ALL NOVEL Chapter 60
Chapter 60. Contract Test
What kind of family is the Crawler Family? I had no idea what crime they had committed or what misfortune had befallen them.
An unidentified group not even mentioned in the main story. Being suddenly possessed by their bloodline felt quite foreign to me.
The Curse of Liars, the scion of an annihilated family—beyond that, there was no information. However, if this world exists, there must be a backstory behind it.
The flow of events outside the main story must occur without breaking the main plot.
Rotas Crawler. The Crawler Family faced destruction during his tenure as the head. Considering that the cause of the annihilation might be a curse, the root must lie with Rotas himself.
The women and children related to him all turned out to be liars just like him.
Of course, he must feel quite wronged. After all, it’s not like he wanted to be cursed either; it wouldn’t be right to blame him.
Perhaps I could cautiously speculate that his study of dark magic led him to this condition. In that case, being cursed would be self-inflicted.
Yet, Rotas didn’t abandon his family; they live together. He would never delve into dark magic knowing it would affect his family.
Over the past week, I learned that Rotas was once a wizard of the 6th Circle.
That’s quite impressive, considering reaching the 5th Circle qualifies one to become a professor of magic.
The barrier surrounding this cabin was established solely by his power. The weak aspects within the house were supported by magic 24/7.
Though he has weakened due to his hermitic lifestyle, what would compel such a man to dabble with dark magic?
Unless he were a fanatic like Elder Enviel.
Additionally, he had already mastered his spirit power long before I ever did. Commanding spirits was a piece of cake for him.
Rotas was impressed when he learned I absorbed a high-level spirit. Even with a curse, not just anyone can become a powerful spirit sorcerer.
Transforming the malice of a curse that gnaws at one’s life into strength isn’t easy. But seeing me achieve it so easily motivated him to help me.
“You’ve become a spirit sorcerer, but your experience in eliminating spirits is still quite low. Because of that, you can’t even form a contract with a low-ranking spirit. Radon, what you need to do is make contact with spirits.”
My father advised me to meet spirits directly to increase my sensitivity toward them. Though Muto was by my side, he didn’t listen to me.
Knowing my goal was to form a contract with him, he was bound to rebel even more. Spirits are far from kind to humans.
My mother knew all about this.
“In fact, spirits and elementals share the same roots. They are born from human desires. Elementals are beings created from the faith of humans who have revered nature for ages. And what about spirits…?”
Negative emotions like hatred and jealousy can also be considered desires when they dig deep enough. Life often falls short of being filled with pure things.
Spirits, existing in contrast to elementals, are born from the malice and curses that fill that void.
Thus, they cannot be perceived in the same way by human eyes, sharing the commonality of needing enhanced sensitivity for contracts to succeed.
“When I formed a contract with elementals, I naturally blended in among them. It was a prerequisite to becoming one with them. It’s likely the same for spirits. While many elementals aren’t hostile towards humans, spirits will be tougher.”
This was advice from my mother, who used to be a spirit sorceress. I had thought she was just an ordinary noblewoman, but it seems she wasn’t just anyone.
And considering my daughter is turning into a muscle-bound behemoth…
“It’s not like we were overthrown by force. I assure you!”
As per my parents’ suggestions, I stepped into a place abundant with spirits. Fortunately, there was a horror spot nearby—the Aligieri Tower.
Venturing deep into the mountain beyond the cabin, the aura of curses swarmed around me. I heard this mountain was the center of the great war that occurred 30 years ago.
Blood-soaked areas are where spirits gather easily, and the presence of people only increases their numbers.
Spirits born from a nearby village all settled here.
Thus, I had been rummaging through the spirits’ habitat for the past week. It was a perilous endeavor akin to dungeon exploration, but it was necessary to form a contract with Muto.
“Catch 100 spirits within a week. Then I might reconsider.”
That was what he had gleefully declared as we entered the spirit zone. Just the tone of his voice was dripping with mockery, and I began to understand why.
Simply entering the place sent shivers down my spine like a scene from a horror movie. The spirits here were indeed monstrous.
“Ha! You caught only one? Though you could say it was your first day and you were just getting used to it, at this pace, you’re hopeless.”
On the second day, reflecting on my past failure, I felt the stark difference. The spirits lingered around the Aligieri Tower were definitely stronger. Muto wasn’t just taunting for nothing.
“Now that’s some skill you’ve shown. You caught three today, bringing your total to four? Give it your all.”
On the third day, of course, my weapon was just an ordinary fishing rod. I could slice the wrists of the spirits with my phantom swordsmanship, but severing their main connection was tough.
Instead, I bound them with fishing lines. Muto even sneered once more, insisting that wouldn’t suffice to stop their movement.
-Howling Thunder Lv3
However, a high-voltage current coursing through the fishing line electrocuted the spirits. But due to excessive mana expenditure, I was close to exhaustion.
I decided to retreat for today.
“Hey, how many did you catch today?”
“Seven.”
“That makes it eleven total. You looked pretty flustered when the lightning struck just now.”
“Don’t get cocky, you piece of trash. You haven’t even made it halfway.”
Muto, who always provoked me, looked startled for the first time.
On the fourth day, the spirits’ outer shell was tough. Even with my grand swordsmanship, I could barely leave scratches, and I would need to beat them senseless to catch just one. That was the failure from my first day.
But I mustn’t forget. My job isn’t being a powerful sorcerer nor a knight.
Swordsmanship was merely a side skill. I summoned a bug with my ‘Summon Insect’ skill and hooked it on the fishing line. I waited, dangling it from a tree.
Then among the spirits, the frogs lunged for it.
“How foolish.”
Fishing doesn’t solely exist by the water’s edge. Instead of biting the fishing line, they became entangled in chaos.
And upon that spot were the toxic bugs I had secretly summoned, leading them to die without realizing they were poisoned.
“How many today?”
“Twenty….”
Adding it all up, that made thirty-one. Today, Muto’s voice sounded smaller.
On the fifth day, I had now completely adjusted to this region. But the spirits seemed to be wary of me, and gradually, stronger ones emerged.
Even zapping them with lightning or with poison bugs wasn’t enough; I only managed to kill nine even when using ‘Curse Aura.’
It was a scene Muto would have loved to witness, but… he suddenly bore a puzzled expression.
“I want to ask one thing.”
“What?”
“Where’s that blue fishing rod you used to use? You didn’t leave it back at the Academy dorm, did you?”
“….”
A total of forty spirits.
Sixty more to go.
On the sixth day, although I didn’t make a big catch yesterday, my sensitivity skyrocketed due to the experience I gained in the past few days.
I absorbed Enviel and gained knowledge, but I lacked the stats to match it. However, after hunting spirits and raising my proficiency, I could now use some of that knowledge.
“It’s just the contract hasn’t been formed yet. You and I are already connected. The energy you devoured affects me too.”
“It seems like it does….”
“Enviel was an 8th Circle magician and reached the peak at 7-star swordsman status. Mixing magic and sword intent was his daily routine. Of course, it’s beyond me now….”
As I recalled Enviel’s memories, I infused my fishing rod with mana. The sword intent began to pulse with electricity.
In its original state, Enviel’s magic sword covered an entire village, but that was a tall order for me.
Trying to mimic that force would drain my mana and lead me to collapse.
“Then I should split the use.”
“Split?”
As I spoke… another me appeared beside me.
Then another, and another, until there were ten ‘mes’ in existence now.
[Conditions met. New skill activated.]
-Phantom Clone Lv1
Muto was greatly startled, but I… ‘we’ hurled fishing lines that pierced the spirits.
Feeling threatened, the spirits rushed in to destroy my clones. However, as they vanished, they transformed into toxic bugs.
The bugs started to pierce their eyes and nostrils, gradually infecting them. But unlike the other spirits, they recovered rapidly. I wouldn’t let that chance slip.
-Curse Aura Lv6
-Healing Lv6
Slicing from the fishing rods we held shot forth purple sword intent. The slash, strong enough to cross waterfalls, sliced deeply into the weakened spirits.
After hitting the sixtieth one.
Forty more to go.
On the seventh day, the much-anticipated final day arrived.
Despite having utilized various tactics so far, I had vanquished only sixty spirits. I was barely halfway there.
Considering my highest catch had been twenty, it would be impossible to meet the hundred mark at this rate.
This entire gamble seemed to lean towards Muto’s victory. However, he never laughed.
Muto’s constant taunts had quieted down since the fourth day, and he wore an expression tinged with unease.
“It’s the last day.”
“Indeed.”
“Are you not happy? I’ve been hunting to the last of my mana and yet only managed sixty. Under normal circumstances, achieving a hundred in one day seems impossible?”
“Then why aren’t you worried?”
“Why, you ask….”
I replied.
Summoning a weapon to my hand…
“I’ll catch them all today.”
『…!』
As ‘Leviathan’ gripped my hand, Muto looked wide-eyed. Throughout my spirit hunts, I hadn’t used this blue fishing rod even once.
Having already gained momentum, the only thing left was to charge in.
Blue lightning and the aura of curses danced around Leviathan. Those spirits that were once merely hurt could now have their heads severed in one blow.
They were unexpectedly sluggish. The hard outer shells had been an issue, but that was easily resolved now, and I took down ten spirits in one swift motion.
However, my mana was running low. The reason I hadn’t caught more easily was completely due to the limits of my mana and spirit energy.
-Phantom Clone Lv1
My presence multiplied by ten. They too grasped Leviathan, releasing a mix of curse-infused black lightning.
We recalled the wide-ranging sword strikes that Enviel used to employ. Incorporating that theory into our movements, we swung our fishing rods.
Kugugugu!-
The pillars of black lightning engulfed the forest.
All the spirits disintegrated. The once-dense woods that chilled the night air vanished.
The gruesome aftermath of over thirty spirits dead and the forest laid to waste unfolded before me.
As I cleaned up, fatigue gradually set in.
“Is it only natural this would happen? Since I pushed every ounce of strength….”
I couldn’t finish my sentence before collapsing like a dead battery.
[The spirit ‘Muto’ has started to show significant interest in you.]
[Contract conditions have been met!]
It seemed something hovered before my eyes, but I couldn’t even look at it before consciousness slipped away.
“Congratulations, you piece of trash.”
Even as my consciousness descended, I heard a voice. I rushed to awaken, but I was not in the forest.
I was still inside my submerged consciousness.
Seeing skulls floating in the deep red water didn’t faze me in the slightest. It was proof that this wasn’t reality. Here, I could meet the being’s true form.
A serpent that looked to be thirty times larger than an anaconda emerged from the dark. It was the true form of Muto, the high-ranking spirit known as ‘Shadow of Gluttony.’
“You have won.”
The being spoke to me, sounding as if it acknowledged my victory.
“You seem a lot tamer than usual?”
“Think what you wish. Now the choice is yours to make.”
*
“Is this definitely the place?”
“Absolutely. Many have reported seeing a large woman entering here.”
A group of knights and one girl was climbing the mountain.
It made sense for the knights to be out scouting in the dead of night. But the fact that a girl who couldn’t look older than her early teens was leading them reminded me she hailed from an extraordinary background.
“The young lady has been on break for a week now. Shouldn’t we be heading back home soon?”
“I know. So let’s wrap this up quickly and head back.”
The girl’s sky-blue bobbed hair brushed against tree branches, swaying gracefully. Despite her ethereal appearance, she had a fiery temperament.
“I will definitely catch that scammer who sold me sleeping medication!!”
Clenching her teeth, the girl burned with determination.
Surviving as the Academy Scammer.