On the Other Side…
Mihon darted through the treetops, his movements swift and precise. He was gaining on the boy, his fingertips just inches away from grabbing him.
Almost there…
But just as he reached out, a Stromclaw suddenly swooped down, its massive wings cutting through the air. Mihon barely had time to react before the beast slammed into his path, forcing him to veer off course.
"Damn it!" Mihon growled, regaining his footing on a nearby branch. His sharp eyes scanned the darkness.
"Where did he go?" he muttered, frustration creeping into his voice as he realized he had lost sight of him.
Meanwhile…
The boy, having gained some distance, suddenly felt a sharp pain at the back of his head.
"Ahh!" he hissed, his grip on Miley faltering.
Miley tumbled to the ground, landing roughly, her body still trembling in fear. She struggled to lift herself up, her breath uneven.
"That hurts…" she muttered, her voice shaking.
The boy loomed over her, his eyes void of emotion, his knife glinting under the dim moonlight.
"You shall die." His voice was cold, devoid of hesitation. He raised the knife, preparing to bring it down on her.
Before he could strike—
A rock whizzed through the air, hitting the knife with a sharp clink!
The force made him stagger, momentarily thrown off balance.
"Not by your hand," Mihon's voice cut through the tension.
Miley seized the opportunity, casting an Air Magic spell. A powerful gust blasted the boy backwards, sending him crashing into the dirt.
Without missing a beat, Mihon rushed forward, his knife clashing against the boy's blade. Their fight was fast and relentless, the boy dodging and countering each of Mihon's strikes with unnatural precision.
Mihon's mind raced as he fought, his every instinct screaming at him. Without purification magic, we can't kill him…
His gaze flickered to Miley for a split second. She's still trembling in fear.
Even if she knows purification magic, she can't cast it like this…
At this rate, Mihon knew he had only one option—buy time for Miley to escape.
"Run!" Mihon shouted, blocking a vicious strike from the boy. "I'll hold him off!"
But Miley couldn't move. Fear paralyzed her, her legs refusing to listen.
The boy's eyes shifted back to her, his expression unreadable. Without hesitation, he charged straight for her.
Mihon threw himself in the way, catching the boy's attack.
Pain exploded in his right arm as the knife sank deep into his flesh. Mihon gritted his teeth, biting back a scream, his knees nearly buckling from the force of the blow.
Blood trickled down his arm, soaking his sleeve.
Miley watched in horror. "If I don't do something… Mihon will die!"
"Ever since I was a kid, I was scared of everything.
Even small things—bugs, the dark, being alone.
When the portal to the Other World opened, people from this world came to ours. Some of them stayed.
One of them was Miss Nanily, the nanny who was in charge of me.
My father is a wealthy businessman. My mother, a surgeon. They were always busy, always away. I grew up alone in a house far too big for one child. They hired a nanny, never knowing she was from another world.
When I found out her secret, I made a deal.
"In exchange for hiding your identity, you'll teach me magic."
I loved watching heroes in stories—wielding magic, saving lives. Maybe that's why I was gifted with the ability to use it.
Miss Nanily's lessons were strict, but they worked. I mastered the basics of magic. I learned healing spells.
But I was still a coward.
So I came to this world, hoping to change myself.
Here, I met good people.
Aeron, who trusted me even without knowing my capabilities.
Emma, who cherishes me as a friend.
Mihon, who is risking his life for me right now.
I can't… I won't let them die because of my fear!"
Miley pushed herself up from the ground, her body no longer trembling.
Her eyes burned with newfound determination.
I won't run away anymore.
Miss Nanily's words echoed in her mind:
"This is a purification magic. One day, you'll need it."
Miley clenched her fists, her magic flaring to life.
The boy lunged at Mihon, ready to deal the final blow.
But Miley stepped forward, raising her hands.
"Purification spell!"
A brilliant green light erupted from her palms, striking the boy directly.
A blood-curdling scream tore from his throat as his body convulsed in agony.
Dark energy peeled off his skin like burning mist, his form fading into dust.
And then—he was gone.
The battle was over.
Mihon, still clutching his wounded arm, exhaled heavily. "You did it… You actually did it."
Miley rushed to him, her hands glowing with healing magic.
"Let me heal you," she said urgently, kneeling beside him.
Mihon stared at her, noticing the difference in her posture, the new confidence in her eyes. The timid, trembling girl from before was gone.
He smiled, despite the pain.
"You've changed," Mihon said, amused.