Dropkick

While Kouro and the others rested.

Ayame who was still at Senba Academy, opened her eyes slowly after recalling all the memories of her host body.

"Oh, I see…"

Currently controlling Ayame's body was Pseudo-Herrscher, just like Mei's Herrscher persona, Ayame's Herrscher persona had no previous memories and only had a mission to destroy the world.

However, after Herrscher Ayame finished recalling Ayame's original memories, Herrscher Ayame's goal changed, unlike Herrscher Mei who wanted to save the world together with Kouro, Herrscher Ayame's goal was to avenge the hatred that the original Ayame felt for Kouro in her heart.

"What's with this feeling...?"

Herrscher Ayame touched the chest of her host body, after she recalled all the memories of the original Ayame, she felt a pain in her chest, but at the same time, a feeling of pleasure also arose as she recalled Kouro's surprised expression when she pierced his chest.

Herrscher's newborn personality ignored the strange sensation of emotion and simply felt happy.

"This feeling is really great! Is this what you really want?" Herrscher Ayame spoke to herself.

Herrscher Ayame did not realize that she was getting addicted to this feeling.

"Ahh... I really want to stab him again... But too bad, he's probably already dead from my poison." Herrscher Ayame said in a sad tone.

"Never mind, instead of thinking about that, I'd better absorb this remaining Honkai Energy to exterminate the remaining pests."

Herrscher Ayame sat cross-legged in the center of the classroom and began to absorb the remaining Honkai Energy around her.

With the Honkai Energy, she was able to rapidly increase her strength and also accelerate the formation of her Herrscher core.

Three hours later.

The morning sunlight coming through the window hit the face of Herrscher Ayame who was absorbing Honkai Energy.

She exhaled from her mouth and slowly opened her eyes, her dark green eyes shining brightly, before standing up and looking out the broken window.

"I didn't know he was still alive, plus he also brought Herrscher."

"But luckily he's still alive, I still want to see his desperate expression."

From the window, Herrscher Ayame could see Kouro, Sakura, Theresa, and Higokumaru slowly walking towards her.

She then jumped from the broken window and walked slowly towards them with the thorny vines that had begun to grow and move following her.

Kouro and the others watched the approaching Pseudo-Herrscher warily.

She did not attack first and instead looked at Kouro and asked curiously.

"How can you still be alive after being infected by my poison?"

"..."

Sakura and Higokumaru were shaken by the revelation, after all, the poison that came from Herrscher would be very terrible, especially since there was no antidote capable of removing Herrscher's power, the only way to remove it was to have Herrscher herself remove it or have Herrscher's power itself.

Thinking of this, Sakura and Higokumaru looked at Kouro with a deep gaze, especially Higokumaru, after all she was a Herrscher so she was able to detect other Herrscher, and she could not feel the power of Herrscher from Kouro's body.

Kouro had no idea that he was currently labeled as a herrscher by Sakura and Higokumaru.

"I don't know how you neutralized my poison, but your act of coming back here was foolish."

"..." Kouro just shut up and observed her carefully.

"Ah... are you afraid I'll stab you in the back again?" Herrscher Ayame said with a sweet smile.

(e/d: Not metaphorically.)

"..." Kouro remained silent, but it could be seen that he was holding the Nitro Crystal Greatsword very tightly.

"How sweet. Ah... Kouro-kun... Do you want to know how I felt when I stabbed you?" Ayame spoke again, ignoring the presence of Sakura and the others, in her eyes, apart from Herrscher and Kouro, the others were just ants.

"I LIKE IT A LOT! COME ON, KOURO-KUN. LET ME HEAR YOUR DESPERATE CRIES, SHOW ME YOUR BEAUTIFUL EXPRESSION!!!"

Suddenly, several dozen sharp vines emerged from the ground and attacked Kouro from all directions.

Kouro, who was wary of sneak attacks from the start, quickly jumped up and threw his greatsword at Herrscher Ayame.

*Swosh!*

Seeing Kouro's sword approaching her, she grew many vines and fused them together to form a huge wall of vines.

*Swish!*

Too bad, she seemed to have underestimated Kouro's strength and the wall of vines split into two before the huge sword grazed her cheek.

She touched her bleeding cheek in shock.

Kouro who was still in midair positioned himself and delivered a dropkick to Herrscher Ayame.

*Bam!*

"Urk!" Ayame was sent flying backwards, fortunately her vines quickly held her up.

*Crash!*

The building behind Ayame was destroyed along with Kouro's greatsword.

As if on cue, Theresa began to take out a small chain knife from her cross and pointed it at Ayame.

Sakura ran over while cutting some thorny vines that led to Theresa and Higokumaru.

The surprised Pseudo-Herrscher reflexively dodged the oncoming chain blade and glared angrily at Kouro and the others.

"You bugs! Alright, enough playing around!"

All the vines suddenly sprouted blood-red flowers that emitted red smoke. Kouro saw this and then put on his mask before shouting.

"Everyone! Pseudo-Herrscher has entered Stage two! Start wearing your masks!"

The others then quickly put on their masks in accordance with Kouro's orders.

"I won't let you!" Several vines quickly darted towards Kouro, who, upon realizing it, leapt into the air again.

"Hmph! The same trick won't work twice." The vines that Sakura had just slashed behind Kouro suddenly shot towards Kouro at an extremely fast speed.

"Whoa...!" Kouro couldn't avoid the vine while it was in the air, so the vine pierced his stomach and he could feel a burning sensation in his stomach before it disappeared after a moment.

[A Harmful Substance has been detected]

[Unknown Skill has been activated]

[Buff: Poison Cure effect heals you]

[HP: 8,543/10,800]

"Kouro!" x3

Seeing Kouro paused by the poison, Ayame used her vines to tie Kouro up.

Sakura who wanted to attack was stopped by Ayame's Herrscher Persona.

"Stop it! Otherwise, I'll kill him right away."

After stating that, she turned to Kouro, who was bound by her vines, and said.

"I told you, Kouro-kun. I really want to see your desperate expression."

She slowly lowered Kouro's mask to see his desperate expression, but froze in surprise, because instead of a desperate expression, Kouro was smiling contentedly while looking at her.

"Huh...?"

"Theresa, now!" Then, several gold-colored chains appeared from the ground, binding Kouro and Herrscher Ayame together.

"You!" Staring at Kouro angrily, she wanted to stab the vines into Kouro's smiling face.

"What!?"

Herrscher Ayame could feel her control over her power slowly diminishing, the roots around Sakura also slowing down.

Kouro suddenly hugged Herrscher Ayame tightly and said near her ear.

"I'm sorry, Ayame. I'm really sorry. I hope you will forgive me this time."

"Huh?" Herrscher Ayame froze in Kouro's arms, before suddenly feeling a sense of relief, then she understood that what the real Ayame really wanted was just an apology.

Realizing that Herrscher Ayame was not attacking anymore, Kouro shouted.

"Higokumaru!"

"Wakatta!" Higokumaru came out from behind Sakura and Theresa's protection and quickly approached Ayame, she placed her small hand on Ayame's forehead and absorbed her Honkai Energy.

'Ahh... I envy you so much, Ayame.'

That was Herrscher Ayame's last thought before closing her eyes and lying on the floor.

The sunlight reflected off Herrscher Ayame's smile.