Editor : Amethyst00



["The Deep Sea Elemental?"]

Ishtar, who was about the size of Leo's palm, widened his eyes.

The Deep Sea Elemental, Undine.

As the Elemental Lord of Water, she was known as the strongest elemental lord of this era, and Ishtar had once fought her over that title.

At first, Ishtar was overwhelmingly stronger.

The strength of an Elemental Lord isn't measured solely by its individual power, but also by the forces under its command.

Naturally, Ishtar, who had lived for a far longer time, had amassed a greater following.

At that time, Ishtar had devastated Undine's domain.

["That's why they became mortal enemies."]

When Laruel made a disdainful face, Elsie looked puzzled.

["Why did you do something so terrible?"]

["You could call it a power struggle?"]

As Ishtar murmured with a troubled look, Laruel spoke.

["Probably because he acted all arrogant."]

["Radiant Elemental! How could you slander me and ruin my image in front of our leader…!"]

["Elsie only needs to say one word and your former subordinate elementals would spill everything, wouldn't they?"]

At Laruel's words, Ishtar fell silent.

["Tsk tsk. Poor deep sea elementals."]

["But in the end, an elemental is just an elemental, deep sea or not."]

Laruel spoke sharply.

["The deep sea elemental bullies other elementals too."]

["That's right, Boss! That elemental is totally evil!"]

Ishtar sweet-talked in response to Laruel's words.

Ever since being subdued by Elsie, Ishtar had become Elsie's sycophant.

It wasn't just because she was a senior elemental lord, but because of the overwhelming difference in power between them.

The dominion authority to command lesser elementals of the same element.

Elsie's dominion transcended even that.

It could affect elementals of all attributes, not just subordinates of the same element.

She could even seize the subordinates of other elemental lords.

Having lost all his subordinates, Ishtar had no choice but to fawn over Elsie to survive.

["The misdeeds of Undine are unspeakable! Our noble and magnificent leader must punish that vile elemental! I, Ishtar, elemental of purification, shall become your blade and liberate the tormented water elementals from that wicked elemental of the deep sea!"]

Ishtar spoke so zealously.

His motivation was simple.

['Let's go down together.']

He had already lost everything.

He had no base, and had to live watching the moods of his own subordinates.

It was infuriating.

So his most hated enemy, the deep sea elemental, had to end up the same.

["To think the Elemental Lord of Fire would resort to dragging others down with him."]

["Shut it, old hag."]

As Ishtar muttered, a commotion stirred in the distance.

["Let me go! I just want to kill him! Let me go at him!"]

["Such fury! Please, unleash it on me instead! Haa… haa…"]

It seemed Alty was holding Laruel back from running out from the area where Leo's summons were gathered.

'Elsie.'

["Yes, Leo?"]

'You should probably rein these guys in a bit.'

["Mmm… I'll try my best."]

With a small sigh, Leo looked toward Runeba.

"Fire elemental? That one looks weird."

Runeba looked dumbfounded at the fire elemental sitting on Leo's palm.

A palm-sized, lower-rank elemental.

But unlike the usual round and soft spirits, this one had a muscular upper body exposed, clearly defined despite its size.

'If the muscle freaks from "The Power" saw this guy, they'd accept him on the spot.'

Runeba shook his head, thinking of the body-training club of Lumene Academy.

'Regardless of how odd it looks, since Leo summoned it… I better stay on guard—'

—That one…!

Then, Undine, who had shown little interest, suddenly reacted sharply.

'Huh? Lady Undine?'

Kwaaaaaa—!

The water swirling around Runeba gathered into one place, forming the figure of a beautiful girl.

A fish's lower half and an upper body with ivory skin.

A mermaid straight out of legend.

"What brings you here in person?"

Runeba asked in a dazed voice.

Undine curled her lips upward at the question.

"Because an enemy I must eliminate stands before me."

Shaaah—!

As Undine extended her hand, a trident formed from water.

Chak!

She gripped it in one hand and pointed it straight at Leo.

"You must be the famed Leo Plov."

"You're the Elemental Lord of Deep Sea, Undine?"

Leo chuckled and looked at Runeba.

"I didn't expect you to have a pact with Runeba-sunbae."

Honestly, even Leo was surprised that Runeba had summoned the Water Elemental Lord.

If he'd contracted with Undine, it would've been public knowledge by now.

Undine scoffed at Leo's comment.

"Hmph. Runeba Tess and I are not under pact. He once helped me. I promised to repay that debt just once, and that's all this is."

"An informal agreement?"

"Indeed. You catch on quickly."

Undine smiled again.

"In that case, allow me to give you some advice, Leo Plov."

Shaaah—

Water gathered to form a throne.

Seated atop it, Undine continued.

"You'd best cancel your contract with that despicable fire elemental lord over there."

Undine narrowed her eyes at Ishtar.

"For reasons I don't know, that vulgar elemental recently lost his base. A shame, really. That should've been my doing. Guess divine retribution caught up to him for attacking me long ago."

Undine openly mocked Ishtar.

"He must've turned to you after losing everything. But that pact is invalid."

"Invalid?"

"Yes. Because by contracting with Ishtar, you've made yourself my enemy."

"If I cancel it, does that change things?"

"It does. In fact, I hold you in high regard, Leo Plov. I know you've contracted with the Three Mythical Beasts. That's why I'm making a proposal."

"A proposal?"

"Yes. Break those pacts with the Mythical Beasts too. Then I, the Elemental Lord of Deep Sea, will allow you to serve me."

From her throne, Undine smiled coldly.

"I don't like that you've already bonded with others… but someone of your caliber is worth the compromise."

Shaaaaa—

Her throne rose high as a pillar of water.

Looking down on Leo, Undine said,

"This is not a bad offer. I, Undine, am the ruler of the oceans. A pact with me means ruling the seas. And I've never made a pact with anyone until now. The strongest elemental lord would be at your side. Surely that would help you on your path. So, what do you say?"

["That wench is so full of herself! Leo! Chick! Turn her into grilled fish!"]

[Peep! Peep!]

["Trying to take my master's rough touch from me? Unforgivable! I'll fry her with lightning!"]

Excited, Kiran, Fiora, and Alty reacted furiously.

Leo's head began to throb.

["Everyone, hush."]

At Elsie's gentle voice, the three beasts fell silent.

["Boss! Did you hear that arrogant elemental's nonsense? We've got to beat her senseless!"]

["Didn't Elsie say to be quiet?!"]

["Ack!"]

Laruel burst from a rift in space, flying like lightning, and delivered a dropkick to Ishtar's chest.

"Radiance Elemental?"

Undine's expression darkened.

Laruel crossed her arms and scoffed at her.

"You're still the same, huh?"

"You too are bound to Leo Plov? Hah! For all your pride, now you're sharing a summoner? How pathetic, Radiance!"

"That line's getting old. He's already done all that."

Laruel crushed Ishtar's head beneath her foot.

"Well, I suppose we do need to have a little chat."

"What?"

Leo raised his palm and pointed at Undine.

Zzzzzzt—! Flash! Booooom—!

A beam shot from Leo's hand and blasted Undine away.

Using Laruel's power, Leo turned to Runeba.

"Phew~ Seriously. An Elemental Lord of Light and Fire at the same time too. So much for the rumour that elemental lord hate unfaithful summoners the most. That was a lie!"

Runeba scratched his head.

Leo chuckled at the sight.

"No, they don't like it."

"Then how did you get the contracts?"

"I'm kind of charming, you know?"

"Haha."

Runeba burst out laughing.

"Well, guess that works for me. I only wanted to borrow troops from the deep sea elemental. Now that she's here in person… I might be able to buy some time until the others are ready."

"Will buying time change anything?"

"I won't fall for that bait."

Runeba smiled faintly.

"I'll try to meet your expectations. So go ahead and look forward to it."

Shaaah—!

Massive gates of water opened on either side of Runeba.

From them poured forth water elementals.

They were the water elementals under Undine.

The army of the strongest known Elemental Lord.

'Far more overwhelming than Ishtar's.'

What was even more impressive was Runeba's ability to continuously summon elementals of that scale.

And not just summon—he empowered them with his own energy.

'He really is second only to Elena among the fifth-years.'

His gaze had changed too.

Leo smiled faintly.

'I'd like to take him on myself, but…'

It was obvious Undine would come attacking again soon.

"Elsie."

At Leo's call, his shadow expanded.

From within it, fire elementals began to emerge.

Seeing this, Runeba looked puzzled.

'That's… an unusual summoning method?'

He had no idea that the true master of these spirits was not the fire elemental, but the Elemental Lord of Shadow.

["Water elementals, huh…"]

["I expected a fight… but didn't think I'd be under the shadow elemental lord's command, not the purification elemental's."]

["Got a problem with that?"]

["Nah, it's better."]

["A chance to prove the shadow elemental is the strongest."]

The fire elementals grinned.

["…Why do they seem more motivated now than when they were under me?"]

["I told you, didn't I? You and the Deep Sea should've treated your subordinates better."]

While Laruel didn't care much about other elementals, she looked out for the light elementals.

["Old hag! I'm sad now!"]

["Who're you calling old hag!?"]

Laruel kicked Ishtar in the side.

From the shadows, the last fire elemental, Althea, emerged with Elsie raised high in her hands.

["Lady Elsie, your command."]

Althea asked politely, and Elsie smiled.

["If it gets rough, hide behind me."]

["Ooooooooh!"]

The fire elementals began burning fiercely.

Leaving them behind, Leo walked toward the direction where Undine had been blasted.

Before dealing with the 4th and 5th-years, he had to defeat Undine.

Kwagagagagaga—!

A huge tidal wave surged from afar.

"Leoooo Plooooov! How dare youuuu!"

Undine's furious voice echoed.

Leo raised his palm with an indifferent look.

Fwoooosh—!

Ishtar ignited in his hand.

Turning into a blue flame, Ishtar shifted into the shape of a spear.

["Is such a technique even possible?"]

Ishtar's shocked voice made Leo smirk.

"Apparently so?"

["Contractor, is this your own elemental art?"]

"Nope."

Leo took a throwing stance.

"I just copied the strongest elemental wielder."

Thwack!

The blue fire spear flew from Leo's hand and soared toward the tidal wave.

BOOM! Swaaaaaaaaaaa!

A warm drizzle began to fall from the sky.

As steam filled the air, Leo spoke.

"If they don't want to contract, you just have to make them want to."

["That won't be easy."]

"Yeah. But I also learned from the best how to persuade disobedient elementals."

["And that is?"]

Laruel's eyes gleamed.

Leo grinned.

"Violence."