The Return of the Genius Ranker’s Myth Warehouse - Chapter 397

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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Chapter 397
Chapter 397
Money overflowed throughout the Kalbera Territory.
Well, with so many people, how could there be a shortage of funds?
Using those resources, I placed an order with the Simons Trading Company.
“I’ve procured as much as possible, but recently Blue Moon has been purchasing mana stones in bulk as well, so this is the limit we could manage.”
“Blue Moon, you say?”
“Yes.”
I immediately had them acquire a large quantity of supreme-grade mana stones.
Still, the fact that Blue Moon was also purchasing mana stones…
I wondered if they were trying to replicate my Eternal Crystal.
‘Well, it doesn’t matter.’
After all, I’d benefited greatly from their assistance before.
I hadn’t patented the Eternal Crystal.
Even if they replicated it, it wouldn’t concern me.
Besides, even if Blue Moon’s purchasing had created a supply constraint on supreme-grade mana stones, the quantity I’d secured appeared more than sufficient for my immediate needs.
“Shall I begin?”
The reason I’d been collecting supreme-grade mana stones.
It was…
– Activating skill ‘Alchemy’.
To create new Eternal Crystals.
Of course, this version would be somewhat different.
My original Eternal Crystal had been crafted from special-grade mana stones.
The Eternal Crystal I was creating now would be a sort of lesser variant, made from supreme-grade mana stones.
This was my first attempt at crafting an Eternal Crystal from supreme-grade mana stones.
But hadn’t I already created the Blue Eternal Crystal and Red Eternal Crystal, which could be considered superior versions?
Generally, ascending is difficult, but descending is simple.
[ Crafting successful. ]
[ Judgment: Transcendent Success ]
[ Green Eternal Crystal ]
On my first attempt, I succeeded in creating an Eternal Crystal.
A faint emerald hue suffused the crystal, which is why I named it Green, though the color itself held no particular significance.
In any case, I took the emerald crystal I’d created and…
Whoosh!
Poured my mana into it with all my strength.
This wasn’t merely filling the crystal with mana.
– Activating skill ‘Enchantment’.
I was imprinting my unique mana signature upon the crystal.
As if this emerald crystal were an extension of myself.
If my hypothesis was correct, through this method I could overcome the mana efficiency loss that occurred as the distance between myself and my summoned creatures increased.
The green crystal, like other Eternal Crystals, automatically replenished its mana.
And if mana consumption became too great, another person could breathe their own mana into it to recharge it.
If I utilized this, I might be able to overcome the summoned beast’s weaknesses.
Thus, I successfully crafted the ‘Green Eternal Crystal’.
‘But what truly matters is verifying it myself.’
Everything so far was merely theory and speculation.
So now it was time to test it.
How would I test it?
Obviously, by using a summoning skill directly and attaching the green crystal to see what happens.
With that in mind.
[ Spirit Beast Summoning Lv 1 ]
I decided to use the basic Spirit Beast Summoning skill I had learned in advance.
– You activate the skill ‘Spirit Beast Summoning’.
– No contracted spirit beast exists.
– Through the summoner’s affinity and spirit beast compatibility, you summon a wild spirit beast.
A dimensional gate opened before me.
Whether it was the skill’s effect or the gate itself, my mana flowed into it.
Drawn by this, my first spirit beast appeared.
“Grrrowl.”
It was a wolf.
While summoning a spirit beast was new to me, seeing this particular one was not.
I had encountered it quite frequently when facing monsters that summoned spirit beasts.
“A Phantom Wolf.”
A wolf-type spirit beast with a semi-transparent body—the Phantom Wolf.
Though it was the most common spirit beast I had seen, that hardly meant the Phantom Wolf was weak.
A wolf that traversed the Spirit Realm in real-time, moving as if teleporting.
It would dodge attacks by slipping into the Spirit Realm, then materialize unexpectedly to rake with its claws—a formidable adversary indeed.
“Is it because of compatibility?”
My Spirit Beast Summoning skill was only level 1.
It shouldn’t have been capable of summoning a spirit beast like the Phantom Wolf.
Yet the Phantom Wolf had been drawn forth—likely because my spirit beast compatibility had increased thanks to the All Master’s ability, ‘Talent Development’.
“Just for now, I’ll count on you.”
“Grrr.”
My goal was to contract a summoned beast to guard the ship.
I had no intention of keeping the Phantom Wolf for long, but first I needed to verify the green crystal’s performance.
So I temporarily formed a contract with the Phantom Wolf.
Then.
“Take this and get as far away from me as you can.”
“Grrr!”
I had the Phantom Wolf hold the green crystal in its mouth.
Immediately after, the creature swiftly escaped my embrace, following my command.
It vanished at tremendous speed, even employing its unique skill, ‘Spirit Realm Traversal’.
And now came the critical moment.
Summoned beasts consumed mana at an accelerating rate the farther they grew from their summoner.
But.
‘Emerald Crystal.’
I had entrusted the Phantom Wolf with an Emerald Crystal.
The mana it required would be supplied not through me, but through the Emerald Crystal.
The real question was what came next.
Whether the Emerald Crystal would be recognized as the same entity as me, maintaining the mana consumption rate—that was what I needed to verify.
Checking the Phantom Wolf’s condition as its contractor.
“Excellent.”
It was exactly as I’d theorized.
The Phantom Wolf’s maintenance mana was being drawn from the Emerald Crystal.
Though my distance from it grew ever greater, because the mana flowing from the Emerald Crystal was recognized as my own mana, the consumption rate remained virtually identical to when it had been in my possession.
Moreover, judging by the Phantom Wolf’s maintenance mana consumption and the Emerald Crystal’s mana recovery speed.
‘It’s sufficient.’
Even if I contracted a summoned beast powerful enough to guard a vessel, I could comfortably sustain its costs.
Precise calculations would show a slight deficit, but that was easily remedied by hiring a Sage to periodically recharge the mana.
– Using skill ‘Summon Beast’.
“Krung?”
“That’s enough. Well done.”
With my verification complete, I summoned the Phantom Wolf back.
After that.
– Canceling contract with ‘Phantom Wolf’.
I severed the contract with the Phantom Wolf.
Since I hadn’t imposed any special contract conditions, the Phantom Wolf seemed unbothered by the cancellation.
After the Phantom Wolf departed.
I used the Summon Beast skill once more.
– Using skill ‘Summon Beast’.
There were two methods of summoning a beast.
The first method, which I’d initially employed, was to channel mana into the dimensional gate leading to the Spirit Realm.
Then the summoned beast, drawn by the mana, would find its way to me.
However, there remained a far more dangerous second method.
A method no ordinary summoner would ever attempt.
Namely.
– Entering the Spirit Realm.
The dimensional gate leading to the Spirit Realm.
Stepping directly through it myself.
* * *
The Spirit Realm.
This place, where countless spirit beasts dwell, could be called a world of fantasy itself.
“It’s truly befitting of the Spirit Realm.”
It was, quite literally, fantastical.
The place I arrived at was a meadow of sorts, yet every blade of grass was composed entirely of crystal.
However, the crystal wasn’t sharp at all.
Despite being made of crystal, it was soft and pliant, making movement remarkably comfortable.
And that was just the beginning.
Flowers made of light drifted through the air, while trees were composed of rainbows.
Including First and Second, I had never witnessed a world so fantastical.
Moreover.
“All of those are spirit beasts.”
Deer with horns of crystal.
Butterflies that scattered blue powder to cultivate the crystal grass of the meadow.
Blue birds perched upon rainbow trees, singing ethereal and hauntingly beautiful melodies.
True to its nature as a realm of spirit beasts, the Spirit Realm teemed with countless of them.
First, I needed to gain their favor.
“Luke, let’s change my equipment.”
– Yes, Master.
I changed my equipment first.
The equipment I changed into was, naturally.
[ Rainbow Phantom Formal Attire ]
[ Rainbow Phantom Gloves ]
….
[ You have equipped the complete ‘Rainbow Phantom’ set (5/5). ]
[ The set effect of ‘Rainbow Phantom’ activates. ]
[ Rainbow Phantom : Spirit beast affinity increases significantly. Spirit beast summoning skill level increases. ]
Equipment related to spirit beasts.
The performance was straightforward.
It raised affinity.
And my current spirit beast affinity was already at the highest level due to All Master’s ability.
With my affinity already maxed, it rose even further.
“Chirp?”
“Hisssss-.”
“Squeak!”
The spirit beasts, who had been savoring their peaceful day, suddenly lifted their heads and turned their gaze toward me.
Thud-thud-thud!
They began rushing toward me.
I was honestly startled.
My spirit beast affinity had increased, but I hadn’t expected them to charge at me so suddenly.
Just as I was about to draw my weapon, wondering if they were about to pick a fight with me.
“Chirp! Chirp!”
A blue bird flew overhead, circling above my head while singing a beautiful melody.
This was only the beginning.
A crystal deer approached and proudly displayed its gleaming antlers, a white weasel wrapped itself around my leg, and a blue butterfly scattered shimmering dust as it circled around me.
Though I wasn’t particularly knowledgeable about spirit beasts, even I could tell this wasn’t a hostile gesture.
Quite the opposite, in fact.
“Are you welcoming me?”
“Chirp!”
The spirit beasts were indeed welcoming me.
Along with that came a System Message.
[ Your skill ‘Spirit Beast Summoning’ has increased in level. ]
Unlike Taming, I hadn’t fully understood how to build proficiency in the Spirit Beast Summoning skill.
I’d only thought it worked by contracting with new summoned spirits or nurturing existing ones, similar to Taming.
But that wasn’t it.
Simply being welcomed by the spirit beasts was steadily building my Spirit Beast Summoning skill proficiency.
And the further I advanced.
“Whiiiing—.”
“Kee-rook.”
“Clang!”
“Kweek?”
Numerous spirit beasts flocked around me, expressing their favor.
If I were to describe it in item grade terms, it was as if my spirit beast affinity, which had already reached the highest Mythic grade, had transcended into a Transcendent grade.
Thanks to that.
[ Your skill ‘Spirit Beast Summoning’ has increased in level. ]
My Spirit Beast Summoning skill level rose rapidly.
However, this was only true at the beginning.
Just by looking at how quickly proficiency was increasing, there were clear limits to raising the skill level this way.
To raise the skill level more reliably, I would need to encounter stronger spirit beasts.
The problem was that I had no knowledge of the paths through this vast Spirit Realm.
“Will you guide me to where the strong spirit beasts are?”
“Chirp!”
Fortunately, the spirit beasts agreed to guide me.
As I followed them, I marveled at the ethereal beauty of the Spirit Realm.
“Chirp, chirp!”
The blue bird signaled to me.
Now that I looked around, the environment had changed dramatically.
The crystal meadow had vanished, replaced by a lake that seemed to hold the sky itself.
What was remarkable was that I could walk perfectly well across the lake’s surface, despite the ripples and waves shimmering across it.
And at the center of that lake.
An unusual presence sat before me.
‘A lion?’
I had never encountered this spirit beast before, so I didn’t know its name.
It resembled a lion in appearance, yet its entire body reflected everything around it as if made entirely of mirrors.
A truly wondrous sight.
But what was even more remarkable.
“…Are you human? How extraordinary. I never thought a human with such a high spirit beast affinity could exist.”
The spirit beast was speaking in human language.
During my time in First, I had faced many varieties of spirit beasts.
But this was my first encounter with one that could actually converse with me.
“My name is Mirror Lion. I am the guardian spirit beast protecting Mirror Lake in the Spirit Realm.”
“I’m Mir.”
A guardian spirit beast.
I had never seen one myself, but I had heard of them.
They were among the strongest spirit beasts in the Spirit Realm, and since they protected the territories of the Spirit Realm, it was said they rarely ventured into the mortal world.
However, from the atmosphere around him, it seemed he had no intention of acknowledging me based solely on my spirit beast affinity.
Rising from his seat, Mirror Lion.
“While I acknowledge your high spirit beast affinity, as a guardian spirit beast of the Spirit Realm, I cannot simply overlook an uninvited guest.”
Just as I expected.
“Bare your claws. By clashing our claws together, I shall directly discern your spirit nature.”
He began swinging his claws toward me.
And in that moment.
[ The skill level of ‘Spirit Beast Summoning’ has increased. ]
Confirming the System Message that appeared before my eyes.
“Very well.”
I could clearly understand what I needed to accomplish in the Spirit Realm.

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This chapter was translated by Lunox Novels. To support us and help keep this series going, visit our website: LunoxScans.com
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