Book 1 Chapter 194

194

[A Shadow Spirit? I've never heard of such a spirit.]

Ignite looked at Elsi with an emotionless face.

[Judging by how you're a spirit with clear will, you must be quite powerful. So, what do you want to talk about with me? Do you wish to join my ranks?]

At that question, Elsi's eyes widened, and then she smiled gently.

[No, I don't. Though I may appear this way now, I am still an Archspirit. As a spirit with the power of dominion, I cannot bow my head to other spirits.]

[Nonsense. It's impossible for there to be more than one Archspirit of the same attribute in one era.]

[Yes. I am a spirit from the past, one who should not exist in this world.]

[Are you a mad spirit?]

Despite the insulting remarks, Elsi merely continued to smile gently.

Any other Archspirit would not have tolerated such a comment.

An Archspirit of Darkness is a being that would not be strange to be called the king of all dark spirits.

Their dominion is so immense that it affects not only dark spirits but also spirits of other attributes.

If they wished, they could even rise to the position of an absolute ruler, governing vast territories like the Deep Sea Spirit Undine.

Receiving such an insult, it would not have been strange for a war to break out between Archspirits, leaving the surrounding area devastated.

But Elsi smiled.

She felt no displeasure.

Elsi was a being from the past, brought to the present world by the divine miracle of the Hero Record.

Anyone who heard it would have reacted the same way as Ignite.

'Perhaps if I were in the same situation as him, I would have felt similar emotions.'

Ignite showed an intrigued expression at Elsi's reaction.

[Let's assume you truly are an Archspirit from the past. However, I have never heard the name 'Shadow Spirit' anywhere.]

[Yes. Because I lived in this world for only a very short time.]

Elsi stepped forward and smiled faintly.

Elsi was the only Archspirit in this world who had not even left a name in history.

[What do you, an Archspirit who hasn't even left a name in history, wish to discuss with me?]

[Why do you dislike humans?]

[Because they are repulsive beings.]

Ignite said curtly.

[Other Archspirits say that spirits only have value when they forge a covenant with the races of the land. They say it is our duty as Archspirits to form covenants with worthy beings and become their strength.]

Ignite tilted his head.

[But is there a need for that with the utterly repulsive beings of the land?]

Dark spirits are considered the most gloomy among all spirits.

At one time, dark spirits were even symbols of misfortune and ill omen, and they themselves were accused of being beings from Tartarus.

Spirits who can only grow their power in the shadows, not the light.

Because of this characteristic, people turned away from dark spirits.

Even if someone possessed the qualification to contract with a dark spirit, they would deny that qualification.

As a result, those who contracted with dark spirits were naturally only those with unfortunate destinies who needed power.

Ignite was an Archspirit who had existed for nearly 1000 years.

He had seen too much of humanity's dark side.

[Isn't your contractor the same?]

Ignite looked at Leo and spoke expressionlessly.

[He's a Lumerne student, but he must have an unfortunate past.]

At Ignite's words, Elsi looked at Leo.

Elsi didn't know much about Leo.

But she knew what path he had walked.

[Yes. Leo probably lived in a darkness I can't even imagine.]

Elsi's words were true.

Leo lived through the era of calamity.

He survived seeing all sorts of repulsive things, and even when he was active as an Erebus subjugation squad member, he buried repulsive individuals behind the pages of history.

With the sole conviction that he could not let his comrades get blood on their hands, he secretly took on the dirty work himself, without his comrades knowing.

If other great heroes pushed away the darkness and moved towards the light.

Kyle dipped his feet in the darkness to move towards the light.

That was the difference between Kyle and other great heroes.

'Perhaps the me of the past, whom I don't remember, was drawn to such a Kyle.'

[I haven't lived as long as you, nor have I experienced as many misfortunes as you have.]

Elsi looked at Ignite with a sympathetic gaze.

[But if you are a spirit of darkness, wouldn't you be drawn to the light?]

It is instinct for dark spirits to be drawn to light.

[Don't you want to see the light too?]

[Light, you say.]

At Elsi's question, Ignite understood why this person, who claimed to be an Archspirit from the past, had spoken to him.

[Are you trying to understand me and pity me?]

[Yes.]

Seeing Elsi nod her head, Ignite curved the corners of his lips.

[Then prove it.]

[What… ?]

[That you understand my darkness.]

Darkness slowly seeped out around Ignite.

[If you understand my darkness, you should be able to maintain your sanity even in this abyss.]

It was on a different dimension than the darkness that had just engulfed Leo and Lil.

[If you want to talk to me, that would be the first step.]

Elsi looked at Leo.

It was because of her concern that her stubbornness might put her contractor in danger.

Seeing such an Elsi, Leo chuckled and said,

"Elsi. Who do you think I am?"

At that question, Elsi's eyes widened.

Then she smiled brightly.

[‘The Survivor’.]

"That's right. So, I don't know how great the abyss is, but there's no reason to worry about me. No matter how heavy it is, could it be heavier than what I've carried?"

At the words of the man who once carried the world, Elsi nodded and looked at Ignite.

[Alright.]

Seeing such an Elsi, Leo smiled bitterly inwardly.

'She's too kind.'

Her concern for Ignite was pure meddling.

She truly pitied Ignite, understanding his misfortune and suffering.

It was because she was such an Elsi that she ultimately sacrificed herself for the world, even after she came to hate it.

Whoosh-!

Ignite's abyss enveloped Leo.

He felt a throbbing pain in his head.

'Mental destruction, is it.'

The endless abyss began to encroach upon Leo's mind.

Ignite's mental pain and anguish flooded into his head.

The moment he recognized it.

Step- step-

[No?]

Ignite's face hardened.

Leo walked too calmly out of the abyss and towards Ignite.

[How in the world?]

"Isn't it simple?"

Leo smiled.

"It means I've lived a more unfortunate life than you."

Leo, who had to live in the era of calamity, could not have been happier than Ignite, who lived in an era of peace.

No matter what anyone said, Kyle witnessed the brink of the world's destruction.

Even if Ignite had lived in darkness for nearly a thousand years, the depth of darkness they experienced was different.

"And."

Leo glanced at the mass of abyss.

A colossal shadow formed around the mass of abyss.

Soon, the shadow swallowed the abyss.

Then the abyss raged.

But it soon calmed down, becoming still within the shadow's embrace.

Seeing that, Ignite's face was painted with astonishment.

[My darkness was dominated?]

[It wasn't dominated. It merely embraced your darkness.]

The shadow receded, and a beautiful woman revealed herself.

Leo made a surprised expression.

Elsi's appearance had changed.

From the form of a young girl to that of a mature woman.

It was like Elsi when Kyle first met her.

And the power she exuded had also grown stronger.

'Did she absorb the power of the Abyss Spirit?'

Elsi was an Archspirit, but she was not in her complete state now.

She was a subordinate spirit that could not exist without maintaining a contract with Leo.

In other words, the power she could wield was determined by Leo's capacity.

But now she was emitting a strong power.

Of course, it was still less than the power Leo remembered from the past.

Even so, Elsi succeeded in making Ignite's darkness her own.

'Did she swallow not only power but also its characteristic?'

Leo noticed a faint darkness dwelling in Elsi's one eye, which had sparkled like obsidian.

It was the same black pupil, but it was different from Elsi's usual eyes.

[Are you truly an Archspirit?]

Ignite's voice trembled.

There was a difference in power even among Archspirits.

Elsi's power of dominion was far greater than Ignite's.

[Yes. I told you. I'm your distant senior.]

Elsi smiled faintly and approached Ignite.

The more she did, the more Ignite's darkness was absorbed by Elsi.

Elsi, who was devouring Ignite's power, was literally regaining the dignity of an Archspirit.

Conversely, Ignite's body gradually grew smaller.

Ignite, his face distorted, looked up at Elsi and asked.

[What do you want from me? To make me disappear and for you to become the new Archspirit?]

At that question, Elsi's eyes widened, and she let out a merry laugh.

[Why would I do such a thing?]

Elsi reached out and patted Ignite's head.

[I just wanted to tell you something. Don't hate humans.]

Elsi took a step back.

Then Elsi's power gradually returned to Ignite.

[You live in such a beautiful world, don't you? Yet, you choose to carry misfortune yourself, and I felt pity for you.]

Elsi could never forget the awe she felt the first time she saw the night sky.

The fact that something so beautiful existed made Elsi feel like she owned the world.

To live such a gloomy life in such a world, without even a contractor.

Elsi's body gradually shrank like a young girl's.

Her appearance was now similar in age to Ignite's.

[Try to enjoy life more. There will surely be a radiant contractor out there who suits you. Although I've lived a shorter life than you, I am still your senior, so don't dismiss my words.]

Ignite, who had been silently watching Elsi's brightly smiling face, spoke.

[You are… a being that shines more beautifully than even a spirit of light.]

[Hehe - Thank you.]

Elsi, who had become as small as a palm, flew and perched on Leo's shoulder.

Just then.

Whoosh-!

"Phew!"

Lil emerged, breaking through the darkness.

"Leo! I'm here to save you…!"

She spoke urgently, but seeing Leo standing perfectly fine, she made a gloomy expression.

"…Leo escaped before me."

"I was lucky."

"Ugh… I really wanted to show off my senior's dignity this time."

Seeing Lil with a gloomy expression, Ignite made a disgusted face.

[What is that thing? A monster?]

"Monster, you say! I have a perfectly normal nickname, the Storm Spirit Summoner! Don't call me by such a strange nickname!"

Lil, who hated being teased as a monster girl, flared up.

Watching her, Elsi mumbled.

[I think she really might be a monster at that level.]

In Leo's case, Ignite's darkness didn't work on him from the beginning.

So there was no escaping or anything like that for him.

But Lil was different.

She had fallen into Ignite's darkness.

Yet, she overcame that darkness and escaped.

An Archspirit from the distant past and an Archspirit of the present.

And it was an astonishing feat, acknowledged even by a great hero.

"Indeed. I understand why Senior Elena and Senior Harc call her a monster girl."

"Leo! You too!"

It was when Lil was about to cry.

Bang-!

"Urratcha! Juniors! I, your senior, have come to save you…!"

Jin, who appeared late, breaking through the ceiling, shouted valiantly, but then, upon finding the two standing perfectly fine, he muttered in a dispirited voice.

"…You escaped on your own? Are you two really first and second-years?"

Jin knew about the Abyss Spirit's characteristic of destroying minds, so he had broken through the spirit legion as quickly as possible and came to this innermost area.

Shaking his head at his juniors' competence, Jin stood before Ignite.

"Long time no see, Ignite."

[Indeed, Knight of Undine.]

"No matter how much you dislike humans, you know this has gone too far."

Seeing Jin exuding killing intent, Ignite spoke.

[I will accept the invitation, so withdraw your killing intent.]

Ignite withdrew his darkness.

And looking at Leo and Lil, he said.

[I will also consider contracts with Lumerne students.]

At those words, Lil and Jin made surprised expressions.

Ignite, who had disliked humans for hundreds of years and never had a contractor, was considering having one?

"Is it because of Leo, after all?"

Lil asked with admiration.

Because she had seen Leo talking to Ignite even before she escaped on her own, Lil thought Leo had persuaded Ignite.

At Lil's words, Ignite said in an emotionless voice.

[I have no interest in philanderers.]

'Philanderer? Is it because Leo is the Phoenix's contractor?'

Lil, not understanding, merely tilted her head.