Book Eater

Chapter 151: Along with the Dragon (4)

It was the summoning magician whose luck didn’t follow his extraordinary talent and enthusiasm, Satomer. The magician who had explored every corner of the continent responded to Theo’s call. But while his consciousness was summoned from inside Gluttony, Pride managed to escape from his ice prison and roared in anger.

This was the howling of a forgotten top species, Ulfheenar!

■■■■■■―!

The massive glacier collapsed in its entirety. Seawater rose through the cracks in the ice like paddy rice fields, and fish floated to the surface. Theo, who was floating with magic—no, Satomer frowned at the sight.

This is confusing. Why did you call me? Wouldn’t the eastern martial artist, Lee Yoonsung, be more helpful than someone who was always behind a desk?

It was a legitimate point, but Theo answered differently.

I want you to explore a possibility.

Explore a… What are you talking abou-?

Satomer stopped talking. Overwrite allowed him to read Theo’s memories and share their knowledge and power. It was the reason Alfred had been able to fight immediately when Theo last used it. So Satomer instantly found the memory of the trump card Theo had devised. As he followed Theo’s train of thought, he started to tremble in excitement.

Senior, is it possible?

Satomer started to laugh at Theo’s careful question.

“Ku, kuha, kuhahahaha!”

S-Senior?!

Theo’s summoning knowledge had all come from Satomer. He lacked proficiency and application, but there was not a big difference when it came to the breadth and depth of his knowledge. So, if Theo decided it was possible, Satomer would probably come to that conclusion as well. Satomer looked over Theo’s plan a few times as he started laughing like a madman.

Then he praised Theo, “Kuahaha! Kid! You’re a damn genius! You’re really a terrible person to be so smart!”

While Theo was flustered by this deluge of praise, a predatory grin stole over Satomer’s face. He had all the ingredients, this body was filled with power and several times more sensitive to mana. He even had a door to another world in his left hand. If Satomer had ten tries at this, he would succeed every single time.

He roused the magic power in his body and shouted to Aquilo and Randolph, “I’m gonna start! Don’t let anything interrupt me, no matter what!”

What are you trying to do??

The first person who reacted was Pride, who had previous experience with Theo. It quickly shot past Aquilo and Randolph, trying to strike Theo. However…

“Hey, where do you think you’re going?”

Kwaaaaang!

Aquilo’s tail slammed into Pride’s midsection, throwing him back. It was difficult for an Ulfheenar to shake off a dragon’s speed. Moreover, the situation was different from before. The combination of a dragon and a swordmaster specialized in speed could cover each other’s backs seamlessly, creating a defense line which was more robust than one they could create alone.

Therefore, Satomer could fully concentrate on the summoning magic.

“「Open, door to the blazing world-」”

He started chanting a summoning spell. The best summoning magician of the modern era completed the center of the magic circle in just a few seconds.

“「Knock knock knock three times, turn once, open the door to the burning world. I will be your master.」”

F-Fast...!

Theo was amazed.

“「Flame that burns the world, death that scorches the world, dragon that calls down destruction. My voice is over a thousand years old, and I call on you. I command you to follow my will.」”

Theo was more surprised than anyone else. The spells weren’t just mere words, they were the result of high-level formulae calculations. Long spells like this were classified as complex strategical magic and were at a level that required a group to perform, not an individual. However, Satomer’s spell was at a level of computation which surpassed strategy magic. No, this had already surpassed the concept of computing.

Theo was able to tell because they shared the same body. Satomer had lived with the formulae and calculations of summoning magic for so long that it was as familiar as breathing. It was a level of effort that could only be reached at the end of a long period of obsession.

As Theo watched in awe, a domain blossomed beneath Satomer’s feet. This was the holy domain of the best summoner of the modern age. Satomer’s spell casting speed in summoning could never be replicated, even by Theo.

“「Offering!」”

The Ring of Muspelheim, the red mark on the back of his left hand, started burning as Satomer roared. He held out Charlotte’s Necklace in his right hand as the sacrifice.

“「The people who have lost their country, knights who have lost their monarch, and dead men who have lost their lives, set fire to their grudges. Send those who have fallen into purgatory to their rest.」”

It would be a lie if Theo said he didn’t regret sacrificing the necklace. However, Theo was convinced the warlocks of the Orcus Company were tracking him through it. There was no other explanation for how they had found him in the Archipelago.

Hwaruruk!

Charlotte’s Necklace was incinerated into ashes, and the mark on his left hand glittered in apparent satisfaction. The offering had been accepted. In other words, the summons would answer him. Now, he just needed to open the door by calling the name of the summons and supplying the magic power, then it would be finished. No more calculations or chanting were required.

At that moment, Satomer realized something.

Hey, this will fail.

--?!

Satomer realized it first, a variable which had been overlooked since he had never gotten this far before.

I will use a simple fishing analogy. The magic spell is the fishing rod, while the offering is the bait. Of course, the goal is a fish. Then what about the fishing line?

Theo thought about it and quickly realized the right answer.

... The summoner?

Correct. Or more precisely, your soul. The fishing rod is perfect. The fish has eaten the bait, and the only thing left is to pull up the fishing line...

Is it not possible?

It is only a bit, but you are lacking strength. If you pull on it now, the line will break and the magic will fail. Apart from the failure, your soul that is used as the fishing line won’t be safe either.

But Satomer grinned.

[Object name ‘Satomer’ has requested completion of his quest. Reviewing the status of the quest and the current situation in response to the target’s unexpected request...]

[I acknowledge that the object name ‘Satomer’ has a reasonable request.]

[The completion of the quest is confirmed. I will begin the transmission of the object name ‘Satomer’ in thirty seconds.]

It was what he had been hoping for, but Theo shouted in an urgent voice.

What does this mean?!

What? It is what you wanted and what I have to do.

... Don’t make me laugh!

Theo was smart enough to guess why Satomer had asked to complete the quest and why the system accepted. The strength he was lacking for the fishing line would be covered by Satomer’s soul. However, his heart couldn’t admit it. Satomer had wasted his whole life and now even lost the dream he had tried to achieve after death! As a fellow magician, Theo couldn’t accept that ending!

This is your wish! You didn’t give up until you died! Don’t lose it now! Don’t turn away. You should watch until the end!

Even if Theo succeeded in the summoning spell, Satomer wouldn’t be rewarded for that success. Theo couldn’t accept such a conclusion. Satomer replied with the same cynical tone as always.

Kuk, acting like this, you look like a loser again.

Senior!

Shut up. It is already done. Rather, you should look at what’s in front of you.

Front? Theo looked away from his inner self and saw the scene before him.

Kwaang!

Randolph’s twin falchions barely blocked Pride’s claws. However, his wrists and knees shook as if they were going to break. It was evidence that they were already at their limit. Even Aquilo seemed like a candle in the wind.

“Heok...! Heeeok...!”

Randolph’s shoulders shook as he struggled to breathe. Even a top class swordsman couldn’t control his breathing while the relentless barrage from Pride continued. There was no difference with Aquilo, who struggled to block him.

“Agh!” Aquilo screamed as she tore an arm away from Pride’s sharp fangs.

Her beautiful blue scales were torn and bloodied and she was injured from head to toe. Even her lips were stained red. How long would they last? She seemed to be muttering something that Theo couldn’t hear.

Satomer, who shared Theo’s vision, hammered the nail into the coffin.

Aren’t they fighting that monster to protect you?

With the fate of his colleagues on the line, Theo couldn’t say anything more. Furthermore, the thirty seconds were nearly up.

Satomer’s sincerity was evident in his voice.

Don’t worry about me. Think about the living, rather than the dead. My wish is almost completed. Didn't I tell you? It is good even if I die. It is time to turn your words into actions.

... Are you satisfied with that?

Satisfied? Of course not. I never managed it once in my life

As Theo’s face distorted from the cynicism, the thirty seconds ended.

[Starting Transmission with object name ‘Satomer.’]

Satomer grunted.

Ugh!

Senior!?

Theo cried out reflexively as he realized his body had been returned to him. He admired the perfection of the magic circle in front of him and listened to Satomer’s fading voice.

Anyway, I did everything. From the chant to the magic circle… I taught you, didn’t I?

That’s right.

Then it’s enough. In the end, wasn’t the one who succeeded in this summoning magic… me, Satomer? My regrets, my dreams, this inferiority, this ideology, I gave it all to you! I can even throw my life away for it.

Satomer didn’t feel regret as his soul was absorbed. Rather, his determination was only strengthened. Satomer stared at Theo, who was a junior caught up in a fate that Satomer couldn’t enjoy, someone with a rich bond to fate.

To the promising but still young Theo, he spoke.

I’ll leave it to you.

This was when the best summoning magician of the modern era gave up his role to the protagonist.

Summoning magic, new achievements… I’m handing it all to you. The honor... realize it.

“... Yes, it is an honor.”

If you understand… call it… now.

There were a few exceptions, but a summoning spell always ended by calling the name of the entity the person wanted to summon. As Theo’s lips parted, the remnant of Satomer cried out.

Call!!!

At the same time, Theo shouted loudly, “「Come, Fafnir!」”

***

It happened in an instant. The moment it appeared, the world started burning. Night fell away as darkness was pushed away. All the clouds in the sky evaporated, and seas started to retreat.

The sky became as bright as daylight, almost burning the eyeballs, while some of the fishing boats near the coast spontaneously caught fire. The cool sea water bubbled up like lava, and swimming fish died without knowing anything.

The amount of time elapsed was exactly one second.

As the sacred dragon of fire, Fafnir, descended to the material world, three square kilometers of the world became a fiery hell. This was the apex existence that had burned the original world trees in the Age of Mythology and transformed the Red Plateau into a desolate, lifeless land. Fafnir was the strongest trump card Theo had prepared.

......!

Some might say it was nonsense, but no one could make a sound because there was no air to vibrate.

Aquilo looked up at the white dragon in the sky with damp, fluorescent eyes. She recognized the enormous light and heat that emanated from Fafnir’s scales, creating a domain that humans couldn’t bear to survive in. It was the ancient dragon that could even kill her!

Aquilo desperately withdrew her power and tried not to be noticed.

“Great dragon god floating in the sky, please ignore this beautiful girl.”

“......”

If Randolph was awake, he would be laughing after hearing the prayer. Luckily, he was unconscious in Aquilo’s hands. However, did her prayer enter the ears of the gods somewhere in the universe?

Exactly two seconds after Fafnir was summoned...

『Target picked, extermination begins.』

Fafnir’s glowing white eyes looked down at something floating on the sea. It had lost its footing as the glacier had melted away, so Pride had armed itself with marine traits again, just like when it fought Aquilo.

- D-Dammit...!

Pride thought despairingly as the situation reversed.