Chapter 156
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Translator: Ryuma
Chapter: 156
Chapter Title: Ancient Tower (3)
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Everyone lay down their weary bodies.
Even bodies that had reached level 5 couldn't escape the utter exhaustion of battling a colossal monster like the Goliath—it drained them in every conceivable way.
And now.
Jun realized he had opened his eyes within a dream.
"...Where is this?"
It was a bizarre space.
A place that induced drowsiness even in a dream.
Jun quickly grasped what this phenomenon was.
"A dream apparition?"
-Whoom...
A child with a fluffy, cloud-like form appeared before Jun's eyes.
It was the dream spirit from the ring Dreamscape, which he had received from Shylock.
"You... so that's what you look like."
When he had first received Dreamscape from Shylock, Jun had never directly encountered this dream spirit.
This haughty creature had never shown its true form to Jun, communicating only through its voice.
Jun could still vividly recall that moment.
-You're... my new master...?
It had brazenly tried to burrow into his mind without permission.
He remembered how it had wailed upon colliding with the mental barrier formed by [Unyielding Will] and [Steadfast Heart].
In the end, it had been granted permission to use portions of Jun's memories.
"So, why did you call me here?"
-Someone... keeps waking me... annoying...
"Waking you up?"
-Yeah... big... free-spirited one...
After a moment of contemplation, Jun realized who the dream spirit meant.
"By any chance, the wind spirit?"
-That's right...
It seemed the wind spirit residing in Aiden's body was persistently sending signals.
The dream spirit had caught them.
"What's the problem?"
-Don't know... see it... yourself...
Even Aiden, host to the wind spirit, had no means of communication with it—how could Jun possibly find one?
As he tilted his head, the dream spirit spoke.
-I'll... call it... guy's noisy... please resolve...
"Uh, sure. Got it."
He had plenty of questions about the wind spirit in Aiden's body anyway.
This was perfect.
How long did Jun wait?
A soft breeze rustled from somewhere.
Free yet resolute energy.
-Nice to meet you, human!
Jun's eyes widened at the thunderous voice.
The entity before him wasn't gigantic, as if trapped in the Colossus Soldier.
Surprisingly, it resembled a fist-sized wolf.
"You're the wind spirit?"
-That's me!
"You called me here?"
-Didn't call! Just grumbled to that fluffy one!
"I see... well, nice to meet you anyway."
-Hmm!
"So, what grievance prompted the grumbling?"
-Master's body! Still lacks wind!
Both the dream spirit and the wind spirit before him spoke in fragmented bursts, making conversation a chore.
Yet he understood their garbled words perfectly, so after a brief pause, Jun replied.
"You're saying Aiden's body lacks wind attribute?"
-Yes!
"But endowing a human body with attributes is inherently difficult."
Mages had circles, but even Jun had endured ordeals when attributes arbitrarily infused his.
Handling nature's elements as a human was no simple feat.
-Way exists! Human help needed!
"My help?"
-Human magic! Delicious! Sweet!
"Ah."
Now it clicked: the wind spirit fed on Jun's enhancement spells to build power.
"So, what exactly do you want?"
-Use more often! Lots! Delicious!
"Hmm..."
Jun wore a troubled look at the request.
Enhancements carried side effects, after all.
His pure mana and precise patterns had minimized them so far, but constant use was unsustainable.
When Jun explained,
-Way exists!
"What way?"
-Tree energy! Connected! I'll join!
"Tree energy...? You mean the World Tree's essence?"
The essence used solely for communication.
But to the spirit, it appeared otherwise.
"Can it be utilized that way?"
-Yes! But hard for humans!
Soul-related power likely demanded specialized knowledge.
"That's a tough ask..."
-I'll reward! Do it!
The wind spirit demanded shamelessly, as if entitled.
But Jun latched onto the word "reward."
"What will you give me?"
-Human holds fire! Can hold wind too!
"...?!"
Jun's expression turned to shock.
Did it mean the fire attribute orbiting his circle?
Seeking confirmation, the wind spirit affirmed.
-Power recovers! Possible! Help, rewarded!
"So I can bear both fire and wind attributes...?"
Wind was tricky for direct attack or defense.
But unparalleled for support.
With metal, it resolved speed flaws.
Water gained rotation and compression for piercing power.
Fire's output surged dramatically.
Lightning's might would reach new heights.
'Ice's range would expand vastly.'
Wind meshed perfectly with any element.
Jun had long desired it; who knew opportunity would knock like this.
"Alright, I'll find a way. But it'll take time—hang in there."
-Got it! Waited ages already!
"Oh, and... I have some questions."
-What! Long chat! Want more! Ask all!
Thankfully amicable, the wind spirit welcomed Jun's queries.
Mostly on Aiden's lineage and its fragmented past memories.
Limited by gaps, but...
'This is gold.'
Luck dropping from the sky.
Jun lost track of time, chattering away.
"Uh, so... the wind spirit appeared in your dream, Senior?"
At dawn, Jun recounted the night's events to Aiden.
Aiden was visibly stunned.
"Seems you do have ancient elf blood—and thicker than expected."
"Really?"
Yet Aiden seemed unfazed by the revelation.
A birth secret, no less.
"Haha... lost interest in that as a kid."
Father's face a rare sight; mother's name unknown in childhood.
Aiden knew early that parental pursuits led nowhere good.
"The wind spirit's past intrigues me more."
Astonishingly, it was truly the Spirit King.
-I was Spirit King! World destroyed! Friends helped! I guarded tree!
Evidently, ancient elves sealed the World Tree sapling with the wind spirit.
Ironically, the sapling shielded the spirit, who waited eons in the gem for the elf's return.
That elf became Aiden.
'Game lore missed this...'
Likely lingered in the Colossus until its power orb failed, perishing naturally.
A hunch at best.
'Either way, boon for Aiden.'
He already dominated battlefields with blistering speed.
Wind spirit added boosters.
'And I snag wind attribute.'
Win-win, two birds, one stone.
'Hope other attributes drop this easily?'
One freebie bred greed.
Refreshed, the party reached the next floor: a forest of colossal trees.
Vast beyond a day or two's survey.
"What now?"
Eleanor asked; Jun replied swiftly.
He knew this theme: tracking.
"Hunt the Giant Mantis lurking here. Careful—faster than Goliath, camouflages for blink ambushes."
Layer 5 large-type, mantis-shaped.
Tower variant: stronger, stealthier strikes.
"Detection magic won't work, Senior?"
"Nah. Blends mana too; [Scan] struggles. Eleanor or Maya senses first."
But detection alone insufficient.
Too swift for reactions.
"Stay sharp."
Eleanor cast [Life Shield of Light], warding ambushes—durability enhanced by Jun's aid and practice.
"How to track it?"
Recalling game foes, Jun explained.
"Good question. No territory marks like beasts—exhausting foe."
Vigilance wanes after hours idle.
Innate hunter, Giant Mantis waited patiently for prey.
"Sounds impossible."
"Theory only—not impossible. It's a living eater and shitter."
Monster or not, traces lingered.
Jun wouldn't miss them.
"Like... that animal carcass yonder."