The Return of the Genius Ranker’s Myth Warehouse - Chapter 414

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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 414
Chapter 414
My plan to raise spirit affinity through play had succeeded.
In the Sea, simply creating waves like this was already increasing both affinity and skill levels.
However, there was one problem.
‘The speed isn’t fast enough.’
The rate of increase was deeply unsatisfying.
Another spirit summoner would have been thrilled, but I couldn’t help my frustration.
In other places, it felt like I could fill proficiency in just a few days.
At this pace, even a month wouldn’t be enough to raise all the skill levels.
If I had to guess the reason.
‘Is it because their rank is too low?’
It seemed to be due to the spirit rank.
The ones playing in the waves I created were all low-rank water spirits.
For some reason, not a single intermediate-rank or higher spirit was visible.
Just as skill experience rose significantly when facing Guardian Beasts in the Beast Realm.
Just as skill experience rose significantly when facing the Sixteen Demons and Eight Demon Lords in the Demon Realm.
Here too, I’d need to face higher-rank spirits for skill proficiency to increase faster.
Continuing to play with only low-rank spirits like this wouldn’t work.
So.
“Where have all the intermediate and higher-rank spirits gone?”
I asked the low-rank spirits.
Since I’d been playing with them by creating waves, they seemed to think we’d become quite close, and they answered without hesitation.
“The adults? The adults all went to the Neutral Zone!”
“All of them?”
“Yeah, all of them! We’re too young and weak, so they told us to stay here, and all the intermediate and higher-rank seniors and adults left!”
“Did something happen?”
“It seems like it! But we don’t know the details.”
“They didn’t tell us.”
“Right, they said we don’t need to know!”
“Now that I think about it, what could it be?”
“I’m curious!”
So it seemed all intermediate-rank and higher spirits had left this place.
I’d heard that spirits lived while carefully maintaining their own territories.
Yet these spirits had all abandoned their territories and moved elsewhere?
Were they waging some kind of war?
No, I’d never heard of spirits fighting wars.
Since this was all the information I could get from them, I was about to move toward the Neutral Zone with their directions when.
“I know!”
Among the murmuring low-rank spirits.
A confident voice rang out.
And what emerged was.
‘Bubble?’
A spirit made of bubbles.
In other words, a bubble spirit.
Each time she moved, bubbles popped and crackled around her.
“Ahem!”
“Wow, Bubble!”
“It’s Bubble!”
“Clever Bubble!”
She seemed to go by the name Bubble.
Moreover, judging by the other spirits’ reactions, she was quite popular.
Bubble approached me.
“So you’re looking to find the adults, aren’t you?”
“But.”
“I’ll tell you! I’ll explain why the adults headed to the Neutral Zone! And I’ll even guide you there! To the Neutral Zone!”
Despite her arrogant demeanor, she made a kind offer in an adorable voice.
Of course, that wasn’t all.
“In exchange!”
“In exchange?”
“Take me with you! To where the adults are! I need to see what’s happening there with my own eyes! I can’t stand not knowing about things!”
She attached a condition—that I bring her along.
Well, it didn’t matter.
Having her guide me would actually be welcome, since I didn’t know the paths through the Spirit Realm.
And so I.
“Alright, I’m counting on you.”
“Hehe, just trust me and follow along!”
Took Bubble’s hand.
Of course, I had to be careful holding hands with Bubble, who was made of bubbles, lest they burst.
* * *
[ Water Flute – Kelpi ]
“Neigh!”
“A water horse!”
“I’m called Kelpi.”
“This water horse’s name is Kelpi?”
“Get on, let’s go.”
“Horses can’t run in the sea! Or can they? That horse’s lower half is fins, so….”
“Let’s go, Kelpi.”
“Neigh!”
“Whoa! So fast! Water horses are this quick even in the water! I’ve learned something new!”
The Sea of the Spirit Realm must be vast.
Since the Spirit Realm itself is far more immense than other dimensions, even the Water Spirit Realm—one of the four divided regions—could be larger than an entire other dimension.
Given that, I decided to ride Kelpi instead of running on foot.
“So, what happened to the other spirits?”
Bubble was startled seeing Kelpi from behind, but that wasn’t the important part.
When I brought up the main topic, Bubble cleared her throat with an “Ahem!” and began speaking in earnest.
“Apparently, the Dark Spirits have run into some trouble!”
“Dark Spirits?”
“Spirits from the Neutral Zone! They were always a bit gloomy and had little presence, but it seems they’ve caused problems this time!”
“What kind of problems?”
“A rebellion! They couldn’t endure the oppression any longer and rose up!”
“…The Dark Spirits were being oppressed?”
“Honestly, since the Neutral Zone is neglected compared to other regions, they probably felt that way.”
Oppression and rebellion.
What in the world was happening?
Of all times, this had to occur the moment I arrived in the Spirit Realm.
As the Neutral Zone drew closer, I could see the sea gradually coming to an end.
Before reaching the Neutral Zone, I spotted a lush mountainous region to the side.
“That’s where the Earth Spirits live!”
It appeared to be the Earth Region among the four elemental attributes.
Using Dark Vision to examine more closely, I could see spirits moving toward the Neutral Zone.
Not only mid-tier Earth Spirits like Gnome, but also high-tier spirits like Noess.
Even rare supreme-tier spirits like Noeannen were visible.
‘Could it be that spirits of all four elemental attributes are heading there?’
The rebellion sparked by the Dark Spirits.
Its scale might be far greater than I’d anticipated.
As I reached the Neutral Zone.
– Hmm…
“What’s wrong?”
– …It’s nothing. It’s only a hypothesis at this point, so I’ll explain more precisely once I’m certain.
Luke’s voice came through.
I wasn’t sure why Luke was reacting so suddenly, but since he seemed to have nothing more to say for now, I let it be.
Not long after, the sea ended completely.
“Here it is! The Neutral Zone of the Spirit Realm! A place where various spirits not included in the four elemental attributes coexist!”
I had finally arrived at the Neutral Zone.
The Neutral Zone of the Spirit Realm.
Though called the Neutral Zone, it was said to be quite expansive since all spirits not belonging to the four elemental categories lived there.
So I wondered what kind of place it would be.
‘This is the Neutral Zone?’
It was nothing like what I’d imagined.
The entire space was shrouded in darkness, a chaotic tapestry of dimensions stitched together haphazardly.
It was a scene of utter pandemonium.
“The landscape here seems to change every time I visit. I suppose it’s because all manner of spirits are exerting their influence simultaneously!”
“Was it always this dark?”
“No! Last time it wasn’t nearly this dim. I suspect the spirits of darkness are asserting their influence, which is why it’s become so dark.”
After all, the spirits of the Neutral Zone possessed no sense of unity.
I’d heard that the Spirit Realm itself transforms according to the spirits’ auras.
A Neutral Zone where dissonant spirits converge could only descend into chaos.
Venturing deeper still.
“Make haste!”
“Is it this way?”
“The Neutral Zone, I see. Quite a disorderly place indeed.”
“Was the Neutral Zone always this dark?”
“It’s all because of those wretched spirits of darkness!”
“How vexing.”
Other spirits began appearing in earnest.
Gnome, an intermediate Earth spirit.
Syllaion, a high-ranking Wind spirit.
Derivative spirits of the four primary attributes, like Nymph of the Forest, were equally diverse.
Furthermore.
“We’ve done nothing wrong!”
“It’s over there.”
“Ugh, I’m terrified….”
“Eek!”
As the four primary attribute spirits passed, the spirits of the Neutral Zone cowered and retreated in fear.
Upon seeing them, Bubble burrowed deep into my coat.
As the distance between us closed, the four primary attribute spirits detected my presence as well.
“A human?”
“What business does a human have in this place?”
“More notably, this human possesses extraordinary spirit affinity.”
“Indeed. I’m tempted to form a contract with them immediately.”
“What a desirable talent.”
“Not even an elf, yet possessing such affinity.”
“A human? Based on affinity alone, they rival a High Elf—one born once a century?”
I’d worried they might reject me outright.
Here too, my spirit affinity proved effective.
Then.
“…Bubble?”
“Eek!”
A tremendous presence had detected both Bubble and me.
None other than the Water Spirit King.
The Water Spirit King who ruled over the sea I had crossed—Elquines.
“Sigh, Bubble. Didn’t I tell the lesser spirits to remain in the sea?”
“I’m so sorry! But I missed you!”
“It’s far too dangerous. Go back.”
“But!”
“This is no longer a request. It’s a command.”
Whoooosh—!
Elquines spoke with finality and sent a current of water toward me.
Since there seemed to be no malice in it, I stood still, but the water current slipped between my coat and pulled Bubble out.
“No, no, noooo!”
Then, holding Bubble fast, the current flowed back the way I had come.
Naturally, there was no way for Bubble, a lesser foam spirit, to resist Elquines.
It was somewhat pitiful, but what could I do?
I had no reason to intervene in the family disputes of spirits.
After Bubble had been sent away like that.
Elquines, who had sent Bubble back, approached me.
“My apologies. It’s obvious that Bubble was being clever and using you, but the situation is dire right now. Perhaps you should return to the sea for now?”
“Is the situation that bad?”
“Yes, it’s the most dangerous situation since the Spirit Realm’s creation. So please, return for now. Once matters are settled, I’ll give you a proper welcome.”
This was coming from none other than Elquines, the Water Spirit King.
She seemed to have some affection for me, and if I returned and waited a little, I could likely form contracts with higher-ranked spirits or deepen my intimacy with them.
Just as I was deliberating whether to leave like this.
– Master.
Luke’s voice, which had been quiet, reached me.
And what Luke had to tell me was something I had never even considered.
– I sense the presence of my bones.
“Your bones?”
– Not the critical parts, but… a considerable amount of my black bones seem to be ahead of us.
“How did your bones end up in the Spirit Realm?”
– That’s… I’m not entirely sure myself. I never imagined they’d drift this far. I almost never would have found them.
Luke’s black bones.
They were the same concept as the ‘miscellaneous bones’ that the boss monster had been using as a chair in the Dungeon of the Great Pyramid of the Abyss, which I had conquered in the Desert before.
However, Luke said that a ‘considerable amount’ of his black bones were ahead of us.
Absorbing one or two miscellaneous bones wouldn’t make much difference.
But if the quantity was large, that would be a different story.
A large quantity of miscellaneous bones would allow me to absorb them all and form Luke’s ‘skeleton’.
Moreover.
– This is merely speculation, but I suspect a spirit of darkness may be harboring my black bones.
“What grounds do you have for such a suspicion?”
– If a normal life form or spirit were to harbor my black bone, they would be unable to withstand its power and could go berserk. I suspect this incident may have arisen from that very cause.
That black bone was said to be the root cause of this catastrophe.
I couldn’t simply turn back now.
If this incident had occurred because of Luke’s black bone, then I bore some responsibility as well.
Even if it were lesser bones, absorbing a significant quantity would greatly restore Luke’s strength.
Therefore.
“May I accompany you as well?”
“I must reiterate—it’s far too dangerous. We would struggle to protect you adequately.”
“I possess sufficient strength to protect myself. And I believe I may be able to assist you.”
I resolved to proceed toward the scene of the incident alongside the spirits.
“No, with human strength alone….”
However, Elquines continued to refuse my proposal, worrying about me far more than I had anticipated.
– I invoke the 7th Circle water magic, “Sea Blaster.”
Boom!
I unleashed a 7th Circle spell toward the heavens, displaying my power.
Torrential waters erupted forth.
A tidal wave of tremendous magnitude shot through the air like a cannon of the sea.
The wave stretched upward, nearly touching the lofty sky of the Spirit Realm, before losing its momentum and descending as a torrential downpour.
The formidable might befitting a 7th Circle spell.
Elquines, too, seemed to recognize the power of the magic I had wielded.
“…Very well. Let us go together.”
She began guiding me toward the scene.

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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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