Even though that man was holding a baseball bat and shouting something like "Ittou Shura," Sirin thought he was incredibly strange.
But this terrifying energy... Sirin could already see it with her naked eye.
Energy visible to the naked eye—there was no doubting its intensity.
Damn it, wasn't he just hesitating?
What the hell was this sudden burst of determination!
In that instant, Sirin, who had no idea what was happening, immediately gathered the last remnants of Honkai Energy in her body to create an imaginary barrier in front of herself.
But unfortunately, she had only just finished forming the imaginary barrier when she was struck from behind and sent...
Oh, not sent flying. After being hit from behind by Aaron, Sirin crashed directly into the imaginary barrier she had just created.
Damn it!
If I hadn't lost ninety percent of my power, how could I possibly be hit by an attack like this!
Sirin tried to dodge his attacks, but after recovering from the blow, she realized she couldn't track his movements at all.
And now, after unleashing this terrifying power, Aaron was truly, brutally beating Sirin, every punch landing solid.
He was serious...
He seriously... wanted to kill me!
In the past, even as the Herrscher of the Void with just one Herrscher Core, Sirin could have used her Authorities to casually summon countless imaginary barriers and easily block any attack.
The Void Lances she could unleash would have covered this entire city block, blasting the man before her into paste.
But now, she couldn't do it.
Although she had taken over this body, her weakened state prevented her from performing the feats she once did at her peak.
Meanwhile, the man she was facing actually sped up.
Even though Sirin was using a body with Kaslana blood, she could still feel his fists easily injuring this far-from-human physique.
He didn't give her a single chance to gather Honkai Energy. He knocked her airborne and then started juggling her in the air.
Thinking back to Aaron's fight against Zank the Beheader, Sirin just wanted to curse.
Damn it, damn it, damn it! If you had this kind of power, why didn't you use it earlier?!
You didn't use this power when facing Siegfried, but now you're using it to beat up a woman this viciously????
Are you sick in the head!
No, wait, that's not right.
After being smashed into the pavement by Aaron, Sirin's head cleared a little.
This guy didn't use this move at the start. It must be because the cost is too high.
Just like that state Siegfried was in when he defeated me—if they use it for too long, they have to pay a terrible price.
That's why he didn't want to fight me... Doesn't that mean if I just stall for time, I'm guaranteed to win?
Hmph. Human. I'll endure this for a little while, and then...
And then... there was no "then."
*Smack!*
Sirin, who had been smashed into the ground, was hauled up by Aaron, who grabbed her by the collar and slapped her right across the face.
"You... you dare...!"
"What's not to dare? You were planning to kill people. Did you really think I'd go easy on you?"
After casually slapping Sirin a few more times, Aaron spoke calmly.
"Thinking about it, I don't really know her that well anyway. Losing my life for a woman I've known for less than an hour... only an idiot would do that."
"You...!"
"'You' what? Did I say you could speak?"
He casually slapped Sirin twice more, his voice cold.
"I'm not one to think, 'Oh, her whole family was killed, she's just an innocent victim.' As the Herrscher of the Void, you've killed tens of millions of people. Me killing you here would be doing the world a favor."
"You... how do you know..."
*Smack!*
"Did I say you could talk? That bastard Otto might need you to complete his plan, but I don't."
"Not... not even my dad ever hit me like this!"
"What the hell does that have to do with me? Get out of her body. If you don't, I'll finish this. Go ahead and gamble if you want, because..."
His right hand closed around the girl's throat. Aaron's voice was utterly merciless.
"I will survive. I'll survive by any means necessary. Even if it means taking the life of one innocent girl, I won't hesitate."
"You... you're a lunatic..."
He was serious.
The killing intent in his eyes was completely real!
As her consciousness began to fade from lack of oxygen, Sirin desperately wanted to blast the man away.
But with her brain starved of air, she couldn't even manage the simplest Honkai Energy construct.
The mighty Queen of the Honkai, who should have been high above it all, was being held up like a helpless chick, her throat squeezed tight.
"Hm. Doesn't look like you plan on leaving. Fine. Then I guess, just like you said..."
"I'll just kill you."
"Human... you win!"
Casting one last, venomous glare, Sirin voluntarily retreated back inside Kiana's body.
The moment Sirin backed down, Aaron collapsed, falling heavily to the ground as if all his strength had vanished.
The time limit for Ittou Shura had long since passed. Those last few attacks were a bluff, put on with the last dregs of his strength.
If Sirin hadn't been so easy to fool, he probably would have died right here.
..............................