LIGHT NOVEL Chapter 313: Counterattack
The ice-covered urban district, once silent, now roared with heat. Blazing flames clashed with crackling lightning, vaporizing the accumulated snow in a blinding mist.
Unlike the tense standoff between Chen Tianwu and Anna within the city, the battle between Raven and Kiana was a furious exchange.
Kiana's makeshift greatsword, forged from Flamescion, blazed with each swing, cleaving deep fissures in the ground. Lacking range, however, most of her attacks only scorched the snow.
"Is this all the World Serpent has to offer? Backstabbing cowards?" Unable to land a decisive blow, frustration edged into Kiana's voice. Flamescion's duration was limited, and her window for a counterattack was closing.
"Keep dreaming. I'm not letting you get close."
Though forced on the defensive, Raven held a distinct advantage. As long as she avoided close combat, her superior speed and mobility, coupled with Kiana's injuries, would eventually wear her down.
Black smoke, laced with a mild neurotoxin, filled the battlefield. While its effects were subtle in the short term, prolonged exposure would disrupt an opponent's coordination, allowing Raven to control the fight.
The blizzard, however, hampered the smoke's effectiveness. Aware of this, Raven used the temporary cover to reposition, seeking an opening for a decisive strike.
As Kiana's greatsword slammed into the ground, missing its mark, Raven's eyes lit up. Her chance had arrived.
Loading a specialized round into her Seven Thunders of Retribution, she leaped into the air like a raven taking flight, her scope locking onto the flame-wreathed Kiana. Her finger gently squeezed the trigger.
Tzzz.
An arc of electricity flashed. The bullet, fired at a sharp downward angle, hurtled towards Kiana.
A blind spot, obscured by smoke. There was no way for Kiana to dodge.
"Herrscher of the Void, go to hell with my vengeance!"
But before the confident smirk could fade from Raven's lips, Kiana's movements abruptly stilled. As if sensing something, she turned her head.
The bullet grazed her hair, harmlessly burying itself in the snow.
In the next instant, the ground beneath Raven exploded. Debris and dust billowed outward, leaving a fist-sized crater in the reinforced metal plating. The impact was equivalent to a small grenade.
Before Raven could comprehend how Kiana had anticipated the attack, the girl's earlier frustration vanished, replaced by a focused intensity. Her gaze locked onto Raven's position.
With a sudden burst of speed that even Raven couldn't track, the ground cracked under Kiana's force as she closed the distance, appearing above Raven in the blink of an eye.
"You…" Caught mid-air, with nowhere to dodge, Raven was struck by the flaming greatsword, plummeting to the ground.
Battles against Herrschers were unforgiving. They could afford numerous mistakes; she could only afford one.
"Impossible. The Staff of the Underworld's suppression should still be active…" She struggled to rise, only to be pinned by the flaming greatsword.
Blood trickled from her lips, instantly vaporized by the flames. Resentment filled her eyes as she glared at Kiana.
She couldn't understand. How could Kiana, responsible for so much death, fight with such conviction? How could she grow so strong, even seemingly blessed by fate?
That impossible speed… Raven hadn't even seen her move. The only explanation was the Herrscher of the Void's teleportation ability.
"Seems like luck is on my side today," Kiana said, echoing Raven's earlier sentiment, her greatsword poised.
Only Kiana knew the truth. Her Void powers hadn't returned. That burst of speed had nearly depleted her remaining stamina.
[Form Resonance: Transient Dust]
A close-range technique derived from Taixu Sword Qi, trading immense stamina consumption for unparalleled speed. While Raven sought an opening, Kiana had been waiting for her moment, holding this trump card in reserve.
Kiana hadn't gotten this far by relying on luck. She'd endured hardships beyond Raven's comprehension. Of course, she wouldn't reveal this, letting Raven believe her powers had returned, a crucial miscalculation in her favor.
"Tell me, what's the World Serpent's game? Why attack me? I seem to recall saving your life." Kiana pressed, her greatsword unwavering.
"Why?" Raven sneered. "Because you're a Herrscher. An unstable Herrscher is a threat to the world. Eliminating you reduces that threat."
Kiana shook her head. She wasn't fooled. The World Serpent wasn't a small-time organization. Their actions always had an ulterior motive. She hadn't been hiding. If they simply wanted her dead, they could have ambushed her anywhere. Why Coral Island?
"Even if I am a Herrscher, do you really think you alone can kill me?"
Raven's breath hitched. She hadn't anticipated Kiana's cunning. Still, resentment lingered.
If she'd been careless, if Kiana had simply overpowered her, she could have accepted defeat. But she'd been cautious, even injuring Kiana beforehand, yet she still failed.
It wasn't the defeat itself, but the way she'd lost. The untimely失效 of the Staff of the Underworld had nullified her advantage.
It reminded her of her life, her efforts constantly thwarted by fate, easily erased.
Her home seventeen years ago, the villa just months ago, the children just a month prior.
Every time hope flickered, the Honkai snuffed it out, like a cat toying with its prey.
Her hatred for Kiana wasn't solely directed at the Herrscher. It was directed at the world, at the Honkai that destroyed everything, at her own powerlessness.
But Kiana… Kiana, who'd killed so many, seemed blessed by the world. In ARC City, she was idolized. In Nagazora, the children adored her. Even now, fate seemed to favor her.
The world was unfair.
The bitterness of losing the children festered within Raven. She refused to accept it. Unconsciously, she redirected all her hatred back onto Kiana.
"So what if I can't kill you? My life was ruined the day you were born. Even if I die by your hand, I'll just be another name on your long list of victims."