The Rise of the White Lotus

466 Chisaka Tora

[Heavenly Realm]

"Mhmm," Churu, now on her original form, turned towards the woman she 'killed' more than she could count. Unlike her usual action whenever the woman would regain consciousness, Churu remained sitting on top of the rectangular marble table where she first woke up: It was placed in the middle of this pure white space, nothing fancy at all.

"Did you have a nightmare?" Furrowing her brows, Churu inquired as the woman was struggling to assist herself to sit.

"Huh," The woman scoffed with the ridiculous remarked. "How dare I? The real nightmare is here." She slowly stretched her neck in a circular motion. Cracked bones were clearly heard being linked back together.

If she was a mere human, the woman had long been dead as Churu vented all her anger on her. From skull to the tip of her toe, all her bones inflicted minor and major injuries. Hence, the sound was the noise while her bones regenerate at a ridiculous pace.

Despite those injuries, the woman shed no blood in this sanctuary, that Churu kept on taunting its holiness ever since she came back. Regardless, the woman couldn't care less as she felt no pain, not a tad bit.

"So, are you done venting your anger?" Slowly, the woman stood up as if she wasn't struggling seconds ago. Flipping her shiny, curly, and full of volume blonde hair, the woman subtly smiled.

"Done? No, I'm not. You're just boring to toy with." Churu shrugged her shoulders as she nonchalantly lay on the rectangular marble table. Staring at the purest white ceiling that appeared endless, Churu sighed. "My consolation price for being a cute dumpling… too bad, I didn't get it." She murmured.

Back when she agreed to be Lexi's guardian dumpling to the so-called system they just came up with, her initial wish was for her to die. Living as a fallen angel, working under Lucifer; the manager of hell, and these scars on her body — she wasn't living anymore.

Every breath she took, every little move of her body, and anything that touched her skin — including air — it was pure torture. Although she got numb from all the pain, now that she has returned to that daily life of a demon, Churu was slightly disheartened.

"I'm surprised though," Staring at the fragile scarred demon appearing as a human, the woman slowly took strides towards where she lay. "Giving your once in a lifetime wish to a human; what a good thing to do. It surprised me you're not in flames." The woman humored because the last time Churu did something good, she was burnt to a crisp.

"Is this even allowed in this sacred place?" Feigning innocence, Churu uttered. "I mean, you being an angel albeit fiend beneath? No wonder, I wasn't struck by lighting while cursing." In a matter of fact tone, Churu smoothly threw shades on the woman.

No wonder she was the scariest demon that an angel should avoid. She challenged an angel's systematic good heart by taunting them from time to time. One reason that her scars filled her whole body was, there was a phase in her life she would break all the rules and sneak in the space separating heaven and hell: humans called it purgatory.

It was a place where grim reapers lead spirits; a place where a spirit would know whether they were on the way to hell or heaven. In other words, there were angels in that place that were guarding the path to heaven.

If one was destined to go to the world full of torture, the route wasn't like the peacefulness towards the paradise and the warm welcome of angels, but they would free fall and land on a boiling lava.

"Anyway, where's Lucy? He promised me to pick me up when my mission is complete. What a liar — he truly deserved his title." Ignoring that the woman stood on the side, Churu's eyes never once left the endless white ceiling.

"If he hears you, he'll surely dip you in the lava for days. Fortunately, someone like him isn't allowed in here. You're the only exception since you're an instrument in Father's wishes. So, he isn't lying." The woman shook his head as she explained.

Yet, Churu seemed to figure that out and knew that Lucifer was the most honest creature she met. She was just blabbering nonsense as it still frustrated her that she has to leave Lexi with no short notice.

"Right. How come the system just ended? They should get married first — that's the last task, right? The happily ever after?" Glancing at the woman's pair of blue orbs, Churu arched her brow that was beneath the facial mask.

"But, they are now married and have a twin." The woman tilted her head to the side as her memory brought forth the information regarding Lexi. "Alas —" Just as the woman would have to give her an update and informed her of the reason why she was here, Churu shushed her.

"A twin… I see. That's good to hear. At least, she ended up happy in this lifetime. Can you give me some time alone? I want to cry but your aura is ruining the moment." Churu's pair of silver eyes gleamed as it softened. She was relieved that unlike in the past, the fragment of Tora had her happy ending in this lifetime.

The curse of Tora was now lifted: Lexi was now happy. That's what's important. Slowly, her silver eyes had images of a beautiful story of the past that tragically ended.

****

Thousand years ago, before the time of men ruling the world and women must submit to the men's rule, there was an era where — just like in the modern-day — men and women were equally acknowledged, by the kingdom and by the citizen.

"Taiga-dono!" A man, clad in heavy, thick armor called out. His steed stopped meters away from the woman, dust scattered on his steed's hoof.

She was looking down the plains beneath the flank. The woman slowly turned to meet the worried face of his subordinate.