"This is the result of your selfishness."
Yama spoke to Lin behind her in a strange tone. These words felt squeezed through her teeth, filled with her rage.
From the very beginning, Yama had countless grudges and fury toward him. At this moment, those feelings had returned to her body.
"Because you wanted to change the destined outcome, you made things worse. People who should have died were saved, but that doesn't mean they'll become better."
She raised her hand. A mechanical humanoid consisting only of an upper body emerged from behind her. In an instant, it kicked up a wild gale, lifting the couple up by their throats—one in each hand.
The force exerted in that instant was enough to knock these two ordinary people unconscious. But Lin noticed that even after they fainted, Yama didn't stop. The mechanical figure's fingers were gradually tightening.
She wanted to kill them outright!
BAM!
Yama blocked with her forearm in front of her face, stopping Lin aggressive punch. Her gaze didn't even shift. She casually grabbed Lin forearm and threw him across the room.
He overturned a large amount of lab equipment. Glass shards pierced Lin body, painting startling trails of blood on the floor.
"Even though I already know the reason, I want to hear you say it yourself: Why are you stopping me?" Yama set down the unconscious man and woman. She let the semi-human machine follow behind her as she approached Lin, looking down at him as he panted and clutched his wounds.
"You know better than anyone what they've done. You saw just now what they intend to do. Ethics and morality are less than experimental errors to them. Or do you want to cooperate with their experiments?"
Lin confirmed his injuries weren't too severe—they could be treated in a bit. Then he looked up at Yama. "We don't have the right to decide their life or death."
One cannot become a private executioner. This had always been Lin principle. Once that line is crossed, one becomes increasingly reactive. From executing the most heinous criminals to eventually killing someone for a petty theft, and finally dealing with anyone who simply displeases you.
"...Do you know what I hate most about you?"
As her voice fell, Yama reached out and hoisted Lin up by his throat, lifting him above her head. Her clean, fair face was as contorted as a demon's.
"Your hypocrisy..."
"If you were truly an absolute idealist who stayed consistent! Who never gave up their principles! Who saw every person as an equal life! Things would never have turned out that way!"
"You would be a great warrior! You would be a brave hero! Even I would admire and love you!"
"But you aren't... you're just a hypocrite who talks... every version of you is exactly the same!"
"From hero to commoner—what a grand tragedy."
BAM!
Yama smashed Lin face into the floor. She showed no mercy. The surrounding shards vibrated with the impact. Once, twice—
On the third time, Lin propped his hands on the ground, forcefully stopping the motion that had smashed his face bloody. Then he kicked back, a gust of wind sweeping toward Yama!
However, Yama had anticipated this. She let go and blocked the strike aimed at her face with one arm. Lin flipped up and retreated. As he moved back, he wiped the blood from his eyes that was blocking his vision. He stared at the Yama who had suddenly attacked.
Her movements were refined and powerful. Even without relying on Herrscher powers, she was an elite warrior. The combat stance she took now was clearly the standard MOTH fighting posture.
"So no matter what, you're going to protect these two?"
"..."
Lin didn't respond. He had seen enough differences in ideology; they couldn't be resolved with words. Moreover, this person had been intent on killing him from the start.
When talk is useless, two people who have regained some combat ability prefer to use their fists to convince the other.
Lin struck first. If Yama used her Herrscher authority, he would be at a disadvantage, so taking the initiative was necessary. He lowered his stance and dashed toward Yama, his eyes rapidly gathering information about his surroundings to scout for signs of her using her powers.
But unexpectedly, Yama didn't use her Herrscher abilities. Even the mechanical figure faded from behind her. She simply waited for Lin melee approach.
Three steps, two steps...
When they were just one step apart, they punched simultaneously! Lin went for a hook toward her cheek, while Yama went for an uppercut straight to his chin!
BAM!
...
Crashing through the door, Lin leaned back to dodge a side kick. That seemingly slender leg blasted a hole in the wall beside him. If it had hit a human directly, it would have likely crushed bone and flesh alike.
Many believe one must choose between power and speed, but that isn't true. Those with excellent speed certainly don't lack power—take Yama, for example.
THUD!
Her unexpected jab hit Lin guarding arms but drove the force through into his forehead. Lin felt as though he'd been hit by a steel pipe. He nearly blacked out, stumbling back two steps before managing to steady himself against the dizziness.
Martial arts, Sanda, Muay Thai, Jeet Kune Do, military combat, Capoeira...
Judging by her appearance, it was hard to imagine a girl could use so many combat styles. Her strikes were incredibly ruthless; she didn't care if she caused fatal injuries like Lin did.
Worse yet... she was more proficient in joint locks than Lin.
Lin counter-punch was easily dodged. Before he could retract it, it was pinned under her arm. Then came the crisp sound of a joint snapping. Intense pain shot straight to Lin brain.
A whip-kick broke Lin balance, and then she grabbed his head to drive her knee into his face. A continuous barrage of punches interspersed with joint locks to dislocate his limbs followed. Soon, Lin was reduced to a passive punching bag. The joints in both his hands were shattered; he couldn't even strike back.
THWACK!
The sole of her shoe drove into Lin chest, kicking him five meters away. The attacker simply brushed the dust off her clothes, watching him coldly without even breaking a sweat.
Was the factor of a Herrscher's speed and strength being faster and stronger than a normal human involved? Yes. But that wasn't the main reason. The two had different goals and levels of ruthlessness. Lin had lost from the start.
"Since you think me killing them with my own hands is unacceptable, I'll do exactly what you did."
Lin, his consciousness blurred, opened his bloodshot and swollen eyes to see Yama take out the Monkey's Paw.
"Bringing them back was your wish, and it was fulfilled. My wish is to make them disappear. As long as it fulfills my wish, that is absolute fairness."
As Lin forced his eyes wide, Yama raised the twisted claw high.