Book 1 Chapter 611

611.

Elsie was a Great Spirit unlike any other Great Spirit.

Great Spirits are special beings.

From the moment of their birth, countless spirits gather around to bless the arrival of a new Great Spirit.

They are pure beings, born with the divine authority to reign over spirits from the very moment of their birth and possessing immense power.

Accustomed to being naturally revered, they inevitably become proud and authoritarian.

But Elsie was different.

The era in which Elsie was born was the darkest of times.

She was born on a battlefield where people were dying, and the moment she opened her eyes, there was no one to bless her birth.

Those who knew of Elsie's existence begged her to tear their enemies to shreds.

In accordance with their wishes, Elsie fought against Tartarus.

However, she only witnessed countless deaths.

Eventually, she possessed the sword that devours darkness, Schatten, and battled through the war alongside the guardian of the heavens, Agon.

Afterward, she hid her identity and lived with children at Agon's orphanage.

She had every reason to be corrupted.

But Elsie wasn't.

Instead, she wanted to save the world.

She didn't have a grand reason like the other Great Spirits.

It was simply a small, yet immensely large, wish: to see the stars in the night sky.

'And then she became disillusioned with the world.'

The current Elsie, a reward from the Hero Record's guide, is a future Elsie unknown to herself.

Seeing the malice of the land dwellers, not the malice of Tartarus, Elsie became disillusioned with the world.

She hated the world.

Yet, even so, she never gave up on the world into which she was born.

She never gave up on the sight of a beautiful world she had never seen.

She chose Kyle instead of Lisinas, seeking a reason for this world to exist.

And ultimately, she sacrificed herself for this world.

When Leo looked at Elsie, he thought.

What would have happened if Elsie had not perished then?

If she had survived to the end and seen the stars in the night sky?

'Probably… it would have been the same as now.'

Even now, every night, Elsie gazes at the stars and smiles brightly.

She rejoices in small things and finds genuine delight.

That was what made her different from other Great Spirits.

A spirit so kind, she didn't even know how to get angry.

Elsie, the shadow spirit, who would just smile faintly even when insulted.

But now, Elsie was angry.

Leo looked taken aback by her unusual demeanor.

"Are you angry?"

- I cannot forgive it.

Elsie said in a voice devoid of emotion.

- For looking at Leo with such eyes.

At that moment, Istar was looking at Leo as if he were something extremely unpleasant.

Elsie found those eyes offensive.

To Elsie, Leo was not just a sworn companion, but a benefactor.

A benefactor who showed her a night sky she could never see, gifted her peace she could not enjoy, and for whom she would give her very existence.

When she met Ignis and Laruel.

Ignis and Laruel insulted and mocked Elsie.

But Elsie didn't mind.

It was natural for them to act that way from their perspective.

She was merely a ghost of the past, so it was not strange for them to ignore her.

However, insulting Leo was a different matter entirely.

Leo spoke to Elsie's dry words.

"Calm down for now."

It was when Leo was trying to calm Elsie down.

"Heh."

Istar's mocking laughter echoed.

"Are you a subordinate spirit of Ignis? Hmph! That insidious fellow doesn't even seem to be able to properly manage a single subordinate spirit."

Istar, seated on his throne with his chin resting on his hand, completely ignored Elsie and looked at Leo.

"Insolent one. You have come to find me to make a pact with me, haven't you?"

"Yes."

"Hmph! How arrogant and disrespectful. You must think you can do anything after making a contract with the Spirit of the Abyss and Radiance."

- It's YOU who can't see anything!

"Hmph. Old hag. Have you finally lost your mind?"

Laruel, who appeared beside Leo, said urgently.

- Istar! I know what you're thinking! But at least treat Leo as a candidate for a sworn companion!

"Ha! Leo? I'm disappointed! Spirit of Radiance! I didn't particularly like you, but I highly valued and acknowledged your spirit! You, a Great Spirit who has lived for thousands of years, using honorifics for a mere human!"

Istar glared.

"The sworn companion of a Great Spirit is someone who reveres and serves the Great Spirit! In other words! A subordinate! And yet, you use honorifics for such a subordinate! The Spirit of the Abyss is the same! You are a disgrace to Great Spirits!"

- … That perverted old man. He doesn't grasp the situation at all.

Kieran muttered incredulously.

Even now, Istar was looking at Leo with disgust.

As if he absolutely could not tolerate Leo's existence, who had come to make a pact with him, laden with contracts with Great Spirits and the Three Great Beasts.

'If it were usual, I would have dealt with someone talking such nonsense.'

Leo glanced at Elsie.

Leo sighed, looking at the cold shadow spirit from when they first met.

'I feel like Elsie will intervene before I have to.'

"I'll show you how a Great Spirit should treat their sworn companion."

Snap-!

Istar curled his lips and snapped his fingers.

Then, Celia appeared from behind the throne.

Seeing Celia, Elsie's eyes narrowed.

- Leo.

"Yes, she's unconscious."

Celia, dressed in a magnificent red dress and wielding a magnificent red longsword instead of her usual Flame Storm, appeared to be unconscious.

'That sword and dress… a top-tier fire spirit.'

Celia's red eyes sparkled.

"Spirit Armored. Forced possession?"

"Ho? Indeed. As expected, having made pacts with two Great Spirits, your eyes are not ordinary."

Istar curled his lips.

"You've researched magic arrays, so you handle it quite uniquely."

Laruel looked flabbergasted at the sight.

- Istar! No matter what, this is too much! To use a subordinate spirit for Spirit Armored and forcibly possess her, stealing her consciousness! This is an insult to a sworn companion! Moreover, Celia Zardinger lacks the aptitude to be a spirit medium! It's bound to be a burden on her body!

"Hmph. I know the most about Tarkan's blood. Even if she lacks the aptitude as a spirit medium, Celia Zardinger has a good resonance with the fire spirit!"

Istar's eyes gleamed.

"After losing my precious sworn companion for decades, I thought! I will never repeat that mistake again! My sworn companion must die or live according to my will!"

- You… no… you bastard.

At that moment, a chill entered Elsie's voice.

Hearing that voice, Leo smiled.

'She's completely lost it.'

It was a perfect replica of her appearance when she fought with genuine anger 5,000 years ago.

Leo subtly distanced himself from Elsie.

Istar's actions were something Elsie absolutely could not tolerate.

During the Age of Catastrophe, Elsie desperately waited for a sworn companion.

A sworn companion to save the world together.

But at the same time, she thought.

Could she find a sworn companion in that desperate era?

It was different from today, where she could refuse a contract simply because she didn't like someone.

Istar, who treated such a sworn companion like an object, was a type Elsie could never forgive.

"You insolent subordinate spirit of darkness, spouting arrogant words…"

As Istar spoke with displeasure.

Shadows around the throne shot up.

RUMBLE! BANG! CRASH!

The shadows crushed the place where Istar had been.

"Leo."

Leo looked beside him.

A beautiful woman with black hair was looking at Leo.

It was Elsie's original form.

"Please leave that spirit to me."

At Elsie's words, Leo nodded.

Stomp- Stomp-

Elsie walked towards where the throne had been.

A huge hole had formed there.

Elsie gazed down into the hole with a blank expression and descended into it.

Watching her, Kieran muttered.

- I'm never going to defy Elsie again.

Peep! Peep!

It was when Fiora nodded her head.

- Master. Will it be alright?

Ati said with a worried expression.

Laruel also said urgently.

- Leo! Fighting here is too disadvantageous for Elsie!

This was Istar's domain.

Even between Great Spirits of equal power, fighting in another Great Spirit's domain was an extremely dangerous act.

Fighting here didn't just mean the purification spirit was the enemy.

It meant all the fire spirits present were enemies.

If anything, Laruel was in a better situation than Elsie.

Laruel, though not as much as Istar, commanded a large number of subordinate spirits.

But Elsie was completely alone.

After listening to Ati and Laruel, Leo looked at Celia approaching him.

"It'll be alright."

Screech-!

Leo drew his sword.

"She's a bit special."

- Huh?

Leo smiled wryly.

The shadow spirit that Lisinas had recognized as the strongest.

'It's just that my abilities have been insufficient so far to properly draw out that power. Perhaps Elsie herself doesn't know.'

5,000 years ago.

Her true power, which single-handedly annihilated the army of the Necromancer King, considered the strongest army.

***

Thud-

Istar, who had been driven deep underground, got up.

Tap-!

Elsie, with a blank expression, landed in front of Istar.

"You don't seem to be just a mere subordinate spirit."

Istar's muscles twitched threateningly.

"You possess power comparable to a Great Spirit. How did this happen? Did the Spirit of the Abyss perish without my knowledge, and a new Great Spirit of Darkness was born?"

"Ignis is doing well."

Elsie said calmly.

"Then, what is your identity?"

"I am Elsie, the Shadow Spirit. The former Great Spirit of Darkness."

"Ho?"

Istar stroked his chin.

Just a short while ago, he would have shouted for her to stop talking nonsense.

But even though Istar had only lived in his palace, he was not ignorant of the outside world.

It was an era where Great Heroes appeared and gods revealed themselves.

"So, it's not strange for a former Great Spirit to appear in the present world? Interesting."

Istar spread his arms.

"Then, I must treat you as befits a Great Spirit."

ROOOOAAAR-!

Blue flames swirled.

"Hahaha! I shall purify you! Former Great Spirit!"

WHOOSH-!

"Bow down! This is the flame of the Spirit of Purification, called the strongest spirit of this era!"

Immense flames enveloped Elsie.

Istar, bursting into maniacal laughter at the sight, stroked his chin.

"Oh dear. Was it too hot for an old man?"

"Grit your teeth."

"What?"

At the voice that suddenly came from behind, Istar flinched.

Elsie's fist, cloaked in darkness, violently struck Istar's face.

CRASH-!

"Gack!"

Istar, who had been slammed into the ground, felt immense pressure.

Looking down at him, Elsie said.

"If you apologize for disrespecting Leo and for treating Celia carelessly, I will also apologize for attacking you."

"Don't make me laugh!"

Istar sprang up from his place.

"Great Spirits are beings who stand at the pinnacle of a single element! Do you think I would bow down and apologize to anyone!"

At those words, Elsie blinked.

"It's just a simple difference of opinion, so is there a need to fight to the death? I feel a little better after punching your face, too."

"That's not the issue!"

The flames from Istar's body blazed even more fiercely.

"Great Spirits are pure beings! My word is law, and soon, my word is truth!"

"…"

Elsie had an expression of bewilderment.

'I can't get through to him.'

For Elsie, this was the first spirit she had ever encountered who was such a prideful being.

"Hoi."

When Elsie flicked her finger, a shadow extending from her fingertip extinguished Istar's flames.

"What?!"

Istar, surprised, reignited his flames, but Elsie suppressed them once more.

"It seems I am stronger, wouldn't you say?"

"EEK! I can't accept this!"

WHOOSH-!

The surroundings instantly began to burn.

Elsie was surprised and looked around.

- Ah. That's why I suggested we fight together.

- You adamantly refused, saying you could win alone, and now look at you. How embarrassing.

The top-tier fire spirits appeared.

"Hello."

Elsie bowed her head to them and greeted them.

At Elsie's attitude, the top-tier fire spirits were taken aback.

They never imagined that, even as a being from the past, a Great Spirit would greet subordinate spirits like them.

"Excuse me, but I am in the middle of a conversation with this spirit, could you please wait a moment?"

At Elsie's words, a beautiful spirit with fiery hair reaching her waist smiled wryly.

- I'm sorry, but I don't think that will be possible.

"Huh?"

- For a subordinate spirit, the command of the Great Spirit they serve is absolute.

WHOOSH-!

The top-tier spirits unleashed flames.

In response, powerful flames began to surge from Istar's body.

As his flames grew stronger, Elsie's face stiffened slightly.

Seeing Elsie, Istar grinned.

"I'll make you regret starting a fight in my domain. Shadow Spirit."

CRASH-!

A colossal flame exploded and engulfed Elsie.

***

Elsie felt her consciousness fading.

'Huh? Did I fall to the ground?'

Bewildered, Elsie recalled the situation just moments ago.

'Ah… I was fighting the Spirit of Purification.'

And then, after a powerful attack, she had lost consciousness for a moment.

'I have to get up.'

Elsie tried to lift her body.

But her body wouldn't obey.

At that moment, Elsie scowled.

"You are a special spirit, Elsie."

It was a voice she had heard somewhere before.

Elsie turned her head towards the source of the voice.

And there, a beautiful woman with black hair was looking at Elsie and smiling.

'This person is…'

A familiar face.

'The King of Wisdom…?'

Lisinas, who walked up to Elsie, knelt down.

"Shadow is another me."

The black dragon before her understood darkness as well as the spirit of darkness.

"And there is no being in this world without a shadow."

Lisinas smiled gently.

"So, help Kyle with that power."

'…This conversation… Where have I…?'

Elsie's eyes widened.

She had never had this conversation with Lisinas.

In fact, she had never even met the real Lisinas.

But… she had a faint memory.

She definitely had this exchange with Lisinas somewhere.

'Ah…'

Elsie's eyes widened.

'Memories of another me?'

Grab-!

Something grabbed Elsie's hair.

The top-tier fire spirit who had spoken to Elsie said.

- Are you really going to execute him? You might make an enemy of Leo Flob.

"Hmph. That has nothing to do with me."

- Honestly… So self-willed. Grow up.

"What did you just say! Alcia!"

- It's nothing.

As Alcia, the top-tier fire spirit, sighed and raised her hand at her immature master's actions.

"Your name is Alcia."

The moment Alcia, who turned her head at the gentle voice, met Elsie's eyes, she felt something settle within her.

Elsie, smiling gently, said.

"Alcia."

- Yes?

"Would you like to come into my shadow?"

As Alcia's red eyes met Elsie's black pupils, they momentarily turned black.