Overgeared

[Thanks to the player ‘Grid’, you have received the blessing of the world tree. You can now make contracts with lower elementals.]

[You must meet the world tree in order to make a contract with the elementals.]

It felt like they had just received a bunch of money while sitting down doing nothing. The Overgeared members cheered at the notification window that suddenly popped up.

“God Grid, what did he do again?”

“It is great! He hits a jackpot every time he goes somewhere!”

“Grid is the best!” 

Making a contract with elementals...! This was uncharted territory for most players, which gave them even greater expectations. The excited Overgeared members started preparing to travel in the order that Lauel decided. The destination was naturally the World Tree’s Forest.

***

-Lauel: Yes. Only the players belonging to the Overgeared Guild, not the Overgeared Kingdom, are eligible to contract with the elementals.

-Grid: I’m glad.

-Lauel: Yes. Unconditional rewards shouldn’t be given to people who can move to other kingdoms at any time. By the way, have you signed with an elemental?

-Grid: I’m going to try it now.

Grid stood in front of the world tree as he grasped the situation through Lauel’s whisper. It was a huge tree that he couldn’t see the end of. His neck hurt as he turned his head to measure the tree’s size. The Overgeared members, Mercedes, and even the unthinking Jude gulped. The humans, who were proud about dominating the world, became infinitely smaller in front of the infinite mysteries of nature.

“I greet the mother of the forest,” Grid respectfully greeted the world tree. It wasn’t an attitude based on any calculations, he truly was honored. Just like the others, Grid was overwhelmed by the world tree.

The voice of the world tree was warm and sweet. [You who have received the love of the goddess of light after exercising a strong will... I am grateful to you for helping my children. The protection of the elementals will forever be with you...]

‘Elementals!’ Grid’s heart thumped.

Beniyaru’s elementals had neutralized Mercedes’ and Grid’s attacks. The mighty image of a burning giant and a beautiful woman came to mind, amplifying his expectations.

‘It doesn’t matter if they are lower elementals.’

It would be great!

Duguen duguen! Grid was unable to calm his beating heart and knelt before the world tree. This was according to the procedure that the elves described. There was a flash of light that was brighter than the sun, but it didn’t blind him. Additionally, it was warm. The green light wrapped around Grid’s body gently.

“Ah...” Grid couldn’t help letting out a groan. His mind and body relaxed the moment he was wrapped in the light, and a feeling of infinite happiness rose within him. It was like laying in a futon on the night before a holiday. He wanted time to stop right here. However, he couldn’t relax. The brightly lit up Grid opened his eyes.

“I, Grid, want to contract with an elemental!”

The light surrounding Grid grew stronger as if responding to his call. Simultaneously...

[The lower elementals are looking at you.]

[The lower fire elementals are scared after feeling a fire hotter than them and have run away!]

[The lower water elementals trying to reach you have evaporated and disappeared!]

[The lower earth elementals smelled the metals on you and have hidden in the ground!] 

[The lower wind elementals realize they can’t wrap around you and have passed by!]

“...??” Grid panicked when notification windows which were completely different to his expectations popped up. In particular, he was greatly disappointed that the fire elementals had escaped.

‘I thought the fire elementals would be a hint to achieve the Duke of Fire.’

The great magician Braham had said that it had been due to the Duke of Fire that Pagma had been surrounded by flames while hammering. It had been from this point that Pagma’s status went up. This supported the fact that blacksmiths and fire were highly compatible with each other. So, Grid naturally wanted the fire elemental. Yet they had run away! Additionally, all the other elementals didn’t want him!

“What is this?”

The tranquility that came from the light around him was lost. Just when Grid was nervous that a contract with an elemental might not be possible, another notification window appeared.

[The world tree admires your big vessel that can’t be filled with lower elementals. The world tree has called for the hidden elementals!]

[The lower elementals of light and darkness have appeared!]

“Ah...!”

Round masses of darkness and light descended from the sun and the covered moon, surprising the many elves watching the ceremony. It was because the light and dark elementals were the symbol of the ‘royal family’ that not even the 12 Te could have.

He might be their savior but he was still a human. Yet Grid was going to be chosen by a light or dark elemental? It was something that the elves couldn’t understand. On the other hand, the Overgeared members, Mercedes, and Jude were calm because they had no information about elementals. They didn’t know anything and kept watching the elemental contract ceremony silently.

Meanwhile, Grid was suffering once again.

[The lower light elemental is consumed by the darkness hidden inside you!]

[The lower dark elemental is lost in the light of Goddess Rebecca, who has blessed you!]

[The world tree is embarrassed!]

“What?”

Wasn’t this too much? Grid’s anxiety was amplified as the elementals of light and darkness disappeared. He was forced to feel like this since he had been rejected by all the elementals. The voice of the world tree entered the ears of the trembling Grid, [The goddess of light’s love toward you is greater than you thought. Yet you also have a great darkness in your heart.]

“Is this the end?” Grid asked bluntly.

The world tree took special measures. [I watched from beginning to end as you struggled to protect my children in the forest. I can’t ignore your grace, so I will give you a greater blessing.]

[The intermediate elementals are looking at you.]

[The intermediate fire elementals are scared after feeling a fire hotter than them and have run away!]

[The intermediate water elementals trying to reach you have evaporated and disappeared!]

[The intermediate earth elementals smelled the metals on you and have hidden in the ground!] 

[The intermediate wind elementals realize they can’t wrap around you and have passed by!]

[The intermediate light elemental...]

[The intermediate dark elemental...]

....

...

“...”

The same thing happened again. Like the lower elementals, the intermediate elementals couldn’t endure Grid’s presence.

‘Isn’t this too much?’

Was he not going to get a reward? Then it happened when Grid was cursing in his mind...

[The advanced elementals are looking at you.]

The world tree called for the advanced elementals. Elementals resembling Beniyaru’s elementals appeared around Grid.

“Wow.”

The world tree hadn’t given up? Grid was stunned. However, the 12 Te protested violently.

“Mother! I understand Mother’s heart but you have to be careful!”

“We don’t doubt Grid but we are concerned about the weakness of the human mind. Humans can become corrupted by excessive power. Mother, think about the seven malignant people who gained the power of a god and became corrupted. Grid might become a new malignant person.”

“That’s right! The emergence of a malignant evil in this era with no Hero King will signal the destruction of this world! Calm down, Mother!”

The seven malignant people—Grid’s strongest passive skill, God's Command had originated from them. Who would’ve expected the name to pop out of the elves’ mouths? Grid’s eyes widened with surprise as he muttered, “I am the Hero King...”

“What?”

“What?!!”

The 12 Te were astonished.

[That’s right. You are a human beloved by the goddess of light and the Hero King. I can trust you.]

The world tree was determined. The advanced elementals tried to reach Grid only to stop repeatedly. Unlike the lower and intermediate elementals, the advanced elementals spoke in the human language. 

“This is a human already good at dealing with fire. My flames won’t be a great help to this human.”

“It is too hot and bad for me. My water disappears whenever I near him.”

“Um... Ummm... The power of the earth... Not required... Umm... I don’t think... Um..”

“He is called Grid? He already has the power of a storm. My wind won’t help. Hmm, the elemental kings might be needed.”

The advanced elementals also rejected Grid. Then the advanced light and dark elementals appeared belatedly. There was a white sphere with the size of a soccer ball. The cute ball of light with yellow half-moon eyes spoke first, “I like it. This person’s light is like Mother’s light. The hidden darkness is scary but I can overcome it. I like it.”

There was a black sphere that resembled the light elemental. The red-eyed black sphere adamantly rejected Grid, “I don’t like it. This child has more light than darkness. I don’t like it.”

So, it was decided. The important thing in contracting with an elemental was the will of the elemental. Grid didn’t worry about this part.

[Light elemental, be with him forever.]

“Okay!” The light elemental consented to the world tree’s request.

[You have succeeded in contracting with the light elemental!]

[The title ‘Light Elemental (Advanced) Contractor’ has been acquired.]

[Light Elemental (Advanced) Contractor]

[You can use the advanced light elemental.

Current level of the light elemental: 1

-Available Elemental Techniques-

* The energy of the advanced elemental is infinite. An advanced elemental doesn’t consume the resources of the contractor.

[Sword of Light]

Makes the elemental into a sword of light.

It will follow the contract and help the contractor secure visibility in the dark. When an enemy with the attribute of darkness is found, it will move by itself and attack the enemy.

The attack power of the Sword of Light is affected by the contractor’s physical attack power and magic attack power.

* This skill can be maintained at all times. However, separate techniques can’t be used in the Sword of Light state.

[Flash]

The light elemental will ‘instantaneously’ move to the target pointed out by the contractor.

If the target is an enemy, it will shine intensely and blind the target for 0.3 seconds. The target can’t resist the blindness effect.

If the target is the contractor’s ally, it will shine brightly and give the target a one-time ‘dark attack resistance’ effect.

Cooldown Time: 5 minutes.]

“...Amazing.”

There was a CC that couldn’t be resisted as well as an autonomous attack power. Although it was limited to a dark target, it could surpass a Sword Saint’s cognition. This was just the performance of a level 1 elemental. Grid didn’t know how great the elemental would be when the level rose. 

The 12 Te weren’t exaggerating when they were worried about the seven malignant people. Jishuka’s eyes turned to heart shapes as the Sword of Light started to hover beside Grid. “A visual explosion...”

It was like the lights that were set up for shooting commercials with celebrities. The power of the light was almost fraudulent. Grid was becoming equipped with more systems.