[Raven's POV]
As soon as I saw the pillar of lightning falling directly at me, I took out 3 intermediate potions and gulped them down immediately, I bought those potions from the [System Shop] before going inside this dungeon.
Then I raised my right hand.
"<Devour>!"
I shouted with all of my might, I know that shouting will not help, but I still did so to lessen my nervousness and out of desperation.
Then the black vortex that came out od my ring immediately made contact with the enormous lightning.
"URGUAAHH!!!"
When the vortex started to swallow the lightning, I feel like that my whole body is getting crushed again and again.
It feels like I'm being electrocuted and burned alive, again and again.
"GRRRRAAAH!!!!!!"
I screamed again and again to ignore some of the pain I'm feeling.
Crack- Crack-
My feets are being pressed on the ground because of the strong force of the lightning, I'm slowly being planted in the land below me.
I circulated and distributed the mana I'm currently receiving from the pillar of lightning equally and carefully to my whole body.
Time feels very slow to me because of the damages I recieved. It feels like It's been more than a minute of me trying to block the pillar of lightning, but it's only been seconds in reality.
My knees are bending down, slowly.
"Guurgh..."
It was then that beside my black vortex, another vortex appeared and it's white.
-KYUUU!!!
Then I heard a tweeting on my shoulder, I know it's Yuki but I can't look at her.
'COME BACK IN THE RING AFTER A WHILE!'
I exclaimed inwardly, Yuki is currently connected to my thoughts so she probably recieved my message.
-Kyu...
A weak tweet was heard as a reply from Yuki, she wants to stay with me, but I know she's gonna obey my command so I didn't mind it that long.
'Al least save Yuki...!'
I thought to myself as my knees got some of their strength back.
And just as I commanded, Yuki came back in the ring after her mana capacity was filled to the max.
"Thanks Yuki."
I muttered and covered my whole body with [Celestria]. I didn't left any hole.
I can't even breath inside but it's fine, it's just gonna be a few seconds.
After covering myself with the artifact, dense mana erupted from my body, it's raging like crazy.
It's like I'm inside a fire ball, but black.
'Shield'
I thought as I imagine a shield, I focused even though I feel like dying utilizing a lot of mana at the same time.
Blood even came out from my nose and mouth too, I'm not sure but it looks like from my ears too.
And it didn't take long till tears made of blood dripped from my eyes.
But nevertheless, I smiled.
The raging mana from me calmed down, the mana bacame hard and solid that it can block magic and physical attacks, like a shield.
I produced a mana shield! The same Ruby used in our duel few days ago!
'I failed earlier in creating one, glad that I succeeded this time!'
I know the shield will shatter easily, but my plan is to lessen the damade I'll recieve as much as possible.
Now with [Celestria] and mana shield, it's like I'm wearing 2 non-metal armors.
Then when my mana capacity can't handle the mana absortion from the enormous pillar of lightning anymore...
...The vortex disappeared. I deactivated the skill of the ring.
And the magic pillar of lightning made contact with me.
BZOOOOM–!
"AAAARRRRGHHHH!"
I screamed in pain. I want to die instead of feeling the pain!
It's like I'm being ripped to shred one by one, then again.
A radiating pain of being burned alive coursed through my whole body.
It's the most painful feeling I felt my entire life, my past life counted.
My consciousness is getting weaker.
I want to just pass away and maybe I might not feel any more pain.
I started to question why I'm here. I'm just a small time novel author...
Tightly clenching my hands into a fist, and gnashing my teeth together...
"FUCK YOU TRANSCEND SHITS!!!"
I shouted.
'I don't want to die!'
I thought.
'No! I won't die!'
I want to come back to Lunar, I want to be comforted by Keara, I want to exchange teases with Ruby.
'I want to be stronger!'
When I thought of that, just like my last fight with Velcro, the world seems to slowed down.
Bright light engulfed my body.
I felt sudden surge of energy rushing through my whole body.
Some of my wounds and burns got healed.
Then I briefly saw a notification from the system.
[You're now <E-> rank.]
***
(Back to the present.)
Everyone was silent and no words was produced throughout the area.
Raven's words lingered in their minds.
'I DID NOT FALL!!!'
It sends goosebumps to their bodies.
"Huh?"
Then everyone in the meadow heard Alina's weak but shocked noise.
Clifford and the others' head snapped in her direction.
Even the spirit and some intelligent creatures looked at Alina too.
"That boy..."
Alina pointed at Raven.
"He's unconscious."
She muttered in disbelief.
Everyone who heard Alina have their eyes widened.
Raven's eyes are just all white but he's still smiling and standing, he's not even swaying even a bit.
He's just standing still and he's emitting the presence of someone unbreakable!
Everyone felt awe as they looked at Raven.
'He didn't fall even though he's unconscious...'
They all thought in unison, remembering Raven's last words before losing consciousness.
-Ah... HAHAHAHAHA!
It was then that the silence was truly destroyed, it was because the spirit laughed out loud.
-Not falling until the end, AHAHAHA!
All of the gazes went to the spirit.
-You're funny!
It said.
-You're interesting!
The spirit's eyes are literally shining and its tone sounded so happy and bright.
The spirit then flew toward Raven.
Oscar was about to follow and stop the spirit when Clifford stopped him.
"Sir Clifford!"
Oscar exclaimed.
Clifford looked at Raven and the spirit for a brief moment, then he shook his head looking at Oscar.
"It's fine."
Clifford stated.
At his words the others started watching Raven and the spirit, anxiously.
When the spirit arrived in front of Raven.
Its body glowed and its figure slowly became bigger.
The spirit transformed.
"Gasp!"
The members of [Coldvale] gasped and shows surprise on their faces.
Oscar and Clifford were making a stupid face looking at the spirit.
Milk-like white and soft skin, sky-blue colored eyes and hair, its hair is shiny and waist-long. It has a petite but sexy figure who has the right curves in places.
Reddish lips and pointed nose, they look stunning!
The spirit transformed into a beautiful woman!
She's as tall as Raven. The spirit then looked at Raven, her crystal-like blue eyes were just seeing Raven at the moment.
She was looking at Raven with twinkling eyes
Moving forward a little, the spirit held Raven's face gently.
"I want you."
After being in her human form, the spirit's voice bacame more feminine, her voice sounds so sweet and holy!
But after speaking, the spirit bit her lips and blood dripped out from it.
"I'll make you my servant."
The spirit added a statement, then...
Chu-
She kissed Raven in the lips. She gave him a deep and passionate kiss.
"Ah..."
"Gasp!"
Some members of the [coldvale] let out a stupid envious noise. While some gasped and looked at the scene blushing.
Clifford and and Oscar was opening and closing their mouths repeatedly, but no words come out from them.
After a while, the back of Raven's right hand, started emitting bluish-white light. Then a lightning crest appeared on it.
After that, some burns on Raven's body started to heal.
"...Urgh.... Hm?"
As he was being healed, Raven's consciousness returned.
Then he saw a woman kissing him. His eyes widened and pushed the woman.
"What the fuck?"
Raven asked with a frown.
Then he saw a bluish-white lightning crest on his right hand. It's glowing.
"What's this?"
He asked in a weak and confused voice.
"It's our contract, I'll be your new master!"
The spirit exclaimed.
Raven looked at her.
"Who are you?"
He asked, annoyance can be heard from his voice.
Not that the spirit notice.
The spirit then looked at Raven proudly.
"I'm the elemental spirit you were fighting earlier!"
Her eyes squinted as she smiled.
"I'm Levina."
The spirit introduced herself, letting out an elegant and majestic presence.
Not that Raven care abouth those, instead he looked at Levina's status.
=====
[STATUS]
Name:Levina
Rank:A+
Mana Control:S-
Strength:B+
Agility:A+
Stamina:A
Intelligence:S
Luck:A+
Charm:S
[SKILLS]
<Electric Manipulation>
-Manipulate any form of electricity.
<Electric Creation>
-Create things anything using electricity.
[TRAITS]
<Electric Origin>
-Using anything that is connected to electricity will be easy for you.
<Superior Spirit>
-You will have a majestic and noble aura as a default.
-You have more power than most spirits.
-Candidate.
=====
Raven's eyes widened as he saw Levina's stats.
"...And I'll be your master."
Raven frowned at Levina's last words.
But then something appeared in front of him.
=====
[A <Master-Servant> contract is being formed involving you, with you as the (Servant).]
[The trait <???> is resisting!]
[The skill <Monarch's Presence> is resisting!]
=====
"Huh?"
Raven was in daze looking at the transparent window that suddenly appeared in front of him.
"What's happening?"
Levina then asked with a frown.
Raven and Levina felt something is changing in the contract between them.
Raven continued to watch the messages in the system window in front of him.
=====
[Changing you as the (Master) in the <Master-Servant> contract.]
[Change success.]
=====
After that message. The glow in Raven's hand disappeared, but the lightning crest didn't.
This time, Levina frowned even deeper.
As she knows something didn't go in her plan.
***
[Raven's POV]
"..."
"..."
An awkward silence is engulfing the area.
In front of me are the members of [Coldvale], including Clifford.
-'Hey! What's with the mood?'
Then I heard a voice inside my head, asking me.
'Shut up.'
I replied telepathically.
-'You're rude, but that makes you cute too!'
It's Levina talking to me in my mind.
She was now in her former small spirit appearance. And Upon having a contract with her, we can now talk to each other in our minds.
'There's the system, now this.'
I became annoyed just thinking about another one was able to talk to me in my mind.
[Well, you got stronger, isn't it good?]
The system said, it's timing is too good, it's trying to annoy me.
I was exhausted so I ignore the system and Levina.
Then I looked at my status.
'Status'
=====
[STATUS]
Name:Raven Obadiah
Rank:E-
Mana Control:D-
Strength:F+
Agility:D-
Stamina:F+
Intelligence:E+
Luck:E
Charm:E-
[SKILLS]
<Monarch's Presence Lvl.3>
<Insight Lvl.3>
[TRAITS]
<Calm Thinker>
<Understanding>
<I like the spotlight>
<Master of Levina>
<???>
=====
I ranked up and my skills also leveled up. I have a new trait, <Master of Levina>, it gives me a huge boost in my electric attribute.
It also makes it easier for me to do things connected to electricity; like electric magics, etc.
Also most electric type attacks won't work on me.
It's the effect of being Levina's master, she made a fuss asking what did I do to reverse our role in the contract, but I said I don't know.
I really don't know.
She can determine if someone is lying, so she knew that I really know nothing at what happened.
The contract is a soul binding one, so it can't be undone.
So Levina is now my servant for life...
With that, she gave up grumbling and just went with me quietly. But after a while, like she forgot all what happened, she became too noisy and friendly.
Anyway, now it's decided that 1 of my main attributes is electricity.
I plan to acquire at least 2 attributes.
And I want the other one to be a wind attribute.
-'It will be easy as electricity is pretty connected to wind.'
Levina's voice was heard in my mind again.
She's right, at least my new attribute is not against wind so It's a good thing.
Looking at my stat again, my mana control and agility drastically increased.
It's normal as I focused on training my agility and mana control.
Every time you will jump to a different class, there's a chance that one of your stats will drastically increase.
Guess my luck worked this time and two of them drastically increased.
'So this is what they meant by <F+> and <E-> is not near each other.'
My body feels many times stronger than when I was <F+> rank, feels like I ranked up a lot of time.
"Um..."
As I was happily celebrating on my own, I heard a voice in front of me.
I closed my status and looked at the source of it.
It was Clifford, he's sitting opposite of me.
"Want to tell us something?"
Clifford said, behind him was his group members looking at me curiously.
At his question, I nodded my head.
"So..."
Then I told them almost everything, my name, my age, my rank, and how I followed them in here the dungeon.
Of course I didn't tell them about my [Cat Transformation], they might notice that I just snatched 1/4 of their herbs.
It took some quite time to telling them, so I cooked foods with their permission. I said it's my thanks for not shooing me even though I sneaked in here.
They also healed me, I also saw them attempting to save me earlier.
So that's why I cooked with my best ability for them.
And if you're wondering why I honestly told them almost everything... It's because I just felt like doing it, I was too lazy at the time to lie.
***
"You just reached <E-> rank at the end of your fight earlier?!"
"You're only 17?!"
"That's crazy..."
"And what's with these foods, they're fucking delicious!"
I was bombarded with praises and words after telling them everything I can.
Clifford and Oscar are looking at me with a surprised expression.
"Why did you followed us here? Nom...nom... Your foods are awesome...nom...nom."
A member of [Coldvale] named Alina asked while eating.
I looked at her.
"Because I want to get stronger."
I said.
Clifford and the others stopped eating and looked at me weirdly.
"So you thought of fighting monsters here?"
Oscar asked.
I looked at him and frowned.
"No, that's stupid."
Oscar's brows creased, the same with Clifford.
To make things clear, I talked again.
"I just plan to acquire a material that can be use to make my weapon."
I said scratching my cheek.
"You know you will die fighting just a single monster here right?"
Clifford said to me.
"That's why I followed you guys, so you can deal with monsters, and you guys are having trouble detecting my presence, so did the monsters, they might even never sense me, well except for Levina and maybe the boss monster."
I casually replied.
Clifford's face became complicated as what I said all have a point.
-You want a material for your weapon? Why don't you use that then?
Levina said pointing at the black stone still standing tall in the middle of the meadow.
It's where she was flying above when we first saw her.
-It's sturdy and compatible with any attributes, It's my favorite toy when I was alone here, it's a meteor so it doesn't exist in this world too, so I don't know much about it.
Levina explained.
I looked at Clifford with a complicated sorry and pleading expression.
Clifford looked at his group members and smiled at me.
"It's fine you can take it, it's your spirit's property anyway."
"I'm satisfied with my weapon, this thing saved my life a lot of times now."
"I'm a mage, I'm curious but don't need it."
"This spear is from my father, no need to change weapon."
They said to reassure me and take the black rock to myself.
"Thanks."
I replied bashfully.
-You human, don't address me casually.
Levina said pointing at Clifford.
"Levina shut up."
I said to Levina.
Levina looked at Clifford for a moment then looked at me.
Soon she flew quietly and stayed on top my head.
-Hmph!
Levina pouted.
"Sorry for her."
"Ah, it's okay."
"..."
"..."
'Now it's awkward.'
"Why don't you get that black rock then eat with us?"
Clifford said to break the awkwardness.
"Sure, thanks again."
I then stood up and approched the black rock.
"System, can you appraise it?"
[Not to brag, but when the Higher Being upgraded me, they said that I can now appraise anything.]
You can tell it's bragging and being all proud.
"Thats cool, now appraise it."
I'm so tired that I can't even argue with it right now.
[Hmm, fine.]
Then the black rock's information appeared in front of me.
=====
[Phantom Meteor]
-A sturdy and mysterious meteor rock that is compatible with any attributes, it is one of the strongest material that exists.
=====
"Those transcend beings..."
I muttered.
I didn't write anything like this in the novel.
So it's most likely invented by the transcend beings.
Levina also, which who probably killed the 3 women in [Coldvale] members was invented by them.
Now that I have Levina on my side, it's now most likely that the deaths of the women will not happen, but I still need to be cautious just in case.
'Lastly...'
I opened my status and looked at a certain trait.
Its the '<???>' trait. I still have no idea what is it, I tried pressing it again and again but no description about it appeared like usual.
But one thing is for sure.
"This helped me break through <E-> rank."
It's the light that covered me when I'm trying to block Levina's magic, the <Wrath of the Lightning God>.
This trait increased my stats that time and healed some of my burns, then it helped me rank up.
It also did something when Levina is trying to make me her servant, resulting that Levina being my servant instead.
After racking my brain for a few minutes.
I closed my status window and decided to think about it later, I didn't ask the system as I know it's not gonna answer me because the Higher Being said so.
I put the [Phantom Meteor] in my spatial storage and headed back to where Clifford and the others are.
We ate foods together and talked, they most likely ask things about me.
My thoughts are at mess.
But one thing is for sure.
Today, I bacame stronger.