Feeling dejected, the Jester expressed her frustration and resignation. She remarked,
"You are very cruel."
In response, the mature Lilith replied,
"Thank you for the compliment. You deserve much for meddling with someone you shouldn't have. If it weren't for the fact that I'm running out of time and that the current vessel is not strong enough, I would have paid a visit to your headquarters and caused chaos to quell my rage. Alas, I will leave that task to the two youngsters."
The mature Lilith descended to the basement.
In the depths of the demolished Bloody Gang's headquarters, the seasoned Lilith and the mischievous Jester ventured into the basement. Sunlight peeked through the narrow openings in the boarded-up windows, casting a haunting glow on the abandoned space.
Dust particles swirled and twirled, creating a mesmerizing dance in the air, as if they were the only witnesses to the desolation that once ruled this place.
As the creaking doorway swung open, a haunting sight greeted their eyes. The once bustling headquarters of the Bloody Gang had been reduced to a forgotten chamber of chaos. From floor to ceiling, shelves stood crooked and disheveled, their stolen treasures now strewn about in a tangled mess.
Among the wreckage, broken toys, chipped figurines, and tarnished weapons lay discarded, a testament to the gang's ill-gotten gains.
The air grew heavy with the scent of decay as they ventured deeper into the basement. Ever the practical one, the Jester retrieved a battered lantern from his coat and ignited it, casting a feeble flame that danced and flickered, painting eerie shadows across the dilapidated surroundings.
Undeterred, they pressed forward, navigating through a labyrinth of toppled shelves and shattered furniture, the musty odor intensifying with each step. Finally, they emerged into a colossal chamber, where the true extent of the Bloody Gang's operations came to light.
This was no ordinary storage room. It was a grand hall, its lofty ceiling shrouded in darkness. Once pristine stone pillars now bore the marks of grime and dampness. In the center of the chamber, bathed in the lantern's eerie glow, a remarkable sight awaited them.
Etched into the cold, flagstone floor lay a mesmerizing magic circle. Its intricate design, a swirling convergence of arcane symbols and luminous runes, pulsed with a faint, ethereal light. It was undoubtedly a teleportation formation, meticulously crafted by someone with a connection to the supernatural.
A surge of excitement coursed through the seasoned Lilith, while the Jester succumbed to a wave of despair, realizing her time had come, she wouldn't probably survive once there arrived at the underground laboratory.
As the mature Lilith dragged the frozen Jester towards the teleportation formation, she exerted her willpower to make the Jester channel her mana into the formation. Together, they vanished from their current location and reappeared in the depths of an underground laboratory where Noah was held captive.
In a blink of an eye, the mature Lilith vanished from sight and reappeared right before the tightly bound Noah. With a snap of her fingers, the restraints holding him captive were released, and his body effortlessly levitated in the air. Noah's gaze, still blurry and disoriented, locked onto the swirling kaleidoscope within Lilith's eyes.
"L... Lilith!" he stuttered, his voice filled with a mix of relief and disbelief.
"Yes, it's me, or at least a version of me," Lilith replied, her tone soothing and reassuring. "Rest now, Noah. Trust me and leave everything in my hands."
As Lilith's words washed over him, Noah felt an overwhelming warmth spread throughout his body, soothing his wounds and healing his pain. This mature Lilith seemed different from the Lilith he had known, but in that moment, it didn't matter. With a sense of accomplishment and relief, Noah surrendered to the embrace of sleep, knowing that he had fulfilled the mission set by the system.
After gently laying Noah down and ensuring he was comfortable, the mature Lilith turned her attention towards the Jester. The light in her eyes had vanished, leaving behind a hollow gaze. A mischievous chuckle escaped the mature Lilith's lips, finding amusement in the situation. This was all part of her plan, and she knew it was time to move forward with the next step.
Time was running out, and she needed to act swiftly.
The mature Lilith had taken precautions to disable all security measures upon entering the area. By doing so, she ensured that no one on the other floors would be alerted to the situation and come to provide reinforcement. Additionally, she left behind a deliberate trail, knowing that it would catch the attention of the members from the Sun guild.
She was confident that they would soon be rushing to this location. With everything falling into place, the mature Lilith only needed to add a few finishing touches to solidify her plan.
With a flick of her head, the mature Lilith directed her penetrating gaze towards a specific direction, effortlessly bypassing a metal door to focus on someone hiding behind it. The man concealed behind the door was none other than the Jammer himself.
''Found you, little Mickey!"
As Lilith addressed him, her words dripping with a mix of amusement and malice, a wave of fear washed over the Jammer. His soul seemed to tremble within his body, almost on the verge of escaping.
The Jammer had been away on a short errand, and upon his return, he bore witness to the unfolding events through the surveillance monitors. His initial instinct was to escape and report what he had seen, but to his dismay, he realized that the space around him was locked, trapping him within.
Panic coursed through his veins as he desperately tried to contact anyone for assistance, only to discover that all means of communication had been severed.
In a state of sheer terror, the Jammer sought refuge behind a small bunker, desperately hoping to remain unnoticed by the monstrous figure before him. However, even this small glimmer of hope was swiftly extinguished as the mature Lilith locked her piercing gaze upon him.
"Shit!"