Chapter 76: The Elementalist That Sealed, The Elementalist That Saves (3)

The spear I thrust out vigorously missed its mark rather simply. I could only confirm that the elemental was extremely fast. After dodging my spear thrust, the elemental opened its mouth and exhaled freezing energy.

"I'll leave it to you guys!"

[We can block it!]

[It's possible now!]

It seemed to want to make me back off, but with the protection of dozens of ice elementals, I charged forward. Then, I thrust my spear at the elemental's open mouth.

[Kiyaaaaa!]

"Kuk!?"

[Block!]

Even if it was materialized, as it was a spiritual being, it seemed it had no problem using its ability with a mouth injury. Even though blue blood flowed down from its mouth, the freezing energy from its breath got stronger and swept over me, past the protection of the ice elementals. However, Peika came to help before I was turned into an ice statue.

[Thunder Arrow!]

[Kiyaaaa!]

Peika's lightning arrows struck the elemental wolf's body. The crazed elemental was an ice elemental, which had a base property of water. Peika, who controlled lightning, was naturally stronger against its element. Even if her strength was weaker than a crazed elemental, she could still deal a great amount of damage. Meanwhile, I took out my crossbow and shot my bolts out consecutively. When they hit its mouth, they exploded, causing it to stagger backwards.

[Strong!]

[Lightning elemental is so pretty. I want to make her my bride.]

"Stop chattering and protect me properly!"

With my low-rank Crossbow Marksmanship, I couldn't deal a fatal blow. After shooting out a round of bolts, I hung the crossbow back on my waist, and pouring bountiful mana into my Black Earthen Spear, I thrust forward with its extended spear blade. Receiving Peika's endless lightning arrows and my spear thrust at the same time, the crazed elemental's eyes burned even redder.

[Human... Elemental...!]

"Eh!?"

The sudden voice made my heart thump. In the brief moment that my attack became loose, the elemental pounced on me. Its sharp teeth shone with a silver light.

[Ah, it's dangerous!]

[We can't block physical attacks.]

[Run!]

"Kuk! Dragon Skin... Ah, I already used it!"

Something was wrong. I couldn't move my body properly. My body wouldn't listen to my commands. Unfortunately, I had already used Orc Lord's Warcry, Dragon Skin, and Dark Thunder Explosion in the three boss raids I ran today. As such, there wasn't much I could do.

I urgently poured as much mana as I could into the elementals protecting me, strengthening them. The light shining from the elementals became brighter and an armor of ice covered the armor I was already wearing.

[You mastered low-rank Spirit Aura! You can infuse elementals into your defensive equipment, not just your weapon, granting a reinforcing aura!]

[You learned mid-rank Spirit Aura! Your Spirit Aura will be reinforced by a strengthened attribute of your elemental. While using Spirit Aura, the Elementalist will be able to wield low-rank elemental magic.]

I shouted out instinctively.

"Ice Shackles!"

[Kuung!]

The crazed elemental froze while baring its fangs at me. From the earth, several hands made of ice had popped up and stopped her movements. Of course, as it was low-rank elemental magic, it would not last long.

"You, do you like judo? You do? Got it!"

[Kuuung!]

Helmet, boots, armor, gauntlet. The ice elementals had dyed my equipment white. I reached forward with my gauntlet, which could now freeze people by just glazing them, and grabbed its front leg. At the same time, the crazed elemental broke out of the ice shackles.

I jumped toward it and threw it on the ground!

[Kuaaaaang!]

[Now, Thunder Spear!]

Peika's sharp scream created a 2-meter-long thick lightning. Without a shred of hesitation, Peika threw the lightning at the elemental that I had thrown down.

[Critical Hit!]

[Kuuuuang!]

With a roar, it let out an enormous amount of freezing energy from its body. The ice elementals that were infused in my armor screamed.

[Too cold!]

[I feel like I'll perish!]

I gritted my teeth and poured more mana into them. However, my mana had reached its limit as well. Damn, did I have to run away using Talaria? However, just when I was thinking that, Talaria had become unsummoned.

I was in danger.

"Since it's come to this, I can use Diehard and..."

Bracing myself for my HP falling below 3%, I tightly gripped my spear and circulated Peruta Circuit to give the elementals some mana. It was then that the lights emitted by the ice elementals became brighter and my HP, which was falling from the freezing energy, stopped.

[You mastered low-rank Elemental Control! All elementals in existence will see you in favorable light and will listen to you well.]

[You learned mid-rank Elemental Control! It becomes easier to draw out the potential of your contracted elemental. You can more easily control free elementals.]

"Peika!"

[Leave it to me, Master!]

Above my head, Peika let out a radiant light. I could feel her presence growing, and even the crazed elemental stopped attacking for a moment. A change I had not expected was happening. Unable to resist, I looked up. As my heart beat faster, I could tell she had gone through a qualitative change.

Golden crystals floated down from the sky like snow, while Peika slowly floated above the earth.

Peika had succeeded in materializing.

[You mastered low-rank Elemental Contract! You can draw out more of your contracted elemental's original power!]

[You learned mid-rank Elemental Contract! Your contracted elementals with the ability to materialize can do so, but use more mana while materialized. The strength of all skills that use elementals increases greatly. The number of elementals you can form a contract with increases by one.]

[You dare try to make my Master into an ice statue, you're going to get a beating, you doggy!]

The folding fan she always held in her hand had transformed into a lightning whip. Peika, who had materialized as a girl about 10 years old, swung the whip down at the elemental. Like a lightning bolt, the whip cut through the air and slashed the elemental's abdomen. In that instant, a voice rang out.

[It... hurts...!]

"Wait!"

I yelled hurriedly. Peika looked back at me with a curiously. Unlike her normal 20 cm self, she looked much more charming after having materialized as a human girl. However, now wasn't the time to admire her looks.

I urgently ran in front of Peika and checked the elemental's appearance. Its eyes were still dyed red, but I had not misheard it. That was a young girl's voice.

"You, did you say that?"

[It hurts...! It hurts, it hurts!]

The elemental shot up and pounced on me. I raised my hand and stopped Peika from lashing out with her whip again. With our strengthened contract, Peika understood what I was thinking.

I concentrated the ice elementals in my gauntlet and reached forward to the elemental. The elemental then opened its mouth and chomped down on my gauntlet.

[Kyak, it hurts! What are you doing!?]

[We protected you!]

[Why are you trying to kill us, Elementalist!?]

"Calm down, no one is going to die. Alright, look at me."

[It hurts...!]

"I'll make it stop hurting, so look at me."

At first, I wanted to beat the elemental until it snapped out of its madness. If it didn't, I would have had no choice but to kill it.

But now, things were a bit different. I had finally found the answer. After Peika materialized and I obtained mid-rank Elemental Contract, things became much clearer.

This child was an elemental that could form a contract with me.

I had felt it. When I had first entered this place, a feeling like something was calling out to me. The voice of an elemental before I reached Peika. Above all, this strong link connecting me with this elemental.

[You won't hurt me anymore?]

"I won't. Calm down, and look at me."

Queen Elf's Blessing was extremely effective. With just my strength alone, I doubted I could calm this elemental. Now that it was exhausted, my power as an Elementalist and Loretta's blessing could suppress its madness.

[Everyone is a liar. You're a liar, too.]

"I'm not lying."

The wolf's mouth slowly opened up, and I took out my gauntlet from inside. It was crushed, making me want to take it to be repaired, but I ignored it for now. Instead, I slowly placed my hand on her head.

Although the elemental growled as if she would go berserk again, her red eyes were slowly getting lighter.

[He tried to tie me against my will.]

"I won't. I don't need to do it forcefully."

[He abandoned me and sealed me.]

"I won't. You don't have to be sealed anymore."

I slowly rubbed her head, and the elemental became calmer. The ice elementals, on the other hand, chattered loudly.

[Is this Elementalist her partner?]

[Wow! That's why he could enter this place!]

[Their wavelengths matched!]

[It's been a while since I've seen an Elementalist, but it's one that can form contracts with two elementals... amazing!]

[Mm, I want to beat her more...]

I ignored the ice elementals, along with Peika who was murmuring disappointedly.

[Warm... are you my contractor?]

"Sorry for making you wait so long."

[Ah... my consciousness... is coming... back.]

Letting out a low growl, she approached me. Although Peika stepped forward slightly tensely, I didn't think it would be necessary. The red aura in her eyes had disappeared, and was replaced with light blue eyes like the color of the winter sky.

[I remembered... my name. I'm Ruyue.... Daughter of Ice and Snow, Ruyue.]

"You got your name back. That's great."

When elementals went mad, they would first lose their names. Then, no one would be able to remember their names. The moment they strayed off the Spirit Realm's order, they would lose the guide that ascertained their identities.

However, she had just recovered her name. By meeting me, her contractor, she had escaped the madness. I spoke, relieved.

"I'm Kang Shin. Ruyue, will you form a contract with me? We can get out of here together."

[Really? You'll form a contract with me?]

"Of course."

[I want to get out... I want to be with warmth. I want to be with Kang Shin.]

"Come with me. We can be together, forever. Let's... form a contract."

[Okay. Let's form a contract.]

Then, just like always, a fanfare rang out.

[You formed a contract with the ice elemental Ruyue! Your affinity and resistance to the ice element greatly increases!]

[List of Contracted Elementals:

1. Peika - lightning elemental. Unique elemental. Materialized. Locked. First Awakening.

2. Ruyue - ice elemental. Unique elemental. Materialized. Locked. First Awakening.]

[Mid-rank Elemental Contract became level 2! The amount of mana required to maintain two elemental summons decreases!]

[Mid-rank Spirit Mastery became level 4! The abilities of all souls connected to you grows stronger!]

[Quest Success! You obtained 1 skill point! Current skill points: 11]

[Event Dungeon Clear! You satisfied and even shocked the Fairy Garden's fairies who hate hurting elementals, by completely resolving their conflict. You obtained 3 bonus stat points.]

I completed the quest and also cleared the Event Dungeon. Although I didn't receive a reward for killing the boss, it was fine. After all, I obtained the boss herself.

Looking at the scenery melting down around me, I tightly hugged Ruyue in my embrace. Ruyue also closed her eyes and buried her face in my embrace. I slowly rubbed her fur, and suddenly realized something.

The freezing energy that seemed to want to devour me was no longer cold.