My Disciples Think I’m Strong – Chapter 104

Kukwakwakwang!

Maria throws a fireball at the glacial cliff. The moment the flames touch, an explosion occurs, causing one side to crumble.

During that chaos, the spirits lose their balance and fall to the ground, but Maria catches them using Wind Magic and drags them over to us.

I watch the spirits rolling helplessly on the floor.

They seem to be about a meter tall at most.

They’re humanoid in shape, but their skin is blue, adorned with blue ice crystals throughout. They’re covering their vital areas, as if wearing clothes made of ice.

Another spirit has a similar build and humanoid form, but the difference is that it has transformed water into a dress.

I approach the Frosts and Nymphs. Currently, they posed no threat because Maria had bound them with Wind Magic.

“Then I’ll take care of this.”

Hah, Iris, who had blown on her sword’s blade, was about to lift her sword high.

Pakang!

She swiftly smashes the ice that was creeping up behind her.

“Huh… I’ll handle those first.”

“Wait—”

By the time I reached out, she was already leaping toward the cliff. I sighed as I watched Iris become a dot in mere seconds.

I guess I have no choice but to trust now.

“I’ll go too!”

With only that parting words, Tina disappears as well.

No, why are you going…

Not long after, a section of the cliff collapses, shattering the ice wall completely.

…She’ll do fine, I suppose.

I crouched down to match the spirits’ eye level.

“……”

I quietly observed them, momentarily locking eyes.

After staring for quite a while, I reached one conclusion.

They were really cute.

So much so that they exceeded the illustrations I’d seen in the game.

Of course, the spirits appeared frightened, likely sensing my gaze, and were trembling in fear.

“S-save us—”

“…You guys have been through a lot.”

“?”

I gently patted the shoulders of the spirits closest to me. Maria and the spirits tilted their heads in unison. The spirits merely blinked at me blankly.

Is it hard because of the higher-ups? That damn thing, I’ll definitely smack him. I’ll have the Heroes do it.

The spirits looked at each other in confusion. I pushed myself up from my knees.

“Maria, let them go.”

“Really? Are you sure?”

“I’m sure.”

Maria, who had been skeptical at my words, snapped her fingers. Then, the spirits began to move one by one after being immobilized.

They gazed at each other, cautiously eyeing me. It was bewildering to let go of the one who attacked them.

“I’m not just letting you go. Guide me. To where the Ice Spirit is.”

“I know Seorin!”

One of the spirits in the group chirped out. The pronunciation was very slurred.

I looked at the gathering of spirits.

They were gazing at me with sparkling eyes. I can’t say for sure, but it felt like they were full of expectations.

“Uh… what did you say?”

“I know Seorin!”

“I know, but…”

Waoo!

Voices of admiration burst out among the spirits.

“He’s a Hero who knows Seorin!”

“That magical power! So much mana like a Hero!”

One of the nymphs shouted, her short arms making circles as she did so. The other spirits giggled and joined in.

Watching the entire group follow along like a surf wave brought out a chuckle, but suddenly a question sprang to mind.

How did they drop their guard so easily without even a few words exchanged?

I hadn’t encountered such ease even in the game…

I have no idea what’s going on, but if the spirits are friendly, then I can just use that to my advantage.

“Okay… I understand so…”

“A Hero?”

“…a Hero?”

“Yes! A Hero! A Hero knows Seorin!”

They nodded vigorously, their tiny fists clenching tightly. Receiving such expectations was a bit troublesome. I’m not a Hero.

“Hmph. You’re attacking my Teacher, yet you know who he is, huh? As you said, this person is a Hero who single-handedly brought down the Black Dragon!”

Wow, Maria, what a grand introduction you’ve given me!

I’m so grateful I could almost cry.

“Waoo! It’s the Hero Nimira!”

“After 400 years, the Hero Nimira has appeared!”

Aren’t you a bit too loud?

And can you please pronounce it correctly? It sounds like swear words.

Kwang!

Another explosion happens off to the side. The ice wall collapses again. It seems I have to deal with them first.

“Maria.”

“Yes, Teacher.”

“Tell those two to stop. Bring all the fainted or injured spirits, and the ones you’ve subjugated over here.”

“Got it.”

I sighed while watching Maria walk away. Who knows how many times I’ve sighed today? It might have been better to come here with just Maria.

…No. I have to deal with this for the contract.

Once again, I looked at the spirits around me. They were now surrounding me.

“…What is it?”

“Strong!”

“Kind!”

“A Hero is definitively!”

“Right! Definite!”

Hehehe. Such absurd spirits indeed.

Seeing them reach conclusions on their own, I felt it must be quite unsettling for the Spirit King. Quite obvious, indeed.

“Let’s head out.”

As I stepped forward, they followed me like a gaggle of penguins. One of the nymphs by my side tugged at my sleeve.

“What is it?”

“Hero, why are you here?”

“I came to speak with your king.”

“The Naiad is busy. Cannot meet.”

Naiad.

That was the name of the Water Spirit King.

To summarize, before he opens his heart, he’s a suspicion-ridden nutcase.

Conversely, once he starts to let his guard down, he’s someone who genuinely offers to help, no matter what.

He was certainly not someone Ariel found easy to befriend.

“That’s not your decision. You just guide me.”

“Bu—but… if the King is angry, it’s scary.”

“If he gets angry at you, I’ll smack him around.”

I genuinely had no intention of hitting him. Fighting, of course, was out of the question.

It was necessary to maintain a friendly relationship with the Spirit King, no matter the situation.

Additionally, even if he’s only water attribute, I didn’t have the guts to provoke someone who could utilize 9th tier magic.

“Don’t hit! The Naiad is precious!”

“…That’s just the way it is.”

While we were having trivial conversations and got closer to the ice wall, Maria was starting to bring over the spirits. Behind her, Iris, still looking stern, and Tina, chuckling, joined us.

“Did you take care of everything?”

All the spirits trailing behind looked utterly drained but still alive. Amazingly, they followed my instructions.

“Yes. I sense no presence in the vicinity. So, what will you do with these spirits?”

I surveyed the area.

Just moments ago, the beautiful scenery had been utterly destroyed. Did it really need to come to this…?

“Iris, why are you angry?”

“…I’d like to ask the same. Did you not intend to kill the Teacher? Why are you planning to let them live?”

“This is a test.”

I said I needed to meet the Water Spirit King earlier.

“A test…?”

“Exactly?”

As I glanced at the spirits, they began leaping and clapping joyously.

“Wao! The Hero is amazing!”

“He knows it’s the King’s test!”

I shrugged at Iris, who was blinking in confusion as she tried to comprehend the unexpected reactions from the spirits versus my calm demeanor.

After toggling back and forth, she finally released her grip on her sword, obviously relieved.

“…So, that’s how it is.”

“Then, Teacher, what shall we do now?”

Maria asked, pointing at the unruly spirits.

“…First, I’ll need you to guide me.”

Since the Ice Spirit was somewhere I absolutely needed the spirits’ help.

*

Led by the boisterous spirits, we reached a massive gorge.

“Now, hold hands!”

Before the spirits could reach out, I grabbed them. I was half forcibly led along. The moment we took several steps, an unfamiliar sense of dislocation washed over me, and my sight shifted.

What landed before my eyes was an ice sculpture towering well over seven meters, overlooking us from an ice chair.

“Is this the Spirit Portal?”

The Spirit Portal could change location according to the destination guided by the spirits. It was a fixed teleportation magic.

Having this capability was probably why the Magic Guild couldn’t investigate it thoroughly.

“There’s Seorin!”

The nymph leading me pointed.

It was a size that felt incredibly disconnected from its name. Although, it wasn’t even a name.

But look at it, not even moving in our presence. Does it think it’s in a game?

“That aside…”

I hadn’t expected to be taken straight to the boss.

The first trial was typically about battling weak low-level spirits, proving compassion rather than strength.

The second trial involved dueling intermediate and named spirits, proving strength before meeting the Ice Spirit.

Yet, skipping the second process was just puzzling.

“Are you sure this is the right way to bring us here?”

“Yeah! Undine told us to guide you!”

One spirit shouted while clutching its head, and the others joined in holding their heads. Are you guys comedians?

“…”

Right, well. It’s great to bypass the intermediate processes.

“Alright. If no one says anything, let’s keep it under wraps. Off you go.”

“Let’s see more of the Hero!”

“…Stay quiet.”

“Okay!”

I took a few steps forward, only to see the Ice Spirit rise from its seat.

“It has been indeed a long time since a living being visited this place. Especially one capable of enchanting low-level spirits. Heh, the Hero candidate is indeed different.”

“Enough with the pointless chatter. I need to meet Naiad. Take us there.”

Confidently, I stepped forward and continued speaking.

“Heh, so confident! Since you’ve defeated named spirits Jack Frost and intermediate spirits Undine and Flow, it makes sense!”

I haven’t even laid eyes on you.

“…That’s right.”

Still, I told a little fib. If I said I came without engaging in a fight, they’d probably incite me to do one.

“How dare you! Are you lying?! I heard everything just now!”

Damn it. Don’t act as if you don’t know.

“Hrumph. Regardless, I personally summoned them here.”

The moment his words ended, a stream of water surged up from his right side, taking the form of a mature woman, revealing Undine. She resembled a woman-shaped slime.

From the opposite side, ice emerged, revealing a man wearing a hat made of ice—Jack Frost—while Flow melded into the ice.

“Now, then, I will begin the trial… no, the ordeal.”

Please don’t just call it a test…

It seems skipping it wasn’t into the cards after all.

“Kids, get ready.”

“I’ll leave the Ice Spirit to you.”

“?”

Iris unsheathed her sword.

“Teacher, finish this in one blow.”

“??”

Tina giggled, winking at me.

“Let’s go.”

“???”

Flames burst forth from Maria’s hands.

Aren’t you the ones who should handle this?

Before I could even voice a complaint, I sighed as I watched the heroes charge at the intermediate spirits.

This is crazy.