Episode 510

Professor Millei generally preferred calculation and theory over intuition or feeling, but this time, he decided to trust his certainty without further confirmation.

It was rare to feel this sure about something.

‘But how?’

Freely leaving one’s designated area in an alternate plane was not something you could do just because you wanted to.

By nature, the beings of other planes were not tolerant toward intruders.

Even spirits, who were the most agreeable to negotiation, would turn violent if even slightly offended by an intruder’s demeanor.

Therefore, moving outside one’s area in another plane required extremely careful preparation.

One would have to map out the surroundings, negotiate with the local beings, contact the ruler of the area to be entered…

These weren’t things that, no matter how talented you were, could be done in an instant.

If some powerful being of the spirit realm didn’t personally extend an invitation, it was impossible!

• * *

“?”

Walking along the exposed sea path below, Lee Han felt a sense of unease.

The atmosphere around him was becoming increasingly ominous.

Beyond the revealed depths, powerful spirits were exuding violent magic as they passed by.

If not for the sea path being as solid as a wall, a fight might have broken out immediately.

‘This is odd.’

At first, Lee Han thought this mark was like a letter of introduction.

He’d thought Upinum was introducing him to other spirits, saying, ‘This person is trustworthy, so don’t get suspicious even if he has a lot of mana.’

But the vibes didn’t add up.

If it were a letter of introduction, at least a few spirits should have shown some friendly response, shouldn’t they?

But instead, far from friendly beings, only more brutal atmospheres and dangerous presences lingered around…

Lee Han closed his eyes and recalled Professor Voladi’s lesson.

If something feels fishy…

‘Strike first!’

“Arise, warriors made of bone!”

Skeleton warriors rose instantly.

The skeleton warriors emitting yesterday’s dark element surrounded and defended Lee Han.

In response, the spirits swimming beyond the sea wall—evoking images of deep-sea fish—grew even more agitated.

Thud, thud!

They slammed into the water wall and growled menacingly—if not for the powers separating them, they might have charged at him right then and there.

Splash!

“Lightning!”

Finally, with a splashing sound, one leaped over the barrier.

A spirit, resembling an anglerfish in appearance, charged at Lee Han across the sea path in a spray of water. Without hesitation, Lee Han fired a lightning bolt.

Even though it was an elemental weakness, the deep-sea fish spirit relentlessly charged. Instead, it even shot a burst of water at Lee Han.

Kwah!

‘No ordinary foe!’

He could feel the pressure on his skin—the spirit was powerful.

That it didn’t flee before Lee Han and was burning with fighting spirit suggested it was no ordinary spirit.

With enhanced senses and future sight, Lee Han quickly dodged. The pillar of water grazed overhead, violently tearing into the ground.

Feeling keenly that this foe was several steps above him, Lee Han clicked his tongue.

‘I’ll never trust spirits again.’

To think he’d relied on Upinum, only to end up suffering like this.

But betrayal aside, Lee Han had to handle the opponent before him first. He sent his skeleton warriors forward.

The deep-sea fish spirit scoffed at the idea and swallowed a skeleton warrior whole.

-?!

However, it wasn’t just any skeleton warrior—one that burst with dark element struck at it from inside.

The moment the deep-sea fish spirit paused, Lee Han didn’t miss the opening and completed his spell.

“Strike, bolt of Perkuntra!”

A bolt of lightning, several times thicker than before, crashed into the deep-sea fish spirit.

The spirit, which had hesitated due to the dark element, shrieked sharply as it was struck by the lightning.

‘Once more!’

Seizing the opening again, Lee Han called up a water shield and exploded a skeleton warrior.

KWAANG!

Even a deep-sea fish spirit, who had brushed off the first lightning, lost about half its body from the blast.

The sequential build-up of magical damage proved more effective than expected.

However, what happened next took Lee Han by surprise.

The deep-sea fish spirit instantly restored its body.

“……”

He had heard that fighting spirits in their own realm was risky, but not that it was this outrageous.

Beings in alternate planes exercised enormous authority in their own territory. The deep-sea fish spirit reformed itself as if scattered water drops rejoined into one.

Gloop—

After suffering once, the deep-sea fish spirit attacked more cautiously.

Rather than recklessly swallowing skeleton warriors, it bombarded the undead summons with water bombs to clear them out first.

No need for the complex sophistication or logic of Yumidihus—a huge mass of water crashing into them smashed the skeleton warriors, scattering them back to bone fragments.

Kwakwakwakwaang!

Once the obstacles were cleared, the deep-sea fish spirit charged again.

“Arise, warriors made of bone!”

-…?!

But the deep-sea fish spirit continued to underestimate Lee Han.

If these were undead summoned from the undead plane, after being recalled once, they wouldn’t be able to return until they recovered from damage. But these skeleton warriors were summons Lee Han built from scratch.

As long as he had mana, he could call them back as much as he pleased.

With skeleton warriors clinging to both flanks, even this savage spirit couldn’t ignore them.

If he wasn’t careful, that wizard might make them explode again.

However, Lee Han chose a different method than bone explosion.

Puk!

The poison spell he learned at the Ghoul King’s palace coated the tips of the skeletons’ spears.

Though not perfect yet, the strong corrosive poison dealt damage to the spirit.

Having inhaled both dark element and now poison, the fish spirit groaned and retreated.

He had thought this young wizard would be easy prey, but he was proving to be exceptionally troublesome.

BOOM!!!!!

“!?”

Both Lee Han and the deep-sea fish spirit were surprised.

A giant spear of lightning had stabbed down between them.

-What are you doing?

A merman spirit hurried up from behind.

Wearing ornate heavy armor and with piercing eyes, the merman spirit caused the deep-sea fish spirit to shrink back.

-Why are you attacking the wizard who was invited by Lord Upinum?

-■■■ ■■ ■■ ■■■ ■■ ■…

-What kind of nonsense is that? Allowing entry into this realm is already an invitation!

The merman spirit was very angry at the deep-sea fish spirit.

The mark this wizard bore was a pass given by Upinum, the guardian of the sea and storms, allowing entry into his domain.

If a wizard entered with such a mark, they were clearly Upinum’s guest. To ignore that and attack, what was he thinking?

If anything had happened, how could Upinum show his face?

“I have a question.”

-Speak, wizard.

“But if I was invited, shouldn’t you have prepared things so nothing could go wrong in the first place?”

-……

The merman spirit had nothing to say, no matter how many mouths.

• * *

-This is the Corridor of the Infernal Sea. It’s where violent spirits dwell.

“What’s that area over there?”

-The Blade Abyssal Trench. Even more violent spirits dwell there.

“And over there?”

-The Abyssal Pit. Spirits so violent that it’s unspeakable dwell there.

“…Is there any place where the spirits aren’t violent?”

At Lee Han’s question, the merman spirit, somewhat embarrassed, rested his giant trident on his shoulder.

-This whole domain is inherently for violent and powerful spirits…

“By the way, might I meet Lord Upinum?”

Lee Han asked if he might see Upinum.

Of course, his intentions weren’t pure.

If they met, he intended to say, ‘I almost died because of you!’ and hold him accountable.

Any professor at Einrogard witnessing this might have exclaimed, ‘What an excellent student of Beginner Imperial Language and Logic!’

-Hmm. Lord Upinum’s residence…

The merman spirit eyed Lee Han up and down and then shook his head.

-If a wizard like you entered, you’d be torn apart in an instant.

“Wouldn’t my mana be enough?”

-No matter how much mana you have… Actually, you do have a lot. But no, it’s not enough.

The merman spirit was surprised, then regained his composure and refused firmly.

Just as water pressure increased with depth, similar rules applied in the spirit realm.

The deeper you entered into areas with powerful beings, the greater the pressure an intruder had to bear.

“I understand. More than that, I want to contract with a water spirit.”

-All the spirits here are violent and would stab their master in the back, so I can’t recommend…

“…Then, why invite me in the first place?”

At Lee Han’s question, the merman spirit broke out in a cold sweat.

Every word was true.

Upinum himself might have been in a good mood and given the mark with, ‘Wizard, I shall give you the key to my domain,’ but thinking about it, there was nothing good for a young wizard in here.

-Lord Upinum’s actions may seem inexplicable, but within them lies a profound mystery…

‘Sounds like a lie.’

Lee Han looked at the merman spirit full of doubt.

Not being able to speak concretely about it was already highly suspicious.

“In that case, could you persuade calm and gentle spirits from another area to contract with me?”

-Hmm. That’s a bit… The spirits of other domains aren’t something I can meddle with. They belong where they are. I can’t intervene as I please.

“Hm.”

Lee Han thought, then looked at the merman spirit.

“Then, would you form a contract with me…”

-…Which domain’s spirit would you like?

• * *

Nillia glided between mountains on an eagle spirit.

“Aaaah, I’m sorry! I promise I’ll never eat eagle again!”

Nillia thought the eagle spirit was angry and hastily apologized, but it wasn’t angry.

After soaring joyously several times, the eagle spirit gently landed her and rubbed its head against her.

“…!”

Nillia was ecstatic when the wind-manipulating eagle spirit chose her.

Eagle spirits were proud and picky, never choosing an unfit master.

Yet, she had been chosen.

‘It was worth working hard as a Shadow Patrol member…!’

Joyful with her new spirit contract, Nillia came out of the magic circle and flinched at Lee Han’s exhausted face.

“Y-you don’t necessarily have to contract with a spirit! Right?!”

“Huh? I made a contract.”

“!”

Nillia was startled by her friend’s answer.

Lee Han contracted with a spirit?

“What!? How!? Did you capture one by force!?”

“Why would you think that?”

“…Uh, no.”

Nillia drooped her ears awkwardly.

Thinking about it, she realized it was a rude assumption to make to a friend.

“I persuaded one to contract.”

“I want to hear! Tell me.”

This time, Nillia thought it was her turn to cheer up Lee Han.

Usually Lee Han or Yoner would always comfort her.

This time, it was Nillia’s turn to comfort Lee Han.

When Nillia looked at Lee Han, ready to listen, he began to speak, pondering where to start.

“So, there’s an area of deep-sea spirits under the lordship of a great spirit named Upinum.”

“…?”

“I was summoned to the domain of those spirits and…”

“Wait. Hold on.”