Chapter 86. Watch Your Tongue

In the middle of the silence, only Luin's voice echoed in the air.

"Ayere, what the hell are you doing?! Kill that bastard, now!"

However, the water droplets didn’t move. Instead, they slowly gathered into a single spot, merging into the shape of a coiled snake. The next moment, the blue snake fixed its gaze on Luin, unblinking.

"What... What's going on? Why are you doing this?" Luin stammered, his voice laced with fear.

Luin had never received such a cold, piercing stare from a spirit his entire life. Then, slowly, Ayere's form began to dissolve.

"No... No!

Aaaah!

" Luin screamed in agony as his chest burned with pain.

The power of Ayere, which had been residing within him, drained away. He could feel every second of it.

“This can’t be happening! How is this possible? How?!”

Luin gasped for breath, his body convulsing. Then, with a sudden thud, Naiyel struck him in the chest.

Luin had a seizure and collapsed, unconscious.

“You’re quite the considerate captain,” Kim Do-Joon remarked in a calm voice, a stark contrast to Luin’s earlier hysteria.

“What did you do to my subordinate?” Naiyel asked, her eyes filled with a quiet intensity.

Anyone could see that Luin’s condition was far from normal. As an elf who had formed a contract with the Spirit King, she could immediately tell what had happened to Luin. The contract had been broken, one-sidedly.

"You think I'm just going to tell you?" Kim Do-Joon replied, a hint of amusement in his voice.

"You're no ordinary human, are you?" Naiyel's eyes narrowed as she stared at him.

She still couldn’t figure out how this could’ve happened. If it chose to, a spirit could indeed break a contract easily, but it had never occurred before. After all, if a spirit had even the slightest doubt, it wouldn’t have formed the contract in the first place.

Furthermore, it’d only be established if the contractor had a natural affinity with the spirit. That affinity couldn’t simply vanish? A broken contract was practically unheard of!

The spirit affinity one was born with cannot vanish...

Naiyel thought it made no sense. How could someone lose their natural affinity for spirits? In all her years and in all the ancient records passed down through the ages, such a thing was unheard of!

Ayere.

Naiyel called out to Luin’s spirit—or rather, the spirit that used to belong to Luin.

Naiyel could still see Ayere, who had seemingly disappeared. She had always possessed an extraordinary, peerless ability to see spirits. In fact, that was why she was chosen by the Nereid.

Why did you break the contract?

Ayere stared back at her for a long while, then turned to glance at Luin. It shook its head, clearly rejecting him. And then, for real this time, Ayere vanished, dissolving into a handful of water that seeped into the earth.

In the end, Naiyel learned nothing except one crucial detail: Ayere, for reasons unknown, had grown to despise its contractor—Luin—so much that it broke the contract and fled.

That human has something to do with that reason.

With a heavy sigh, Naiyel laid Luin down on the ground and stood up. Then, her gaze shifted to Kim Do-Joon.

“Human.”

“What?” Kim Do-Joon gave a curt reply.

As the contractor of a Spirit King, Naiyel was treated as a VIP wherever she went. She wasn’t someone to be spoken to so dismissively, especially by an outsider like this man. But for now, she swallowed her pride. There were more important matters at hand.

“I’ll get straight to the point. Would you like to serve me?”

If others heard that she was willing to accept an outsider as her subordinate, a commotion would occur. The elders might even collapse from shock. However, Naiyel thought differently.

The ability to break contracts... how dangerous.

Elves and spirits were inseparable. Their daily lives, their battles against monsters, and their confrontations with others were all heavily reliant on spirits. What Kim Do-Joon had just demonstrated was terrifyingly potent. Hence, if she could control him, no other forest would dare look down on them.

Desire gleamed in her eyes. The power Kim Do-Joon held, or perhaps the man himself, could become an invaluable weapon if wielded properly. Hearing her offer, Kim Do-Joon couldn’t help but laugh incredulously.

“Really? After what I did to your subordinate?” said Kim Do-Joon

“Luin isn’t dead. Thanks to my healing, he’s barely even wounded. There’s no real problem,” Naiyel replied.

“No problem? Are you serious?” Kim Do-Joon’s tone grew sharper.

Naiyel clenched her teeth. Of course, there was a problem—a

huge

one.

“There is, but if you come to my side, that problem will disappear,” Naiyel replied.

If his power could break the contract, perhaps he could also help reforge it. It wasn’t something she could be sure of, but it was possible.

On the other hand, Kim Do-Joon’s thoughts were more calculating.

So, the contract really was broken.

Kim Do-Joon surmised, observing Naiyel’s behavior.

If the incident had been nothing more than a single act of defiance from the spirit, she wouldn’t be making such an offer. Therefore, it was clear that something far more serious had happened. For example, the utter severance of contract. No, what could be more serious than that?

With this, I can for sure stand against the elves.

Not only would he be able to fight back, he’d become their natural enemy. An elf without spirit was nothing to be scared of.

Naiyel, unaware of his internal calculations, continued speaking.

“With the World Tree firmly rooted, it won’t be long before the outside world falls. You don’t want to die, do you?”

“Are you trying to threaten me?” Kim Do-Joon’s eyes narrowed.

“I’m simply stating the inevitable. Not just you, but everyone you hold dear won’t be safe. This includes your parents, siblings, or even your children.”

“Hold it,” Kim Do-Joon’s expression hardened.

Mentioning his child only fueled his anger. He could brush off threats to his own life, but bringing his child into it was a different matter entirely.

“Watch your tongue.”

Naiyel felt the shift in his demeanor. The calm observation from before was gone, replaced by the tense stillness of a storm about to break.

Sensing his growing hostility, she muttered, “So, words won’t work after all.”

In a way, she welcomed this turn of events. Conflict was something she could deal with. She cast a glance back at the fortress behind her, before addressing Kim Do-Joon again.

“Follow me. I know a place where Vulcanus’ gaze won’t reach.”

***

Naiyel led the way to a cavern hidden deep within the mountains. The cavern was vast, large enough to comfortably fit a soccer field within its walls.

“It doesn’t look too far from the castle,” Kim Do-Joon remarked, glancing around.

“It’s deep enough that Vulcanus can’t see us here. There’s no risk of interference,” Naiyel responded confidently.

The two stood facing each other in the expansive cavern, alone. Kim Do-Joon was almost relieved that he hadn’t received Siwelin’s blessing, as it meant that her target wouldn’t change mid-battle.

Naiyel coming alone was a clear display of her confidence. As the contractor of the Spirit King, she was certain there was no way she could lose. The tension between them was palpable.

Please, Nereid, grant me strength

When Naiyel whispered, a single drop of water formed at the tip of her slender finger. Despite being the contractor of the Spirit King, she had never actually seen Nereid in person. Unlike Vulcanus, Nereid didn’t like to show his form.

Once, Naiyel had even been frustrated by this, wondering why he wouldn’t reveal himself to even his contractor.

However, Naiyel no longer held such thoughts. Nereid’s voice always reached her, and the spirit’s power was there whenever she needed it. The next moment, Naiyel raised her arm.

“Let’s begin. Try not to die too quickly,” Naiyel said, swinging her arm with force.

The droplets of water flung from her hand took the shape of a massive bird, soaring toward Kim Do-Joon. However, the attack didn’t stop there.

The water shifted and morphed, becoming a bird, lion, then a dragon, each form sending powerful streams of water flying at Kim Do-Joon. He twisted and turned, narrowly avoiding the onslaught.

Boom!

The water bird slammed into the cavern wall behind him, and the entire place rumbled as if struck by an earthquake.

Kim Do-Joon’s eyes gleamed as he dodged the barrage, spotting an opening in Naiyel’s defenses.

Without hesitation, Kim Do-Joon launched himself forward with the Sky Thunder, closing the distance in an instant.

Baaam!

In a flash, he was upon Naiyel, thrusting his spear directly at her. The tip of the spear was at point blank, she shouldn’t have been able to dodge it. However, as he drove the spear forward, Naiyel smiled.

Ha.

The spear easily pierced through her body, and Kim Do-Joon frowned seeing that. Despite the successful strike, he felt no sensation in his hands. He struck again, and again. The spear moved so fast, it was almost invisible.

Swoosh— Swoosh— Swoosh—!

Dozens of strikes landed in a split second, each one piercing Naiyel’s body—but to no effect.

With each hit, Naiyel’s form dissolved like water, as if she became one with the element she commanded. No matter how much force or magic he used, his attacks were absolutely ineffective. Kim Do-Joon couldn’t help but feel a twinge of frustration.

“No matter what power you possess, it’s useless if it can’t reach me,” Naiyel said, lifting her chin with confidence.

The source of her confidence laid in her ability to turn invincible.

“

Tsk.

” Kim Do-Joon clicked his tongue as he summoned a barrage of thorns.

They’d worked against Sallyon before, so hopefully they’d also be effective here.

The thorns successfully wrapped around Naiyel’s arm, which was about to release water once again.

“

Hm

? What’s this?” Naiyel asked, her interest piqued.

However, there was a problem. The thorns could only restrain her, and not attack.

If it’s water...

Kim Do-Joon thought, his mind racing as he opened his inventory. He pulled out something, and threw it at the bound Naiyel with all his might. It was the Lightning Spear.

Babababaaam—!

Crackling with thunder, the spear pierced through her body and embedded itself into the wall behind her, unleashing a blinding surge of electricity. When the light faded, Naiyel stood there, completely unscathed.

“Is that all you’ve got?” Naiyel asked, looking at Kim Do-Joon.

He couldn’t help but let out a brittle laugh. This was worse than the fight with Eldora, who had a weakness. Meanwhile, Naiyel seemed impervious.

The power of a Spirit King’s contractor stood apart from the rest of elves. If Kim Do-Joon hadn’t found the spirit stone in Vulcanus’s domain, he’d probably flee without a second thought.

“You might as well give up now. I won’t hesitate to cut off your limbs and drag you back with me,” Naiyel taunted, full of arrogance, as she sent another wave of water toward him.

Kim Do-Joon wiped the water from his forehead, his thoughts clear. Naiyel relied entirely on the power bestowed by the Spirit King. Without that power, she’d be a sitting duck.

The next moment, he reached into his inventory and pulled out a knife, clenching it tightly.

[Knife]

[Additional Effect]

- Spirit Affinity Level - 25

It wasn’t just any ordinary weapon, but one imbued with a powerful negative effect. It could reduce spirit affinity level by 25. Moreover, he had five more just like it in his inventory.

“I can't afford to hold back now,” he muttered to himself. These cursed items had been painstakingly crafted by Hwang Hyun-Woo, who worked tirelessly day and night. He’d hoped to save them for a more desperate situation, and this was clearly it.

Still, he wasn’t sure if it’d work against a Spirit King’s contractor. As he’d proven earlier, he could sever a regular spirit’s contract with this knife, but a Spirit King was in a different league altogether. Kim Do-Joon couldn’t afford to be cocky.

Let’s end this right here and now!

[The item effect has been successfully copied and pasted.]

[The item effect has been successfully copied and pasted.]

[The item effect has been successfully copied and pasted.]

[The item effect has been successfully copied and pasted.]

After four attempts, he managed to stack all the negative effects onto a single knife, resulting in a spirit affinity level of -102.

With the knife in hand, Kim Do-Joon charged at Naiyel once more.

“It’s futile,” she scoffed, her eyes narrowing as he approached.

Despite Kim Do-Joon’s relentless determination, she made no effort to dodge his attack. Not like he could harm her anyway. Hence, she planned to counter as soon as his knife made contact.

[The item effect of the Knife can be copy-pasted onto Naiyel Rackade.]

[Item effects available for copy-pasting]

1. Spirit Affinity Level - 102

“What?!” Naiyel gasped as soon as the knife grazed her skin, instinctively pulling back.

Kim Do-Joon clicked his tongue in frustration. He hadn’t been able to complete the copy-pasting process because she’d retreated so quickly.

“What... what was that?” Naiyel’s voice trembled as she covered her eyes with her hand. Until then, she could see the small spirits flitting around the cavern, but as soon as the knife touched her, it was as if her vision had been plunged into darkness. The spirits had all vanished.

For the first time, Naiyel felt true panic. She didn’t fully understand what Kim Do-Joon had tried to do, but one thing was clear: the knife was the same weapon that had severed Luin’s contract, and she had almost fallen victim to it herself.

So, he could do it even without injuring me?

Naiyel was bewildered. She’d assumed that Kim Do-Joon would have to inflict some wound to disrupt her contract. However, with Nereid’s power flowing through her, she was immune to any attack.

What she didn’t know was that Kim Do-Joon’s copy-paste ability only required contact. However, seeing him inflicting severe injury on Luin led her to believe that it required physical harm. And yet, despite turning her body into water and avoiding injury, it couldn’t stop Kim Do-Joon’s ability.

“If I stab you with this knife, do you think your precious Spirit King will forsake you?” Kim Do-Joon said, rushing at her while brandishing his knife.

“Don’t be ridiculous!” Naiyel snarled angrily as she dodged him.

For the first time in this battle—no, for the first time since she made a pact with Nereid, Naiyel dodged an attack. Until now, she’d always taken even the most powerful assaults head-on with a smile. But that small knife in Kim Do-Joon’s hand... it filled her with an unfamiliar terror!

However, despite her efforts to evade, the inevitable happened.

[The item effect of the Knife can be copy-pasted onto Naiyel Rackade.]

[Item effects available for copy-pasting]

1. Spirit Affinity Level - 102

"

Aaagh!

" Naiyel screamed in pain.

Dodging was not her forte, and it showed. She couldn’t evade all of Kim Do-Joon’s relentless attacks. When the knife embedded itself into her, it began to vanish inside her.

In the meantime, Kim Do-Joon felt a strange sensation in his hand, like something was snapping. It felt as if small branches were breakin one by one. Yet, he could tell that the main trunk—the core—was still intact and stubbornly resisting.

Perhaps that was why, unlike before, the copy-pasting process wasn’t completed as quickly. The knife hadn’t fully vanished, indicating that something crucial was still holding on.

“Stop it!” Naiyel’s desperate shout echoed throughout the cavern.

As the knife in Kim Do-Joon’s hand disappeared completely, the spirits in Naiyel’s vision began to fade away. It was like a creeping blindness, a terrifying feeling of her very existence being shaken to its roots.

Now, she finally understood why Luin had reacted so violently when Ayere left him. The horror she felt now was the same—a deep, primal fear of being torn from the core of her being.

“Die!” Naiyel screamed in fury, any thought of recruiting him completely forgotten.

Then, her hand morphed into a massive scythe made of water, sharp enough to cut even diamonds. She unleashed the deadly torrent at Kim Do-Joon, aiming to slice him apart.

Kim Do-Joon didn’t retreat. Instead, he pressed the knife deeper into her, undeterred by the threat of her water blade.

Crack. Crackle.

Something was breaking. Deep within her, something unknown and crucial was slowly but surely shattering.

From water, Naiyel’s form shifted back to her true elven body. Even her scythe dissolved into a shallow stream, spilling meaninglessly onto the cavern floor.

“P-please, stop...” she whimpered, stumbling backward.

With each step, more water dripped from her body, leaving dark, wet stains on the cavern floor. Her pupils shook violently, much like the elf from the morning, who had suffered a similar fate.

Kim Do-Joon stepped forward, closing the distance between them. Finally, as the knife fully disappeared into her, a notification rang.

[The item effect has been successfully copied and pasted.]

[Naiyel Rackade]

[Additional Effect]

- Spirit Affinity Level - 102.

Crack.

At last, Kim Do-Joon felt that the core, that massive stem, had snapped.