The Vixen's Gambit: Tonight We Hunt

"Kevin… I… did I become a Herrscher…?" The 6th Herrscher looked around at the devastation, her face pale. She turned to Kevin, her eyes pleading. "Did… did I do this?"

"…" Kevin didn't know what to say.

She seemed to have regained her senses, but… what if it was an act?

Lee had warned him that Herrschers lied.

He kept his gun trained on her head, his finger tightening on the trigger.

"…I understand." The Herrscher gave a teary smile, then lowered her head submissively. "Herrschers… deserve to die. Especially after I've killed so many… You're right, Kevin."

"Do it. Dying like a human is the least I can do…"

"…"

Would a Herrscher say that? Would they willingly die? Doubt crept into Kevin's mind. Lee had said all Herrschers should die, but what if someone could overcome the Herrscher's consciousness?

Every Herrscher was different. Lee wasn't omniscient; she could be wrong…

He lowered his gun, the Herrscher's vulnerable back exposed.

Then, the black mist erupted, spreading towards the city with terrifying speed. Kevin fired, his bullet piercing the Herrscher's head, but it was too late.

He watched helplessly as the mist engulfed the city. He could kill the Herrscher, but he couldn't stop this.

The Herrscher's corpse wore a mocking smile.

"Kalpas, I'm going out. Watch the house."

"Huh?"

Kalpas, in an apron, butchering chickens in the orphanage's backyard, turned to Lee, his expression annoyed. "What for? Delivering more food to those freeloaders? Don't they have hands?"

"Not this time…" Lee smiled. "I have to go… somewhere far away. I'm leaving everyone in your care."

"…" Kalpas stared at Lee, dressed in her combat suit, Seven Thunders at her side. He fell silent, then finally asked, "How long will you be gone?"

"Not sure, but I'll be back soon. I've asked Aponia to handle the livestock purchases; pay her when she comes. Don't mistake her for trouble. Pardo and the cats might steal eggs; don't worry about it. There's a cooler in the warehouse with my blood; give some to Aponia for her patients."

"I'm going with you."

Kalpas didn't know what was happening, but he knew it was dangerous. Lee wouldn't give such detailed instructions otherwise.

The chicken farm was Lee's excuse to explain her bloodletting while providing the orphanage with a stable food source. She handled everything herself, and now she was handing it over to Aponia.

The specific instructions, the large amount of blood…

"No, Kalpas. This is my responsibility." Lee smiled, refusing his offer. "Protect the orphanage, okay? The children and everyone here like you. As their 'Mask Big Bro', you can't just leave."

"Don't worry, I'm strong. And there's Kevin and the others. It'll be fine."

Lee checked the time, then smiled at Kalpas. "I'll bring everyone back presents. You too. So take care of yourself, okay?"

"…"

[Energy +4500]

Kalpas watched Lee leave, a growing unease in his heart.

She was right. With her strength and Kevin, no one on this planet should be able to hurt her…

"Tch!"

Annoying woman, always making him worry!

Unlike Kalpas, Lee was in a good mood.

Kevin was fighting the 6th Herrscher, but she was going, too, just in case. She'd asked Vill-V for an aircraft.

Mei wouldn't let her steal Kevin's thunder, and Mobius, being close to Lee, was under Mei's watchful eye and couldn't help.

Vill-V, whose methods were too bizarre even for Mei to understand, was the perfect choice.

Lee wasn't sure if she'd arrive in time, but she wasn't in a hurry. There was no point.

If she got there before the Herrscher destroyed the city, great. If not, comforting a distraught Kevin was a good way to farm goodwill—and if she could get injured fighting the Herrscher for some extra energy, even better.

She hadn't trained or fought in a year, which would be a problem for most people, but Lee…

She never trained.

As the aircraft neared the city, Lee saw the lights and crowds below, surprised.

Did Kevin actually pull it off?

But as she got closer, she realized something was wrong.

"Well, this is…" Lee narrowed her eyes. "Not a massacre, but… torture and revenge…"

Was this the original timeline, or did I change something?

The citizens weren't dead—yet.

They were covered in strange markings, their bodies slowly dissolving.

The culprit was obvious: the 6th Herrscher.

I warned him, but he still messed up?