Chapter 194

194

[Shadow Spirit, you say? I’ve never heard of a spirit with such a title.]

Ignit stared at Elshi with a bland expression.

[Given that this spirit possesses a vivid will, it must be quite powerful. So, what is it you wish to discuss with me? Do you wish to serve under me?]

At this question, Elshi’s eyes widened before she smiled softly.

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

[Hollow words. It’s impossible for more than one Great Spirit of the same attribute to exist within the same era.]

[Yes. I am a spirit from the past who ought not to exist in this world.]

[Are you a spirit that has lost its mind?]

Despite the insulting words, Elshi only smiled faintly.

Had it been another Great Spirit, they would not have tolerated such words.

The Great Spirit of Darkness could arguably be called the king of all spirits of darkness.

Its dominion is not only over spirits of darkness but also extends its influence to spirits of other attributes, being so overwhelmingly powerful.

Had a spirit of darkness like Undine, with its vast dominion over the seas, desired to ascend to the position of an absolute ruler, it would have been possible.

A conflict of such magnitude between Great Spirits could have devastated the surrounding areas entirely.

Yet, Elshi smiled.

She showed no sign of unpleasantness.

Elshi was an existence from the past who had crossed over to the present through the Hero Record, a miracle of the gods.

Had anyone heard this, they would have undoubtedly reacted the same way as Ignit.

‘Perhaps, had I been in a similar situation, I would have felt the same way.’

At Elshi’s reaction, Ignit displayed a look of intrigue.

[Assuming you are truly a Great Spirit from the past. However, I have never heard of a Shadow Spirit anywhere.]

[That’s correct. I only existed in this world for a very brief time.]

Elshi took a step forward and smiled faintly.

The only Great Spirit in this world who had left no mark on history was Elshi herself.

[Why does an unrecorded Great Spirit wish to speak with me?]

[Why do you dislike people?]

[They are hideous creatures.]

Ignit responded curtly.

[The other Great Spirits say that spirits must form pacts with earthly races to have value. It’s said that we Great Spirits have the duty to empower those worthy through pacts.]

Ignit tilted his head.

[But why should we trouble ourselves with the hideous inhabitants of the earth?]

Spirits of darkness are reputed to be the most sinister of all spirits.

Once, spirits of darkness were symbols of misfortune and calamity, even condemned as beings from Tartarus.

Because of their nature to only grow powerful in the shadows, people turned their backs on them.

Even those who possessed the qualifications to forge a pact with a spirit of darkness would refuse those qualifications.

As a result, those who contract with spirits of darkness were invariably individuals with unfortunate fates requiring strength.

Ignit was a Great Spirit who had existed for nearly a thousand years.

He had seen far too much of humanity’s dark side.

[Isn’t your contractor also one such individual?]

Ignit gazed at Leo expressionlessly.

[A student of Lumeran, but one who must surely have a sorrowful past.]

At this, Elshi turned her gaze to Leo.

Elshi did not know much about Leo, but she understood the path he had walked.

[Yes. Leo has likely lived in a darkness I cannot even imagine.]

That was true.

Leo had lived during the Era of Catastrophe.

Surviving while witnessing countless horrors, even as part of the Erebus extermination force, he had buried the vilest among them in the back pages of history.

With the single-minded belief that he should not stain his comrades’ hands with bl**d, Leo had willingly taken on the dirty work in secret.

While other Great Heroes had cast off the darkness to move toward the light, Kyle had dipped his own feet into the darkness to pursue it.

That was the difference between the other Great Heroes and Kyle.

‘I suppose my past self from long ago was drawn to such a form of Kyle.’

[I have not lived as long as you nor experienced as much sorrow.]

Elshi looked at Ignit with an expression of regret.

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

Being drawn to the light is an instinct for spirits of darkness.

[Would you not crave to see the light?]

[Light, you say.]

At Elshi’s question, Ignit understood why this self-proclaimed Great Spirit of the past had approached him.

[Do you pity me and wish to understand me?]

[Yes.]

As Elshi nodded, Ignit’s lips curved into a smile.

[Then prove it.]

[Prove what…?]

[That you understand my darkness.]

Around Ignit, darkness began to seep out, swirling.

[If you understand my darkness, then you should maintain your composure even in the depths of the abyss.]

This darkness was on a completely different level from what had earlier enveloped Leo and Lil.

[That should be the first before we can proceed with our conversation.]

Elshi glanced at Leo, worried that her insistence might put her contractor in danger.

Seeing her expression, Leo smirked faintly as he said,

“Elshi. Do you know who I am?”

At his words, Elshi’s eyes widened.

Then she smiled brightly.

[‘The Survivor.’]

“You’re right. So, regardless of how formidable this abyss might be, I have no reason to worry about me. How could it possibly weigh more than what I’ve already carried?”

Leo’s words, those of a man who had once shouldered the world, moved Elshi. She nodded, then turned her gaze to Ignit.

[Alright then.]

Looking at Elshi’s expression, Leo inwardly chuckled.

‘She’s too kindhearted.’

Elshi’s concern for Ignit stemmed purely from her empathetic nature.

She genuinely pitied Ignit, understanding his unhappiness and suffering.

It was exactly this quality that led her to sacrifice herself for the world, even after becoming disillusioned with it.

Whoosh!

Ignit’s abyss enveloped Leo.

Leo could feel the pressure building in his head.

‘Mental destruction, huh.’

The endless abyss began consuming Leo’s mind.

The anguish and suffering that Ignit had endured surged into his consciousness.

And in that moment,

Step— step—

[What…?]

Ignit’s face stiffened.

Leo calmly emerged from the abyss and walked toward Ignit as if nothing had happened.

[How…?]

“Simple, isn’t it?”

Leo smirked.

“I lived a life far more unfortunate than you.”

There was no way Leo, who had lived during the Era of Catastrophe, could have been happier than Ignit, who lived in a time of peace.

No matter how long Ignit had lived in darkness—centuries or even a millennia—the depth of darkness experienced was incomparable to that of Leo.

And furthermore—

Leo glanced at the mass of abyss.

A colossal shadow formed around the abyss mass.

The shadow then swallowed the abyss.

The abyss began to thrash wildly.

But soon, it seemed to stabilize, growing calm within the embrace of the shadow.

Ignit’s face turned pale with shock.

[Is my darkness being suppressed?]

[No. It’s simply being embraced.]

As the shadow dissipated, a beautiful woman stood in its place.

Leo’s expression turned to astonishment.

Elshi’s appearance had changed. From a youthful girl to a mature woman.

She looked just like she had when Kyle had first met her.

Her power had also grown far stronger.

‘She’s absorbed the power of the Spirit of the Abyss, hasn’t she?’

Though Elshi was a Great Spirit, she wasn’t in her prime state.

She was a spirit dependent on her contractor, Leo, without whom she couldn’t exist.

In other words, her strength was limited by Leo’s capabilities.

But now, she was radiating immense power.

Of course, it still didn’t match the strength Leo remembered from the past.

Even so, Elshi had succeeded in turning Ignit’s darkness into her own.

‘Not just her power, but she’s absorbed its very nature?’

Leo noticed a faint streak of darkness clouding one of Elshi’s eyes, which now shimmered like a piece of black obsidian.

Though she still possessed the same dark eyes, they were markedly different from their usual state.

[Are you truly a Great Spirit?]

Ignit’s voice trembled.

Even among Great Spirits, strength varies.

The power of dominion was much greater in Elshi than in Ignit.

[Yes. Didn’t I say I’m your ancient predecessor?]

Elshi smiled faintly as she approached Ignit.

The closer she came, the more Ignit’s darkness was absorbed into her.

Elshi was swallowing Ignit’s power, slowly reclaiming the dignity of a Great Spirit.

On the contrary, Ignit’s body began to shrink.

As Ignit’s face contorted, he looked up and asked,

[What do you want from me? To extinguish me and become a new Great Spirit?]

At this, Elshi’s eyes widened as she giggled brightly.

[How could I ever do such a thing?]

Elshi extended her hand and affectionately patted Ignit’s head.

[All I wanted was to tell you not to hate people.]

Elshi took a step back.

Her power slowly began to return to Ignit.

[You’re living in an exceedingly beautiful world, aren’t you? Yet, you bear this sorrow upon yourself, and it’s truly pitiable.]

Elshi couldn’t forget the awe she felt the first time she saw the night sky.

She felt she had been given the whole world upon discovering such beauty.

To live in such a world and to live such a melancholic life without even having a contractor—she couldn’t help but feel sorry for him.

Elshi’s form gradually shrank back into that of a girl.

She now appeared to be of a similar age as Ignit.

[Enjoy life a little more. There must surely be a bright and fitting contractor for you in this world. Though your life might be shorter than mine, remember that I am still your senior. Don’t dismiss this advice.]

Elshi smiled brightly.

Watching her, Ignit murmured,

[You… shine more beautifully than even a Spirit of Light.]

[Hehe—thank you.]

Elshi, now small enough to fit on a palm, flew and landed on Leo’s shoulder.

At that moment,

Whoosh!

“Puhah!”

Ripping through the darkness, Lil emerged.

“Leo! I was just about to rescue yo—”

Her words were cut off as she noticed Leo standing perfectly fine, which made her deflate.

“…Leo had already escaped before me.”

“Good luck.”

“Ugh… I really wanted to demonstrate my authority as a senior this time!”

Observing Lil’s deflated expression, Ignit frowned.

[What is that girl? Some sort of monster?]

“Monster?! My proper title is the ‘Spirit Master of Gale Winds!’ Please don’t call me such a bizarre nickname!”

Lil flared up, displeased with being teased as some ‘monster’.

Looking at her reaction, Elshi muttered,

[Considering her temper, she truly is a monster.]

For Leo, Ignit’s darkness had no effect on him to begin with.

Thus, there was no need for him to ‘escape.’

But it was different for Lil.

Though swallowed by Ignit’s darkness, she had managed to withstand it and escape.

Considering Lil’s achievement, it was definitely a remarkable feat—even one worthy of acknowledgment by a Great Hero.

“Sure. Now I get why they call Eleena and Hark seniors, and why she’s dubbed ‘Monster Miss.'”

“Leo! You too!”

While Lil pouted in frustration,

Boom!

“Whoosh! Junior students! Look, I, your venerable senior, have come to rescue y…you already escaped on your own?”

Breaking through the ceiling and arriving late, Jin let out a frustrated mutter upon noticing the two standing perfectly fine.

“…Did you really escape by yourselves? Are you guys seriously first and second year students?”

Jin knew about the abyss spirit’s ability to destroy minds, which was why he had broken through the spirit legion as quickly as possible to reach this central point.

Seeing the competence of his juniors, Jin arrived dumbstruck in front of Ignit.

“It has been a while, Ignit.”

“Indeed. And even you know that disliking humans goes beyond the acceptable limits.”

Seeing Jin emitting hostility, Ignit responded.

[I will respond to your request if you contain your hostilities.]

Ignit withdrew his darkness.

Looking at Leo and Lil, he added,

[I will give consideration to contracting with students of Lumeran.]

Jin and Lil’s eyes widened in surprise.

Consideration for a contract, after Ignit had avoided having one for hundreds of years?

“Is it because of Leo?”

Lil asked in admiration.

Having already seen Leo conversing with Ignit before she could escape on her own, she assumed Leo had convinced Ignit.

In response to Lil’s words, Ignit’s tone remained emotionless.

[I hold no interest in womanizers.]

‘Womanizer? Is it because Leo is the Contractor of the Phoenix?’

Not understanding the situation, Lil could only tilt her head in confusion.