Rumble…
The blinding white flash faded in an instant, and the world reclaimed its colors.
Where the lightning had struck, the charred remains of the Battle Wolf lay in ruin — scorched beyond recognition.
Then…
Shhhhh…
The creature's body crumbled into black ash and scattered on the wind.
"You… you actually… caught it…"
Jeong I-deun murmured, staring at the scene in a daze.
"I told you… you could win, didn't I… ah……"
I managed to return the answer, and then the last of the strength holding up my legs gave out completely.
Thud.
I toppled straight backward.
"Ow, ow, ow…"
"Are you okay?!"
He lurched in alarm and rushed to my side, dropping to his knees.
"Yeah… just a little tired. I'm fine."
I said it calmly enough, but the truth was I couldn't move a single finger.
My vision was spinning.
Nakroe (Lightning Fall).
It might have been a trivial technique for the me of my past life, but using it in this body was clearly pushing too far.
The skill literally pulls lightning down from the sky — its speed is overwhelming.
But the drawbacks were just as clear.
The telltale signs right before the strike: the air trembling, the sky groaning.
Fast, but easy to dodge.
The only reason it had worked was that fleeting moment of hesitation the creature had shown at the very last second.
'Status Window.'
I called it up, clinging to my fading consciousness.
User: Kim Shin-a | Age: 11
Class: Mage | Level: 8
[ STATS ]
HP: 5 (F) MP: 11 (E)
STR: 3 (F) INT: 12 (E)
DEX: 4 (F) LUK: 3 (F)
Available Points: 12
[ UNIQUE TRAIT ]
Lightning Magic (Lv.1 → 2)
[ SKILLS ]
Noechim (E), Nakroe (B)
"Huh…"
A hollow laugh slipped through my lips.
Clearing a dungeon I had absolutely no business entering at this stage — the growth was nothing short of staggering. Seven levels in one go, and my unique trait leveled up on top of that.
I was quietly marveling at the numbers when Jeong I-deun shuffled over to my side, hesitant.
"Um… here…"
Still flat on my back, I turned my head just enough to look. He was holding something in his palm — a fragment glowing with a soft, luminous light.
"A magic stone… isn't it?"
"Yeah. It was left behind where the Battle Wolf disappeared."
"At this size… you'd get at least three hundred for it, easy."
"Thr— three hundred?! Wait, never mind that — how do you even know the going rate for these things…?"
He stared at me, aghast.
I looked away and replied flatly.
"That's… a secret."
"……"
He made a complicated face for a moment, then seemed to reach a decision and held the magic stone out to me.
"Here. Take it."
"……?"
I looked at him with puzzled eyes. He nodded as if it were the most obvious thing in the world.
"Hm? It's obviously your share. You literally saved my life — I'd have no shame left if I tried to keep this for myself."
I studied his eyes quietly.
"I actually can't move a single finger right now. If you left me here in the gate and walked out with just the magic stone… there'd be no witnesses, you'd have the money, and no one would ever know."
"What…? What are you even — what do you take me for…?!"
He yelped, horrified.
"Heh."
That expression made me snort.
Unexpected.
In my past life, I'd seen plenty of people who would do exactly that. Among low-rank hunters especially, it was practically routine. I'd nearly died because of it more than once.
"Forget it. Just keep it, mis— I mean, oppa."
"No, but still, that's not right…!"
"Anyway……"
I raised my trembling hand with great effort and stretched it toward him.
"Could you carry me out of here?"
***
Whoosh—
I was draped limply across his back as he carried me out through the gate.
Not long after we emerged, the blue rippling rift in the air slowly faded and vanished.
"Should I… report this to the Association?"
Jeong I-deun stared blankly at the spot where the gate had been.
"If it's been cleared, you don't have to."
"Really…?"
"Anyway, please take me home. It's not far from here."
"Okay, got it… you did well…"
He adjusted his grip on me and was just about to start walking when it happened.
Buzz… buzz…!
A vibration climbed up from the pocket of my pants.
"……!"
I flinched involuntarily.
"What's wrong? Does something hurt?"
Jeong I-deun turned his head and looked at me, puzzled.
My face had gone pale. With a trembling hand, I reached into my pocket and pulled out my smartphone.
The name on the screen, clear as day.
[ Jang-mi ]
17 missed calls
"I… I'm in trouble."
"Hm…? What, what is it…? Are you still feeling bad?"
Before I could answer, the screen lit up again with another round of frantic buzzing.
I swallowed dryly and carefully pressed the answer button, bringing the phone to my ear.
"Hello…?"
[Shin-a! What happened to you! Where are you right now! Something's wrong, isn't it? I'm coming right now, just wait, just wait a second…! I'm in the car!]
A voice that was nearly a shriek poured through the receiver.
"I'm fine—"
Click.
She hung up without hearing my answer.
I stared at the darkened screen and went completely still.
Jeong I-deun glanced back at me.
"……"
"……"
In the silence, I spoke in a shaky voice.
"I… I think we need to hurry…?"
***
"Shin-a!!!"
The front door flew open, and Jang-mi's scream-laced cry flooded the living room.
She burst inside, gasping for breath, shoes barely off her feet.
And there, in the middle of the living room—
"Welcome back."
I greeted her as casually as I could manage, flat on my back on the floor, lifting only my head slightly.
A cold sweat trickled down my spine, but I kept my face perfectly composed.
"……Hm?"
Jang-mi's footsteps stopped dead.
Her unfocused eyes swept over me, sprawled out on the floor.
"Shin-a… what happened… why are you like that…?"
"Sorry. I missed your calls because I was asleep. I must have dozed off on the living room floor."
It was a transparent lie, but it was the best I had right now.
I blamed my pallor on drowsiness and gave her an awkward smile.
"Ah……"
She let out a dazed murmur, then began walking toward me — one step, then another, slowly.
Each footfall felt heavy.
Ah, I'm going to get an earful.
I closed my eyes and waited.
But instead of the scolding I expected—
Thup.
"……?"
Both my cheeks were caught in her slender hands.
"Mmph…?"
A strange sound squeezed out between my squished lips.
I opened my eyes wide in surprise. Jang-mi sank to her knees on the floor and pulled me into something like an embrace.
"Thank goodness… thank goodness, thank goodness……"
She pressed her cheek against mine without restraint, and the tears she'd been holding back finally broke free.
Hot teardrops fell onto my cheek and spread.
"Uhhh… thank goodness…"
"……"
It was suffocating, but I couldn't push her away while she was crying.
***
"……"
Jeong I-deun sat on a park bench, staring blankly at the magic stone resting in his palm.
A jewel-like crystal, glowing with a faint bluish light, brimming with magical energy.
The existence of this stone proved that everything he'd just experienced was no illusion.
The surreal sensation of having walked to the edge of death and come back.
But before that strange, heady feeling could settle in his chest, something else got there first.
It was…
"Getting saved by a little kid… and a girl at that…"
Embarrassment.
He dragged a hand roughly down his face and pressed his fingers to the corners of his eyes.
Between his fingers, his face was burning red.
A wave of crushing humiliation crashed over him, delayed but devastating.
Every thoughtless word and action replayed in his head, and each time, he wanted to curl up and disappear.
While he'd been trembling in front of the fiend, the one who had saved him was that tiny girl.
"God… what am I even doing……"
Jeong I-deun tilted his head back and stared up at the sky.
A hollow, self-deprecating laugh escaped him.
She had looked like a child, no question.
But the things she'd said. That uncanny, unshakeable calm she'd held inside the dungeon without so much as blinking.
And… the strength.
There were things about her that simply could not be explained by calling her an ordinary kid.
"Could this be……"
His gaze dropped back to the magic stone in his palm.
The girl had handed it to him like she was passing along a pebble she'd found on the road, and walked away.
"A fateful encounter… is that what this is?"
***
"Ugh… thank goodness… really, thank goodness, Shin-a…"
"……"
It had been a full hour now.
Jang-mi was sitting on the living room floor with me tucked firmly into her arms, rubbing her cheek against mine over and over.
The feeling of cheek against cheek, grinding together.
I simply lay there like a corpse and let her do as she pleased.
What on earth was the point of this kind of behavior.
It was beyond my comprehension, but…
Watching her breathing gradually steady, it seemed to be doing wonders for her peace of mind.
"Shin-a…"
The storm of tears had subsided. She called my name in a voice still thick with sniffling.
"Yes…?"
"I was really worried. So worried."
"Yes……"
At my answer, Jang-mi gently smoothed back my disheveled hair.
"Our Shin-a…"
She called my name again, and something in her eyes glimmered strangely.
Without stopping the hand stroking my hair, she murmured quietly.
"You should go to school."
"……?"
Excuse me?