Seeing how, even against this kind of injury, she hadn't let out a pained scream but merely a stifled moan, and then continued fighting with just one arm, as if nothing had changed, as if everything was normal.
And noticing, how there was no sign of frustration at how her opportunity had turned into a disadvantage for her, no hint of weakness in her expression, Christian truly felt the gap between the supposedly professional assassin in front of him and one that was not. More than that, he couldn't help but feel really impressed.
Still, that didn't break his focus as he pressed on with his attacks.
And with only one arm to fight with, it was clear that the assassin was struggling to keep up. Her movements, once sharp and precise, now faltered ever so slightly as she adjusted to the new disadvantage.
The balance of the battle had finally tipped entirely in Christian's favor, with her growing weaker with each exchange.
Even then, she didn't give up. Despite sweat dripping down her face and the occasional flicker of pain in her expression, the assassin woman, her bruised and battered skin now visible in many places, refused to surrender. Her determination, or perhaps sheer stubbornness, was almost admirable.
But Christian knew this wasn't the time to admire her resolve, and he pressed on.
He closed the distance between them, weaving past her weakened, desperate attempts to strike back. Her knife, trembling now in her lone hand, missed its mark as he ducked low and drove his fist into her stomach with enough force to send her staggering backward.
The impact left her dazed, her footing unsteady, and Christian didn't hesitate. He followed through with a sweeping kick, knocking her off her feet and sending her crashing to the ground.
Before she could push herself up, with her remaining hand that was trembling, and make another struggle, Christian was faster. He delivered a decisive blow to her head, firm enough to knock her unconscious.
Her body collapsed, falling limp as silence descended over the area, and Christian stood over her, his chest heaving as he struggled to catch his breath. His knuckles were bruised, his body ached from the effort, but the battle was finally over.
The fight was over, and now came the aftermath, he thought. So, with that in mind, he moved to the side slightly, his breathing still uneven, and picked up the pistol lying on the ground. Then, with steady hands, he aimed it at her unconscious form.
[Master, you need to hurry, as it seems someone noticed your fight and has already called the police.]
Suddenly, hearing Iris's voice through the earphone, Christian was momentarily surprised and quickly asked, "How much time do I have?"
[Not more than five minutes.]
But, feeling that it would be enough, Christian heaved a sigh and returned to the assassin. Even then, now, as the moment had finally arrived, his finger hovered over the trigger, refusing to press down, and his heart pounded slightly in his chest. He reminded himself that she was the enemy and he couldn't afford to hesitate. Yet, the weight of the act bore down on him.
Then, as if prompted by some lingering doubt, Christian suddenly remembered something. He slipped his hand into his pocket, took out his phone, and called Eva.
And as soon as the call went through, before he could say anything, Eva's voice came through.
It was a frantic voice, one filled with a mix of urgency, concern, and more emotions Christian couldn't quite place. But, while surprised, he still managed to reply calmly.
On the other end, a sigh of relief barely made its way through the phone before a calmer voice asked.
'Is she near my house again?' Christian thought, trying to piece together the situation, but his focus was still on the assassin, as he replied, "A little far from the house. Anyway, should I kill the assassin like last time, or should I..."
"Don't!" Eva interrupted, her voice loud at first, but then noticing that, she quickly lowered it, though still speaking hurriedly, "I mean, if you haven't killed him yet, don't. He could be useful alive."
"And, I'm coming to your side immediately."
The situation felt strange to Christian, almost as if he had made a mistake and was calling his wealthy mother to take care of it, with her sternly giving instructions. Still, oddly enough, he didn't feel upset by Eva's behavior, and understanding the gravity of the situation, he quickly refocused and replied.
"No, you don't need to come to my side. If you're around my house, just stay there. The police will be here in a moment, and there's no need to risk a confrontation with them."
There was a brief pause before Eva responded, "Okay… Take care of yourself, and I'll be waiting."
When the call ended and he put the pistol away, Christian couldn't help but let out a sigh.
But as he did, he became angry with himself. He was angry at himself for feeling relieved that he no longer needed to kill the assassin.
However, knowing he didn't have time for these self-reproaching thoughts, where even the police were fast approaching, Christian quickly turned his attention away. There was still much to take care of, in the current site, where the battle occurred, after all.
He first grabbed the bag that belonged to the assassin, which had been tossed aside, along with the scattered knives, and threw them into the passenger seat. Then, after making sure he hadn't forgotten anything and everything was secured, he turned his attention to the assassin herself. He lifted her and placed her casually in the trunk of the car.
Once done, he glanced around, scanning his surroundings to see if he could find the one who called to police. But failing, he shook his head and turned his gaze to the front of his car, now damaged. Christian hoped it was still functioning properly despite the damage.