Book 1 Chapter 194

[Shadow Spirit? That's the first I've heard of it.]

Ignite looked at Elsie with a blank expression.

[A spirit with a clear will. You must be a spirit of considerable power. So, what is it you wish to discuss with me? Do you wish to enter my service?]

At the question, Elsie's eyes widened, and she smiled faintly.

[No. Though I may appear this way now, I am also a Great Spirit. As a spirit with the power of dominion, I cannot bow my head to another spirit.]

[Nonsense. It is impossible for more than one Great Spirit of the same element to exist in one era.]

[Yes. I am a spirit of the past that should not exist in this world.]

[Are you a mad spirit?]

Despite the insulting words, Elsie only smiled faintly.

Another Great Spirit would not have let such words slide.

A Great Spirit of Darkness could be called the king of all dark spirits without question.

Its dominion was so immense that it affected not only dark spirits but also spirits of other elements.

If it so desired, it could ascend to the position of an absolute ruler, like the deep-sea spirit Undine, controlling vast territories.

Receiving such an insult, it would have been no surprise if a war broke out between Great Spirits, leaving the surrounding area in ruins.

But Elsie smiled.

She felt no displeasure.

Elsie was a being from the past who had crossed over to this world through the divine miracle known as the Hero Record.

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

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

Elsie's reaction intrigued Ignite.

[Let's say you are indeed a Great Spirit from the past. However, I have never heard the name Shadow Spirit anywhere.]

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

Elsie took a step forward and smiled.

She was the only Great Spirit in this world whose name was not even recorded in history.

[Why would a Great Spirit whose name wasn't even recorded in history want to converse with me?]

[Why do you hate humans?]

[Because they are unsightly beings.]

Ignite stated flatly.

[Other Great Spirits say that spirits only gain value by forming pacts with terrestrial races. It is our duty as Great Spirits to form pacts with worthy beings and become their strength.]

Ignite tilted his head.

[But is there a need to do so for these unsightly terrestrial beings?]

Dark spirits are considered the most gloomy of all spirits.

Once, dark spirits were symbols of misfortune and ill omen, and they were even condemned as Tartarean beings themselves.

Spirits who could only grow stronger in the shadows, not in the light.

Because of this nature, people shunned dark spirits.

Even if someone had the potential to form a pact with a dark spirit, they denied that potential.

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

Ignite, a Great Spirit who had existed for nearly a thousand years, had seen too much of humanity's dark side.

[Is your contractor not the same?]

Ignite said expressionlessly, looking at Leo.

[He is a student of Lumern, but he must have had an unfortunate past.]

At Ignite's words, Elsie looked at Leo.

Elsie didn't know Leo in detail.

But she knew the path he had walked.

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

It was as Elsie said.

Leo had lived through the Age of Calamity.

He had survived by witnessing all sorts of unsightly things, and even when he was active as a member of the Erebus Suppression Force, he had buried unsightly beings behind the scenes of history.

With the sole intention of not staining his comrades' hands with blood, he took on the dirty work himself, unbeknownst to them.

While other great heroes shook off the darkness and moved towards the light.

Kyle plunged into darkness to move towards the light.

That was the difference between Kyle and other great heroes.

'The past me, who I don't even remember, must have been drawn to that aspect of Kyle.'

[I haven't lived as long as you, nor have I experienced as much misfortune as you.]

Elsie looked at Ignite with pity.

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

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

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

[Light.]

At Elsie's question, Ignite understood why she had approached him, this one who claimed to be a past Great Spirit.

[Are you understanding me and pitying me?]

[Yes.]

Seeing Elsie nod, Ignite curled the corners of his lips.

[Then prove it.]

[What…?]

[That you understand my darkness.]

Darkness began to emanate from Ignite.

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

The darkness was on a different level from the one that had enveloped Leo and Lil moments before.

[If you want to talk to me, that's what you should do first.]

Elsie looked at Leo.

She worried that her stubbornness might put her contractor in danger.

Seeing Elsie, Leo chuckled and said, "Elsie. Who do you think I am?"

At the question, Elsie's eyes widened.

Then she smiled brightly.

[A 'survivor'.]

"That's right. So, no matter how great this abyss is, you don't need to worry about me. No matter how heavy it is, it can't be heavier than what I've carried."

Elsie nodded at the words of a man who had once carried the weight of the world and looked at Ignite.

[Alright.]

Seeing Elsie like that, Leo gave a bitter smile inwardly.

'She's too kind.'

Her concern for Ignite was pure meddling.

She truly felt pity for Ignite, understanding his misfortune and suffering.

It was because of such a nature that Elsie ultimately sacrificed herself for the world, even after coming to hate it.

WHOOSH-!

Ignite's abyss engulfed Leo.

He felt a throbbing in his head.

'Mind destruction?'

The endless abyss began to consume Leo's mind.

Ignite's mental pain and suffering flooded his mind.

The moment he recognized it.

Tap- tap-

[No?]

Ignite's face stiffened.

Leo calmly emerged from the abyss and walked towards Ignite.

[How on earth?]

"Isn't it simple?"

Leo smiled.

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

It was impossible for Leo, who had lived through the Age of Calamity, to be happier than Ignite, who had lived in an age of peace.

No matter what anyone said, Kyle had witnessed the world on the verge of destruction.

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

"And."

Leo glanced at the lump of abyss.

A massive shadow formed around the lump of abyss.

Soon, the shadow swallowed the abyss.

Then the abyss raged.

But it soon seemed to calm down, becoming still within the shadow's embrace.

Seeing that, Ignite's face turned to horror.

[My darkness has been dominated?]

[I didn't dominate it. I merely embraced your darkness.]

The shadow receded, and a beautiful woman appeared.

Leo looked surprised.

Elsie's appearance had changed.

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

It was like the Elsie Kyle had first met.

And the power she exuded had also strengthened.

'Did she absorb the power of the abyss spirit?'

Although Elsie was a Great Spirit, she was not in her complete state.

She was a subordinate spirit who could not exist without maintaining her pact with Leo.

In other words, the power she could exert was determined by Leo's capabilities.

But now, she was emitting immense power.

Of course, it was still not the power Leo remembered from the past.

Yet, Elsie had succeeded in making Ignite's darkness her own.

'Did she swallow not only the power but also the characteristics?'

Leo noticed a faint darkness clinging to one of Elsie's eyes, which usually sparkled like obsidian.

Although they were both black pupils, they were different from Elsie's usual eyes.

[Are you truly a Great Spirit?]

Ignite's voice trembled.

There were differences in power even among Great Spirits.

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

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

Elsie smiled faintly and approached Ignite.

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

Elsie, who was devouring Ignite's power, was literally regaining the dignity of a Great Spirit.

Conversely, Ignite's body grew smaller.

Ignite, his face contorted, looked up at Elsie and asked, [What do you want from me? Do you intend to annihilate me and become the new Great Spirit?]

At the question, Elsie's eyes widened, and she giggled.

[I would never do such a thing!]

Elsie reached out and patted Ignite's head.

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

Elsie took a step back.

Then Elsie's power gradually returned to Ignite.

[You are living in such a beautiful world. Yet, seeing you carry your own misfortune felt pitiful.]

Elsie could never forget the impression of seeing the night sky for the first time.

The fact that such beauty existed made Elsie feel like she possessed the world.

To live in such a world and lead a gloomy life without a contractor,

Elsie's body gradually shrunk, becoming like a girl.

Her appearance was now similar in age to Ignite.

[Please enjoy life more. Surely there is a shining contractor in this world who is right for you. Although my life was shorter than yours, I am your senior, so please don't dismiss my words.]

Ignite, gazing wordlessly at Elsie's bright smile, said, [You are a being who shines more beautifully than a spirit of light.]

[Heh heh- Thank you.]

Elsie, now as small as her palm, flew and sat on Leo's shoulder.

At that moment.

WHOOSH-!

"Phew!"

Lil emerged from the darkness.

"Leo! I'm here to save you…"

She said urgently, but seeing Leo standing unharmed, she made a dejected expression.

"…Leo escaped before me."

"I was lucky."

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

Ignite made a look of exasperation at Lil's glum expression.

[What is that creature? A monster?]

"A monster! I have the proper nickname of Gale Spirit User! Don't call me that strange nickname!"

Lil retorted indignantly, hating to be teased as a monster girl.

Elsie muttered, watching her, [She looks like a real monster.]

In Leo's case, Ignite's darkness didn't work in the first place.

So there was no need for him to escape.

But Lil was different.

She had fallen into Ignite's darkness.

Yet, she had overcome that darkness and escaped.

A Great Spirit from the distant past and a current Great Spirit.

And even a great hero acknowledged it as astounding.

"Indeed. Now I understand why Elena-senpai and Haru-senpai are called monster girls."

"Leo! You too!"

As Lil pouted, there was a BANG-!

"Whoa! Little juniors! Your senior is here to save you…"

Jin, who had burst through the ceiling and appeared late, shouted heroically, but seeing the two standing unharmed, he muttered with a sense of emptiness.

"…You escaped on your own? Are you really first and second-year students?"

Jin knew about the mental destruction ability of the abyss spirit, so he had broken through the spirit legion as quickly as possible and came to this central area.

Marveling at his juniors' competence, Jin stood before Ignite.

"It's been a while, Ignite."

[Yes, Knight of Undine.]

"Even if you hate humans, you know this has gone too far."

Seeing Jin emitting killing intent, Ignite said, [I will accept your invitation, so put away your killing intent.]

Ignite withdrew his darkness.

Then, looking at Leo and Lil, he said, [I will consider the pacts with the Lumern students.]

At those words, Lil and Jin looked surprised.

Ignite, who had not taken a contractor for hundreds of years because he hated humans, was considering a contractor?

"Is it because of Leo, as expected?"

Lil asked with admiration.

Before she had escaped on her own, Lil had seen Leo talking to Ignite, so she assumed Leo had convinced Ignite.

At Lil's words, Ignite replied in a flat voice, [I am not interested in womanizers.]

'Womanizers? Is it because Leo is the contractor of Phoenix?'

Lil, not understanding the reason, just tilted her head.