Chapter 7: Garden of Flames (1)
This stayed the same, Kim Ki-Rok thought.
A few things didn't change no matter what Attempt Kim Ki-Rok was on. One of them was Lee Ji-Yeon's contracted Elemental. She had always made a contract with the girl Elemental. There had been occasions when Kim Ki-Rok recommended the boy Elemental or the beautiful woman Elemental to see what would happen. However, Lee Ji-Yeon would contract with the cute girl Elemental every time.
She always liked cute things.
As such, her abilities would always be the same on every Attempt.
With her contracted Elemental perched on her shoulder, Lee Ji-Yeon suggested to Kim Ki-Rok, "Shall we go then?"
Once a contract was formed with an Elemental, the Elementalist would come to love Elementals and nature itself, though it wasn't a result of brainwashing. Through the bond established by the contract, they experienced nature in its purest form, leading them to cherish the species that embodied and controlled nature itself. Their love stemmed from a deepening understanding of nature.
"Before heading there, wouldn't you like to know more about the monsters that will appear?" Kim Ki-Rok asked.
"You're right. What monsters will there be?"
"Tree monsters."
"Tree monsters in a forest where the fire Elementals live?" Lee Ji-Yeon questioned.
"It's strange, right?"
"Yes," she said.
"But the moment you burn the monsters, their mana seeps into the forest." Kim Ki-Rok added.
The fire Elementals could not use their power because of the corrupt energy that had seeped into nature.
"Ah, are you talking about the corrupt energy?" Lee Ji-Yeon asked.
"Yes."
"Then how do we fight against the monsters?"
Lee Ji-Yeon looked puzzled. She had planned to defeat the monsters with her ability along with the elemental power received by contracting with the Greater Fire Elemental.
Kim Ki-Rok smiled and explained the strategy. "Take a sword."
"Okay."
"And stab them deeply."
"Huh?"
"Stab them deeply with the sword. You need to find their core and pierce through with your sword. The corrupted energy of the monster does not come from its mana stone but from its body. So you have to impale their core with a swift strike before the corrupted energy has a chance to spread."
"Ah... with one strike," Lee Ji-Yeon said.
"Yes. With one strike."
"But I don't have a sword."
"I knew about this Gate, The Invaded Garden of Flames, and waited here until the Elementalist of Fire arrived. Which means..." Kim Ki-Rok trailed off.
"Which means?" Lee Ji-Yeon probed him.
Kim Ki-Rok handed a sword to Lee Ji-Yeon. "It means I prepared for everything while waiting for a knight in shining armor, the Elementalist of Fire, to step foot into The Invaded Garden of Flames."
"Oh, you even have a subspace pocket. Those are expensive."
"Haha! I received it as a gift."
"Wow."
"From a Goblin."
"What?"
Lee Ji-Yeon's expression seemed to ask, What nonsense is this?
"I received it as a gift from the Golden Goblin. Haha!" Kim Ki-Rok burst into laughter again, and after adjusting his slipping monocle, quickly regained his serious demeanor. "If you infuse your mana, ability, or elemental power of fire to this longsword, the effects increase by 30%. You just need to stab the monsters deeply with that."
"Stab deeply."
"Yes. Stab deeply."
"Is the Guardian also a tree monster?" Lee Ji-Yeon inquired.
"Yes. It is a huge tree monster. I scouted ahead before you arrived. The Guardian was different from other tree monsters as it had three cores. Please keep that in mind."
"Alright."
"Alright, off you go," Kim Ki-Rok said.
"Okay." It seemed like Lee Ji-Yeon had just registered what Kim Ki-Rok had said because she exclaimed, "Wait, what?"
Kim Ki-Rok spread his arms wide and looked back. "Haha! Someone has to guard this place, right?"
In response to Kim Ki-Rok's statement, the Elementals eagerly ate the desserts on the table and nodded urgently in agreement.
"Ah, right. Someone needs to protect this place."
"Yes, indeed. Of course, because things could go wrong..." Kim Ki-Rok trailed off as he shoved his hand back into his subspace pocket, the same one from which he had previously taken out the Longsword, and pulled out a walkie-talkie.
"Keep this with you. You can contact us if you're in danger or in need of information when facing monsters you aren't sure how to deal with."
Although Lee Ji-Yeon had forged a contract with a Greater Elemental, she had to destroy the Gate alone. Staring blankly at the walkie-talkie in her hand, she felt like her mind was about to fizz out in this surreal situation she had been placed in.
Time passed like that for a while.
Kim Ki-Rok stared intently at her, as did the other Elementals. Lee Ji-Yeon, who was receiving unwanted attention, seemed to have made up her mind as she lifted her head.
"Well..."
Clenching her fist, she turned toward the forest. "I'll be back."
Kim Ki-Rok and the Elementals quietly cheered with bright smiles.
***
The Queen of the Elementals waved her hand vigorously and turned around with a bewildered look as soon as Lee Ji-Yeon confidently disappeared into the forest.
"But there's no need to protect this place..." she said to Kim Ki-Rok.
"You're right, there isn't."
Even though they couldn't use nature's power, the Elementals survived thanks to the flowers blooming in the garden, especially the red flowers which had the power to purify corrupt energy.
"Of course, just as monsters cannot approach the Garden, Elementals cannot leave the Garden," Kim Ki-Rok continued.
"I see... You knew that already?" The Queen of the Elementals muttered softly.
"Hehehe."
Kim Ki-Rok smiled at her and returned to his resting place in the center of the Garden.
The Queen of the Elementals smiled back, her gaze shifting repeatedly between Kim Ki-Rok and the forest that Lee Ji-Yeon was heading toward. With a deep sigh, she headed to the resting place as well.
Once more, the place was filled with desserts brought out by Kim Ki-Rok. Knowing that a Greater Elemental accompanied Lee Ji-Yeon, the other Elementals enjoyed the desserts without worry.
Feeling like she was the only one unsettled, the Queen of the Elementals sat down at the table in the resting place and stared at Kim Ki-Rok.
"Isn't it still dangerous even with the Greater Elemental around?" she asked.
"An Elementalist contracted with an Elemental, especially a Greater Elementalist, would easily defeat any monster."
"But that's..." The Queen of Elementals trailed off.
Glug glug.
She drank the iced chocolate in the shot glass and sighed. He wasn't wrong. There shouldn't be a problem if an Elementalist had contracted with a Greater Elemental.
"But isn't that when she uses the power of the Greater Elemental? Is that what you were going to say?" Kim Ki-Rok said.
"That's right."
One could easily defeat trees and other monsters using the power of a Greater Elemental. However, Kim Ki-Rok proposed a completely different strategy. He had advised her to approach the monsters and destroy their cores to defeat them in one blow.
"It will be dangerous," The Queen of Elementals remarked.
"That's why I asked the Greater Elemental for help. I asked her to focus only on protecting Miss Ji-Yeon."
The Queen of Elementals remained silent.
"Don't worry. Miss Ji-Yeon might experience some difficulty but she will defeat the monsters without harm. Queen of the Elementals, you know that too, don't you?"
She did. However, she was still worried. "You said your goal was to improve Miss Ji-Yeon's skills, right?"
"Yes. Once an Elementalist contracted with a Greater Elemental, they can just focus on blasting Elemental spells from the back lines while their comrades are holding the front. However, they should also be proficient in physical combat to some extent."
Although it had only happened a few times among the seventy-six Attempts, there had been times when Greater Elementalist Lee Ji-Yeon hadn't been able to participate in the final Hell Gates battle.
In one Attempt, she had been attacked by an Awakened criminal and died. In another, she hadn't been able to handle a crisis that had suddenly broken out during a raid. In yet another Attempt, she had died to a surprise attack led by demons right after the Gate had opened. The reasons varied but all stemmed from one problem: weak combat skills that held her back. This was the most disastrous event that Kim Ki-Rok planned to avoid.
"Of course..." Kim Ki-Rok said, taking out an iced caffè mocha with two whips and three chocolate drizzles from his subspace pocket and sitting back in his chair. He seemed to be looking at a very distant place.
"If Miss Ji-Yeon were clumsy, there would be no reason to teach combat skills. Fortunately, although not exceptionally talented, she has some martial arts experience."
"Then wouldn't it be better for everyone to put her through a systematic training schedule after you defeat the monsters and return to your dimension?" the Queen of the Elementals suggested.
"Of course, we will also train her. However, as it is often said, one practical experience is worth more than a hundred training sessions. Battles with monsters, particularly real encounters that are intense and adrenaline-pumping, will significantly accelerate the growth of an Awakened."
Awakened could increase their additional stats through leveling up or training. Interestingly, each level-up did not result in the same increase in stats. As the name suggested, experience points earned by overcoming intense battles and challenges lead to higher stat increases when leveling.
While sipping on his mocha, Kim Ki-Rok stole a glance at the Queen of the Elementals, feeling secretly satisfied.
The Queen of the Elementals was distraught, thinking the talent that she had never seen before might disappear like this.
"Don't worry. She has a contract with a Greater Elemental. Dealing with the monsters here shouldn't be too difficult..."
—Hunter Ki-Rok! Hunter Ki-Rok!
The desperate voice of Lee Ji-Yeon came through the walkie-talkie that had been placed on the table. Kim Ki-Rok and the Elementals turned their heads to look at it.
After a moment of hesitation, Kim Ki-Rok grabbed the walkie-talkie. "Miss Ji-Yeon, what's the matter?"
—I encountered three monsters!
"I see."
—One of them is scattering powder!
"Ah, that's poisonous. Stay away."
—One of them is controlling the roots as if they are alive!
"Ah, there might be paralysis poison on the roots. Stay away."
—O-one of them is emitting a sweet fragrance...
"Ah, that's a drug used as a hallucinogen. Plug your nose."
There was a momentary silence.
—Hey!
"Yes, Miss Ji-Yeon."
—Could you help me a little bit?
Already?
Kim Ki-Rok stared at the walkie-talkie and let out a brief sigh. "Ah, I see."
Lee Ji-Yeon had entered the forest and fought three monsters within ten minutes. If it -were just one, she would have probably used elemental magic and it wouldn't have been a huge problem, especially with the Greater Elemental's aid. However, three from the start was a different story.
"You're fine."
—No, I'm not!
"The Greater Elemental will protect you."
—They are huge!
"Indeed. They are monsters, after all."
—They have a nose and eyes! They drool like those monsters in movies when they open their mouths wide!
"Oh, that's poison."
—That's not what I'm talking about!
"It's okay. The Greater Elemental will protect you."
—I understand that she's going to protect me, but... AHHHHH!
A desperate voice came from the other side of the walkie-talkie. At the same time, the power of nature gathering somewhere in the forest could be felt. Kim Ki-Rok pressed the talk button on the walkie-talkie.
"Greater Elemental. We need to protect the forest."
The massive energy gathering somewhere in the forest dispersed.
***
Whoosh!
"Haa... Haa... Haa..."
Lee Ji-Yeon gasped for air after stabbing the monster's core with her sword and looked around. As she took down three monsters, six more appeared to take their place. According to Kim Ki-Rok's explanation, they were monsters with various poisons that would induce paralysis, hallucination, and numbness. Fortunately, with the help of the Greater Elemental, she managed to defeat them somehow.
And then? Twelve more appeared. Next? Fifteen appeared. The deeper she went into the forest, the more monsters there were. It wasn't just their numbers that were increasing; the monsters were noticeably stronger than those at the forest's edge. It wasn't easy to take them down one by one.
"Can't we just burn them all?" Lee Ji-Yeon muttered as she roughly swung her sword and sighed.
The bodies of over twenty tree monsters filled the clearing.
The Greater Elemental hesitated to respond. "Contractor..."
"It won't work, right?" Lee Ji-Yeon said, dejectedly.
Yes, it would. With the Greater Elemental's power, burning these monsters would have been easy, but Kim Ki-Rok had made the Elemental promise otherwise.
"It's for Ji-Yeon's growth. Please keep an eye on Ji-Yeon. When I say keep, I mean literally just keep her safe. Assist Ji-Yeon with support and defensive Elemental spells without using offensive ones. Why do we have to do that, you ask? Didn't I tell you? It's for Ji-Yeon's growth. If Ji-Yeon asks for offensive elemental spells first? Simple. Tell her it's difficult to control your elemental power at a high level without even a day of training after forging a contract. Right now, all you can do is purify and defend. Will she believe you? She will. Ji-Yeon is not an Elementalist. Scratch that. She wasn't an Elementalist."
The Queen of the Elementals had been present during this conversation, so the Greater Elemental understood that Kim Ki-Rok was speaking the truth. She also understood the necessity, which was why she had agreed to the promise. Promises are important. That was why the Elemental looked at Lee Ji-Yeon with such a forced smile. Lee Ji-Yeon sighed and took another step.
"Ine," Lee Ji-Yeon said.
The Greater Fire Elemental Ine, named through the contract, responded to Lee Ji-Yeon's call.
"Yes, contractor."
"We can't burn the monster, right?"
It was possible. But Kim Ki-Rok had made her promise.
"The moment you burn the monster, the corrupt energy filled in its body will escape..."
"That's right. That's why Hunter Ki-Rok had told us the strategy to destroy the core."
When a monster was defeated with Elemental spells, the corrupt energy would flow out of its body. This wasn't a lie. What he had not mentioned, however, was that the corrupt energy could be immediately burned away and purified.
"But..." Lee Ji-Yeon hesitated.
"Yes?"
"Would the monsters attack the Garden?"
"W-why are you asking that, contractor?"
"No, because Hunter Ki-Rok stayed in the garden to prepare for a possible attack, right?"
"Yes."
"But all we hear during the transmissions are the laughter of Elementals."
The Elemental was at a loss for words.
The garden with the blooming red flowers remained untouched. However, unable to lie, Ine could only force an awkward smile. Lee Ji-Yeon scratched her head roughly while keeping her eyes forward. The monsters were approaching again.
"I ended up complaining because it's too difficult. Hunter Ki-Rok also has an important mission to fulfill."
***
"All together now! I'm tired." Kim Ki-Rok sang along with the smartphone placed on the table.
"One!"
"Two!"
"One!"
"Two!"
The Elementals enjoyed their dessert while following Kim Ki-Rok's song.
Clap clap clap.
"Hehehe."
The scene of the Greater Elementals and the Queen of the Elementals watching over Kim Ki-Rok as he played with the Elementals was incredibly peaceful.
Comments
Top