SRS 87

“…….”

However, there was no need to reject it just because it was a consolation with an obvious intention.

Just like his friends said, he had no talent for swordsmanship and no interest in swords either, so he had no intention of asking for a share of combat in a situation like this.

Yohan quickly collected his expression and followed his friends’ decision. When he moved behind the three of them, the students who had each taken up a combat stance stared ahead.

“I don’t sense anything stronger right now.”

“What are we going to do about the spirit tracking?”

“Interrupting a spell that’s already been activated is awkward, so we’ll keep going like this, but from here on, let’s restrain the use of abilities other than swordsmanship as much as possible.”

“Alright. Then shall we move?”

Suhyeok started walking at the front. Mikael and Kylus supported the formation from behind.

–Kieeek!

“Kylus, I’ll send two your way!”

Suhyeok skillfully dealt with the monsters that popped out here and there, and depending on their numbers, he directed the battle by diverting some toward Mikael or Kylus. Admiring his apt judgment, Yohan firmly held back his trembling hand whenever a monster caught his eye.

“…I can’t use it.”

As he mumbled while suppressing the instinct to use divine power, the battle ended before he knew it, and they went back to following the traces.

After fighting similar battles three or four more times, even the cave path that had seemed endless finally showed a change.

“Isn’t that the sound of water?”

Suhyeok reacted to the sound coming from afar. Kylus, Mikael, and Yohan also stopped and listened.

They could hear the sound of something like water pouring down.

“Hmm… it sounds like a waterfall?”

“Right? That’s water?”

“Seems like there’s a waterfall at the end.”

“…If there’s a waterfall, that means there’s a space connected to a waterway, and there’s a good chance that place could be an exit out of this stifling cave.”

“Then should we pick up the pace a bit?”

Stretching his body, Suhyeok started running forward. Feeling relieved that the spirit seemed to have kept its promise, Yohan hurried his steps as he followed his friends, who had gained renewed motivation.

When they safely dealt with the last monster, a small light appeared behind the corpses.

As they drew closer, the small, dim light gradually grew larger. When the light finally filled his vision, Yohan covered his eyes, then slowly lowered his hand as he listened to his friends’ breathing.

“…….”

Finally, upon seeing the scenery in front of him, Yohan couldn’t help but gasp in amazement, just like his friends. It was a different feeling than awe.

“…Is this possible?”

In front of them was a waterfall, just as expected, but not in the way they had imagined. The waterfall, which should have been flowing from top to bottom, was instead flowing up from below, as if the world itself had been flipped upside down.

Thinking he might be hallucinating, Yohan rubbed his eyes. But no matter how many times he covered and cleared his vision, the sight of the upside down waterfall remained the same.

While everyone stood speechless at the bizarre scene, the water spirit that had disappeared appeared again and floated around Yohan.

-Blub blub.

Yohan reached out to the spirit making bubble like sounds and made a place for it to sit.

The small spirit perched on Yohan’s finger, swung its legs, and stared at him.

“…Is this the exit?”

In response to the question, the spirit smiled brightly and nodded. Yohan looked at the waterfall once with a helpless feeling, then lowered his head to check where they were standing.

The cave had turned into a cliff, and it was located quite high up. So high that the bottom couldn’t be seen. If someone moved carelessly and fell, surviving would be far from guaranteed.

Even at the foot of the cliff, perhaps because the waterfall was flowing backward, an unbelievable wave of energy was flowing. Going in unprepared would mean drowning without even leaving bones behind.

Yohan swallowed dryly and looked back at the spirit.

“Up or down, which way do we go?”

He asked while desperately hoping it wouldn’t be down, and the spirit stretched its hand up. Yohan brightened briefly, then his face soon grew solemn again.

“…It says we have to go up?”

When he turned to his friends and told them, Suhyeok tilted his head.

“Then that’s easy, so why do you look like that? We’ve got Mikael….”

“…….”

“…Ah.”

Realizing why Yohan’s expression had darkened mid sentence, Suhyeok slapped his own forehead.

“You can’t use magic right now, right….”

“Not just magic, I can’t use divine power either.”

“…Then do we have to climb that with swordsmanship?”

“Does that even make sense? Riding a sword with sword aura and flying would be easier.”

Suhyeok clicked his tongue in disbelief. Kylus adjusted his grip on his scabbard and responded seriously.

“…It’s worth trying.”

“…You’re serious?”

“Would I be lying?”

“Please, cut me some slack….”

Suhyeok ran a hand through his hair as he argued that even forming sword aura was difficult enough, so how was he supposed to stand on a sword and ride it. Everyone fell silent while they worried about how to get out of here and climb above the waterfall.

That was when the water spirit started circling around Yohan.

“…Huh?”

Yohan blinked as the spirit fluttered its little arms and hovered around him.

When Yohan made a face asking why it was suddenly acting like this, Mikael, who had been quietly watching the spirit’s movements, exclaimed.

“It looks like it wants to make a contract?”

“…A contract?”

“Yes.”

“With me?”

“Yes.”

“…Why?”

“How would I know?”

The student shrugged and suggested that Yohan ask the spirit directly. Yohan looked at the water spirit with suspicious eyes, then reached out his hand again.

With just that simple gesture, the spirit seemed to understand Yohan’s intent. It settled onto his finger and smiled brightly. That childlike, innocent smile made him lower his guard. Yohan gently stroked the spirit and carefully opened his mouth.

“Do you want to make a contract?”

Nod nod.

The spirit moved its head.

“…With me?”

Nod nod.

“Is it alright if we make a contract?”

Nod nod.

The spirit did not hesitate even once, it seemed it had already made up its mind.

Yohan scratched his cheek in embarrassment, then raised the hand the spirit was sitting on a little higher.

The water spirit slipped out of his grasp and started flying around again.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t know how to make a contract.”

To be precise, he had only learned the theory and had never actually made a contract before.

Since the Spirit Studies professor was not here, and things could go badly if he recklessly contracted a spirit on his own, Yohan tried to refuse indirectly. The spirit responded by poking the waterfall with its finger.

Then it pointed to itself, pointed to Yohan, and spun around in the air.

Yohan was briefly flustered by this sudden game of charades, then clapped his hands together.

“Ah, if we make a contract, you can send us up there?”

As if saying exactly that, the spirit spun in place. At that, his friends’ gazes all turned toward Yohan.

“Yohan. Wouldn’t it be better to make the contract?”

“A contract with a spirit would help you too. Wasn’t the reason you chose Spirit Studies in the first place because you wanted power other than divine power?”

“Hmm. Since the spirit asked first, there shouldn’t be a problem. There was even a first year student last year who made a contract with a forest spirit in the woods during the first semester without a professor’s help.”

Faced with such goal oriented persuasion, Yohan looked at them in disbelief for a moment, then let out a sigh.

Honestly, if Suhyeok or Kylus or Mikael were in the same situation, he would have recommended making the contract too.

It was extremely rare for a spirit to approach first about a contract, so if there was a chance to seize that opportunity, it would be a good thing.

Yohan glanced at Mikael once, then nodded.

Right. If a first-year with experience said so, then there probably wouldn’t be a problem.

“…Alright. I’ll make the contract.”

As soon as he finished his brief deliberation and made his decision, the spirit smiled brilliantly and rushed toward Yohan.

Tap. The spirit pressed its small, transparent forehead against Yohan’s and closed its eyes. At that moment, the spirit’s voice rang inside Yohan’s head.

Yohan recited the spirit’s words exactly as they were conveyed to him.

“…I humbly inform the master of the Spirit Realm. I, Yohan Herse, wish to form a bond with your spirit in accordance with the ancient covenant, and thus I seek permission to contract with a mid level water….”

Huh?

Mid level?

Yohan stopped mid sentence after mindlessly repeating the spirit’s words and looked at it.

Mid level?

Not lowest level. Not low level. Mid level?

As Yohan parted his lips in shock, the spirit gestured impatiently, urging him to continue. With a face that looked almost entranced, Yohan had no choice but to go on.

“…I seek to form a bond, so please grant permission for a contract with a mid level water spirit.”

At that moment, Yohan saw a small door open deep within his consciousness. Through the open doorway, he saw a massive form draped in a silver veil. Then the being lifted the veil and looked at Yohan.

Only that being looked at Yohan. The instant the veil was lifted, a burst of intense light made it impossible for Yohan to open his eyes.

Soon, a low laugh brushed past his ears, and a deep, dignified voice reverberated through his head.

Permission granted.

Right after that, a foreign force that was not divine power surged through his body, and pure energy filled his chest until it ached.

The mid level spirit in front of him beamed and raised both hands.

Shooooo!

The water beneath the waterfall surged upward as a massive wave, rising all the way to the group.

The spirit beckoned for them to ride it.

“Let’s go, Yohan!”

“Congrats on the contract.”

“Good job.”

As his friends congratulated him and climbed onto the water, the huge wave gained strength and surged to the top of the waterfall.

Yohan, who had been staring at the sky until then, opened his mouth as he saw the scenery above the waves that had passed over the waterfall.

The exit of the Closed Training Hall, marked ‘Teachers Only Passage’, appeared alongside a beautiful natural landscape.