Episode 216 – Spiritual Arts (1)
In just one day, Samuel and Elton had left for Demtor, while Dornef and his group had returned to Beneta.
The people who had gathered in Ordor Forest were now dispersing, adjusting to the changes happening outside.
It meant that the war I had predicted was now right in front of us.
Even Lochter had successfully obtained the twin swords. The only one left was me.
"If I’m the only one falling behind, that’d be embarrassing..."
It had been around fifty days since I escaped from Blyer and entered Ordor Forest.
I had formed new connections, and Hunt’s reputation had changed significantly.
The party had grown beyond my expectations.
And yet, I was still crawling at a snail’s pace compared to them.
I need to learn Spiritual Arts.
Spiritual Arts was a revolutionary ability that would drastically change my combat style. If I could gain confidence in close combat as well as ranged attacks, I could become more versatile in every battle and strategy.
Even though I had learned Quanru, without mastering Spiritual Arts, I was still incomplete.
How do I complete the missing half?
Now, the baton was in Natasha’s hands.
I had fulfilled the conditions she had set, so the rest was up to her.
The next day, full of anticipation, I made my way to the cave.
Since it was early in the morning, I expected it to be quiet.
However, contrary to my expectations, the moment I stepped into the tunnel, I was met with a wave of scorching heat.
The air carried the scent of sweat and blood.
They’re training...
Could it be… all night?
The moment I stepped into the clearing, a dark figure staggered toward me.
"Uwooooh...!"
"A—A zombie?!"
Just as I struck its jaw, I heard a weak mumble:
"...Help me..."
It was Karl.
Seeing him collapse to the ground, I let out a dry laugh.
He looked like a war-torn soldier who had barely survived a battlefield after days of fighting.
He’s not dead, right?
I quickly placed my hand near his nose.
Thankfully, he was still breathing.
"Huh? Why are you here so soon?"
"It’s been a day."
"Already?"
Natasha, who had been rolling her shoulders as she approached, suddenly stopped.
She muttered something as she looked at the bracelet of Gereflam on my wrist, as if speaking to it, then turned her gaze to Karl.
"So, this brat actually lasted a whole day against my fire fists? He’s tougher than I thought."
"What do you mean?"
"Maybe it’s not just endurance but something else..."
She mumbled to herself, but from what I gathered, she had been mercilessly tormenting Karl since I left.
"Torment? This was training."
Kwaak kwaak kwaak—!
She repeatedly stomped on Karl’s back, twisted her foot against him, and even tickled him to check his condition.
"Wow, he finally passed out. Stubborn bastard."
Karl’s previous trick had been playing dead, a deception so flawless that even Natasha had been fooled several times.
Apparently, his acting had been so convincing that she kept falling for it.
Of course, to me, it just looked like she was bullying him out of boredom.
"You don’t know him. He’s a crafty little bastard."
"What do you mean?"
"He had another hidden ability besides playing dead. Even I was caught off guard at first."
After locking him in the cave and pushing him to his limits, he started using an ability he had kept hidden, like a cornered rat.
"This brat was familiar with Ghostification from the very beginning."
"From the beginning? Is that even possible?"
"His perception is completely different from other ghosts. It’s like he was born with it. And because of that, he seems to have gained an additional ability beyond just Ghostification. You haven’t seen it, have you?"
"No."
"You should check his divine energy later. It’ll be interesting."
As expected of a high-ranking witch, Natasha had already analyzed Karl’s spiritual abilities.
She stared at him with a curious smile.
[Karl Bastain – Hero’s Companion (Perception)]
[Instinctive Danger Sense]
[Assassin’s Tactical Judgment]
[Resonance– Target: Lochter Felice]
[Ghostification, Spectral Form]
Unlike other ghosts, who only had the ability of Ghostification, Karl also possessed a unique skill called Spectral Form.
He used his spectral body like an adhesive, enabling unpredictable maneuvers.
His thrown daggers changed direction bizarrely, and his attacks and evasions were so erratic that it felt like fighting multiple opponents at once.
"His combat techniques using his spectral body are so unconventional that he’s a nightmare for enemies. Even I had trouble dealing with him at first."
"Spectral body? You mean he can control his spiritual form?"
"Probably the effect of the Fruit of the Dead."
"Then, doesn’t that mean he can learn Spiritual Arts?"
"Spiritual Arts?"
Natasha let out a scoff and shook her head.
"You can’t learn Spiritual Arts with Aura. You need Spiritual Energy as a foundation to control spirits."
"But Karl’s ability controls his own spiritual form, doesn’t it?"
"It’s different. He’s not controlling an external entity—he’s manipulating his own spirit."
"He can move his own spirit?"
"He was born with an innate sixth sense for spiritual perception. That’s his natural talent. In a way, you could call it fate. Meeting us set him on the right path."
A combat technique utilizing one’s own spectral body.
Karl had found an opportunity that matched his talents, allowing him to grow beyond my expectations.
This is an ability that could never have existed in the novel’s original storyline.
In the original story, as one of Kamel’s closest subordinates, Karl would have seen witches as either slaves or enemies to be eliminated.
There was no way he could have developed his talents under a witch’s guidance.
Now, however, Karl had seized the chance to grow even further.
Not only that, but he had even managed to trouble Ortain Natasha.
…Wait a minute.
"Five Stars?"
"Not yet."
"You think reaching Five-Star rank is easy? To become a Five-Star, one needs enlightenment in mind, body, and energy. Even if one of those is lacking, reaching that level is impossible. That’s what it means to be Five-Star."
I had been hoping Karl’s encounter with fate would allow him to awaken as a Five-Star, but it seemed that was just wishful thinking.
"He’s not Five-Star yet, but even if he faces one, he won’t go down easily."
"He’s that strong?"
"You’ll understand when you fight him yourself."
It was good news for Hunt.
The stronger our allies became, the higher our survival rate.
As we talked, a question suddenly came to mind.
"Then… how do I learn Spiritual Arts? My foundation is also Aura."
"You, on the other hand, are in a unique position. Because of your ‘special’ spirit, all you need to learn is ‘manifestation through contact,’ and you’ll be able to wield Spiritual Arts immediately. In fact, your ability is even more absurd than this bald guy’s talent. However… there is a serious risk."
"A risk? What is it?"
"Lack of control."
"...Lack of control?"
"You’re beyond my comprehension, so I can’t explain it properly. Honestly, the fact that you can keep your sanity while housing such a high-tier spirit in your heart is already unbelievable. Nine times out of ten, people either get devoured by the spirit or go insane."
"I'm fine."
"Are you saying you can control Reto, that spirit?"
"That…"
The only reason I hadn’t lost myself to Reto was because of my Third Mental Barrier and my Sacred Power.
Control Reto…?
That, I couldn’t say for certain.
My relationship with Reto wasn’t one of domination, but of symbiosis.
"Now do you understand what I meant by ‘lack of control’?"
"I do."
She must have found my reaction too calm because she furrowed her brows and leaned in closer.
"You don’t look like you understand at all."
"Are you worried that Gereflam might devour you?"
"Don’t be ridiculous. Gereflam and I are bound by an oath—it’s practically a part of me. That’d be like fearing my own sword."
"It’s the same for me."
I removed the bracelet of Gereflam and handed it to her.
She took it, her expression demanding further explanation.
"Reto and I can only exist with each other."
"You’re not about to say you two are lovers, are you?"
"Would it make sense if I said we have no replacements for each other?"
In this world, I borrowed Reto’s power to survive, while Reto, wanting to die, sought my help.
Our desires were complete opposites, yet neither of us could achieve our goals without the other.
If even one of us gave up, we would both lose our purpose.
It was an incomprehensible relationship, yet one where trust and cooperation were the only options.
Natasha silently looked back and forth between me and my heart.
She was trying to piece together my relationship with Reto.
She was my teacher—the one who knew my true name and Reto’s existence.
One of the few people I could confide in and seek help from.
She was also a master of Spiritual Arts, the person most capable of understanding Reto.
And yet, even she seemed momentarily shaken after hearing about our relationship.
"...Ugh, my head hurts."
In typical Natasha fashion, she quickly gave up trying to fully understand it.
Shaking off her thoughts, she slipped on the bracelet of Gereflam and looked me in the eye.
"Taking off the bracelet… That means you’ve reached the level I mentioned, right?"
"Of course."
"…Of course? What’s that?"
I smirked and shifted into a ready stance for Quanru.
"Want to test it?"
Seeing my raised fists, Natasha bared her teeth in a fierce grin.
"This should be fun."
Boom!
A duel of Quanru techniques began.
[Right side, lower attack—punch.]
"Tsk!"
The moment my vision spun, Reto warned me of the incoming attack.
I reflexively twisted my body, dodging a sharp fist that shot up toward my jaw.
If not for Reto, my chin would have been shattered.
[Left side, rib—kick.]
[Watch your spine.]
[Back shoulder.]
Attacks flew from blind spots, fists and kicks I wouldn’t have seen otherwise.
But with Reto’s warnings, I managed to block or evade them all.
"You dodged again?!"
"Taah!"
I retaliated with a rapid sequence of punches and kicks, each infused with powerful centrifugal force.
Bang! Bang!
The heavy impact forced Natasha to step back.
Catching my breath, I watched as she clicked her tongue and rubbed her wrist.
"How did you see through that? That was a counter aimed at Quanru’s weakness."
Because Quanru relied heavily on centrifugal force, it often left practitioners exposing their backs.
Giants compensated for this weakness with thick, steel-like muscles.
I, however, had no such natural defense.
"Reto told me."
"That’s cheating. That’s straight-up cheating."
"Are you done?"
"I won’t get anything out of continuing. I’ve seen enough."
Natasha dusted off her hands, but inwardly, she was stunned.
"Just how far has he mastered Quanru?"
From offense to defense, footwork, and finishing techniques—
It felt as if she were sparring with Gereflam itself.
Despite spending over a decade perfecting her own Quanru, his movements were nearly identical to hers.
He had reached the core of Quanru.
Even though he had been directly instructed through Gereflam’s spectral fusion, the speed of his growth wasn’t just impressive—it was terrifying.
"It’s only been ten days. Is that kind of progress even possible with talent alone?"
Natasha didn’t think so.
This kind of mastery was impossible without outside intervention.
"You said Reto helped you learn Quanru, right?"
"Yes. In every way."
"Could it be…?"
"Could it be… what?"
"...Never mind."
She had been about to mention Toimei, one of the absolute beings.
But she shook her head.
Reto had no connection to the King of the Giants.
"Still… no matter how I look at it, this kind of growth should only be possible if Toimei himself had descended..."
She shook her head again.
Once again, she gave up trying to think too deeply about it.
But then, I mentioned something that caught her completely off guard.
"...Gereflam acknowledged me."
"Acknowledged?"
"Well, more like a ‘good job’ kind of thing."
When I mimicked Gereflam’s gesture, Natasha stared at me blankly before letting out a dry laugh.
Even she had never seen that gesture before.
"So you’re telling me Gereflam bowed to you?"
The Giant Tribe never bowed to humans.
Could it be because of Reto?
No—Gereflam had never even noticed Reto’s presence.
Then what had it seen in me to prompt such a reaction?
She stared at the bracelet, but of course, it wouldn’t give her any answers.
Suddenly, another headache struck her.
"This is a different kind of migraine than when I teach Lily..."
"Lily can use Spiritual Arts?"
"She can imitate it at best. Do you think she has the endurance for proper training? She’d be rolling on the floor crying."
I stayed silent as Natasha wrestled with her thoughts.
She seemed to be searching for meaning in Gereflam’s gesture.
But since I lacked deep knowledge about the Giants, I could only watch.
After a moment—
"Ugh! Screw it!"
She waved her hands in frustration.
"Just sit down. The goal was Spiritual Arts anyway."
"Can I perform the Contact Ritual?"
Hearing my question, Natasha smirked.
"You can."
And not just barely.
I had more than enough capacity for it.
Which was why, this time, she spoke with absolute certainty.
"If you fail to establish contact with Reto this time, forget about Spiritual Arts entirely."
Because any further than this… would be impossible.