We've been walking for over an hour now, at least, I think it's been that long. Honestly, I'm not sure. The weather here never changes; it's always the same dull sky, the same still air. Without the sun shifting or any real landmarks, it's impossible to tell how much time has passed.
Now that I think about it... How does Koko even keep track of time?
Jinhwan's gaze shifted toward Koko, who walked a few paces ahead, steady and silent.
"Hey, Koko," he called out, quickening his steps to catch up. "How do you measure time out here?"
Koko turned her head slightly, still walking, with a small piece of cloth that had something warped in it in her right hand. Her expression was calm, unbothered.
"We use hourglasses in our town," she replied. "We just flip them at the right time to keep track."
Jinhwan gave a quiet nod, glancing upward. Above them, the sky stretched endlessly, a blank canvas. Around them, nothing but jagged hills and cracked earth as far as the eye could see. Just ground.. and more ground.
"If we keep walking at this pace, it really will take a whole day, just like you said," Jinhwan muttered, coming to a stop.
He turned toward Koko with a hopeful look. "Hey, Koko.. can you, like, refill my stamina? Give me a boost or something? You're at that level of healing, right?"
Koko paused and looked back at him. "Yeah, I can."
"How long can you keep it up?" Jinhwan asked, tilting his head.
She tapped her chin thoughtfully.
"Hmm.. two or three hours, maybe? If I'm just buffing you nonstop, it doesn't cost much mana, so yeah, it should last that long. Why?"
A grin spread across Jinhwan's face. Without answering, he pulled the fruit bag from his shoulder and handed it to her. "Hold this tight."
Koko took it, blinking in confusion. "Huh?"
Then, with a quick stretch of his arms and legs, Jinhwan crouched slightly, getting into position like a runner at the starting line.
"Get on my back," he said, flashing a wild grin. "Hold on tight, and start boosting my stamina."
Koko stared at him for a moment, then burst into a smile as the idea clicked.
"Ohh.. I didn't even think of that! Yeah, this way we'll get there way faster."
Koko took a step forward, wrapping the fruit bag snugly around her left arm. Then she moved in close, leaning gently onto Jinhwan's back. Her breasts pressed softly against him as she slipped her arms around his neck, the cloth piece still clenched in her hand. With a quiet breath, she hooked her legs around his waist from behind, locking herself into place.
Her silver eyes began to glow faintly, and a soft aura shimmered to life, slowly wrapping around Jinhwan's body like a warm mist.
Jinhwan's blue eyes lit up in response, flickering with energy. He looked up, the wind around them shifting.
And in the blink of an eye, they vanished from the spot, gone like a gust of wind breaking free from the earth.
The world blurred around them.
Wind howled past Jinhwan's ears as his feet struck the ground in a rhythm too fast to follow. Dust kicked up with each step, then scattered behind him like whispers of their passing. Trees, hills, rocks, all rushed by streaks of colour. Koko clung tightly to him, her arms secure around his neck, her legs firmly wrapped around his waist. The warmth of her body, the soft hum of her mana, it all wrapped around him like a second skin.
"You weren't kidding about the boost," Jinhwan shouted over the rushing wind. "I feel like I could outrun lightning!"
"I'd like to see you try," Koko called back with a grin. "Don't trip, though. I'm not healing a broken neck in mid-air."
He laughed, heart pounding, but his footing remained sharp. Every muscle felt light, every breath smooth. It was as if her magic had melted the limits off his body.
They soared across plains cracked by time, skipped over jagged cliffs, and even ran across shallow streams without breaking stride. The ground beneath them seemed to blur and bend as they moved. Occasionally, Jinhwan would leap, high enough to glimpse distant ridges or the sprawl of a dead forest, and land with a shock that scattered pebbles.
"How far are we?" he asked at one point, panting just slightly.
"Keep going," Koko replied, voice close to his ear. "You'll know when we're close. You can't miss it." And she was right.
[Episode 36 End]