The vile demon grinned beneath the shadows. It did nothing—yet its gaze was heavy with meaning, as though it were deliberately waiting for Leci to make the first move before striking.
It wasn't that Leci lacked the courage to fight it. She simply knew—too well—that the gap between their powers was immeasurable. No matter how hard she tried, in the end, she would lose.
"An exorcist, hm? How intriguing," the demon murmured, slowly licking its lips with a long tongue. Its uneven teeth gleamed sharply, like those of a ruthless predator. How many humans had already become its prey—there was no way to tell.
"After an entire year, more exorcists finally arrive," it continued, its voice dripping with malice, followed by laughter more horrifying than any terror itself. "I can hardly wait to devour all of you."
Leci felt her knees turn to jelly. She had known it. There was no way a deserted place like this had been left unattended. Before the three of them, countless exorcists must have come here.
And the fact that this demon was still standing before her was proof enough—every exorcist who came before had failed. Some of them had surely become meals for this monstrous being.
Her feet felt glued to the floor. Her entire body stiffened. This wasn't the real world—yet the terror was unbearable. Crushing. Suffocating.
She regretted coming here. She regretted it deeply.
Worse still, she couldn't call Moon for help. Her body was under control, while her soul was trapped within the spiritual realm—held captive by the demon that would soon kill her in the most agonizing way imaginable.
What should she do?
Her thoughts scattered. Her mind filled with images from the day her parents died. Her senses dulled, one by one.
"Sister, run!"
Anthony's voice snapped her out of her daze as he shook her arm hard. Leci gasped, startled.
She glanced at the vile demon for a brief moment, then seized Anthony's small hand and ran. If this was the spiritual world, there had to be boundaries. And if she could reach the edge of it—perhaps she could wake up.
"Wuahahaha!"
The demon's laughter roared through every corner of the space, shaking the floor beneath their feet. Then it charged after them like a rabid beast. Instantly, the interior of the mansion warped—collapsing back into the suffocating chaos Leci had seen when she first arrived.
Refusing to give in, Leci forced herself to confront her fear—her trauma. She scribbled a spell into her notebook and tore the page free. But the moment the paper left her hand, it burst into flames and vanished.
This was the spiritual realm. Her abilities didn't work here. The only way to survive was to find the edge of this world.
"Anthony, help me find the boundary!" Leci urged, quickening her pace as the demon drew closer. They ran wildly through the ruined mansion, its destruction mirroring the desolate building she had seen upon arrival.
Suddenly, the child in her grasp halted, trying to pull away.
"Sister, just run," Anthony said solemnly. "I'll distract the demon."
Leci shook his arm sharply, frustration flaring. How could a child—someone meant to be protected—say such things? Even if Anthony was only a soul, as an exorcist and as someone older, Leci's pride refused to allow it.
"No!" she shouted, resolve blazing in her eyes. "I promised I'd free you from that vile creature—and I will keep that promise!"
Yet only a second later, she cursed inwardly. The spiritual world was vast—far too vast. They had been running for so long, yet there was still no end in sight.
Anthony froze at her words. He had thought Leci was weak. But the words he longed to hear—came from her.
A faint smile formed on his pale face. Reinvigorated, he sped up, now leading the way.
His determination spread to Leci. She widened her stride, forcing herself forward. "We'll get out of here," she said, as much to herself as to him.
"I won't let you escape!"
The Long-Haired Demon roared. Its black hair suddenly elongated, writhing like living shadows. It slammed into a massive wooden wardrobe ahead of them, sending it crashing down to block their path.
They skidded to a halt.
As they tried to change direction, the demon shattered the ceiling above them. Debris rained down.
Leci wrapped Anthony tightly in her arms as wood splintered and fell. There was no time to dodge. She didn't even know what being injured in the spiritual realm would mean.
Crack!
The sound wasn't like wood hitting the floor.
She felt no pain. Leci opened her eyes—and froze. A pair of black wings spread wide before her, shielding them both.
Wings she knew.
Her heart thundered as she finally saw the tall, striking man standing before her—blocking the demon completely. "Teacher?!" she called out instinctively, emotions swelling beyond words.
Kieron smiled without shifting his stance. "Go," he said casually, arrogance laced in his tone. "Leave this ugly thing to me."
Instead of annoyance, Leci felt something unfamiliar—admiration. Without realizing it, she had already become a devoted Kieron fan.
"All right," she replied, pulling Anthony away. "Don't show him mercy."
She trusted Kieron completely. She had never encountered a being stronger than him. An enemy like this was nothing in comparison.
Anthony stared at Kieron in awe before looking back at Leci as she ran. "That man just now—"
"Leciara!"
Another familiar voice called out—from ahead. Jayden appeared, waving urgently. Beside him yawned a massive, glowing white crack—the edge of the spiritual world. The exit.
Relief surged through her. "Jayden!"
He nodded, cheeks faintly flushed, and guided Leci and Anthony through the dimensional crack. Once they crossed, Jayden followed.
Pats!
The next instant, Leci regained consciousness. She found herself cradled in Jayden's arms, while Norris secured Anthony—still half-transparent, like a lost soul.
Her gaze searched for the one who had saved her. As if reading her thoughts, Jayden pointed upward—to the second floor.
There stood Kieron, facing the demon.
They watched as he released a dark aura that engulfed the entire floor. Then he flicked a single black feather.
The feather pierced the demon's chest. Though it was only one feather, the demon screamed in agony, as though enduring the cruelest torture imaginable. Black mist swallowed its form.
Ctik.
With a snap of Kieron's fingers, the demon vanished—dissolving into darkness, gone without a trace.
The three teenagers stared, mouths agape. They couldn't believe it. So many exorcists had failed—yet Kieron defeated it with ease.
Leci stared at the scene without blinking. Something trembled in her chest—not fear, not mere awe. It was deeper than that. More dangerous. A realization that came too late, yet struck with devastating force.
How effortlessly Kieron erased the demon's existence. How calm he was. How absolute.
And in that very moment, Leci realized something that made her throat tighten.
All this time—every moment she had felt safe… every breath she had taken without fear… it had been because of Kieron.
Not because she was strong. Not because she could protect herself. But because Kieron allowed her to survive.
The realization hurt.
Leci clenched her fingers, restraining the surge of emotions crashing through her—fear, awe, relief, and something far too fragile to be named honestly. If he wished it, he could destroy everything. This mansion. That demon. Even her.
Yet Kieron chose to stand in front of her. To protect her. Without hesitation.
"Dangerous…" Leci murmured softly, unsure whom the word was meant for.
Dangerous because she felt safe. Dangerous because she trusted him. And far more dangerous because… she did not want Kieron to leave.
Behind all the logic she had constructed, behind every warning she had given herself, her heart had already surrendered.
For the first time, Leci truly saw Kieron—not as her Biology teacher, not as an ally, not as the mysterious being who lingered around her.
But as someone she should never have loved… and yet had already begun to desire.
Kieron dusted off his clothes and casually leapt down from the second floor, hands sliding into his pockets as he approached them. His steps were confident, effortless—like a top-tier model on a runway.
Norris glanced at Leci, who was still lost in awe, mesmerized by Kieron's beauty and overwhelming power. Jayden was no different.
"Leci… why didn't you ever tell us that Teacher Kieron is also an exorcist?"
Leci gasped. "Who… is an exorcist?"