LIGHTNOVELWORLD Chapter 14: A Boy, a Girl, and a Cat
Idiot!
Seeing death approach, even Sirin, who shared the same body as K423, couldn't maintain her usual arrogance. In their shared consciousness space, she was no longer the proud Herrscher of the Void. Instead, she stamped her feet nervously on the ground.
She repeatedly pounded against the walls of their shared mind, trying to take over Kiana's will and seize control of the Herrscher core.
Even in the face of despair, Kiana didn't lower her guard against the Herrscher of the Void. When Sirin tried to break through, Kiana not only refused to give in but also tightened her hold on Sirin's influence.
She knew that Sirin's power was completely uncontrollable. If she gave even the slightest opening, the Herrscher of the Void could escape, and the entire world would fall into ruin.
All her efforts would be for nothing, and the people she cared about would vanish forever.
So, Kiana decided she would imprison Sirin within herself and let both of them disappear together.
Fool! Even if you die, I'll only be weakened. Without your restraints, I'll be truly free.
Give me control of your body. If you let me, neither of us has to die.
"Then we'll discuss it after I'm dead," Kiana replied. Hearing Sirin's furious curses in her mind and realizing her growing desperation, Kiana unexpectedly felt a small sense of satisfaction.
The Honkai beast in front of her slowly opened its massive maw, its mouth taking up half of its body. It was a beast that relied on biting as its main form of attack.
But biting wasn't its only strength. With its size, the beast could crush its enemies with sheer weight and brute force.
Yet none of that mattered to Kiana. Her energy was completely drained, her limbs weak. On top of that, she still had to suppress Sirin's attempts to take control.
Her body was already paralyzed, making her an easy target, even for an ordinary person.
Let it end like this.
A strange feeling of relief washed over her as she thought of Ms. Himeko's face. Was this how Himeko had felt when she accepted her own death?
"What are you doing, run!"
Just as the beast's jaws were about to close, and Kiana resigned herself, a familiar voice suddenly rang out.
The sharp teeth gleamed in the sunlight, but the beast's mouth shifted slightly, as though pulled by an unseen force. The change was so subtle that Kiana didn't notice the brief burst of Herrscher of Dominance power.
Suddenly, she felt herself being lifted. She opened her eyes and saw a massive shadow of the Honkai beast above her. At the very last moment, the person holding her lunged forward, and they both slipped through the gap between the beast's fangs by mere inches.
The two tumbled down the rubble, falling together in an awkward embrace. The sharp stones and debris tore at their skin, but Kiana didn't feel the pain. Survival made those wounds insignificant.
Meow.
Before Kiana could see who had saved her, she felt a small weight settle on her head. Four tiny paws lightly touched her hair.
"Taxue? Why are you here?"
Her mind was still muddled, but her gaze quickly moved to the person lying next to her. She was stunned to see that it was Ren, someone she hadn't seen in so long. He seemed unconscious, likely from the force of his earlier movements.
Damn it, it's that brat again.
Sirin's voice rang out in frustration. She had been prepared for K423's death and was so close to freedom.
Run, Experiment. He's probably drawn the Honkai beasts. That guy is trouble. You have to hurry—
Before Sirin could finish, Kiana blocked her voice within their shared mind.
Turning slightly, Kiana looked at the gray-haired boy beside her with concern.
Boom!
A grenade exploded in the Honkai beast's mouth, flames trailing from the impact. The sound of a helicopter echoed in the distance, accompanied by heavy weapons firing.
The military forces of ARC City had finally arrived.
[All civilians, evacuate immediately! All civilians, evacuate immediately!]
The repeated announcement from the aircraft brought hope to the survivors, who began to retreat. With the military drawing the beast's attention, those who could still move scrambled to safety.
The noise woke Ren, who groaned as he sat up, still dizzy from the tumble. Kiana, seeing him stir, wiped the dust from his face with her hand.
"Why didn't you run? You're a Valkyrie, aren't you? Don't tell me you were frozen in fear," Ren said, his voice a mix of worry and scolding.
Looking at him, Kiana felt a wave of warmth in her exhausted heart. After everything, there was still someone who cared enough to save her. Tears welled in her eyes.
Ren, however, seemed oblivious to her emotions. He glanced at the Honkai beast nearby, now roaring as it was attacked, and quickly stood, pulling Kiana to her feet.
"Let's go. The military's here. Leave the rest to them. I know you're strong, but please, don't be so reckless next time, okay?" he said, taking her hand and leading her toward safety.
Unfortunately, Ren's stamina gave out after running a short distance. Breathing heavily, he slowed down, forcing Kiana to take over. Now, it was her turn to pull him along.
Under the warm sunlight, amidst the ruins of the city, a boy, a girl, and a cat fled through the broken landscape, heading toward the rising sun.