Chapter 316
Chapter 316
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 316
Chapter Title: Who Is That Person?
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[Entering the special dungeon.]
“Ugh.”
As the light faded, my head spun wildly.
Dizzy, on the verge of vomiting.
I wanted to collapse right then and there, but I lowered my stance first.
‘Get it together.’
This was a dungeon of a difficulty I’d never faced before.
I had to stay alert and focused.
I opened my eyes and quickly scanned my surroundings.
‘Where... is this?’
Whoosh! Whoooosh!
The wind was fierce, first off.
It whipped my hair around so hard it had no intention of settling down.
[You have entered the ‘Spirit Realm.’]
[You have discovered the ‘Wind Zone - Sylph Canyon.’]
Wind Zone?
As I turned my head to glance at the canyon and cliffs in the distance.
“Urk!”
A sharp pain buzzed through my heart.
At the same time, messages appeared.
[The use of ‘Lord & King Summon’ (SS Grade) is restricted.]
[The use of ‘Memory Recreation’ (S Grade) is restricted.]
[The use of ‘Teachings of All Arts’ (SS Grade) is restricted.]
[The use of ‘Resurrection of the Dead’ (A Grade) is restricted.]
[The use of ‘Roar of the Dead’ (A Grade) is restricted.]
[The use of ‘Bone Dragon Skeleton’ (S Grade) is restricted.]
As expected.
Just as announced, my skills were sealed.
Not all of them, though.
Pain Resistance, Pure Blue Heart Technique, Teachings of All Arts, and so on.
The skills I could comprehend with my mind and wield with my body remained intact.
‘Well, it had to be that way.’
Those weren’t fully formed skills, even if they took that shape.
They were as natural to me as breathing or moving.
In other words.
Even if I possessed some other body, I could still use Teachings of All Arts.
Anyway.
“That’s a relief, at least.”
Even without summoning the dead, I was a necromancer no more, but I’d reached a pretty high level on my own.
It was like being tossed into a vast ocean but given a decent ship to sail.
“Mm.”
As the pain gradually faded.
[Ring!]
[Stage: Yui Stormtree]
[Please resolve the grudge of the great spirit user, Yui.]
Another message appeared.
The mission for this dungeon.
But.
“That’s it?”
Damn.
There had to be some effort put into this.
They seal my skills, drop me in some remote zone, and then just say resolve Yui’s grudge without any details?!
‘Yui Stormtree...’
I wasn’t clueless. I knew that was the Bone Lord’s name.
But then.
A sudden question popped up.
This was the Spirit Realm, right?
The world where spirits lived.
Not a place for spirit users, so why resolve a spirit user’s grudge here?
Tsk.
I clicked my tongue, closed my eyes, and drew up my energy.
Hummm!
At the same time, I probed the flow of energy spreading around me.
‘Hm.’
This place was a rugged canyon, first off.
A massive U-shaped gorge with steeply sloped walls on both sides.
Mystical shrubs grew around, exuding the scent of nature, and the air itself felt otherworldly.
And then.
Whoooosh! Squeeee!
The countless spirits flitting between the mountains and trees were...
[You have encountered the lower wind spirit ‘Sylph.’]
“Kyarr!”
“A spirit user! A spirit user!”
“Judging by the altitude... first time here?”
“Nice to meet you, stranger!”
Ah.
These were the wind spirits, sylphs.
Amid the raging winds, faint figures of green-winged fairies appeared.
They weren’t opening their mouths.
Instead, the emotions they felt toward me flowed directly into my mind.
Was this how spirits conversed?
Anyway.
“Hi there.”
I waved at a few who greeted me.
In response, their kyarrs didn’t stop.
True to the name ‘Sylph Canyon,’ countless sylphs inhabited this place.
Then, a being with slightly denser energy than the sylphs...
Oh, there it was?
The Pure Blue Heart Technique pinpointed the more finely concentrated energy.
[You have encountered the mid-grade wind spirit ‘Sylaph.’]
You’re the sylaph, huh?
The sylaph looked similar to sylphs but subtly different.
If sylphs felt like children, sylaphs were more like boys or girls?
Sensing my recognition, the sylaph group began gathering near me one by one.
“Wow, he can see me?”
“Ears perked up like that... he can hear too?”
“Idiots? Of course he can see and hear!”
“Why?”
“Why? To enter the Spirit Realm without being a spirit, you need at least a top-grade spirit contract!”
“Really? Didn’t know! Kyarr!”
“Yeah? Could happen. Kyarr!”
...
They had incredibly positive mindsets.
Pure and innocent, maybe?
I touched my lips.
From their conversation, I could infer.
Those from other worlds who contracted with top-grade spirits could come directly to the Spirit Realm?
Then Yui must have been one.
“But what about him? No affinity with us at all? Not even a speck.”
“Yeah. And no matter how I scan his body, no mark of Sylestin-nim. Not a contractor?”
Sylestin?
What’s that?
The top-grade wind spirit?
“But how? How is he here?”
“What, what?”
“Hey, he’s looking at us without a contract?”
“Amazing! Amazing!”
Peck peck!
Poke! Poke!
They took turns prodding my body.
Hey, you little ones?
That’s no way to treat an adult.
I wanted to say that, but held back for now.
This was the highest difficulty dungeon... had to play it smart.
Plus, their energy felt serious.
Even mid-grade sylaphs were emitting power close to S-rank hunter level on Earth terms.
And there were hundreds, thousands...
‘Whew.’
A chill ran down my spine.
Anyway.
“Hey, kids.”
Time to ask what I was curious about.
“Ever heard of a spirit user named Yui Stormtree?”
Freeze!
The spirits halted for an instant.
It was just a split second, but with the Pure Blue Heart Technique sensing them, I caught it clearly.
But soon enough.
They returned to their lively selves.
“Yui? Why ask?”
“Eeeeeh~ Why should we tell you?”
“Yeah yeah! Not even contracted with us! Kyarr!”
“Don’t wanna tell! Don’t wannaaaa! Bweeeh bweeeh!”
...
Hm.
I felt a vein twitch on my temple.
Was this trial’s theme a test of patience?
“Contract? How’s that done?”
Bring it on, whatever it is.
I’ll do it.
Consider it an honor.
A chance to contract with the ‘master’ of the great spirit user Yui Stormtree isn’t every...
“Contract? What for?”
“Not contracting with you! Hehehehe!”
“Who’d contract with that pathetic affinity?”
“Bweeeh bweeeh!”
...
Fwoosh!
The God-Slaying Spear erupted from my hand.
“You little...”
As I gripped the spear and glared.
Whoooosh! Whoooosh!
The wind grew even fiercer.
“Kyahahaha! Run! Run!”
“He’s mad! He’s maaaad~ he’s maaaad~”
“Kyarr! What’ll you do if you’re mad? What can you do? Bweeeh!”
Then they scattered in all directions with whooshes.
Whew.
A sigh escaped me.
Were wind spirits born to rile people up?
Anyway, cooperation from them seemed unlikely.
Sss.
I started moving.
Staying put here got me nowhere.
Normally.
If lost in mountains, follow the widening valley down.
If lost in a complex city, follow the main road out.
‘Head where the energy clumps.’
I used the Pure Blue Heart Technique as a compass.
Places with dense energy were likely the urban centers of the Spirit Realm, right?
I dashed stepping on shadows.
Crossed canyons, passed forests.
Whoooosh! Whoooosh!
Encountered countless wind spirits along the way.
[You have encountered the high-grade wind spirit ‘Sylairon.’]
Not as many as lower or mid-grades, but high-grades appeared occasionally.
If lowers and mids were stuck at kid level, the highs showed clear adult dignity.
‘Unbelievable.’
A high-grade spirit’s presence rivaled Earth’s high rankers.
In terms of the demon world Jack Smith mentioned, mid-grade demon lord level?
‘A completely insane world.’
I had to stay tense.
The Spirit Realm was nothing like the worlds we’d seen.
Even the beastkin kids Delaila called the strongest would gape here.
How much time passed like that.
[You have discovered the ‘Wind Zone - Wind Waterfall.’]
“Hm?”
My senses caught faint unusual energies.
Two of them.
‘This is...’
Not spirits—living beings’ energy.
Guessing answers lay there, I changed direction immediately.
Passing through towering trees, entering a narrowing path.
Whooooosh...!
A vast valley where wind swirled into one spot appeared.
And there.
“......”
“......”
Two women sat in perfect posture, eyes closed.
Like monks meditating in a temple.
‘People?’
From another world, not Earth?
Their looks leaned more Western than Eastern...
“Who are you?”
One of them opened her eyes and spoke then.
“A spirit user from another world? This is our zone.”
“...Your zone?”
As I repeated, her face crumpled.
Clearly annoyed.
Well, interrupted during training by a clueless stranger... I’d be pissed too.
“Looks like your first time in the Spirit Realm. Doesn’t your spirit explain?”
“Sua.”
The woman beside her opened her eyes and stood.
“Yeah, sis? What?”
“Be nice. A friend of spirits is our friend too.”
“......”
“Being here means he’s contracted with Sylestin as well... Hm?”
“Not his spirit, apparently?”
“Yeah, I just heard too.”
“Plus, sis, you know Sylestin doesn’t contract with men.”
“......”
They tilted their heads.
* * *
Sua Sylphrion.
Jea Sylphrion.
Sisters of the Sylphrion family, high rankers in the 「Sephus」 world.
Famous for wielding wind spirits, both contracted with the top-grade wind spirit ‘Sylestin’ (SSS Grade).
Sylestin.
One of only five constellation-grade spirits even in the Spirit Realm.
Sure, outside it could only manifest 10% power.
But that was enough for ranker status.
Yet they weren’t satisfied.
‘Sylestin has limits.’
‘To break into the top 10 beyond high ranker... need more training.’
For those contracted with Sylestin, growth had one path.
Contracting with the Spirit King ‘Sylphid.’
Sylphid.
A dream existence for wind spirit users.
The one and only in the Spirit Realm, with immeasurable, overwhelming power...
The king of spirits, truly.
Ask any spirit user across the universe, most would say:
- Spirit King? How could a human contract that? Impossible realm.
But.
The Sylphrion sisters knew.
Spirit users who actually contracted the Spirit King existed.
Starting with the legendary first, Yui, over ten in total.
‘Sylestin said the Spirit King wants more contracts...’
‘His only hobby is wandering other worlds, but qualified candidates are rare.’
To contract such a Spirit King required immense spirit affinity.
The top method: meditate where wind energy densest in the Spirit Realm.
They scoured the Wind Zone, found the best spot.
That was this Wind Waterfall.
An insane place.
Just sitting boosted spirit affinity sky-high.
‘Bordering the Earth Zone is a bit unsettling.’
Wind spirits and earth spirits don’t get along.
They bicker or fight on sight.
‘Whatever. If they fight?’
‘Yeah, we’ve got Sylestin behind us.’
Even earth spirits wouldn’t dare mess with top-grade wind spirit Sylestin.
Especially two of them.
So they trained carefree, but barely started when an intruder arrived.
“......”
Sua chewed her lip.
At first prickly, thinking he’d share their hard-found spot.
- Contractor.
- He’s not a contractor.
- No contracts with any spirit at all. Not a spirit user.
Sylestin floating in the sky informed them.
Not a spirit user.
But.
How was he here?
And why this vast Wind Zone, of all places, here?
“Sis.”
As Sua spoke warily, Jea looked at her.
“What do we do with him?”