Seo Jun-ho had encountered numerous spirits during his life. Heâd hunted violent spirits inside Gates and met spirits that were contracted to other players. Whether he met them as an ally or an enemy, he always thought the same thing:
Theyâre so OP.
Spirits didnât need magic because they were independent beings; they could create powerful attacks or shields without it. It was no risk with an insanely high return, and Seo Jun-ho always looked at players with contracted spirits with envy.
But now I can contract a spirit of my own? His heart pounded. He recalled what he knew about spirits.
Like humans, spirits are attracted to those they are similar to. Spirits didnât make contracts with those who didnât have the right synergy. So when Seo Jun-ho found out that the ball was an Egg, he only had one thought.
Itâs a Darkness spirit.
Heâd been using Watchguard of Darkness longer than anything else, and was also his most proficient skill.
âThis will be useful.â Seo Jun-ho sensed a faint trace of nature in the wood necklace.
This is⊠the energy of the World Tree. It was but a small trace, but it was pure and refreshing. He crushed it in his hand. The necklace cracked, releasing the energy inside. Seo Jun-ho didnât miss the chance and poured his magic into the glowing ball.
Crackle.
There was the sound of an egg cracking. The ball shined so brightly, it temporarily blinded him.
Just what kind of spirit is it? How strong will it be?
Heart thrumming, Seo Jun-ho slowly opened his eyes.
ââŠWhat?â
His face fell.
* * *
âHm, the fightâs taking longer than I thought.â
âIâm getting nervous. We canât even see whatâs going on in there.â
The players muttered to themselves impatiently. Theyâd already taken care of the other dark elves. If the tribe chief Rodomir was defeated, they would succeed in clearing the Gate.
Suddenly, an announcement appeared before them with a ring.
[You have cleared âȘWild Forestâ«.]
They succeeded! The players started to cheer and pump their fists in the air.
âWhat about Jun-ho-nim?â
As if responding to Cha Min-wooâs question, the black dome dissipated like smoke, revealing a gloomy-looking Seo Jun-ho.
âJun-ho-nim!â
âYou did it!â
âAre you hurt anywhere? We should get you treated first!â
He shook his head at the crowd of people that started to surround him. âIâm uninjured.â
âBut why do you look so sullen?â
âHm.â Seo Jun-ho briefly pondered on how he would explain this. âImagine the disappointment of a child who wanted a cool new toy for Christmas but got school supplies instead.â
ââŠâŠ?â
The people looked confused.
âHoo, nevermind,â he sighed. They wouldnât be able to understand his feelings.
Messages started to appear in front of him too.
[You have cleared âȘWild Forestâ«.]
[You have received ăBlue Fairy Braceletă as a clear reward.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[You have leveled up.]
[All stats have increased by 3.]
[You have regained 3 Magic stats.]
[You have regained 3 Strength stats.]
[The Gate will automatically disappear in 1 hour.]
Level 27âŠÂ Heâd been level 23 when he entered the Gate, which meant it increased by 4. It was only possible because of his crucial role in the conquest and because heâd taken all the EXP from Rodomir for himself.
Three more. He was three steps away from being able to go to the 2nd floor.
He usually exited the Gates with a triumphant expression, but his footsteps were heavy.
Why did I get that spiritâŠÂ Seo Jun-ho let out one final sigh and stepped out of the Gate. The lazy night sky of England greeted him.
Click! Click!
Hundreds of cameras flashed, capturing his image.
* * *
Reaper Scans
Translator â Castor
Proofreader â yukitokata
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* * *
[The âȘWild Forestâ« Gate was cleared, but there is an empty space where the lost players should be.]
[Seo Jun-ho unanimously decided as the MVP for the 5th consecutive time! He is making history.]
[The weakest player showed the greatest strength. Videos from inside the Gate.]
âŠâŠ
The day after the Wild Forest Gate was cleared, Seo Jun-ho was on the front page of newspapers all over the world. There had been concerns about his participation because he had the lowest level, but after he succeeded, his reputation started to soar. But Seo Jun-ho himself was glum as he sat on a plane heading back to Korea.
ââŠWhat does it matter.â
You shouldnât count your chickens before they hatch. Heâd made the mistake of doing that to his spirit. âWhyâŠâ
He let out a sigh as he wiped his face with a washcloth, glaring at the tiny creature looking out the plane window.
âThe humans here are quite intriguing. They can fly without magic.â
The cute little spirit looked like a human and was about the size of his palm.
ââŠHey, I said not to talk to me until I finish sorting my thoughts.â
âHow strict. I was simply talking to myself.*â
(TN: She uses a form of âIâ that means that sheâs the strongest in a group.)
She looked shockingly similar to someone he knew; more specifically, the boss monster that had threatened the world 25 years ago.
The Frost Queen.
If she simply resembled her in appearance, he wouldnât have reacted this badly. But it was because of what sheâd said as soon as she emerged from the Egg.
âOya? Youâre a familiar face.â
âPhewâŠâ Seo Jun-ho pounded the seat with his fist. âWhy meâŠâ
Heâd wanted a cool, strong, Darkness spirit, but heâd gotten a Frost spirit insteadâone heâd killed himself.
âI think Iâve given you enough time to cool off.â
âI said, donât talk to me.â
âOh, but Iâm still talking to myself.â
ââŠâŠâ
Seeing the Frost Queen smirk as she floated in the air made his anger swell. She wore a dress of white and blue with a peculiar helmet, but he could tell by her smile that she was mocking him.
âOkay, fine.â
Finally making a decision, Seo Jun-ho closed the door to his first class seat so that no one could hear. He folded his arms and looked down at the Frost Queen.
âWhy are you doing this to me? Why were you the one to come out of the Spirit Egg?â
âWhat use is there to ask me? The Spirit Egg births a spirit that is most compatible with your magic.â
âSo why you? The spirit most compatible with me would be a Darkness spirit.â
âFufu.â The Frost Queen covered her mouth as she laughed. She folded her legs in the air. âIs it not obvious? Your most compatible element is Frost.â
âDonât joke around. Iâve used Watchguard of Darkness for over five years. Frost, on the other handâŠâ It had only been a little over three months. Seo Jun-ho didnât believe that his most compatible element was Frost, not Darkness.
âRegardless, the fact stands that I was the one to emerge from the Spirit Egg after you infused it with your magic.â
âYeah. Itâs fucking annoying, but thatâs the truth.â
âThen, let me ask you: will you make a contract with me?â
âA contract?â Seo Jun-hoâs eyes narrowed. âYou⊠When I think about what you did to my comrades and to other peopleâŠâ
âWhat have I done for you to say that?â The Frost Queen shook her head, seemingly confused.
âHa! Donât pretend you donât know. YouâŠâ As he was about to scoff about her deeds, Seo Jun-ho suddenly paused. âŠWhat did she do again?
All he knew was that she froze the South Pacific Ocean and froze his friends. The Frost Queen spoke first.
âI already said this, but I have not done anything in this world worthy of condemnation.â
ââŠYou froze the South Pacific.â
âWell, I suppose Iâm sorry to the fish.â
âAnd because of that, there was all that abnormal weatherâŠâ But it hadnât been that serious because her Gate had been in Antarctica.
ââŠMore importantly, you froze me and my comrades.â
The Frost Queen raised her hands and shook her little head. She looked like a doll.
âAre you pretending not to know? I was not the one who froze you, nor does the power to melt them belong to me.â
ââŠâŠâ
âOn the contrary, I feel most sorry for myself, whom you killedâŠâ
He had nothing to say at the face of the facts.
Seo Jun-ho started to tremble in frustration.
âA-anyways⊠I donât like you.â
âHoo, youâre like a child throwing a tantrum.â
âShut up.â
Seo Jun-hoâs thoughts became complicated as he sat back into his seat.
Did she really do nothing wrong? As far as he knew, she hadnât. But just to be sure, he opened his Vitaâs messaging app.
â What.
Deok-guâs cool reply came.
â Deok-gu, what do you think the Frost Queen did wrong?
â What? What are you asking all of a sudden?
â Iâm in a hurry.
â Geez⊠Obviously, she turned the Five Heroes into popsicles.
â Anything else?
â I donât know. Should there be something else?
â âŠNevermind. Thanks.
â Why do you ask?
â Later.
Seo Jun-ho closed the app and felt the eyes of the spirit on him. The Frost Queen was smirking, as if to say âSee, I was rightâ.
ââŠFine. Say that you didnât do anything in the past. Why should I make a contract with you?â
âI shall be your teacher,â she whispered in her sweet voice. âI can teach you how to use my skill, and I can use spiritual energy to help you.â
âYou, teach me? Ha!â Seo Jun-ho scoffed. âYou lost to me.â
He was stronger than her. How could someone weaker than him teach him?
But the Frost Queen was unfazed.
âYes, you did win against my weakened form.â
ââŠWeakened? Who said youâre selling medicine?*â
(TN: Itâs a pun. The word for âweakenedâ sounds similar to âpharmacyâ.)
âMedicine? Iâm not some peddler. Iâve never sold medicine.â She shook her head, her voice clear and sonorous. âI am the Queen of the Ice Kingdom Niflheim, the one who controls all the cold in the world. I swear on my own existence that I do not lie.â
Sheâd made an Oath of Existence. It had originated from the mana oaths of magicians.
If they breach a mana oath, magicians lose all their magic.
The powerful Frost Queen had made the oath by her own choice, so it wasnât a lie.
ââŠHow weakened were you?â
âIâm not sure. Perhaps by a hundred times?â
âA hundred? No way! Swear on yourself again.â
ââŠNo. If I do it too often, it will lower my dignity as a Queen.â She glanced at him. âSo, will you or will you not make a contract with me?â
ââŠâŠâ
It made no sense that sheâd only used a hundredth of her true power. But it was true that sheâd been nerfed.
If sheâs thrice⊠No, if sheâs only twice as strong as she was thenâŠÂ He didnât want to imagine her full strength.
But being taught by such a being was a good enough reason to make a contract. Sheâd also become a Frost spirit, so she wouldnât use up magic and make for a powerful ally. No matter how he thought about it, it would be a huge mistake to pass up a contract.
ââŠFine. Letâs do it.â Heâd decided. Seo Jun-ho looked at the Frost Queen coldly. âBut I have a condition.â
âA condition? Speak.â
âIf you put me or the people around me in danger because of your lies or blunders, the contract will be nullified.â
âYou speak the obvious. A contract with a spirit is a contract of the souls. I would never do that,â she laughed. Seo Jun-ho scowled at her sickly sweet smile.
I donât know if this is the right choiceâŠÂ But for now, he had contracted the Frost Queen.