Racing (2)
Buuaaaang—!
With a ferocious roar, the two electric cars shot off across the plaza. I jumped in surprise at that mad dash.
Slow!
Both electric cars were overloaded beyond capacity. The staff member had no idea since no spirits except Aqua were materialized, but there were three or four spirits crammed onto each vehicle. As a result, their speed had plummeted to less than half the normal rate.
The spirits noticed it too. The sylphs moved first. The bodies of the three sylphs grew hazy.
They're blending into the air to reduce their weight!
It was the same principle as Aqua dissolving into water. At the same moment, the sylphs' electric car sped up by nearly double.
[Ah! That's cheating!]
[Aqua-nim! Look at them!]
[Chit!]
The undines went into an uproar. Even Mandu chimed in. Aqua bit her lip hard and shouted.
[We can't lose either!]
[But how?]
[There's no water here!]
Aqua took off her sunglasses and pushed them up onto her forehead before yelling.
[Stir the ground!]
[The ground...?]
[...You mean paddle it?]
[How?]
[Don't panic. It's like boating. Make water poles and push off the ground!]
[Got it!]
[Let's paddle the ground!]
The undines bustled about, each creating poles in their hands. The sight of the undines, stacked like squished steamed buns at the back of the electric car, poking the ground with their water poles was quite the spectacle.
Can something this cute even be called a spectacle?
While I was lost in serious contemplation, the undines began paddling the ground enthusiastically just as Aqua had commanded. I had to admire their teamwork.
Still slow!
No matter how hard the undines jabbed at the ground, their basic strength was just too feeble. With no water around to boost their power, they were literally just swimming by pushing off the dirt. Meanwhile, the sylphs lapped the plaza once and sped past them. They even taunted loud enough to be heard.
[Sloooow.]
[Is that all you've got?]
[Ahh, this is so boring I could die.]
[Water really is the weakest of the four elements....]
That high-level provocation drew a groan from me before I knew it.
Aqua's pride must be properly scratched now.
Sure enough, right after the sylphs' Lamborghini zipped by, Aqua and the undines froze. Even from afar, I could see their faces twisting in humiliation. Aqua began trembling so hard the car shook. I watched with a smile, looking forward to how Aqua would get revenge on the sylphs.
Aqua quietly adjusted her sunglasses on her forehead. Her face was calm, but a quiet rage simmered beneath.
[Everyone, gather water!]
The three-layer undine steamed bun turned to Aqua. The one on the bottom layer asked.
[Water?]
[Yes. The sylphs are using wind power, so we should use water power too.]
The undines exchanged glances and nodded. Aqua scooped Mandu down from the hood onto her lap.
[Stay here. Things are about to get rough.]
[Chit!]
With Mandu's cheer, Aqua stretched her arm toward the fountain. Right then, the fountain in the plaza's center tilted toward her.
"Kyaaak?!"
"Whoa!"
The people playing at the fountain yelped and scattered. The fountain itself wasn't tilting—all its water was flying straight toward Aqua.
Kuwaaaa—!
The water condensed at the back of the electric car like a jet engine. Aqua grinned and turned to the undines.
[Hold on tight. My drive's a bit rough.]
The undines' eyes went wide, but they giggled in excitement and clung to each other. Aqua slid her sunglasses back down. Sunlight glinted off the frames.
[Here we go!]
The water gathered at the car's rear exploded.
Kwaaang—!
[Aqua Booster!]
The electric car rocketed forward at several times its previous speed, propelled by the blast like a jet.
The power of Destructive Force!
The Destructive Force power I'd gained from completing the quest amplified the water's explosion into tremendous velocity. Aqua even laid a thin layer of water under the tires. It was an application of the Water Shield I'd put under our feet when wave-riding with her.
Kwang!
Aqua's car overtook the sylphs' in an instant.
[What...?!]
The sylphs gaped at each other in shock.
[We can't lose like this!]
[No choice! Let's do 'that'!]
['That'? You don't mean...?!]
[Yeah, that's my driver!]
The sylphs whispered conspiratorially among themselves, then used wind to lift their electric car right into the air.
[The ultimate electric car... abandons being a 'car'!]
[Become the wind!]
[That's what sylphs do.]
The Lamborghini-turned-airplane began racing along the course at high speed.
[Oh?]
Aqua smirked as the sylphs' car chased at equal speed. The two vehicles traded the lead, zipping around the plaza at motorcycle speeds. Ordinary plaza-goers could only gawk with mouths agape.
"...What the heck is that?"
"Some secret weapon?"
"Latest drone tech?"
"Wait. Aren't those spirits?"
Kuwaaaa—!
Buuuuwuuung—!
The BNW trailing a long stream of water and the airborne Lamborghini flipped back and forth, but no clear winner emerged. In that short time, they'd lapped the plaza three times, and the staff member clutched his phone with a face like he might faint.
"Boss! The electric cars are flying right now! Flying, I said! In the sky! Why won't you get it? This is chaos beyond my pay grade!"
That otherworldly race, which left everyone stunned, finally reached its conclusion. The sylphs' electric car, unable to bear the strain of flight, started breaking down.
[Emergency landing!]
The sylphs quickly brought the Lamborghini down to the ground. But the surface was a watery mess from Aqua's booster.
Chwaaak!
The Lamborghini couldn't brake and skidded.
[Uwaaaah!]
[Save the sylphs!]
[Danger!]
Aqua panicked and reached out to control the water. The water under the Lamborghini softened and bunched up, slowing it down. Aqua's car slowed too. But perhaps caught off guard, neither avoided collision.
Kuung!
Both cars jolted.
[Nyaaak!]
[Uwaaat!]
It was a minor accident. But to drivers, any crash was a matter of pride. Aqua struck first.
Bang!
[How the hell do you drive?!]
Aqua clutched the back of her neck with one hand and stepped out of the electric car in a posture worthy of admiration.
[Even if my house lizard drove with its front paws, it'd do better than you...!]
Bwaaaaaang—!
The Lamborghini's horn blared long and loud, cutting Aqua off. Startled, Aqua dropped her hand from her neck. The sylphs were slumped over like they'd fainted. One even had its head smashed against the steering wheel—that was the source of the horn.
[A-Are you okay?!]
Aqua panicked and hauled the sylphs up from the driver's seat. Of course, they were fine.
[Oops. Looks like your spirits can walk it off just fine?]
[This'll be 0% fault vs. 100%, huh?]
[Neighborhood folks! The spirits are dying!]
Realizing she'd been tricked, Aqua puffed out her cheeks. But it was too late. I couldn't help chuckling in disbelief.
How much human-world water have those sylphs chugged?
This was Aqua's loss by judgment.
* * *
[I won the race!]
[Nah, you're just denying it. We totally crushed you.]
[Don't deny it yourselves! You skidded off course!]
[And you came crashing into us.]
[Crashing? I was trying to save you!]
The sylphs whistled innocently. Aqua trembled in fury.
[You...!]
I gently hugged the shivering Aqua. Whether from race excitement or crash aftermath, her body was stiff.
[Hmph!]
Aqua clung to me tightly, refusing to admit defeat. As I stroked her back, I noticed the sylphs looked familiar.
"Ah. The sylphs from the restaurant?"
A few days ago, while eating with Jang Gilsan, I'd bought wine for sylphs outside the window. It was them.
[Thanks back then!]
[It was delicious!]
[Our spirit users are cheapskates who rarely buy us anything!]
The sylphs started chattering again. Then—
"Who're you calling cheapskates?"
A stranger's voice approached, along with massive Spirit Affinity. Turning, I saw a neat-looking handsome man in his late twenties.
The man grinned playfully as he neared the sylphs.
"I just paid for the electric cars you wrecked."
Glancing further, the part-timer stood dazed before the two smashed cars, clutching a wad of 50,000-won bills. I apologized to the man.
"Ah, sorry. I should've covered the damages."
He smiled kindly.
"It's fine. My sylphs have caused trouble plenty of times already."
The sylphs fluttered onto his shoulders and neck.
[Nuisance isn't in a sylph's dictionary!]
[We were just having fun!]
[And we won!]
"Yeah, yeah. Good job, good job."
Watching them, something clicked for me.
A man contracted with three sylphs...
There was only one spirit user like that in Korea. Plus, today was the last day of guild harmony events, so it wasn't odd for him to stick around.
But he asked first.
"You're the famous Big Sis Spirit and her contractor, right?"
"You know us?"
"Of course. My team members talk about you nonstop."
My team members. That confirmed it. I knew who this man was.
"Jeong Ri-on, by any chance?"
"Haha, yes. That's me."
Jeong Ri-on smiled warmly. I swallowed hard.
A few days ago at the spirit gathering, Mulsuja—the one who'd given me her card—was from his knight order. And here was their captain.
Korea's first S-rank spirit user.
The one who'd reached S-rank without a Spirit King contract. Sub-master of Phoenix Guild, leader of the Spirit Knights. The idol and aspiration of all spirit users stood before me now.
Gazing at me and Aqua with keen interest.
"Hmm... Indeed, tremendous spirit power."
Aqua glanced sideways at Jeong Ri-on.
"Hello?"
He waved. Aqua, still in my arms, stared a moment before saying.
[You're quite strong, human.]
"Haha. Praise from a supreme spirit leaves me at a loss."
Jeong Ri-on stroked his chin, then asked me.
"Mind if I ask a favor?"
"A favor?"
"Spar with me once."
I swallowed again. Not from nerves, but shock at the massive opportunity. Sparring with a man whose experience cleared hundreds of gates was like Messi coaching soccer. You couldn't buy this lesson for billions.
I took a steadying breath and looked to Aqua. Her input mattered.
[Sorry.]
But Aqua seemed uninterested. She shook her head.
[How could I, a supreme spirit, fight those frail sylphs?]
"Oh?"
Jeong Ri-on looked surprised, then burst out laughing.
"That's so Big Sis Spirit! Such noble thoughts! But Aqua, my sylphs are battle-hardened veterans. Not to be underestimated."
[Still no. Spirits must protect and guide the weaker, frailer ones. I can't harm those children, even in play.]
It was sound logic. Especially from prideful Aqua aware of her status. Now I understood her panic at the sylphs' fake faint during the crash, and her sulk when they proved fine.
Aqua was genuinely worried about them.
If that's how she felt, I couldn't push for a spar. As I started to decline too—
[Scared?]
A sylph's dagger words stabbed in. It sent chills down my spine.
The three sylphs stood on Jeong Ri-on's shoulders and head, arms crossed, smirking at Aqua. I looked down at her. She blinked, confused.
[Scared? Me? I was just worried about your safety...]
[Long tongue much?]
[Totally chickened out.]
[Tucked tail after racing—now scared of a fight too?]
[......]
It was high-level mental warfare that dizzied even me. I watched Aqua tensely. She blinked slowly a few times. Then smiled brightly.
[Heh~.]
A smile that sent chills down my back.