Chapter 193 -----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ace
Chapter: 193
Chapter Title: The Abyssal Spirit's Test
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Crack- crack-
That night.
"A first-year, camping out with a second-year senior. You're really enjoying school life, aren't you? I'm jealous."
Jin grumbled.
At his words, Ril tilted her head.
"Is this really enjoying school life?"
"Of course it is. Back in my day, it was nothing but training."
Jin shuddered, recalling his school days.
Seeing this, Ril was impressed.
"So that's how you got your name in the Hero Record! That's amazing! I want to follow in your footsteps!"
"Fame and great deeds are fine, but enjoy your school days. This is some advice from your senior. Dress up a little, too. You're pretty now, but you'd be even prettier if you put in some effort."
At Jin's words, Ril blinked.
"Is that so? Do you think so too, Leo?"
"Well, it's good for teenagers to have fun."
"A junior who gets it."
Hearing Leo's words, Jin let out a chuckle.
"So, what's a hero from the Hero Record doing in a place like this? Shouldn't an active hero be on the front lines against Tartaros or conquering dungeons?"
Jin nodded at Leo's question.
"You're right. I was originally on the southern front against Tartaros."
The southern front against Tartaros, where the hero guilds affiliated with Lumerne were active.
The supreme commander there was none other than Lumerne's chairman and the head of the Jer-on family.
Altech Jer-on, known as the Infinity Speller.
"But recently, there was a hero summons at Lumerne."
At those words, Leo and Ril looked surprised.
"Those on important, top-secret missions or in the middle of conquering dungeons didn't answer the call, but most of the ones with some time on their hands probably did."
*'A hero summons. So the guests the headmaster mentioned were heroes.'*
The reason why hero academies, including Lumerne, have such a massive influence on the world.
One of them is the hero summons.
The absolute authority to summon heroes from Lumerne who are listed in the Hero Record.
Just possessing the authority to call upon heroes who could revolutionize the world and sway global affairs was an immense power in itself.
"It's because of the Lu-Se Games, isn't it?"
"That's right."
At Leo's words, Jin crossed his arms.
"This year's Lu-Se Games are being held at Seirun, right? With the students competing and the faculty leading them all away, the academy can't help but worry about being left empty."
There was an attack from Tartaros not too long ago.
Lumerne didn't want to leave the academy's defenses vulnerable.
So they chose a hero summons.
To summon active heroes to protect the academy.
"Well, some of them will probably be going to Seirun, too."
"To Seirun?"
"Yeah. I don't know why, but that's what the headmaster said. There must be a reason, right?"
Even as he said that, Jin wore a meaningful smile.
Leo knew exactly what that smile meant.
*'Seirun isn't much different from Lumerne, after all.'*
Leo recalled the midterm exams from the last semester.
Seirun's second-year, Lauta.
He was a traitor taking orders from the Necro King.
He probably wasn't the only student like that.
Seirun is keeping that fact from the public for the sake of the school's honor.
At the same time, they're secretly trying to root out the traitors.
*'But it won't be easy.'*
Even Lumerne couldn't catch a trace of them until Tartaros started making its move in earnest.
It was the same for Leo, who was practically an expert at hunting down and killing members of Tartaros.
In a situation like this, there was no telling how well Seirun had tracked their internal spies.
*'So it's to prepare for any contingencies during the Lu-Se Games.'*
Of course, attacking a place where the full strength of both academies is concentrated would be an incredibly reckless plan, even for Tartaros.
*'But there's no telling what kind of plan that bastard is plotting.'*
Leo narrowed his eyes, thinking of the Necro King, Hell Kaiser.
A shudder-inducing calamity.
With Erebos sealed, he was the most threatening monster in the world.
"By the way, you haven't given up on going to the Zerodia castle ruins, have you?"
"No. It seems the target of this mission is an abyssal spirit."
Ril nodded at Jin's question.
The mission was to escort a distinguished guest from the Zerodia castle ruins to Lumerne.
If the one in the Zerodia castle ruins now was the abyssal spirit, then the distinguished guest Lumerne mentioned had to be that very spirit.
*'An institution like Lumerne could certainly invite even a great spirit as a guest.'*
The problem was that this abyssal spirit hated people.
Even if it had accepted the invitation, there was no telling when it might change its mind.
That must be why they sent Ril.
Spirits are instinctively drawn to exceptional spirit summoners.
There was no better spirit summoner than Ril to invite an abyssal spirit that hated people.
Ril, too, had realized this and intended to continue with the mission.
"In any case, we have to meet the abyssal spirit."
At Ril's words, Jin rested his chin on his hand.
"In that case, I'll help."
Hearing Jin's words, Ril's eyes widened.
"It'll be tough for you two to handle a great spirit on your own. If things go wrong, you might have to give up on the mission without even meeting it."
"If you're joining us, Sir Jin, I'd be more than happy, but... I worry we might be a burden."
"Don't worry about that. I'm also curious to see the skill level of the juniors in the Summoning Department."
With a meaningful smile, Jin glanced at Leo.
"And the skills of the rumored All-Class, too."
At that, Leo let out a soft laugh.
"I'll do my best to meet your expectations."
"I'll be looking forward to it."
***
The next day.
With Jin having joined them, Leo and Ril's party headed for the Zerodia castle ruins once more.
As the eldest and an active hero, Jin took a slightly detached stance behind the two.
He had offered to help, but that didn't mean he would step up and lead the party.
"I'm nervous. It feels like we're being tested by a hero."
"Don't be too nervous."
"Aren't you nervous, Leo?"
"No."
"That's incredible. Even though you're a first-year, Leo, you seem like someone with a veteran's experience."
Ril looked at Leo with envy.
"I'll take the lead."
Leo took the vanguard position.
As he walked ahead, Leo was lost in thought.
*'A spirit that hates people. What do you think, Elsie?'*
[I'm not sure. I've never hated people before.]
Elsie shook her head.
Seeing her, Leo smiled bitterly to himself.
At Leo's reaction, Elsie asked cautiously.
[The me you remember hated people, didn't she?]
*'Yes.'*
[You said it was because all the children at the orphanage died, right?]
She couldn't possibly imagine it.
A version of herself that detested the world and hated people.
Elsie was lost in thought.
She had liked people since the day she was born.
She was drawn to the existence of spirit summoners and thought their efforts shone brightly.
During the Age of Calamity.
The sight of Agon talking about hope to the children of the orphanage, who were struggling to survive, seemed to shine.
Elsie had yearned for the light since birth.
She thought it was likely due to her nature as a dark-attribute spirit.
Everyone tends to yearn for what they don't have, after all.
That's why she dreamed of the stars in the night sky, which she had never seen since her birth.
In a way, the children of the orphanage, who didn't lose hope even in those despairing days, were like the stars in the night sky to Elsie.
*'Though it ended in tragedy.'*
It was changed in the World of Heroes, but...
Elsie's expression turned sad at the fact that it hadn't changed in history.
But...
*'Kyle saved the world. He found the world's light and showed me a brightly shining night sky.'*
The current Elsie had grown to like people even more.
Because many of the people she had watched with Leo shone like stars.
Perhaps other spirits were no different from her.
Spirits are beings that inherently like people.
It is a spirit's instinct to be drawn to people and want to watch over them.
For such a spirit to hate people.
[For that abyssal spirit, a spirit of darkness, to hate people... doesn't that mean it must have experienced something terrible?]
*'Probably.'*
[...]
The version of herself she didn't know, the one who hated the world, had also ended up making a contract with Kyle to protect it.
*'I must have been trying to find an answer, too.'*
In the end, she must have been unable to truly hate people.
[Leo, I want to talk with that spirit.]
At those words, Leo paused.
Several months had passed since Elsie left the World of Heroes.
This was the first time.
The first time Elsie had wanted something.
Piora, who chirped for chocolate every day.
Kiruan, who pestered him to be treated with preference.
Arti, who even bought a riding crop and asked to be treated more harshly.
Unlike the three peculiar summoned beasts, Elsie never revealed her desires, other than to quietly gaze up at the night sky.
She would only say that she hoped to be of help to Leo on his path.
But now, that same Elsie had shown her 'will' for the first time.
Confronting a great spirit hostile to people was a dangerous thing to do.
But...
*'Alright.'*
Leo nodded.
As someone who knew Elsie's past, it was hard for Leo to refuse her request.
*'What the hell, I'll set up a meeting.'*
[Thank you!]
***
An hour passed after they entered the Zerodia castle ruins.
There was no sign of the spirits that had so fiercely tried to drive out the intruders last night.
Anyone else might have thought the great spirit had left the place.
But Leo, Ril, and Jin.
All three were exceptional spirit summoners.
Leo, in particular, was the former Great Hero of the All-Class, and Jin was a hero who had earned his place in the Hero Record with his spirit arts.
They noticed that the abyssal spirit's influence still lingered in the Zerodia castle ruins.
"The fact that it's so quiet is making me even more nervous."
It was then, as Jin entered the center of the ruins and muttered with a frown.
Fwoosh-!
In an instant, darkness spread across the floor.
Seeing it, Jin hurriedly summoned his spiritual power and reached out to Leo and Ril, who were walking ahead.
But before Jin's hand could reach them, Leo and Ril were sucked into the darkness.
"Damn."
Jin clicked his tongue and tried to follow them.
But countless spirits appeared before him.
"You only have business with the fresh-faced students?"
Jin frowned.
"No interest in an old guy like me? Geez. That's harsh."
Gwoooo-!
Facing the numerous high-ranking spirits blocking his path, Jin drew his curved sword and summoned his Aura and spiritual power.
"If you so much as lay a finger on those students, I won't let you get away with it, Abyssal Spirit!"
His lighthearted demeanor completely gone, Jin's eyes flashed as he charged at the high-ranking spirits.
Sucked into the darkness, Leo and Ril fell straight into the ruins' underground.
Whoosh-! Thud-! Thud-!
The two of them landed on the floor and simultaneously looked up at the ceiling.
[Welcome, hero candidates.]
At the voice that came from in front of them, the two looked forward.
Standing there was a young man with jet-black hair and eyes.
His face was cast in shadow, and he wore a dark hood and cloak that covered his entire body.
Looking like a grim reaper from a story, Ril tensed up.
"Are you the Abyssal Spirit?"
[Yes.]
At the emotionless, dry voice, Ril tensed and took the mission papers from her coat.
"I received a mission from Lumerne to escort a distinguished guest to the academy. I believe you, the Abyssal Spirit, must be the guest the academy invited... Is that correct?"
[Lumerne did invite me.]
Hearing the abyssal spirit's words, Ril's expression brightened.
"Greetings! Oh, Abyssal Spirit, my name is Ril Luce. I am the one who has come to meet you..."
[I'm not interested.]
"Ah."
[Lumerne invited me to arrange a contractor for me.]
The abyssal spirit stared straight at the flustered Ril.
[But no matter how I think about it, I doubt there's any value in making a contract with a human. Especially you, the human girl who brought the mission papers. You must be the most likely candidate Lumerne has chosen.]
"M-Me?"
Ril looked completely taken aback, as if hearing it for the first time, then pointed at Leo.
"Um... th-there's a much greater summoner than me right here. He even became the student council president as a first-year. Me, a candidate for the Abyssal Spirit's contract? That's ridiculous."
At Ril's words, the abyssal spirit looked at Leo.
[No matter how I look at him, that one seems to lack the aptitude of a spirit summoner.]
Leo chuckled at that.
It was true.
In terms of aptitude as a spirit summoner alone, Leo was pitifully lacking compared to Ril.
[Ril Luce, the fact you came to me means you are here to undergo a test of sorts, to determine whether you can become my contractor or not.]
"Oh my gosh... someone like me, a candidate for a great spirit's contract! Aren't you mistaken?"
[Mistaken or not, it doesn't matter. I have no intention of making a contract anyway. I only accepted the invitation out of consideration for my ties with Kalian and Riven. I figured they'd send a candidate if I set myself up here.]
Hearing that, Leo thought to himself.
*'Lumerne, indeed. To think they'd go so far as to arrange a contract between a great spirit and a student.'*
From Lumerne's perspective, they must have wanted to nurture a great spirit's contractor amidst the rapidly changing world situation.
*'But he's more twisted than I thought.'*
Leo was wary of the abyssal spirit.
[So I thought if a candidate came, I'd test them in my own way. But I didn't expect them to send a Knight of Undine along.]
At the abyssal spirit's words, Leo's eyes twitched.
[It seems they noticed I would prepare a rather dangerous test.]
Slither-
The floor where Leo and Ril stood suddenly began to sink like a swamp.
Looking down, they saw darkness slowly begin to swallow their bodies.
"W-What!"
[I told you. I prepared a test in my own way. I am a spirit of darkness. I will only form a contract with one who can accept my darkness.]
The abyssal spirit's lips curled into a smirk.
[Try to withstand my darkness.]
"Th-Then I'll take it alone! Leo wasn't sent by the academy; he only came along at my request!"
Ril shouted urgently.
Hearing her, the abyssal spirit looked bored.
[That's none of my business.]
"Kuh! Leo! Run! This is dangerous!"
Ril struggled against the darkness, moving in front of Leo and trying somehow to pull him out of the swamp of darkness.
But the more she struggled, the faster she was swallowed by the darkness.
"N-No."
Now submerged up to her neck, Ril looked at Leo with worried eyes.
"Leo, I'm sorr— Hup-!"
Ril was the first to be swallowed by the darkness.
Watching this, Leo glanced at the abyssal spirit.
He saw the abyssal spirit, its eyes closed as if it had already lost interest.
With that, a deep darkness descended.
It felt as if he were submerged in lightless water.
In that moment—Leo grasped the Orb of Radiance hanging around his neck.
Flash-!
A bright light instantly burst forth.
Fwoosh-!
The eyes of the abyssal spirit, Ignit, twitched.
"You're a rather nasty spirit."
[How did you escape my darkness?]
Leo spoke as if it were no big deal.
"I swallowed your darkness."
[That should be impossible.]
To devour the power of a spirit of the same attribute, one needs the power of a spirit of at least the same rank.
But Ignit's power was that of a great spirit, the highest rank among the dark attribute.
Devouring it is impossible.
"Normally, it would be."
Leo chuckled and looked at Ignit.
"But it's not impossible for the contractor of a dark spirit with power on par with yours."
[Nonsense.]
[Hello.]
Just then, a palm-sized Elsie peeked her head out from between Leo's white hair.
Seeing Elsie, Ignit scowled.
[What are you?]
[My name is Elsie. I'm a shadow spirit.]
Elsie smiled brightly.
[I'd like to talk to you.]
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