Chapter 390 – No Way to Escape

The Emerald Forest was located in the border region between the Gray Rain Country and the Ci Ying Empire. However, due to excessive clearing of beast tides by professional organizations, almost no magical creatures survived in this forest. The entire woodland had consequently fallen into silence, with only intermittent, mournful bird calls lending a faint semblance of vitality to this expanse of verdant greenery.

At this very moment, in the heart of the Emerald Forest, two black-clad figures sat resting beneath a tall emerald tree, their presence starkly contrasting with the forest scenery.

These two were naturally Mijia Ka and Anya, who had been fleeing continuously for an entire day.

“I’m truly sorry, I completely forgot about your need for food. This was my oversight.”

Looking at Anya’s pallid face, Mijia Ka whispered self-reproachfully with a pained heart. From the time he had helped Anya escape the Thought of Truth until now, neither of them had eaten anything. As a Formal-Level mage, Mijia Ka could go without food or drink for over a month without issue, but Anya clearly couldn’t endure such conditions.

Accepting the specially warmed rations Mijia Ka had roasted, the truly hungry Anya soon began nibbling away at the food. She had finished nearly half of it in small bites before she knew it. Only after consuming the entire large piece of dried provisions, with her pink tongue darting out to lick her lips, did she finally release a long, satisfied sigh.

It was at this moment that the young girl noticed Mijia Ka had been watching her intently all this while?

“Mi… Mijia Ka-sama, please don’t stare like that……..”

Realizing her eating manners had been fully observed, Anya instantly became flustered with embarrassment.

“Haha, our little Anya is just too adorable.”

Chuckling teasingly while playfully tapping Anya’s small nose, Mijia Ka felt his mood beginning to lift. They say love is life’s best seasoning, and only now did Mijia Ka realize how dull and monotonous his previous life had been. The young girl before him was like a beam of sunlight – merely being in her company could wrap him in a warm, lingering sensation.

“Alright, Anya, we should get moving quickly. We only need to travel for about seven or eight magic hours more to cross the Emerald Forest.”

Speaking these words, Mijia Ka gently helped the shy girl to her feet. The evening sunlight filtered through the dense foliage in dappled patterns, and amidst the rustling of leaves stirred by the cool breeze, the handsome youth and the beautiful girl with ink-black long hair composed a picturesque scene.

But… it was merely a picture.

In the next second, all tranquility vanished with the utterance of a cold voice, the beautiful tableau instantly torn to shreds…

“Get moving? Where do you think you’re going? I don’t see any place worth your journey. Perhaps… you should stop right here!”

The cold, emotionless voice was like the night wind—low and ethereal, yet able to freeze a person’s very soul. Accompanying these chilling, mood-shattering words, an extremely intimidating figure strode out from the woods. Turning his head almost stiffly, Mijia Ka and Anya were both frozen in the no-longer-warm sunlight. Whether on the girl’s face or in the boy’s heart, the warmth and joy from moments ago gradually faded away, leaving only endless sorrow and despair.

On this warm sunny afternoon, the love-fueled escape had come to an end. The boy and girl who had been enjoying their journey were caught red-handed by Punk in the quiet forest. At this moment, both the wonderful escape and their rootless love came to an abrupt end.

“Lord Punk Cyan… good afternoon…”

With uncontrollable bitterness, Mijia Ka forced a bitter smile and performed an extremely stiff mage’s salute to the cold-eyed Punk.

But when he slightly raised his head… all he saw was Punk’s gaze filled with icy killing intent.

At this point, Mijia Ka finally abandoned his last bit of unrealistic fantasy. Punk’s completely undisguised killing intent proved everything. Unless something unexpected happened… both Anya and Mijia Ka would meet their end here today.

Without further hesitation, though boundless fear and soul-crushing pressure made his hands tremble, Mijia Ka desperately bit his tongue until the sharp pain finally diluted the oppressive force that had rendered him immobile. Only then did he suddenly release the spell he had prepared for emergencies.

“Formal-Level Enchantment Magic—Sealing Rune”!

Numerous pink magical patterns rapidly spread from Mijia Ka toward Punk. Wherever the dense magical patterns touched, everything—from small animals quickly fleeing on the ground to leaves falling in the wind—was immobilized by the spell. This fully unleashed spell demonstrated power so great it seemed to faintly solidify space itself.

However, even though the spell’s effect manifested without any reduction in potency, Mijia Ka still felt no sense of security. The terrifying sensation of being watched by an ancient ferocious beast made this Formal-Level mage feel as if he had fallen into an ice cellar. Without the slightest hesitation, the young man shouted to the girl after releasing his spell:

“Run, Anya! Run toward the Cyan Kingdom! Don’t look back, just keep running!”

Gazing at Anya’s terrified face, Mijia Ka’s hoarse voice sounded like the desperate cry of someone facing death. All his loving and resolute words converged into two words at this moment—run fast!

“Lord Mijia Ka…”

Tears fell in large drops down the girl’s face. Suppressing the impulse to go back and die with Mijia Ka, Anya almost forced her feet to start running quickly. The clever girl knew that if she didn’t escape, she would only waste the opportunity Mijia Ka had bought with his life. Now facing a Master-Level powerhouse like Punk, Anya could only choose to flee.

But… was this choice truly meaningful?

“Mijia Ka, thirteenth-level mage… who gave you the courage to cast spells against someone far stronger than you? Was it your pointless persistence, or that ridiculous love born from mating desires?”Watching the youth desperately channeling mana to maintain the barrier spell against him, Punk’s voice remained utterly devoid of emotion from start to finish. He wasn’t the least bit concerned about Anya’s escape—a mage apprentice’s full-speed sprint couldn’t even break the sound barrier, which in Punk’s eyes was far too slow. As for Mijia Ka’s “Imprisonment Magic Runes” meant to buy time…

To Punk, such a Formal-Level spell was nothing but a joke. The “Master Conjuration – Anti-Magic Barrier” enveloping him had completely ignored Mijia Ka’s Formal-Level spell from the very beginning. Those energy patterns brimming with binding force attempting to restrain a Master-Level powerhouse were as laughable as trying to tie down a dragon with silk threads.

“Damn you! How could a cold-blooded monster like you understand kindness and love? Someone like you—”

Facing Punk’s icy yet slightly mocking gaze, Mijia Ka let out a furious, despairing roar.

But before he could finish his sentence, a massive hole tore open in his chest. His passionate words dissolved into meaningless gurgles, mingling with the bloody froth in his mouth.

“Master Conjuration – Velocity Kinetic Cone”!

Stepping calmly over Mijia Ka’s blood-soaked corpse, Punk strode unhurriedly into the darkening forest. Love couldn’t save Mijia Ka’s life, nor could it allow Anya to escape Punk’s grasp. Under normal circumstances, Punk might have indulged his twisted curiosity to hear what “ridiculous words” Mijia Ka might utter, but now…

“Enough. I have many matters to attend to—best to expedite this.”

(End of Chapter)