The nightmare is finally over, just as I had hoped. I have suffered enough. All she wants now is a hearty dinner and a good night's sleep on that soft bed to forget everything that happened today. As for me... well, perhaps I don't have the strength to enjoy this last meal with her anymore.

Inside the innermost room of our apartment lies many precious memories between father and daughter. As soon as we enter the room, Sara relaxes and all the fatigue that had been building up suddenly overwhelms her.

"Dad, I'm home."

Normally, before Sara says these words, I would happily respond with, "Welcome home, my little baby." But today... I can only remain silent.

Though I am indeed at home... sitting in the chair with armrests, watching TV. But I did hear her. I just don't have the strength to acknowledge it anymore.

"Dad, I'm home. Did... did you hear me?" Sara asks cautiously, approaching me.

Still facing the TV screen, I pay no attention to what she said... yes, I no longer have the strength to do so.

"Dad..."

Sara comes to stand directly in front of the chair that is blocking the TV, her words cut off halfway.

Ah ah ah ah ah!!!

My hand slowly drops, and at the same time, Sara lets out a heart-wrenching scream...

Because her father is no longer there. Wait, more accurately, he is no longer in this world.

Sitting there is just a corpse that used to be called Tsubaki Juxi. It's not him... it's just a body covered in blood.

After the scream, Sara stands in place, unable to utter a word... then she collapses weakly to the ground, holding me tightly and crying.

Today has been a day filled with unfortunate nightmares, the misfortunes that my daughter is destined to endure in life. That is the mission of our Tsubaki family.

The two of us have always lived a joyful life full of love, but now it has been cruelly destroyed.

Who... whoever killed me... I just hope she doesn't seek revenge.

"Why... why would someone do such a cruel thing?!"

...

I don't know how much time has passed, but as I watch the blood stain my father's chest, even dripping onto the floor beneath the chair... and extending towards the depths of the room.

She suddenly realizes that these bloodstains were not left behind by her injured father as he walked here.

So... that's right! They must have been left by the person who killed him, carrying a bloodied weapon! The trail extends towards the open window, towards the fire escape outside the window...

Sara's strength surges back into her body. It is the power of anger, even making her forget her exhaustion.

My father's handgun is right next to the chair. Sara picks it up, replacing her own gun that has no bullets, then jumps up from the ground, climbs out the window, and runs up the metal fire escape stairs.

There is a woman on the rooftop of the apartment. The moment Sara sees her, she is certain that she is the culprit.

Because that woman is Lilith, with a madness in her eyes... there is only a possibility.

"You're late."

Lilith smiles, as if indicating that she knows everything.

Sara glares at her angrily, eyes filled with a murderous intent.

"Did you do it? Why did you kill my father?"

"Why? It was his destiny! There is much you don't know. Blame his last shred of humanity for taking him away from you!"

"Unforgivable!"

Sara raises the gun, aiming it at Lilith.

"Exactly!" Lilith smiles faintly. "The reason for killing that man was to provoke your hatred... the desire for hatred!!!"

"My hatred?!"

"Yes, it's important. I think you'll understand sooner or later."

"I don't want to understand!"

"Remember who you really are... give birth to the 'God-King' and build an eternal paradise.""Sara angrily pulled the trigger on the gun. She would not rest until she had her revenge. The person on the other side was a murderer, a villain who deserved to be sentenced to death. So, I'll be the one to execute her now.

But... the bullet missed... or rather, it couldn't hit the target at all. Her deceased father's words of caution made Sara hesitate.

"Do not let anger control you to attack others. Even if it's self-defense, if you take the correct punishment under the influence of emotions, you are still a murderer. Even if the law forgives the wicked, the heavens will deliver the proper judgment. Make judgments with a calm mind. To protect yourself and your loved ones, you cannot avoid it. Only then can you strike back without hesitation, and the God King will forgive you."

While Sara hesitated, Lilith disappeared into the darkness.

"I'll be waiting for you at the source of all evil thoughts – the space of malice!"

Sara aimed the gun at the direction of the voice again, only to find a monster standing there in the beam of her flashlight. It had a pair of giant swords in its hands. It looked human, but its head seemed wrapped in torn cloth, giving off a strange sensation, and the blade was coated in sticky blood.

"It seems like you killed directly..."

As she thought carefully, she realized that it was impossible for the woman alone to kill. Her father's powers far surpassed her own. And even if the opponent was a monster... it seemed like his health was not doing well lately.

If the opponent was a monster, her father's advice would not apply.

Sara no longer hesitated. She aimed the gun at the monster's chest – the same place where her father was stabbed – and pulled the trigger.

The monster swung its two enormous weapons with agility.

The sound of metal rang out as the bullets were deflected.

Indeed, it was something that humans couldn't accomplish.

Faced with such an opponent, Sara felt helpless. Should she give up revenge and choose to escape? But the monster had already blocked off her retreat and swiftly launched an attack.

"Ah!"

The blade cut through the air near her nose, causing Sara to quickly lean back and fall to the ground.

Although she quickly got up, the monster had disappeared. All that reflected in Sara's eyes was the pitch-black night.

When she fell, the switch on the flashlight automatically turned off.

Although she intended to turn it back on, she stopped immediately. The light in front of her chest would undoubtedly expose her position. It was too dangerous to do that without knowing the enemy's location. Plus, sneaking around in the darkness might still provide an opportunity for a counterattack.

With the faint light from the distant streetlights, Sara's eyes quickly adjusted to the darkness around her.

And at that moment, the figure of the monster slowly emerged from the darkness.

The monster seemed confused, standing there, probably searching for Sara... Maybe the torn cloth wrapped around its head obstructed its vision and prevented it from seeing the surroundings clearly. Previously, it likely relied on the light of the flashlight and the sound of Sara's movements to determine her position and actions. So, when Sara hid in the darkness and held her breath, it could only helplessly stand there.

Great!!! Sara, who had discovered the monster's weakness, cheered silently in her mind.

Her night vision was better than most people's, thanks to the training she received in her childhood under her father's guidance.

Moreover, she had her father's gun, equipped with a silencer. He always liked using weapons like this at home so as not to disturb the neighbors even in case of accidents.

Although Sara always found it hard to believe, she finally understood her father's intention.

Explaining being attacked by a monster was impossible for humans. It would only expose oneself to ridicule. The best course of action was to secretly bury these killed monsters deep in the mountains.

Sara quietly circled behind the monster and pulled the trigger.

She continuously changed positions like a nimble cat while shooting.

The defenseless monster let out a painful cry. It became helpless and couldn't find Sara's position.

The silent gunshots continuously ravaged the monster's body, rendering it completely defenseless and caught off guard.Terrifying screams shattered the silence of the night, echoing through the streets before abruptly ceasing. Although she had successfully taken out the enemy, Sara couldn't find any joy in it. She returned home with heavy steps only to find the intruding detective waiting for her there.

He was frowning, staring at her father's lifeless body. "I don't know what to say..."

"Nothing needs to be said. Get out!" Sara yelled, pointing towards the entranceway.

"But..."

"Out!"

"Fine, if that's what makes you feel better. But... at least let me help you with your father's arrangements. Please, let me do something for you, as a way of making it up to you."

"That's enough! I don't want any friend of that woman's to help me!"

"Woman... Are you referring to Lilith?"

"Yes, that woman killed my father!"

"I'm not her friend, just someone temporarily employed by her. And it looks like that employment is over now... Anyway, please. I want to become your friend and help you."

Why was this man so insistent?

Sara couldn't quite understand, so she stared at the detective intently. Although doubts crept into her mind, suspecting his motives might be to catch her off guard, for some reason, his figure seemed to overlap with her father's.

Sometimes, her father was just as stubborn as him.

"...Fine."

Reluctantly, Sara agreed.

"Just help me move my father."

After lifting her father's body onto the bedroom bed, Sara and the detective held a final farewell ritual together.

Although her father's death was mysterious, his expression seemed to convey an inexplicable peace.