HIGH FROST SPIRIT

Whoooo!! Zzzzzsk!!! Whoooo!! Zzzzzsk!!

"What's that strange sound?" Luke thought, his eyes squinted to mere slits, a measure against the bright white light that bathed him as he entered the gate, the multicolored beam of light.

The strange sounds intensified, yet it was not piercing or annoying, but calming, seemingly energizing him the more he heard it.

The bright light, on the other hand, had dimmed, and he slowly opened his eyes. "This is... a bit disappointing," he thought, his gaze reflecting a barren flatland as far as the eye could see—nothing in sight, not a weed or the supposed spirits he was meant to meet.

"Of course it is... It's a testament to your worth," a genderless voice reverberated around him. Before he could wonder what it was, a bright fiery light emerged right in front of him, rapidly enlarging and morphing to take the form of a humanoid figure—a giant with fiery red skin, numerous cracks on his skin giving it a rocky appearance.

Within the cracks were bright red moving liquids, lava, its movements rapid as it circulated from crack to crack, like a restless river of fire seeking an escape.

Atop its head were two large horns protruding from the sides of its head, curving towards each other, the horns blazing with untamed flames.

"Holy moly," Luke blurted out as he gazed at the creature before him, a being he had seen in magazines and also behind the 'Sun,' the fire elemental priest, his spirit summon. This meant the spirit was a high fire spirit.

"Will I get to be the next 'Sun'..." He thought, giddy about the prospect of having this spirit as his summon.

"Yeah, you would—only if you choose me," the being before him said, reading his thoughts.

Luke wasn't surprised it could read his thoughts but was confused by its words. "What do you mean?" he inquired.

"He means you will have to choose between us..." Other genderless voices echoed, a similar phenomenon to what happened with the fire spirit, as four other creatures appeared before him. The other spirits were all of the same rank as the fire spirit.

Of the four, there was a golden golem, whose body was made of minerals ranging from the most precious painite to the most common quartz, looking like a luxurious statue adorned with ornaments.

Standing beside it, a female humanoid cluster of winds, only visible due to the dust stirred by its existence. The dust outlined its features, revealing a female humanoid with three majestic pairs of wings behind it.

Then, a humanoid lioness, with a large waterfall floating atop its head, endlessly pouring out its content. Her fur was moist and wet.

And the last—one who seemed to radiate a loving yet overwhelming power despite all of them being high spirits. It seemed to be in a league of its own: a bearded old man, with oak-like skin, dressed in vines and leaves. Atop his head were two giant antlers, like crowns testifying to his grace and might. The high forest spirit.

"We all want you, so choose who you want. The privilege is only given to the strong," the forest spirit said, noticing Luke's gaze stopping on him. His tone was warm and caring.

The others kept silent, cursing the old man in their hearts, as they could see the mocking grin he tried to hide.

"Really, I can choose... Hahahahaha... I can't believe I was so nervous about this. I am the MC, I should never have worried," he laughed out loud. The spirits were not at all offended. His nature and personality were insignificant in their eyes. What truly mattered was his mana core, the largest they had seen since the first man.

"Then I will choose the rarest. With that, I can even get more backings and sponsorship," he said, his tone somewhat greedy.

"I choose the High Forest Spirit," he announced, a prideful smile on his rather fierce face, making it look maniacal.

"Then I shall gladly accept. Hear my true name, call me, and I shall be one with you," the bearded old man said, looking down at Luke. Like the giant flame spirit, they were all giants, standing at the same imposing height.

"True name?!" Luke mused. From what he knew, spirits had no names except for the Spirit Kings.

The rest were usually bestowed names, and he had thought of many names to give his spirit. But now, all that planning was for naught.

"What a waste... Well, it is what it is. As long as I got a spirit, it's all good," he bounced back quickly, unwilling to linger on unnecessary thoughts.

What truly mattered was in front of him: a future of fame and luxury, as well as respect and reverence, forever standing above the rest—from nothing to the envy of all.

"I am ready. Let me know your name..." Luke closed his eyes, adding a bit of drama to the speaking of the true name.

"Silvanus."

"Surtr."

"Ailbhe."

"Tefnut."

Luke heard four names mentioned simultaneously, his acute hearing allowing him to pick up each of the names.

"Huh, four names? He has four names?!" Luke opened his eyes in confusion, looking at the bearded old man.

The old man, on the other hand, was glaring at the other spirits. Some of them looked away, seemingly avoiding his gaze after doing something naughty.

Luke, not as dumb as he looked, understood what was happening. "They had also mentioned their names..." he thought, feeling quite proud of himself for having high-ranked spirits fight over him—something that was unheard of. None of the current elemental spirit priests, contractors of high spirits, had experienced such a thing.

"Don't fight... don't fight... I know all of your names... " a bold thought crossed his mind. " can't..." He paused, noticing the look they gave him—not one of anger or frustration for interrupting them, but one of shock and curiosity.

"You heard all of our names?" they inquired, their gazes skeptical yet holding a bit of curiosity.

"Yeah, Silvanus, Sutr, Ailbhe, Tefnut... Ah, it seems I missed one," he said, realizing he had heard only four when there were five of them.

"Geb?!" Surprised, the last one uttered their name.

"And Geb," Luke echoed, believing he had forgotten and the latter had reminded him.

He knew their names but not to whom they belonged, as when they had spoken, his eyes were closed. The last person who had spoken too, he couldn't discern, as he heard the voice—the same genderless one they all shared.

Their mouths never moving to even give him an inclination to who it was.

"He is like the first man..." they thought simultaneously.

Geb, the Golem who had not given his name earlier, because he was not really that interested in the boy, was now intrigued, looking at him with a glint in its diamond eyes.

"If you can hear all of our names, it means you can contract with all of us."

"Wait... wait... wait... You mean I can have all of you?" Unknowingly, he smiled from ear to ear. Even though it was genuine, it looked maniacal, coupled with his naturally fierce look.

He'd had such a thought but didn't really believe it was a possibility.

"...Being the avatar of all five of you..." His heart raced in excitement at the prospect of his future.

His nature would be akin to a god on Earth if this was true.

"Don't mind if I do... I accept all of you," he decided in a heartbeat, the temptation of glory—and especially the money he would gain from this—pushing him forward.

"Hahaha, then we will be in your care..." the spirits said with hearty laughs. Their surprise was short-lived; they were spirits, after all, and not to mention, they wanted to stay on the good side of the young human before them.

" Now that you know all of our names, we will have to use the odd method of contract, a much more stronger one " The high forest spirit said as each of them extended their right index finger to him, drops of their blood forming on their fingertips in a form familiar to humans, red blood.

It was a reverse way of contracting, as typically, humans gave their blood, not the other way around.

"They are high spirits; it should be fine even if it's the other way around," Luke thought, not giving it much attention as he stepped closer.

Excited, he touched the first drop of blood, only for it to explode upon impact. His heart raced as he realized what it meant.

"No, it can't be..." A sense of dread washed over him as he quickly touched the next. The same result. Then the next, and the next—all exploding in his face.

"It seems..."

"Don't say it..." Luke unconsciously roared in anxiety, unwilling to hear what he already knew to be true.

The spirits, who understood humans, could empathize with his reaction. They remained silent, looking at him pitifully. None judged, none commented, only staring at his small figure as it began to shake.

"I don't have an affinity with any of them..." he thought, the unrealness of the situation crashing over him. His pupils dilated as he began to hyperventilate...