TOP 67

Chapter 67

Guardian No. 1

【Yujin! Got any good ideas!?】

The urgent voice of Prill was somehow a relief.

Still, aside from that relief, the situation was extremely critical.

Magma Golems, Flame Trees, Lava Worms.

Five-star monsters swarmed the corridor, completely filling it.

Just from what was visible, there were hundreds.

Even a normal party would struggle to block this kind of sheer numbers.

“Well…”

【Now’s not the time to be relaxed! They just keep coming! Ice Spear!】

“Hah! Hoo! Hrr! I-is there… no way?”

Prill desperately cast her skill while Yuseola barely clutched her breath.

Watching them, I spoke calmly.

“Why not just kill them all?”

【How exactly are we supposed to do that!?】

Indeed, it was a difficult situation.

If it were the old me…

I adjusted my grip on the Eternal Frost Sword.

Then, I drew the Aura Blade.

The blade shimmered brilliantly, covered in radiant aura.

“My goodness! A six-star!?”

【Waaah! Yujin, you’ve grown!】

“What exactly happened in there…?”

“It’s a long story.”

Sgaga-gaak─!

In an instant, I sliced through four Magma Golems that had approached nearby.

“Let’s deal with them first, then talk.”

Although I had questions for them, I pushed them aside for now.

Right now, handling the wave of monsters was the priority.

Condition is perfect.

Perhaps because all injuries and fatigue had been fully recovered in the Spatial Rift.

My state was impeccable.

Swoosh—skak!

Swinging the Aura Blade, I cut through the monsters.

Monsters that would normally require multiple swings fell like tofu.

I’ve definitely gotten stronger.

Overcoming a single trial had completely changed my level.

Well, considering I gained three powers from that trial, maybe it’s only natural.

It was clear just by the fact I could entertain such thoughts mid-battle.

I had grown.

Significantly.

I assessed my own strength.

Among six-star monsters, I’d be upper-tier?

Though trivial, it did make me slightly curious.

…Do I need to get a new rating?

Having upgraded from five-star to six-star in the certification exam.

Would the certificate show five stars? Or six?

Hmm.

Ideally, I hoped the six-star certificate would appear just from showing the Aura Blade.

Crack! Boom—!

Even while thinking that, my body moved automatically, slaughtering monsters.

Their movements were transparent to me.

Even as I jumped into their midst performing near-acrobatic maneuvers, there was no sense of danger.

“The line’s being pushed back!”

【We’re saved! Yujin, amazing!】

It was exactly as said.

The monsters filling the corridor had nearly cornered us against the walls, but with my arrival, the frontlines could actually be pushed back.

No need to use 「One Punch」.

Just letting time pass, I could handle the monsters easily.

With ample stamina, there was no rush.

Just as I was about to take a breather,

Kugung! Thud!

【Huh?】

“Didn’t you hear that?”

The terrain trembled.

As if something was about to happen.

Then, soon after:

Creak—Kraaaang!

The corridor walls collapsed, and monsters began pouring in.

From two points at once.

“W-what….”

We were in a maze-like structure.

We had been defending a dead-end wall against the waves of monsters.

But now, holes had opened in the walls on both sides.

Meaning monsters that were coming from one direction were now advancing from three directions.

【More monsters appeared!】

“W-what should we do!?”

Of course, it wasn’t a problem for me.

I had confidence to cut through monsters even in the middle of their group.

This wasn’t a major threat.

However, the backline was the issue.

Yuseola and Prill, who had been relaxed while I cut the front monsters, now faced a new wave.

“Ice Storm!”

【Ice Spear! Yujin, help!】

Of course I would.

「One Punch」 is out.

Even using it would only cover one direction.

Moreover, if monsters kept coming, it wouldn’t solve the root problem.

I recalled my newly gained skill.

Should I put her in 「Dragon Lair」?

The 「Dragon Lair」, an extra-large pocket dimension and housing system.

It wasn’t just large in size.

It could store living beings.

So if I put Yuseola in there, the immediate danger would be over.

Prill can just hide again if needed.

I could deal with the monsters myself and retrieve them later.

But.

This is an opportunity.

A better idea came to me.

“Ice Spi… ugh!”

Yuseola’s spell was canceled due to lack of mana.

I shouted to her.

“Yuseola!”

“Hah! Y-yes…!”

“Read this quickly and agree!”

At the same time, I activated the 「Guardian Contract」 skill.

Ding!

[‘Yuseola’ is appointed as a Guardian.]

[The contract contents are notified to ‘Yuseola’.]

[If the target agrees, the contract is established.]

“W-what is this!?”

“This is how you survive!”

Since acquiring 「Guardian Contract」, I had thought:

‘If I can use this on Yuseola…?’

I could trust her without hesitation.

Yuseola was someone I couldn’t easily analyze.

From the start, I wasn’t sure if she could be on my side, so I hesitated to extend help.

But if this contract could succeed, I wouldn’t have to worry anymore.

A Guardian could never betray me.

“W-what kind of contract is this….”

As expected, she didn’t immediately agree.

Which was understandable.

“Cannot betray” isn’t exactly an easy condition.

Still.

In the end, she has no choice.

This contract was the only way for her to survive.

If she wanted to live, she had to agree.

Actually, there’s another way, but…

If I didn’t reveal it, it might as well not exist.

Still, some persuasion was needed.

“You might misunderstand—it’s not a slave contract. You just can’t betray me.”

It was a matter of perspective.

How one interprets ‘betrayal’ could change things.

“…If I agree to this, I’ll definitely survive?”

“I guarantee it. At least in this dungeon, I promise to prioritize your life over mine.”

I offered an incentive.

It wasn’t a lie.

If needed, I could just put her in 「Dragon Lair」.

Then I’d die first if anything happened.

Yuseola bit her lip and thought, then spoke:

“Promise me one thing.”

“Yes.”

I already knew what it would be.

Probably asking not to exploit the contract with unreasonable demands.

That’s what I thought.

“Let me keep learning magic from Prill-unnie.”

“?”

But her request wasn’t like that.

She suddenly asked to be allowed to learn magic.

Of course, I agreed.

That was nothing.

“No problem.”

“…Okay. I’ll do the contract.”

The moment she spoke,

Zzzz—!

A sensation I’d never felt in my life surged through me.

A connection with Yuseola.

…A bond?

It was a type of bond, but stronger.

I could feel it clearly.

She was now completely on my side.

[‘Yuseola’ has agreed to the Guardian Contract!]

[‘Yuseola’ is appointed as a Guardian.]

[30% of the user’s stats can be applied to ‘Yuseola’.]

[Apply now?]

“Apply.”

[Physical stats 11,541 applied to ‘Yuseola’.]

[Mana stats 3,208 applied to ‘Yuseola’.]

Some of my stats had been copied and transferred.

“Uh?”

Yuseola’s voice sounded dumbfounded.

Suddenly inflated stats were impressive.

“You can fight with that. Manageable, right?”

“…So it’s not just saving my life.”

“Of course not.”

You can’t get something for nothing.

A contract doesn’t end with just agreeing.

It creates the power to fight.

But fighting still requires effort.

“Alright… Ice Storm!”

Yuseola showed no complaints.

Even before the contract, she only asked about survival and learning magic.

Minor details weren’t important to her.

And.

She probably doesn’t know yet, but this will be useful.

30% of my mana stats.

It wasn’t a one-time transfer.

My Mana Overload recovery speed was also transferred to her.

Adding her original mana recovery skills, she’d likely never suffer a mana shortage again.

I thought so.

“Ice Storm! Ice Spear! Ice Spear!”

Yuseola began unleashing magic relentlessly, rapidly clearing the monster wave.

“Alright, that side’s covered.”

Guardian No. 1’s performance was very satisfactory.

Even while conversing, I held back the frontal wave of monsters effectively.

Then.

“Prill?”

I called the name of the least useful person among the three present.

【L-least useful!?】

“Did you read my intent?”

【Yujin. You…!】

“You should work too, right?”

If Prill contributed, we could perfectly block all three directions.

A mage without mana worries was truly a defensive god.

But.

【I-I won’t!】

“Hmm?”

【No! You want me to be a Guardian again? Never!】

Prill vehemently refused.

Understandable, since she’d been trapped by a dragon for ten thousand years.

“There’s no compulsion. Just take mana if you want. You know I have plenty.”

【…No!】

“Or will you betray me?”

【Not that…】

Prill and I were already in a contract.

Though not this type, betrayal was already impossible.

So the 「Guardian Contract」 was a perfect chance to strengthen forces without risk.

Yet Prill still refused.

【Still, being a Guardian…】

“Is this the same as your old contract?”

【…No.】

I had no idea what ridiculous contract she made before, but this one wasn’t the same.

Prill’s refusal seemed to stem from trauma.

Avoiding a harmless contract due to past trauma.

Then.

“Prill.”

【…Sorry. No way I can do the Guardian Contract.】

If it’s not ‘Guardian’, that’s fine.

“Then, not as a Guardian.”

【…?】

“Become my companion spirit.”

【……?】

I couldn’t rename a system-defined skill, but my approach could change.

“Doing this contract won’t make you a Guardian.”

【…….】

“You’ll be my companion spirit.”

I could change it sufficiently.

Besides, Prill could read my intent.

She would know my sincerity—

【You crazy! No!!!!】

…Wasn’t that the keyword?