Leveling Up With Skills - Chapter 222: Arulia, the World of Spirits and Humans (5)
“Ta, Taesan-nim!”
Akien, trembling and huddled inside the carriage, burst into tears when she saw Taesan.
“Where have you been?!”
She had been on the verge of losing her mind while he was gone.
She had been sleeping peacefully when suddenly, the shockwave of an immense power woke her up, sending her into a panic. The force felt so overwhelming that it could easily crush them. Feeling their lives were in danger, they had frantically searched for Taesan, only to find he was nowhere in sight.
“Why didn’t you run? Why did you stay here?”
“B-But Taesan-nim wasn’t here…”
“You were waiting for me?”
“Y-Yes… because it was dangerous.”
Akien nodded, her voice trembling with fear.
A hint of surprise appeared on Taesan’s face.
‘It’s been a long time since someone worried about me.’
The last time someone had been concerned for him was back in his previous life, before he had gained any proper skills, when he was just a weak player in Easy Mode.
Taesan spoke.
“Sorry for worrying you, but I had something I needed to take care of, which is why I wasn’t around.”
“W-What could have been so important when that overwhelming power was spreading everywhere…?”
“That was because of me.”
“Huh?”
[Oh ho.]
Varcaza appeared beyond the carriage door.
[Are these your companions? They are weak, but good-natured.]
“Can you tell something like that?”
[Spirits are beings of nature. We can sense the general flow of life. Well, those as strong as you are mostly shielded from such readings.]
Akien’s eyes widened when she saw Varcaza.
“W-What?”
[It’s a pleasure to meet you. I am Varcaza, the supreme spirit of many colors. I am now contracted to the one beside me.]
“A-A supreme spirit!”
“Varcaza? No way!”
[Varcaza-nim?!]
The group was in shock. Even the spirits that had been guarding them were startled.
Taesan waved his hand dismissively.
“Let’s all get some sleep. You all haven’t slept yet, have you?”
“Ah, yes…”
Akien nodded blankly.
They had stayed up all night waiting for Taesan. Even though they were utterly exhausted, sleep had not come easily. After barely resting for a few hours, they had to set off in the carriage again.
Taesan walked outside the carriage. Varcaza, being too large to fit inside, stayed outside with him.
Inside the carriage, Akien’s group kept glancing curiously at Varcaza, their faces filled with questions they were desperate to ask.
Varcaza murmured contentedly.
[This is good.]
He seemed to enjoy the awe and respect that Akien’s group was showing him. The ghost let out a small laugh.
[You’re quite a worldly spirit. Entertaining, but in a different way from those in the Labyrinth.]
[Without small pleasures like this, life becomes too dull. The human world is much more enjoyable than the spirit realm.]
[…Varcaza-nim.]
One of the spirits that had been quietly following them could no longer hold back and spoke up.
[Did you really form a contract with this person?]
[What else does it look like?]
[…He killed our kin. He is an enemy.]
[And?]
Varcaza responded calmly.
The spirit questioned further.
[Forming a contract with someone who killed our kin? Everyone will condemn you.]
[They will condemn me?] Varcaza laughed.
[Who will condemn me? The King fulfilled his duties and disappeared. The Shield and the Spear, too, are no longer here. Who will judge and punish me in their absence?]
[But…]
[If he had killed with malice, I would have resisted. But he won a fair battle. As such, I have no intention of being hostile towards him.]
Varcaza turned away, signaling that the conversation was over.
[It’s exhausting to talk with those like you who are shackled by the rules of being a spirit. Go back.]
The spirits had no choice but to remain silent at Varcaza’s firm words.
Varcaza clicked his tongue.
[Most spirits are like that. They could stand to be a bit more free.]
[It seems like you’re the unusual one.]
[I won’t deny that. Even the Shield and Spear had a word or two for me.]
“You keep mentioning the Shield and Spear. Are they stronger than you?”
[Of course. They are the King’s direct subordinates.]
“So, your spirits have ranks. How are they classified exactly?”
[It’s not difficult. The weakest spirits with consciousness are those, the lower spirits. Even though they’re weak, compared to ordinary humans, they possess considerable power.]
Varcaza continued.
[Next are the mid-level spirits. They’re decently strong. This is generally the limit of spirits that can be summoned. They’re far stronger than lower spirits but still not overly impressive. Then there are the high-level spirits. These are noteworthy.]
Taesan had encountered high-level spirits in the Labyrinth. It was said that some people in this world had contracts with such spirits.
[They’re quite strong. You could consider them the limit of human power. And then there’s me, a supreme spirit.]
Varcaza puffed up with pride.
[We are rare, even across the entire spirit world. Those who contract with us make names for themselves worldwide. These people here surely know who I am.]
At the mention of Varcaza, Akien flinched in surprise.
[Speak, human. Do you know who I am?]
“…Yes. You are the great spirit of the King from centuries ago.”
[Indeed.]
Varcaza nodded.
[Every now and then, someone who surpasses human limits is born. They are the ones who form contracts with us. After us come the Spear and Shield who protect the King. They are directly under the King and are immensely powerful.]
“How do they compare to you?”
[There’s no comparison. I would be crushed without being able to put up a decent resistance.]
“Didn’t you say that when we fought, even the Spear and Shield wouldn’t be able to easily break through your defense?”
[That’s true, but… that’s all. It’s just a matter of time. I’ve sparred with them before and I couldn’t do anything. I lost every time.]
“I see.”
Taesan rubbed his chin.
“How do I compare to them now?”
[…That’s difficult to say.]
After a moment of silence, Varcaza responded.
[I don’t know the full extent of your power. But I did feel something when we formed our contract. You are monstrously strong. Even if the entire spirit world came at us, excluding the Shield and Spear, I cannot confidently say we would lose.]
Even as he said it, Varcaza chuckled.
He couldn’t quite believe there existed a human so powerful that the entire spirit world would be powerless against them.
[But in comparison to the Shield and Spear… I think you would have a hard time winning.]
“They’re that strong?”
[They are the King’s direct subordinates. They can’t possibly be weak.]
“Then that guy wasn’t one of them.”
The spirit that had inhabited the skeleton. The one who had pressed Taesan with the power of the Spirit King seemed to be a high-level spirit, not the Spear or Shield.
“Interesting.”
Taesan smiled faintly.
[Next would be the Spirit King, but… there’s not much to say. I don’t know the exact extent of the King’s power, only that it’s overwhelming.]
“I have a rough idea.”
The Spirit King in the Labyrinth had nearly killed him just by displaying emotions. While Taesan had grown stronger since then, nothing had changed fundamentally.
“A Spirit King, huh.”
Curious, Taesan asked.
“Is it possible to form a contract with any spirit?”
[In theory, it is. There have been those who formed contracts with the Spear and Shield.]
“What about the Spirit King?”
Varcaza paused at Taesan’s question.
[That… I don’t know. The King doesn’t concern himself with worldly affairs.]
“I see.”
[Well, it’s not something that would ever happen. Even considering it is a waste of time.]
Varcaza dismissed the idea.
[Now, Master, I have something to ask you.]
“Go ahead.”
[What do you mean when you say our god gave you a request?]
“It’s exactly as it sounds. The Spirit God resides in the Labyrinth. She asked me to come to this world and fill the void left by the Spirit King.”
Originally, Taesan hadn’t planned to reveal this. He had no reason to explain it to spirits who were hostile and wouldn’t believe him anyway.
But since Varcaza had contracted with him and wasn’t antagonistic, he saw no issue in sharing the information.
[…A god directly gave you a mission.]
Varcaza chuckled in disbelief.
[The more I hear, the stranger it gets. What do you mean by ‘void’?]
“Those guys.”
Taesan pointed ahead. Darkened spirits were charging toward the carriage.
Varcaza clapped his hands. Beams of light rained down, crushing the spirits. Cheers erupted from inside the carriage.
[Recently, spirits have been acting strange.]
“The ancient gods are taking advantage of the Spirit King’s absence to target this place.”
[Ah, the outcast gods. The ancient ones?]
“So you know about them.”
[I am a relatively old spirit. Things have been odd since the Spirit King disappeared. So that’s what it was.]
Varcaza chuckled softly.
[Master, you were right. From the very start, I’ve been involved in such a fight. I’m very satisfied.]
“As long as you’re satisfied, that’s all that matters.”
Afterward, it was time for a meal. Akien’s group continued glancing nervously at Varcaza as they prepared the food.
[If you have any questions, ask. I will answer.]
Startled by Varcaza’s offer, Akien dropped the ladle she was holding.
She handed the ladle to a spirit and cautiously asked.
“You are the great spirit who served Varian, the exalted King who inherited the blood of the gods…”
[There’s a misunderstanding there. That guy didn’t inherit any divine blood. He was actually born a slave.]
“…What?”
It was true. The spirit that had only existed in history was right before them.
‘How is this possible?’
Taesan had no elemental affinity. He should not have been able to form any contract with a spirit, let alone a supreme spirit.
Trying to steady herself, Akien asked another question.
“Great Spirit, who is the one we are going to meet?”
The girl inside the orb. No one in the world knew her identity. There was only speculation.
Varcaza answered her question.
[Not long ago, the Spirit King fulfilled his duties and disappeared. A new Spirit King will take his place.]
“Then that person is…”
[The one who will protect Arulia as the new Spirit King.]
Akien’s face turned pale. The others, who had been listening, were also shaken.
They lived alongside spirits. To them, the Spirit King was an object of faith.
In particular, their family was one of the most devout followers of the Spirit King.
“T-Then we…”
[You are conducting experiments on the very one meant to protect you.]
Akien bit her lip.
[The spirits aren’t overly concerned because you don’t have the power to harm the King… but it’s ridiculous. I always think this, but most humans are far too selfish.]
Varcaza sneered. Akien’s face darkened.
The carriage continued forward.
Finally, they arrived in front of the orb.
[There are many people here.]
It was impossible to count them all. Hundreds of people surrounded the orb, having set up tents.
Akien spoke in a fading voice.
“The Bajuk family personally requested it, so they’ve gathered from all over.”
“Then this is where we part.”
“Huh?”
“If it’s known that you were with me, it won’t be good for you.”
Akien realized what Taesan intended to do.
“I…”
“Do as you please. You don’t need to get involved.”
Taesan kicked off the ground.
Ignoring the voices calling after him, Taesan ran toward the orb, avoiding the people. A massive barrier had been set up around the orb.
“Varcaza.”
[Wait a moment.]
Varcaza placed his hand on the barrier.
It crumbled away, creating an opening for Taesan to enter.
Without alerting anyone, Taesan arrived at the orb.
Surprisingly, no one was there. Everyone was busy preparing to tackle the orb.
Taesan touched it.
Wooooong.
Power surged through his hand.
It was a heavy, natural force. Varcaza, sensing it, murmured in awe.
[As expected of the King. Even in an incomplete state, this much power…]
Beyond the orb was a small girl.
She had blue hair and wore a white robe. Inside the orb, she was curled up quietly.
“This is the second time I’ve seen a Spirit King.”
The Guide of Sin. One of their leaders, the Flame Spirit King.
And now, the Spirit King who protected Arul Ria.
Protecting the one before him was the reason Taesan had come here.