Sillad had already acknowledged Suho as the priest. He even bestowed his blessing, allowing him to use the skill 'Blizzard of Frost.' But as Sillad said, he accepted Suho because of his mother, Cha Hae-In, not Suho himself. However, it was different now.
Ding!
[Recruited 'Descendant of Frost' as a companion.]
Sillad finally acknowledged him as the 'Priest of the Dead Monarchs.' He felt that he could truly entrust his descendant to Suho. Moreover, it wasn't just the Monarch of Frost who acknowledged him.
[Suho! Did you see? I did it!] It was Sirka. The next Monarch candidate, armed with Spirit Armor, looking back at him with a triumphant smile.
Crash! Bang! Bang! Bang—!
[Spirit has been defeated.]
[Spirit has been defeated.]
[Spirit has been defeated.]
[…]
Sirka was no longer a victim of the spirits that had haunted Elvenwood and raised elves for centuries. Thanks to Suho's teachings, she had become a powerful ruler who dominated them with her newfound strength. The roles were completely reversed, and the outcome was remarkable.
Ding!
[50% of the experience points gained by Companion: 'Sirka' are transferred to the player.]
Was this the true meaning of a 'companion'?
'It's similar to Gray.' Although Gray was a 'pet', not a companion, only the name was different, the principle was the same. The level-up system used the same approach with Sirka. Suho, who had seen and experienced many things, now fully understood the concept. Although the expression 'experience points' was used for convenience, it would be more accurate to call it 'nutrients' that should go to the World Tree. The nutrients that leaked out when magical beasts or spirits died. The level-up system intercepted those and had Suho absorb them. And that method was very similar to how the 'weeds' grew by stealing the nutrients of the World Tree in the Sea of The Afterlife. As a result, Gray and Sirka became transmitters who handed over a portion of the 'nutrients' that burst out from the creatures they killed to Suho. This was the concept of a 'companion' in the system. To borrow an expression familiar to humans, it was party play where they shared experience points. But there was one exception: Esil. Even though she volunteered to become Suho's subordinate, she didn't share experience points. Instead, she offered a greater offering.
[Spirit has been defeated.]
[Spirit has been defeated.]
[Spirit has been defeated.]
[…]
['Blessing of Gluttony' amplifies experience points.]
[Level Up!]
'Blessing of Gluttony'
Esil's blessing, which tripled the experience efficiency, was still in effect even though she wasn't here. This was due to the unique characteristic of the demon race. They began as the weeds that grew by stealing the nutrients of the World Tree in the Sea of The Afterlife. Those insignificant weeds evolved repeatedly, becoming residents of the gap and then the demon race. So Esil, their Monarch, didn't simply offer nutrients, but amplified the absorption rate itself, which was how the nutrients were digested.
'Even if they're in the same companion relationship, each race has different characteristics. Gray could grant possession…'
Growl—!
Crack! Bang—!
Seeing Gray bravely hunting spirits even now, 'possession' must have had a positive impact on his growth as well. A win-win situation. Wasn't this a true companion relationship? So Suho had a question. If the 'Blizzard of Frost' he received earlier was a gift for his mother, not him, then what about now? What about Sirka, who just became his companion?
Crack—! Bang—!
The once noisy surroundings fell silent as the spirits surrounding Sirka froze mid-escape. Looking pathetic frozen in their sharp, icy prison, Sirka thrust her spear into the center, as if to finish them off.
Crack Crack Crack—!
Strangely, the ice began to clump around Sirka's spear, becoming thicker. It resembled a giant hammer. It had turned into a brutal blunt weapon, no longer the 'Ice Tree Spear' but the 'Ice Tree Hammer.'
[Ugh] Sirka lifted the giant ice hammer and placed it on her shoulder.
Suho chuckled at the sight. Rather than wearing the giant armor, it was more like she was riding it. Sirka's expression as she raised her head and struck a pose inside, as if waiting for praise, made it difficult to ignore her.
'She learned better than I thought. Is this because she's the descendant of a Monarch?'
[Ahem!] Sirka's shoulders puffed up.
Sillad, holding back his twitching lips, gave a stern warning, […You still have a long way to go. You're only at the level where you can control the spirits that directly touch your hand…]
[Grandpa.]
[Wh-what?!] Sillad was startled.
Sirka suddenly looked him straight in the face and spoke. Until now, they had only communicated through 'prayer,' so this was practically the first time they faced each other. She asked confidently,
[What..? Isn't it true? You're my grandfather, right?]
[…] Sillad couldn't answer that bold gaze.
[I saw my dad once, when I was a baby. When leaving for the battlefield, he clearly told me that I was the granddaughter who inherited the blood of the Monarch of Frost.]
[…] Still no answer. Sirka continued to speak, staring intently at Sillad's face, who was avoiding her gaze.
[So I have to grow up quickly and protect this village.]
[…]
[To become a guardian.] Even though she was very young, Sirka remembered it clearly.
[Those were the first and last words my dad ever said to me.]
Her father's firm gaze as he said those words to her. There wasn't a shred of warmth in that cold voice. She didn't know it then, but Sirka had grown enough to recognize that coldness now.
[…Don't resent your father. He was just a pawn to be used in the war for me. And that's how I brought him up too.] Sillad finally opened his mouth with a heavy groan. White frost flowed out with his sigh.
[No… All of us were born with the fate of fighting on the battlefield from the instant we come into the world until the moment we die. That is the only mission of us elves…]
[You're wrong.]
[…What?]
[You're wrong.] At Sirka's bold reply, Sillad finally turned his head and looked at her face. And his eyes widened.
[Cha Cha didn't say that to us.] Sirka… had an expression that wasn't like that of an ice elf at all.
[She told us not to run around like that. Because it's dangerous to fall. She told us to cover ourselves with blankets and sleep. She told us to dress warmly because it's cold.] Cha Cha's continuous nagging. Recalling that kind voice, Sirka…
[She told us to live happily, even when we're fighting.]
…Was smiling brightly.
[She said my smile is pretty.]
[…]
[What about you, Grandpa?]
[…It's nice to see.]
[Does that mean it's pretty?] Sirka giggled as she finally got an answer.
At the same time, Sillad had a strange expression. Words he had never uttered before. Words he had never even imagined. But seeing his granddaughter smiling confidently before him, Sillad finally crumbled.
Whoosh—
Couldn't he hold it in anymore? Or was Sillad's time up? With a flurry of snow, Sillad turned his back and hid in the blizzard. A very small voice flowed from that cold and harsh snowstorm.
[…Thank you for growing up well.]
Whoosh—!
With those words, Sillad's world ejected Suho's and Sirka's minds back to reality. And at that moment, his voice pierced Suho's ears.
[Prepare for battle. The moment you leave here, Elvenwood, everything in the forest, will attack you.]
'I know. In that sense, can you give me a useful blessing or skill?' Sillad scoffed at Suho's words, who was still trying to negotiate at a time like this.
[You cheeky thing. You haven't answered my question yet.]
'You mean the quest? Okay. Accept!'
[…The contract is established. Please take good care of my granddaughter.]
Whoosh—!
Sirka waved with a bright smile towards Sillad, whose presence was fading away.
[Grandpa! I'll pray later…!]
[…Well, do whatever you want.]
Whoosh—!
The stopped time began to flow again.
[Young elf.]
[We'll give you a chance.]
[Become one with us.]
Whoosh—!
Suho and Sirka's vision changed in an instant. They saw Cha Hae-In's determined expression. Countless high elves, tree branches, and spirits were attacking them from all directions. But the situation no longer called for panic. Without prompting, They counterattacked the entire forest.
"Spirit Armor!"
Crack—!
Sirka slammed her spear into the ground. And an ice armor, sprouting like frost from the spearhead, covered Sirka's entire body. Suho took a step forward too,
[Using skill: 'Blizzard of Frost'.]
Whoosh—!
Winter came to Elvenwood.
"Th-this is…!"
"How can the power of a dead Monarch be in this land…!"
The horrified expressions of the high elves were a sight to behold. They probably wouldn't even dream that the Monarch of Frost, who had already been defeated and died in the war, could still intervene in this world. And the moment Suho accepted his quest, just as he taught Sirka how to use his power, the Monarch of Frost also gave Suho the trick to utilizing his blessing.
['Bonding Skill' is formed due to the bond with the 'Descendant of Frost'.]
Grin. Suho grinned meaningfully as he saw the newly created skill.
"Those without wings. Arise, all of you!"
Rumble—!
Shadow soldiers rose from Suho's shadow and he used the new skill towards them.
"Spirit Armament!"
[Skill: Spirit Armament Lv.1]
[Required Mana: 1 per second]
[Temporarily strengthens shadow soldiers by sacrificing spirits.]
[The attribute and degree of strengthening vary depending on the type and amount of spirits.]
[Kraaaaaaaaaaa!]
The shadow soldiers' bodies swelled up without prompting. The spirits that Sirka killed dwelled in their bodies.