to so easily gain Kiana's trust. She was just about to start badmouthing him again when Kiana unilaterally cut her off.
"As long as there are people in this world worth saving, I have no reason to give up." The quiet murmur carried on the hot wind towards the battlefield. Standing on the ruins, Kiana raised the baseball bat high, as if she was holding the ever-burning Ember Blade.
"Come, Herrscher of the Void, let me use your power once again."
Golden light bloomed completely, even the sunlight had to take a step back in the face of the Herrscher of the Void's power.
Towards the large Honkai beast, Kiana leaped high, the Herrscher of the Void's power providing a platform for her to push off with every step. With her extreme speed, in the blink of an eye, the back of the large Honkai beast's head was already in her attack range.
Bang!
The bat hit the back of the Honkai beast's head, the heavy force making it stagger. The wooden baseball bat was reduced to splinters by the impact.
However, such an attack wasn't fatal for a Honkai beast. Having been attacked, it immediately reacted, swinging its claw at Kiana.
"I don't have time to waste on you!"
With a low roar, as the power in her body was gradually being drained, the remaining Honkai energy coalesced into a Void Lance, and under her control, it struck hard into the Honkai beast's body.
The high-level Honkai energy immediately invaded the Honkai beast's body, constantly destroying its internal functions. The power of the Herrscher of the Void is absolute poison to ordinary Honkai beasts.
Boom—!
The strike from Kiana, made with her life on the line, was something the Honkai beast, no matter how large, couldn't resist. Its corrupted body shook continuously, finally collapsing with a loud crash.
"Huff." Rolling once on the ground to dissipate the impact, Kiana took deep breaths. After creating that Void Lance, she was truly spent.
Thankfully, the people she needed to save had been rescued. Looking at the civilians hiding fearfully behind the windows of the surrounding buildings, once she saw the appearance of a mother and daughter, she knew they were the family the policeman had asked her to save.
The fatigue on her face was clear, but her heart finally let out a sigh of relief. Kiana smiled, at least the ending wasn't so bad.
Suddenly, her vision went dark, and her whole body went weak. The warm sunlight could not give her even a trace of warmth.
To make matters worse, she heard the girl's cry.
"Run! Run, big sister!"
Her body felt like it had been doused with freezing water in the dead of winter, an ominous premonition rising in her heart. She slowly looked behind her, a huge shadow slowly enveloping her body.
The second Honkai beast, which had been hiding here, finally revealed itself, and its size was even bigger than the previous one. And not far away, a third Honkai beast was watching her like a beast toying with its prey.
The Honkai beasts, filled with rage, were right in front of her.
Death, like a venomous snake that had been watching for a long time, seized its chance. It wrapped its cold body around Kiana, strangling her neck, giving her a strong sense of suffocation.
After saving so many people, this time, no one could save her.