Lilith didn't hesitate and tucked her hands in, feeling the rush of air as she plunged toward the earth at breakneck speed. The wind whipped through her hair and clothes, but her Katana and Wakizashi remained securely fastened at her waist, undisturbed by the velocity of her descent.
In a sudden and dramatic moment, Lilith burst forth from the fluffy, cotton-like clouds that blanketed the sky, hurtling herself earthward with exhilarating speed. As she descended, the breathtaking panorama of a colossal lake, fed by the tumbling waterfall, came into view below her. The cascading water plunged into the lake with great force, sending up a colossal mist of water droplets that glittered like diamonds in the sun, forming a magical veil over the landscape below.
<
As Lilith neared the surface of the water, she executed a sharp and precise turn, tilting her foot downwards like the tip of a gleaming blade. In one swift motion, she dove into the water, slicing through the liquid surface with graceful ease, leaving only a faint ripple behind.
Lilith propelled herself upwards through the shimmering water, breaking through the surface with a burst of energy.
Lilith then swam towards the shore, where a group of people was already gathered, assisting those who had emerged from the water. As she drew nearer, she watched in awe as they deftly used their powers to dry off the drenched individuals with a flick of their wrists as if conjuring up magic from thin air.
Lilith hoisted herself out of the water and onto the shore, her clothes drenched and heavy with water. As she stood up, someone approached her, their fingers crackling with energy as they unleashed a wave of powerful mana that washed over her body. She felt the magical energy pulsing through her as her sodden clothes suddenly felt as light as air. In an instant, she gazed down at her attire, stunned to see that not a single wrinkle remained as if they had never been wet in the first place.
"Everyone gather up!" With a resounding cry, Shota's voice rang out, echoing across the landscape and drawing everyone's attention toward him. Within seconds, a crowd had amassed around him.
"We spend a total of four hours hunting. After those four hours are up, stop what you were doing and meet up at this same exact spot." Shota explained. "Our main objectives are purple snakes, red bull ogres, and water tigers. They appear randomly inside the forest. Except for the water tiger, you can find that at the bottom of the lake. Understand?"
"Yes!" Everyone shouted.
"Good, then everyone, scatter!"
As soon as Shota issued his command, a flurry of motion erupted across the area as the people vanished from their positions with lightning-fast speed. To the untrained eye, it may have seemed like they had simply disappeared into thin air. In reality, however, their movements were so swift and fluid that they left barely a trace of their passage.
Lilith followed their lead and weaved a path deeper into the forest. Her movements were as fluid as the wind rustling through the trees. With each step, her body blurred as she streaked through the landscape like a shooting star. Within moments, she reached her objective, her body decelerating until she came to a stop, perched upon a branch high up in the canopy. As she scanned the area below, her eyes glinted with predatory focus, fixated upon her prey.
The man before Lilith was a sight to behold - his skin was ablaze with hues of red and orange, flickering like flames in the darkness. Two large, twisted horns jutted out from his head, adding to his menacing appearance. There was no mistaking it; he was a red bull ogre through and through. Now she would simply need to stab the creature.
With a sharp, metallic ring, Lilith drew her Katana, Almace, from its sheath, the blade glinting menacingly in the dim light. Just as she prepared to strike, however, a voice echoed in her mind, its tones clear and compelling. It was Veda's voice, ringing out like a bell through the stillness, calling her to pause.
<
'Hmmm... that doesn't sound too bad...' Lilith thought in agreement as she also felt as if she needed experience.
"Hey, Almace, turn it down a bit, yeah?" Lilith leaned in close to her katana, her lips moving silently as she whispered words to the blade. As if in response, the sword began to quiver in her hand, its aura shifting and settling into a calm, peaceful state. The once imposing energy emanating from the katana now felt subdued. "Thanks."
Lilith leaped down from her perch in the tree, her sandals hitting the ground with a heavy thud. The sound echoed through the trees, catching the attention of the red bull ogre. Slowly, the massive creature turned to face Lilith, its eyes locking onto hers with a fierce intensity.
"Human..." It muttered, surprising Lilith
"Oh, you can talk?" Lilith spoke as she raised an eyebrow.
"You speak our tongue." The ogre spoke.
'Eh...?' Lilith's hand flew to her lips, her fingers tracing the curve of her mouth as she tried to make sense of the garbled words that had escaped her. It took her a moment to remember that the strange sounds had been a side effect of her [Translator] skill, distorting her own voice as it worked to decipher the languages around her. With a wry smile, she shook her head, knowing that it was a small price to pay for the ability to understand and communicate with those who spoke different tongues.
"It feels weird talking to you." With a swift, fluid motion, Lilith raised her katana, its tip glinting dangerously in the dappled light. Her voice rang out like a bell, clear and commanding, as she addressed the massive red bull ogre before her. "So this is the last time you hear my voice before you die. Nothing personal."