Chapter 483
Chapter 483
Chapter 483
Long ears and a slim figure.
And the clearly perceptible aura of an elf.
It was Zeke, who had unmistakably appeared as an elf.
Yelin looked at Zeke with an expression of utter disbelief.
"H-how?"
Zeke, who had polymorphed into an elf, spoke with a calm expression.
"It's the power of the Fairy King."
The excuse of the Fairy King's power, which is brought up when something is difficult to explain, appeared once again without fail.
Yelin tilted her head with a hardened expression, as if it was difficult to understand how a human could become an elf, even with the Fairy King's power.
But no matter how much she pondered, Zeke had already transformed into an elf, so there wasn't much point in thinking about it further.
Zeke looked at Yelin like that and changed the subject.
"Since I've become an elf, I should be able to learn Elemental magic, shouldn't I?"
"Ah, that. You're right."
As this was a first for her, Yelin thought they would have to try it directly to see what would happen.
Looking at Yelin's uncertain face, Zeke thought about the system. The reason Zeke wanted to learn Elemental magic from Yelin was none other than to properly use the newly acquired dragon race skill, 'Elemental magic.'
At first, he had tried to execute Elemental magic as he usually did with dragon race skills. But then, a message window appeared.
[Contract with a spirit has not been established.]
[To execute Elemental magic, you must first complete the contract procedure with a spirit.]
According to the message, it seemed that a contract with a spirit had to precede the use of the skill.
So he tried to find information about Elemental magic through the Akashic Code and attempted to proceed with the contract on his own, but all attempts failed.
Apart from reaching the Grand Master level, it seemed that something different was needed for communion with spirits.
That's why he had asked Yelin, a High Elf who handled spirits.
Yelin looked at Zeke and slowly opened her mouth.
"Sir Zeke, how much do you know about spirits?"
"Only what is commonly known. That the energy dwelling in natural objects has become a spirit over a long time and taken form, and that the Fairy King gave them names to become the spirits of today."
Yelin nodded at Zeke's answer.
"That's right. Spirits are beings made of natural forces that exist alongside us. Therefore, one must be able to feel the power dwelling in nature and sense their presence to make contracts with spirits."
Zeke tilted his head at Yelin's words.
"Is this power you speak of different from mana?"
Yelin nodded.
"Mana is the source of all things, so it's somewhat different. Sir Zeke, let's go over here."
Zeke followed Yelin and stood in front of a large tree in the garden.
"Please hold out your hand."
As instructed, Zeke placed his hand on the tree.
Yelin held Zeke's hand on the tree and said:
"How does it feel? Can you sense the tree's breath?"
"...I can feel your breath, Lady Yelin."
Startled by Zeke's words, Yelin stepped back in alarm.
"N-not mine, but the tree's breath and its life force. Trees are beings that connect nature and living things. They're one of the easiest ways for us to sense life force."
Zeke nodded at Yelin's words and concentrated on feeling the tree's life force.
Perhaps because he was in a polymorphed elf state, the sensation was definitely different from when he was human.
However, since the range in which he could sense energy was much wider, it was actually confusing to determine what exactly the life force Yelin spoke of was.
While he was struggling with this, suddenly something caught Zeke's senses.
He could feel the tree breathing.
'Is this what life force is?'
Zeke tried to feel the life force contained within by breathing together with the tree.
The more he breathed, the more he felt united with the tree.
It felt as if he himself had become the tree.
Zeke cautiously opened his eyes, wary of the feeling that his consciousness was drifting far away.
But when he opened his eyes, he found Yelin looking at him with an astonished gaze.
"What's wrong, Lady Yelin?"
Yelin slowly raised her finger and pointed towards the top of the tree.
'Huh?'
Looking up at the tree, he saw countless tiny beings sitting on the branches, staring at Zeke.
Yelin spoke in surprise:
"I-I've never seen so many tree spirits gather like this before."
"Are those the tree spirits?"
Yelin nodded and said:
"Yes, that's right. It's difficult to see such vivid tree spirits outside of forests full of natural energy... Sir Zeke, you truly are an amazing person."
The tree spirits that had been sitting on the branches had somehow come down and were now circling around Zeke.
The spirits seemed to feel an affinity for Zeke, running around beside him and shaking their bodies joyfully.
'Come to think of it, I do have the titles of Divine Beast's Grace, Forest Companion, and Earth's Guardian.'
It was only natural that Zeke, who had saved the Divine Beast, Forest God, and Earth God and received their blessings, would be loved by the spirits.
Zeke looked at the tree spirits circling around him and asked Yelin.
"So I need to make a contract with these tree spirits?"
Yelin shook her head.
"The tree spirits are primitive spirits that maintain their natural form. Since they haven't been given names by the Fairy King, contracts with them aren't possible."
"That means I can only contract with spirits who have been named by the Fairy King."
"Correct. The Fairy King only named the spirits of the four elements: water, fire, wind, and earth."
"So those are the four elemental spirits. Then I should summon them and make a contract."
"Summoning the four elemental spirits isn't easy, but... seeing how the tree spirits have revealed themselves, Sir Zeke's spirit affinity seems exceptional, so it might be possible."
"That's fortunate. Can I summon all four elemental spirits and make contracts with them?"
Yelin shook her head at this.
"It's actually impossible to encompass spirits of different attributes. Usually, one can only contract with spirits of a single attribute, and even those with exceptional talent can only contract with spirits of two compatible attributes."
Yelin finished speaking and extended her hand toward the ground.
CRACKLE!
After a moment, a small earthen figure emerged from the ground.
"This is Gnome, one of the earth spirits I've contracted with. And..."
This time she stretched her hand toward the sky.
A strong wind arose, and the form of a translucent young girl appeared.
The wind spirit circled around Yelin's body.
"This is Sylph, a wind spirit. I was able to contract with both earth and wind spirits."
Zeke looked with fascination at the Gnome and Sylph that Yelin had summoned.
"I've seen water spirits before, but this is my first time seeing earth and wind spirits."
Zeke spoke while recalling the water spirits that Nerissa, the leader of the deep sea people, had summoned using ancient Elemental magic.
After examining them for a moment, Zeke looked at Yelin and asked:
"Which spirit would be best to summon first?"
"It depends on one's spirit affinity, but... conventionally, fire spirits are the easiest to sense."
Zeke wore an expression of surprise.
"Fire and elves don't seem to go together, so that's unexpected."
"Fire is important to elves too. We use it to harden the earth's soil and to burn wood to obtain what we need. However, fire spirits are powerful but difficult to handle."
Zeke nodded at Yelin's words.
"I see. Then please teach me the technique , and I'll give it a try."
Following Yelin's instructions, he decided to light a fire in a corner of the garden and perform the ritual to summon a fire spirit.
'So I need to light a fire.'
Without much thought, Zeke used his elemental power to create pure fire.
As white flames blazed in the air, Yelin asked in surprise.
"Sir Zeke, you know how to use magic as well?"
"No. This is also by the Fairy King's power..."
Having used the Fairy King excuse so many times, even Yelin was now giving him a suspicious look.
Zeke deliberately avoided Yelin's gaze and extended his hand toward the pure fire.
Just as he had done with the tree spirits, he tried to breathe with the fire and sense its presence.
WHOOSH!
At some point, the white flames floating in the air began to undulate greatly.
Zeke, who was concentrating on breathing with the fire with his eyes closed, didn't notice the change.
But Yelin, who was standing beside him, was shocked by the unusual wave of energy emanating from Zeke.
'This isn't normal.'
Usually, the flames would only rise a little, but now an intense energy was emanating from Zeke. This was completely different from what Yelin knew.
That's when it happened.
FWOOSH!
The white flames undulated greatly, and something surged from within.
BOOOM!
Yelin's jaw dropped as she saw the enormous flames that seemed about to engulf the entire garden.
Soon, those flames gathered to form a single shape.
【Who has summoned me?】
The spirit's thoughts penetrated directly into their minds.
'G-good heavens.'
Yelin couldn't help but be shocked.
Ordinary spirits couldn't communicate their thoughts so directly.
Yet the massive ape-man wearing armor made of flames, who had appeared before Zeke and Yelin, was clearly transmitting his thoughts.
Yelin immediately recognized his identity.
'A high-ranking fire spirit. Ignis?'
Ignis, the most bellicose and powerful among all spirits, was a higher spirit whose mere appearance in the physical world was almost impossible.
Zeke, who had opened his eyes, tilted his head as he looked at the summoned Ignis.
"Lady Yelin, is this correct?"
Yelin responded in bewilderment:
"Y-yes, it is, but..."
She couldn't properly continue her words, as she hadn't expected a high-ranking spirit to be summoned immediately.
While Yelin hesitated, Zeke looked at the summoned Ignis and said straightforwardly:
"Fire spirit. I want to make a contract with you."
Ignis, who was wrapped in flames from head to toe, looked down at Zeke and said:
"You're the first since Kaisir to immediately ask for a contract upon seeing me."
Hero King Kaisir.
It seemed he too had made a contract with Ignis before.
Zeke looked at Ignis and said:
"That's good then. I am the successor to Hero King Kaisir's legacy. Let's make a contract, Spirit of Fire."
"...So you're Kaisir's disciple. Master and student act quite alike."
Ignis looked down at Zeke with a slightly exasperated expression, then turned to Yelin beside him and said:
"It's been a while since I've seen a High Elf. Did you help summon me?"
Flustered by Ignis addressing her, Yelin replied:
"N-noble spirit, that's not the case. It was solely Sir Zeke's power that summoned you."
Hearing Yelin's words, Ignis looked at Zeke with curiosity.
"You're aggressive like a human despite being an elf, and I can sense mysterious dragon power within you. Truly a fascinating being."
Only after slowly examining Zeke did Ignis show proper interest.
He soon nodded.
"You're the first unique being like this since Kaisir. I like you. I'll make a contract with you. State your name."
At Ignis's words, Zeke immediately stated his name:
"Zeke Draker."
"Zeke Draker, through the ancient pact with the Fairy King, I form a contract with you. We shall be soul companions who lend strength to each other."
WOOOONG!
The flames that burst from Ignis's body wrapped around Zeke and seeped into his arm.
TSTSTSTS!
A flame pattern was engraved on Zeke's arm before gradually fading away.
Along with this, Ignis's form also gradually dispersed.
"Zeke Draker, I shall await your call."
As soon as the words ended, Ignis became a massive flame and vanished.
When Ignis disappeared, Yelin finally let out the breath she'd been holding.
"Goodness... For a high-ranking spirit to suddenly appear. It's hard to believe even after seeing it with my own eyes, Sir Zeke."
"It's all thanks to Lady Yelin."
Even after summoning and contracting with the high-ranking spirit Ignis, Zeke seemed unmoved.
Yelin collapsed onto the garden floor, seemingly drained from the encounter with Ignis.
That's when Zeke said to Yelin:
"Shall we move on to the next one then?"
"What? Next what?"
Yelin thought she might faint upon hearing Zeke's next words.
"Since we've called fire, shouldn't we try summoning other spirits? How about wind next?"
Yelin's dropped jaw wouldn't close.