Episode 510
Episode 510
Professor Millay normally preferred calculations and theory over intuition or emotions, but this time, she decided to trust her conviction without further verification.
It was rare for her to feel this certain. 'But how?'
Venturing beyond one's domain into another plane wasn't something one could do simply by wanting to.
Fundamentally, beings of the Otherworld were not lenient toward intruders.
Even the most negotiable spirits would reveal their violent nature the moment an intruder's attitude rubbed them the wrong way.
Therefore, moving beyond one's domain into another plane required extremely careful preparation.
Charting the surrounding terrain, negotiating with nearby entities, sending word to the ruler of the territory one wished to enter...
These were not tasks one could accomplish quickly, no matter how talented.
Unless a powerful entity of the Spirit World extended an invitation, it was impossible!
"?"
Lee Han, walking along the exposed seabed path, felt a growing sense of unease.
The atmosphere around him was becoming increasingly ominous.
Beyond the revealed abyssal sea, powerful spirits passed by, violently expelling mana.
Had the seabed path not been firmly fixed like a wall, a battle would have broken out immediately.
'This is strange.'
At first, Lee Han had thought this pattern served as a kind of introduction.
He assumed it was a mark by which Wupinum introduced him to other spirits as 'a trustworthy person—do not suspect him even if his mana is excessive.'
But the unfolding situation felt off.
If it truly were such an introduction, shouldn't at least a few spirits have come forward to show goodwill?
Instead, the surroundings only grew more hostile, with increasingly menacing entities lurking about...
Lee Han closed his eyes and recalled Professor Voladi's teachings.
When in doubt...
'Strike first!'
"Arise, warriors of bone!"
Immediately, Skeleton Warriors rose.
The Skeleton Warriors, emitting dark elements as he had learned yesterday, surrounded and protected Lee Han.
In response, the spirits beyond the watery walls—reminiscent of deep-sea creatures—grew even more violent.
Thud, thud!
They slammed against the watery barriers, snarling with such ferocity that they seemed ready to pounce the moment the restraining force weakened.
Splash!
"Lightning!"
Finally, one breached the wall with a spray of water.
As the spirit—resembling an anglerfish—charged toward him, whipping up a wave, Lee Han didn't hesitate and unleashed lightning.
Despite the elemental disadvantage, the deep-sea spirit didn't falter, charging recklessly forward. Instead, it shot a jet of water at Lee Han.
Crash!
'This isn't normal!'
The sheer pressure against his skin confirmed this was a powerful spirit.
The fact that it didn't flee upon seeing him but instead burned with fighting spirit meant it was no ordinary entity.
Lee Han dodged swiftly with enhanced senses and precognition. The pillar of water that grazed past his head tore through the ground with a deafening roar.
Feeling clearly that his opponent was several levels above him, Lee Han clicked his tongue.
'I'll never trust a spirit again.'
Trusting Wupinum had led to nothing but trouble.
But betrayal aside, he had to deal with the immediate threat first. Lee Han ordered the Skeleton Warriors forward.
The deep-sea spirit swallowed one whole as if it were nothing—
?!
But this was no ordinary Skeleton Warrior—it was one imbued with dark elements, and it struck from within.
Seizing the moment the spirit staggered, Lee Han completed his spell.
"Strike forth, Perkuntra's Thunderbolt!"
A lightning bolt several times thicker than before lashed out at the deep-sea spirit.
The deep-sea spirit, momentarily staggered by the dark element, let out a sharp cry as it was pummeled by the lightning.
'Once more!'
Seizing another opening, Lee Han immediately summoned a Water Shield between them and then detonated one of his Skeleton Warriors.
KWA-A-A-ANG!
Even the deep-sea spirit, which had withstood the basic lightning strikes with ease, suffered a massive blow—enough to lose nearly half its body.
Thanks to the accumulated damage from consecutive spells, the effect was better than expected.
However, what followed defied Lee Han's predictions.
The deep-sea spirit regenerated its form in an instant.
"......"
He had heard many times how dangerous it was to fight spirits in the Spirit World, but he never imagined it would be this absurd.
Beings of the Otherworld wielded immense power within their own domain. Like scattered droplets reforming, the deep-sea spirit restored its body to its original state.
Gul-leng.
Having tasted the earlier attack, the deep-sea spirit now moved more cautiously than before.
Instead of carelessly swallowing the Skeleton Warriors, it began bombarding them with water projectiles, intent on clearing the undead summons first.
Unlike Yumidihus, there was no need for complex techniques or principles. Each massive water projectile that struck shattered the Skeleton Warriors into bone fragments.
KWA-KWA-KWA-KWA-KWANG!
With the obstacles cleared, the deep-sea spirit charged again.
"Rise, warriors of bone!"
...?!
But the deep-sea spirit was still underestimating Lee Han.
Had these been standard undead summons from the Spirit World, they would have required time to recover after being banished. But these Skeleton Warriors were constructs Lee Han had assembled from scratch—summons that could be called forth again and again as long as he had mana.
As the Skeleton Warriors latched onto the deep-sea spirit from both sides, even such a violent spirit couldn't ignore them.
At any moment, that mage might trigger another explosion.
Yet Lee Han chose a different approach this time.
Puk!
The Compound Poison magic he had learned in the Ghoul King's palace seeped from the tips of the Skeleton Warriors' spears.
Though not yet perfected, the potent corrosive poison dealt damage to the spirit.
Having already suffered from the dark element, the deep-sea spirit now reeled back with a pained cry as the poison took effect.
This young mage, whom it had dismissed as inexperienced, was proving far more troublesome than expected.
KWANG!!!!!
"!?"
Both Lee Han and the deep-sea spirit were startled.
A massive spear, as colossal as a bolt of lightning, had impaled itself between them.
—What is this?
From behind, a merman spirit hurriedly approached.
Clad in ornate heavy armor and radiating an intense glare, the merman spirit made the deep-sea spirit cower and lower its head.
—Why did you attack a mage invited by Tribune Upinum?
—■■■ ■■ ■■ ■■■ ■■ ■...
—What kind of wordplay is this? The very fact that he was permitted entry into this domain means he was invited!
The merman spirit was furious with the deep-sea spirit.
The emblem on that mage was a mark granted by Tribune Upinum of the Great Sea and Storms, allowing passage into his territory.
A mage bearing such an emblem should naturally be treated as Upinum's guest—yet it had ignored this and attacked outright.
Had an accident occurred, how disgraceful would it have been for Upinum?
"I have a question."
—Speak, mage.
"If this was an invitation, shouldn't preparations have been made to prevent accidents from the start?"
—......
The merman spirit was left speechless, as if he had ten mouths and still nothing to say.
—This is the Hell Sea Corridor. A place where violent spirits dwell.
"And what about over there?"
—The Blade Seabed Canyon. A place where even more violent spirits dwell.
"What about that area?"
—The Abyssal Trench. A place where spirits of utterly savage nature dwell.
"...Isn't there any non-violent spirit?"
At Lee Han's question, the merman spirit seemed slightly embarrassed as it swung its massive trident behind its back before answering.
-This region was originally a place where violent and powerful spirits reside...
"Right. Could I possibly meet Lord Uphinum?"
Lee Han asked, wondering if he could meet Uphinum.
Of course, his intentions weren't pure.
If they met, he planned to hold Uphinum accountable by saying, 'Didn't I almost die because of you?'
If the professors of Einrogard had seen this, they would've marveled, 'This kid really paid attention in <Basic Imperial Language and Logic> class.'
-Umm... Lord Uphinum's dwelling is...
The merman spirit scrutinized Lee Han up and down before shaking its head.
-If a mage like you enters, your body would be torn apart in an instant.
"Couldn't mana protect me?"
-No matter how much mana you have... Wait. You do have an extraordinary amount. But no, it's impossible.
The merman spirit was momentarily astonished before regaining composure and firmly dissuaded him.
Just as water pressure increases the deeper one descends into the ocean, similar laws applied in the Spirit World.
The closer one ventured into territories inhabited by powerful beings, the greater the pressure an outsider had to endure.
"I see. More importantly, I'd like to form a contract with a water spirit."
-The spirits here are all violent and treacherous, eyeing their masters' backs... I can't recommend...
"...Then why exactly was I invited?"
At Lee Han's question, the merman spirit broke into a cold sweat.
Every word was undeniably true.
Lord Uphinum himself, in a drunken mood, might have said, 'Mage, I bestow upon you the key to my domain,' and given him the sigil, but upon reflection, there was nothing beneficial for a young mage entering this place.
-Lord Uphinum's actions may seem incomprehensible at first glance, but they contain profound mysteries within...
'That sounds like a lie.' Lee Han stared at the merman spirit with deeply skeptical eyes.
The fact that it couldn't elaborate made the whole thing even more suspicious.
"Then could you persuade calm and docile spirits from another domain to form a contract with me?"
-Umm... That's a bit... Spirits from other domains are beings we cannot interfere with lightly. They belong to their own territories, so I can't meddle arbitrarily.
"Hmm."
After pondering, Lee Han looked at the merman spirit and asked,
"Then would you form a contract with me...?"
-...
Which domain's spirit do you desire?
Nilia soared through the mountain ranges on the back of an eagle spirit.
"Waaaah! I'm sorry! I won't hunt eagles anymore!"
Nilia hastily apologized, thinking the eagle spirit was angry, but it wasn't upset at all.
After several exhilarating flights, it gently set her down and affectionately nuzzled her head.
"...!"
When the wind-controlling eagle spirit chose her, Nilia was overjoyed.
Such eagle spirits were proud and fastidious, never selecting a master who didn't suit them.
Yet it had chosen her.
'All that hard work as a Shadow Patrol member paid off...!'
Brimming with the joy of her new contract, Nilia stepped out of the magic circle—only to flinch at the sight of Lee Han's exhausted face.
"H-hey, you don't have to contract with a spirit! Right?!"
"Huh? I already did."
"!"
Nilia was stunned by her friend's reply.
Lee Han had contracted with a spirit?
"What?! How?! Did you force it?!"
"Why would you think that?"
"...Ah, no."
Nilia's ears drooped sheepishly.
Upon reflection, she realized how rude that assumption had been.
"I persuaded it into a contract."
"I want to hear! Tell me!"
Nilia decided this was her turn to lift Lee Han's spirits.
Hadn't Lee Han and Yonél always been the ones comforting her?
Now, it was her chance to return the favor.
As Nilia readied herself to listen attentively, Lee Han hesitated, unsure where to begin.
"Well, there's this domain ruled by a high spirit named Uphinum, where deep-sea spirits reside..."
"...?"
"I got summoned into their domain..."
"Wait. Hold on."