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Chapter 322 – Eve of the Storm (1)

After finishing the Synchro with Reynolds Spencer, Theodore was continuously busy. He conducted the migration of the ents with Mitra and taught some human military strategies to the elves. However, the hardest task was probably making artifacts against the undead.

The elementals, that used purely the power of nature, were natural enemies for the undead, but it was too inefficient to solely rely on that. There was no limit to the stamina of the undead. A more efficient means was needed to combat the undead legions that didn't care about injuries.

…And Theodore found the answer to that in an unexpected field.

"Om." His fingers twisted in a strange form as he sang a strange chant.

Simultaneously, a brilliant gleam of light struck the pile of arrows in front of Theodore. It was the most famous shaman system in the East Continent, the esoteric Buddhist mantra. As a more powerful type of shamanism than exorcism, the esoteric Buddhist mantra annihilated all evil and blocked the source.

It didn't have enough power, but it was like gunpowder when used against undead of the lower levels.

'This isn't enough. Damn, the idea is good, but I can't make enough alone. It would be lucky if I could make half of the 300,000 I originally planned for.'

Theodore sighed as he looked at the completed arrows. Of course, it wasn't a good idea to give up on the rest of his tasks to concentrate only on making the arrows. He wiped the sweat off his forehead and looked at the stacked up arrows. It was nice to find something that was more efficient than elementals, but it wasn't an amount that he could do alone.

However, the problem was that this method involved a magic of an unfamiliar system, and the consumption of magic power was faster than normal. Arrows that destroyed evil, talismans that blocked the undead, and wards that weakened poison and curses needed to be made.

This meant Theodore had a mountain of work to do. So, it was inevitable that his physical and mental state would reach their limits.

'…Well, that's it for today.'

It was good to be prepared for the battle, but it wasn't meaningful if he was exhausted in the fight against Jerem. Theodore took care of a few more tasks before leaving the warehouse. The chill air of the deep forest cooled Theodore's sweat and entered his lungs.

This was a very brief respite that couldn't even be called a break.

"Ah! Theodore, I was looking for you."

Theodore had only taken a few deep breaths when an elf approached him. She was an elf with rare black hair and dressed in white bear fur clothing. It was the high elf, Titania. As always, she had a large bow at her waist as she spoke without hesitation, "This is the placement of the archers that you taught me last time… I think this configuration is more efficient."

"Show me…"

Titania drew a map on the ground. The workmanship was poor, but it was a strategy chart that anyone with some skill could recognize. Theodore had only taught her for a few days, but it was evident that she had understood Theodore's instructions and improved them.

She had lived as a hunter for many years, which meant she was more qualified than anyone else to develop strategies regarding this forest. Titania was slightly inferior to Alfred, but she was definitely a genius.

'Indeed, this is very good.'

Theodore couldn't find anything to point out and told her, "Um, isn't this very good? Did you put your hands and feet together?" (TL: Working together)

"I told them your opinions. It isn't that difficult to cooperate with the other tribes who train together."

"Okay, let's do that. If you see any improvement in the future, please tell me. I don't know about the strengths or weaknesses of the different tribes, so I will only believe in Titania."

"What? O-Only believe in me…"

Was it a burden? Theodore was confused by Titania's attitude and soon realized the reason. It might seem like he was dumping responsibilities on her. Titania might be a genius, but she was a beginner who didn't have previous experience in commanding. He blamed himself for being irresponsible and opened his mouth to encourage her, "If you are burdened…"

"No, no! Believe in me!"

"Eh?"

Theodore was stunned by her unexpected reaction, and Titania slightly turned red.

"E-Ellenoa is waiting for you. The rocks and trees have been moved according to your instructions, and the training of the elementalists has finished."

"Oh, isn't it faster than I thought?"

"Then I will go. I'll see you later."

Theodore didn't have a chance to reply as Titania disappeared into the trees. Perhaps she was going to do some training. At first, he felt a little uneasy because of her stiff attitude. However, after a while, he realized that she was very sincere. Her stiff expression and voice became softer, and the discomfort from their first meeting was no longer present.

[Oh, my. Oh, my. Oh, my!]

As Theodore took a few steps, a light and voice came from the silver ring on his right hand. It was the fragment of Lemegeton, the prohibited book—Goetia.

[You really are the master of this Geotia, sinful man!]

"What?"

[Making an elusive high elf blush. I feel like I am seeing my creator again!]

"You are the one thinking that on your own." Theodore looked down at the ring with a slightly flushed expression.

He didn't know how to feel about being compared to King Solomon when it came to women, not magic abilities. However, Goetia didn't care about Theodore's feelings.

[Hey, is this Ellenoa a high elf?]

"Ugh." Theodore reflexively stopped moving. He had forgotten about the situation due to the crisis of the world tree. However, Goetia's words revived old memories. The words of confession that he had previously received in Mana-vil… As a matter of fact, he had been prepared to give her an answer, but the warlock who couldn't read the mood messed up the schedule.

Knock, knock. Theodore knocked at a familiar door and spoke in a soft voice, "Ellenoa, it is Theodore."

"Ah, come in."

At the reply, Theodore turned the doorknob and saw something white. It was the familiar he had brought to this place.

Yiiip? The three-tailed fox made a pleased sound from Ellenoa's arms. It was Tres, the three-tailed fox that Theodore had brought back from the East Continent.

"Tres?"

Yip!

Until now, the fox hadn't given his heart to anyone, making it strange to see Tres in Ellenoa's arms. Was it because the high elves were the closest to the origin of nature and were unique among the elves? Noticing the relationship between Theodore and Tres, Ellenoa spoke with a surprised expression, "Theodore, did you bring this child? It is the first time I've seen a three-tailed fox."

"I accidentally found him in the East Continent. I brought him because he doesn't have a mother to take care of him. He seems to like the forest and Ellenoa though."

"Ah… I see. Poor little thing." Ellenoa's eyes shone with compassion as she stroked Tres' belly, causing him to cry out with pleasure.

Maybe it would be better to leave Tres in Elvenheim after this fight was over. The spirits in the East Continent also wanted an environment where they could live away from humans. It wasn't a problem to worry about now. However, Theodore engraved it deeply in his mind so that he wouldn't forget.

"Theodore, your hand."

"Ah, yes."

Ellenoa grabbed both of Theodore's hands with a warm smile. The high elves had the ability to soothe tired minds and bodies. It wasn't just treatment of wounds, as the consumption of mental power could be restored to some extent as well. Surrounded by a green light, they stood in silence.

'Indeed, I feel comfortable with Ellenoa…'

It wasn't a matter of stamina or magic power. This sense of relief melted the boundaries of the body and the mind. Then at that moment…

Kiiing! A sharp headache pierced him like an arrow. The light that tied Theodore and Ellenoa together was broken, and Theodore stared out of the cabin with a grim expression. He gained an ominous feeling that was on a different level from before! This was like looking up at the night sky without any starlight or staring into a pit where no sound was returned.

"It is close. I can detect it…!"

Theodore struggled with the hostile voice that he heard as he looked toward the south of Elvenheim. A tremendous number of deaths were approaching.

* * *

The Red Plateau was a landscape full of red sands where weeds didn't grow. The water channels had dried up a long time ago. It was a land of death where rain clouds hadn't appeared for years. There was no concept of people living in this barren land where life couldn't survive.

…At least, until today. As the water had dried up a long time ago, there was no flora or fauna to be used as food. The cloudless sky meant only intense sunlight burned down. If there weren't any living creatures here, who were the residents of this dead land?

Krruk…kuruuk…kuruk…

Ka…haaa…ku…kuheok…

Woo…oo…uhhhh….

Death moved forward. Those with rotting flesh or just bones were the undead, an army of dead people who hadn't been able to find rest after death. Today, the name of this land wasn't the Red Plateau. The procession of the dead meant this neglected land was filled with the stench of dead bodies.

There was a terrible number of at least 100,000. It was impossible to count them even if they were measured in units of thousands. The undead crossing the Red Plateau was a major threat to the entire continent. The intense sunlight, lack of water, and non-existence wildlife couldn't even grab the ankles of the undead to hold them back. They moved closer to the world tree without taking a break.

'Damn, he did it properly.'

In the sky, a crow was watching the undead with sharp eyes. It was Hugin, a pet Theodore had inherited from Satomer. Theodore's development meant his range was now at over 100 kilometers. He used this method to spy on Jerem and the Four Horsemen without them noticing.

As he looked at the undead army with Hugin's eyes, some questions came into Theodore's mind.

'There are a lot of them, and the quality is also considerable. How on earth did he make so many undead?'

It was strange. The entire Lairon Kingdom might've been turned into undead, but they hadn't been created in the proper way and were relatively inferior in quality. The same was true for the quantity. A hand plow made of good steel was still a hand plow, a sword was still a sword. However, the power of the undead was limited if the correct production method wasn't used.

Yet, what about this huge army of undead? Low-level undead like zombies and ghouls were almost invisible. The army mostly consisted of intermediate-level undead. Lich, doom knights, and senior undead could also be seen. It was a number that would've required the killing of everyone in the Central Continent, not just the Lairon Church. He felt a sense of incongruity. The swords and armor the undead were holding…

Then at that moment…

-A rat-like person is spying.

From the far rear end of the undead legion beyond the horizon, an unexplored shape soared high in the sky. No, it wasn't something that could be recognized from Hugin's perspective. The gap between Hugin and the opponent was so large that Theodore couldn't see it. However, he didn't need to see the shape to realize the identity. He would be a fool if he didn't know.

It was Nastrond's demon king, Nídhöggur. Within a vortex of darkness, he called out to Theodore in a voice that seemed to tear the sky and earth apart.

-Hoh, it is you. The thief who devoured the soul that belonged to me, not knowing who you are going against…

Theodore couldn't say anything. Fear froze his spine, and he had a hunch that speaking would give Nídhöggur a pretext to do something. On the other hand, Nídhöggur didn't restrain himself from talking as a red light gleamed in the darkness.

-Don't beg for your life. I will surely kill you. Don't beg for mercy. I will chew on your body and soul for hundreds of years. Your future has been decided at this moment.

Nídhöggur sentenced Theodore to death, and two beams of light shot out from the demon king. The beams of light aimed for Hugin.

-Get lost.

Shortly after that, Theodore's conscious was bounced out of Hugin's body.

"Uwaaah!"

"Theodore!"

Blood filled Theodore's throat, pouring out as he fell and barely grabbed the table. It was the price he paid for facing the monster called Nídhöggur through Hugin's eyes. Disregarding Theodore's blood-stained clothing, Ellenoa hugged him and used her healing power. Not long afterward, the blood stopped pouring out, and Theodore barely managed to open his mouth to speak. "…I took one blow. That damn lizard."

This was like a greeting for Nídhöggur. The telepathic attack didn't contain any will to kill. Being able to damage an 8th circle magician with just that… this opponent was a monster that a mortal couldn't go against. However, Theodore and the others had their own means.

"Ellenoa, how long until the summoning of the divine creature?"

"Yesterday, I heard that it would take four days."

"So, it will be in three days. Based on the enemy's marching speed, they will arrive in two days. We have to hold on with our own strengths for one day."

The normal undead would be greatly weakened in the daytime. However, these undead were probably beyond common sense. It meant the battle needed to be maintained for at least 24 hours. They had to fight the undead, who didn't know fatigue and craved the blood of the living. It was a great battle that anyone would feel afraid of.

Theodore rose from his spot.

'He will chew on me?'

Haha. He laughed wildly at Nídhöggur's declaration.

'You are the dumb one who doesn't know who you are going against. I will teach you properly.'

Theodore didn't shrink back from Nídhöggur's declaration of war.

Chapter 323 – Eve of the Storm (2)

Two days passed by after that. It was a long and short amount of time. After detecting the approach of the undead army, Theodore and the complete power of Elvenheim were busy preparing for the unprecedented battle. Although it wasn't perfect, they did their best.

The brilliant amulets hanging around the elves' necks, the arrows in their quivers, and the wide ward surrounding the south were all Theodore's work. It was the result of using his magic power to the limit that could be recovered, without wasting even one hour.

'This is all I can do.'

On the front line at the outskirts of the southern forest, Theodore blinked slowly. Since when had his vision already surpassed his physical limits…?

From beyond the horizon that even the elves couldn't see, the movements of the countless undead were reflected in Theodore's retinas. These were monsters that didn't need to breathe… The barren Red Plateau couldn't stop the corpses from marching.

The ugly wave was overflowing from the horizon.

"…Ahh, the parent tree."

"Our ancestors, please protect us…!"

The elves who saw it first started praying. This was because rotten flesh, blood flowing with maggots, and abominable things now filled the horizon. It was fortunate that the Red Plateau was windless. How awful would the stench be from more than 100,000 undead? It would enter their noses and might even lead to poisoning.

As the undead neared, the twilight illuminated their naked bodies.

The skeleton knights were moving with a red light among them.

An undead with a body that was larger than an ogre's roared.

The translucent bodies sang of a terrible future.

There was even a bone wyvern flapping its wings in the air.

'How terrible.' Theodore felt nauseous as he looked at the waves of nightmare-like corpses. He also noted the presences of the doom knights, banshees, and lich, as well as the evil dragon behind them that was the true enemy. Meanwhile, the army of death continued to move forward.

Kung! Kung! Kung! Kung! Loud noises rang out as the army marched onward, narrowing the distance to their destination. There was no need for trumpets or horns. The undead were just puppets controlled by one necromancer. They followed the commands of the conductor wielding his baton.

If he asked them to move forward, they wouldn't stop until their bodies were broken. If he said stop, they wouldn't move even if a natural disaster occurred.

Kung!

…Like right now.

"…S-Stopped?" Someone stuttered out loud.

Theodore moved forward. The enemies were still a few kilometers from the forest entrance. Nevertheless, they had stopped for a reason.

"Jerem, is it you?" Theodore's voice spread out and crossed several kilometers.

[Finally, I will show mercy to you,] the great warlock of death who controlled the bodies answered. [If you offer your body to me now, I will spare your kingdom and its people. As long as the great Nídhöggur descends upon this material world, there is no possibility that you will win.]

"Hah, do you think I would just agree?" Theodore wasn't pushed back by the voice that pressured his mind. "This situation wasn't unexpected. Did you die from greed or old age? Do you think that you are a real king because you gathered your subordinates and played a role? Hey, antiquated warlock. Wouldn't it be better to go back to your grave before you become uglier?"

Upon hearing Theodore's words, Jerem briefly fell silent. Maybe he was so angry that he couldn't speak. After all, this was the soul fragment of a 9th circle great magician whose pride of reaching the highest peak of humanity was so high that its end couldn't be seen.

If Jerem were still alive, he would've killed Theodore before more than a few cheeky words could be spat out. However, a few seconds later, his cold voice spoke up, […Fool, you don't know that victory or defeat has already been decided.]

Chill. At that moment, Theodore felt a chill and stepped back. Meanwhile, Jerem released the reins of the undead that he had stopped. [I will let you die as you wish!]

Simultaneously, the undead started to run wildly.

―――――――――――――!!!

They let out a roar that was difficult to describe in words. Something wailed, something else made a strange sound, and something else screamed. In a dictionary, the word 'undead' meant 'one who didn't die.' However, the magicians added another line—'death was taken away.'

The undead were deprived of their last resting place at the end of their journey and surely hated the living.

"Come onnnn!"

The death coming from the horizon flowed quickly. They were low-grade undead, but their bodies were bathed in black magic and were more powerful than they had been while alive. A distance of 3 kilometers was crossed in just five minutes, and this speed was maintained permanently.

The elves fought the reflex to pull back their bowstrings as they watched the undead approach at a fearsome pace. Prepared to shoot at any time, their archers' swollen arm muscles strained from pointing at the enemies' heads. However, the archers still had a long time to wait before they could act.

'Titania, get started!'

-Understood.

Theodore conveyed instructions through Ratatoskr. No flags or messengers were needed. As long as they were in the forest, Theodore could communicate with the high elves at any time. Titania nodded and moved. "Elementals! Summon your wind elementals!"

The elves responded quickly because they had been trained previously. More than 100 hundred elves who could summon intermediate wind elementals exerted their strength simultaneously. Shuriel was the lieutenant of the wind elementals. The eagle-shaped wind elemental, that was around 10 times larger than an eagle, fluttered its wings.

Kuuoooh―!

It started as a small vortex. Dust rose on the Red Plateau where the undead were moving, and it soon became a vortex that was more than 100 meters high. Then it became a tornado.

Originally, this wasn't a phenomenon that would appear in the wilderness without any clouds, but it wasn't surprising when so many wind elementals joined together. Additionally, it wasn't just one or two; at least eight tornadoes faced the undead army.

However, the elves who summoned the tornadoes turned to Theodore with uneasy eyes. The power of the tornadoes wasn't very high. Even if the intermediate-level undead were blown away by the tornadoes, they could still survive.

'I was expecting this much!' Theodore detected the approach of the undead and pulled out the Azoth Sword from his pocket.

The shining jewel in the sword was the Philosopher's Stone. This was the sword he received from Paragranum in the past. The stone was a legendary artifact that could change the form of a substance. Of course, there was a limit. However, Theodore was going to use all of its power today, even if it meant destroying the Philosopher's Stone.

"Ars Magna!"

The Azoth Sword glowed intensively as it was aimed at the tornadoes in the wilderness. All of the sand swirling in the tornadoes was discovered by the alchemy magic.

"Turn into white phosphorus!"

It was burdensome to convert an enormous amount at once, which caused the Philosopher's Stone to creak. Nonetheless, Theodore didn't stop using his magic power. He needed to succeed at least once. If the eight sandstorms turned into a white phosphorus storm, then he could destroy tens of thousands of undead. After a few seconds that seemed like an eternity, the sandstorm was covered with a white light.

'Success!'

Theodore didn't enjoy this moment as he shouted, "Veronica, now!"

"Suuuuop…" Was it because of their soul-connected relationship? Veronica winked and took action the moment Theodore yelled.

Kuaaaaaaah-! She fired a dragon breath toward the white vortex!

The flames which could melt metal poured toward the ignitable material. The tornadoes started burning even before the breath reached them, turning into a pillar of fire that connected the sky and earth. It happened just five seconds after the sandstorm turned white.

A super hell was unfolded. The undead were caught by the tornadoes, and their skin and bones became good fuel for the flames. Suddenly, all sides were filled with burning undead.

It was an unquenchable fire that would continue burning even if water were poured on it. The undead in the white storm were turned to ash. Aside from the ghost type undead that weren't affected by physical force and the senior undead that were protected by black magic, all the other undead were set alight as soon as they entered the range of the flames.

Theodore was briefly captivated by the firepower of the plan that he had envisioned.

'…It is a technique that shouldn't be used against a living person.'

It was awful. If the target of the attack were human, Theodore would've been filled with guilt. The attacking undead were filled with regret! Nevertheless, the undead didn't stop as they tried to push through the white storm.

Kieeeeeeek-!

One of the four horsemen, White Knight Hipatia, screamed and put out the white flames around her. It was like a foul, as she twisted fate by interfering with the physical laws. Furthermore, apart from Hipatia, there were many senior undead.

They were confused by the white storm, but the inflamed air could not do any damage to the senior undead. As the magic of the lich cut off the oxygen and a cold chill spread, the burning of the white phosphorus ceased and the force of the fire was reduced.

Kulkul…kul…kululul… The undead regained their composure and laughed. They didn't care about the trivial undead being burned. A different means was needed to deal with the senior undead. For example, a sword master's Aura Ability or a 7th circle attack magic.

So, Theodore decided to give it to them.

'Memorize.

'Four Slots Open.'

His eight circles opened, and he poured magic power into his right hand.

"Goetia, assist."

[Yes, my master!]

Four magic spells were activated simultaneously. However, the number of spells wasn't important. If Theodore's attempt was successful, it would even surpass 8th circle magic. The great magic, Abraxas—its destructive power was enormous, but it was limited by the number of times it could be used and its long preparation time.

'It is possible now.'

Theodore added to the stability with the power and control of his eight circles while calculating the different elements. A golden halo rose and wrapped around his body. The magic power was so powerful that the flowing mana itself formed a protective film.

Great magic Abraxas (ΑΒΡΑΣΑΞ)…

Theodore had previously obtained a clue in his fight with Pan Helliones. Why did he need to divide Abraxas into chapter 1 and chapter 2? It was because he had the bias that only two antithesis elements could be used together. However, he would now use all four major elements for the complete form of Abraxas.

'Final Chapter.'

Four spells came to Theodore's mind. They were magic that could kill 1,000 soldiers and tear up the earth.

The red bead that symbolized fire.

The blue bead that symbolized water.

The yellow bead that symbolized earth.

The white bead that symbolized wind.

The four magic beads, which had the same colors as the magic towers of Meltor, were united in Theodore's hands. They swirled in a manner that was hard to control, and he barely managed to aim them.

'Think of this as my greeting, rotten lizard!'

Then he unleashed the power toward the center of the undead legion.

Chapter 324 – Eve of the Storm (3)

Kuaaaaaaah-!

Someone who saw the scene recalled it later.

…There was just light.

The Lairon Church borrowed this when they talked about the creation of the world, but this case was a little different. It was a heavy rain of light pouring down.

The light that was born from the process of collapsing the four elements simultaneously ignored the boundary between matter and non-matter, destroying everything. It was a huge physical blow to the undead. The doom knights' bodies shattered, and the transparent bodies of the banshees exploded like jellyfish.

This was the great magic, Abraxas! Theodore had envisioned this spell after reaching the 7th circle, but he needed eight circles to fully reproduce the power. The opposing elements collided with each other, and the repulsive force was immediately maximized. It was a physically and magically impossible phenomena, but Theodore's Sorcery made it enter the realm of the 'possible.'

"Go!"

The light wave broke the corpses mercilessly. It was a pure destructive power that even the caster couldn't control after it was launched. Besides, the terrible destructive ray wasn't the only fearsome thing. This was an attack magic that was virtually nonexistent in this world.

It was rare for there to be any magic with 'no attributes.' No attribute could interfere with it, and it didn't respond when pressed with pure force. Dealing destruction that deviated beyond the physical properties—this was the true power of Abraxas.

If black magic formed the rules of another world, then this would be a foul there. The undead were disintegrated by the terrible light. The necromancers couldn't sustain the black magic, that was the foundation of their existence, against the power of Abraxas. It was the same for the senior undead. Under the light of Abraxas which destroyed even a lich that had a life vessel, one corner of the undead army collapsed at once. 30% of their total power was lost.

[It is up to here.] At that moment, a dark and eerie voice spoke out. Then darkness blocked the ray of light sweeping through the undead. Jerem couldn't let any more troops be lost and finally revealed himself.

Kukukukung!

Light and darkness collided. The shockwave that occurred as a result destroyed thousands of undead in the area, but it was a drop in a bucket compared to Abraxas' actual destructive power. Jerem used black magic of the 9th circle, creating a wall of imaginary space that absorbed the power from Abraxas. Theodore's Sorcery might not be standardized, but it couldn't overcome the fundamental differences between magic ranks.

[…You shouldn't miss it.] However, Jerem groaned after stopping the attack as he realized that half his wall was destroyed.

Even if Jerem's condition was incomplete, breaking the 9th circle magic till halfway? For Jerem, who had known Theodore a few months ago, this situation was completely unexpected. Jerem's red eyes glared at Theodore. On the other hand, there was a faint smile on Theodore's face.

――――――――Kwaaaaang!

Shortly after that, a supersonic storm pierced through the cracked void and aimed at Jerem's body. It might not be as good as Abraxas, but it was a striking blow!

[Kuaaaaack!] Jerem's robes were shredded, and he was thrown into the distance. Most of Abraxas' power had been lost by destroying the imaginary space, but then a storm arrow tore at Jerem's body. However, the shooter wasn't Theodore.

'Okay. You did it properly, Titania!'

-Of course.

As she spoke in a decisive voice, Theodore looked back at Titania's position in the distance. Then he could see it. Theodore had not actually been talking about Titania but about something that was a few kilometers, maybe 10 kilometers, away. At a distance where he would seem like a single ant, Theodore looked up at the sky.

There was a giant. It had horns in the shape of a crown and a naked body, completely without clothes, that was as rugged as armor. Like the titans that appeared in ancient myths, the ancient elemental—Geros—looked down at the battlefield while holding a greatbow that matched his physique. The fragment of Zephyrus that had once been contracted to Myrdal Herseim. Unlike Mitra who hadn't grown yet, Geros' state was already close to perfect. Titania had been learning to use this form since Myrdal handed over the contract to her.

'The disadvantage is that a lot of strength is consumed.'

Compared to Myrdal, Titania's power was lacking. There was a limited number of times that Geros could fire his arrows. The reason was obvious. Even if Theodore had weakened the wall first, Geros' attack was one which had broken the defenses of the 9th circle magic and damaged Jerem. If Geros could shoot those arrows endlessly, Elvenheim would win in half a day.

The 'Hurricane Bow' could only be fired three more times in the future. Theodore kept the number of times in his head as he directed the Elvenheim archers to fire. The undead formations had fallen apart, and their advance was stopped, so this was a chance.

"Shoot! Don't leave behind any of these ugly things!"

"Aim for the head! Even if the undead are a by-product of magic, they can't regenerate if the nucleus is destroyed!"

"Use normal arrows for the low-grade undead!"

The elven archers, on the ground and above in the branches, pulled back their bowstrings. Their vision was excellent, and they had delicate hands. The undead that didn't even retreat were worse than training targets.

Pipipipiping! There was the sharp sound of arrows being fired. Arrows covered the night sky and struck the skulls of the undead. Of course, there were many undead that didn't collapse from one blow. The dullahans survived using shields, the lich used defensive magic, and the senior undead survived with their own abilities. Then as one dullahan proudly advanced to the elves…

Pipipipit!

The baptism of golden arrows quickly turned the dullahan into a beehive.

'The arrows of destruction look good.'

The nature of the matter wasn't different, be it in the East or West Continent. Still, Theodore sighed with relief.

He didn't know how frustrated he would be if the things he had spent weeks making became useless. He had made around 100,000 arrows containing the strength of the mantra. It wasn't enough to remove all the undead, but it was effective when targeting only senior undead.

The undead started to feel the danger. The senior undead didn't die in one blow, but there was a limit if they were facing 10 or 20 blows. They couldn't stay fine.

"It has been good so far, but… is it a little lacking?" Theodore looked around the battlefield while floating in the sky.

The number of undead was still huge despite having been hit by Abraxas. There might be more undead being created somewhere. If this became a war of attrition, Elvenheim would have the disadvantage.

"Veronica!"

"Huh?"

"I am going to use more great magic. Do you have enough magic power?"

"I only fired one breath, so I'm fine. Theodore, will you be okay? That previous magic consumed an absurd amount of power…"

Veronica's words were right. One drawback to Abraxas was that it was a huge burden.

Despite having twice the magic power of a magician of the same circle, Theodore was breathing harshly after using it. If he used it three times in a day, his circles would be overloaded. Using it continuously would cause him to self-destruct before beating the enemies.

However, Theodore's complexion was the same as before. "It is okay. I've thought of a shortcut."

'Shortcut?' Veronica made a questioning sound, but she knew there was no time to explain. So, she just raised her magic power and shared it. Simultaneously, Theodore activated his circles, and 16 circles revolved, causing the mana in the area to vibrate.

Kukukukukung!

The undead were astonished by the thunderous sound coming from the sky. In particular, the intelligent lich and other senior undead knew the consequences of this sound. It was the sound of at least five 7th circle spells being used. This was unbelievable. It couldn't be avoided. Since defense and evasion were impossible, the undead chose to intercept it. If they could stop the magic spells in time, the situation could be resolved somehow.

"This is rotten." As Theodore continued preparing the magic bombardment in the sky, he sensed the flow of power on the ground. It was the precursor to attack magic to stop him and Veronica. Of course, it wasn't at a level that could injure the two people. However, their purpose was to stop the magical bombardment. It would be enough to open a gap.

"Do you think I will let you act freely?"

However, Theodore had no intention of allowing it.

'Ellenoa, now.'

-Yes, I understand! Ellenoa's strong reply was transmitted through Ratatoskr's neural network.

What was it now? The answer came flying from the rear of the Elvenheim front lines. Something flew up in a smooth arc and dropped down.

[Mist of death… Bite the flesh… um?] The lich was concentrating on chanting a spell when it noticed a shadow, and its body was crushed by a huge rock.

Kwaang! Kuwang! Kwang! Kukwakwakwang!

It wasn't just one. Hundreds of rocks fell like a rock shower, crushing the undead. Of course, that power wasn't enough to destroy the senior undead. However, it was sufficient to stop the formation that was preparing the interception magic.

[Ruler… command…! Throw… hard as… possible!]

[Rock… heavy! One more…!]

A little way from the forefront, the ents were throwing the rocks with their hands.

The large objects that were over 10 meters big weren't comparable to those thrown by catapults. These flew as fast as arrows and fell like bombs. The low-grade undead were crushed, while the senior undead couldn't ignore the attack, forcing them to go on the defensive.

The elves used the earth elementals to make the rocks for throwing, then the ents threw them regardless of how many of their branches were broken. Meanwhile, Theodore and Veronica completed their spell.

Kururung! Kurung!

The materialized magic power was red and evaporated the nearby air. This was the two great magcians' magic bombardment that was designed only for destruction! The lich's jaws snapped shut as they intuitively sensed destruction, while the doom knights and undead forgot to defend. What was the point of struggling when they would just die anyway? Then at that moment…

[Boring,] a voice rang out from the border of the Red Plateau and the Great Forest. Just like the roar of a lion or a tiger, it caused everyone to shiver. It had a big impact. Theodore and Veronica stiffened just as they were about to fire their spells. Their perfectly configured magic formulas were scattered.

"Kuok…!"

"N-Nídhöggur? In this phase?"

The power that he could exert in this material world was limited, but Nastrond's king was still equivalent to a god. Theodore didn't know about the tribute Jerem had prepared, but it he knew it wasn't that big. Otherwise, they would have already been killed without being able to resist.

While Theodore was busy thinking about this, Nídhöggur declared, [Don't disappoint me, Follower.]

At that moment, something eerie rose up. It was a power that rose from an unknown abyss, a strength that Theodore's eyes couldn't see. Nastrond, the dimension ruled by Nídhöggur—its power of darkness and death flowed into this material world.

"I will follow your will, great evil dragon."

Four shadows floated a few hundred meters in front of Theodore. They were Jerem and the four horsemen. Jerem had recovered from the damage caused by Hurricane Bow, and his torn body now looked exactly as it had before.

"Hrmm, do they want to try a tag match?"

"…Probably."

Theodore faced the enemies with Veronica. From now on, it wasn't a fight between armies but a fight between leaders. It was the battle between the strongest powerhouses of each army. As they listened to Titania's words flowing through Ratatoskr, the two magicians' red robes flapped aggressively.

As the Red Tower's 8th commandment stated, a good warlock was a dead warlock.

Chapter 325 – The Night that Swallowed the Sun (1)

As the leaders of both sides confronted each other, a terrible phenomenon was occurring on the border.

A fraction of Nídhöggur's power was rising up!

The power coming from the land of the dead wasn't enough to strengthen Jerem and the Four Horsemen, but it was sucked into the bodies of the undead army. It was poisonous mana to normal life, but there was no better energy for the undead.

Animate Dead, the basic and ultimate spell for necromancers, was cast with the power of a dragon's breath.

Kuoooooh!

The shattered armor reformed, and the restored doom knights roared. The holes which the arrows had made in the bodies of the undead were filled up, and the lich that had turned to ashes were returned to their prime. Close to half of the undead that had been wiped out in the preemptive attack were resurrected, making it literally a nightmare.

Dominance in the battle increasingly tilted to one side. The rocks thrown by the ents and the arrows from the archers lost their strength against the undead army.

'I never imagined this. How should I respond?'

A few kilometers behind the front lines, Titania observed the ghastly phenomenon through Geros' eyes. Should she use the Hurricane Bow to cut off that flow? No, it was pointless. There were only three uses remaining. It was impractical to waste it on ordinary undead.

Titania calmed her confused mind as she looked at Theodore's back.

"…Teacher."

She didn't know why, but she couldn't help mumbling that as she recalled faded memories.

Myrdal Herseim, a person in human form who wasn't a human—he was the sage who had rescued Titania during her childhood and given her unfathomable teachings before disappearing. The only thing of resemblance was the blue eyes, but Theodore reminded her of Myrdal. Titania felt a vague sense of trust in Theodore.

At that moment, a thunderous voice rang out from the sky, [Don't be afraid!]

Theodore was using magic to make his voice ring out through the battlefield.

Realizing the effect Nídhöggur's presence was having in the battle, Theodore encouraged Elvenheim, [This evil dragon is an uninvited guest to this material world! He can only stay for a short time if he uses his power like this! Our resistance right now isn't futile!]

Theodore had experienced war several times and knew, that putting aside the undead, fear alone could break down the power of an army. If their attacks didn't work and the enemy didn't fall, the lowered morale could become toxic. However, Theodore intervened in a timely fashion. The revival of the undead made the elves step back, but they were no longer afraid.

"Pull your bowstrings! If it doesn't work with one arrow, fire ten arrows!"

"Our benefactor is watching! Don't show an ugly side!"

"Don't back down from the rotten bodies! We are the descendants of the Arv!"

Silver arrows poured down, and the momentum of the rock showers crushed the undead after several attempts. The arrows Edwin fired and the spears Ellaim threw stopped the wave of dead bodies for a while. In addition to them, two other guardians made an effort to chop up the undead like fallen leaves.

Lastly, Elvenheim had one more trump card.

Kukukukukung…

The earth rose. No, an enormous amount of earth moved, giving that impression. Hands? Feet? The earth built itself into a mass weapon that was several hundred tons. The earth shook as the mountain of dirt fell on top of the undead. Unlike the usual shocks, it was a blow that shattered their immortality!

This was the earth elemental ruler, Nohengrin. Using the greatest power that the high elves could exert in the Great Forest, an elemental ruler was summoned. Titania was handling Geros, while four high elves were finishing the summoning of Hraesvelgr.

There was only one high elf who could call Nohengrin.

-Ellenoa, you…?

-I was only recently successful, Titania, Ellenoa said embarrassedly after summoning the elemental ruler.

It was with the aid of Ratatoskr and the world tree, but the result was still amazing. Summoning an elemental ruler after only being in Elvenheim for 10 years…? According to Titania's memories, none of the high elves had become accustomed to the world tree's power so fast.

'Maybe the power of love really exists.'

Titania laughed at the thought.

"…It is time to start."

As the two sides struggled on the ground, the atmosphere in the sky was changing. Red robes and black robes…

Titania looked at the six shadows and gripped her bow more strongly. The wind moved around her tense body as she prepared to fire at any time.

* * *

"A last-ditch effort," Jerem dismissed his actions after the battlefield was re-energized by Theodore's cry.

However, the discomfort on Jerem's face proved that Theodore's words weren't wrong. Nídhöggur's summoning was incomplete until the world tree was consumed. Therefore, his power shouldn't have been used in this way. Jerem needed to overcome this battlefield as soon as possible.

"A last-ditch effort, doesn't that apply to you?" Theodore said with a cold laugh.

"Cheeky fellow, feeling confident just because of one blow."

"That isn't the case. Last I checked, isn't it two blows? Well, you probably don't have any brain cells left after dying."

"…You." Darkness moved around Jerem's body. It was evident that Theodore's taunts were working properly.

The Four Horsemen read their master's mood and came forward, while Veronica sent out an intense heat as she prepared for battle. It was an atmosphere where a fight could start at any time. There was nothing more suitable than the term 'flashpoint.'

The two magicians talked through their contract.

'I will play with Jerem.'

'The other three are mine?'

'Don't be careless. They aren't easy.'

'I know that much.'

At that moment…

"Four Horsemen," Jerem gave a command in a furious voice, "Deal with that young man. Don't kill him. Bring his flesh before me."

"As Your Majesty wills."

Unlike Theodore, Jerem planned to use his subordinates to deal with Theodore. He didn't doubt that the two magicians would intervene in the decision, so Jerem stretched out both hands. It was clearly to cast a spell. As the two magicians reflexively responded, waves of darkness surged from all over the place.

'This…?' Theodore's five senses disappeared. No, it was the distinctive dizziness of space magic.

Theodore's eyes widened. 'Space disassembly!'

It was different from space movement which moved to a desired location or spatial distortion that interfered with the existing space. This was a special magic which scattered the targets with no specific coordinates. A magician with great ability could interfere with it. However, it was a trick that Theodore hadn't thought about, and as such, he responded too late.

As soon as the darkness was lifted, Theodore asked through Ratatoskr, 'Titania, can you still see me and Veronica?'

-…Veronica and Leader are still in the same place. The other three moved with you. Titania was cold like a hunter.

However, thanks to Titania's reply, Theodore could sort out the situation quickly and said, "Your master used you to grab my ankles."

White Knight Hipatia, Red Knight Elohim and Black Knight Delos—three of the Four Horsemen faced Theodore. Theodore watched the three knights in front of him and grasped his position. He was 13 kilometers away from the battlefield.

'I can use the lightning magic to rejoin them, but…'

It would just return to the original situation. If the difference between enemies wasn't large, he couldn't win by pursuing safety. He had to know the enemy's intentions and use power to beat the trick. Thus, Theodore didn't run away and laughed instead. Each of the Four Horsemen was a top-grade undead, and only top-level masters were capable of going against them.

"You and your master are too slow to grasp the situation."

"What?" The three people surrounding him were convinced of their superiority, so they made ridiculing expressions.

Nevertheless, the mocking on Theodore's face was still intact. "Don't you understand? The three of you can't block me."

He took a step towards the undead. "I will go back after cleaning up all of you. I believe in Veronica's strength, but it is too much on her own."

"…Speaking nonsense, human!" Finally, the red knight lost patience and aimed sharp claws at Theodore.

The claws of a vampire could split apart even mithril.

A vampire became stronger the more blood and magic power were consumed. After gaining power from the war in the north, the red knight had become several times more powerful than before. Following the fight with Invidia, he was now the most powerful among the Four Horsemen.

Elder vampire—in some legends, it was the highest ranking undead that flew through the wall of sound.

Peeeeeong!

The red knight reached Theodore in just three steps, but Theodore wasn't too late to react to that amazing speed.

Forward Facing Array—the perfectly restored version exerted its power after centuries. Based on the grimoire, 'Baopuzi,' the technique that drove out evil was unfolded in the hands of a master.

"Keok?" The elder vampire came to an abrupt stop.

Blood suddenly poured from Red Knight Elohim's mouth as he paused in midair. It was ridiculously powerful binding magic. His speed slowed down to 0, and the binding magic didn't allow his body to struggle at all. Theodore didn't miss this moment in which the red knight was wide open.

Memorize.

Three Slots Open.

Trident of Keraunos.

Three lightning spears were combined into one, forming a trident. The 7th circle magic that was compressed into one place evaporated the air around it. The brow, the neck, and the heart—the 150-foot-long thunder trident aimed for three of the weakest points on the red knight's body.

Kwarururung!

Magicians might not show any interest, but in the East Continent, it was long believed that lightning was God's judgment and had the power to destroy wickedness. Fighting for what was right against evil—it was the foundation of a few shamans, and that strength now lay in Theodore's thunder trident.

"―――?! ――!!? ―――!?!" The red knight couldn't even scream. Elohim's vocal cords had already been burned away as he started to boil up, turning into a puddle of pure blood. If this continued, it would be the destruction of the highest ranking undead!

Kieeeeeeek-! At this moment, White Knight Hipatia let out a scream that attacked Theodore's spirit. Of course, it didn't last long. However, this interference was enough for the red knight to escape from the thunder.

During this half a second gap, dozens of black magic power strands emerged from the black knight's staff. It wasn't complete like Jerem, but this was the 8th circle dark lich, an incarnation of evil that could kill a thousand people with a single word.

In an instant, eight curses bound Theodore—decay, erosion, poison, confusion, silence, darkness, binding, and pain. It was better to commit suicide than be cursed like this, but Theodore's cast magic power and strength from his left hand fought against it.

Even so, a few seconds of paralysis was inevitable. Theodore's movements stopped for a moment, and Hipatia quickly moved in front of him.

[I will help you become comfortable. You are the king.] It was a soft and kind voice, but Theodore wasn't deceived.

Hipatia was the highest ranking ghost type, a terror wight that could destroy an estate with one scream. Furthermore, the scariest thing about undead ghost types was that they could directly interfere or injure the soul. Even if Theodore's magic power increased several times, he didn't have the ability to fight against it.

"S-orry… but," Theodore barely managed to move his lips, "No, thanks."

[Huh?] As Hipatia made a bemused expression, an eerie noise was heard.

Puk!

There was the smell of blood.

[…E-h?] Hipatia's face distorted with pain.

The man in Theodore's right hand wasn't affected by the black knight's curses, and Soul Calibre rose from Theodore's right hand, piercing Hipatia's heart. The great hero contained in Umbra, Reynolds Spencer, pitied the slender woman as he stabbed her and murmured in a profound voice, [Sleep well and atone, nameless lady.]

Simultaneously, White Knight Hipatia shattered like glass.

Chapter 326 – The Night that Swallowed the Sun (2)

Pakang! There was a sharp noise as Soul Calibre, the soul sword, extinguished Hipatia with a single strike.

If it were another one of the Four Horsemen, Theodore wouldn't have been able to defeat it all at once. A vampire's body wasn't particularly important to them, and the arch lich often stored their life vessel in another place. As such, it wasn't easy to destroy their immortality in one blow.

However, Hipatia was an undead that wasn't based on the flesh. Therefore, Soul Calibre's direct hit was indeed fatal.

'I caught one. There are two left.'

After a few beats, the curses were removed, and magic power once against circulated through his right hand. Reynolds clicked his tongue that he didn't even have, [Tsk, tsk. You are a very cruel young man.]

'I can't spare her just because her appearance is beautiful.'

[It can't be helped. She could've been rehabilitated if she were alive, but that lady is dead.]

As Theodore and Reynolds talked, Elohim's eyes became furious as he understood the situation. He might not have the trivial thoughts of a human, but who wouldn���t be angry at losing a colleague they had spent hundreds of years with? This had happened because of his neglect, so the red knight's eyes turned red.

The mad vampire unfolded a pair of blood wings. "Kyaaaak!"

Red Knight Elohim placed his limbs on the ground like he was a beast. His human appearance was just a shell; his essence was a lump of blood. It was an irregular form that could transform into anything he wanted.

"Don't be too hasty, Red Knight!"

Elohim changed his body faster than the black knight could give a warning, and the red knight shot off at a terrifying speed. It was much faster than the speed of sound.

Even a sword master with lightning fast reflexes would find it hard to react. His claws were like a beast's, and his teeth were as sharp as a shark's teeth. He forgot about the order not to kill Theodore as he attempted to overwhelm Theodore with his primitive flesh.

"Kuruk?" In the high-speed world where even the falling leaves were stopped, he heard it.

-Fool, a creepy voice emerged, causing the red knight to stop. Then he saw a dagger pointed at his body.

"Ha! You are the fool, human!" Elohim, however, ignored this resistance.

Strong artifacts couldn't kill an elder vampire. He might take quite a bit of damage, but it was something he could endure. In fact, he could survive even if he lost the majority of accumulated blood. However, his opponent was human. The human was destined to have his head torn off.

-Ars Magna.

A distance of 10 meters—Elohim crossed that in an instant. Just before Elohim's claws tore at his enemy, Theodore raised a sword that was shining with a blue light. This was the last sight of the elder vampire, the red knight.

"Turn into water!" Theodore commanded.

Simultaneously, the Philosopher's Stone attached to the Azoth Sword broke. Following the white phosphorus storm, the price of intervening with the body of an elder vampire caused it to reach its limit. Nevertheless, the strength of the Azoth Sword was certain. The moment that the blade shone, the body of the vampire turned to pure water!

Chwaack!

It was a shortcut that couldn't be used for normal creatures, but the elder vampire had a body that was completely made up of blood. Elohim's source of power, the blood, was lost all at once. The elder vampire had become a slime.

'Even so, I must not let my guard down.'

Looking down at the vampire that had lost its shape and become a puddle of water, Theodore cast a spell. It was to completely destroy Elohim.

Pajijijik!

The lightning spear hit the water, and the drops of water struggled as if they were alive. Electricity was more effective against water than fire. By the time the black knight stepped forward, the water on the ground had already dried up. It was the end of a vampire that could destroy an estate.

"Didn't I tell you? The three of you aren't a match for me," Theodore declared as he stepped on the charred ground.

"…You… What did you do?" The black knight was confused by the incomprehensible reality. They were the highest ranking undead, but there was only one of them left. It might be convincing if Theodore were a transcendent, but he was still at the 8th circle.

"Even if you used an artifact, the amount of magic power that you have is strange. You might've reached the 8th circle, but you used great magic continuously and even overwhelmed us…!"

"Is that all you want to say?" Theodore had Soul Calibre in his right hand and a thunder spear in his left hand, facing Black Knight Delos without any hesitation. After losing his colleagues, the black knight wasn't a threat to Theodore.

"Then it is time to leave, ghost of an old era."

The battle that started didn't last long.

* * *

Peeeong!

Veronica's body zigzagged through the clouds and avoided the attacks of the enemy. Black lightning chased her and struck empty clouds, ripping them apart and burning the air in the area. This was a level of lightning that deviated from the natural laws of the material world. It had a fast attack speed and a destructive power similar to that of Hellfire, which meant that Veronica didn't dare confront the damage.

'Tch, using magic that I haven't heard of!'

That was the enemy she was fighting against. Meltor's magic might've developed over the centuries, but it wasn't a level that could go against magic from the Age of Mythology. Jerem could freely use that magic, so he was powerful even if he hadn't regained his nine circles.

Beyond the clouds, Jerem's black robe flapped like a grim reaper, and he started launching magic at Veronica, who flashed brightly like a comet.

"Water of Cocytus, kill my enemy."

There was no big difference in the attack power of the water attribute magic. Hundreds of water arrows floated in midair, and Jerem aimed them at his constantly flying target with a relaxed face.

Cocytus—it was a large river from another dimension that froze any object it touched with a single drop of its water. It didn't physically freeze the target. Rather, it stopped the target's mind and body. It was a black magic that resulted in the target's defeat the moment the target tried to defend.

Pipipipiping! The water arrows poured down. It was a barrage that couldn't be avoided, so Veronica immediately turned to counterattack.

Her magic power boiled intensely, and fire arrows popped up to intercept the water arrows. This was impossible to do without elaborate magic power control and abundant practical experience. As the two spells canceled each other, a huge gust of wind came from behind Jerem. "…Annoying."

The wind had more power than a 6th circle attack magic. It was due to an insight that knew when to break the flow of battle. Jerem growled wildly and stared at the shooter that was somewhere in the Great Forest. The storm had the power to destroy his body. He could ignore a few mediocre arrows, but this storm was an exception. Without the help of Nídhöggur, he would have collapsed from the power that was equivalent to the eight circles.

At one glance, the combination of the two people, Veronica and Titania, seemed more powerful than expected.

Veronica looked around at the battlefield calmly. The difference in capabilities was clear. If it was a one-on-one, she would've died or be placed in a dilemma in her draconic state.

'No, it is limiting even with Titania.'

Unlike their opponent who had a bottomless number of means, the two of them had exhausted all means except their trump card. If Titania used her Hurricane Bow well, they could last another 10 minutes. However, if something went wrong, they would both die. This was a situation where she had to take a gamble.

Veronica struggled for a while before making a decision. "Haaap!"

Horns appeared, and scales grew. The temperature of the blood flowing in her body rose dozens of degrees, and her red hair flickered like it was burning. This was her time-limited combat state, the draconic form. Her magic power was boosted several times, and the atmosphere shook. Jerem sensed the force from a distance and became alert. He knew that his opponent's momentary output had reached a level that could threaten him.

"This declining era is really full of annoying people," Jerem growled in an annoyed voice.

At this moment…

Wuuong!

A white light appeared from somewhere and was sucked into Jerem's body. It was a piece of the power he had given to each of the Four Horsemen when he made them a long time ago. The piece from White Knight Hipatia had returned to him.

"…Hipatia was destroyed?" The confused Jerem had barely cleared his throat when another piece of light was sucked into him. This time, it was the piece from Red Knight Elohim. Jerem suddenly stopped, but Veronica just watched without taking action.

'He is full of loopholes. Nevertheless…!'

She would die if she moved forward. Veronica knew because she had gained more power after entering the draconic state. The moment he accepted the two pieces of light, Jerem became another being. He was now a monster comparable to the 9th circle.

"Ah." However, unlike Veronica who saw it directly from the front, Titania who was on the ground moved. She saw that her opponent showed loopholes, and her hunter's instincts prevailed. Hurricane Bow. There was a giant gust of wind as the huge bow fired, and a storm appeared.

Kuoooooh!

The storm ripped through the clouds and swallowed up Jerem's body.

"Yes, they lost to that little bastard."

A black-robed hand stretched out from the storm. It was a skinny hand, but the darkness spreading from the palm was an imaginary space that blocked all physical forces. His eyes shone red, and Jerem aimed at Veronica with his right hand. "Grim Reaper, move your scythe."

Veronica felt cold despite her boiling blood. Chill. Her nerves accelerated to the extreme as something appeared in the air and raised a scythe. Dark robe, white bones, and giant scythe—it was the spitting image of a grim reaper with a scythe described in books. This was a blow that cut between the boundary of matter and non-matter, breaking Veronica's body and cutting the soul.

It was too late to avoid it. There was no way to block it. Veronica formed a fist as she sensed it. She aimed her fist at the falling scythe that tore apart space.

――――――――――――!

There was no sound. A shockwave appeared in the air. The reaper's scythe and Veronica's punch… Was it the spell or the blow that contained all her power? The reaper swung its scythe once before melting away. This was the legend that had once cut a demon's neck.

"Haack! Hak! Huaaa…!"

It was a failure. Veronica was delighted at the fact that she was alive, despite the blood running down her half-cut off right arm. She would've been cut in half if she wasn't in her draconic form. It was because she had used pure strength and speed against the reaper's scythe. Jerem was surprised and asked in a low voice, "You survived. But what can you do with that body?"

The storm blocked by his left hand had already disappeared. He had blocked Titania's blow easily. Veronica realized that the strategy they had used so far wouldn't work anymore. Now, it was a game of pure power. The odds were slim, and her cut right arm hadn't recovered yet. However, her fighting spirit burned brightly. Then at that moment…

"…You fell as well, Delos?" A black light was sucked into Jerem's body, and his presence swelled even more.

It was at the level of facing a dragon. At this point, the odds of the Veronica and Titania winning fell to zero. However, when Veronica sensed this, she laughed. The expression on her face wasn't one of having given up or being prepared to die. Since when had a familiar back appeared…?

"All your subordinates have fallen, Jerem!" Theodore had turned his body into lightning to return. His red robes flapped as he declared war on the worst warlock in this material world. "You can't hide behind your subordinates now. Bring it on!"

"Ha, I'm hiding?"

A killing intent strong enough to stop the wind rose up! A fog of death and darkness emerged to cover the area.

Kururung…! Kurung! Kururung!

After absorbing the power of the Four Horsemen, Jerem's black magic power couldn't be compared to before. He might not have recovered the form of nine circles, but the amount and casting speed were comparable to that. An adult dragon would pale before it as the magician of death drew out his strength.

"I'll let you know your place, natives of this world!"

Chapter 327 – The Night that Swallowed the Sun (3)

Compared to Jerem's small and weak body floating in the sky, the black magic emanating from him was like a tidal wave.

Red lights shone out a few times from the center of that darkness, which was emitting the waves. The magicians who communicated with mana of the material world had a higher influence on the surrounding environment as their level increased, but warlocks were an exception in a bad way.

It was like dropping poison into a clear pond.

This magic power, which drew from two dimensions, contaminated this world's mana and hindered the flow of normal magic power. Life forms would lose their shape after continuous exposure to this black magic, and the ecosystem would collapse after a short period of time.

Considering the power of the world tree, it wasn't a big problem for the moment. However, with the amount of magic power Jerem had, it was just a matter of time. Theodore raised both of his eyebrows and spread his palms open before him. "Hap!"

His magic power emerged like a storm.

Kurururung.

The black magic power was suddenly pushed back, and the fog of darkness shot up instead of falling to the ground. It was proof that for a very short period of time, Theodore's magic power had exceeded the enemy's.

The dark red light around Jerem became thicker as he saw it. Theodore had defeated Jerem's subordinates in a short amount of time and operated a magic power that went beyond the 8th circle. Theodore was also a magician with a grimoire as his base, so Jerem had to be careful.

'What? He feels much stronger than before?' Theodore had time to talk to his advisers, thanks to Jerem's caution. Theodore had only spent a short amount of time dealing with the Four Horsemen. However, in the time he had been gone, Jerem had become more powerful in a manner that Theodore couldn't understand.

Nonetheless, it wasn't a problem for Gluttony.

-That is Soul Partition! Did he recover the pieces that he planted in the Four Horsemen? The pressure must be quite serious in his injured state, but he must be confident about ending this quickly.

Theodore couldn't understand all of what Gluttony said, but the reason behind Jerem's increase in strength was clear.

'Is it because I knocked out the Four Horsemen? But the connection between the necromancer and undead is a one-way path… Isn't it theoretically impossible to reclaim the magic power that he gave to the undead?'

-That's right. The magic power can't be taken back.

However, the thing that Jerem recovered wasn't his magic power.

-The cost of maintaining the highest level undead is high. In order for them to have been active for thousands of years after their master died, magic power the level of a dragon heart would have been needed. Jerem probably broke off parts of his soul and planted them in the Four Horsemen.

'…Indeed, he was a transcendent in that age.'

The current Jerem was sealed in a grimoire. He was weathered by the thousands of years, as well as injured by Mitra. As such, his power was limited compared to what he had in the past. Despite Jerem being in a very weak state, it was understandable that his level had jumped so much after regaining some of his past power.

Theodore grew cautious as he realized the sudden change in circumstances. Meanwhile, Gluttony spoke in the same tone as normal, -But he isn't able to utilize all his abilities. He can't resurrect the Four Horsemen, and the range of spells has only increased somewhat.

'In other words, he hasn't reached the 9th circle?'

-That's right. The wound that your kid dealt to his soul isn't easy to recover from. If that was possible, Jerem would've torn out the souls in the Four Horsemen sooner in order to recover.

Theodore laughed at the words and agreed, "I got it."

He faced the red light of Jerem in the distant sky and became conscious of the foreign object in his hand. It was a foul that Theodore decided to use in this fight. The item's size had been reduced to make it easy to carry, and it could be used as a portable magic power stone. This was a treasure he had gotten by finding Paracelsus' laboratory in the past and unraveling an unexpected connection.

It was the heart that the sand dragon, Desertio, left behind! The item which contained the magic power of nine circles was inside Theodore's robe.

Of course, it was impossible for Theodore to do anything with it other than use it as a supply of magic power. Resistance would occur if another species consumed it without refining it first, and the power of the dragon heart would destroy the person's body.

Only Theodore, who had the absurd 'Forced Harmonization', was able to utilize the ridiculous magic power.

"Veronica, how long can you keep that state?"

"30 minutes on the premise that I'm not injured. But if we keep fighting, it will be limited to 15 minutes."

"15 minutes… It is a bit close."

Theodore conveyed instructions to Veronica and Titania. Veronica was in a dragon state, while Titania had two more shots left. If Titania, Veronica, and Theodore were unable to stop Jerem even with the dragon heart, then it would be impossible.

"Okay, I'm beginning." Theodore moved with a sense of responsibility that had become heavier.

Memorize.

All Slots Open.

Octuple.

The efficiency of his magic power consumption was good. The moment Theodore held the dragon heart in his hand, his magic power became close to limitless. There was a limit to the amount that could be drawn out at one time. However, once he poured out all his magic power, it would return to being full in an instant.

The magic power around Theodore's body took the form of blue lightning and turned into the shape of a giant spear. It was literally a divine lightning spear. The spear had a full length of 20 meters, and thunder echoed around it, attracting attention. Before Jerem could respond—

「Убирайся-к-ч��рту (Go aw-ay)!」 The sound of a human voice beyond the limit exploded outward.

"…What?"

The fog cleared. It was due to the Dragon Words, one of the strongest powers in this material world. The fog of black magic covering the sky was lifted with the strong but simple words. Simultaneously, the huge lightning spear thrust forward.

Kwarururung!

However, it didn't reach its destination. A wall of darkness had appeared and blocked the lightning spear. It was a black magic spell that rendered the power of all physical attacks to zero. However, it was difficult for Jerem to cope with the power of Theodore's attacks, and a small crack appeared in the wall. Before the gap could be filled up, another storm struck.

Theodore's tactic of penetrating the damaged defenses and hitting Jerem was repeated in a second attack!

"―Hah, not even funny." Jerem's eyes glared angrily as he faced the series of attacks.

Peng!

Jerem broke the arrow from Hurricane Bow like he had been waiting for it. After all, he had a lot of defenses, not just the wall of darkness. Then the wind scattered, sucked away like it was in a vacuum.

Magicians were readers. They were the type of people who read the opponent, and their plan and weakness, then they would pierce through the gap to win. Yet a magician was reusing the same tactic as if they were unaware of this fact…? That wasn't possible unless they were making fun of Jerem. Therefore, Jerem's response was one beat late.

Peeeeeong!

Veronica's fist stopped in front of Jerem. In her draconic form, her strength was a few times stronger than normal, but it still couldn't break through the magic power barrier.

"…Hiding behind the storm and unleashing a series of attacks," Jerem commented.

Nevertheless, a shock was delivered. It was enough to damage Jerem's robe through the magic barrier that was almost at the level of the 9th circle. His robe fell down, revealing an undead wrapped in a dull darkness. It was the undead body of the Pale Rider which had been created by collecting the power of death. Jerem's anger could be seen clearly as even his bones were shaking.

"How interesting. But you haven't reached this body?" Jerem spoke in a dry voice.

A lump of rage and dark energy headed toward Theodore's party with an enormous amount of power. It wasn't a spell, just pure magic power.

"I will make you know your place!"

An image of the reaper came to mind. There were also unknown existences hidden in the darkness. The summoning of a grim reaper and opening a lower dimension… They were spells from an ancient era, and in these times, it was doubted they had ever even existed.

Reality and nightmares started to cross in the sky above Elvenheim.

* * *

The darkness swirled vigorously, and flames poured out without rest. Lightning struck brightly, and gusts of winds blew. The fight which had started in earnest was now much fiercer than before. It was a battlefield without a single moment of rest, where one mistake would mean death.

Veronica was like a raptor wandering in this vortex.

"Shit!"

90 degrees left, 30 degrees right. She avoided the dark spear and creatures hidden in the darkness with her flame wings. The creatures that got caught in the flames burned and fell down to the ground, but there were no gaps. As soon as she tried to take a break, the fog that stopped all life came at her.

When she saw the wave of black magic power, Veronica screamed, "Inferno!"

A spell cast with one word destroyed the fog. She smiled wryly at the sight of this battlefield where spells, which determined victory or defeat, were being used instead of shields. Veronica looked at the lightning rushing above her.

'I am proud to have a lover like that.'

At first, the fight centered around Veronica's draconic form. The 7th circle magic, the durable body, and the strength she placed in just a single fist wasn't something that even Jerem could ignore. The problem was that the transformation had already ended after 15 minutes passed.

Pipipipiping!

Hundreds of arrows flew toward the ground, while Veronica burned a few ghoul wyverns around her. Titania's use of the Hurricane Bow was no different from Veronica's state. As it was a battle of two beings near transcendence, Titania and Veronica didn't dare interfere with Theodore's and Jerem's strength. Currently, Veronica and Titania were at their limits just by attracting attention.

"…Win, my Theodore." Veronica looked up at the darkness and lightning swirling in the far sky.

She never thought that she would be lacking power after reaching the 8th circle, but the world was full of strange things. Veronica formed a fist one more time as she recalled her beloved's face.

Kkieeeek!

"Shut up! I can't concentrate!"

She was going to beat up all these small fries.

* * *

'They seem to be holding up well down there.'

In the slowed down world of lightning, Theodore was able to see flickering flames. It was Veronica's breath.

The soul connected to his through the eternal contract was still calm, and her magic power was fairly intact. If it continued like this, they would be able to endure for another hour. Theodore judged the situation calmly and moved as the death knight's sword aimed at him.

Fairy Dance's Direct Transmission.

Hand Counterattack Technique.

Both Hands Wind and Moon.

Lightning and the fairy dance at the same time…! It had been impossible in the past, but Theodore deepened his understanding after reaching the 8th circle. Now, he could combine the two different fields without difficulty. He used one hand to block the blade and the other to attack.

Kwarurung!

As the palm containing lightning slammed into the death knight's body, the death knight's black armor broke down, and the large body was thrown back. It might be different for a normal sword master, but the body of a crusader picked up from Lairon was unable to bear the fusion ability.

The death knight crashed into the ground from the blow. Theodore left the death knight for Veronica to finish off, while he stared at Jerem. Then Jerem spoke from where he was floating in the air, "How annoying. Do you want to do a war of attrition?"

"There is nothing else I can do."

Unlike his casual way of speaking, the emotions in Jerem's gaze were unclear. Despite having a contract with Nídhöggur, Jerem was being pushed by Theodore, who was a mortal. Additionally, he was consuming power to maintain the summoning of Nídhöggur, so Jerem didn't welcome a war of attrition.

'…I don't have much time left either.' Theodore ignored the throbbing pain in his heart and looked at the sky in the east with a more relaxed expression.

The presence of the dragon heart didn't mean that his available magic power was infinite. Theodore's physical body was taking a lot of abuse from the process of accepting and discharging the enormous power in his body. If he compared it to a rubber band, it was the repetitive act of pulling and releasing hard.

'I have to take his life in the next two attacks.'

Theodore accurately diagnosed his limitations and examined the tactics he had available. In the meantime, Jerem's minor summons were still interfering with Theodore.

Kiiing-

An evil spirit, made from 7th circle curse magic, was broken into pieces by the sword in Theodore's right arm. The Soul Calibre directed by Reynolds was more effective than he had expected. Reynolds allowed Theodore to kill enemies that were resistant to magic power. Without Reynolds, this fight would've been much more difficult.

"Tsk, you learned a strange magic from somewhere." Jerem clicked his tongue at this scene.

It was a magic that Theodore hadn't known a few months ago. Looking at it, the power was absurd. How could he have learned a magic like that in a short period of time and become so skillful in it? It wasn't a standard ability of the seven sins grimoire.

However, it was fair to say that Jerem would've have been capable of it if the grimoire had chosen him as its master.

"Ah."

At that moment…

"It is over," Theodore muttered words that Jerem didn't understand.

"What is over?"

"Look at the horizon to the east."

"What?" Jerem looked in the direction mentioned and his expression stiffened. A certain phenomenon was getting closer.

"Daybreak."

The sun was the enemy of all undead, but its influence varied greatly with time and location. For example, the undead wouldn't be affected at twilight when the sun was starting to fall below the western horizon. Then when did it have the most deadly effect on the undead? People often said noon, but magicians knew better.

The moment when the sun rose in the east at dawn had the biggest impact on the undead.

"…Were you planning for this from the beginning?"

"Half. If possible, I wanted to win with my own strength. However, it is difficult to endure."

"You rat bastard…!" Jerem was angry, but there was nothing a mortal could do about the rising and setting of the sun.

No matter how much magic power Jerem had, he couldn't cover the whole sky and block out the darkness. That was also impossible for Theodore. Based on the rules of the material world, Theodore judged it as his victory. For these rules to be overturned, a presence from outside these rules had to intervene.

-Pathetic, Follower. The being that was physically outside the world looked down at his follower and scoffed. He gave off a crushing presence with just a few words! Theodore closed his mouth while Nídhöggur looked at the eastern sky. The sky was golden, with dawn coming like a wave.

-This is truly an unpleasant light, he spoke unpleasantly and then yawned widely.

-From now on, I prohibit sunrise, Nídhöggur said absurd words.

Huk.

This was the end. With just a few words, Nídhöggur's command pressed down on the material world. Despite the sun that was peeping out from the east… Theodore didn't know how it was possible, but the sky that was about to brighten turned dark again.

Death and darkness, the power of the dragon who ruled over Nastrond! This was a transcendent's power.

"…Damn," Theodore cursed.

Meanwhile, the two camps of light and darkness felt sorrow and joy respectively.

Flash!

Behind Theodore's back, a bright light suddenly rose from the center of Elvenheim. It pushed away the darkness filling the sky, spreading out like the sun. No, it was different from sunlight. The moment the light touched his skin, Theodore could see the absurd source of this light. It was a power that was one step closer to the gods than humanity, a feeling that came before the five senses.

"Perhaps…"

As if to confirm his intuition, he heard voices, that had been silent for weeks, cheer.

-It has finally succeeded! Theodore, look!

-It isn't too late? Please tell me it is alright!

-Stop beating around the bush! We can't see it from here!

–…I… see…

They were the four high elves. These were the voices of those doing the summoning circle. If so, then there was only one possible source of this light.

Kiaaaaaaack!

It was of a ridiculous size. Two huge wings spread out over the horizon, and a beak moved through the clouds. The being called the legendary giant bird of the east… anyone who saw it would think it was Hraesvelgr. A single flap of his wings could cause a hurricane, and he had fought with an evil dragon over the world tree.

Hraesvelgr had been summoned to greet his mortal enemy.

Chapter 328 – The Night that Swallowed the Sun (4)

"Hraesvelgr!" Theodore shouted after discovering the identity of the giant bird.

'I heard he was a big sacred creature, but… isn't this too big?'

Hraesvelgr was huge enough to cover dozens of kilometers and allow everybody on the battlefield to see him.

One of his feathers could cover four or five people, and there was the illusion of the whole world turning white every time he flapped his wings. His eyes couldn't even be measured. Was it due to the large size that Theodore's perspective was strange? Hraesvelgr himself was a transcendent body with such enormous power.

[Hrmm.] Shortly after that, Hraesvelgr, who was white from his head to his tail feathers, slowly raised his eyelids. Having been summoned in front of the world tree, Hraesvelgr looked around the battlefield without saying anything until turning to the part of the sky where Theodore and Jerem were standing. There were signs of an enemy that could never be forgotten.

[Arrogant and greedy lizard, you still desire the world tree?] Hraesvelgr's voice admonished in a dry tone, spreading to all corners of this battlefield.

Someone said this in the past, 'Sound was vibration.'

Hraesvelgr's voice didn't stray from this concept. The vibrations from the giant creature flowed through the sky and ground without losing a single bit of power. Everyone heard his voice, regardless of the boundaries between the living and the dead.

When Jerem heard Hraesvelgr's voice, he unconsciously predicted the worst development. The demon king of Nastrond, the arrogant dragon, couldn't let this provocation pass.

[―Hraesvelgr, it is you!] Unsurprisingly, Nídhöggur roared and revealed his body. So far, he had stayed in the position of a bystander to preserve his power. However, Nídhöggur faced Hraesvelgr now. [You are blocking me again! You haven't learned anything from the Age of Mythology! We have the same origins and will gain nothing from going against each other!]

[That's why you don't understand, demon king of Nastrond.]

Since time immemorial, good and evil had faced each other. Hraesvelgr was a sacred creature on the side of good, while Nídhöggur a dragon on the side of evil.

The battle over the world tree during the Age of Mythology had been an extension of that long struggle. As it happens, the two beings had the same habit of swallowing dead bodies. However, unlike Nídhöggur who enjoyed the act of torture, Hraesvelgr aimed to enrich the soil.

Hraesvelgr looked at the ground and unfolded his wings with a heavy sigh. [Today, I might end up overeating.]

Nídhöggur bared his ugly teeth. [Good. I won't pass up this chance if you are coming out!]

These were existences from the Age of Mythology! As the white eagle and black dragon scattered their presence, those sandwiched in between were forced to feel pressure. Those who didn't have properly trained minds and bodies fainted, while the undead that couldn't protect themselves were destroyed.

It was a presence that was hard to bear, even when they were just looking at each other.

[…I need to change places,] Hraesvelgr spoke while flapping his two wings.

Kuoooooh!

He was so big that the clouds were torn apart with just a light motion, while the atmospheric flow twisted into a vortex. As it was recorded in the legends, it wasn't impossible for Hraesvelgr to cause a hurricane with a single flap of his wings. Hraesvelgr soared as the mortals looked up at him in awe.

Then he looked down at the ground and asked, [Are your wings just ornaments, Nídhöggur?]

[Hah, provoking me.] Nídhöggur knew his opponent's intentions.

Nídhöggur might treat mortals like worms, but Hraesvelgr respected life. This area would be turned to ruins if it was caught up in the fight between two transcendents, so Hraesvelgr flew into the distant sky to avoid this.

However, Nídhöggur just laughed wildly and spread his wings. [A king doesn't refuse challenges. I will accept this provocation!]

Simultaneously, the enormous bodies of the two transcendents ignored the laws of physics and flew into the sky. Their bodies were real yet unreal. The two monsters that couldn't be understood by mortals of this material world instantly exceeded the speed of sound by dozens of times.

It was a super fast speed that wasn't affected by resistance and gravity! They flashed past the atmosphere and the stratosphere before stopping.

[Hrmm, this place will be fine,] Hraesvelgr remarked. It couldn't be helped if those below were still affected by the battle this far up. Then he gazed at the enemy before him and said, [Let's start.]

[Is this place really okay, Hraesvelgr?]

[Huh?]

Hraesvelgr tilted his head, and Nídhöggur moved his venomous tongue. One bite from Nídhöggur and even a sacred creature would die.

[Then die!]

On the outskirts of the stars, the two transcendents started their fight.

* * *

―――――――――――――!

It was a ridiculous sight. Theodore sweated anxiously as he gazed at the distant sky. This was a sight similar to the aurora that could be seen in the snowy northern country. However, in Theodore's eyes, this was more frightening than hell.

'T-The sky is being torn apart. These are Nídhöggur's and Hraesvelgr's incomplete powers?'

The fight wasn't at a distance where it could be seen with one's eyes, but a magician could deduce the epicenter of the mana wavelength.

According to Theodore's calculations, the two transcendents were around 1,000 kilometers away. The power could pass through a few cities, maybe a few kingdoms. Heat, wind, and pressure… The forces that came from the fight between Nídhöggur and Hraesvelgr exceeded the range of 1,000 kilometers!

If Hraesvelgr hadn't moved, Elvenheim would've been destroyed by the fight between the two.

"…I have to worry about my side."

Now wasn't the time to be thinking about the struggle between transcendents. Theodore looked in front of him, where Jerem seemed a bit different from before.

'Hmm?' There was something strange. Theodore felt a subtle discomfort and opened his spirit eyes. Then Theodore could see the reason for his discomfort.

'Jerem's power has decreased? Why?'

The amount of mana and presence coming from Jerem had decreased considerably. If Theodore had been at his limits during the fight earlier, then it was worth fighting now. However, Theodore didn't act recklessly and spent a moment speculating about the reason. There was a chance that this weakening could be a trap.

-It is because of Nídhöggur, the silent Gluttony said suddenly.

'Is that so?'

-Yes. Unlike Hraesvelgr who is sustained by the Great Forest, the world tree, and the four high elves, Jerem is supporting Nídhöggur alone. The burden won't be light, even if he offered valuable sacrifices.

Theodore accepted the explanation. If Nídhöggur could move freely, then there would be no reason for Jerem to drag on this boring battle. It was a big burden on Jerem, so he wouldn't do anything to speed up the power consumption.

In that case, this situation was a big chance for Theodore. "…I shall try it once."

Jerem belatedly noticed the change, but there was no one in this era who could beat Theodore when it came to speed. The lightning shot out before Jerem could even cast a spell.

Pajijik.

There were multiple spears in the lightning state. Double, triple, quadruple… It was unbelievable that a single magician could cast the enormous number of attack magic filling the air.

Lightning Vortex, Inferno, Rotting Hands, and Shadow Spike…

Adding on the newly learned magic, eight attacks were completed in a matter of seconds and aimed toward Jerem.

Kwarururung!

Jerem's body flew toward the ground. He reduced the impact with defense magic, but the defense magic was blown away. Theodore wasn't one to miss this defenseless gap. "Gluttony, open the Hall of Fame!"

-Choose the soul you want to call.

"Heathcliff!" Theodore quickly summoned a soul and exercised his rights.

[Heathcliff's soul has been called.]

[You have chosen to use target name Heathcliff's Supercell. The rating is C++. Adjusted to the maximum power. 3,000 achievement points will be consumed.]

[Set the target point.]

It was the magic that made White Tower Mastery Heathcliff famous. Theodore might not be able to use it himself, but he could borrow its strength using the Hall of Fame. He set the target point for the falling Jerem, and power rose from the mouth in Theodore's left hand. It was the magic borrowed from the Hall of Fame—Supercell!

Lightning clouds suddenly swept over the land. The place where Jerem fell to was in the middle of the undead army, so there was no chance of Theodore's allies being caught in the aftermath. It was an artificially created thunderstorm. In a few seconds, thunder stronger than 6th circle magic emerged from the clouds. The water droplets falling from them caused the thunder to have a more efficient destruction. A storm of thunder struck in all directions. It was the moment when a spell that could deal with tens of thousands of troops was triggered to defeat only one necromancer.

"…Don't, climb――!"

Even so, the opponent was Jerem. He might not be able to exert the power of the 9th circle, but Jerem quickly found a gap in the clouds and broke apart the thunderstorm with darkness. It was proof that his understanding of magic was ridiculously high. If Jerem wasn't a warlock and the enemy, Theodore would've felt in awe of him.

'But…' Theodore grinned when he saw the ragged Jerem and the blackened bones.

Jerem had certainly weakened as a surprise attack had managed to damage him. Nídhöggur was busy with Hraesvelgr and could no longer protect him. Meanwhile, Theodore still had strength and means to fight.

"Gluttony."

-Yes.

"Call Abe no Seimei. Use Curse Protection and Protection against the Fallen."

-I understand.

[Abe no Seimei's soul has been called.]

[Object name Abe no Seimei's 'Curse Protection' has been selected. The rating is B. Theodore Miller has been chosen to be protected. Any curse magic at or below the 8th circle will be completely blocked. The duration is 10 minutes, and 6,000 achievement points have been consumed.]

[Object name Abe no Seimei's 'Protection from the Fallen' has been selected. The rating is C+. Theodore Miller has been chosen as the target. The target is given the power to deal further damage to all evil. The duration is 10 minutes and 4,500 achievement points have been consumed.]

Abe no Seimei was one of the greatest shamans, as well as an iron wall against evil spirits. It might be different if Jerem were in a perfect state, but right now, he couldn't use any curse magic of the 9th circle. Additionally, there was the Protection against the Fallen. Jerem would die if Theodore used Soul Calibre against him in this state.

'It is a little bit disappointing, but it isn't worth saving the points.��

If Theodore added the 13,500 points consumed by Reading the Mysteries of Heaven, then he had spent 37,500 points on Jerem. He wouldn't have had so many points if Gluttony hadn't swallowed the undead inside Jerem's Tartarus. In that case, Theodore wouldn't have been able to fight Jerem.

In a sense, this could be called a situation caused by causality.

"You still have tricks…" Jerem felt the power coming from Theodore's body and looked at him with a miserable expression. Theodore did not give any explanation or reason. He simply stepped forward while holding Soul Calibre in his right hand and a lightning spear in his left hand.

It was time to put an end to this pointless fight.