Leveling Up With Skills - Chapter 228: Darkness Creating a Black World (3)
She had grown.
The young girl’s appearance was completely gone, replaced by that of a mature woman. Her blue hair cascaded down past her waist, and her radiant blue eyes gleamed with an otherworldly light.
Minerva stepped onto the ground.
The wind swirled around her, and the very air beside her seemed to calm.
All of nature bowed to her.
Her overwhelming presence filled the entire space.
She turned her gaze. With a calm, slightly detached look, she smiled softly.
“It feels like it’s been a long time.”
“It’s been less than an hour.”
“Only that long? Strange.”
She examined her own fingers. They were long, delicate, and beautiful.
“To me, it felt like an incredibly long time.”
“Hahahaha!”
Hasak’s crazed laughter erupted as he interrupted their conversation. He stared at Minerva, his excitement growing.
“The Spirit King! The Spirit King! The weakling I once believed in!”
He, too, was a human from Arullia. As a child, he had worshipped the Spirit King, offering unwavering faith.
But no longer.
“To me, you are nothing now! Be buried and die!”
Hasak believed himself to be great, having made a contract with a being comparable to the gods.
Indeed, he had easily suppressed Minerva’s power when she had lashed out in anger.
Even if she had grown stronger, nothing would have changed. Hasak unleashed the shadow, sending it to devour Minerva.
Minerva cast a cold glance and spoke.
“Begone.”
The wind stirred. A small gesture of her hand became a massive storm that descended upon the earth.
Crash!
The raging storm swept away the shadow, obliterating it. Hasak’s face twisted in shock as he shrouded himself in darkness, but the wind overwhelmed him.
“Kaaaah!”
For the first time, his voice carried pain.
“Hmph.”
Minerva smiled coldly.
When the storm subsided, the shadow that had swallowed the entire earth was nowhere to be seen.
[She’s certainly the Spirit King.]
The ghost murmured, and Taesan realized it too. Having seen the Fire Spirit King, he could immediately compare the two.
Minerva now wielded the full power of the Spirit King.
She was someone who could break through the deepest layers on her own. Even if dozens of Taesans at his current level attacked her, victory wouldn’t be guaranteed.
She possessed the power, dignity, and qualifications fitting for a Spirit King.
“I want to tear you apart right now…”
Minerva’s eyes narrowed, her killing intent enveloping Hasak.
“Guh…”
Hasak swallowed hard. The shadow wrapped around him protectively.
Just the expression of her emotions caused Hasak to feel tangible pressure.
“But I can’t.”
Minerva looked up at the sky.
Rumble!
Taesan hadn’t noticed due to his fight with Hasak, but beyond the sky, a clash of purple energy and light continued to rage.
Even from far away, the beings of the earth could feel the ripples of that immense power.
It was the collision between the Old God and the Spirit God.
Varkaza appeared belatedly. Bowing respectfully to the Spirit King, he greeted her.
[My King. Congratulations on reaching completion.]
“Thank you, Varkaza.”
With a tender look, Minerva stroked Varkaza’s head and spoke.
“Taesan. I have to go help my father. I’ll leave this one to you.”
“No problem.”
“…Don’t mock me! How dare you ignore me!”
Hasak shouted furiously.
They were planning to leave without even acknowledging him. His pride couldn’t tolerate that.
Fueled by his emotions, the shadow rushed forward, swallowing the entire earth.
Minerva sneered at him.
“The power you wield is certainly threatening to even me.”
The shadow, which came from a direct contract with the Old God, was indeed formidable, even to a Spirit King.
“But the one wielding it is still just a human.”
Minerva clenched her fist. The advancing darkness shattered like glass.
“That fragment of power cannot touch me. But it will affect him. It’ll be dangerous without help.”
Minerva turned her gaze toward Taesan.
“I’m sorry.”
She spoke softly.
“This happened because I asked you not to kill him. That allowed the Old God to intervene.”
“I told you, it doesn’t matter. They would have interfered regardless.”
“No. This is a matter of my heart.”
Minerva reached out her hand toward Taesan.
“I am the King of all Spirits and the protector of Arullia. The Spirit King of the Wind, Minerva.”
From her fingertips, power began to flow.
The power surrounded both Taesan and Minerva.
“By staking my birth and destruction as a spirit, I will make a contract with you and become your companion.”
It was a contract. And once established, it was a bond that couldn’t be broken without the mutual consent of both parties.
“Will you accept?”
Taesan looked at her silently.
“You said you wouldn’t form contracts.”
Her power was meant for this world. If she formed a contract, she would lose some of her strength, and thus she had said she wouldn’t do it.
Minerva gave a bitter smile.
“The situation has changed. Think of it as both a gift and an apology.”
Outside, Hasak continued to release his power, but it was blocked by the barrier surrounding Taesan and Minerva.
She anxiously looked at Taesan.
“…What will you do?”
“Well.”
There was no reason to refuse. Minerva’s power was certainly necessary to defeat Hasak.
“I’ll accept.”
Minerva smiled.
“Good.”
The power of the King flowed into Taesan.
He couldn’t help but let out a groan.
The energy that filled him was fundamentally different from anything he had acquired before.
[You have made a contract with the Spirit King of Wind, Minerva.]
[You have learned the special passive skill [Natural Harmony].]
[You have learned the special active skill [Vessel of the King].]
[You have obtained the title [One Who Made a Contract with the King].]
“From now on, I will be your shield and your sword.”
Minerva continued.
“I will protect you, and your enemies will be my enemies. You are now my master.”
Taesan nodded. Minerva smiled and waved over Varkaza.
“Come here.”
[Are you sure, my King?]
“It’s my decision. Besides, I have a gift for you too.”
She placed her hand on Varkaza’s head.
Her power descended upon him. Varkaza’s strength and presence began to grow visibly.
Varkaza gasped in awe.
[My King. To grant me such grace…]
“It seems your vessel can’t handle being a shield yet…”
[This is more than enough. Thank you for your grace, my King.]
“Alright. Then my business here is done.”
Her body began to fade.
“I’ll leave the rest to you.”
With those words, she soared into the distant sky.
Taesan clenched his fist.
“Aaahhh!”
Hasak let out a scream.
“Just the Spirit King’s power! That’s all you have!”
The shadow stirred once more. The darkness, which had been suppressed by the Spirit King’s power, surged toward Taesan again.
Wild shadows.
Until now, Taesan had been cautious of even touching them.
But that was no longer the case.
“Varkaza.”
Varkaza clapped his hands together with a boom. A barrier formed around Taesan.
Crack!
The shadow slammed into the barrier, shaking it violently.
But it didn’t break. Despite cracking and trembling as if it would shatter at any moment, the barrier held strong, protecting the one it needed to.
[Oh. It can withstand this level of attack.]
Varkaza’s voice was filled with satisfaction.
[This is the power granted to me by the King herself… I am greatly pleased.]
“Don’t mock me! You’re just a mere high spirit, and you think you can stop me!”
[That’s exactly what’s happening, human who sold his soul.]
Varkaza laughed at Hasak.
While Varkaza held off the attack, Taesan calmly adjusted to his new senses.
He raised his hand.
The wind responded, gathering into his palm.
The earth’s energy flowed through his feet, and the sky’s energy descended upon him.
Nature itself was in harmony with him.
“Hah.”
Taesan couldn’t help but laugh.
He, who had been an enemy of the spirits, who had been opposed by them, had now made a contract with their king. He laughed at the irony.
“Just hang in there a little longer.”
[I’ll try my best, but I won’t last much longer. Please finish this quickly, master.]
“Aaaahhh!”
Hasak continued to hammer at the barrier.
It shook violently, as though it would break at any moment, but it held.
Taesan focused on the power he felt within.
The skill he had gained from his contract with Minerva. He instinctively understood how to use it.
[You have activated Vessel of the King.]
Thump!
His body trembled.
The presence of something great, something that touched the edge of mortality, filled him.
Taesan let out a groan. The immense presence overwhelmed his entire body. It clashed and collided with the various powers he had accumulated over time.
‘This feels foreign.’
It wasn’t power he had earned through his own efforts. It was forcefully granted to him through the contract, elevating both his level and his vessel. Naturally, it felt out of place and clashed with the power he had built up on his own.
‘And it’s too strong.’
The power coursing through him shook his insides so violently it felt almost abusive.
He could control it, but he lacked the skill to fully integrate it with the other forces within him.
The power that filled him from the Vessel of the King.
His spiritual force.
His mana.
His magi.
And the myriad other energies within him all trembled.
Taesan quickly made a decision. He couldn’t contain all this power at once.
The pure white ring on his finger shimmered with a brilliant glow.
Humm.
The white, radiant item, brimming with elegance and mystery.
Its effect was the assistance of his spiritual force and the storage of power.
As he activated Vessel of the King, the power that filled Taesan began to flow into the ring. It quietly absorbed all of the overwhelming energy.
Humm.
The power within the ring stabilized.
Taesan was slightly surprised by how well it absorbed the energy.
“It can hold all of this?”
[Think about what that ring is made of. Even the raw power of the Spirit King should be no problem for it.]
It was a fortunate realization. Taesan aligned himself with the ring. With the stored power, he could now control just the right amount of energy to use in battle.
“Phew.”
After preparing himself, Taesan took a deep breath.
“This feels strange.”
[Are you ready, master? I’m reaching my limit.]
Hasak, consumed by madness, was still recklessly unleashing his power. The barrier that Varkaza had barely managed to maintain was on the verge of shattering.
“I’m ready now.”
Taesan stepped forward.
Crash!
The barrier broke. Hasak bared his teeth.
“Be consumed!”
The darkness surged toward him.
Taesan clenched his fist.
Harmonizing with the ring, he gathered the stored power and released it with a punch.
Boom!
The air exploded as the shadow was obliterated.
“What… What?”
Taesan smirked, feeling satisfied with the power coursing through him.
“This is great.”
“This… this can’t be!”
Hasak screamed in denial.
“I possess the power of the gods! The power of those who crush the laws of this world!”
Hasak believed he had surpassed the limits of mortality. In his mind, he was convinced of this. He couldn’t accept that his attacks had been blocked by mere mortals and a Spirit King.
Whoosh!
In response to his emotions, the shadow surged. Countless shapes formed from the darkness and rushed toward Taesan.
Taesan drew his sword.
Clang!
The shadowy forms were deflected by his sword. They tried to cling to him and corrode him, but with a slight release of energy, they were repelled.
“Hah.”
Taesan couldn’t help but laugh.
‘With this power…’
He waved his hand.
[You have activated Small Ember.]
Small Ember. The dark flame once wielded by the wolf that had brought ruin to the world.
Until now, Taesan hadn’t been able to fully control this flame due to a lack of power.
Fwoosh!
The flame flickered to life. Taesan roughly waved his hand, and the apocalyptic blaze followed his will, consuming the shadow.
Taesan clenched his fist. The flame condensed into an orb.
Hasak hurriedly cloaked himself in darkness.
Sizzle!
“Aaahhh!”
The darkness was scorched by the flames, and Hasak’s body ignited.
[$#@! takes 753 damage.]
Taesan’s lips curled into a grin.
He had finally begun dealing proper damage.
“You… youuuu!”
Hasak barely managed to extinguish the flames, his bloodshot eyes glaring at Taesan. Shadows extended toward him again.
[You have activated Wolf’s Familiar.]
Wolves formed from spiritual force appeared.
[Growl!]
The wolves tore into the shadows viciously.
The shadows were ripped apart and began to fade.
“This… this can’t be…”
“Not bad.”
Taesan raised his hand. The darkness swirled around him, responding to his will.
“I wonder if this will work too?”
[You have activated Branch of Spreading Curse.]
It was a technique used by an apostle of the Old God whom Taesan had once defeated. It was the power the Old God had personally bestowed upon his apostle.
That power was now being manifested through Taesan’s force.