Chapter 324
Chapter 324
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Translator: Vine
Chapter: 324
Chapter Title: I'll Join Too
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Whoosh!
A cool breeze swept in.
It gently brushed aside the suffocating pressure from Salion and Elraim.
"You guys! You come all the way to the wind district to harass my precious guest? Huh?"
The weight pressing down on my body eased up.
The breath of Sylphid enveloping me felt almost tangible.
Warm yet cool, soft yet moist.
"Huh? What nonsense is that?"
Salion planted his hands on his hips, looking utterly baffled.
Elraim furrowed her brow as well.
"Sylphid, harass? Can't you see what's around us? He’s the one who summoned us."
Tap, tap.
Elraim prodded the 'summoning circle' and 'gate' with her water-droplet-covered finger.
They had fulfilled their purpose and were fading away.
"What."
Whoosh!
Sylphid's breath grew a bit rougher upon seeing it.
"For real? How?"
She stared at the summoning traces in disbelief.
"That's why we were asking. How could someone with zero spirit affinity summon us? It's fascinating, right?"
Fwoosh!
Salion's eyes sparkled with curiosity.
Like a child encountering a mysterious creature for the first time.
"By the way, your precious guest?"
"......"
"That's even more intriguing? That picky Sylphid calling a man— not a woman— her precious guest."
"Please explain, Sylphid."
Elraim smiled sweetly.
A conversation among three colossal beings.
Beings that could easily steam and eat the most horrific things I'd seen, like the Giant Dragon or Greed Dragon.
'Ugh.'
My mind reeled.
"Hmph."
Sylphid snorted.
"Explain? Why should I?"
She flashed a smile like a child reluctant to share her toy.
Ah.
To them, was I just an amusing plaything?
"Whew."
I took a deep breath.
After all, I was the one who summoned them.
I'd be the one talking.
"Spirit Kings?"
As I opened my mouth.
"Yeah?"
"Yes."
"Hm?"
All three turned their gazes to me at once.
The sight wasn't threatening so much as...
A bit cute, somehow.
Some innocence that didn't match their immense power?
"Why."
Salion smirked.
"You thinking of contracting with us, of all people?"
He used the word 'you', implying it was audacious.
As if contracting was out of the question.
Yeah, probably.
'Too bad.'
Tsk.
I smacked my lips.
I could mimic the summoning ritual, but contracting was another story.
'Of course.'
Contracts required mutual consent.
But.
'Soon enough, they'll be under my command anyway.'
Assuming I awakened Bone Guild.
They'd all contract with Yui-sa.
And Yui-sa's master was me.
'Jackpot.'
Having these terrifying four Spirit Kings as subordinates.
Of course, outside the spirit realm, even Spirit Kings could only use about 10% of their power.
But that was still plenty.
Enough to rival a decent constellation-level force.
"We're not opposed to contracting with you."
Elraim smiled softly.
"A contract would let us escape this boring spirit realm and see all sorts of worlds. Honestly, if it were possible... we'd love to."
Why did that smile feel so coquettish?
"But this is the law of the universe, of great nature. We can't contract with someone lacking spirit affinity. We can't break it, even if we wanted to."
"Yes, I understand."
I nodded.
I hadn't seriously expected to contract directly with the Spirit Kings anyway.
I just tested the waters by summoning them.
'That said, now that it's like this.'
Maybe I could negotiate.
This place boasted the highest difficulty of anywhere I'd hunted as a Hunter.
The Earth Dragon.
It was obviously going to be a monster.
In that situation, securing minimal safety measures was wise.
Even if I enjoyed recklessness, I'd grab what I could.
"That curiosity of yours, Spirit Kings. I can resolve it right now, right?"
What the Spirit Kings were curious about boiled down to two things.
How I summoned them.
And why Sylphid treated me as an honored guest.
I planned to address the latter.
"You?"
Salion tilted his head.
"Yes."
"......"
"First, allow me to introduce myself. I told Sylphid, but I'm the master of Yui-sa Storm Tree, known here as the great spirit user."
"......?"
The Spirit Kings' expressions shifted in an instant.
"Master? You?"
Salion looked baffled.
"......Gasp, that 'master' from when she said 'Master'?"
Elraim blushed and covered her face with both palms.
No, what was she even thinking?
Cancel that—she wasn't pure at all!
And.
"......!"
"......!"
Jea and Sua's eyes widened too.
They'd overheard, but hadn't expected me to be the master.
Anyway.
"Let me get to the point. I came here to resurrect her, the deceased one. Honestly, it'll be tough, but I assess a high chance of success. And the revived Yui-sa... won't she have spirit affinity unlike me?"
"......"
Silence fell.
After a brief moment.
When they grasped my meaning.
"Uhahaha!"
Elraim burst into laughter.
"That's fun. So... you're saying you'll revive Yui-sa and then have her contract with all of us? Something she couldn't do in life?"
Exactly.
Spirit Kings had quick wits.
"Precisely. Plus, since I'm Yui-sa's master, Spirit Kings who impress me can see even more worlds."
"Wow, you're bold. Really."
Pffft!
Elraim perched lightly on a water droplet in the air, crossing her legs.
"Fine. So, how should we impress you?"
"Elraim!"
Salion scowled.
"You're buying this nonsense?"
"Look into his eyes."
"......Eyes?"
"Come on, Salion. You can judge truth from an elemental body. If you're unsure, just ask Sylphid."
As Elraim glanced at Sylphid, she nodded.
"Yeah, it's true. He carries Yui-sa's scent."
"......Hmph."
Fwoosh!
Flames roared wildly around Salion.
"Then it's true. Sylphid was always sincere about Yui-sa."
The three Spirit Kings regarded me with serious eyes.
Which meant.
'It worked?'
The reason I could push so hard was all thanks to Jea.
She'd told me.
Spirit Kings were obsessed with contracts.
"Alright, then."
Tap, tap.
I lightly tapped the ground with my foot.
"Last, come on out—the one who's been watching."
"Oho?"
Elraim grinned like it was genuinely amusing.
Salion looked surprised too.
At that moment.
Rumble...
The entire ground began rising toward the sky.
"Eek!"
"Eek!"
Jea and Sua yelped and tumbled, while the Spirit Kings floated up with the rising ground.
Rumble...!
Incredibly.
The ground we'd been standing on was merely one being's head.
A massive stone golem-like head.
[You encounter the Earth Spirit King 'Noas.']
Truth be told, I hadn't noticed until just now.
If I hadn't revealed I was Yui-sa's master, I might never have.
'But.'
The Supreme Azure Heart Technique senses energy flows.
And precisely.
After my bombshell declaration, I detected the massive energy surge from below.
[You achieve a great feat.]
[Congratulations!]
[Vitality increases by 1,000.]
'Nice.'
Filled up the last 1,000 vitality nicely.
"......How did you know?"
Rumble!
Far away, the golem's arm whirled around.
'Whoa.'
I stuck out my tongue.
Size-wise, it rivaled the Giant Dragon.
"You dumb Noas."
Sylphid sneered.
"You freak out so obviously, then ask how he knew?"
"......Normally, even if we freak out obviously, people don't notice our energy. Look, Salion and Elraim are shocked too. Why's it just you? Did that brain of yours fly off with the wind?"
"Oh? Is that so? To me, it sounds like you wanna die."
"Hmm, distorting truth now? Guess you really are insane. Tsk tsk, a Spirit King going mad over losing one spirit user."
"You oversized rock bastard!"
Whoosh!
A fierce gale whipped up around us.
"Wanna break taboo and throw down? Huh?"
"As expected of a scrap-grade Spirit King... Don't damage the spirit realm too much."
Wait.
Why did these guys suddenly pop out and start fighting?
"Whoa, whoa."
I jumped in to mediate.
"Calm down. Forgot? You need to impress me!"
It might sound arrogant.
Telling beings stronger than dragons to play nice for my favor.
But.
Rumble...!
Whoosh!
"Ahem. You live thanks to him."
"Mm. Speak. Master of Yui-sa."
One word.
And the two Spirit Kings completely quelled their raging energies.
'Whoa.'
This was hitting surprisingly well.
Gotta use it often.
Alright, then.
Time for the main deal?
* * *
Jea's mind was in turmoil.
From Sylphid's appearance, to Sua getting beaten, to the Spirit King summons.
Nothing normal, and before the shock faded, another storm hit.
'Oh my god.'
A gathering of four Spirit Kings.
And what?
Telling the Spirit Kings to impress him?
What was that about Yui-sa's master?
Why were those four terrifying auras gazing at that man with sparkling eyes?
Even stopping a Spirit King fight with one word...
It was a shocking sight in her spirit user life.
'Sua.'
Jea glanced at her pale-faced sister.
'Sis.'
Sua's eyes wavered.
As if saying, [Sis, I'm screwed. Why'd I mess with that guy?]
'It's okay, little sis.'
She'd been beaten enough already.
Was this any consolation? But it was the best she had.
That guy seemed like the type without grudges.
Anyway.
The man negotiated calmly with the four Spirit Kings.
- Send support forces to join us in the central depths.
Support forces meant spirit users residing in the spirit realm.
- As Sylphid said, to revive Yui-sa, we must subjugate the Earth Dragon. But you all know it's no pushover, right? So, gather spirit users to fight alongside. Each one you bring earns you points with me.
Spirits couldn't enter the depths.
But non-spirits could.
- I assume none of you have contracted spirit users right now. Right? So, send at least top-grade spirit users contracted with high-grade spirits. Honestly, it's a great deal for them too. Succeed, and they'll get a shot at the 'Heartstone Crystal.'
Yes.
He perfectly read the top spirit users' psychology.
Their ultimate goal: summon a Spirit King.
To do that, they needed spirit affinity.
And the pinnacle for building affinity was the 'Heartstone Crystal'.
Jea and Sua.
Before finding the Wind Waterfall, they'd endlessly debated entering the central district.
'In the end, too scared to go.'
But.
If everyone went together?
If they could share the glory?
In that moment.
Jea's eyes met Sylphid's briefly.
Eyes asking, [Wanna join?]
"Yes!"
Jea shot her hand up without thinking.
"S-Sis?"
Sua blinked in surprise.
Little sis.
This was fateful opportunity.
What ranker passed up fate?
Especially.
With that amazing guy leading!
"Central district subjugation! My sister and I will join too!"
Jea shouted with resolve.