I Gave Up Being Stronger

Alkinas understood what was going on after some explanation.

“You’re saying that you didn’t use any technique and are just enduring the flames with your body?” Alkinas asked Cha Jin-Hyeok.

Jin-Hyeok instinctively felt a slight sense of crisis. If even the Spirit King of Fire spoke like this, the perception that Chul-Soo was incredibly strong could spread widely. Though such a perception was already quite prevalent in the universe, there was no need to reinforce it further.

“Actually, I just have good fire resistance. I ate the Phoenix Heart,” Jin-Hyeok explained.

This surprised Alkinas even more. Even a phoenix from another dimension shouldn’t be able to withstand the flames of the Spirit Realm.

“I didn’t know that was possible. You’re amazing, Chul-Soo.”

Elines grinned as if he was the one who had been praised, with an expression that said, ‘Isn’t Chul-Soo amazing?’

This angered Alkinas. Suddenly, he tilted his head. “Huh? Who are you two? How are you unharmed here?”

Alkinas’s eyes had just now registered Mole Woman and Lessefim. “Are they okay because of you, Chul-Soo? Is this also one of your abilities?”

“I had no idea such a mysterious barrier exists in this world.”

Lessefim bit her lip, her pride hurt. “So, he didn’t even know we were here until now?”

“It seems so, moly…”

They were top rankers from their respective Servers, but in the Spirit Realm, they were insignificant beings that went unnoticed.

“And I was the one who told him the answer is Chul-Soo’s physical prowess, moly.” It seemed her words had been heard like the chirping of birds in the mountains. “We’re still too weak, moly.”

“I guess you’re right…”

As the two resolved to become stronger, Jin-Hyeok had a realization. He understood why the cunning Spirit King was praising him.

“Since I’m not a Spirit, I can’t become the Spirit King,” Jin-Hyeok said. He had turned back into his human form as it was more advantageous for him.

Alkinas found that a bit unfair. “You coward…”

“How am I a coward? I’m really not a Spirit.”

“But you can transform into one, can’t you?”

“I’m not one right now.”

“But you can be considered one.”

“Not at the moment.”

Alkinas was disappointed but decided to wait a little longer. After all, Jin-Hyeok couldn’t endure this place in a non-Spirit state indefinitely. Jin-Hyeok would eventually have to transform into a Spirit, and then Alkinas could pass on the throne.

Jin-Hyeok changed the subject. “By the way, what’s a Fire Monster?”

“Are you interested in Fire Monsters?!” Alkinas was overjoyed. The worst part of the Spirit King’s duties was exterminating Fire Monsters.

The fire that devoured flames, also known as Fire Monsters, were mutant fires that grew larger by consuming other fires around them. Unlike other fires in the Spirit Realm, they had no will or reason, only a destructive desire to devour.

“Fire Monsters have been rampaging lately and damaging the Spirit Realm,” Alkinas said.

“Can they be dealt with?”

“We can subdue them, but they are also natural fires. No matter how much we subdue them, they always awaken after some time. The Fire Monsters born this time are too powerful. They were born from black fire.”

“Even the Spirit King’s power cannot control them?”

“No, I can’t. But if you help, things might become easier than expected.”

“I will help you, Alkinas.” Jin-Hyeok was thrilled at this newfound content. ‘I wonder how strong they are?’

***

“We seem to be just getting in the way, moly,” Mole Woman said.

When she saw the Spirit King’s attitude, she had realized how weak she was. Thinking she had a role to play in the Spirit Realm had been an arrogant mistake. The same was true for Lessefim.

‘We’re nothing but a burden to him,’ Lessefim thought. Jin-Hyeok was still using Absolute Barrier on them. Lessefim knew well that Absolute Barrier definitely had a time limit. ‘I saw that the barrier can melt in the Spirit Realm.’

Currently, Jin-Hyeok was only using Absolute Barrier on Mole Woman and Lessefim, but earlier, the situation had been different. When he had used Absolute Barrier to protect himself as well, it had started to melt little by little. In other words, Jin-Hyeok was now expending a considerable amount of his power to protect Mole Woman and Lessefim.

“We should leave,” Lessefim said.

“Sorry for being weak, moly. I will become more intense, moly.”

Alkinas opened a Spirit Gate, and the two left with burning determination.

“Let’s become stronger together, moly.”

“Alright.”

Lessefim, the best Navigator, and Mole Woman, second to none in intensity, held hands and resolved to find stronger and more dangerous Dungeons.

“We can do this, moly!”

“You know it!”

They needed Dungeons and trials more dangerous and powerful than the Dragon’s Nest. They promised to tackle numerous unexplored Servers.

A new era was dawning.

***

“Fire Monsters are fires that devour other fires. They crave the purest and cleanest fires,” Alkinas explained.

Jin-Hyeok felt slightly uneasy. Usually, pure and clean fires referred to one of two things: newly born Spirits or Spirits born with specially pure Spirit power. The purest Spirits that Jin-Hyeok knew were the Spirit King and the Spirit Prince, Elines. While Jin-Hyeok didn’t really worry about the Spirit King, he was infuriated that the Fire Monsters could target Elines.

‘How dare they target a Chul-Soo Lander!’ Jin-Hyeok thought. Suddenly, it occurred to him that he could appoint Elly as an honorary Chul-Soo Lander. Elly would probably be overjoyed. ‘I’ve been rather unconcerned. I should’ve taken care of this sooner.’

Amid intense Play—though lately he was not even as intense as Mole Woman—Jin-Hyeok kept forgetting about the people important to him. Jin-Hyeok gently stroked Elines’s head again, feeling apologetic, while Alkinas glared at him with jealous eyes. However, Alkinas had accumulated wisdom since ancient times; he didn’t show how jealous he was.

“And the purest, cleanest fire was born right here. You know that, don’t you, Chul-Soo?”

“Did you have a new child? Congratulations, Alkinas.”

“No, that’s not what I meant…”

“Don’t tell me… you mean me?”

Alkinas nodded. “Those monsters have an uncanny ability to smell clean fire and chase after it.”

“Does that mean the Fire Monsters are on their way here?”

“Yes.” Alkinas looked slightly tense. As long as they were in the Fire Spirit Realm, there was no way to avoid Fire Monsters. When they appeared, the only option was to confront and destroy them.

“But there’s no need to be tense, Chul-Soo. When you’re tense, you can’t perform at your usual level.” Alkinas subtly said, “Quick, transform into a Fire Spirit. The Fire Monsters will rush toward your scent even more.”

“...”

“To fully draw out your power in this world, you must ultimately become a Spirit, Chul-Soo.”

Jin-Hyeok caught on to Alkinas’s ulterior motive. ‘I know that Fire Monsters are dangerous, but Alkinas is just thinking about passing the Spirit King title to me.’

The moment he used Dimensional Synchronization, the Spirit King title would be passed to him.

For Alkinas, it was killing two birds with one stone.

‘If the Spirit King title is added on top of everything else I have…’ The Spirit King was a powerful being that could destroy an entire Server. Jin-Hyeok remembered how much damage the berserk Alkinas had caused before Jin-Hyeok’s regression. Having such tremendous power associated with his name would do him no good.

“Promise me, Alkinas. Promise me that you won’t pass the Spirit King title to me,” Jin-Hyeok said.

“That’s…” Alkinas pondered it for a moment. As the Spirit King, he wondered if it was right to deceive the future Spirit King and whether it was okay to enthrone a new king through an unfair and unjust procedure. However, in the end, he thought that such minuscule deception was somewhat acceptable.

“Fine, I promis—”

Unfortunately for Alkinas, the situation suddenly changed. A bull-shaped Spirit came charging at them, snorting steam. Jin-Hyeok realized this Spirit was a Fire Monster.

“That’s a Fire Monster, Chul-Soo!” Alkinas yelled. He picked up young Elines, glaring at the Fire Monster while summoning flames. Fire Monsters were the most formidable creatures in the Fire Spirit Realm. Even the Spirit King couldn’t easily deal with them.

“If one appeared, that means…” Alkinas said. The world shook as if an earthquake had struck. It was like countless bulls stomping the earth. “That means many more will appear.”

Alkinas’s eyes widened. In the distance, an entity with a fire even more powerful than those of the other Fire Monsters was approaching. About ten times larger than the other Fire Monsters, this entity was like a massive forest fire descending upon them.

“That’s the king of Fire Monsters…” Alkinas’s voice dropped. The king of Fire Monsters emerged only about once every one thousand years. At this point, the Spirit King alone couldn’t handle the Fire Monsters. “Chul-Soo, you need to quickly transform into a Fire Spirit. I promise I won’t pass the Spirit King title to you!”

There was no time for trickery now.

“Do you really promise?” Jin-Hyeok asked.

“Of course. There is no time, Chul-Soo. They’re coming!”

The already fire-filled world of Spirits was now completely enveloped by the Spirit King’s aura. The Spirit Realm was filled with fire that reigned over types of fire and fire that devoured fire. These two attributes of fire set the world ablaze.

“Chul-Soo! What are you doing?” Alkinas yelled.

“It seems I’m a bit unlucky today.” Jin-Hyeok sighed.

“What a defeatist thing to say! Aren’t you ashamed as a Fire Spirit?”

“No, that’s not what I meant…”

The Fire Monsters that had charged with fierce momentum suddenly knelt and prostrated themselves. Even the king of Fire Monsters did the same. It was a completely surreal sight to Alkinas, who had accumulated countless experiences.

“What the hell?” Alkinas said.

“It seems like I’ve accidentally communed with these monsters.”

“Communed? What do you mean?”

“Well, I communed with the Spirit Realm earlier.”

“What?” Alkinas had no idea what Chul-Soo was talking about.

Elines, still in Alkinas’s arms, said impatiently, “I told you to watch his livestreams, Dad!”

If Alkinas had watched the livestream, he would have easily understood what was going on. Clearly, while communicating with the world using Taming (Physical), Jin-Hyeok had also communicated with the Fire Monsters.

“Fire Monsters are beings that cannot be subdued,” Alkinas said.

“I didn’t subdue them. I just communed with them.”

‘Communed? But they’re kneeling in front of you!’ While it was hard to understand, Alkinas decided not to point it out for now.

“Those Fire Monsters are born to devour fire from birth. They cannot be subdued, I mean, communed. They have no reason or rationality,” Alkinas added.

So, this phenomenon was closer to a temporary anomaly than true communing. That was the rational and reasonable judgment of the Spirit King.

Elines shook his head. “Dad, you really don’t know anything.”

“Huh?”

“If communing doesn’t work, shouldn’t you first consider if your power might be too weak?”