Chapter 216: Incubation and Great Dark Spirit

Chapter 216: Incubation and Great Dark Spirit

It is a mysterious feeling.

Inside the barrier; inside a deep deep darkness.

In this deep sea-like darkness where light doesn’t reach, the noise of the outside stopped reaching my ears as if it were the happening of a faraway world.

What I could hear was the whispers of the Spirits.

Their voices were gentle, and I could believe that they are my allies.

I wanted more allies and chanted the Dark Ability.

The fundamental ability.

The basic but special ability that creates darkness.

Inside this cramped barrier that doesn’t even reach 3 meters in diameter, the darkness concentrated to the very limits was moving around, encroaching the inside of the barrier, seeking an exit. ‘The outside…to the outside’ -just like a chick that’s being born from an egg, the darkness was slowly…but surely leaking to the outside.

It even swallowed the tough Spirit Energy that’s like iron forming the barrier, the darkness rapidly leaking out and spreading.

It swiftly swallowed the world as if it were an explosion, and light and darkness were inverting.

Even within all this, I continued being embraced by the dense darkness, and I heard it ever closer: ‘Call me…Call me’. Being urged on by that voice, I chanted that incantation.

“[Summon: Elemental].” (Hikaru)

*Thump*

A single strong pulse echoed.

Was that the sound of my own heart, or something else?

Even as the person who chanted the spell, I didn’t know.

That was called by me, or was made to be called.

The darkness that spread to the world was forcefully dragging the Spirit Energy around and condensing it.

The world regained its former form and I am now visible, but that doesn’t matter at all.

Because this condensed darkness…the darkness itself had a clear presence…and was standing by my side.

There’s still a lot of people around. They were losing their calm from all the darkness just a few moments ago, but right now they are dumbfounded as they observed that darkness.

I managed to confirm that Rifreya and Grapefull are nearby. She most likely safely secured Full and returned.

The two of them had their eyes wide open and seemed like they have even forgotten to breathe.

I myself was speechless at the sight of that darkness.

“Ufu…Ufufufu. Don’t make that face. You are the one who called me.”

A humanoid form made completely from darkness.

The outline of a long haired girl wearing a hat.

I have seen that once before.

I won’t ever forget it. The lord of darkness that killed that burning ape in the blink of an eye inside the forest…

“Great…Dark Spirit…?” (Hikaru)

“Finally… I finally met you. You were always together with the small us, but it really has been a while since we met when I am in this form. My beloved…no, would it be better to call you, My Lord?”

I don’t know if it is because I said ‘Great Dark Spirit’, but the commotion around got bigger.

But it is different from what I imagined.

“The Great Dark Spirit-sama, he said?!”

“This is my first time seeing her!”

“Uooo! Viva, Great Spirit-sama!”

“The reason why the Great Water Spirit-sama came out from the temple was to welcome the Great Dark Spirit-sama?!”

Cheers rose.

The residents that were even throwing stones to the barrier just a few minutes ago were switching their tune to a fearsome degree here.

It is hard for me to understand this as someone from Japan, but for them, a Great Spirit is an ally and a grateful existence.

Even if it is a being that suddenly appeared like this.

“You are the Great Dark Spirit…? Really? I called you?” (Hikaru)

“With your current power, I think it is still difficult to call me, but with that mysterious technique…you said it was a barrier, right? You had that. Ufufufu… No need to be so on guard. I wouldn’t eat my summoner. I am a being that was called by a summoning ability. That’s why you don’t have to worry.”

“Summoning ability…” (Hikaru)

The blanket term for the abilities that use Summon is Call of Darkness.

I confirmed my Status, but my Tier hasn’t gone up, and it is still Summon: Dark Knight. But…does this mean that when my level increases, I can call a Great Spirit at the end?

“Are you really…not going to eat me? Why are you slowly closing the distance?” (Hikaru)

“Because I couldn’t even touch you the last time we met… It is okay. There’s no need to be so wary. It will definitely be okay. Ei!”

It is not like I had my guard down, but that one step of the Great Dark Spirit was faster than the eye could perceive.

By the time I noticed, she was sticking right by me.

I was obviously surprised, but what I am feeling is just like the darkness with mass that I felt inside the barrier. ‘So this is the sensation of darkness…’ -is what I thought calmly.

Anyways, it would be really relieving if the Great Dark Spirit helps me out.

I organize my thoughts while being wrapped around the Great Dark Spirit.

It doesn’t change the fact that I am being targeted, but there’s nothing I can do aside from doing something about this Great Water Spirit.

It is either running away, defeating her, or have her give up; those are pretty much my only choices.

There’s also the possibility of her being surprised by the appearance of the Great Dark Spirit and giving up…?

That weakness showed up in my heart, but the Great Water Spirit spread both arms widely and was laughing loudly, reminding me that I am being too optimistic here.

“How could this be…how could this be! To think there would be a human who can actually utilize a high summoning ability! A human like that must be even more of a delicacy!”

That voice of hers resonated well, most likely because her body is big.

But she must be wary of the Great Dark Spirit, she is not attacking immediately.

“Hikaru! Hikaru! W-W-W-W-W-W-What’s going on here? What’s this situation? Why is that person sticking to you? Or more like, is that a person?” (Rifreya)

“Right-nyan, right-nyan. I don’t understand anything-nyan.” (Grapefull)

Rifreya and Grapefull run to me, looking agitated.

“I don’t know. It seems like I have summoned a Great Spirit.” (Hikaru)

“What’s that about somehow summoning one. Or more like, this is a summon…? Hm? Eeeeeh? A Great Spirit-sama…? The dark one? Huh? Is it really the Great Dark Spirit-sama?” (Rifreya)

“That’s right. I am the real Great Spirit of Darkness.”

“Eeeeeeh? Summoning? Summoning a Great Spirit-sama? Hikaru did? With an ability? I don’t understand what you are saying…” (Rifreya)

“C-Calm down. I don’t get it either. But if a Great Spirit is going to take our side, we might be able to manage this situation somehow.” (Hikaru)

When I met the Great Dark Spirit before, the Great Dark Spirit felt like she completely wanted to eat me, but the one I have summoned, I don’t know if it is the same one or it looks the same but isn’t, however, it doesn’t look like it plans on eating me.

Or more like, I feel like we are connected with Spirit Energy just like the Dark Knight and the Night Bugs.

She is my ally to a point where there’s no need to doubt it.

The Great Dark Spirit is different from the Great Water Spirit in that she is the size of a human girl, but I can tell that she has astonishing Spirit Energy inside of her just by being there.

“More importantly, Grapefull was fine, huh. Where was she?” (Hikaru)

“Full-chan was in the Mutual Aid Association. It seems Moa-san protected her. No one was there when I arrived.” (Rifreya)

“I see. Then, what’s left is to get through this.” (Hikaru)

The masked man that was with Ferdinand is probably still around, but the Great Water Spirit is the current threat.

The crowd seems to not understand this situation, they are all gathering more and more to get a look at the Great Dark Spirit.

Or more like, it is getting so crowded already that it is becoming hard to even talk with Rifreya now.

If it turns into a battle, there’s no doubt they will get caught up in it too.

“Hey, Rifreya, the Great Water Spirit won’t harm the people of the city, right?” (Hikaru)

“I don’t know about that… Great Spirit-samas are friendly to humans normally, but…I don’t think it is absolute. If a Demon Lord comes out from the dungeon, the Great Spirit-samas apparently have an intense battle with the Demon Lord that drags even the humans of the city along with it. I want to think it will be okay, but…with how things are looking, the hopes might be slim.” (Rifreya)

In other words, there’s no knowing.

This situation must be a first, so that can’t be helped.

“Ufufu. If you have time to talk like that, leave that big one to me and run away, My Lord.”

The Great Dark Spirit glared directly at the Great Water Spirit as she said this.

“Run, you say… But where…?” (Hikaru)

“Outside the city. That’s a Great Spirit tied to this city, so she can’t go too far away from this city and the water. Hurry if possible. It would be difficult for me to keep a Great Spirit tied to a city at bay for long.”

“Really?” (Hikaru)

“I was simply born from an ability. There’s a time limit to how long I can maintain this form. You should know that.”

Summons have time limits.

I did expect Great Spirits to not be able to stay the whole time, but it seems like there’s no such convenient development.

Then, even the time we are spending here is valuable.

Just when we were thinking about running away, the Great Water Spirit moved.

“As if I will let you escape.”

She approached with astonishing speed in midair and stretched her hand towards us.

The Great Dark Spirit blocked this with her body.

“I won’t let you.”

“I see… How well can you fight this one with that newly born body?”

“Ufufu. Maybe I will put up a decent fight?”

The people around seem to not understand what’s happening here.

Looks like they didn’t expect Great Spirits to fight each other.

That’s why they aren’t running away yet, and are staying there with dumbfounded faces.

“Even if we are to run away, we have to do something about these people…” (Hikaru)

“I said I am not letting you run away. A Loved One that can use high summoning abilities…huh. Fu…Fufufufufu…just how delicious of a taste will it be? Who knows if such a chance will ever come again. This one absolutely won’t let the others have you.”

Before she said all that, she spread big water walls in all directions around us while fighting the Great Dark Spirit.

It is not an offensive ability, but the people who were caught up were running away, screaming.

The water wall is around 5 meters tall, and it is going down to up just like the Water Screen I saw before.

A number of people were caught up in the current and shot up, flying into the air like fishes.

“Seriously…?! Weren’t you supposed to not harm humans?!” (Hikaru)

“Hohoho, misfortune was the destiny that awaited them. Nothing this one could do.”

“Damn it! Why is someone like this being worshiped? [Dispel]!” (Hikaru)

The dispelling chaotic energy was emitted, and the water wall created by the Great Water Spirit was destroyed.

The people obviously began to take distance little by little, but there’s still too many people.

“You…isn’t that a Chaotic Ability? Not only high summoning ability? What in the world are you? Are you really human?”

“Tentatively.” (Hikaru)

It seems like the Great Spirit was surprised that I used a Chaotic Ability.

As for me, I am glad it worked, but this is just going to buy us time.

The Spirit Energy -more accurately, Chaotic Energy- consumed from Chaotic Abilities is a lot. A long battle would be impossible for me.

I immediately turned around and began running.

The crowd has understandably decreased, and I might be able to manage somehow if I run to the east.

“As expected of My Lord. Now, don’t ignore me, okay, Great Water Spirit-san?”

“Wait!”

“I told you I am not letting you go.”

The Great Dark Spirit created darkness and increased her size.

Darkness that’s far denser than Darkness Fog. It is pretty hard to see even with my Night Vision. I don’t know how strong the Night Vision of the Great Water Spirit is, but it might serve to buy time.

“Hikaru! What should me and Full-chan do?!” (Rifreya)

“Come with me. You can’t fight against a Great Spirit, right?” (Hikaru)

Anyways, we have no choice but to run.

I don’t know for how long the Great Dark Spirit can stop her, but we should be able to create quite the distance if we run at full speed.