A massive 3-metre-tall form with silver-grey fur and that divine diamond-shaped gem between its brows.
Like a mythical beast from legend, the giant wolf stood poised on thin air, its emerald eyes fixed on the figure beneath the shrine's torii gate.
As it scrutinised Luo Shu, he returned the gaze unflinchingly.
Studying this tangible elemental lifeform before him, Luo Shu couldn't help but smile as he asked:
"How should I address you?"
Faced with Luo Shu's question, the giant wolf remained silent for a moment before responding in an erudite voice:
"By human conventions, you should call me the Spirit King of Wind."
"Oh?" Luo Shu couldn't conceal his surprise at this.
Though he'd successfully used the Nature Spirit Blood from Eriri's lineage, combined with wind-attribute Spirit Liquid, to summon a wind-attribute nature spirit at the spiritual leyline where Suzuka Dairenji had performed the Taizan Fukun Ritual linking life and death, he hadn't expected the Spirit King of Wind himself to answer the call.
In reality, nature spirits in this world had clear hierarchies.
The lowest were elemental spirits, comparable to Hero Rank Class holders.
Above them were the Great Spirits, who were essentially Demigod-level beings.
The most advanced among Great Spirits approached the power of ordinary Demigods who'd ascended through orthodox Class progression.
And above these Great Spirits stood the various elemental Spirit Kings.
The very elemental lords who'd formed pacts with Ayano Kannagi's ancestors.
Though above even these Spirit Kings existed entities like the Five Great Spirits of the Patch Tribe - manifestations of the planet's will - due to environmental factors, these five remained largely dormant. The highest-ranking spirits currently responsive on Earth were the Spirit Kings.
Thus, even Luo Shu hadn't anticipated summoning the Spirit King of Wind himself.
"To think a Spirit King would answer... this is rather unexpected."
As he spoke, Luo Shu bought time for Mukuro Hoshimiya to seal the area while satisfying his own curiosity:
"Might I ask your reason for appearing here?"
The wind-embodied giant wolf seemed unconcerned with Luo Shu's stalling tactics, explaining with clear benevolence:
"My reasons for appearing are manifold."
"Primarily, to eradicate the Nature Spirit Blood from another world, preventing its contamination of this reality's natural elements."
Luo Shu's eyelid twitched as he recalled the blood samples taken from Eriri.
'So their origin traces to an otherworldly nature spirit?'
'And judging by the Spirit King's personal intervention, could it be... the bloodline of another world's Spirit King?'
The silver-furred giant wolf of wind paid no heed to Luo Shu's changing expression as it calmly explained:
"Secondly, it is the gate between life and death opened here by the Taizan Fukun Ritual."
"Due to the caster's inexperience, the boundary between life and death here has already begun to blur. If left unchecked, powerful beings from the realm of the dead might descend into reality through this place."
"As the terminal of planetary order, I cannot allow such influence to continue existing in the natural world."
The Spirit King of Wind spoke eloquently, appearing surprisingly talkative in demeanour:
"Thirdly, it is your presence at this location while possessing the recognition of the five progenitor spirits, and your performance of the summoning ritual."
"Heh heh... In truth, had your ritual bloodline contained more attributes other than wind, any one of the Spirit Kings could have appeared here instead."
Hearing this, Luo Shu couldn't help but feel somewhat reflective:
"You make it sound like I'm some sort of villain."
The contrast was stark between himself - deliberately exploiting the Taizan Fukun Ritual's effects and Eriri's bloodline to summon nature spirits to obtain Nature Spirit Blood - and the Spirit King of Wind, who came on official duty to protect planetary order.
Even Luo Shu had to admit the moral disparity was obvious.
Yet as the one who actively stepped forward, the Spirit King of Wind actually offered Luo Shu comfort:
"You summoned me seeking materials for advancement, didn't you?"
"No need to rush to deny it - I can sense the scent of calamity upon you."
"The inverse of order, an aggregation of errors, natural disasters through evolution... heh heh. To think such a Class would emerge."
Facing the Spirit King of Wind's inquiry, Luo Shu joked in response:
"I wasn't rushing to deny anything. If anything, you seem to be deliberately hinting at something."
Hearing this, the Spirit King of Wind paused momentarily before the giant wolf's face revealed a remarkably human-like smile:
"It appears you've guessed certain matters."
Luo Shu didn't deny it, merely giving the Spirit King of Wind a deep look.
In truth, he'd only recalled the Thunder Spirit delivered by the Great Will, and considered how the Spirit King of Wind was technically subordinate to that entity - hence his deduction about the Spirit King's current benevolence.
The specifics remained unclear, but that didn't hinder his objectives:
"How do I obtain Nature Spirit Blood Essence?"
The Spirit King of Wind showed no intention of withholding the answer:
"The power core possessed by higher elemental lifeforms is what you call Nature Spirit Blood Essence."
"Such things can normally only be given willingly by elemental beings. When I bestow this upon my contractors to transform their bloodlines, that power is commonly termed Nature Spirit Blood Essence."
This revelation gave Luo Shu pause:
"So I'd need to form a contract with you to obtain Nature Spirit Blood Essence?"
The Spirit King of Wind chuckled in response:
"Alternatively, you could erase my consciousness while I'm incapable of resistance, leaving behind undiminished elemental essence."
"Though naturally, only the strongest among Apostles, or those Angels who walk the earth, or perhaps deities could accomplish such a feat."
Luo Shu's expression turned somewhat peculiar upon hearing this. If Nature Spirit Blood Essence could only be obtained this way, did that mean that unless he had a close enough relationship with a nature spirit to receive their blood as a gift, his only option was to purchase it with points from the Divine Pantheon's marketplace?
Did the path to the Calamity Monarch Class and reaching Child of Apocalypse ultimately depend on having the right connections?
At this thought, Luo Shu fell silent for a moment before asking:
"So even if I summoned you, I wouldn't be able to obtain complete Nature Spirit Blood Essence?"
"Indeed."
The Spirit King of Wind nodded. If obtained through combat, their battle would inevitably expend a great deal of power drawn from elemental sources - meaning the more intense the fight, the more Nature Spirit Blood Essence would be consumed.
By resisting fiercely, it could indeed leave Luo Shu with nothing.
But clearly, it couldn't treat the emissary of the Great Will in such a manner.
Especially when the other party wielded the most tempestuous of the Five Great Spirits - the Thunder Spirit.
Thus, the Spirit King of Wind maintained a friendly attitude towards Luo Shu, despite having come specifically to address the troubles he'd caused the world:
"We could exchange what we need through trade."
"Oh?"
Luo Shu narrowed his eyes, curious about the Spirit King of Wind's terms:
"What do you wish to trade?"
At this, the Spirit King of Wind smiled and said:
"I've gathered many interesting pieces of information from the winds of nature."
"If the information the wind has conveyed to me is correct, a child of wind should have been sealed by an organisation called Truth Astronomy."
"Following the flow of the wind, that child should be brought to your side."
"I hope you can rescue her and nurture her into the new Spirit King of Wind."
"That is my condition."
"Raise a Spirit King of Wind?" Luo Shu's lips twitched. "You really think highly of me!"
The Spirit King of Wind maintained its gentle smile:
"So, what is your answer?"
Luo Shu raised an eyebrow, then took a deep breath and said:
"Deal!"