Chapter 364 - The Ability To Feel
"The Spirits Realm is divided into five layers," Mr. Hopper introduced on Arthur's back as they walked on top of the stone peaks. "The highest layer is the Celestial World, where the Divine Spirits are located."
"Are they powerful?"
"In the Spirits Realm, yes." Mr. Hopper said as Arthur began climbing a mountain using his chains. "Odd fellas." He referred to the chains.
"Are they not as strong in the outside world?"
"They are as strong as Gods, dormant and eternal. Do you think there exists a being that can provide them with enough Spiritual Energy to descend?"
"I see," Arthur nodded as he grabbed the edge and lifted himself. "What about the other layers?"
"The rest of the layers are Skyey, Earthen, Infra, and Abyssal World." Mr. Hopper said. "We are in the Infra World, where the low-tier spirits are located and where Seekers start their journey."
"So, every visitor starts here?" Arthur walked toward the giant monument on top of the mountain.
"No, but Seekers start their journey here. For contractors and recurring visitors of the Spirits Realm, they will be in the world of their highest-tier spirit."
'Gala didn't tell me there were rankings for spirits. She didn't even tell me what's the rank of her spirits. Why is she making me go through so much?'
Arthur inwardly grumbled as he looked at the giant monument of a warrior in front of him. The warrior suddenly raised its sword and slashed at Arthur.
His chains burst forward and blocked the attack of the spirit. They didn't even budge when the sword collided with them, making Arthur realize how overpowered they were.
The monument nodded in response and retracted his sword. A globe of light came out of the monument toward Arthur, who simply shook his head.
"Every spirit we met until now wants to make a contract with you." Mr. Hopper said with amazement. "You remind me of a group of people."
"Loved Ones?"
"Hm?" Mr. Hopper seemed confused. "No, you remind me of witches. They have high affinity to spirits as well, as they are spiritual beings themselves."
"The person I'm looking for is a witch," Arthur said, and Mr. Hopper chirped in surprise.
"If they are Contractors already, then they must be on the higher worlds. You won't find them here!"
"We still need to find the Bookkeeper, right?"
"The Bookkeeper is in the Skyey World, so it would indeed prove difficult. No worries, good gentleman. I shall aid you in your quest to find your friend. In this world, nothing is stronger than friendship."
"Uh," Arthur didn't know how to break it up for the spirit that he was on a quest to kill that friend. So, he didn't say anything and simply passed the monument. "How do we go to the other layers?"
"We need to find a stairway, but there is a test." Mr. Hopper said. "There are many stairways, so we should be able to find one if we look around."
"It shouldn't be a problem since this place is quite friendly," Arthur said without much thought, but Mr. Hopper made laughing noises that bewildered him.
"Sir, I think you needed to research a bit before coming here. Do you know why a seeker's journey starts at the Infra World even though there's one below it?"
"The Abyssal World?" Arthur turned to look down at the grasshopper. "Is it dangerous?"
"The Abyssal World is where defiant, corrupted, and wrathful spirits live. Out of the five, the Abyssal World is the largest and the most chaotic."
"Does that mean spirits of the other four worlds are 'good' spirits?"
"No, not really." Mr. Hopper said as Arthur sprinted over a bridge. "Let me tell you a story. I'll keep it short." The grasshopper began storytelling.
Long ago, the Spirits Realm was closed to all. No contracts were made with 'Living Creatures.' That was how it was since the first appearance of spirits. However, everything changed when the First Seeker appeared.
A human entered the Spirits Realm by opening a portal to it. The Spirits Sovereign welcomed the outsider and asked for their purpose.
"Let's be friends. Help the dimensions to fight against the end."
The human said to the spirits, who knew no such thing as friendship. The outsider wanted to establish the concept of contracts. The spirits were amused, and the most interested one was the Spirits Sovereign.
The Spirits Sovereign asked for one thing in return: the dearest thing that the human had. When faced with such a choice, the human knew he couldn't lie to the Spirits Sovereign.
Thus, the seeker gave away his ability to feel.
The Spirits Realm was divided by the Spirits Sovereign after that into five worlds. Those who refused to create equal contracts were sent to the Abyssal World. As for the rest, they were assigned to each world according to their strength.
"Now, when a seeker enters the Spirits Realm, he starts his journey from the Infra World, where the weakest spirits are. If they wish to contract stronger spirits, they need to go through the stairway."
Mr. Hopper finished his story, and Arthur felt his heart aching for some reason. The human gave away his ability to feel just to let others contract spirits and fight against 'the end.'
"Who is the seeker?"
"How would I know, good sir?" The grasshopper chirped. "I'm nothing but a storyteller."
"Is that your ability?"
"Yes, perfect memory!" The grasshopper said with pride. "I can remember anything I lay my eyes on and relay it to my contractor."
"Oh, that's very useful." Arthur was surprised. "Do you go to different dimensions a lot?"
"That, I do." Mr. Hopper said with unmasked pride. "Let's avoid the chitchat. Even spirits here can be dangerous, but that's not the case for you because of your affinity."
"And how can we find a stairway?" Arthur asked as he reached an endless desert.
"That is also a part of the test, good friend." Mr. Hopper said as it pointed forward. "The best way is always to move forward."
Arthur nodded and sprinted forward. He met a spirit of sand and another of poison, but there were no signs of a stairway. The grasshopper kept idly chatting as if afraid Arthur might get bored.
True to his words, the grasshopper told Arthur countless stories. One of them was an answer to one of Arthur's many questions about the Spirits Sovereign.
"Why did he want the ability to feel?"
"The Sovereign has always been a curious being, ever since it appeared. There are very few things that he isn't interested in, and one of them is the life in the Spirits Realm."
"The life here?"
"Yes," Mr. Hopper affirmed. "The Spirits live in harmony, unlike the Living Creatures. That's why there is no war, no love, and no life. They exist simply by existing and doing nothing."
"So, the Spirits Sovereign got bored?"
"Hoho, exactly so." Mr. Hopper chirped as it jumped from Arthur's shoulder to his head. "The Spirits Sovereign admired the human for his sacrifice and wanted the ability to feel as well. However, not all wishes end up well."
"What happened after that?"
"The seeker created the five worlds with the Spirits Sovereign before giving it their ability to feel. They left after that, leaving the spirits with their ability to feel things, and the suffering began."
"Suffering?"
"We never got bored before. Now we do." Mr. Hopper's voice was melancholic. "We never felt sad, now we do. It's a cursed gift that we received, and the Spirits Sovereign suffers from it the most."
"However, it also gave you the ability to feel happiness, joy, and fulfillment."
"For a fleeting moment, those feelings seem to be worth everything. However, during the hundred years we wait for them, can anyone keep considering them to be worth it?"
"And that's the curse of feeling..." Arthur said as he looked at the giant structure that pierced the sky. "Can't the Spirits Sovereign return it to the seeker?"
"They can if the seeker still exists." Mr. Hopper peeked toward the giant stairway in front of them. "There it is. The Stairway to Heaven."
"An odd name, but befitting." Arthur looked at the stairway that linked the sky to the earth. "Is that the test?" He pointed at the giant bell in front of the staircase.
"It is. Ring the bell that opens the door, and you can pass." Mr. Hopper answered. "However, it's not as easy as it looks, so use everything you have." It advised.
"Alright," Arthur walked toward the giant bell and stopped in front of it. It was almost thrice as tall as Arthur with a long circumference. "I just need to strike it, right?"
"Yes!"
Mr. Hopper jumped away, allowing Arthur to bring his hands together. He enjoyed the feeling of clapping his hands together again. The chains gathered above him, spiraling around each other until they looked like a giant golden spear.
"Open up for me!" Arthur jokingly said as he brought down his chains. They struck the ring, and the disaster began.