Chapter 2530 – 2530. Savior Of The Academy

The second time I’ve come to the Spirit Realm. But unlike last time, I had some leeway.

The Spirit Realm looked similar to Earth on the surface. Earth in its natural state, without human civilization. You could call it a kind of primitive Earth.

However, strictly speaking, even that nature isn’t material. If you feel it closely, you can sense the power of nature, similar to the properties of spirits.

Forces of nature in their raw state, like earth, wind, water, fire, light, and darkness, exist and are intertwined. To my eyes, it even looks like the areas are divided.

And far in the distance.

A giant tree is visible. But it’s not a tree. It’s a giant that looks like a tree. The beginning and source of all spirits.

[What is that….]

Makina murmured, seemingly overwhelmed by the presence of the Spirit King.

“It’s the god and king of the spirits. Don’t you feel a sense of kinship as a fellow spirit?”

[Kinship? It feels like I’m about to be crushed to death. When you think about it, I’m an artificial spirit. Do I really have to go to the Spirit King? I don’t want to go. I want to go home.]

Spirits are said to feel comfortable in the Spirit Realm, but Makina seems to be an exception. I understand. Makina is an artificial spirit created in a dungeon. Moreover, she’s a mechanical spirit, far removed from nature.

‘Makina’s power seems to have weakened too.’

Spirits become stronger when they are in an environment that suits their attributes. Therefore, Makina, a mechanical spirit, becomes stronger in a civilized, modern world with many machines. Unfortunately, there were no machines in the Spirit Realm.

‘The Spirit King must have noticed that I came to the Spirit Realm. But there’s no reaction.’

Is he not interested?

Or is he just letting me do as I please?

‘It’s a relief that he’s not hostile.’

For now, I’ll approach the Spirit King. If I get closer, even the Spirit King won’t ignore me. If he ignores me until the end, I was planning to cause a ruckus.

“Kkukk?!”

Moka, who was flying, tilted her body. An invisible force was pulling her towards the ground.

‘Is this gravity? The gravity suddenly got stronger.’

[What is this!! I want to go home!!]

‘This isn’t the time, so shut up. Or I’ll leave you here.’

[Gasp! That can’t happen!! Okay. I’ll be quiet! Don’t abandon me!!]

‘I said shut up.’

[…….]

I grabbed Moka’s back as she was being pulled to the ground and started thinking. Something strange happened in the Spirit Realm? It’s most likely the work of a spirit. But I don’t feel any hostility.

‘Some of the earth spirits control gravity.’

This isn’t an attack, it’s a call. The reason the speed of falling to the ground isn’t too fast is also because of that.

I looked down at the ground with Spirit Eye (S+). There was a rock. A rock over 5 meters tall was standing alone on the prairie.

My expression hardened. The presence I felt from that rock was more than that of a high-grade spirit.

‘Considering this is the Spirit Realm… is it the highest-grade earth spirit?’

Can I win if I fight? It was hard to gauge since this is the Spirit Realm. No, that’s not why I came here.

“Moka. Let’s go down carefully.”

“Kkukk.”

Moka completely changed direction and descended to the ground. Then, the pulling gravity disappeared.

It took quite a long time to descend to the ground. The distance that Moka could have reached in 10 seconds normally took 30 seconds, and we still hadn’t reached it.

‘…The space is wider than it looks. Is it expanding in real-time?’

The concept of space is a mess. Moka’s panicked emotions were also conveyed to me.

Anyway, we reached the ground.

I was about to carefully step onto the ground, but I stopped and sat quietly on Moka. The texture of the ground was strange. It wasn’t hard, but squishy. The unknown influence of space was also affecting the ground.

“Did you call us?”

The rock didn’t speak. Instead, it spoke to me with its will.

-Human. Human with the eyes of a spirit. Human that the King is watching.

“Yes. I’m a human. What purpose did you call me for? It’s not to fight, I presume.”

-I heard from the Wind Whale. You have a very delicious stone. I’m curious about the taste. Give it to me.

“A delicious stone? Are you talking about a spirit stone? If it’s the Wind Whale… you must be talking about Arrest.”

-That’s right. Arrest. That was his name.

Arrest. The highest-grade wind spirit I have a contract with.

Considering that wind spirits basically like to wander around, it’s not that special. Wind spirits have light mouths as much as their light bodies.

“Spirit stones are very precious. Are you asking for something so precious for free? Without any compensation?”

-Hmm. My mistake. What do you want?

I internally chuckled. This moron is trying to make a deal when he could just threaten me with force. It was good for me.

“Make a contract with me. Then I’ll give you a spirit stone.”

I took out a spirit stone from my inventory.

Kukung.

The rock shook.

-Is that a spirit stone? I’m definitely instinctively drawn to it. I don’t know about the taste… but I want it.

“If you make a contract with me, I’ll give you three. I’ll give you as many as three.”

-No. I don’t make contracts with humans. Humans are too hasty. In what they want, and in how they live.

“I won’t call you often. You just have to respond to my summons and help me sometimes. As compensation, I’ll provide you with spirit stones each time.”

-I won’t.

The earth spirit was extremely firm. You could tell from its voice. Even if I offered 10 spirit stones, it would refuse.

That said, it wasn’t good to force a contract with a spirit. It could even bring misfortune. Well, it’s impossible to force a contract with a high-grade spirit anyway.

“Damn it. Then at least tell me some information. What is the Spirit King doing right now?”

-The King is there.

“I know that, but what is the Spirit King doing?”

-Can’t you see? He’s just standing still.

“This is frustrating. Why is the Spirit King standing still?”

-The King is great, so he can maintain the center just by standing still. Also, just by existing, the power of nature spreads like roots to all kinds of worlds. That’s why spirits are born even in worlds other than the Spirit Realm. That spirit with you seems a bit strange though.

“You’re talking about Makina. What do you think of Makina? Are you hostile? Do you want to kill her?”

-I don’t have much interest in other spirits. The questions are over, so give me the spirit stone.

I threw the spirit stone. Once you taste a spirit stone, you’ll want to eat more. I was aiming for that.

“Here, catch.”

The thrown spirit stone went straight into the rock’s body.

-Ooh…. Is this what they mean by delicious? It’s definitely delicious. I want to eat more.

“If you make a contract with me, I’ll give you three.”

-I won’t.

You little brat. You’re so stubborn.

“Then spit out some other helpful information. Something the Spirit King likes, or something that will help us.”

-The King likes order and the natural course of things. Your mother went against the natural course, but she kept the order. That’s why it ended with just a curse. Be grateful for the King’s mercy.

“……”

This guy, he was pretending to be stupid, but he knows exactly why I came to the Spirit Realm.

“How do I persuade him to lift his curse?”

-I don’t know. That’s entirely up to you.

“You know as well as I do that you can’t get a spirit stone with that. Tell me more helpful information.”

-The Thunder Owl can surpass its limits if it has the right qualifications. There’s a lightning spring far away. Immerse yourself in it and absorb the essence of lightning. Then you will be able to raise your qualifications.

“Kkuukk!”

The Thunder Owl, Moka, is currently a high-grade spirit. The rock told Moka how to become a highest-grade spirit.

“I have another spirit. Do you know how a mechanical spirit can raise its qualifications?”

-I don’t know. I’ve given you helpful information. Give me the spirit stone.

I didn’t want to make an enemy of a high-grade spirit with just one spirit stone, so I obediently threw the spirit stone.

-Hmm. Hmm. Good. Very delicious. It feels like I’m being filled up.

“If you make a contract with me, you can eat more spirit stones. I’m saying it for the third time.”

-I won’t. I can feel this taste again if I recall the memory. I don’t need any more spirit stones.

“……”

You annoying brat. I cursed inwardly and sent Moka the will to fly. Moka’s body rose up.

-I’ll tell you one last thing. There are many spirits that are after spirit stones. Some of them are mischievous, so be careful.

“Okay. But I’m going to visit the lightning spring before meeting the Spirit King. Which direction is it exactly?”

-The Thunder Owl will know instinctively. That place is the beginning of all lightning spirits….

“Moka. Let’s go to the lightning spring that your instincts are leading you to.”

“Kkukk!”

Moka answered energetically and started flying. It seems like she really feels something instinctively.

‘I don’t feel anything.’

[Me neither. But when are we going back?]

‘Tsk. We have to solve your mom’s curse, don’t we? Just stay quiet.’

[Auntie’s curse… sigh. I guess there’s no choice. But we can solve it, right?]

‘…….’

I couldn’t say for sure. That was up to the Spirit King, not me.

We arrived at the lightning spring.

The lightning spring was in the sky, not on the ground.

Kururung, fizz, kwarrrr….

At the center of the distorted void, as if a small black hole had formed, tens of thousands of lightning bolts gathered and wriggled. I could feel the immense power of the lightning spirit, but it wasn’t a spirit. It felt like the energies that failed to become lightning spirits were accumulating.

‘Each lightning bolt seems alive. Even I would die if I went in there.’

Kwarung!

A lightning bolt fell in front of us and took the form of a white tiger. It was a highest-grade lightning spirit.

‘Is it a guardian? Do I have to defeat it?’

While I was pondering, the white tiger’s will was conveyed.

-Thunder Owl born outside, welcome back. Go in. The cradle of lightning awaits you.

“Kkukk. Kkuk.”

Moka cried, looking at me. It meant she was going. I nodded, and she went straight into the lightning spring.

Kwarurururung!

Instead of a splash, thunder rumbled.

‘…The connection with Moka is cut off. The contract itself is still maintained though.’

I looked at the lightning spring with curious eyes. I reached out my hand towards the lightning spring.

‘I have the Lightning Skill, so can’t I just dip one right hand in? I might get something.’

However, the white tiger blocked my way and growled.

-Young storm. The lightning spring is a cradle only for lightning spirits. Those who are not allowed will be annihilated by lightning. You and that strange spirit are no exception.

[Aaaah! Was I almost killed just now?!]

‘I won’t die. I have complete recovery.’

[I’ll die!]

Ignoring Makina’s will, I looked at the white tiger. But the white tiger was looking behind me, not at me.

-Young storm. You’ve brought uninvited guests.

Dozens of spirits, at least high-grade, were flying towards me.

-Spirit stoooooooone!!

‘Shit. I think I’m screwed.’