Water Spirit King (1)
That night, I called my mom.
It was to let her know I'd be staying at the resort a few more days.
"Sure, take your time and rest easy. And don't fight with your friends."
"Mom, I'm not a kid anymore. Why would I fight with friends?"
I didn't tell her about Niagara. She'd only worry if she heard her son was at odds with a Spirit King.
After hanging up, I gazed down at the darkened resort.
'An advertising model, huh.'
I decided to put Han Dong-su's offer on hold. I didn't have enough time even focusing solely on Niagara right now.
'Once the Niagara issue's sorted, it wouldn't hurt to get in touch.'
I briefly pictured Aqua as the water park's model. With a tube around her waist and snorkeling gear on, striking poses in front of the camera.
"Heh heh heh."
A laugh slipped out before I knew it.
'Our future with Aqua.'
The night I saw Niagara's prophecy, I'd thought seriously about my future with Aqua.
About the future after defeating Niagara.
Joining a guild with Aqua sounded good. Starting a cosmetics company with her did too. With her cuteness and charm, she could easily be an ad model.
'But beyond all that big stuff, just living small and simple with Aqua sounds nice too.'
Like opening a little restaurant together. I'd handle the cooking in our tiny shop, no bigger than a few pyeong. By then, Mandu would have grown enough to breathe fire and manage the heat. Aqua would perch on the cutting board in the open kitchen, diligently prepping ingredients, then turn and shout [Welcome in!] when the door opened.
Imagining her in a crisp white chef's uniform brought a fatherly smile to my face.
'That's why I'll definitely beat Niagara.'
I'll claim that future no matter what. I won't let go of the spirit I met after such a long wait.
Back in the room, Aqua was fast asleep, clutching Mandu tightly.
[Hee hee hee...]
She murmured in her sleep, smiling softly at whatever dream she was having.
I sat beside her and gently touched her hand with my finger. In her sleep, she gripped it tight. Cool and squishy.
'I'll never let you go.'
I couldn't imagine a life without Aqua anymore. I absolutely couldn't lose her.
"Sleep well."
I stroked their heads.
[Hee hee hee!]
[Sisit!]
Aqua and Mandu smiled even in their dreams. I watched them a moment longer, then headed out. Time for some basic fitness training before bed.
The next day, we headed to the Phoenix Training Grounds at Phoenix Resort.
Jeong Ri-on had gladly approved my request to train there in preparation for the fight with Niagara.
Of course, I wasn't training with the knights. As a D-rank, I'd just be a nuisance, and trying to keep up with active hunters could get me hurt.
I focused on honing our new technique, Destruction Orb, with Aqua in front of a sandbag in one corner of the grounds.
Our training targeted four key improvements.
"Aqua, faster!"
[On it!]
First: boosting speed. Niagara wouldn't know our moves, giving us an edge for effective strikes.
Second: perfect timing without verbal cues.
'No point yelling the skill name every time. That's just dumb.'
Third: handling multiple orbs at once.
Fourth: as Jeong Ri-on suggested, changing the water stream from a point to a line.
Instead of punching holes in the Water Shield, I sliced long slits like wounds.
Whoosh!
A razor-thin, ultra-high-pressure jet sliced the sandbag's side open.
'Switch between point and line based on the opponent's affinities.'
Formless water held endless attack possibilities.
Shhh...
[Mm...]
Aqua wrinkled her brow at the sound, eyeing the sandbag spilling metal powder from its gash. She didn't like it.
I understood, so I crouched beside her.
"Don't worry."
She looked up at me with a pout.
"I'll make sure we don't have to hit Niagara with something this brutal."
It bothered her that we'd use this fearsome attack on Niagara. Spirits were good kids. And Niagara was special to her.
[But... isn't this for beating Niagara?]
"No."
[It isn't?]
"We made this for quests."
We learned Niagara was our enemy as a post-development reward.
"Surfing training was for our growth too."
Developing and strengthening spirits was a spirit user's duty.
"Nothing's prepared to hurt Niagara."
[...Is that so?]
I nodded with a smile, to give her faith.
"Yeah."
I wanted to resolve this peacefully if possible.
'I don't want Aqua haunted by the trauma of slaying her own Spirit King.'
If things went south, I'd strike without hesitation. Spirit users weren't pushovers just because they were "good." Especially when it came to their spirits—they burned with fury more than anyone.
But Aqua didn't need to know that. I hoped she'd never even imagine such horrors.
[I see!]
Aqua beamed, convinced. I gently stroked her cheek.
"Impressive, right?"
Turning at the voice, I saw water spirit users inspecting our shredded sandbag. Mulsuja nodded approvingly at the front.
The spirit users murmured in admiration.
"Didn't we try something like that back in the day?"
"Epic fail."
"We could barely pierce an apple..."
Aqua's lips curved sky-high.
[As expected of Lady Aqua!]
[Lady Aqua can do anything!]
[I wanna be like Lady Aqua!]
[No way! I claimed her first—my dream's to be like Lady Aqua!]
The undines' bickering finally burst Aqua's pride.
[Ahahahahaha!]
She crossed her arms and laughed loudly, fountains erupting from her shoulders like fireworks.
[You adorable little things!]
Aqua dashed over and hugged the undines tight.
[Hee hee hee!]
[Hee hee hee!]
The undines giggled happily in her embrace. I took a break, watching the heartwarming scene.
Aqua kissed each undine's forehead. They kicked their feet in bliss.
"Totally big-sis spirit material."
"Great nickname."
The water spirit users smiled warmly too.
[Sisit!]
Turning at the chirp, Mandu was crawling diligently across the floor. He'd been playing with salamanders near the fire spirit users' area.
I scooped him up, and he yipped excitedly.
[Sisit! Sisit!]
"What's up? See a frog?"
[Sisit!]
Shaking his head, he scurried up my arm and gaped at the ceiling.
Flames burst from his mouth.
Fwoosh!
Not huge or powerful, but it was Mandu's first fire breath.
"Whoa!"
[Ooh!]
Aqua yelped, set the undines down, and toddled over. I knelt to match their eye levels.
[You can breathe fire now? When'd you learn?]
Mandu proudly glanced at the salamanders. His "uncles" flicked their tongues slowly.
"Mandu! Amazing!"
I praised him sincerely, stroking his back.
[Handsome! A proper salamander now!]
Aqua beamed, rubbing his forehead vigorously.
[Kwek-]
Mandu burped smugly, puffing black smoke.
Three days before Niagara's arrival.
After training in the underground grounds, we showered clean. Today: luxurious bubble bath, not a quick rinse with Aqua's spirit power.
[Fuu~.]
Aqua blew bubbles from her hand; they clumped and floated off.
[Hee hee hee!]
She blew again, delighted. Mandu sported Aqua's "perm" masterpiece atop his head.
I watched leisurely. Over-tension breaks people—and spirits. So we lounged two hours daily: ice cream binges, movies, bubble baths.
'VIP bathroom's huge.'
We soaked in a tub at least three pyeong wide—big enough for Aqua to swim.
'Oh, toys too?'
I grabbed a yellow rubber duck from the shelf and nudged it toward Aqua.
[Hah! A duck!]
She spotted it, swam over, circled it, then hugged tight.
[So cute!]
Cute seeing cute being cute. I smiled.
Then the duck slipped from her foamy grasp and popped up.
[Ehng?]
Aqua looked around, then up.
Boing!
It bonked her forehead and bounced off.
[Nngak?]
She flinched, clutching her brow. Soft bodies, no harm done. But the absurdity cracked me up.
"Ahahaha!"
Aqua pouted, rubbing her forehead.
[Don't laugh!]
"Got it, heh heh. Won't laugh."
[You're totally laughing!]
"Heh heh heh!"
I pulled her into my arms. Her brief sulk melted as she played with the duck.
[Sisit!]
Mandu leaped in, tail-smacking the duck away. Jealous, it seemed.
[What's wrong, Mandu? Be friends with the duck!]
[Sit! Sisit!]
I watched them play, drowsiness settling in. Holding cool Aqua in warm water felt divine—like a winter open-air hot spring.
"Hey, Aqua. This winter, let's hit an onsen."
[Onsen?]
"Yeah, outdoor one. Bathing in the snow."
[Ooh! In the snow!]
Spirit Realm was eternal spring; she'd never seen snow.
"Deep in the mountains. A snowy onsen where animals bathe too."
[Animals and snow onsen! I wanna go!]
"Gotta ask Gilsan for a good room. Bring the club kids?"
[Your juniors? I wanna get close to them!]
"You'll be buddies quick. They're great. Twins, remember?"
[Twins? Identical?]
"Fraternal, not exact, but super similar yet total opposites."
[What?]
"You'll see. Instant friends."
I planned casually; Aqua joined naturally. Our unspoken promise: no returning her to the Spirit Realm.
Post-bath, barbecue time. Theme: 'summer getaway.'
Sizzle!
Pork belly cooked with a satisfying hiss.
[Sisit?]
Mandu watched intently.
[Hiyaak! Hot!]
Aqua cooled my neck as usual.
"Gilsan, plate!"
"Here."
Jang Gilsan, handling chores, chopped garlic and passed a plate. I piled it high with meat.
He finished, grabbed wine from the cellar.
We sat on the outdoor terrace—prime spot for sea and moon views.
[Ncha!]
Aqua plopped by my right hand—her spot. Mandu took left.
Gilsan uncorked the wine deftly. I'd sip too, for mood.
[Pour mine!]
Aqua got grape soda. Glasses filled, we toasted.
Gilsan said, "Good work training today."
"You too, Aqua."
[You all too!]
[Sisit!]
Clink. A small reward for our hard work. Recharge, then charge on tomorrow.
That's when—
Slosh!
Two glasses slipped from hands—mine and Aqua's.
Crash!
They shattered. Before tracking shards, we looked skyward together.
Roooar!
A waterfall poured from the empty sky. Beautiful at a glance, but eerie, triggering alarms.
The immense spirit power from it.
I jumped up.
[He's here!]
Aqua leaped from the table. Gilsan rose slowly, staring. Mandu eyed the falls, ignoring food.
Split!
The waterfall parted vertically, stretching wide. Through the rectangular rift in the night sky floated another world.
Primeval nature, like a dinosaur flick.
'That's the Spirit Realm...?'
Like an open window in the dark sky. Before it hovered a spirit.
Body of a seven-year-old. Larger than most—only two types: Spirit King heirs like Aqua, or kings themselves.
[Niagara...!]
The Water Spirit King had arrived—here, now.