For six long hours, Lilith had practiced with Kato, their wooden blades clashing in a symphony. Every movement, every strike had been honed and perfected until Lilith felt as though she could perform them in her sleep. However, Lilith did feel like she had a long way to go. She is still no match for Kato in terms of experience and technique.
Lilith made her way across the stone platform until she finally reached her Minka. She took a deep breath and sank onto the soft cushions.
Lilith's eyes drifted towards the corner of the room where her clothes lay neatly stacked. Lilith approached the stack and took in the sight of her clothes, a testament to Suzuki's thoughtfulness. In one fluid motion, she began to undress, shedding layer after layer until she stood naked, revealing her alluring figure.
She took grabbed her clothes and weapons, then closed her eyes, feeling the energy coursing through her body as she activated her [World Travel] skill. When she opened her eyes, she realized she had been transported back to her parents' cozy house.
Lilith then rushed outside to the house's small backyard, still naked. She then stashed all the stuff in a bush so nobody would be able to find them. But just as she was about to hide the weapons out of her hands, she remembered the vow she had made with Suzuki.
As Lilith stepped out of the house, she hurried to the small backyard. With a quick glance around, she found a dense bush and carefully concealed her belongings inside it, making sure not to leave any trace behind. However, as she was about to hide the weapons, her mind flashed back to the promise she had made to Suzuki.
Lilith let out a deep sigh of resignation and picked up the weapons. She carried them inside, where she carefully placed them in a hidden spot where no curious eyes would find them.
As swiftly as a breeze, Lilith darted back inside, her footsteps so light they barely made a sound. With a flick of her wrist, she transformed into a newborn, her body small and delicate. She then snatched up a cozy blanket and draped it over her tiny form, wrapping herself in warmth and comfort.
After a while, the vibrant sun rose on the horizon, casting its rays of warm light upon the earth, illuminating the world with its golden brilliance as the morning unfurled.
"It's time to eat..." Lisa cradled Lilith in her arms, gently swaying back and forth as she hummed a soft lullaby. As she shifted Lilith's weight, a soft sound echoed in the room as the buttons on Lisa's blouse popped open, revealing a plump breast. She brought the little one to her bosom, and Lilith began to nurse.
'Ugh...' Lilith thought...
Abruptly, the sound of heavy banging echoed through the quiet house, causing Lilith and Lisa to snap their heads toward the direction of the front door.
'Was it John?' Lisa thought with a raised eyebrow but never recalled him banging this aggressively on the door.
With the sound of the door's hinges creaking, Lisa withdrew her breast, hid it behind her robe, and strode towards the door with measured steps. Finally, she grasped the door handle and pulled it towards her, revealing the person on the other side.
"Hi, lady. I'm here to collect your debt." The man spoke.
'We had dept?' Lilith thought as she never recalled there being anything of the sort in the household.
"Ah yes..." Lisa disappeared briefly into the house, rustling through some drawers before emerging with a wad of cash in her hand, which she then handed over to the man. The crisp bills rustled as he began to count them, a sly grin spreading across his face.
"This isn't enough." The man spoke.
"What?" Lisa's eyebrows furrowed with confusion and doubt as she gazed at the folds of cash in front of the man, trying to recall the exact amount she had given him.
"You do know what happens when you can't pay up." The man leaned against the doorframe, his hand resting on his stomach as he spoke. "We take your intestines."
'Human trafficking...!' Lilith thought, surprised.
"Yes... I know..." Lisa's gaze darted away from the man, her unease clear in her eyes as she muttered under her breath. "But I was sure that is the correct amount."
"Intrest has risen."
'A loan shark... probably in a gang...' Lilith thought as she stared at the man.
"What?!" Lisa raised her voice.
"You heard me. Interest had risen four percent." The man spoke as he got ready to leave. "If you can't pay it next time, we're coming for your organs."
Lisa's hand slowly pushed the door shut, the weight of the man's words bearing down on her. The once bright and warm room now felt heavy with a sense of gloom, as if a storm cloud had descended upon them. Lisa's eyes turned dark and troubled, reflecting the unease she felt inside.
"Awa..." Lisa lowered her gaze and saw Lilith's innocent eyes staring up at her as if the baby sensed the sadness in the air and wanted to comfort her.
Lisa's lips curled up into a gentle smile as she cradled Lilith in her arms, swaying her back and forth. Finally, she laid Lilith down on the mattress with care, tucking the blanket around her tiny body.
With a sudden burst of anger, Lilith's red eyes transformed into a sharp glare. In a swift motion, she transformed back into her adult form, snatched up all her weapons, and darted toward the backyard. There, she quickly changed into a crisp, white-sleeved shirt and sleek black pants, ready for action.
As she gazed towards the sky, Lilith took a deep breath and leaped with effortless grace into the open air. Her keen eyes scanned the busy street below, finally spotting the man as he hurriedly crossed the road. With an expertly timed fall, Lilith landed on the roof of her house. She steadied herself and then launched forward with all her speed and agility.
As soon as the man entered the narrow, dimly-lit alleyway, Lilith sprang into action.
As the man walked down the dimly lit alleyway, he heard the echoing sound of approaching footsteps. Turning around, he caught a glimpse of a shadowy figure cloaked in a long black coat, their face obscured by the hood. Despite squinting his eyes, the man couldn't discern any features, leaving him unsettled and apprehensive.
The man's gaze fell upon the bottom half of a shadowy figure, revealing the handles of two swords. As he lifted his eyes to the figure's hood, a pair of crimson-red orbs pierced through the darkness and locked onto him, sending a chill down his spine.
"What's up?" The man spoke. "Are you fucking with me? Who are you."
Lilith remained silent, her piercing gaze locked onto the man's eyes, and he could feel himself becoming increasingly fearful. He reached into his pants and withdrew a handgun, pointing it at the shadowy figure standing before him.
"Back up before I shoot!" The man shouted, but Lilith remained still, not moving an inch from where she was standing.
Bang! Bang! Bang!
With a sharp crack, the man pulled the trigger three times, and the bullets tore through the air toward Lilith. "You thought I wasn't going to shoot? Now you're dead."
"I only wanted to pay off a loan." Lilith's gentle voice in the cramped alleyway reverberated like the haunting melody of a long-forgotten song, catching the man off guard. But as their ears strained to detect any sound, the sharp crack of metal hitting the pavement pierced the silence, startling the man. In response, the man's eyes darted downward, fixating on Lilith's feet where he witnessed the three bullets he had fired, now nothing more than mangled lumps crushed under an unknown force.
"Here's the part you were missing," With a sudden burst of energy, Lilith materialized before the man as if she had transcended the confines of time and space. In one fluid motion, she retracted her arm. Coiling her muscles, she launched a ferocious punch toward the man's face. The impact was thunderous, sending shockwaves rippling through the air as the man hurtled backward, his body seeming to defy gravity for a fleeting moment. Despite the immense force of the blow, Lilith's control was precise as the man's consciousness remained intact, but his face contorted in agony, a searing pain.
"I'll pay off the debt, so don't worry." With a fierce glint in her eyes, Lilith reached out and grasped the man's trembling hand, guiding it toward the hilt of her cherished weapon, the Katana known as Almace. As the man's fingers brushed against the cool metal, Almace herself began to shiver as if recoiling from the touch of another man. In an instant, a wave of intense energy surged through the man's body, causing him to writhe and convulse in agony. His eyes bulged with terror, and his throat emitted a guttural, primal scream that echoed through the air. The spasms continued to wrack his body until finally, with a sickening gurgle, he fell into unconsciousness, a frothy stream of white foam spilling from his gaping mouth.