Book Eater

Chapter 360: Seimei’s Legacy (1)

Kwarurung!

There was the rumble of thunder and a flash of light. However, there were no rain clouds, and the lightning was moving across the sky rather than downward. It was strange to see lightning cross a dry sky, but most people who saw it thought it was just a whim of heaven. Theo would arrive at Tsuchimikado Castle before the news spread to anyone’s ears.

There isn’t long left.

There weren’t any landmarks. It was said that mountains and rivers changed after ten years. Now that it was hundreds of years later, Seimei’s memories were a little inconsistent. However, unlike geographical features, spatial coordinates didn’t change. Even if mountains collapsed, the rivers were filled in, and there were no cities, the absolute numbers remained the same.

He had traveled almost a hundred kilometers, so Theo started to decelerate.

“Seimei,” Theo spoke as he split a cloud into two, “I’ve crossed the border. Are we moving to a secret location? If I enter this way, there might be some friction.”

[I understand, but it doesn’t matter,]

Seimei spoke decisely.

[Teleporting is convenient, but you should’ve understood after you were caught by the wind demon. There are many means to interfere with spatial movement, and there are independent forces with authority over the sky.]

“Umm...”

[In the first place, if teleporting were a flawless trick, then there would be no need for flying. Do you want to repeat constant short spatial jumps in order to fight?]

Seimei then added the real reason for entering from the front.

[My wards include the ability to block teleporting and will attack any person who tries to go through. If you move through space blindly, they’ll turn you into a wreck, even with your current power.]

“... It is overly impressive for a crime prevention function.”

[Just think about the times. At that time, the ability to block teleporting was essential. It was an age when famous people appeared in the cities in double digits.]

There were only a few people in modern times who could teleport. But that had been commonplace in Seimei’s time. Walls alone couldn’t stop anyone. Thus, the shamans had strengthened their wards to protect their valuables. Fortunately, spatial movement was vulnerable, and there were many methods to interfere with it. Moreover, if the obstacle was a transcendent like Seimei, it would be hard for Theo to break directly through.

“Sigh, it can’t be helped. I will go through the front door.”

Theo was convinced.

Kwarurung...!

He boosted his speed with a secondary spell, and he was now twice as fast. If a conflict was inevitable, then it was better to take the initiative. Theo might have Seimei, but it was difficult to prove their relationship. How many people would trust Theo, who looked like an outsider, if he showed up and said he had been given permission by a great man who had been dead for hundreds of years? He would be treated as a madman, and they were likely to be hostile.

I don’t like this trick, but it is for the best...

Some emotions were quite rational. Just as people who suffered damage in a natural disaster didn’t harbor hostility, there were some people who stayed cool when faced with an absolute power gap. It took a lot to make a calm enemy burn with the will to fight. Only something like hatred or a sense of duty could light the spark. Theo intended to aim for the gap between these.

Blow out the spark before the fire of hostility lights up.

He would crush it all with strength.

Kwarururung!

He accelerated till he looked like a lightning dragon shooting through the sky. He fell down on Tsuchimikado Castle like a natural disaster. It seemed like the sky was collapsing! The ward around Tsuchimikado Castle sensed him and immediately created a shield, but there was no collision.

[Emergency Order, open the way,]

Seimei borrowed Gluttony’s mouth to cast, and bored a hole through the middle of the ward.

Theo dove in without hesitation. “I have entered the castle.”

[Turn right thirty degrees and go straight. My shrine is there.]

The lightning dragon moved according to Seimei’s directions. There were many shocked people below him, but none dared fight him. All they saw was a lightning dragon in a clear sky. Theo, the only transcendent since the Age of Mythology had ended, was like a god to them.

No, some people are quickly approaching my destination.

Theo was moving through the castle when he frowned at an overwhelming sensation. It was slower than him, but it was still pretty fast. They were master level, but their reaction speed was hard to understand.

“Nice move. Their speed suggests they knew about my approach beforehand.”

[······.]

“Seimei, why do I have a bad feeling?”

[Well, I think you’re mistaken?]

“I will see.”

Theo was filled with doubts as he arrived at the shrine and landed gently.

“Is this your work as well?”

[Yes, it is a smaller seal, but it still remains.]

There was a different type of ward protecting Tsuchimikado Castle. The Senbon Torii, or shrine gates, usually served to block access. It might look like a simple structure, but there were thousands of seals carved on them. Of course, Theo could break through with brute force, but what was the point of breaking down a legacy that contained great historical value?

“Stop!”

A warning called out in a strange language. From what Theo could remember from Seimei’s memories, it was a difficult language to learn, since the word order and pronunciation were different. Theo turned in the direction of the warning.

Um.

All of his preconceived notions were blown away. There were only three master class people in front of him, a shaman and two swordsmen. The swordsman who spoke was the strongest.

Well, I will win.

It might have been different back when he was still at the 8th Circle, but it wasn’t enough to deal with him now that he had transcended. The swordsman also understood this and had cold sweat on his furrowed forehead. His instincts told him that this stranger was beyond him.

They shouldn’t fight. The swordsman said carefully, “... A great person has come to see us. I am Nobutsuna of Japan. I would like to ask for your indulgence.”

Likewise, the shaman, Toman, acted similar to the swordsman. However, his grandson, despite being a master, was still rather immature.

“Grandfather, why are you bowing? Who on earth is this ruffia―”

The faces of two elders paled.

“You! Don’t speak rashly when you don’t know anything!”

“G-Grandfather.”

“If you say one more word, I will cut off your arm.”

The young swordsman shut his mouth in surprise. Meanwhile, Nobutsuna hurriedly bowed to Theo. “I’m sorry. I educated my grandchild wrongly.”

“I will accept your apology.”

“Thank you for your generosity.”

Did Nobutsuna, a sword master of Japan, normally have such a submissive attitude? No. He was never like this. Neither the powerful nor the rich could move him, and he could overwhelm thousands of warriors alone. Yet he was surrendering to a stronger power. Nobutsuna had built up a hundred years of experience and was forced to be careful.

I don’t think there is any hostility, but if we need to fight...

He could feel that the entirety of Japan would be drowned in a sea of fire. Nobutsuna and Toman didn’t see any future existing after. However, while the two of them were feeling fearful, a clear and gentle voice rang out,

“It is nice to meet you.”

Miko Suzuka greeted them from the first threshold of the Senbo Torii, “I am Suzuka, the miko of Founder Seimei.”

“I am Theodore Miller.”

“Can I call you Theo?”

Theo nodded, and Suzuka licked her dry lips nervously. If the voice was true, then she knew this man’s purpose.

“Did you come to pick up the three artifacts?”

The eyes of the three masters widened while Theo complained to Seimei.

Hey, did you spread a rumor before I came?

[N-No! I only told my miko. Wouldn’t it be a mess if you met the miko and she didn’t know anything?]

You didn’t need to hide it from me.’

[Surprise...?]

I will talk to you later.

He ignored Seimei and cut off the connection.

Theo confirmed, “Yes, I think you received his message.”

The miko murmured, “That… Isn’t it a bit rude?”

Theo responded, “Our relationship isn’t a formal one.”

It was a conversation involving only two people, but Suzuka felt like she was being ridiculed. Theo had omitted the title for Founder Seimei and claimed he didn’t have a formal relationship with the Founder… A living person was acting like he had a friendly relationship with the dead.

In that case, the voice she had heard might be a trick performed by this man. However, Suzuka hid her doubts, smiled faintly, and clapped her hands.

“Ah, so that's the case. I’m sorry,” she said gently, “But Theo, if you want to enter the shrine, you have to pass the test that the founder arranged. Outsiders aren’t allowed to cross this torii.”

Seimei had set up a test for those who wanted to cross this threshold. The test would judge the personality of the strong person who appeared to become the master of the three artifacts. The wrong person could cause catastrophic damage with the artifacts.

Suzuka warned Theo, “If you walk up the stairs, please keep this in mind. Not one person has passed the test so far. ”

The masters’ eyes narrowed as they realized the meaning of Suzuka’s words. The test wasn’t easy to pass, and there had been many cases of mental or physical damage. This was a test, but it didn’t mean it was safe. It was why no one had challenged it for over three hundred years.

“Kuk.”

Why...? Theo just laughed at her words.

“I understand,” He said shortly as he stepped on the stone stairs.

Tak.

Then he casually took two steps.

“...”

“...?”

“...!”

“...!!”

The expressions of the four, including Suzuka, distorted with surprise, astonishment, dismay, and wonder. The test was terrifying to the soul, so why was this man okay?

Theo grinned. “I’m sorry but I passed the Heaven and Earth test a long time ago.”

That’s right. Seimei’s test was the Heaven, Earth and Person test. It was something Theo had experienced in the past after consuming the book, the Art of Yin and Yang Written Treatise. Saving lives, keeping your will, bowing to fate; they were the trials that tested these three problems. Two were easy to solve, but Theo had died hundreds of times in the last section. The same problems couldn’t hinder him after he already passed them.

At that moment…

Huuuuuuong!

Something was resonating in the shrine. Theo and the four others stiffened. However, Suzuka knew what was at the epicenter of the resonance.

She murmured, “The three artifacts? Why?”

The three artifacts sleeping inside the shrine were waking. The oscillation came from their excitement after having slept for a long time.

Flash!

A light flashed three times from beyond the Senbon Torii. There was no need to explain the identity of the artifacts. The Heavenly Sword, Eight Mirrors, and Eight Jade Magatamas; any one of them would obtain the power of a hero. Yet, all three rushed toward Theo now.

“Eh?”

Then they shot into his body.