Kiana rolled wretchedly across the pale ground, coughing up a large mouthful of blood.
At this moment, her world was blurring, the rapid beat of her heart echoing in her ears, consuming her reality.
The blood-red light around her was all but gone, only a thin layer appearing when she took a hit.
Kiana pushed herself up with her fragile arms, trying to stand again, but this time, she couldn't.
[KEY OF GENESIS ACTIVATION POWER—99.99%]
She had maintained this state for a full five minutes, her body having pushed past its limits countless times.
And now, it wasn't just her. Even the glowing Key of Genesis was shattered and broken, the core of evolution dim and lifeless.
The flickering candlelight was on the verge of being extinguished in this pale world.
Shu… isn't back yet… Kiana thought, her vision blurring as she lay on the ground. She felt her body starting to break down… just like in the records…
Surprisingly… it didn't hurt anymore…
If Shu saw this, he would be really sad, wouldn't he… Kiana thought, subconsciously looking at the palm of her hand.
This time, there were no words, but she was glad she remembered what they said.
[The hero who will risk everything to save us as long as we cry and make a fuss.]
The hero will definitely come… it's just that I haven't cried and made a fuss yet…
Kiana closed her eyes. She knew she was avoiding another possibility, but she didn't want to think about it.
She firmly believed that Shu would come back. No matter what happened to him, even if he fell into hell, he would appear before her at the most critical moment and say to the enemy—
["Hello… Herrscher… I'm back from hell."_]
If I can't hold on… Shu will have to come back sooner… If I can't hold on… then it'll be Mei and the others' turn… If I can't hold on…
Then no one can hold on now…
So tired… Shu must be facing this too, right? He's the only one who can stand, who can block the coming storms…
It's really so tiring…
So…
For the umpteenth time, Kiana clenched her fists. A minuscule amount of strength was squeezed out from her already drained body.
She pushed herself off the ground, her body trembling as she propped up her upper half. Her joints creaked, and her heart rate continued to accelerate.
I can't fall so quickly… I need to buy Shu more time to prepare, I need to make things less tiring for him…
I have to…
A hand reached out in front of Kiana.
"Hello there, Kiana. Need a hand?"
Kiana snapped her head up.
The voice was so familiar, the person before her so recognizable.
So… much so that it made her want to cry…
The person in her memory didn't have such long hair, nor did they have floating ribbons on their clothes, and their eyes certainly weren't pink with those beautiful patterns…
But Kiana was sure. The person in front of her was him… her captain… Shu.
Shu wore a warm smile, kneeling before Kiana, offering a hand to her as she lay on the ground.
She felt her strength slowly returning, the pain and exhaustion being drawn away, replaced by a comfortable, warm feeling.
"…" Kiana stared blankly at Shu. Suddenly, she sniffled, her eyes reddening without warning.
She buried her head in her arms. When she looked up again, tears were streaming from her eyes.
"Welcome back, Shu…"
She said, crying and smiling at the same time.
"Yeah, I'm back." Shu smiled and nodded, gently placing his hand on Kiana's head.
"Rest now. I'll take it from here," Shu said softly. Kiana felt a wave of drowsiness wash over her. She nodded and slowly closed her eyes in that warmth.
Shu lifted Kiana into his arms. A faint glow emanated from him, rapidly flowing into Kiana's body, filling the cracks on her face and body.
Suddenly, Shu's eyes, engraved with divine patterns, glanced back, as if casually looking at the black Demon King behind him.
That one glance made the Demon King's body tremble, and it involuntarily took half a step back.
"You're Shu?" the Demon King's voice was hoarse and unpleasant, filled with a gravity that was different from its usual madness.
"I am. What's it to you, motherfucker?!" Shu, holding Kiana, glared at the Demon King, unleashing a string of curses.
The Demon King froze. Something felt wrong… Was Shu this kind of person?
Shu was indeed not this kind of person. It was just that in his current state, something was off.
The Herrscher state not only amplified power but also highlighted and magnified one's inner nature, suppressing the restraints of reason. It wasn't much different from being drunk.
Over the past three months, Shu had indeed grown a lot, and the burdens he carried had made him restrain his expressions and hide his emotions.
But in this state, he couldn't hide them anymore, nor did he want to.
In words he would use now—Hide my fucking ass! In heaven and on earth, I alone am the honored one!!
The Demon King's vision blurred. The next moment, it felt its body move, as if a wall had slammed into it, pushing it several kilometers away!
The moment it realized what had happened, the familiar black light erupted from its body, dispelling the pushing force. It looked at Shu with suspicion and uncertainty.
What did he do?
The Demon King tried to recall, but it couldn't find any sign of a possible attack. It was as if the other person had simply willed it to happen.
Wish fulfillment?! Is that his authority?!
In the Herrscher state, wishes become reality!
The cracks on Kiana's body finally healed. Shu looked at the fine lines on her face that wouldn't fade, and at the strands of blood-red hair mixed in with her snow-white locks that also wouldn't disappear. The killing intent in his eyes surged uncontrollably.
The Herrscher is this dreamscape, right?
Shu glared unabashedly at the still-confused Demon King, then raised a hand, letting Kiana's body float out of his arms and drift towards an empty space.
That was where Bronya and the others were.
Then, Shu raised a hand and grasped a pseudo-Xuanyuan Sword that flew to him from a distance, and looked at the Demon King.
He wore a long coat that burned like flames, the fire spreading from his clothes, swirling around him and the sword in his hand.
He said:
"Prepare to die, motherfucker! Shit!"