Infinite Competitive Dungeon Society - Chapter 28 – I Can Hear Your Voice (5)
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Chapter 28 – I Can Hear Your Voice (5)

The sky was pitch black. Under the artificial sky where not even a stream of light shone through, the dungeon, having swallowed all challengers, opened its mouth as if to seek more prey. The gaping entrance mocked us and I felt like I could hear the screams of the dead and smell the metallic scent of blood.

[Son, are you ready?]

The man looked back at me as he held a spear that was over nine feet long. He was a veteran Hero, a Hero of the human race. It wasn’t just him. All of those gathered around the dungeon were the exact same.

[Yes.]

As I answered him lightly, I checked my equipment before entering the dungeon. I had armor made from five-colored metal, a strange gauntlet emanating an otherworldly aura, and plated boots that wouldn’t melt even in lava. Last but not least, I held a spear of pure white that rejected all darkness. 

Finally, it was time.

[Sharana, Ruyue, Peika, Dortu.]

[I’m ready!]

[What? Let’s just go in already. I’m ready to rampage.]

[Let’s get this boring dungeon over with! Then we can go play.]

[I’m Dortu. I will follow Master’s command.]

With them by my side, I would not be afraid no matter who I was up against. I gave the girls a big smile, and they also smiled back. I could do this. I was filled with confidence.

I raised the pure white spear in my hand and pointed it at the entrance to the dungeon.

[We're going in!]

*

“…”

I woke up feeling a bit disoriented. I calmly raised my hand. It was my hand, the one I had always seen for the past 19 years. I then touched my body. It was the same, and I was clothed in the same shirt I always wore as pajamas.

“Huu… Huu…”

The spitting headache I had made me feel queasy and nauseous. How many times have I now seen dreams like this? I could remember at least three… five… twenty…

I could never remember the faces of people that appeared in my dreams, but I could vaguely remember our conversations or the scenery. Were the dreams from the future? No, it could be from a ruined…

[Prince-nim!]

[Ce-le-bri-ty-!]

[He smells nice.]

[Kyaa! He looked this way!]

The air was swirling by my windowsill, which was slightly open. A few masses of blue light were frolicking about. I had a sneaking suspicion that those lights were the owners of the voices I had been hearing lately and trying to ignore. These small and rowdy existences held incomprehensible powers. They were…Elementals.

I became certain at this moment that I had awakened.

Spirit Mastery and Deific Manifestation. Was it really a coincidence that I learned these two skills? I had my doubts about it. At first, I thought Deific Manifestation was a skill that would allow me to learn a mana cultivation method, and I thought Spirit Mastery would only make Deific Manifestation stronger.

However, now that I had awakened my ability, these two skills had entirely different purposes. Was this by someone’s design? If so, who was this someone? Was it the one who created the dungeon? Would that existence even be a person?

Things I had never thought about flooded my mind. However…

Clap!

“Alright!” I exclaimed resolutely.

As I rubbed my swollen cheeks, I brought myself back to reality. No matter how hard I tried, there was no point in trying to remember something that I couldn’t remember. There was only so much I could control, so I just had to do the things within my power. Then what was my power?

It was to form a contract with things like them.

I murmured to myself, “There are many elementals on Earth, but I can’t just go around searching for my partner.”

I had learned this from hearing the voices of many elementals in the past few days. Earth was full of elementals. However, I wasn’t sure whether they were always there, or whether they appeared after the Two Moon incident.

I slowly recalled the details of my ability If I had to call myself something now, it would be Elementalist. I could sense elementals, see them, and use their powers by forming contracts with them.

Contracts.

The language and chants I needed for these contracts were already there. It felt a bit odd because it was almost as if I had known this part my entire life, as if it was ingrained within my mind.  Although I felt unfamiliar with myself, I soon became numb to the slight disorientation. I had to acknowledge what I had to acknowledge. However, I was curious whether all the recently Awakened experienced the same feeling.

Naturally, my power didn’t mean I should form a contract with just any random elemental off the street. Although I could hear the voices now, I knew that an Elementalist could only see and form contracts with elementals on the same wavelength as the Elementalist’s soul.

As the quality of the Elementalist’s soul increased, there would be more elementals that were visible and suitable. However, I was still a rookie Elementalist who had not formed a contract with a single elemental. The first thing I had to do was to find an elemental on the same wavelength as me.

How could I go about doing that? Traveling the world to search for the right elemental was a bit far-fetched.  Instead, I could use something called the contract circle that existed for this exact purpose. It was also something that had been engraved into my mind when I had awakened as an Elementalist. Basically, a contract circle was a magic circle that connected me to the elemental whose wavelength matched mine.

To get started, I first pushed my bed to the side, then began to draw the magic circle on the ground. I bit down on my finger, tracing the outer perimeter of the circle with blood. Then, I engraved the inside of the circle with symbols that popped up in my head. At the same time, I imbued my mana into the symbols, giving them power.

[Look! It’s a contract circle!]

[Really?]

[It’s an Elementalist!]

[I’ve never seen one in this world before.]

[I want him to contract with me! Then, I’ll ask him to embrace me snugly.]

[Dream on, weakling.]

The nearby elementals seemed to have noticed what I was doing as they made circles around me. However, I ignored them completely. Although I could hear their voices, I could not clearly see their forms. That meant their wavelengths did not match mine.

It took me over three hours to complete the circle. Of course, I had my door locked as I did not want to be disturbed. Fortunately, it was a Sunday, so I did not have to worry about much.

After I finished drawing the circle, I imbued my mana into it to check that it worked properly. Mmm, no problems here. 

I got down on one knee and chanted as I placed my left hand on the contract circle.

“I, Kang Shin, request the world’s help. Draw a connection between me and the one who will become my friend and strength. Let us come together as we were in the beginning of the world.”

Ooong.

As soon as I finished, the contract circle began to vibrate, radiating light. It not only sucked in my own mana, but it also began to absorb the mana in the atmosphere.

[Kyaa, run! We’re being sucked in!]

[As I expected, he’s a-ma-zing-!]

[It’s the birth of an Elementalist!]

[You stupid elementals! I said run!]

Even as the elementals near me ran away in a hurry, the contract circle sucked in more and more mana. This continued for a while before it began to calm down. Then, after radiating out with a final burst of light, it calmed down completely. At the same time, I confirmed that a connection had been made between me and an elemental beyond the contract circle.

I whispered softly.

“Can you hear me?”

[Who…are you? This strong and familiar feeling of lightning…]

I had consumed Thunder Crystals to the absolute max. Since my affinity to lightning had increased, it was obvious that I would be connected to a lightning elemental. 

I continued, “I’m Kang Shin. Who are you?”

[I am a lightning elemental, Peika. I’ve been sleeping in a place where no one could find me.]

“I found you. I want you to become my strength.”

[I am the same. I also want you who holds the power of lightning. I want the outside world.]

“Then form a contract with me.”

[Okay.]

In the next moment, the contract circle let out a resplendent light. It was so bright that I could not help but close my eyes. When I opened them, an adorable girl was floating above the contract circle. She was quite tiny and dainty, not even reaching the height of one foot. On her body was a delicate black silk dress and silk gloves, and she had straight black hair that curled up at the ends.

Her complexion was snow-white and her eyes glowed a noble gold. She resembled one of those porcelain dolls that girls loved to play with. It was a shame. If she were human, she would have been a girl of incomparable beauty.

She closed the folding fan in her hand with a thwack, then pointed it toward me.

[I’m here to form a contract.]

“My name is Kang Shin. In exchange for my mana, I wish to form a master-servant contract with you.”

[My name is Peika. Until the day I perish, I solemnly swear my loyalty to thee.]

In that instant, the connection between me and Peika transformed to an inseparable bond. An indescribable pleasure swept through my body. At the same time, I heard the notifications  that I could only see in the dungeon.

[You formed a contract with the lightning elemental Peika! Your affinity and resistance to the lightning element has greatly increased!]

[You have obtained the class, ‘Elementalist’! Your successful 1st class advancement has increased your magic and charm by 10.]

[You have obtained the active skill, ‘Spirit Aura’. By infusing a weapon with one’s elemental, you can increase the weapon’s strength. The strength will increase depends on your mana and your affinity with the elemental.]

[You have obtained the passive skill, ‘Elemental Contract’. As the skill level increases, the number and quality of elementals you can form contracts with also increases. At the same time, it has a positive effect on your contracted elementals. Summoning elementals and maintaining them increases skill proficiency. Current available number of contracts: 1]

[You have obtained the class passive skill, ‘Elemental Control’. You can further control your contracted elemental. You can temporarily call upon ownerless elementals in nature in exchange for your mana. As the skill level increases, the amount of mana you use will decrease while your control over the elementals will increase. Commanding and communicating with elementals will also increase skill proficiency.]

[List of Contracted Elementals

1. Peika – lightning elemental. Unique elemental. Locked. Locked. Unawakened.]

[Low-rank Spirit Mastery is now level 4! Your affinity to all souls and spirits have increased, allowing you to wield even stronger power.]

“Huu.” I let out a breath.

I had finally obtained a class. Although I had a lingering attachment to the Spearman class, it was easy to see that there were fewer Elementalists than Spearman. Beyond the rarity of the class I had a bone-deep conviction that I could not be anything else but an Elementalist. I was certain that it was coded within my soul’s essence. Was this what it meant to awaken? Was this a part of becoming an ability user? I did not know how the dungeon managed to find out and turn my ability into skills, but at this moment, I was too enraptured to care.

Elemental Contract. It allowed me to feel an existence completely different than my own, and the feeling of being able to control it allowed me to experience a drug-like ecstasy. I felt her powerful existence, and even as it scared me, I smiled. Peika floated up and came right in front me. Then, using the hand that was not holding the folding fan, she touched my left eye.

[I will engrave the contract symbol in Master’s eye. It’s going to hurt a bit, Master.]

“Ugh.”

Peika wasn’t kidding; it felt like my eye was being stabbed by a needle. However, the pain only lasted for an instant. When I picked up a mirror to check my eye, I was startled. The center of my iris was radiating with a golden light.

[You won’t notice it unless you look closely.]

Peika grinned as she spoke. I could see the symbol of our contract on her as well. A black dragon symbol was tattooed on her cheek.

“What’s that, a dragon?”

[It’s the creature closest to the essence of Master’s soul. That’s what a contract symbol is.]

“I see…Well, it’s nice to meet you, Peika.”

[Nice to meet you too, Master. I don’t know why, but Master has a very nostalgic scent. It’s very fragrant, I like it. I hope Master can continue summoning me.]

“Yeah, that’s what I plan on doing.”

By summoning an elemental and maintaining the summoning, I would increase my proficiency in Elemental Contract, Spirit Mastery, and Elemental Control. This applied not only inside the dungeon, but also outside in the real world.

Although my mana would be drained continuously, that was an issue I could easily solve by periodically initiating the Peruta Circuit. Peika smiled happily and sat on my shoulder.

I put my bed back in place so that the contract circle was covered, then stepped out of my room.

The world looked different now. It was full of elementals.