My Disciples Think I’m Strong – Chapter 162

“What do you mean? You’re saying the Primordial Spirit King split apart and gave birth to us?”

Ah, did I say that thoughtlessly while basking in a sense of accomplishment?

From the perspective of the Spirit Kings, that must be incomprehensible. It was a time before even the Spirit Kings who have lived for centuries were born.

Moreover, the fact that a mere human, who lives only a few decades, knows about it must be astonishing.

This story comes before the Demon War, when it gives the heroes who have endured the trials of the four Spirit Kings a chance to meet the World Tree. At that time, the World Tree explains.

The backstory of how the Archmage and the Spirit Kings were born, who were above the heroes.

However, in reality, the heroes obtained the weapons of the Spirit Kings without undergoing any trials, so that process was naturally skipped.

Of course, not meeting the World Tree poses no problems for opposing the Demon Tribe. It’s just a matter of whether one hears the story or not.

Still, separately from that, I needed to meet the World Tree someday.

Why is the word “Player” written with the World Tree?

In the actual game, there’s no mention of players, so I had to solve that question.

“…It’s something even the Spirit Kings don’t know… So how does Praus know about it?”

“Um…”

“Plaus, don’t try to dodge the question.”

Phoenix said as she grabbed my shoulder.

“What do you know? Is it something you know because you’re a Player?”

Phoenix’s words were spot on. It was something I knew because I was a Player.

Yet I couldn’t say it as it was. The word Player was a taboo that should not be mentioned as much as possible.

Until I figured out exactly what the concept of a Player was in this world.

“…It’s just knowledge I stumbled upon.”

“You couldn’t have just stumbled upon it. Explain it now.”

“You all know that Spirits can split, right?”

When I went to receive the All-Cutting Sword after overcoming Glacer’s trial, I saw countless Low-Level Spirits. Those were the Spirits created by the World Tree that had split apart.

Among the split ones, particularly special Spirits rise to Intermediate and Advanced levels. Once they become Intermediate or Advanced, Spirits stop splitting and remain as a single entity. Their personalities and appearances also differ from Low-Level Spirits.

In other words, they gain individuality.

“You all must not split, right? You fall under the category of Spirits after all. Of course, from Intermediate Spirits onwards, they don’t split without their own will. But the Primordial Spirit King chose to split of his own accord.”

“Why?”

“He couldn’t contract with all humans alone.”

Multiple contracts for a Spirit were impossible. This restriction existed both in the past and present. Being a Primordial Spirit King, he could not escape this fate.

“I see… If the contractor is alone, he can’t stop a huge number of Demons… So he chose to split?”

“No. The Primordial Spirit King never once considered splitting on his own. There was someone who hinted at it to him.”

“Who was that?”

He pressed me as if he were impatient.

But is it okay to keep talking about this?

Originally, it was a story I should have heard from the World Tree, so I felt like I was creating variables myself.

However, since I had ventured this far, stopping midway would be impossible, so I decided to continue.

“The Primordial Spirit King sought the strongest being in the Human World because he could only contract with one being. And the person he discovered at the end was the Archmage who created the concept of elemental properties, Purugoda.”

“Purugoda…?”

“Created the concept of properties?”

He tilted his head at the unfamiliar name.

In the game, the name Purugoda is only revealed after facing the World Tree. The heroes before the Demon War will uncover various hidden settings until now.

“The Spirit King knew that using the mana that floats in nature allowed for the use of Magic. However, whether it was fire or water magic, he didn’t explain it as properties. It was something derived from nature, so there was no need to explain it in the first place.”

I glanced at the gem-like sparkling staff as I continued.

“Purugoda implanted the concept in just the right place. He was human, but he could handle mana as easily as the Spirit King could, and he was always curious, researching Magic.”

The Spirit King could use Magic from birth, and he didn’t doubt that this power was given by the World Tree. So, he never contemplated or investigated Magic.

But Purugoda had to comprehend everything on his own, so his research was tirelessly repeated.

“So…?”

“Yes, the concept of properties we currently use is derived from humans.”

To approach it more fundamentally, this setting is a creation of the storyteller, so can I say, ‘storyteller = Archmage’? The storyteller is amazing!

I shook my head, realizing that I had diverged from my thoughts.

“So, the reason the Spirit King split?”

“He was complaining that he couldn’t contract with everyone alone, so Purugoda asked him, ‘Why not try splitting based on the concept of properties?'”

Thinking back, while Purugoda was a genius by setting, there was something skewed about him to be called a true person. That must be why he could so casually suggest to the Spirit King to consider splitting.

Moreover, the basis for the idea of splitting came from humans’ dual personalities, so I couldn’t say that Purugoda was a normal person.

“And after being persuaded by Purugoda, the Spirit King thought it was a good idea, promising to give it a try when Purugoda died, knowing that the contract would be canceled then. That’s how you were born.”

The three Spirit Kings had begun to listen intently at some point. It seemed the World Tree hadn’t explained the backstory of their birth to them.

Well, the World Tree basically doesn’t intervene unless it’s a special situation. That made sense.

“That’s all I know… no, the story.”

“Then why did he split into Fire, Water, Wind, and Earth properties? There are Lightning attribute magic and others, right?”

Ariel poured out her questions.

“At the time, Purugoda thought there were too many properties in the world, so he just dismissed it as derived properties.”

In a word, it was ‘moderationism.’

After hearing the story, everyone fell silent for a while. They seemed lost in their thoughts, trying to organize their minds.

“How does Praus know this? That was a story from nearly a thousand years ago.”

“It was just… interesting. Watching the story.”

Now it had turned into a situation of creating a story rather than just watching it.

My significant comment left the group looking even more confused.

“But usually, we say we hear a story, not see it, right?”

At Maria’s pointed observation, I could only chuckle. I read the text, so I didn’t hear it.

“Anyway, that’s the end of the story. Maria, this weapon is now yours.”

“Excuse me?”

“I hope you can use this weapon to slay the Demons that will attack in the future.”

“But this… wouldn’t it be better for you, Teacher?”

As Maria pointed out, using this weapon would allow me to utilize my mana. Just like when I used the Spirit King’s Sword to cast the Storm of Illusions.

But I wasn’t a hero.

I had no desire to fight, not even a fraction. Especially not in life-or-death circumstances. I didn’t want to die, not at all.

Unless it was a situation where I had no choice but to fight for my life or a situation where I absolutely had to step in, I didn’t want to engage in fighting.

But were there ever moments when it wasn’t like that?

…There weren’t. Damn it.

“Teacher?”

“If I use this weapon, you might never surpass me, you know? Are you okay with that?”

“!”

At my provocation, Maria’s eyes widened. Tina and Iris, who were beside her, also stared at me with grave expressions.

“I see. Then, I’ll accept—”

“Alright, Teacher! Let’s duel right now!”

Just as Maria carefully grasped the staff with both hands, Tina raised her hand and shouted.

“…Huh?”

“No, I’ll go first. I don’t want to hear that you lost to me after you fought with Tina and got tired. Teacher, let’s go first!”

Even Iris, who rarely showed passion, was fired up.

“Eh?”

“No, that’s wrong. You fools! It should be my turn first since I just received the weapon from Teacher.”

“What? You’re the weakest among us!”

“The duel we had was due to the difference in weapons. If we fought again now, it would be different!”

Indeed, if I fought Maria now, I couldn’t tell how it would turn out. She should be able to use magic up to the 9th tier now.

Hmm. I just hope she doesn’t drop a meteor on me…

“So, Teacher, who will you fight?!”

“Teacher, who will you be facing?!”

“Teacher, it’s obviously me, right?!”

Why on earth do I have to fight you all?

As I looked back and forth between the three, Iris slapped her palm with her fist as if she had realized something.

“Ah! I see! Teacher wishes for us to all come at you at once!”

“Oh~ one against three! Given Teacher’s skills, we must look like mere amateurs, right?!”

“Yeah. That does make sense.”

Are you all in your right minds?

The provocation I gave was just a means to encourage you all to advance further. It was a kind of encouragement, not something I said with the intent to fight.

“Kids, for now—”

“Have you been here all this time?!”

Just as I was trying to calm the heroes, I spotted some armored knights marching toward us with a clanking sound.

“…Who are they?”

“Lord Kalus has commanded us to bring Lord Praus immediately.”

“And why is that?”

“You’ll know when you get there.”

I’ll know when I get there…

I briefly pondered why Duke Kalus would be calling me.

Ah, could it be that there’s finally an answer for the Emperor?

As soon as the most likely possibility occurred to me, I began to walk.

“Alright, let’s go.”

“Teacher! What about the duel?!”

“I’ll do it later.”

For me, ‘later’ usually meant I wouldn’t do it at all. That’s the cunning method of us adults, so remember it well, Tina.