Chapter 423: Ch 423: A Second Chance – Part 4

Kyle gently held Silvy’s fragile body in his arms, brow furrowed in deep concentration. She lay still, her breathing shallow, face pale as snow.

But then—her fingers twitched. Barely a flicker, but enough for Kyle’s heart to lurch in recognition.

“She’s still in there…”

He murmured.

Closing his eyes, Kyle let his mana trickle into her, reaching toward her fading consciousness like a lifeline cast into a raging sea.

Yet, no matter how carefully or strongly he willed it, his mana dispersed into her like water soaking into cracked earth—ineffective and vanishing without a trace.

“She’s too far… This isn’t enough.”

Kyle gritted his teeth. Time was running out. Silvy’s soul teetered at the edge of the abyss. His mana needed to reach her core—not just drip into her, but flood her entire being.

His eyes snapped open. He hesitated for only a heartbeat before leaning forward and pressing his lips to hers.

The surge was immediate.

Mana rushed from his body like a dam broken, pouring into Silvy in a roaring torrent.

Her body shuddered against his as the magical current jolted through her, lighting every inch of her soul. Kyle held her steady, shielding her body with his aura as the overwhelming power raced inward.

—

Inside the white void, Silvy stumbled as a tidal wave of warmth slammed into her chest.

Her legs buckled, but her hands glowed with the familiar hum of mana. She gasped, wide-eyed, as her energy was rekindled all at once.

Mana.

So much mana she nearly drowned in it.

“Kyle…You reached me.”

She whispered, a tear falling down her cheek.

Everything changed.

The oppressive white began to fracture, lines cracking through the space like glass under pressure. A golden gate shimmered into view far in the distance.

Silvy ran, heart pounding, strength returning with every stride.

But the moment she neared the gate, it opened—and horrors poured out.

Shadowy creatures, twisted mockeries of beasts with gaping maws and empty eyes, blocked her path. Long claws scraped the floor of the void as they snarled, fangs gleaming with malevolence. Dozens of them, surrounding her like wolves circling a lone doe.

But Silvy wasn’t afraid.

No. She felt alive.

She reached behind her and summoned her bow. The string materialized first, humming with power, followed by the bow’s body—slender, sleek, and silver-blue like moonlight on ice.

She smirked.

“Let’s see you try.”

The first beast lunged. Silvy spun mid-step, arrow already drawn. It exploded in black mist as her shot pierced its skull.

Two more came from the sides.

She ducked low, sliding beneath their swipes. Twisting up with fluid grace, she loosed two arrows in a single breath—one to the throat, the other to the eye.

The monsters shrieked as they fell, dissolving into the nothingness.

“Too slow.”

She muttered, already dashing toward the next wave.

They began to change—wings sprouting, bodies elongating, speed increasing. But Silvy was faster.

She jumped, flipped, fired. Her arrows didn’t just pierce—they exploded with radiant energy, ripping through three at once.

One massive beast roared, slamming the void itself with its hammer-like limbs, causing the ground to fracture and ripple. Silvy landed with a roll, crouching low.

“Alright.”

She whispered.

She charged, zigzagging between the debris. The monster swung—a tidal wave of force—but she vaulted over its arm, firing a shot at its eye.

It roared again.

She fired a second arrow—not at it, but at the shattered ground behind it. The arrow burst, creating a surge of force that threw the monster forward.

Silvy used the blast to propel herself upward, twirling in midair before driving an arrow straight into the monster’s skull from above.

It dropped.

But they kept coming.

Five, ten, fifteen—more and more spilled out, like the void was vomiting up every fear she had ever known.

Silvy breathed heavily, mana glowing around her.

“I could do this all day.”

She growled.

Her eyes locked on the gate.

She needed to reach it. No matter what.

A new beast stood in her path. Larger than the others. A fusion of shadow and bone, wings unfurled, its mouth stretching across half its face, a howl building in its throat.

Her bow cracked with light.

“This one’s for you, Kyle.”

The arrow she drew wasn’t just magic—it was pure will, forged by her love and determination. It glowed gold, crimson, and silver, burning through the void just by existing.

The beast roared.

Silvy released.

The shot tore across the battlefield like divine judgment. It didn’t just hit the monster—it erased it from existence.

The void trembled.

Silvy sprinted.

More beasts emerged—but she didn’t slow.

She fired without stopping, each step precise, her arrows never missing. One shot curved mid-air to catch a flanker. Another ricocheted off invisible walls to land behind a fleeing beast.

She was unstoppable.

The gate was within reach.

But the final monster loomed before her, tall as a tower, stitched from corpses and shadows. It raised a sword of bones, the blade humming with unholy power.

Silvy didn’t flinch.

She raised her bow.

Arrow ready.

The monster charged.

She exhaled.

“Goodbye.”

The arrow sang.

It hit the monster’s core—and shattered it from within. The creature screamed as it crumbled to ash, and the void cracked wide open.

Silvy leapt through the gate just as the world behind her collapsed into nothingness.

And with a gasp—

She opened her eyes.

Kyle’s face swam into view.

Her hand reached for his.

“You found me…”

She whispered.

Kyle smiled softly, brushing her cheek with relief.

“I did.”

Kyle gently supported Silvy as she rose to her feet, her legs trembling beneath her. Her body, still recovering from the ordeal, leaned into him for balance.

The coldness of the void still clung to her skin, and she shivered uncontrollably.

“That was… the worst experience of my life. I couldn’t feel anything. No light. No sound. Just white. Endless white. I thought I was going to disappear.”

Silvy muttered, her voice hoarse.

Kyle wrapped his cloak around her shoulders, steadying her.

“You didn’t. You fought. You survived.”

She gave him a weak smile and leaned her head against his shoulder.

“Yeah. I guess I did… I’m glad I’m still alive. After all—I didn’t want to die before I got married.”

She chuckled faintly.

Kyle blinked, caught off guard.

“You’ll have plenty of time, Silvy. Just have a little patience—”

But before he could finish, Silvy turned toward him with sudden boldness, her fingers gripping the front of his robe tightly.

“No. I don’t want to wait anymore. I want to marry you.”

She said firmly.

Kyle stared at her in stunned silence.

Silvy’s eyes glistened with raw honesty and defiance.

“I want to live—and I want to live with you. So… say yes.”

Kyle stared into her eyes, searching for any sign of hesitation—but found none.

Only fierce determination and a kind of vulnerable sincerity that made his chest tighten. He exhaled slowly, brushing a strand of silver hair from her cheek.

“Silvy… you almost died.”

“I know!”

She whispered, her voice trembling.

“That’s why I don’t want to waste any more time. I don’t care if you are to be married to another or not. I just want to be with you. Besides, doesn’t the human race allow this kind of thing?”