Chapter 610
Chapter Title: The Arrogant Great Spirit
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*Thud— Thud—*
“This is no ordinary palace.”
Leo muttered as he walked down the palace corridor.
A powerful spiritual energy could be felt throughout the entire Tongkon palace.
“Is this a Spirit’s Domain?”
Tongkon had shared its history with the Great Spirit of Fire, so this place had become like a spirit’s domain.
-It seems he has completely settled in here.
Elsie appeared and sat on Leo’s left shoulder as she spoke.
A Spirit’s Domain.
It literally meant a space occupied by spirits of a specific attribute.
This land had long been the seat of the Spirit of Purification.
‘They said this place used to be a volcano, right?’
And if one were to map the palace’s location onto a typical volcano, it would be right in the center of the crater.
‘This is less the palace of Tongkon and more the palace of the Great Spirit of Fire.’
Judging by the lingering spiritual echoes in the air, this place had been transforming into a spirit’s domain for hundreds of years.
“His dominion must be incredibly strong.”
-It has to be. Decades ago, Istar was renowned as a spirit more powerful than Undine.
Leo nodded at Laruel’s words.
Great Spirits usually possessed equal power.
Occasionally, an exceptionally powerful Great Spirit would be born, but that was a very rare case.
If their powers were equal, no hierarchy was established.
But the strongest Great Spirit unequivocally existed.
The measure that determined the power of a Great Spirit.
It was the number of spirits under their command.
What was commonly known as dominion.
How many.
And how powerful were the spirits they commanded.
That too was a clear measure for differentiating the power of Great Spirits.
‘Spirit contractors who have contracted with a Great Spirit usually fall into two categories.’
There were spirit contractors who drew out the Great Spirit’s innate power to its maximum, and there were those who commanded the vast number of spirits the Great Spirit controlled.
Leo’s case was the former.
‘Lisinas was good at both.’
Lisinas changed his combat methods as needed.
Sometimes he would fight armed with the power of a Great Spirit, and other times he would overwhelm with a sheer number of spirits.
‘Well, during the Age of Calamity, the number of spirits had dwindled so much that he more often drew upon the Great Spirits’ innate powers.’
Recalling Lisinas, Leo looked down at his own hand.
At Leo’s will, Lisinas’s jet-black mana flickered.
The mana of Lisinas, which had settled in Leo’s body as a reward for conquering Lisinas’s world.
‘Sometimes it moves without my consent.’
Leo silently gazed at the jet-black mana, but it did not react.
Clenching his fist, Leo muttered.
“Anyway, why did Istar drag Celia away?”
There was no hostility felt from the spirit’s power when it took Celia.
-Istar is a spirit with a strong desire for showmanship. The reason Istar has given his blessing to the Tongkon royals for so long is partly because their ancestors fought alongside him long ago, but more importantly, it was because they were a bloodline with the aptitude to draw out his power to its fullest.
Laruel clicked her tongue.
At those words, Elsie wore a look of understanding.
-Ah, so by forming a contract with the Tongkon royals, Istar could be called the strongest Great Spirit.
To a spirit, a contractor is a being that amplifies its power.
Depending on the contractor’s capabilities, they could even draw out power beyond their limits.
-Yes. Moreover, the Tongkon royal family revered Istar as a divine being. A renowned family that could draw out his power to the maximum while also serving him well. It was the perfect condition for that vain leech to latch onto.
Laruel said scathingly.
“But Celia has no talent as a summoner, does she?”
The founder of the Jerdinger family received the power of the Phoenix.
But just because the foundation of their power was the mystical beast Phoenix, it didn't mean they had talent as a summoner.
-That one isn't the type to care much about such things. He's an empty-headed fool who'll latch onto anyone who can make him look good, shouting ‘this is it!’
Laruel said, sounding pathetic.
As the eldest of the currently existing Great Spirits, Laruel knew the tendencies of the other Great Spirits well.
Hearing Laruel’s words, Elsie tilted her head.
-In that case, wouldn't Leo be a better fit? He has already achieved the status of a hero and has a higher reputation as an All-Class. Why Celia, of all people?
Hearing Elsie’s words, Laruel clicked her tongue.
-Istar must have felt my presence within Leo-nim’s mana when he touched the castle gate. And the presence of these fools as a bonus.
*Chirp— Chirp—*
-Fools! Apologize!
-Ugh! That scornful look from Laruel!
Piora flapped her wings and chirped, while Kiruan waved his hands in the air in protest.
Arti hugged himself and rolled on the floor.
-What does being contracted with you all have to do with it?
-Pardon?
Laruel looked at Elsie with a slightly bewildered expression.
As Elsie tilted her head, not understanding, Kiruan spoke up.
-Huh? I heard Great Spirits are very picky about contractual relationships. Was I wrong?
-Is that so?
-Yeah. I heard they refuse a contract if you've already contracted with one of the Three Great Mystical Beasts or another Great Spirit.
-Is that true? Leo?
“That’s what I understand.”
-Ah, so that’s why Ignis called Leo a philanderer back then.
Elsie nodded as if she understood.
Looking at Elsie, Laruel asked in bewilderment.
-Elsie-nim, are you not bothered at all by Leo-nim contracting with another Great Spirit?
In truth, when she was making her contract with Leo, Laruel had been subconsciously very mindful of Elsie.
-No. In fact, I’m happy at the thought of making a new friend. It’s actually been more fun since Laruel contracted with Leo and things got livelier, you know?
-Aah! How can you be so benevolent!
Laruel clasped her hands together, her face filled with emotion.
‘Well, in Elsie’s case, she wouldn’t have the characteristic possessiveness of the other current Great Spirits. She was born during the Age of Calamity, after all.’
-Come to think of it, didn't Lisinas form a pact with all the Great Spirits 5,000 years ago? Did they make the contracts then because the situation was so dire?
At that time, the Great Spirit of Light, Luminus, was gravely wounded in the battle against the Legion Commander, the Gluttony King Jormungandr, and fell into a deep sleep to prevent his own demise.
The Great Spirit of Darkness, Elsie, had perished in the fight against the Necro King.
Thus, the only Great Spirits remaining were those of the four elements.
And they were all contracted to Lisinas.
Looking at Elsie, who asked with a puzzled expression, Leo said nonchalantly.
“They refused the contract at first, too.”
As Leo spoke indifferently, Laruel sighed.
-It seems the predecessors were the same. How did the King of Wisdom manage to contract with all of them? Were the predecessors also moved by him?
“He persuaded them with his fists.”
-Pardon?
“He beat them until they agreed to the contract.”
-…You, Leo-nim?
“No. Lisinas did.”
The summoner renowned as a legend even among the Great Spirits.
Laruel could only stare blankly at the claim that the King of Wisdom, Lisinas, had beaten up the Great Spirits just because they wouldn't form a contract.
For reference, while the ill-tempered Kyle and Luna would make fierce faces when attacking someone, Lisinas did not.
He smiled.
That’s why he was sometimes even scarier.
“The world was in crisis, and they were standing on pride. They deserved to be hit.”
Leo said, clicking his tongue.
Of course, the Great Spirits hadn't refused the pact simply out of pride.
There was also the reason that it would be difficult for a single contractor to perfectly handle all four Great Spirits.
Of course, such worries vanished completely after the battle.
-I can't imagine it.
*Chirp…*
Kiruan and Piora also couldn't easily believe it.
-Hah! A contractor who beats you up if you cross them! I love it!
Arti loved it.
It was then.
*Clank— Clank—*
The sound of metal scraping could be heard.
Leo looked straight ahead.
There, knights armed in reddish armor were approaching him.
“Spirits?”
They looked like fire spirits clad in armor.
-This doesn't feel like a welcoming atmosphere.
At Elsie’s words, Leo let out a smirk.
“I guess not.”
-How impudent.
Laruel ground her teeth.
“Looks like I’ll have to show them, one way or another.”
Leo approached the fire spirits.
“Whether I’m qualified as a contractor or not. Elsie.”
-Yes.
“It’s your turn to step up.”
***
“Look here, girl.”
Istar said, holding up a gorgeous red dress with both hands.
“This dress is a dress of flames, meticulously crafted by this one, thread by thread.”
Celia took a step back, her face pale, as she watched Istar approach her.
The sight of a tall, shirtless man approaching with a dress in hand triggered a primal sense of revulsion.
“Become my knight, and not only will you become the king of this Resentong region, but you will also be able to wear this beautiful dress of flames.”
“Um… this land is supposed to be inherited by Leo, and I’m not really interested.”
“Hmph! I have no interest in human politics. This Resentong region has long been my domain, the domain of Istar, the Spirit of Purification. I merely lent it to the noble and loyal Tongkon family!”
Istar scoffed and let go of the dress.
*Fwoosh—!*
The dress transformed into blue flames and flew towards Celia.
Celia flinched.
The flames burned away Celia’s clothes and transformed back into the dress.
Finding herself wearing the dress in the blink of an eye, Celia looked bewildered.
“Hoh, the black hair and red eyes suit it well. Your form is quite beautiful. Hmm, hmm.”
Celia shivered at his profound gaze, which seemed to be appraising an object.
“Just as expected of the king I have chosen. Now, next is this sword. This sword, you see, is also a sword I have made, imbued with my power…”
“As I’m not a spirit contractor, I won’t be of much help to you, Istar-nim.”
At Celia’s words, Istar smiled faintly.
“It matters not.”
“Pardon?”
“In your veins flows the blood of Jerdinger, blessed by the king of flame mystical beasts, the Phoenix, and the blood of Tongkon, blessed by me, Istar, the Spirit of Purification. You may not be a spirit contractor, but you possess the blood that holds the potential for the greatest aptitude as one.”
“So?”
“Bear many children! In doing so, a child with the aptitude of the greatest spirit contractor will surely be born!”
“…”
“Then I, Istar, the Spirit of Purification, will crush that unsightly Spirit of the Abyss and rise once again as the strongest Great Spirit! And of course, your descendants will also prosper!”
Celia pressed her temples.
It seemed this Great Spirit was indeed a pervert.
It was then.
“Hmm?”
Istar’s expression changed.
“How did he invade this palace?”
The palace was a domain under Istar’s control.
He immediately noticed the anomaly occurring within its walls.
“The power of a dark spirit? Ha! Laruel. Did he contract with that old hag and that sinister wretch Ignis as well? Two Great Spirits contracting with a single person! What a disgrace to all Great Spirits!”
Istar’s face twisted in disgust, looking utterly dumbfounded.
“Indeed, not content with making a pact with the Three Great Mystical Beasts, he contracts with two Great Spirits, and now he intends to contract with me, Istar? How arrogant!”
Istar returned to his throne, plopped down, and crossed his legs.
Then he looked at Celia.
“Girl. You surely attend Lumerne with Leo Flove, do you not?”
“I do.”
At Celia’s words, the corners of Istar’s mouth curled up.
“Is that so? Then you must have always been defeated by Leo Flove.”
Celia’s expression stiffened at his words.
It was true that she lagged behind compared to Leo.
But to have it put that way was inevitably upsetting.
Watching Celia, Istar grinned.
“Girl, I shall teach you what kind of power you will obtain if you serve me.”
“Pardon?”
*Fwoooosh—!*
As Celia wore a bewildered expression, blue flames erupted from Istar’s body.
***
*Crack—!*
Leo grabbed the helmet of the knight before him and smashed it into the ground.
“I see. So the spirit is imbued within the armor itself?”
In the past, the Tussen Knight Order was said to be called the Knight Order of the Fire Spirit.
And after Tongkon fell and lost Istar’s blessing, they were said to have lost that moniker as well.
‘It seems the reason was because they could no longer use the spirit-imbued equipment.’
This armor was undoubtedly the equipment of the past Tussen Knight Order.
And the one who made it was.
‘The Spirit of Purification, I suppose.’
He had wondered why it had learned magical formulas, but it seemed Istar had been using them in this way.
‘If Lisinas or Luna had seen this, they would have loved it.’
Recalling his friends who would have sparkled with excitement at seeing something new, Leo looked straight ahead.
In front of him was a door adorned with a brilliant flame pattern.
*KABOOM—!*
Leo kicked the door down and burst into the audience chamber.
*Thud—!*
Stopping on the floor, Leo lifted his head.
“You’ve come, you insolent one.”
On the throne sat a tall man with a displeased expression.
“The Spirit of Purification, Istar.”
“Indeed. Now that you know, kneel and show your respects. If you do, I shall forgive at least a small part of your insolence.”
As Leo was about to open his mouth with a smirk, watching Istar gesture with his chin in an arrogant tone, it happened.
-Oh my?
‘Huh?’
-What a terribly rude spirit.
Elsie appeared and stood beside Leo.
-Who do you think you are, looking at him with such open disgust?
The expression had vanished from Elsie’s face.
‘Huh? Is she angry?’
It was a sight he had never seen before.
No, it reminded him of the Elsie he had first met 5,000 years ago, causing Leo to look uncharacteristically flustered.