#1191 The Spirit King’s Descent 

It’s still Monsmuf, your resident magic researcher, speaking. 

And right now… I might be staring down a truly insane situation. 

The Spirit King. 

I’m standing in front of something that ties directly into the very foundation of this world! 

Spirits handle the spiritual energy that drives all kinds of natural phenomena: fire, water, wind, earth. They keep things circulating and provide energy for it all. 
If spirits ever vanished, the world’s natural processes would stop, lose their life force, and everything would die out. 

It’s because spirits exist that this world stays alive!!! 

And the Spirit King is the leader of all spirits, the one who governs them. 

They say it’s only thanks to him that balance is maintained throughout the entire world, allowing everything to continue without trouble.  
In a sense, the Spirit King is even more crucial than the gods! 

Are you… the Spirit King? 

“Indeed, the one and only.” 

The one claiming to be the Spirit King appears as a stern-looking middle-aged man in full armor and helm. 

So, this is what the Spirit King looks like…? 
No, no, no, no, no…! 

That’s impossible! 

Spirits, by definition, don’t have physical bodies. They’re beings that fuse with nature itself in a purely spiritual form.  
The very idea that I can actually see a spirit, especially one that looks like some grumpy old dude lounging around, makes no sense! 

“Hoho, first you’re shocked that you can see and touch me at all, and then you doubt me. You’ve done your homework, I see. A sign of a true expert.” 

The Lifeless King nods in approval as if impressed. 

“Spirits have no corporeal form, just like all the knowledge you’ve accumulated says. But this world always has a layer beyond what you currently know. Spirits don’t necessarily remain incorporeal every second of the day.” 

Really?! 
Aah, there’s so much I don’t know about this world! 

“By the power of Lord Saint, the Spirit King has been able to assume a physical form. He’s furious that we’ve neglected his dignity and that of all spirits, so he lodged a complaint. Lord Saint took it to heart and brought me along to fix the cause of his grievance.” 

Lord Saint did all that… for the Spirit King?! 

I’d heard rumors, but I didn’t realize he was that incredible… 

But hang on. Why is Lord Saint holding the Spirit King’s hand so tightly? 

“The reason the Spirit King can take physical form boils down to Hades’ blessing over the farm. Once he leaves the farm, that blessing can’t reach him, so his temporary body would vanish. That’s why Lord Saint is using his Hand of Supremacy power to keep him stable.” 

Huh? I’m still not getting it. 
Yep, there’s way too much stuff I don’t know yet. 

I really can’t wait to become a Lifeless King so I can ravenously collect all this knowledge! 

“This Spirit King is extremely pleased!” 

Holding hands with another grown man, the armor-clad figure who calls himself the Spirit King begins to shed tears of joy. 

“I’m overflowing with gratitude for the Saint and Sensei, who halted the disgraceful trend of chantless magic and restored the spirits’ rightful status! And I’m grateful to see there are those who truly understand our role as spirits! I can’t thank you enough!” 

Wait, whaaaat?! 
He must be talking about me, right? 
But that’s just something I figured out from studying magic… Anyone who put in the effort would come to the same conclusion… 

“And how many people have actually studied and reached that ‘obvious’ conclusion? Very few indeed! You’re the one who most clearly understands magic and us spirits. Accept the blessing of the Spirit King!” 

Wow. 
A direct blessing from the Spirit King…? 

“With this, you’ll be closer to us spirits, able to wield spirit magic without chanting. You're BFFs with us now!” 

Huh? 
No, er… I was the one desperately trying to put a stop to chantless magic, remember…? 

Even if I’m ‘allowed’ to do it, I should still keep chanting properly whenever I use magic.  
It’s just the polite thing to do. 

In any case, it looks like we’ve settled everything nicely, and the whole business can be wrapped up... 

“Don’t fall for that fake!!!” 

A sudden roar cuts through the moment. 

Looking around, I spot some random onlooker among the crowd that had gathered. 
It’s probably one of those folks who worshipped Kaito and thought chantless magic was the truth… 

“Sir Kaito is a great man! If you’re denying him, then you must be con artists or something!” 
“We believe in Sir Kaito no matter what! If you claim he’s wrong, then the Demon King and Lord Saint must be lying!” 

What kind of twisted logic is that…?! 
It’s basically, “We don’t believe the official story,” or something along those lines. 

Even though Kaito himself already got his butt kicked by the Lifeless King and admitted his mistakes, now his followers are putting up a fight?! 

“Wait! This was my mistake! Everyone, calm down…!” 

Kaito, who’s seen the light, tries desperately to stop them. But once a crowd has worked itself into a frenzy, one person’s words don’t really do much. 

I tried to step in too, but I immediately got shoved aside. 

And then the riled-up mob charges straight at the Spirit King. 

“Hey old man! You’re calling yourself the Spirit King, but you’re just a lying phony, right?!” 
“Yeah, sure looks like some random old dude to me! And what’s with holding hands with another dude?!” 
“Trying to trick us and bring Sir Kaito down? Not on our watch! We’ll make you pay for your crimes!” 

How disrespectful can you get?! 
If they hurt the Spirit King, I’ll have to shield him with my own body if I must…! 

“Oh? Me, a fake? Ignorant humans, puffing themselves up while leaving their own ignorance unaddressed.” 

The Spirit King’s eyes flash. 

“I tried to be considerate, to keep from causing too much of a stir in human society, and all it’s done is backfired. Fine. No more holding back. I’ll show you my true form.” 

In the next moment, a brilliant light envelops the Spirit King’s body—the same one that just looked like any other middle-aged guy. 

It’s so bright my eyes are practically burning, and by the time I can see again… 
He’s no longer just some regular old dude. 

He’s a giant! 

He still looks the same, only he’s now dozens of times bigger, towering above us all. 

“How about it…? Now, witness just a fraction of the Spirit King’s power.” 
“Lord Saint! Where’s Lord Saint?! Lord Saint, where are you?!” 

Huh? 
The Lifeless King’s in a total panic, looking around for Lord Saint. 

Until just a second ago, Lord Saint was holding hands with the Spirit King, but after this massive growth spurt… where’d he go?! 

…Ah!  
There! 

There’s a little window on the giant Spirit King’s helmet. If you look there, you can see Lord Saint inside! 

“So the Spirit King absorbed Lord Saint into his body to keep his corporeal form?!” 
“Indeed, I draw on the Saint’s power. Now behold my ultimate move...Spirit King Hurricane!!!” 

A gust blasts out from the Spirit King’s mouth, whipping up a fierce storm! 
A tornado tears through the sky.  
If that had struck the ground, countless buildings would’ve been knocked flat. 

“Next… Fire, Spirit King Fire! Now, unleash it!!!” 

Wh-What?! A blazing beam is bursting from the Spirit King’s chest?! 
The chest plate on his armor glows red-hot, unleashing a flash that must be thousands of degrees.  
He aimed it skyward, so no harm done, but if he’d fired at the city, everything here would be reduced to ash. 

“And now Spirit King Freezing Beam! Spirit King Rocket Puuunch! Observe the might of the Spirit King, who rules over all four elements—earth, water, fire, and wind! Still think you can mock me as a mere old man?!” 

Confronted with such overwhelming power, the crowd of people who’d been losing themselves in Kaito’s charisma finally snap out of their trance and drop to their knees in prayer. 

That’s what I like to see.  
People should pray to spirits, after all. 

“This Spirit King was furious enough about your chantless magic to consider wiping you out. But for the sake of Lord Saint who fights on our behalf and for Monsmuf, who truly understands and respects us spirits, I decided to hold back.” 

What, me?! 
He actually remembered my name… I’m not worthy… 

“Humans, never forget your reverence for nature. The day you forget will be the day you’re doomed. Know that this Spirit King is always watching you… and watching over you.” 

No one dares argue now; they can only kneel before the Spirit King. 

“Forgive us…!” 
“We were arrogant… We got carried away…!” 
“Humans are so tiny compared to the enormity of nature…!” 

Yes, that’s exactly it. We mortals are small fries in this great big world.  
Let’s never forget that humility and carry our respect for nature in our hearts as we go on living.