[Miyuki's level has increased.]
[Level Up]
The moment the notification appeared, a faint wave of energy spread through
Miyuki's body. Her breathing steadied, and the fear in her eyes slowly faded.
Because of the contract, the change did not stop with her.
Haruto felt it too.
A warm surge of power flowed through his body, stronger than before. Now that they were connected, their strength was linked together. When Miyuki's level increased, Haruto could feel the effect as well. The bond between them was no longer just a symbol—it was real.
At that moment, a voice echoed inside Miyuki's mind.
"Miyuki… can you hear me?"
Her eyes widened slightly.
The voice clearly belonged to Haruto, yet his lips had not moved.
Telepathy…? she realized.
Through the contract, their minds were now connected.
"Yes… I can hear you," Miyuki replied inside her mind.
Haruto's gaze remained fixed on the bandits in front of them.
"Good," he said calmly. "Now we can talk like this. They won't know what we're saying."
Miyuki glanced at the group of bandits laughing a short distance away. None of them had any idea what was happening between the two.
"Our levels increased," Haruto continued in her mind. "But even with that… we still can't defeat all of them at this level."
Miyuki understood immediately.
There were simply too many enemies.
For a moment, she stayed silent.
Then she asked quietly in his mind,
"Do you have a plan?"
Haruto's eyes narrowed slightly.
"Yes."
Without moving his lips, he quickly explained the plan through their mental connection. Every detail passed directly into Miyuki's mind.
As she listened, the fear in her eyes slowly disappeared.
Instead, determination replaced it.
When Haruto finished explaining, Miyuki gave a small nod.
She understood everything.
The two of them looked at the bandits once more.
This time, their expressions had completely changed.
They were no longer trembling.
They were ready.
And the fight was about to begin.
Haruto and Miyuki moved at the same moment.
Without another word, they suddenly dashed forward, sprinting away from the bandits.
For a second, the bandits stood there in confusion, not expecting them to run.
Then the leader's furious voice exploded across the clearing.
"Idiots! What are you all standing there for?" he shouted. "Go catch them!"
His eyes burned with anger as he pointed in their direction.
"And remember this—if they escape, I will kill every single one of you!"
The threat snapped the bandits out of their shock.
"Don't let them escape!" the leader roared.
The group immediately rushed forward, chasing after the two fleeing figures.
But this time, things were different.
Haruto was no longer the same as before.
The moment he started running, he could feel the difference in his body. His legs moved faster, lighter. The power from the level-ups and the contract flowed through him. His speed had increased—almost matching Miyuki's.
The wind rushed past them as the two ran deeper into the forest.
Branches snapped beneath their feet while the bandits followed closely behind.
Minutes passed.
Then, just as they had planned, Haruto and Miyuki suddenly split apart.
Haruto veered sharply to the left path, sprinting deeper into the trees.
At the same moment, Miyuki dashed in the opposite direction, disappearing into another part of the forest.
The bandits quickly slowed down when they saw the two separating.
"What the—?" one of them muttered.
They stopped for a moment, unsure of which direction to follow.
The leader clicked his tongue in irritation.
"Fine," he said coldly. "I'll go after that demi-human girl."
His gaze turned toward the direction Miyuki had run.
The bandits beside him looked toward Haruto's path.
The leader pointed toward the forest where Haruto had disappeared.
"You all go after that bastard," he ordered. "Don't come back until he's dead."
His expression turned even darker.
"And don't bring the boy back," he added coldly. "Kill him if you catch her."
The bandits nodded quickly.
"Yes, boss!"
Without wasting another second, the group rushed toward Haruto's direction.
Meanwhile, the leader himself turned and began chasing after Miyuki.
Miyuki ran as fast as she could, her feet striking the rocky ground again and again as she pushed herself forward. Her breathing had grown heavy, and the sound of footsteps behind her told her the bandit leader was still chasing.
And he was getting closer.
The man was faster than the others. Each step he took closed the distance between them.
Miyuki gritted her teeth and forced her tired legs to keep moving.
After a few more minutes of running, the forest suddenly opened up.
She stepped out onto the side of a mountain.
Miyuki stopped.
In front of her stood a massive stone wall that rose high into the sky. The cliff face was steep and rough, but there were no paths, no ledges—nothing she could use to climb. Large rocks were scattered at the base, but even they were too high and unstable to help her scale the wall.
She quickly looked around.
There was no other way forward.
Slowly, she raised her head and looked up the towering cliff. It stretched far above her, far beyond what she could climb.
Her heart sank.
A few seconds later, heavy footsteps approached from behind.
The bandit leader stepped out from the trees and onto the mountain path. He paused for a moment, placing his hands on his knees as he took a long breath from the chase.
Then he looked up at Miyuki.
A slow grin spread across his face.
A low laugh escaped his mouth.
"Well… well…" he said, straightening his back. "Now where will you go?"
He spread his arms slightly, glancing at the towering stone wall behind her.
"There's nowhere left to run."
His eyes gleamed with cruel amusement.
"You made a big mistake running from me," he continued, his voice growing darker. "Now I don't even have to wait for the night."
His gaze slowly moved over her as he took a step forward.
"I can do whatever I want right now."
Miyuki's ears twitched as she heard his words. Her tail stiffened behind her.
Instead of running again, she slowly shifted her stance.
Her feet spread slightly apart as she raised her hands, preparing herself.
The bandit leader stopped for a moment when he saw her posture.
Then he burst out laughing.
"You still think you can fight me?" he mocked, shaking his head. "That's adorable."
His laughter echoed lightly against the mountain wall as he stared at her like a predator cornering its prey.