Elf Forest (5)

Kim Jehyun read the mission details. A smile tugged at his lips.

Summon a high-grade spirit? He had planned to do that anyway, even without being asked. But with rewards thrown in? This was killing two birds with one stone.

"Alright. Teach me right now."

At Jehyun's words, Haidel taught him spirit arts with utmost sincerity. These weren't ordinary spirit arts. They were a level higher than what he'd passed on to Shin Yerim—a secret spirit art handed down only among high elves for generations.

So that's how it works, Jehyun murmured in admiration as he learned from Haidel. It was definitely different from magic. Magic involved comprehending the principles of the world and twisting or amplifying them with mana. Spirit arts, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠on the other hand, borrowed the spirits' power directly. Communion with spirits was key.

'Communion with spirits begins with fully understanding them.'

Jehyun closed his eyes and sank into meditation. As he circulated the spirit arts Haidel had taught him, he sensed spirit energy scattered all around.

'Fire, water, wind, earth.' The four foundational elements. Spirits of forests, lightning, rocks, metals—energy and solid forms. Even higher-dimensional ones like light and darkness.

Shaaaa...

Spirits of every variety swirled around Jehyun, brushing past him.

"......!"

Haidel's eyes widened in shock. This defied common sense. Normally, spirit users handled only one or two affinities. Even if they wanted more, a single being's spirit affinity had limits. He himself could only manage wind and fire spirits.

'But how!'

Haidel rubbed his eyes and looked again. He wasn't seeing things. All affinities were responding. Was it because Jehyun was a dragon learning spirit arts? No. Spirit arts maximized existing affinities—they didn't create new ones.

'Even Lord Arkanios only handled fire and light.'

Even dragons had just one or two affinities. This was impossible.

'Only the primordial dragons of myth commanded all affinities...'

Haidel stared at Jehyun, confusion lingering in his eyes. Meanwhile, the spirits swirling around Jehyun dispersed—all except fire and light, his highest affinities.

'Still, it means he holds the potential to command them all.'

Gulp.

Haidel's throat bobbed. This master humbly sought knowledge from even the lowly. Imagining how far Jehyun could grow sent chills down his spine. Perhaps he could even reach the primordial dragon realm that his former master Arkanios never attained.

Jehyun, lost in concentration, missed it, but a notification flashed: Haidel's loyalty had surged.

Fwaaah!

Suddenly, two colors of light swirled around Jehyun's body: crimson that could melt the world, and pure white like dazzling snow.

'Urk.'

Jehyun swallowed a groan. Furnace-like heat invaded his body, while a warm yet piercing energy wrapped around him.

Fire and light. Two spirit forces.

'Kuh.'

He gritted his teeth again. The powers were overwhelmingly vast—beyond what he could handle. The white light expanded first, violently. His consciousness was sucked into one spot.

'Where is this?'

Jehyun looked around. A vast white space. Ahead, blinding white light surged. Drawn like a moth, he approached.

"......!"

His eyes widened. A massive white mass radiated immense presence.

—A hatchling?

A heavy voice boomed in his mind. Crushing presence bore down again. He feared his mind might shatter.

The notification made enduring the presence easier.

—Impressive.

Faint admiration colored the mass's voice.

—But not yet. Return when you're ready.

Clear dismissal. Then:

The notification appeared as the space collapsed around him.

'Ugh.'

Another groan. Consciousness yanked away, space shifted.

Roooar!

A world engulfed in crimson flame. Suffocating heat. Jehyun regained his senses.

"This place..."

He looked around. A space thick with fire energy. Lifting his gaze ahead: another massive presence, like the light mass—a colossal blaze.

He approached.

—A hatchling. It's been ages since a dragon child appeared.

This time, the form was clear. A giant with an enormous frame, body ablaze, seated on a massive throne.

"You... the Fire Spirit King?"

Jehyun spoke, sensing vast fire spirit force. Presence nearing a holy dragon. From Arkanios's memories, only the Fire Spirit King matched.

'It was a giant wolf back then.'

Different appearance, but certainty hit.

—Correct. I am Ifrit, ruler of the eastern Fire Spirit Realm.

"......!"

—A hatchling learning spirit arts. Kahaha! A freak among dragons. Entertaining.

Ifrit's laughter boomed, shaking the space. Jehyun thought:

'Didn't expect a spirit king.'

Scale escalated wildly.

—Golden mana. That's why you can face me. Good. Take my trial?

"Yes."

Accepting, a notification appeared.

Jehyun checked the quest and looked up at Ifrit, who grinned. Catastrophic fire energy crashed down.

* * *

"My god!"

Haidel, watching Jehyun, trembled. Fire energy around Jehyun exploded, ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠engulfing him. A massive fire giant loomed behind.

'One of the Fire Spirit Kings. Ifrit.'

Haidel's eyes shook like aspen leaves. It meant one thing: Jehyun had summoned Ifrit through spirit arts. Haidel barely kept his sanity amid the unbelievable sight.

"What... is that?"

Shin Yerim asked beside him. Sensing the overwhelming fire dominating the space during her elf spirit training, she'd stopped. Now she saw Jehyun wrapped in destructive flames.

"That's... Fire Spirit King Ifrit."

"A spirit king?"

Shin Yerim gasped at Haidel's words. Nature Clan's long-cherished dream—a glimpse of it right before her.

'Ah...'

She stared at Jehyun, entranced. Fierce, terrifying aura, yet awe-inspiring. Their dream wasn't fiction. Witnessing it through Jehyun, tears welled unbidden.

'Spirit kings... they really exist. Not a myth.'

Resolve burned in Shin Yerim. She and Nature Clan would reach a spirit king someday.

Roooar!

As Haidel and Shin Yerim watched, fiercer flames erupted from Jehyun.

—You can give up. This chance to face me won't be the last.

Ifrit's voice echoed. Soul-searing pain. The fire energy inflicted unimaginable torment.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

'This is manageable.'

Soul-crushing agony, yet bearable.

'Pain's nothing new.'

He'd endured it gaining dragon powers repeatedly. Now partially inheriting dragon dignity, his pain tolerance had grown immensely.

More than that:

Messages aided him against the invading fire.

Time passed.

—Impressive. Your vessel was ready. Not coincidence. I acknowledge you.

Pain vanished.

Flames that scorched Jehyun sucked into his body. Ifrit spoke once more:

—But too early to wield my full power. Return when grown. Until then, borrow command of my soldiers.

Flash!

Jehyun's eyes snapped open.

* * *

"Ahh."

Haidel, witnessing the trial, exclaimed in awe. He instinctively knew Jehyun had passed.

'What is he...'

Dragons could borrow spirit king power only at worm level or higher. Yet a hatchling passed. Haidel shuddered again.

'Hm?'

Opening his eyes, Jehyun tilted his head at the messages. Haidel's master? Loyalty spiked. Overwhelmed by the spirit king trial?

'Interesting.'

He chuckled. He'd decided to claim Haidel as his servant upon first sight—the elf seemed highly capable. No effort needed for full loyalty. Whatever triggered it, he was pleased.

"Master. Congratulations on your great achievement."

Haidel offered a towel and water. Sweaty from the trial, Jehyun appreciated the gesture. As he took it:

Not done yet.

Instant qualification for the second dragon legacy. Pass the 2nd-floor Ascension Tower exam, and it'd be his.

'Oh, this is jackpot.'

He'd worried about another quest like last time. Solved in one go.

—Oh ho. You did better than expected.

Even Alkasha was surprised. Rare case.

'Right? Coming to Elf Forest was the best choice.'

Huge gains here. External and internal—another launchpad for rapid growth.

Things progressed smoothly after. Taking Haidel as servant made Jehyun Ariel Forest's master. He decided to build his lair nearby soon. Preparations to leave followed. He'd heard Nature Clan had re-entered Elf Forest.

"We await your return."

Bid farewell by Haidel and elves, he exited the village. There, the survey team was blocked by the forest's magic formation.

"Master!"

Shin Yerim ran to Jo Heegyung.

"Yerim."

Jo Heegyung gazed gratefully. Shin Yerim explained everything to her. How she and Jehyun bypassed the magic formation by chance, met elves, and Jehyun's item forged ties, letting them learn spirit arts.

All were stunned.

"You really learned elf spirit arts?"

"Yes."

Exclamations from Nature Clan members.

"Ooh."

"Unbelievable, Yerim did it."

"Not just me—Mage Kim Jehyun mastered elf spirit arts too."

"......!"

They gawked at Jehyun. Pre-arranged with Shin Yerim. No reason to hide commanding spirit king's soldiers via Ifrit.

"Magic... and spirit arts?"

"No way... another like Yesung?"

Faces full of disbelief. After Shin Yesung, dual magic-spirit wielders were thought impossible. Natural they doubted Jehyun.

"Hyung, for real? You can handle spirits like me?"

Shin Yesung rushed over, eyes mixed doubt, shock, emotions. As the sole dual wielder, he knew how absurd it was.

"Yeah. It happened."

Jehyun added:

"Rather than words, I'll show you."

He scanned the doubtful-yet-hopeful faces. Locked eyes with smiling Shin Yerim, who nodded. He nodded back.

First reveal of his dual ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠magic-spirit class to the world.

Flash.

Golden flames ignited midair, hot waves filling the space.