My Disciples Think I’m Strong

“Pasma…? Don’t joke! Pasma died decades ago! Not only are you trying to deceive a Spirit King, but you also insult my beloved! I’ll kill you!”

Can Spirit Kings not recognize ghosts?
Or is it because their inherent natures differ?

Either way, it was clear an explanation had become quite troublesome.
…But didn’t he just confess right in front of her?

“It’s really me!”

Aerial wavered at the emotional appeal.
She was still gazing at me in disbelief, floating in the air.

“If I wasn’t Pasma, how could I have entered here?”

Well, if I could persuade her, couldn’t I also recruit the Spirit King?
Since I planned to awaken Maria as a hero, having the Spirit King help her could accelerate her growth.

As I inwardly calculated this, he took a step towards Aerial.

“Eri, remember that night under the full moon when I said on the roof that I would spend my entire life with you?”

I unconsciously facepalmed.
Well, if I left it to Pasma, this would happen.

Yes, this was the kind of man he was.
He could casually make a proposal-level statement but lacked the courage to actually advance the relationship.
Should I just bluntly move things along at this point?

“That was…”
“I remember everything we went through together. When I first became a Sword Master and cried as you embraced me, when we fought the demons at the western demon realm border together, and when I died to Pheremus at the end, you were always by my side.”

Ah, damn it. Did I have to listen to this too?
I was already feeling bitter about not having a girlfriend, and now I had to witness someone else’s romance? I was genuinely miserable.

“I still remember when I was dying and you resented me for not staying, saying we would be together forever. That was the first time I realized even a Spirit King could shed tears.”

He calmly uttered those emotion-laden words, but his voice trembled as if an earthquake had occurred.

“Pasma…? Really? Really…?”
“Yes, it’s really me.”
“But you died, Pasma… Did you reincarnate into another body?”
“No. This is just possession. I’ve temporarily borrowed the body of the man who possessed my sword. I don’t really understand how, but I’m really Pasma.”

As my mouth moved on its own, Aerial descended from the air, her delicate feet crushing the weeds.

“…Then let me experiment.”
“What?”

Wind gathered in Aerial’s palm, forming a sword similar in shape to the ‘Unwavering Vengeance’ I wielded. The striking feature was its green blade and leaf-shaped guard.

“You intend to fight?”
“I was a Sword Master, wasn’t I, Pasma? Show me your swordsmanship. If you’re truly Pasma, you’ll be able to demonstrate it.”
“It’s been decades since I used it. I’ll be rusty. And this body is weak.”
“Just show me your swordsmanship. I know the body you’re currently possessing is weak. I won’t go all out.”

I let out a sigh. Obtaining a single artifact was such a hassle.
Of course, the effect was truly excellent, with no penalty.

Pasma immediately grasped the sword. The aura began imbuing the blade.

“A clear blue aura… You are indeed a Sword Master. Then, here I come.”

It was a light step forward.
There was no shattering ground or thunderous sound. It seemed like a simple step, yet he was already in front of me.

Woosh—!

I couldn’t react to the sword strike descending from above. My dynamic vision couldn’t keep up at all.
However, the one currently possessing me had once reached the realm of a Sword Master.

Twisting my body, I evaded Aerial’s sword. I backstepped to create distance.

“This body is truly useless! I barely dodged using my senses!”
“Then don’t use it?”
“If not for me, you would have been cleaved in two by that initial strike.”

I couldn’t refute the painful truth.

“Are you sure you want to push your muscles to the limit?”
“I’m sure.”

I had to survive, at the very least.
With my permission granted, he assumed the basic stance of the Mirage Sword style.

Focusing intently, he kicked off the ground and swiftly approached Aerial.

“A frontal attack? How unimaginative!”

Seeing the sword descending from above, Pasma shifted his tempo and accelerated.
Aerial’s sword cleaved the air. Seizing that gap, he thrust his blade towards her neck.

“Hmm. Not bad.”

Clang!
Unfortunately, the attack was deflected.

“Your speed has slowed considerably compared to your prime. And your power is nothing special. But it’s certainly the sword style you used, Pasma.”

The essence of the Mirage Sword style was changing tempos to disorient the enemy.

Clang! Clang!
She deflected Pasma’s strikes.

“Come at me again. I can’t judge you properly based on this.”

She waved her hand dismissively.

“It seems I should show you the incomplete Mirage Waltz.”
“But.”
“There’s no better way to prove myself. Do it.”

The incomplete Mirage Waltz that he had been unable to perfect was something Aerial had once praised as beautiful, likening it to a dance.
Indeed, the movements felt more akin to a stage performance than a battle technique.

However, its highly irregular motions made it exceedingly difficult for the opponent.

“And be sure to say ‘I love you’ when it’s over. That’s what Aerial wants to hear most.”
“…Very well.”

If he had voiced any embarrassment here, I would have dispelled the possession. Fortunately, he seemed to have that much awareness.
He spread his legs and grasped the sword horizontally, assuming the Mirage Waltz’s starting stance. Aerial’s eyes widened at the sight.

“That stance is…”
“The Mirage Waltz.”

Swinging the sword through the air, he approached her.
Even without entering her range, the swinging motions seemed like wasted energy, but this technique gradually accelerated the more he moved, disrupting the opponent’s response with its irregularity.

Slice!
A part of Aerial’s dress was slightly torn where the aura grazed it.

“So fast…!”

She evaded with an exclamation of admiration. However, while casually avoiding the Mirage Waltz, a faint smile formed on her lips.

Clang! Clang! Clang!

After a few clashes, Pasma’s movements became disorderly. Not only had the sword dance’s flow been disrupted, but his physical limits had been reached.

“Ah… The flow broke again. I still couldn’t complete it.”
“…I see.”

He answered with difficulty before collapsing to his knees.

“Pasma!”
“I’m, I’m fine. It’s just the recoil from pushing my muscles to their limit.”

I was in pain too. It felt like I would die of muscle soreness tomorrow.
Every muscle in my body felt overexerted, leaving me unable to properly control my movements. Twitching was the extent of what I could manage.
Shouldn’t they at least offer me a potion at this point?

“Are you alright?”

She sat down beside me and asked. Naturally, she lifted my head and placed it on her lap. The strange softness against my occipital bone was disconcerting.
I opened my mouth several times, unsure if it was appropriate for me to be in this position, but ultimately remained silent.

I couldn’t intrude on the intimate moment between the two lovers.

“Is the proof sufficient?”
“…It was sufficient long ago, you fool. No one but you could use the Mirage Waltz, so of course I believed you. Being dead has made you just as oblivious.”
“Haha… I’m sorry. But it’s been so long since I saw you that I’m feeling giddy.”
“…How did you spend all this time?”

At her question, the facial muscles I thought would never move again formed an expression – a bitter smile.

“For decades, I wandered near the village where I died. Not a single passerby, be it bandit or merchant, recognized me. I kept blaming God, wondering why I remained in this world after death.”
“I see…”
“But I think I know why I continued to linger in this world.”
“…Why do you think?”

Aerial asked again. After a brief hesitation, Pasma swallowed and spoke.

“It was to see you again, Eri. To tell you ‘I love you,’ since you never forgot about me.”
“Pasma…”
“Eri.”
“Yes.”

Her gaze upon my face changed. It was the look of a woman deeply in love. Seeing that expression directed at me was quite awkward.

“I love you.”
“Yes.”
“It’s late, but I truly, truly love you.”
“I… I too… love you, Pasma.”

Wow, shit.
I felt like I had suffered the greatest emotional damage of my life. This warranted mental anguish compensation.
You’ll have to pay me at least a hundred gold coins in damages.

“Ahem!”

After witnessing the two exchange flowery words for a few minutes, I reluctantly intruded.
I immediately lifted my head from her lap. The process strained my body tremendously, but speaking from under a married woman felt rather inappropriate. It was like I was genuinely engaging in NTR.

“Let’s finish this deal first.”
“Deal…?”

Her tone changed, and the honey-sweet eyes from moments ago now regarded me with wariness.

“The reason I came here was to take the item you left for Pasma.”
“What?”
“I know you buried the boots you wore at the place where Pasma died. I came here intending to take them.”

Her rising hostility was understandable, as I was trying to take an item she had left for her beloved.
I understood, but it was a waste to let such a good item rot.

“I can’t give that to you.”
“Eri, wait.”
“…It’s confusing to hear two tones from the same person’s mouth.”
“Pasma, it’s my turn now. Don’t interfere.”
“If I don’t interfere, she might kill you.”

He made a fair point, so I couldn’t refute it.

“I’d appreciate it if you let me handle this.”
“…Very well.”

I closed my mouth. Pasma handed over the baton, so to speak.

“Eri.”
“Yes, my love.”

Whoa, she was already calling him ‘my love’?
Even if the soul belonged to her lover, the body was a stranger’s. Could she really accept that? Was the Spirit King into that sort of thing?

“It seems this person intends to defeat the demons that will invade the Empire in a few years, as well as the Army Commander Pheremus who killed me.”
“What? How? With such a talentless body?”

Ouch, they were really doubling down on insulting me.
Hey, do you think feeling bitter makes someone weak?

“No. It seems there’s someone else involved. From what he said about taking on a disciple, it appears there’s a child he wants me to teach.”
“A disciple…?”

After a brief contemplation, she changed her tone.

“Is it truly to defeat the demons?”

Her tone devoid of gentleness almost made me burst out laughing. Despite sharing the same face, the Spirit King’s distinction of roles was thorough.

“It is.”
“Fine… Since Pasma says so, I’ll allow it. But I’d like to attach a condition where you let me speak with Pasma from time to time.”
“Then I’ll make another demand on my end.”
“What?”

She looked at me as if I were ridiculous.

“I helped facilitate your long-awaited reunion, and I’ll complete Pasma’s Mirage Waltz for him. Naturally, I’ll also contribute to defeating the demons you resent. With conditions like these, is one more demand too much?”
“Humans truly are endlessly greedy.”
“In any case, what I demand is that there’s a child with the potential to become an All-Attribute Master. Teach that child.”

Originally, Spirit Kings never intervened in the early stages.
They only appeared later to grant power to the heroes.

In this episode, the only things meant to happen were obtaining the artifact and gaining partial access to Pasma’s power.

But this wasn’t the game world, was it?
There was no rule stating I had to strictly follow the scenario. Reality allowed for deviation.

“What? An All-Attribute Master? You exaggerate. Even the so-called Great Mages among humans could not become All-Attribute Masters.”
“See for yourself whether I speak the truth or lie. If you think it’s untrue, then you’ll only gain the chance to converse with Pasma.”

At my words, Aerial let out a resigned sigh, seemingly forced to accept.

“…Do you understand the burden of having a Spirit King by your side?”
“Is it heavier than the world’s destruction?”

It was laughable, but in the game itself, as long as the three heroes survived, they could defeat the Demon Lord without any artifacts or other assistance.
I was only enduring this hardship for a slightly smoother progression.

In fact, they would later seek to ally with the heroes to borrow their power.
Just because the Spirit Realm existed in another dimension didn’t mean they were safe from the demon threat.

“Ha, you speak as if that will happen.”
“It will happen. But by the time you request our help, it will be too late. I can assure you of that.”
“Are you claiming to be an omniscient, omnipotent god? Even prophecies circulated among humans are not 100% accurate!”
“The choice is yours.”

I boldly declared as I stood up. My legs wobbled, but it was bearable.

“I’ll take the artifact.”
“What makes you so arrogantly confident?!”

Aerial gritted her teeth in a scolding tone.

“…If I must say, I am the one who created this world.”

The game developers. No, should I call them gods?
This world proceeded according to the information I had gained through playing the game.
I walked across the clearing.

“Did you really have to say that?”
“I don’t have time for this anymore.”

I found a spot without any weeds and stabbed the sword into the ground. Without a shovel, this was the only way. As I dug into the soil, a pair of boots protected by a spirit’s power lay buried.

The boots resembled military combat boots.
At a glance, their design seemed far from lightweight, but these boots were supposed to weigh less than a hundred grams.

“I’m leaving.”
“I’ll come too.”
“…Do as you wish.”
“But keep your promise. Let me talk to Pasma whenever I want.”
“I’ll see based on the situation.”
“Fine. And understand this clearly – this isn’t a contract. I’m just tagging along to converse with Pasma. Don’t try to ask me for anything.”
“Understood.”

What was she even talking about?
I never intended to ask her for anything in the first place. Just having a Spirit King present provided plenty to take advantage of.

Moreover, now that I could share a body with Pasma, she couldn’t afford to let me die, at least until Tina used this sword.
That was enough for the time being.

I returned to the carriage.

“This is Aerial, the Wind Spirit King. She has agreed to travel with us for a while, so greet her.”
“A Spirit King? What’s that?”

Tina tilted her head in puzzlement.

“You mean the Spirit Kings from storybooks?”

Iris was taken aback.

“Th, The Wind Spirit King? One of the Four Great Guardian Spirits of the World Tree?!”

Maria reacted as if she had witnessed an omnipotent god.

“Wh, What did you do?! Lord Praus!”

Dex was rendered speechless. Delma was no exception.
Everyone in the carriage stared back and forth between me and Aerial with astonished expressions.

“This is the normal reaction from rotten humans.”

Observing their reactions, Aerial sneered at me.

“What do you know?”

I casually retorted and climbed onto the carriage. After retrieving and drinking a cheap potion from my bag, I immediately lay down.

“I’ll sleep for now. Don’t disturb me. We’ll talk later.”

As the carriage started moving again, I closed my eyes.