The Second Spirit: Contracting with Elly
The resonance I had felt beneath the lake had not yet completely faded. The dungeon appeared cleared, and the battle was over. Yet my senses refused to declare it finished. It was less a warning of danger and more a lingering echo of something out of place.
“Team Leader, I don’t see the core this time.”
“Right. It’s probably hidden somewhere inside the dungeon. The layout might make it hard to find. This place will need periodic checks.”
“Does this mean we’ll get another commendation once the gate closes?”
“Hyung, why would you say that? Take it back right now!”
“Relax. It’s not like it’ll vanish again. Let’s just get ready to pull out.”
“Investigation Team 3, prepare for withdrawal while collecting samples from the area.”
We circled the lake slowly, searching for plants and minerals. A blue stem peeked between the rocks, shimmering with a faint silver glow in the light.
“What’s this?”
Doyun leaned in for a closer look. “Blue-flow moss. It sometimes appears in lake-type dungeons.”
While we scanned the surroundings, Doyun’s voice rang out from the far side.
“Mana herb found! Collecting a sample!”
“Got it! Once you’re done, we’ll withdraw if there’s nothing else.”
“Doesn’t look like there’s more. Preparing to leave.”
Jaehoon hurried the cleanup with an excited tone. We finished our preparations and glanced toward the Blue Dragon Team 2. As expected, they had already finished their own work and were heading for the cave entrance.
Following them, we soon reached the gate. I thought to myself, This weekend I’ll have to come back to Samcheok to absorb the core. Looks like I’ll be busy.
Stepping outside, the afternoon sun greeted us. The air was still cool, yet my mood felt strangely light. The Blue Dragon Team 2 offered a brief farewell and departed at once.
“Man… those guys move fast even on withdrawal. Thanks to them, we’re finishing early today.”
“You’re right, hyung. First time we’ve wrapped up a C-rank investigation this quickly.”
“Not complaining. Though the lack of extra pay is a bit disappointing. Anyway, let’s pack up and head to the pension I booked.”
We moved toward the vehicles. Since these were mana-stone-powered dungeon SUVs, checking the fuel gauge before departure was essential. Team Leader Yoo Mira glanced at the dashboard.
“Seventy percent left. Should be plenty for the return trip.”
“Plenty indeed. Let’s head out.”
We climbed in and drove toward Samcheok. The lodging was a pool villa with a clear view of the sea. Everyone wore relaxed expressions as they unloaded their bags and headed to their rooms. Jaehoon had somehow brought along a fishing rod; he set it up on the railing and started fishing right away.
“Jihoon! Want to join? I brought extra rods!”
“When did you even pack a fishing rod, hyung? I was wondering what that long bag was…”
“Of course! Fishing is mandatory when you’re at the beach, you know!”
“We’ll get the barbecue ready, so catch something big and prepare some sashimi. If you don’t, well… you can just pick some up from the sashimi place over there.”
“Don’t worry! I’ll land a monster catch that’ll knock you all out!”
“Sure, sure~ Fighting, Jaehoon hyung!”
Sorin, Doyun, and I went to the mart for groceries and prepared the charcoal. When I glanced at Jaehoon, his expression wasn’t exactly bright.
By evening we finished setting up the barbecue and started grilling. In the end, Jaehoon returned from the nearby sashimi restaurant with takeout. The smell of sizzling meat spread slowly as the team gathered around, filling cups and chatting to lift the mood.
I slipped away to a shaded spot behind the table.
“Arin, come out for a second.”
A small flame flickered in the darkness. Arin appeared quietly and drifted around me, eyeing the barbecue.
“Can I eat?”
“As long as no one sees you… just don’t make it obvious.”
Instead of answering, she brushed past me and moved closer to the table. Since the others couldn’t see her, no one found anything strange. She checked the heat rising from the charcoal, then lightly placed her hand over a piece of meat.
“This one’s cooked well.”
In an instant, a strip of pork belly vanished without a sound. Jaehoon lifted his tongs and tilted his head.
“Hey, who just took the meat? There was definitely one more.”
I fought back a laugh and turned toward the table. “You probably dropped it while looking away.”
“Come on… I’d notice something like that.”
Meanwhile, Arin moved quietly beneath the table, snatching whatever vegetables and bread she could reach. Her method was subtle enough that no one would notice.
“Jihoon oppa, want more to drink?”
“Yeah, just a little.”
“Jihoon, try this too. It turned out really good.”
Doyun gazed toward the sea. “With this atmosphere and the ocean view… it feels nice.”
At that moment, Homin raised his cup.
“Jihoon, the meat’s good, right? Grilling’s perfect tonight.”
Team Leader Yoo Mira looked our way with a smile in her voice.
“Everyone worked hard today. Tomorrow we’re just moving, so relax for now.”
“Yes, Team Leader!”
The breeze was a little chilly, but the mood had definitely lightened. Everyone enjoyed the moment in their own way. Light and laughter slowly filled the pension yard.
Later, when the wind grew cooler, I spotted a small figure curled up near the sofa. It was Arin. Her face slightly flushed, she lay in the middle of the sofa, quietly catching her breath. A faint scent of alcohol rose from her.
“Full… sleepy…”
The others continued clinking cups and wrapping up the day, completely unaware. Arin remained comfortably nestled on the sofa, breathing softly. We spent the rest of the night without incident and left Samcheok early the next morning.
The next few days were quiet at work, and our team schedule stayed light. The week passed naturally. The following weekend, I headed back to Samcheok C-08 alone. As a stabilized dungeon, entry rules were loose, and with it being late at night, no staff were present. The checkpoint was still under construction, so few people were around. I parked the car farther away, checked my surroundings, then used telekinesis to fly toward the gate. Confirming no one nearby, I landed quietly.
“Arin, come out.”
Arin appeared silently. I stepped straight through the gate. The entrance was deserted. The moment my feet touched the ground, my body felt lighter. I ran along the terrain, jumped, and when needed, lifted myself with telekinesis to glide over hills. What would once have left me breathless now barely taxed my stamina. Mana flowed naturally through my entire body, supporting me.
As the cave entrance came into view, a rough presence brushed against me from inside. Three Kobold Warlords blocked the passage.
“Starting from here, huh.”
The moment they spotted me, the monsters charged.
“Arin, get ready.”
Arin gathered her power and thrust out her hand. A red heat orb formed and shot forward, slamming into one Warlord and sending it flying. Crimson flames instantly engulfed its body. The remaining two took positions on either side of the passage and attacked simultaneously. The lead Warlord hunched low, accelerating. I seized it with telekinesis, lifted it high until it nearly touched the ceiling, then slammed it into the floor. The last Kobold Warrior swung its club and rushed in. I sidestepped, wrapped mana around my sword, and cleaved diagonally from the shoulder in one clean stroke.
Arin beamed. “Jihoon~ You’ve gotten really used to the Astra Blade! That movement was great just now. Even wrapping mana around the sword felt natural!”
I raised the sword, gave it a light spin, and nodded. “Yeah. I’m starting to get the feel for it. I’m thinking of calling this the Flash Sword Art. I rearranged it to match my own flow.”
Arin blinked. “Flash Sword Art…? Ooh, that sounds cool! It suits you perfectly.”
“Right. The technique itself comes from the Astra Blade, but the way I’m using it now is definitely my own style.”
“Exactly! From now on, I’ll call it the Flash Sword Art too!”
“Good. Let’s grab the mana stones and head deeper.”
A little farther in, two Giant Scorpions occupied the passage. Their large bodies quickly made the narrow space feel cramped.
“Arin, I’ll handle the front.”
The first scorpion raised its pincers and charged. I yanked it forward with telekinesis, twisting its body. As it turned, a narrow gap opened beneath its joint.
“Arin, there! Into the gap!”
Arin reacted instantly. A small flame bloomed at her fingertips and shot straight into the opening. Flames spread from within, and the scorpion shuddered violently before collapsing sideways, its strength drained.
The second scorpion circled around from the rear of the passage. Just as it raised its tail to strike with its stinger, I twisted my sword and severed the tail joint cleanly. The severed tail hit the floor. The creature curled in pain, mouth gaping wide.
“See its mouth open? Arin, inside! Shoot now!”
I forced the scorpion’s jaws open and held them with telekinesis. Arin poured a rapid stream of fire orbs into the gap. Flames erupted from within, and the creature twisted violently before crashing to the floor.
Moments later, both scorpions lay completely still. Strangely, a savory aroma wafted up. It almost made me hungry.
“Arin… can we even eat monsters? Not that I’m planning to, just curious.”
Arin giggled. “Smelled it and got hungry, huh? Well… in Elderium, people did eat monsters sometimes. Non-toxic ones or animal-type monsters had edible parts.”
“Hmm… so scorpion breast meat might be edible too?”
“Hey, Jihoon! Gross. Gross! Elderium only did it because there was nothing else to eat. No need for that here.”
“Just wondering. It smells really good… and on Earth, some people do grill scorpions.”
“Want me to grill it then? If you’re curious, try a little.”
“Yeah… just a tiny bit from the breast.”
Arin summoned a small flame, seared the scorpion’s chest carapace, peeled off a palm-sized piece of meat, grilled it until golden, and handed it to me.
“Hmm… what’ll it taste like…”
The moment I bit down, a tough texture hit me. “…Mmm… ugh? Ehh… this is… bleh. Way tougher than I expected. Forget it, I’m not eating this. Shouldn’t have tried.”
Arin grinned smugly. “See? I told you not to eat it.”
“Yeah, yeah. Sigh… let’s just collect the mana stones.”
We extracted the mana stones from the scorpions and continued toward the lake. The closer we got, the stronger the dungeon core’s presence became. Figures the signal’s coming from this direction.
At the lake’s edge, the water rippled briefly. Three snakes pushed halfway out and lunged at us simultaneously.
“Arin… I really hate snakes. I’ll hold them still so you can deal with them.”
“Byun Jihoon, you coward! What’s so scary about snakes… Fine.”
I immediately bound the snakes emerging from the water with telekinesis and lifted them into the air. Arin’s flames incinerated two instantly, but the last one twisted free.
“Arin! One got away!”
“Kyaa!! No! Get away!”
“Flame Barrier!”
A bright burst of flame erupted around Arin, forming a round shield that enveloped her.
“Arin! You said snakes weren’t scary! If you hide in there alone, what am I supposed to do? Seriously!”
“Ah… from far away it was fine, but up close it’s just too gross… Sorry…!”
“Ha… whatever. Fine! I’ll try copying that S-rank hunter technique I saw in a video. Fly—!”
I hurled my sword with all my strength, guiding it with telekinesis to slice cleanly across the snake’s neck. The creature trembled and froze in front of me.
“Arin! You called me a coward, but you’re the bigger coward in the end!”
“No… I’m really sorry. Seeing it up close just felt awful…”
“It’s fine. That can happen. Just burn the snake and pull out the mana stone. You can manage that much, right?”
“Yeah! I’ll do that!”
While cleaning up the snake’s corpse, Arin suddenly looked up. “Jihoon, in the middle of the lake… I sense water spirit energy.”
“Huh? Really? I was going to absorb the core over there…”
“Maybe it’s similar to your situation? Let’s check.”
I loosened up and waded into the lake. Cutting through the cold water, I swam to the center, then dove. The vibration grew stronger below. Arin warmed my body from behind to keep my temperature from dropping, while I pushed deeper with telekinesis. Near the bottom, a crack revealed the dungeon core. I reached out and grasped it.
In that instant, a cold energy surged from my fingertips straight to my dantian. Just like when I first met Arin, an unfamiliar presence brushed my mind, and a confused voice echoed in my head.
“Who… are you…? Where… is this…?”
“This is… a place called Earth. It’s different from the world you came from. By absorbing this dungeon core, I’ve connected with you.”
“…Then… what happens to me now…?”
“Since we’re connected… you can leave. There’s only one way. Make a contract with me. Then you won’t have to stay trapped here.”
The spirit’s energy seemed to calm slightly. “And… there’s already another spirit who came out before you. You’re not alone. No need to worry.”
“…Spirit…?”
“Yeah. She’ll help you. Don’t worry.”
After a brief silence, the voice grew clearer. “…Okay. I’ll do it. I’ll make the contract. I don’t… want to stay here anymore…”
The dungeon core slowly dissolved in my hand, its energy flowing into my dantian. At that moment, a powerful water attribute surged deep into my body and clashed violently with Arin’s fire energy.
“Hah…!”
My chest felt both hot and cold at once, trembling. The two attributes pushed against each other near my heart. Arin shouted urgently.
“Jihoon! The energies are clashing! Sort them out quickly!”
I immediately spun the Omega Circle. As the flow began, the two energies naturally separated. My right hand grew hot, my left cold—each settling into place. I felt the lower mana hole widen first. Then a new mana hole opened clearly near my solar plexus. When the two flows met, the previously blocked path opened smoothly. With the lower and solar-plexus mana holes connected, energy flowed freely without pooling in one place. The mana that had been splitting between my hands aligned stably around the central mana hole as its axis.
Once the energies fully settled, the voice returned.
“…Is it… okay now? Um… could you give me a name…?”
I spoke the name that naturally came to mind. “Elly. From now on, you’re Elly.”
“…Elly… I like it. That’s my name now.”