Saintess? Not Anymore! I'd Rather be a Destroyer-Chapter 272 - 258: fighting Athena

Onstage, Aurianna smirked, raising her hand with a playful glint in her eyes. "Chi-chi-chi! This time, Miss Bear, I’ll make sure to kill you," she declared.

"Code Red!" Athena’s voice echoed sharply through the hall. "Evacuate everyone immediately!"

Yet her urgent command was met with indifference. The audience shifted restlessly, a murmur of confusion and irritation spreading as they watched the girl on stage. Some laughed, casting dismissive glances at Athena.

"What’s the problem? She’s just a kid! Handle her already!" a man shouted in annoyance.

Athena’s jaw clenched, her frustration flashing across her face. ’If only they knew the threat she poses,’ she thought bitterly, her gaze darting to Aurianna.

"Isn’t Lady Athena a Grand Human? Why would she be scared of a mere child?" whispered a woman nearby.

Athena’s glare was fierce as her eyes flicked between the oblivious crowd and Aurianna’s unsettling smile. She knew first hand that this girl was anything but harmless.

A voice began to speak, "Also, Athena..." But it was cut off as an intense wave of aura crashed over the room, sending an overwhelming pressure down on everyone. The effect was immediate: gasps, widened eyes, and trembling limbs.

"What... what is this killing intent? Is that child a Grand Human?!" someone whispered, their gaze glued to the screen projecting Aurianna’s manic, unblinking eyes.

"How did you reach this level so fast?!" Athena shouted, her voice almost breaking as she tried to comprehend Aurianna’s strength.

Aurianna grinned wider, tilting her head before saying. "Shining Star."

Her eyes burst into radiant rainbow colors, and a beam of blinding light shot down from above, incinerating everything in its path.

At a safe distance, Yelina watched with a deep frown, her eyes following the slow fade of the light’s harsh glare in the dead of the night. "The destructive power... at her age, it’s terrifying," she muttered, her hands clenched at her sides.

Jade, observing with a hardened gaze, folded his arms. "She didn’t even unleash the full extent of Shining Star, did she?"

Avriel gave a casual shrug, smirking. "Nah, she was totes just toying with them."

Bartholomew’s eyes widened in disbelief. "That wasn’t her full power?"

Jade smiled faintly. "If she’d really wanted to, she could’ve leveled the entire building. That’s the true potential of her Shining Star."

Avriel stared at Jade, gasping in disbelief. "Oh my gosh! The cold-hearted bastard can smile!"

Jade’s expression darkened immediately, shifting to an irritated frown. "And sometimes, you can be insufferable."

Avriel waved her hands in a panic. "I didn’t mean it like that, Jade!"

Yelina, observing them from a short distance, narrowed her eyes at the three, ’Jade, Avriel, Jugi... Those names sound strangely familiar. Like the heroes in the ruins Aurianna explored... But if it’s really them, they shouldn’t be able to leave unless they are dead, so that’s impossible,’ she thought, shaking her head to dispel her suspicions. ’Maybe I’m overthinking. I just need to see their faces clearly.’

A voice nearby pulled her out of her thoughts. "Why did we teleport so suddenly? We haven’t retrieved their families yet!" Saem shouted, frustration evident in his tone, as he turned to Hadina.

Hadina rolled her eyes. "All the slaves have been evacuated. If you want to find their families, good luck sorting through 400,000 people. Can’t even be grateful that I saved you maggots lives." She huffed.

Saem blinked, then let out a sheepish chuckle. "Oh... right. Sorry. Don’t worry, we have ways of tracking them down." His eyes drifted to the distant, smoldering building. "But what’s going on over there?"

Zagan crossed his arms, his gaze fixed on the destruction in the distance. "Master is about to go on a rampage."

Inside the building, Athena caught her breath, her heart pounding as she maintained the shimmering water dome above the room.

Aurianna tilted her head to the other aide, a smile on her face as she watched Athena struggle. "Oh wow, you managed to block Shining Star? I’m impressed. Honestly, I assumed you’d all be reduced to ashes. But I guess I’ll just have to try harder now!" Her innocent smile was far from cute in Athena’s eyes.

"Why only shield this room, though? Aren’t you concerned about the slaves trapped in your basement?" Aurianna askedc coldly.

Athena’s eyes flashed with disdain. "I’m sure you’ve already killed them. You man-eater," she spat, her tone dripping with scorn.

"Chi-chi-chi!" Aurianna laughed, baring her sharp, shark-like teeth in a wicked grin. "Oh, this is going to be fun."

"My, Miss Bear, did you miss me that much? You recognized me at a glance!" Aurianna teased, her tone laced with delight.

Athena gritted her teeth, her eyes darting toward the workers stealthily ushering the crowd out. "Well, you did leave quite an impression last time," she muttered, never breaking eye contact with the girl in front of her.

"I love that look of fear in your eyes," Aurianna said, her smile stretching into something unhinged. "Chi-chi-chi... I wanted to see it so damn bad."

Athena’s face twisted with rage and disbelief. "You were supposed to be dead! I shot an arrow through your heart—I watched you disintegrate! This should be impossible!" Her leg began to glow as she braced herself, hoping to buy precious seconds. ’I just need a little more time,’ she thought, glancing toward the last of the escaping guests.

Aurianna’s smile widened as she raised her hands. "It won’t be that easy to kill me. I don’t die easily. But you, and everyone in your organization? You’re not leaving here alive."

"Don’t be so arrogant, child!" Athena snapped, her voice reverberating. "Last time, we were in the Dark Seas. This time, nothing is holding me back!" In an instant, she launched forward, delivering a powerful kick that sent Aurianna flying off the edge of the building, hurtling her into the wasteland of nearby dungeons.

Some adventurers walking nearby shielded their eyes from a flash of light, gasping as they saw a figure crash into the ground with incredible force. But to their shock, Aurianna stood up, completely unscathed, and dashed back toward Athena, twin sabers flashing in her hands.

Athena leapt down from the Flokong Organization’s rooftop, meeting Aurianna mid-air. The clash was fierce and fast, Aurianna’s twin sabers sparking against Athena’s bow as they exchanged a storm of rapid blows. Yet, as the battle wore on, it was clear that Aurianna’s relentless attacks were driving Athena back.

With a vicious kick, Aurianna slammed into Athena’s gut, sending her hurtling through the air. She crashed into the ground, leaving a deep, jagged trench for several kilometers.