Chapter 122
Chapter 122
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Translator: penny
Chapter: 122
Chapter Title: Liberation and Destruction
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Afterward.
It really can't get any more disastrous than this. It's a miracle we've held out without collapsing so far.
Amid all that, they somehow clung to hope, opened a dimensional gate, and passed information to us. On top of that, they even declared they'd help depending on the situation.
“I read that translated text too. But what does it mean by fighting together?”
“I told you before how I crossed over to their dimension once and wiped everything out, right? They're saying that if I cross over and attack again like that, they'll come out and counterattack with us.”
“Is that even possible? I thought back then it was just a coincidence that the dimensional gate opened.”
“Exactly. It's impossible.”
There's no way for us to cross over to the Cyke dimension...
Of course, there's the makeshift dimensional gate generator that Birex left behind.
But that one's out of energy and won't activate. Isn't there some way to recharge it?
“By the way, it says that if you lose the dimensional war, the dimension vanishes. The rebels don't care about that? Even if their own dimension disappears?”
“They didn't have space on the last page to fit everything, so they left that out.”
-Finally, if the Ald dimension wins, the Cyke dimension will vanish.
-Please accept our rebels into the Ald dimension before it does. We will do everything in our power not to be a burden even as residents of the Ald dimension.
“Hmm, so that's what it said.”
Teus nodded after hearing the explanation.
“They plan to abandon their homeland and make this their new home. What will you do? Are you thinking of accepting them?”
“There's no reason not to. From the looks of it, they're on the verge of natural extinction anyway. How many could there even be at most?”
So we could accept them as imperial citizens, or if they want, set aside some empty land and let them live like a small independent state.
Above all, the Cyke dimension looks like a place advanced in technology and science just from a glance. If we can take the time to talk it out slowly, wouldn't that be beneficial in all sorts of ways? It even reminds me of old Earth.
But all this is only after we win the dimensional war.
The rebels distinguished between “dimensional invasion” and “dimensional war” here. No detailed explanation, but... maybe the war continues even after we block all the waves?
And we have to win all the way to the end for it to count as victory in the dimensional war?
“An increase in population is a good thing. I've been worried because the Ancient Eagles don't multiply easily either. And...”
Teus began descending slowly in a wide arc.
“There it is. The canyon where the wind spirit dwells.”
* * *
Wind Spirit Silence.
Out of all the spirits I've contracted with so far, this one's the only one with zero combat ability.
But without this guy, I wouldn't have broken through the 4th wave in the 9th round.
Chimera.
The hellish otherworld monster that appears starting from the 4th wave.
This thing is horrific from its very appearance, and it has all sorts of abilities, but the worst is its sound barrier that absorbs every magic spell flying at it.
In short, the natural enemy of mages.
I still vividly remember how Arch Wizard Trombone fought one and lost his life. Ugh, just thinking about it spikes my blood pressure.
Of course, during this eclipse gate, I summoned the Queen of Fire and crushed it with overwhelming firepower that bypassed the sound barrier.
But broadly speaking, that's a waste of resources. Consuming one Spirit King to take down a single Chimera? Obviously not worth it.
That's where Silence gets his chance to shine.
His ability blocks all sound in a certain area around him.
The moment Silence is summoned, the noisy battlefield turns into a silent library in an instant.
That wipes out the Chimera's sound barrier too. If you then sprinkle some “Elixir of Chaos,” a few of its dozens of heads fall into chaos and start fighting each other—that's basically the strategy complete.
But Silence's use case is pretty much limited to that one situation.
You rarely need him for anything else, so there's no need to get him early.
Normally, contracting right before the gate opens would be plenty...
“But this isn't normal times. It's an emergency.”
I definitely said that, but no response. No sound at all. When did it happen? I'd already entered.
Wind Canyon.
Amid the maze-like canyon packed with sheer cliffs, colorful winds flow like a concerto, brushing against my face.
This complex wind is the key to contracting with the spirit Silence.
I first learned about it in the 3rd round. Back then, I was all-in on necromancy, so contracting spirits was a pipe dream.
-Claud. Your necromancy is truly innate. To think you've already perfected such intricate flesh monsters.
-You should rest for a bit. Your body is that of an ordinary human.
-Suddenly, an old memory comes to mind.
-Before I became the Necromancy Lord, I was an ordinary human.
-Back then, I was very interested in magic and spirits. Especially contracting spirits—I spent decades trying.
-I failed in the end.
-The closest I got was the wind spirit.
-The spirit was at the southwestern tip of Naifia, called the roof of the world.
-A place filled with countless peaks and cliffs. If the sounds around you vanish, you've entered its domain.
-I found the spirit. It looked like a whirlwind made of clouds. But it showed no reaction to me.
-I kept asking and shouting how to contract it. But my voice didn't reach, and I couldn't hear the spirit's voice either.
-It was agonizing. I'd spent an enormous amount of time to find that place, only to get nothing.
-So I couldn't leave easily. I stayed in the canyon for a long time, venting my frustration at the spirit.
-About a year later, maybe?
-Suddenly, I could understand the sound of the wind. I realized the endless winds blowing through the canyon were the spirit's voice.
-It had been talking to me the whole time. Telling me what I needed to do to contract with it...
So what was it?!
Sigh...
That was the first and last heart-to-heart talk I had with Necromancy Lord Crock.
Thanks to that, in a later round, I ended up coming to the Wind Canyon myself and wasting a year just like him.
No, it took me a year and a half. Maybe because Crock's magic affinity was wind, or surprisingly, he had high spirit affinity.
So in the 6th round, when I came here and spent a year and six months (not completely wasted—I spent most of it training mana or meditating for holy magic), I too came to understand the meaning of the winds flowing through this place.
-I am the wind spirit, the spirit of silence.
-My name is Silence. If you wish to contract with me, first silence me.
Silence had been repeating this endlessly.
No, but you're silencing the entire canyon, and you want me to silence you on top of that? What, super silence with silence on silence?
Sigh.
I remember being totally baffled back then. After agonizing over how to solve this riddle-like message, I finally found a way to silence it.
“...Found you.”
As expected, no sound including my voice. Farther in, between deeper canyon walls, I saw the spirit quietly swirling.
A whirlwind made of clouds.
Just as Crock described. About 2 meters tall, like a blob fresh from a cotton candy machine, spinning and forming a small tornado.
“...”
As I approached it, the canyon winds picked up slightly. Probably emphasizing the same thing over and over: If you want to contract with me, first silence me~
Sure thing. I'll silence you right now.
I immediately cast an ice wall spell, wrapping its body without gaps.
Like an igloo with no entrance.
“...”
By now, there should be the crunching sound of ice forming...
No effect, as expected. I melted the point where the igloo met the ground with a light flame spell, then sprayed cold air again to seamlessly seal the gap with the ground.
But still no sound.
Then step two. I made a prison one size larger than the one holding the spirit and covered it.
Then welded it to the ground again.
And another one size larger over that, freshly welding.
Like making Matryoshka dolls, I kept layering prisons, and before I knew it, sound had returned to the canyon.
“Phew. Finally audible. Hello? You in there? That fulfills the condition, right?”
As I knocked on the ice prison and shouted, a soft wind blew soon after, and the spirit's voice rang out.
-I have been completely isolated and silenced.
-I am the wind spirit, the silence spirit Silence. If you free me from this isolation, I will proceed with the contract with you.
“Good. I'll make an exit, so come out through there.”
I immediately hurled a fireball at the top of the prison, drilling a round hole.
Whoosh!
At the same time, Silence surged out through the hole and slowly landed beside me.
-I am surprised by the speed at which you understood the wind.
“Huh? Speed?”
-You arrived at the canyon, understood the wind's voice right away, and immediately isolated me in prison.
-Like a spirit itself. It's strange that you speak human language.
Hm. Is it because he's not humanoid? The conversation feels a bit off. He can't speak directly, just keeps blowing wind.
-I can say that you already meet all contract conditions.
-But I have a mission given to me by the great Spirit King, so I must present the next condition accordingly.
-Human. Do you wish to contract with me, Silence?
“Yeah. I do.”
-Then prove that you belong to the spirits.
-The method is simple. Contract with two other spirits besides me.
-If you summon them before me, I will contract with you without any other conditions.
No other conditions, my ass.
That's a ridiculously tough condition in itself!
Thanks to that, in the 6th round, even after solving the riddle, I had to swallow my rage and go home. I only had one contracted spirit back then.
-Whenever you contract with other spirits, return to me. When you do, I will lift the curtain of silence and welcome you...
“Lukkar!”
Boom!
Suddenly, a massive rock golem summoned to my left. Silence, about to say goodbye, flinched and trembled, focusing on Lukkar.
-Mid-tier earth spirit... Rock spirit Lukkar. So you already have contracts with spirits.
Why else would I come all this way? I've got a lot to do ahead; better speed things up.
“And Ignis.”
Whoosh!
At the same time, a beautiful tall woman wrapped in flames appeared to my right.
“Happy to see you again, Claud. If possible, I wanted our bodies to overlap again this time.”
Ignis turned to me, playfully coquettish as she asked.
“Why summon me so plainly? Is there an enemy here for me to fight?”
-Fire Spirit King Ignis...
At the same time, flames wrapped into Silence's whirlwind. He flinched hard and hurriedly backed away.
“Wind spirit? How frail. Were you in such a place? Your presence is so weak I didn't notice.”
Ignis finally turned back, starting to walk toward Silence. He trembled greatly at her mere approach and spoke.
-Fire Spirit King, please stop there. I cannot handle you.
“Huh? I haven't done anything?”
Ignis shrugged. Silence hurriedly circled to the right, dodging Ignis, and clung tightly to my side.
-Contractor. I failed to recognize your true value and committed a grave discourtesy. I'm sorry. Please forgive me. And please say we're contracting now. I won't last otherwise. Please, hurry!
Then he begged me to contract instead. Why set such strict conditions when you're so weak? Can't even stand straight in front of Ignis...