Chapter 33
Chapter 33
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 33
Chapter Title: The Warrior Plays with the Children!
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Having gathered all his weapons, Balrak used the magic tool he had received from Karian to enter the mini dungeon.
And there, the beings who immediately sensed Balrak's ferocious aura were none other than—
The lesser spirits who had been watching their playground get wrecked in real time!
These children were terrified at the sight of Balrak, who looked extremely displeased.
But some of the kids remembered what Karsein had told them before this place was completed.
'This is a place made by a man named Balrak.'
"'Balrak?'"
'That's right~ He's an incredibly strong and kind person, so if he ever comes here, make sure to thank him! Got it, everyone?'
"'Yes!!'"
He was the gracious person who had noticed they were bored and built this place for them!
Plus, according to Karsein, one of their guardians, this being was said to be extraordinarily powerful.
So maybe he could do something about those bad guys who took over the playground?
—Thinking along those lines, some of the braver kids.
Approached Balrak as he walked along with heavy footsteps.
"Um… excuse me!!"
"Hm? What are you kids doing here?"
"Ah, hello! We—!"
After hearing the lesser spirits' story, Balrak pondered for a moment before suddenly clapping his hands.
Clap!
"Hahaha!! What a perfect idea! Hey, kids! Want to hang out with me for a bit?"
"""Huh? With you, Balrak?"""
"Don't call me Balrak so formally! Just call me Uncle!"
Balrak was already grateful to the lesser spirits who were playing the role of miscellaneous mobs in his mini dungeon.
So, he figured he'd play with these kids for a while.
And make a plan to sweep away the ones who had planted their eggs here.
After hearing Balrak's story, the lesser spirits were incredibly intrigued.
Soon, the lesser spirits took advantage of the fact that they returned to the Spirit Realm after a set amount of time.
They told their sulky friends in the Spirit Realm about Balrak's plan.
Before long, most of the lesser spirits in the Spirit Realm gathered where Balrak was.
So many spirits had gathered in one place that the sky island they were on began to crumble.
But Balrak had no issue with the massive torrent of spirits.
Once he figured all the kids who wanted to join had arrived.
He raised one arm high into the sky and shouted.
"Anyone who wants to play with Uncle! Gather here!!!"
""""Waaaaah!!!!""""
As a result, Balrak formed temporary contracts with all the spirits present.
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A typical spirit contract.
Is one where spirits lend their power unilaterally to a contractor they like.
That's why building rapport with spirits is extremely important.
And since the power lent varies greatly depending on the spirit's level, lesser spirits don't provide much effect.
But this contract reversed all that!!
Whoooooom!!!
"Whoa, power's overflowing!!"
"Waaaaah!!"
"My body's all tingly suddenly!"
"Hurry!! I wanna move right now!"
Rather than receiving the spirits' power through the contract bond, Balrak began sharing his ferocious aura with the lesser spirits.
"Hahahaha! Alright, kids, you ready!!"
"""Yes!! Uncle!"""
"I can't hear youuu~!!"
"""YESSS!! UNCLEEE!!!!"""
"Then let's gooooo!!!"
Balrak led the lesser spirits rampaging with his aura and leaped high into the mini dungeon to judge the egg-planters.
BOOOOM!!!
With a massive explosion, fierce waves of various elements surged around Balrak as he strode through the sky.
Soon, in the vast expanse of the heavens, Balrak gripped his great spear in a throwing stance and hurled it with immense strength.
As the great spear tore through the air toward its target.
The rampaging wind spirits enveloped it.
In the end, the great spear streaked like a comet with a brilliant tail of light, reaching its destination.
Whiiiiiing!!
BOOOOM!!!
Soon after, the buildings at the meteor impact site were utterly shattered, debris flying everywhere, and the great spear became the eye of a storm, generating a massive hurricane around it.
At that moment, as Balrak gestured toward the swirling winds, countless red petals bloomed around him and headed toward his friends.
Before long, the petals rode the winds, swelling larger and larger, until they erupted into a colossal pillar of fire.
Balrak was caught in the pillar as well, but the spirits' fierce torrent couldn't pierce his strange aura.
And flowed around him like waves meeting a giant rock.
Safely entering the inside of the fire pillar, Balrak telekinetically retrieved his weapon.
Due to some magic tool's effect, he encountered those still alive within the flames.
"Wh-what is th—!"
Slash!!!
But Balrak had no intention of chatting; he cleaved them in half, barrier and all.
Thus, in less than a minute, one faction in the mini dungeon was annihilated.
The remaining beings here couldn't comprehend the sudden anomaly.
And could only succumb to the terror emanating from afar.
But whether they sensed something was wrong or not.
Balrak had long decided to wipe out all who had taken root here.
Soon, his weapons seemed to gain wills of their own and began freely swimming through the vast blue sky.
Spirits began gathering on each weapon.
Then, as their master stomped the ground hard.
The massive weapons embracing the joyful children shot toward different sky islands.
The cannon shots reached their targets precisely and unleashed powerful energies.
Moments later, the buildings on the sky islands began shattering under the kids venting their rage freely.
Moreover, their expended power was immediately replenished by the Spirit Realm and Balrak, so the lesser spirits rampaged to their hearts' content in their playground.
Thanks to adopting Balrak's ideas, the kids.
Earth spirits started creating massive boulders and hurling them.
Water spirits unleashed ultra-high-pressure water jets.
Fire spirits caused explosions.
Wind spirits became giant blades soaring through the air. Those bearing the children's wrath had no choice but to be helplessly swept away.
"Arrrgh!!"
"Nooo!! My fortune!!!"
"This is the end for greed."
Those who had tried to build their own factions on the sky islands.
Realized this was no longer a gray zone.
But a place dominated by an overwhelmingly powerful being.
But it was far too late for regrets.
**************
Under Balrak's command, the lesser spirits of each element.
Danced like waves rippling in a storm, and there were watchers.
""""Um…."""""
The Spirit Kings themselves.
They were currently viewing the mini dungeon through the eyes of the lesser spirits.
And began discussing just what kind of being this Balrak was, who wielded such immense power.
After hearing he was fighting in that dungeon for the perfect death, the Spirit Kings' hearts began to stir.
If he was such a powerful being from the start, maybe he wouldn't exploit them.
And they could share fond memories instead—thinking that, the Spirit Kings went to greet their children pouring into the Spirit Realm.
The lesser spirits had vented all their anger and been played with so thoroughly by Balrak.
They returned home deeply satisfied.
""""Heeeey….""""
Exhausted for the first time in their lives!
As the children returned to their nests for rest.
The higher spirits, seeing lesser spirits so docile for the first time, could only cover their mouths.
"M-my god, the kids are resting!!!"
"Ahh… The Spirit Realm can be this peaceful…"
"Sob! We finally get a day off!"
Yes, the higher spirits tormented by childcare every single day.
Could finally rest at this moment!
Mortals in the middle realm had to sleep, so they got at least an hour's break.
But spirits rarely slept!
Spirits grew incredibly slowly too.
In human terms, higher spirits had to raise kids for practically a lifetime—or several reincarnations.
365 days a year!
24 hours a day childcare.
It was a truly horrific situation.
But facing such a serene Spirit Realm for the first time, the higher spirits could only worship Balrak.
The Spirit Kings were so moved by the situation.
They even inserted a single communication line into the dungeon.
And the spirits enjoyed days of quiet, peaceful daily life.
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While Balrak played with the kids.
Many beings witnessed him magnificently dispatching the egg-planters.
Soon, the Abyss Pit bosses gained overwhelming trust in their champion.
The Spirit Realm developed great fondness.
The gods and others felt curiosity like 'Why is that guy on the first floor…?'
And among those watching Balrak's exploits, there was one more.
"Co-could that be the Ancestor?!"
"Wait… Then the spirits wandering here, and that incomprehensible power, it all makes sense?"
"Yeah?"
Yes!! There were elves in the mini dungeon, playing house with the spirits!
Of course, the elves got swept away by the enraged spirits too. But they saw it.
Balrak commanding the spirits freely.
And the spirits following his orders without complaint, utterly delighted!
A being who controlled spirits so perfectly appeared only once in elven history.
That being was the first seed bloomed by the World Tree, akin to the ancestor of modern elves, a demigod.
So why was the World Tree's seed, the 'Spirit Tree Seed,' in the dungeon shelter catalog?
It was natural if their Ancestor, the first offspring of the World Tree, had made it!
Spirits vanished from the middle realm, so why here?
Because they were so close to their Ancestor, they visited occasionally even after leaving the middle realm!
Why was that powerful boss hiding in full plate armor?
To conceal his identity, of course!
Various reasons intertwined.
The elves began to think that this Balrak might actually be their Ancestor.
The legendary 'Spirit Lord' from history books?
—Leading to this absurd conclusion.
All because Balrak never took off his armor in the dungeon, causing this massive misunderstanding.