Chapter 23: Offer

"To be honest, I am sensitive to the energy around me. As long as I... Right, as long as I reach a point where I'm able to at least maintain a body like your water spirit, I'll be able to absorb the energy,"

"In other words, it'll be easy," Aria heaved a sigh of relief.

Getting to Dianthe's current state wouldn't be that hard.

Dianthe was somewhat advanced for a lower class spirit. But this difference can be overcome with ease.

There were many types of spirits. Being a high ranking one meant that the maintenance cost was large.

Of course, there were ones who chose to absorb energy from the surroundings, but most Kings were like Rellaka- filled with pride.

They believed that the cost of purity existed. That in order for one to perform at their best, an untouched purity was needed.

However, Aria, who had experimented on this topic for quite a while knew that this was a misleading information.

Indeed, purity would be able to make you connect with your internal mana better. Because you would only be filled with one type of mana, you would have a higher affinity and progress in controlling said element.

Sadly, there was no way of keeping one's mana purity intact for your entire life.

For example, when someone gets hit by an electric-charged magic attack, the person's mana will automatically absorb bits of that mana. Thus, the purity will be ruined no matter what, as long as they fought.

Simply going on your day will bleach your purity as well, because you will be influenced by external factors.

This was the one of the major reasons why spirits disliked interacting with a lot of people, or crowded places where the mana is an untidy mixture.

The other reason for why a King chooses not to absorb external mana is because they have low tolerance for it.

Strong spirits or even child spirits with strong potential typically chose to refrain from interacting with outside mana to avoid contamination as much as possible.

This caused them to have a lower tolerance and develop a natural dislike towards mana other than their own.

Thankfully, Rellaka seemed to not have this type of disposition.

"Then, we'll focus on making you get enough life force. Focus on your duty," Aria instructed.

"Yeeeesss," Rellaka dragged out his words and floated around Dianthe, asking for means of consolation.

He was dispirited that he had to work hard to absorb outside mana. Dwelling on how he managed to get to this low of a level, he lamented on his fate.

However, Dianthe was unable to understand why Rellaka was sad and just tilted her head in confusion.

Rellaka sulked even more.

After confirming that everything was alright, Aria clapped her hands lightly.

"We're done here," Aria smiled widely.

The day was super tiring. She wanted nothing than to rest in a comfortable place.

However, the moment she realized that she had lost the resting place she stayed in last night, Aria almost forgot to close her mouth.

"Right.. I argued with the kid's older brother.." Aria bit her fingernail, remembering the confrontation with Sung-ha.

Nonetheless, she knew that Sung-ha's claims weren't completely false. His worries were justified.

It was just that she obviously wasn't comfortable enough to tell them the whole story about how she underwent the Unity Flame's continuous burning for years without end.

"Uh... Savior-nim? Earth to Savior-nim!" Jin-kyung raised her voice.

Aria's thoughts were snapped back to the girl. Stuttering and making frantic actions, Aria thought about what she could do from now on.

She had been very lucky to find two consecutive dungeons with open gates, but for the next times, would she be as lucky?

Two unidentified dungeons appearing near her tracks.

How small of a chance would the appearance of a third one have?

Aria sighed. Even so, she tried to keep her spirits up.

There must be a way. She was a survival expert. Convincing herself of said matter, she eased the crease formed in her brows.

She looked at Jin-kyung, who was observing her with worried eyes.

"What is it?"

Jin-kyung scratched her nails and rubbed her thumbs in a circular motion before straightening her posture and facing Aria.

"S-savior-nim.. Please... Please join our team!" The girl enthusiastically said.

"Team...?" Aria raised her brow.

"Yes! I have a team.. they're the ones who helped me out when I first awakened my Main and became a Hunter! They were also the one who discovered my power's peculiarity and told me to hide it," Jin-kyung introduced with pride.

Aria carefully considered the matter. Indeed, she was unable to work alone for the first few moments. She had no connections, resources, status- nothing.

Being with a team, one that she could trust at that, would be reassuring. It would also create stability for her life.

For the time being, being with a team was a great option.

Jin-kyung's background was slightly sketchy, as their first meeting was inside an illegal dungeon that got her in trouble.

However, that was desirable for Aria.

She herself didn't possess any credentials that implied her legal justification.

She was sketchy.

What would suit her better than to hang out with a similarly, sketchy group?

"What if I wanted to leave one day? Will you guys stop me?" Aria had to investigate the matter clearly.

"Well.. Could we stop you? Savior-nim is very strong!" Jin-kyung puffed her cheeks.

Aria wanted to say that Jin-kyung might be able to break through the normal realms and become a monster herself with the Arcana Magic on her side, but she refrained from doing so.

"Then, are you guys willing to swear that you won't question my identity?"

Simple questions. Aria made sure that she wouldn't be implicated wrongly.

"Yes, yes. Some of our members are outsiders, too. We don't know much about them,"

'Weak internal connections.'

Aria continued to judge and peel off every layer.

"How is it a team then? Is it large-sized? How many people are there?"

"Hmm... Instead of a team, think of it as like-minded people gathering to form a group that benefits one another...?" Jin-kyung gave a vague description.

"There are.. including me, about 10 people? Not everybody is in South Korea, though,"

'10 people. Pretty nice.' Aria internally agreed, thinking that less people would not hinder her eventual plans as much.

"In the case that I leave the team, how can I enter dungeons alone? Legally speaking,"

Aria was curious. Was there a way to bypass the party limitations?

"Well, I'm sure that Savior-nim can pass the Hunter test with ease, but.. alone, huh? If that's your wish, then," Jin-kyung mumbled.

"Then?"

"If you.. register in the Association and obtain at least a High A rank, you can become the second Solo Player-nim!"

"Solo Player...? He's a <Player>?"

"Ahh, no, no! He's definitely not a 'player'! He's an upright person... probably. He's just nicknamed that way because he refuses to join the Association, any separate guild, or even create his own team.. He goes solo in everything,"

The <Player> Aria mentioned and the 'Player' the girl thought she meant was different.

Player was just a title for him, who defied the others' means of living that primarily relied on grouping up. He was like a game character.

Reality and games were vastly different.

Even though this entire dungeon thing seemed to be similar to games, this time they were betting on their lives, not just some measly game life.

People who cherished this life chose to look for others, in order to group up and form a cohesive, balanced team.

It wasn't like a game, where you can just choose to go solo and expect everything to go well.

Thus, the 'Solo Player' obtained this title.

Both <Player> and 'Player' were said in English, so the meaning wasn't clear.

Thankfully, Aria quickly caught on after hearing the 'upright' part.

Jin-kyung must've thought that Aria misinterpreted a game 'Player' as the term player, used to describe people who engages in multiple intimate relationships.

'The Solo Player, huh.'

'What a fancy name.'

For Aria, who once lived in the times where going on a solo journey wasn't that irregular, granting such a title to the famous Hunter was undeniably a bit strange.

"The Solo Player-nim has special benefits, such as permit to enter dungeons without a party. I think that's what Savior-nim means?" Jin-kyung tilted her head.

"I understand. The agreement brings me great profit, and not so much to you. You do know this, right?"

"Don't worry, Savior-nim! It's all fair and square!" Jin-kyung smiled, relieved at how Aria was slowly beginning to acquiesce to her request.

"Even so, would your comrades accept me?"

"Uhh.. That.... part," Jin-kyung averted her gaze, scratching her cheeks awkwardly.

'Thought so. She made an immediate decision based on my prowess, not considering how the team would get along with the new addition.' Aria once again felt her hopes fall apart.

Jin-kyung invited her too fast. She didn't even get to know her that much before she was willing to reveal her team.

If it was the old Aria, she would've judged Jin-kyung for being naive, but she herself was pretty naive.

In some parts, she had to be naive, too. The circumstances had changed.

However, Jin-kyung's response, contrary to Aria's beliefs, was the opposite of what she originally thought.

"Actually... It might be Savior-nim who has to accept my team members... All of them are quite," Jin-kyung gulped before continuing. "Peculiar,"

She looked up at Aria with a cautious glance, watching out for the elder's reaction.