Chapter 72 - Top 2

The spider shot a black liquid towards me. I don't know what that black liquid is but it must be poison. I tried dodging it since it might not be poison but something else that can hurt me.

The black liquid was coming towards at me fast so I have no choice but to make an ice wall. The liquid hit the ice wall, and the next moment the ice wall started to melt.

While this was happening, my shadow clones have started to surround the spider. The spider noticed this but was too late since my shadow clones have already attacked using ice weapons.

The spider saw this and then made many threads that was surprisingly sharp. It cut all the ice weapons that my shadow clones have thrown.

The spider was distracted by my six shadow clones so I took that chance to make several ice needles to attack. Nixie also did the same by attacking it from a different place. This caused the spider to have a lesser chance to dodge our attacks.

The spider was caught of guard and was wounded by the ice needles but it suddenly made a huge quantity of threads and warping it on it's body. The threads protected it from the remaining ice needles but my shadow clones used this chance to summon several ice needles that surrounded the spider.

Clearly the spider had made the wrong move, now we're just waiting for the spider to come out. When the spider removed the threads around it's body, it was then rained by several ice needles all over it's body while I and Nixie made an ice arrow that was made of 50% of my mana. Blite was also helping by adding dark elements on the ice arrow. The blue arrow turned into a dark blue color.

I didn't add poison since the spider has the Poison Body skill. The poison won't help kill the spider but will only help heal the spider. I then threw the ice arrow to the spider.

The ice arrow hit the head of the spider. The spider then turned into an ice completely before it started to shatter.

I then heard the notification that made me confirm that the spider is dead. I then used my Presence Sensory again to see if there are any other monsters on the tree.

After a while, I confirmed that there are no more monsters on the tree.

"Let's go Nixie." I said while jumping on the branch. I laid on it while I ordered my shadow clones to guard me while sleeping.

"Nixie, you should rest too."

"It's okay. I'll stay guard for now, and besides I have slept last night." Nixie replied.

I nodded while I closed my eyes. I didn't force Nixie to rest since I know she won't follow me.

"Nixie wake me up when 6 hours passed or if there are enemies close by." I said to Nixie while passing my pocket watch to her.

"Ok." Nixie replied until I felt my brain going blank.

***

"Ave."

"Wake up." I can feel someone shaking me so I opened my eyes only to see Nixie's smiling face.

"Good morning Ave." Nixie said while I just nodded and yawned.

"Did something happen while I was gone?" I asked while stretching my arms.

"Nothing particularly happened." Nixie said while I summoned an ice that was shaped like a bucket and putting water on it.

I washed my face making me wake my senses completely.

"Should we continue going up?" I asked Nixie.

"Sure." She said while sitting on my shoulder.

I called my shadow clones back, and continued walking towards the top. A few hours passed until we arrived at the top.

I saw a great view up in the sky while I can see the Wuchowsen Kingdom from a far. It was true that we'll arrive at the kingdom after passing through this mountain. The sky was colored orange now. I looked at my pocket watch and saw that it was 4:37 now.

I looked back, and remembered the events I have encountered in this mountain. I mostly remembered Jan though, I need to hurry up and tell Blake what happened.

I looked around the mountain top but no monster was here except for a huge flower. I don't know what that is but I felt danger from it.

It was a huge purple flower that was surrounded by smaller purple flowers. The whole mountain top was surrounded by this purple flower with vines that has thorns.

I felt ominous about this big purple flower so I quickly ran towards the other side of the mountain to go down.

Suddenly the vines moved, it then blocked the way where I was going.

"Human child. Why did you invade my territory?" I heard a soft voice but I don't know where it came from. I looked around and I didn't saw anyone from the surroundings.

"Where are you? Show yourself!" I shouted around me.

"I'm the giant flower, human child." I looked at the purple flower.

"What do you want?" I said respectfully since I appraised the flower and saw that it was an element spirit. It was also level 506 making me scared. I'll die here if the elemental spirit chooses to.

'It must be a wood spirit, Ave.' Akira informed me.

'It thought that it will look like Nixie.' I said.

'Remember that an elemental spirit can choose which look they want to take. It might even transform to look like you, Ave.' Akira replied.

'Oh. I remember now.' I said while the Wood Spirit suddenly replied from my question.

"Shouldn't I be the one asking you that question child? You're the one who trespassed my land." It said.

"I just want to go to the other side of the mountain." I replied.

"Hmmm, alright but I have a condition." The Wood Spirit said.

"What is the condition?" I felt nervous since it is a request from a powerful being.

"I want to make a contract with you. Make me one of your elemental spirits like that water spirit or ice spirit beside you." It said.

I frowned since who would want to make a contract with someone weaker than you. This flower might have a hidden plan.

"Why would you want to make a contract with someone weaker than you?" I asked the flower.

"I had lived for a hundred of years now but I can't go somewhere else because of a curse from a certain person. It gave me a curse which unable me to transform into different look. Right now, I'm a plant making me unable to move somewhere else. I might be able to move my vines but I can't do the same thing with my roots since he also cursed it to be unable to move." The Wood Spirit said with a depressed tone.

"Why choose me as your Retainer than someone else? I mean if you have lived for a hundred years, won't you have somehow met some people other than me?" I asked.

"You're right, I have met some other humans than you. I even met some monsters going up here. I didn't choose those humans since I can see that they only see me as a weapon and not a living being while for the monsters, it is because of the lack of knowledge. I can make a contract with monsters but I can't see a bright future with those monsters." The Wood Spirit answered.

"How can you be sure that I don't see you as a weapon unlike those other humans?" I said.

"I'm sure since I can see how happy the other elemental spirit you have is." It replied with confidence.

"What if you're wrong then? Will you still take the risk?"

"If I'm wrong then so be it. It will be my mistake for entrusting you with my life." The Wood Spirit said.

I looked at Nixie. She nodded as if agreeing with the Wood Spirit.

'You should go with it but I'll remind you that the one who put the curses on the elemental spirit might hunt you down when that person notices what you have done.' Akira reminded me.

'You're right but if I don't do the Wood Spirit's demand then I won't be able to pass through here. I'll just face the problem when it comes.' I replied.

'Fine but don't tell me I didn't warn you later on.' Akira said.

"Alright I accept the condition you want." I said while walking towards the plant with Nixie beside me.

"Before I start the contract between us, do you have a name so that I can just use that name?" I asked since to accomplish the contract, I need to give it a name.

"I did but I want you to name me a new one." The Wood Spirit said.

"Alright."

""I shall call you Clematis, will you accept me as your retainer and pledge to have eternal loyalty towards me?"

"I accept." Clematis said.