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145
‘Another one appeared.’
Yet another title appearing after Sylph’s evolution.
Hanbit immediately checked its contents.
[Contractor of the Four Elements]
All contracted spirits wield their power on their own.
This effect is applied in proportion to Contractor Black Dragon’s ability, and the value differs depending on the spirit’s grade.
*In accordance with Contractor Black Dragon’s will, the power the spirits wield can be forcibly halted.
-Insane. Lol.
-Isn’t this more at skill level than title level?
-The spirits put in effort on their own?
-Auto-farming.
-Your life is made.
-High-grade pets;
-And all four at that.
The chat becoming noisy at the extraordinary title effect.
Hanbit was equally surprised.
‘……This was also an ability of superior spirits.’
Contracted spirits fundamentally lose a great deal of autonomy over their power.
Because they leave the space where spirit energy is dense and solidify their existence through the relationship with the contractor.
Using their power on their own without going through a technique was something only possible at the superior spirit level.
And to think he would gain an ability like this at this stage.
“Can all of you come out for a moment?”
Shhk—
Simultaneously with Hanbit’s question, three forms appeared in the air.
They then settled clearly into shape.
Wolf Salliste — flames flickering across its whole body.
Otter Undine — a disk of water worn around its body.
Turtle Gnome — composed of solid rock and crystal.
All exactly as Hanbit’s memory held them.
-Look at that lineup;
-So that’s what spirits look like.
-Kingdom of Animals.
-Black Dragon, new content just dropped. Let’s go with a zookeeper concept.
-Maximum aggro. Lol.
Tweet—!
Sylph, looking at them and fluttering wings.
It seemed she was delighted to have companions to be with.
Perhaps because the ones competing for the contract position with Shuriel were beings of a different attribute.
‘Wield their power on their own…….’
Spirits fundamentally handle elements.
The most specialized for that disposition — the free wind and fire.
The water spirit with healing characteristics, and the earth spirit specialized in defense and detection had somewhat different personalities.
Not that they were lacking in handling elements either.
‘No need to show them for now.’
An unexpected situation — but either way, Hanbit had gained new power.
Especially since it wasn’t a skill, it was right to let this ability function as a major variable.
Because there were quite a few people looking on with hostile eyes — Adventurer A, the Nesto guild, and others.
How to interpret the spirit’s power would be their challenge.
Shhk—
Having finished his thoughts, Hanbit left the earth domain and returned to the center.
Avantgarde, who had been staying near the ancient tree, was still looking around.
“Where’s Luna?”
“Ah, she went up into the tree.”
“……Up into the tree?”
-A different level of footwork.
-She climbed that?
-It’s incredibly tall. Lol.
-Vanguards are vanguards;
The viewers’ surprised reactions were understandable.
Because the ancient tree at the center was so tall the top wasn’t visible.
Comfortably over 100 meters, one would guess.
“Let me go up for a moment. Sylph, could you lift me up?”
[Yes!]
Whoosh—!
Wind lifting the body along with the appearing speech bubble.
Reaching the top of the ancient tree was quick.
“Would you like to look together?”
Luna, perched on a branch, welcomed him with a light smile.
She appeared to have been continuously watching the stream.
“What are you doing here? There shouldn’t be much to see.”
“Just because. I’ve always liked high places.”
Luna, stretching and rising from her seat.
Her gaze was slowly sweeping across the outer reaches of the garden.
“No interest in the spirits?”
“Looking at Black Dragon’s shoulders, I do feel a little envious.”
Luna looked at the four attribute spirits still materialized.
A bird and wolf playing by tangling with each other.
An otter watching them gently, and a turtle lying down with eyes closed — their personalities on full display.
Would it still take a little more time before they could express language like Sylph?
“If you’d like to try communing, I can take you to whichever domain you want.”
“If I had to say — it would be ice, but…… that one’s not here, is it?”
Specialized in ice attribute abilities, Luna’s area of interest was clear.
Hanbit thought briefly, then asked the otter on his shoulder.
“Undine, what do you think?”
Shhk—
At that question, the otter slowly lifted its body.
Then, scattering water droplets, it flew toward Luna.
[Water Spirit Undine is watching Player Luna.]
The spirit, coming to a halt before her, gazed steadily at Luna.
A silence that continued for a short while.
The next message appeared after a little more time had passed.
[Water Spirit Undine expresses doubt.]
[Water Spirit Undine wishes to take the player to their domain.]
“Hmm…….”
The otter looking at her and making its intent clear.
There was probably a fair chance of a fairly long period of observation to follow.
“I’m planning to just learn the skill and close out — what would you like to do? By the way, no one knows how long Undine’s observation will take.”
“I’m curious, so I’ll go once. Over there is the water domain, right?”
“Yes. Once you go in, Undine inside the domain will react. Sylph, could you take us down?”
[Yes!]
Whoosh—!
Wind enveloping both people as the request was made again.
The risen bodies being moved to the ground was instantaneous.
“Then see you tomorrow at Vestige headquarters.”
Luna left her farewell and headed toward the water domain.
Undine had returned to Hanbit’s shoulder again — but since consciousness was shared, it would be fine.
He was only curious what result would come.
“What would you like to do, Avantgarde?”
“I’m fine. Actually, when I tried to leave, I found I was being forcibly kept in.”
“……Ah.”
The meaning of those words was simple.
It meant the spirits intended to restrict Avantgarde’s movements.
That aside, it seemed he would likely not be able to commune with the spirits — but this was the more natural state of things.
Cases where spirits showed interest, like Raphina and Luna, were quite rare.
“Then let’s head back together. The two in the domains should take quite a bit of time.”
“Understood. And here comes our teacher now.”
Avantgarde, looking toward the space between the domains, said.
Aslra was returning there.
“You were already out here. As I said, touching the intermediate spirits is considerably difficult…….”
Aslra, having intended to give guidance to his pupil who had returned to the ancient tree far sooner than expected.
Before those words could even be completed, the old man’s gaze landed on the four animals settled on Hanbit’s shoulders.
“……All of the spirits responded?”
“So it turned out.”
-Lol. ‘So it turned out.’
-The pupil is too remarkable.
-The master felt the wall;
-Pupil told to do one thing and does all of them.
-Professors love this scene.
Though Aslra stood thrown off and still, even in that situation he showed proper respect to the spirits.
Hanbit turned his gaze toward the exit and said:
“The other two are still in the domains. Let’s head back ahead of them.”
***
Hanbit returned to the top of the stone tower with the two of them.
Now one task remained.
Learning the swordsmanship technique that would hold the power of Sylph, who had evolved to an intermediate spirit.
“I know without needing to look.”
Aslra, sensing the gaze, exhaled briefly.
Normally it would only be possible after a long period of training — but the pupil before him was not ordinary.
Having not only contracted with the spirits but mastered the swordsmanship he taught this quickly.
“For the next technique, the preparation is a tempest. For you, it shouldn’t be difficult.”
Ding—
[Hidden Quest]
You have come to learn the next swordsmanship from Aslra.
What must be prepared is amplification of the wind.
The objective must be achieved together with Sylph.
Objective: Generate a gale that exceeds the standard.
Reward: 600,000 gold, Aslra’s Secret Manual, 25 stat points, 300,000 experience points.
The golden quest window that appeared — now familiar.
Shing—
Hanbit, having drawn his sword, slowly took his stance.
Sylph was already fluttering wings.
“Ready?”
[Ready!]
A confident answer from the shoulder.
Hanbit, gripping the hilt tightly, focused his mind with a brief deep breath.
And the moment Sylph’s wind was called forth.
Whoosh—!
An enormous gale enveloped the surroundings.
Boom boom boom—!
The swirling wind extended with tremendous force.
The result of Elemental Awakening, the spirit’s space, and the title all combined.
“……Ha.”
Aslra had expected something to a degree — but the wind before his eyes far exceeded it.
A force and vast range that seemed like it could send a person flying.
Having briefly closed his eyes and opened them, he murmured quietly.
“Enough. It is sufficient.”
Shhk—
Hearing the voice, Hanbit immediately dispersed the wind.
Watching that, Aslra came close and handed over a green book.
“My pupil — and yet endlessly astonishing. Apply yourself wholeheartedly again this time.”
Ding—
[Quest has been completed.]
[Rewards for skipped hidden quests are applied retroactively.]
[You have received 1,000,000 gold.]
[Aslra’s Secret Manual received.]
[40 stat points are awarded.]
[Your experience points have increased by 500,000.]
[Your level has risen by 4.]
[4 stat points are awarded.]
-?
-Why are the rewards going crazy again?
-Isn’t this the same as clearing an episode?
-Easier to just give up thinking. Lol.
-Is anyone keeping track of the stat accumulation?
-Check the skill first.
-Something big is coming.
-Anticipation.
In the midst of chat flooding in, Hanbit received the green book.
Turning the cover, a hologram window with a gold border appeared.
[Will you use it? (Yes / No)]
Click—
The moment he touched ‘Yes,’ the hologram disappeared.
Pop—!
The book disappearing into smoke.
A message appeared at that moment.
[Hidden Spirit Skill: Wind Leap (Rank 3 — Epic) added.]
[Hidden Spirit Skill: Gale Slash (Rank 4 — Epic) added.]
[Hidden Spirit Skill: Storm Barrage (Rank 5 — Epic) added.]
-Wow.
-Three learned at once?
-So the skipped ones go back to rank 3?
-This is broken, nerf it.
-Balance patch urgently needed.
-If you don’t like it, learn them yourselves. Lol.
-Look at the skill names.
-Gale Slash.
-Is Storm Barrage a wide-area attack?
-Wind Swordsmanship. The road here was long.
Three skills appearing at once.
All familiar to Hanbit, so there was no particular need to check.
Because the content was plainly shown in the names of the techniques.
“Always keep in your heart gratitude toward the spirits. You’re not the kind to become complacent — but still.”
“Yes. I’ll cherish and use them mindfully.”
That answer was sincere.
Because both in the past and now, the spirits had been a great source of help.
If something happened to them, he always carried the resolve to lay down his life to save them.
“Where do you intend to go now?”
Having put the sword into its scabbard, Aslra asked.
“I’m thinking of stopping by Edelen and then going back over to Ifrit. After that, probably Temoshá.”
“Temoshá…… a place I haven’t visited in some time. Always keep your guard up wherever you are. You never know what those Holy Nation people might do.”
“I’ll keep that in mind. Then I’ll come visit again after growing stronger.”
Hanbit, having showed proper respect, stepped out of the wind domain alongside Avantgarde who had been diligently watching.
When they returned directly to Edelen, a blond girl, Ria, was waiting furiously at the city gate.
“Why didn’t you come right away!”
