Chapter 524: Beneath a Borrowed Sky

The second day passed quietly for Nero.

After resting for a few hours in the branches of an enormous tree, he resumed his hunt, venturing farther into the eastern region of the pocket world. The morning was spent eliminating monsters, while the afternoon brought several encounters with cadets who had been unfortunate enough to cross his path.

His movements had become almost instinctive.

Darkness concealed him.

Wind carried him.

And when the moment came to strike, his opponents rarely had enough time to understand what was happening.

By the time the sun began its slow descent, Nero had accumulated another considerable number of points. Yet, despite his continued success, his interest in hunting had begun to wane.

He had enjoyed himself the previous night, but even entertainment could become monotonous when repeated too often.

Besides, there was something else he wanted to do.

Find somewhere quiet.

Eat something decent.

Perhaps enjoy a glass of wine without having to worry about a cadet attempting to stab him in the back.

The thought alone made him feel that his priorities were perfectly reasonable.

Nero stood on a rocky ledge overlooking a vast stretch of forest. The distant mountains were bathed in orange light, and long shadows stretched across the valley below.

He was about to leave when a familiar presence entered his perception.

A faint chill traveled through the air.

It was subtle, almost indistinguishable from the natural evening breeze, but Nero recognized it immediately.

He turned his head.

A figure emerged between the trees on the opposite side of the clearing.

White hair.

Frosty blue eyes.

A beautiful face that rarely revealed much emotion.

Khione.

For several seconds, the two simply looked at each other.

Neither had expected to meet here.

They had entered the trial together, but the enormous pocket world had separated the participants across different regions. Nero had spent most of his time in the eastern forests, while Khione had been hunting in the west.

Their paths had crossed unexpectedly.

Then Khione’s lips curved into a faint smile.

Nero returned it.

It was a small expression, almost unnoticeable to anyone who didn’t know him.

Khione knew him.

She walked toward him, her white hair swaying gently with each step.

Nero descended from the ledge and met her halfway.

Neither said anything.

They didn’t need to.

Khione stopped in front of him, raised her hand, and gently brushed a stray leaf from his shoulder.

Nero looked down at the leaf between her fingers.

Then he looked back at her.

A faint smile appeared on his face.

Khione’s smile deepened.

They had spent the past two days hunting, fighting, and accumulating points. Now that they had finally met, neither felt particularly inclined to return to those activities immediately.

There was still time before the trial ended.

For once, they decided to spend it together.

***

Finding a suitable place took less than an hour.

They moved through the forest without hurry, occasionally changing direction whenever Nero sensed a monster nearby or Khione noticed an area covered in traces of recent combat.

Eventually, they reached a secluded valley.

A clear river flowed through it, winding between smooth stones and patches of green grass. Tall trees lined the banks, their branches spreading overhead without completely blocking the sky. Beyond the river stood a low hill covered in wildflowers, while a small waterfall spilled down a rocky slope farther upstream.

The area was peaceful.

No signs of nearby battles.

No disturbed earth.

No lingering traces of mana.

Most importantly, there were no other cadets in sight.

Khione stopped at the riverbank.

She looked at the water.

Then she glanced at Nero.

He was already examining the surrounding area, checking the trees and the open ground beyond them.

After a moment, he nodded.

Safe enough.

Khione removed her shoes.

Nero raised an eyebrow.

She looked at him with an expression that suggested the answer should have been obvious.

Then she stepped into the river.

The water reached her ankles, and a faint layer of frost spread across the stones beneath her feet before disappearing again.

Nero watched her for a moment.

He could have used his Laws to cross the river without getting wet. It would have been easy to step over the water on a current of Wind or simply move through the shadows along the bank.

Instead, he removed his shoes and followed her.

The water was cold.

Not unbearably so, but cold enough to make him pause when it reached his feet.

Khione noticed.

Her eyes curved slightly with amusement.

Nero gave her a flat look.

She smiled.

Then she splashed him.

Water struck his clothes and scattered across his face.

For a brief moment, Nero stood perfectly still.

Khione watched him expectantly.

He looked down at the water.

Then back at her.

A few seconds passed.

Suddenly, he swept his foot through the river.

A sheet of water splashed toward her.

Khione raised her hand, freezing part of the incoming water into a thin, translucent wall. The splash struck it and scattered harmlessly to either side.

She looked rather pleased with herself.

Nero stared at the wall.

Then he glanced at the river.

The water around Khione’s feet rose.

Her eyes widened slightly as a small wave formed beneath her, lifting her just enough to disturb her balance.

She immediately dispersed the water with Ice.

Nero took advantage of the moment to splash her again.

This time, she wasn’t fast enough to block it completely.

Water scattered across her hair and shoulders.

Khione slowly turned toward him.

Nero smiled.

It was a genuine smile, free of the usual indifference that defined his expression.

Khione narrowed her eyes.

A thin layer of ice spread across the water around his feet.

Nero reacted by using Wind to lift himself just above the surface.

Khione raised an eyebrow.

He looked down at her, standing a few inches above the river.

For a moment, neither moved.

Then Khione smiled sweetly.

The air beneath Nero’s feet froze.

His balance shifted.

He dropped straight into the river with a loud splash.

Bam!

Khione stepped backward, laughing quietly as water surged around her ankles.

Nero emerged a moment later, his dark blue hair dripping and his clothes thoroughly soaked.

He stared at her as if to say you have gone and done it haven’t you?

She covered her mouth, attempting to suppress another laugh.

It didn’t work.

Nero looked at her for another second before a smile spread across his face.

Then he reached for her.

Khione tried to retreat, but the shallow water slowed her movements. He caught her around the waist and lifted her just enough to prevent her from escaping.

She wrapped her arms around his shoulders to steady herself.

For a moment, they stood close together in the middle of the river.

Their laughter gradually faded.

Khione looked into his eyes.

Nero brushed a damp strand of white hair away from her face.

She leaned into his hand.

Then she kissed his cheek.

He turned his head and kissed her forehead in return.

Neither said anything.

The river continued flowing around them.

Above the valley, the artificial evening sky slowly darkened.

It was peaceful, healing time for the couple.