Lila and Gina walked away from the scene, the little girl practically bouncing beside her after witnessing the fight. Gina looked up at Lila with wide eyes, brimming with excitement.
"Miss Lila, that was amazing! How did you move so fast?" Gina asked, barely able to contain her awe.
Lila laughed lightly, ruffling Gina's hair. "Ah, it's nothing too special, kiddo. Just a little training, some tricks, and lots of practice. You could do it too one day if you worked hard."
Gina's eyes sparkled, as if the idea of being able to do what Lila just did was the most incredible thing she had ever heard. "Really? You think I could be that strong?"
Lila winked at her. "Of course! But first things first, let's get you settled, alright? You've had a rough time."
They continued walking through the market area, passing various shops and stalls. Despite the lively appearance, the tension in the air was palpable. People kept their heads down, avoiding eye contact. It was clear that the presence of Eustass Kidd's crew had the town's people walking on eggshells. Still, Lila remained cheerful, trying not to let the heaviness of the atmosphere get to her.
"So, Gina," Lila began, glancing down at the girl. "Is there anything else you need? Any place you want to go?"
Gina thought for a moment before shaking her head. "I just like being with you. No one's been this nice to me since... well, since everything happened."
Lila's heart sank a little. She crouched down, looking Gina in the eyes. "Listen, kid. As long as I'm around, you're safe. I'll make sure of it. You won't have to worry about anything."
Gina smiled, a genuine one this time, and for the first time in a long while, she looked like a normal child—happy and carefree.
Suddenly, a familiar voice broke through the crowd, interrupting their peaceful moment.
"You thought you could just walk away from me like that?" It was Killer again, and this time he sounded a little more serious.
Lila sighed, standing back up and turning around to face him. "Killer, I told you. You're not strong enough for me to take you seriously."
Killer clenched his fists, clearly still upset about their earlier encounter. "I can't let it end like that. Fight me again. This time, no holding back!"
Lila rolled her eyes, her patience running thin. "I don't really like picking on people who are weaker than me, Killer."
"I'm not weaker," he snapped. "I'm one of the strongest in Kidd's crew! You think you're just going to walk away from me like that and not face the consequences?"
Lila placed a hand on her hip, raising an eyebrow. "Consequences? You didn't exactly fare well the first time, so why don't you save yourself the embarrassment?"
But Killer wasn't having it. He charged at her, his massive blade raised high in an overhead swing, intending to bring it down on her with full force.
Lila didn't move at first, calmly watching him approach. When the blade was mere inches from her, she raised her spear, blocking the attack with ease. The force of his swing was nothing compared to what she had experienced in her training with Te and Koby. She barely even flinched.
"Seriously?" she muttered, more to herself than him.
With a light but precise kick, Lila sent Killer stumbling backward, forcing him to retreat a few steps to regain his balance. Before he could recover, she vanished, using Soru to appear behind him in the blink of an eye.
She thrust her spear forward, stopping mere inches from the back of Killer's head. The sharp tip hovered just close enough to let him feel the threat, but Lila didn't push further.
"That was fun," she said, her tone casual, almost as if she was bored by the whole thing.
Before Killer could react, she disappeared again, reappearing next to Gina in an instant.
Killer stood frozen, his body rigid with the realization that he had once again been bested with almost no effort on her part. His shoulders slumped, but instead of frustration, a small smirk formed behind his mask.
"I'll get you next time," he called out, his voice filled with determination. "I'll ask you out again tomorrow. You'll say yes one day, you'll see."
Lila chuckled, shaking her head. "Whatever you say, Killer."
With that, she took Gina's hand again, and the two walked off, leaving Killer behind.