It was a narrow cave connected underground. The spirits of gra.s.s earnestly flapped their short little wings, flying close to the cave entrance where they stopped for a moment.

ㅡIt, it's here. The dragon is here.

ㅡIt, it looks like its hurt badly. I can feel it trembling.

ㅡTh-, the spirits of darkness are gathering.

Spirits were everywhere. Normally, the type of spirits gathering depended on the place, but there were also spirits that lived a parasitic existence, feeding off emotions. Like spirits of darkness, for example. They swarmed around dark emotions which were nutrients to them. It's said that powerful spirits of darkness could even mislead victims into making extreme decisions. That's why Spirit Callers who dealt with spirits of darkness were avoided like the plague.

They were visible to my eyes also.

'So many.'

There was a legion of them. I didn't need to even look inside, seeing as how even the entrance was packed, to tell just how many spirits of darkness there were. Even common sense dictated this was insane. There did exist dragons that could command spirits of darkness; dark dragons. The dragon which Carpediem had s.n.a.t.c.hed away possessed an extreme, destructive disposition, and ruled the darkness. But beside that there were no dragon that could summon spirits of darkness, barring the spirits that matched their own respective elements.

As I began stepping forward, the spirits of darkness proved to be no different to the other spirits; scurrying out of my way.

ㅡAn unusual human.

ㅡA human truly? He gives off a good smell.

ㅡBut I feel like I'll be swallowed up if I go near.

Apparently spirits of darkness were no exception to my nonexistent affinity with spirits. It was likely that even the spirits who were speaking were unaware of the fact, though there were some words of concern among what they said. It was what I had confirmed the other day through Syria's spirits of light.

Tremble tremble tremble!

The three spirits of gra.s.s following behind my back as they trembled. They didn't have to go so far as to follow me in, but it looked like they were trying to keep their promise since they had said they would guide me up to the dragon.

ㅡAm, am I, tre-, trembling, right now?

ㅡI-, I've never seen, s-, so many, spi-, spirits of darkness.

ㅡEeeek…

Even the spirits thought this phenomenon strange. I hardened my expression. The bad feeling in my chest grew worse the closer I drew near them. I had formed a 'bond' with the two, Igneel and Etaqua. We shared our emotions, that's why we could understand one another like no one else could. Pain. Desolation. Fear. The emotions which he had never learnt during the time in the abyss. That's why his heart was in turmoil, feeling sorrow.

I further hastened my footsteps, and…found him. At the end of the cave, there lay a dragon curled up into a ball!

"Etaqua."

I very slowly called out his name. But Etaqua remained curled up, staring at me with wary eyes.

Growl.

It appeared my voice didn't reach him. His emotions were in severe chaos. He showed none of his playful and energetic appearance.

'He's been affected by the preta's poison.'

I could be certain of it just by the smell. Because I knew well of its horrors, the preta's poison. A preta's poison caused the entire body to rot. It caused rot and pus, and the agony of it was greater than jumping into a sea of fire. A normal human would experience tremendous pain and die within moments, begging for their lives to end even as they perished.

Unless the poison of a preta was removed in the early stages, there would be no hope of recovery. There was no antidote for it, because the characteristics of the poison would continuously change from within the body and, with the exception of using a high level detoxifying type skill, nothing could be done about it. Moreover…there was a bite wound on Etaqua's flank. There was already a black hue surrounding the wound. The rate at which the poison was spreading must have been very slow due to a dragon's strong physique.

"You've grown much since I've last seen you."

I took a single step forward. Etaqua was already threatening to overtake me in size. I thought that his speed of growth exceeded even bean sprouts, but this level of growth was incomparable to ordinary dragons. Perhaps that was why, but I had been negligent. I had rushed to cast him onto this mountain, thinking that regardless of his young age, Etaqua was still part of the dragon race, and an individual that put even other dragons to shame at that. It was a mistake, resulting from my selfishness.

Growl!

Etaqua spread his wings, which reached up to the ceiling. To make matters worse, the narrow cave shook.

「Do you intend suicide?」

The snake moved. Jörmungandr had spoken to me. I didn't reply, and Jörmungandr showed no inclination of stopping me either. She was a dragon that had once coiled around the world. She was not one to go out of her way and save me out of benevolence, just because of her interest in me. Icarus had burned to death as he challenged the sun, him being the first human to have caught Jörmungandr's interest notwithstanding. If she had wanted to save him at all, Icarus wouldn't have burned to death in mythology.

Roar-!

Etaqua only grew warier as I approached further. His eyes resembled that of a wounded ferocious beast. Even a huntsman should beware of lightly provoking a wounded beast. But I did not stop. I could not stop. It was all my fault, mine alone, that this situation came about. I slowly opened both my hands.

Snarl!

Etaqua's snapped his jaws onto my neck immediately when I closed the distance between us. The fangs of a dragon were unmatched in sharpness and toughness. Blood splurted out, and my consciousness flickered for a moment. I could keenly feel the teeth piercing my flesh. But I did not despair. Etaqua should have been capable of tearing my neck off in one go with his teeth and jaw strength, and yet…

"I'm sorry."

I embraced Etaqua, and petted his neck. His scales were cold, yet also warm. He must have suffered much, felt forlorn that I didn't come despite his waiting, because I was no different than a parent to the both of them, Igneel and Etaqua.

I had never truly been a parent before. I didn't even marry, so there was no child in my household either. I had considered it as a burden, that it was unnecessary for me, who didn't know when I would die. Moreover, Igneel and Etaqua were entirely different species to me. That's why I must have taken this relations.h.i.+p lightly. I had simply pa.s.sed off the 'trust' the two felt towards me, whenever they saw me, as merely the power of the Dominator skill.

"I am sorry…"

I could feel Etaqua's emotions. Or perhaps it may have been my own. Tears began running down my eyes, and I remained still, embracing Etaqua…and then the surrounding spirits of darkness, one after another, began to retreat.

Grrr…

Etaqua slowly released his jaws from my neck, and then looked into my eyes. The turmoil in his gaze was replaced by embarra.s.sment. He had recognized me; my soul.

Lick!

He licked at the bite wound he made. His fear was completely gone. The mana of a dragon came flowing into me, and the wound on my neck slowly began healing. It was the mana that was being used until now to prevent the preta's poison from spreading. If he were to pour it into me then the poison would spread in an instant, killing him. I took a step back, and shook my head.

"Jörmungandr. I need your help."

「Hmph, my power only applies to you. And why should I suck out the trivial poison of a dragon?」

"Is that so?"

I put my lips against Etaqua's wound, and began to suck out his blood, together with the preta's poison. My blood quickly turned blue. When a preta's poison enters the body, it would immediately cause the blood to congeal, and the body would be paralyzed as it began to rot. On my skin, bubbles began to swell prominently.

「This fool…!」

Jörmungandr shouted confusedly, because the notion of sacrificing self for another was foreign to her. But I did not stop.

「Stop. Any more than that and even I will have no way of helping!」

Protecting me from the curses of the night was in her terms of contract. A powerful curse lay within the poison of a preta. If I were to die by the poison, she would fail to fulfil the contract. When I continued on despite her warning, Jörmungandr spoke.

「Do you mean to humiliate me? There will be no second time. If ever an incident like this repeats then I will swallow you up myself!」

It was a first seeing Jörmungandr this furious. I chuckled before stopping my actions, and then the silver snake that was on top of my shoulder began to get busy. After sucking out all the poison in my body, as if dissatisfied, she slithered up Etaqua's flank near his wound. Seeing this, my eyes grew cold to freezing point.

'I should…kill it. In the cruelest manner conceivable.'

Preta. I hadn't a clue as to why it left its own level to come down to this place, but I had no plans of leaving it alive.

After the preta's poison was completely cured, Etaqua spun around me in circles, licking my face. It was a sign of joy and expression of trust. Aware of that fact, I let Etaqua do as he liked. Instead I opened Mind's Eye, to see what changes there were until now.

Name: Etaqua (Value – 230,900)

Race: White Dragon

t.i.tles:

? Cry of the Storm (Lv9, Agi+15)

Stats:

Str 54ss

Agi 52(37+15)s

Con 39s

Int 31a

Mag 21c

Potential(183+15/485)

Special Note: Has inherited the Blessing of the Sage, and Cry of the Storm. Has formed a powerful bond of trust with the user.

It's said that dragons would grow stronger even if they did nothing but breathe, because the standard specs possessed by a dragon was akin to an 'insurmountable wall'. Given that, his rate of growth was astounding. He had already surpa.s.sed me in physical stats.

'Is this the growth potential of an SS evaluation?'

'My G.o.d', I muttered to myself unknowingly. The change in stats, according to their respective growth potential grade, was a cause for wonder. What's more…a t.i.tle. Cry of the Storm was equipped. It wasn't there while he was in the abyss, so it must have been unlocked as he grew.

'A level 9 t.i.tle of all things.'

The so-called power of sages must definitely be powerful indeed. I couldn't even begin to guess at what kind of being Walpurgis, mother of wisdom and counsel, must be. A level 9 t.i.tle! Even Laila Diablo herself barely had a single t.i.tle of that level. Uriel Diablo as well, excluding 'Demon Lord(Lv10)', was the same, so no more needed to be said about how significant it was.

Agility influenced instant reaction speed and extreme senses. Agility was named as the 6th sense, and a whopping 15 was increased. If he were to continue developing, crossing the threshold of agility, then he would be able to exhibit an ability worthy of being deemed as supersensory. This was also one of the factors in raising Etaqua's growth potential.

"Etaqua. I'm going to go kill the one who wounded you. Are you afraid?"

Roar!

He bared his teeth and flapped his wings upon hearing my question. Etaqua appeared to desire revenge as well. But it wasn't only to avenge himself. The shadow kaim…it had saved Etaqua and was eaten by the preta. He felt uncontrollable hatred as a result, but that didn't summon the spirits of darkness; proof that he was firm of heart. I nodded my head.

'The opponent is the preta.'

If it were a big preta, the 25th level would have been razed to the ground. It should be a small preta. But even so, I couldn't be sure of victory with my current fighting power. If I wanted even a slightly easier time killing it, I would need a type of poison that would cause decay, or a weapon imbued with holy power. I had nothing of the sort at present, however, it wasn't as if I didn't have a way to do it as well.

ㅡWaah, it's so sad what happened.

ㅡI'm touched.

ㅡThe dragon looks happy!

The spirits of gra.s.s gazed at Etaqua and made a show of crying. I spoke toward those spirits.

"You lot, will have to contract with me."

There were countless spirits, and yet these three were the only ones to have approached me close. Even the spirits of darkness avoided me, but unlike the other spirits, these three followed me until the end. Come to think of it…this was anything but an ordinary occurrence.

Double release:) click next chap!

'The most powerful of spirits are considered to be spirits of light and darkness.'

These two types of spirits posed a greater influence on reality, as opposed to the other elemental types. The spirits of light and darkness, however, also feared me to no end and refused to approach me. But these spirits of gra.s.s were strange. In the first place, promises were of no importance to spirits. They were p.r.o.ne to mischief, and only communicated with those they had revealed their 'names' to; their contractors. But these spirits of gra.s.s upheld my trust in them, in their own way, to the end. They made a sharp contrast to common low ranked spirits.

'Although it would be good if I could check them using Mind's Eye…'

It couldn't be relied on, because it wasn't possible to confirm the name and true form of a spirit even by using 'Mind's Eye'. Spirits were like nature itself. It was similar to the reason why the wind and air can't be appraised using Mind's Eye. Of course, even if it couldn't be called extraordinary, the power of a Spirit Caller was attractive. Owing to the spirits characteristic of lacking substance, they were excellent for the purpose of scouting, ambus.h.i.+ng, and the like. Therefore…if I were to become capable of using spirits, there may be some hope for the showdown with the preta.

ㅡTh-, this human says he wants to contract us.

ㅡMay-, maybe he wants to eat us after all?

ㅡEeeek…

The three clutched onto one another, trembling. If my affinity was high then perhaps it would have been the spirits eagerly asking me for a 'contract', because the only method of growth for spirits was to contract with a user. I have never heard of a Spirit Caller lacking in affinity, nor of someone forcing a contract, but I was capable of 'seeing' and 'hearing' when I have yet to make a contract; an impossible feat regardless of how high an affinity one had, a paradox. That's why I felt even more strongly that it was possible.

"The more you experience after contracting someone with high affinity, the faster you grow. I can see you spirits, and hear your conversations. I command a dragon and countless other things, and I can provide you such entertainment that riding verdant hill pollen will pale in comparison."

ㅡNo-, now that I think about it, how is he able to see us?

ㅡThe-, there's something even more fun than riding verdant hill pollen?

ㅡIt-, it's a lie. Where could such a thing be?

They didn't appear entirely uninterested. From an outsider's perspective I would have appeared like a madman conversing with empty air by himself, however, I made a leisurely smile as I drew out scenes, scenes from my memories.

"You will even get to ride a gigantic windmill as high as the skies. Relaxing atop the branch of the World Tree and enjoying the gentle winds also sounds like fun. Or how about roaming the azure skies on the back of a dragon? When Etaqua grows just a little more he will become able to own the skies, faster than any dragon. Racing on the back of gnolls also sounds good. This is all possible only for myself, and the spirit that contracts with me."

Gulp!

The spirits of gra.s.s had their eyes wide-open and mouths agape. I didn't lie. I was prepared to make everything I spoke of come to fruition, although the exact time frame isn't quite certain.

ㅡWi-, will you not eat us?

ㅡBu-, but the queen told us to take care with contracts.

ㅡS-, sounds like fun…

Their hearts were almost within my grasp, it seemed. I readied the clincher.

"Every month I will provide a 'spirit stone' if you make a contract now."

A spirit stone! Stones that a.s.sisted the growth of spirits. A stone that has been exposed in to moonlight for a long period of time would undergo numerous changes before evolving into a spirit stone, but they were one of the hardest items to procure owing to their extreme scarcity. But to me, at least, that didn't matter.

'There were spirit stones in the Dark Store.'

Moreover, they were very cheap. The reason behind that was because spirit stones were in abundance due to the moonlight of the abyss radiating a special kind of mana. Spirit stones were a dime a dozen, so as long as I could find a sure method of transporting them, I could carry them over by the truckload.

ㅡE-, even a spirit stone…!

ㅡN-, not only fun things, you'll give us spirit stones too?

ㅡI-, I wanna do it!

I got the vague feeling of having deceived innocent children, but I had succeeded. Besides, I could do without a catalyst required for a contract. Although I did use a lowest-grade ruby when I had Syria contract the spirits of light, but that was only so she could see the forms of the spirits and so they could communicate with each other. I was already capable of both so there was no need to use a catalyst.

"A well-thought-out choice. I am Hansung Oh."

ㅡLime

ㅡLayul

ㅡLaon

The names of spirits were special. It was the name itself that granted 'existence' to them. Without a name, spirits were the same as pa.s.sing nature. Lime, Layul, Laon. A series of names starting with 'La', which implied that the three were born in the same place. To be exact, they had awakened to their names in a place called 'La'. Places named with such a foreign word were uncommon, and I had never heard of it as well. Though surely they must have been born somewhere on Rakshasa Mountain…

However, I shook my head. What's important now was that I had come to know the names of these three. We had exchanged names with one another, and were willing to make a contract. At the same time, a gentle breeze began to blow in the surroundings and began to 'bond' the four of us.

[Contract with mid-grade gra.s.s spirits 'Lime', 'Layul' and 'Laon' has been completed.]

[The name of a spirit possessed a very important meaning. It is recommended that only the contractor knows of it.]

[The skill 'Spirit Caller(Lv4)' has been created.]

Mid-grade! Indeed there was a reason why the gra.s.s spirits didn't avoid me.

Spirits were also divided into ranks; lowest-rank, low-rank, mid-rank, high-rank, highest-rank. It's said that the ratio of lowest-rank spirits that could become low-rank was 10,000:1. The same ratio applied for low-rank becoming mid-rank. Mid-rank and above spirits were rare, naturally, and the power they could exhibit was on a whole different league compared to spirits low-rank and below. A mid-rank spirit of wind could cleave 5cm thick iron. That's why a Spirit Caller who was mid-rank and above was well regarded anywhere.

'A whole occupation packaged into a skill…'

What surprised me even more was the 'Spirit Caller' skill being created. I had commonly seen Spirit Caller as occupations, but again, it was my first time seeing the name Spirit Caller as a skill. Most likely this was a result of the power which I had obtained; 'Universal Man'. And holy mother of G.o.d. Who would have known that I — who didn't possess a rat's a.s.s worth of affinity — would contract with spirits, and have them at my beck and call!

I examined the skill in more detail.

Currently contracted with gra.s.s spirits mid-rank(3).

Contract with spirits regardless of their type is possible.

Skill level will increase as the rank of the contracted spirits rises.

The contract limit with spirits increase according to skill level. (Max 5)

The manifesting duration of spirits depends on skill level, intelligence, magic power and the manifesting spirit's rank.

It wasn't completely without restrictions. The number of spirits that regular Spirit Callers could handle was way more numerous, but for me it was merely 5. However, being unrestricted by type was a huge advantage, because it meant that I could counter all elements! In other words, it was quality over quant.i.ty.

I laughed in satisfaction.

ㅡUhh? What the?

ㅡSo a contract was something like this!

ㅡWoah, how wonderful.

It must be their first time ever contracting, judging by their reactions, so I couldn't help but become serious.

"By any chance, is this your first time contracting?"

ㅡYes~.

ㅡThere's nothing willing to contract with us here.

ㅡBecause the Yaksha and Rakshasa dislike spirits.

'Smack', I palmed my forehead. No way, they were mid-rank even when it was their first time contracting? Usually it was the norm to begin from lowest-grade and then grow through contracting. But I've heard before that extremely few among spirits possess an innate capacity for growth. The common saying of 'born with a golden spoon in mouth' also applies to spirits. So…it turns out that Lime, Layul and Laon were born with golden spoons.

'Yaksha and Rakshasa.'

It was unexpected for their names to come from spirits. The true masters of Rakshasa Mountain were the Rakshasa. I haven't an idea as to what Yaksha were, but I have met before an old man introducing himself as 'Rakshasa'.

I nodded. At any rate, I was done preparing. I felt like I had gained an extra hand, having concluded the contract with the spirits. I turned to look at Etaqua.

"Ready?"

Roar!

Etaqua lead the way.

Dragons were a race with extreme pride, and Etaqua shouldn't be any different. And now there was only one thing left to do. Blood for blood; to gruesomely tear apart that b.a.s.t.a.r.d! Inhaling deeply, I then spoke toward the spirits.

"Let's go to where the preta is.

The small preta was lying down on the ground. Countless corpses of black wagons and black wagon kings were strewn about near it. A hulking frame roughly 3m large, skin that sagged like belly fat, and while it had no such thing as fur it had 66 eyes and mouths all over its body. pretas were monsters that could be considered the embodiment of 'grotesque' itself. A great preta was 10 times the size of that, however, against a small preta I had a chance of victory.

'Lime, Layul, Laon.'

After having contracted with them, I could summon the spirits with but a thought. Finally, a small change came over the gra.s.s spirits.

[Gra.s.s spirits(3) has manifested. This can be maintained for a maximum of 43 minutes.]

ㅡLeave it to me.

ㅡThis much is easy.

ㅡI'll teach the preta a good lesson.

Only by manifesting can a spirit have a greater influence on reality. Next, the three spirits approached the small preta. The small preta was oblivious to them, but when roots broke through the surface of the ground, entangling its body, it inevitably woke up.

Croak?

In no time, the small preta was ensnared by the roots bursting out of the ground.

Screeech!

The entangling roots shook perilously as the small preta struggled, but they succeeded in binding its body. That was enough. As long as it could be restrained for a moment.

'Stygian Touch.'

s.p.a.ce became dyed in darkness. Finally, countless 'hands' surfaced above the dark s.p.a.ce. Hands of darkness that stole life itself! The hands of darkness began to brutally claw at the eyes covering the entirety of the small preta. About 20 of the 66 eyes were quickly tainted black and withered away.

Screeeech!

The small preta's struggling intensified. As the entangling roots were almost all ripped apart, the small hungry looked this way. The surprise attack was a success, but it didn't kill it.

Roar-!

And then Etaqua puffed out his chest as he broke into a gallop, stomping across the ground.

"You lot aim for its eyes while Etaqua takes it on."

The gnoll warriors had their own roles to play. Although a certain amount of damage was dealt with the surprise attack, Etaqua couldn't face the small preta alone. But if those 'eyes' could be taken out, then the small preta's omni-directional reaction can be crippled.

Crunch!

Thump! Thump!

It was a fierce melee. Etaqua was recklessly hounding after the small preta. He rammed himself into it, and tenaciously targeted its throat. Not only that, though it was only for a moment, his wings became like steel. He used his wings as if they were hands, dicing up the preta's flesh.

'Shocking.'

I could confidently say that I'd seen plenty of dragons before, but never before had I seen a close-combat dragon. It felt like there were many things I had newly seen and experienced today, but this scene topped it all.

Etaqua. A white dragon with low magic power, but was all set to raise his physical stats to the ultimate limits to make up for it. The way he reinforced his wings from time to time, to defend against the small preta's attacks, was also amazingly timely. There was some awkwardness in his movements though, since he was unaccustomed to fighting. But at that level…

'I can teach him.'

I could train him in battle sense, to be quick-witted and the like. He was certain to learn these things by himself, even without my teaching, but I was tempted by greed. Being of the ultimate dragon race with incredible physical ability, together with these two elements and the addition of technical skills, what enemy could dare stand before him? Of course, I was probably the only human to even think of teaching such things to a dragon.

Screeeech!

The preta was screaming. In front was Etaqua, behind were the gnoll warriors, and a moment of carelessness lead to be entangled by the spirits. I mused that this was what it's like to be powerless before numbers. But it was still lacking that final push. Casualties would be incurred if the small preta became further enraged.

'Cold Blood.'

I obtained blood from the surrounding corpses of the black wagons. A torrent of blood gathered within my hand, and soon created the shape of a sword.

Sword. Heartless Soul Stealer Blade.

Swish-!

A mouth of the small preta abruptly sprang out at me as I approached it. The mouths all over its body moved independently and threatened any living thing that came near.

Slas.h.!.+

Splurt!

I chopped, sliced, and cleaved. The movements of the small preta had already dulled by a measure. As I shred apart the oncoming mouths and the small preta's body, its tenacious vitaly had reached its limit.

Screeeee!

It raised an almost head numbing wail in its throes of death, and then…

Cras.h.!.+

The small preta collapsed at the end of a b.l.o.o.d.y fight that had lasted dozens of minutes.

[User was victorious in a battle against a powerful enemy.]

[1,350 points has been obtained.]

[Str and Con has each increased by 2.]

Whew!

I mopped the sweat from my forehead together at the same time the messages popped up, signalled the end of the battle. It was certain that having spirits made battle far easier. The small preta was a Lv6 monster. I placed huge significance on the fact of having killed a monster which rivaled ogres with 30 minutes of non-stop beating.

'It should have eaten the shadow kaim and Jewel of s.p.a.ce.'

There was no time to rest, however. I cut open the dead small preta's body. Following which, when I cut out its stomach as well, I was able to find the Jewel of s.p.a.ce as expected. But there was nothing that which resembled the shadow kaim. Instead, something else caught my eye.

'…What's this?'

It was an object which I've never before seen the likes of. A rainbow colored jewel was conspicuously placed within the small preta's stomach.