Book Eater

Chapter 150: Along with the Dragon (3)

Pride, who had been hit by Theo’s Thunderbolt, was quicker to recover than Aquilo. Theo didn’t know what traits Pride had armed itself with, but its red eyeball blazed angrily.

This was already the second time. Pride recovered its flesh and started growling.

- You again, monkey.

The air was tense, but Theo just looked over with a nonchalant expression.

“Hah, it’s funny.”

- What?

“You‘re the one who fled last time, and now you’re back. That should be my line.”

The ice beneath Pride’s feet shattered as it lost control of its strength for a moment. This was Pride of the Seven Sins, and Theo’s words cut it to the bone.

All of Pride’s eyes, over a dozen of them, were concentrated on Theo, not Aquilo.

- Pretentious monkey! You were the one who lost that day, not me! If that female monkey hadn’t come, your body would’ve become part of me by now!

Fury rose in Theo’s heart, but he wasn’t shaken this time. No, this time, he stared back at Pride in cold ridicule.

“Do you think there is any point in discussing what ifs? You might boast about all the species you’ve usurped, but in the end, you’re just a weak chimera.”

- ... You.

Once water boiled over, there would be nothing left. Likewise, the monster’s patience had run dry.

It transformed from an underwater form to one suitable to fight on land. The kraken’s eight arms turned into thick and tough horse legs. Its skin turned into a thick carapace, and the fins became several pairs of wings. Oddly enough, the form was very similar to the one Theo had faced in the past.

A centaur’s lower body, a storm locust’s wings, and a spriggan’s acceleration ability...

After restructuring itself with these features, Pride declared in a mocking voice.

- Don’t think this is the same as last time. You are no different from the gravel on the street.

“Your brain is worse than I thought.” Despite the warning from his senses, Theo held up a hand and beckoned it over. “Do you understand what I am saying? Don’t think I’ll let you flee like last time.”

- How impertinent!

Finally, Pride’s patience broke, and it ran across the frozen ground with a loud roar, leaving cracks on the glacier underneath. Pride’s acceleration was far faster than the last time they’d met, almost exceeding Theo’s reaction time. There was no room to evade, and blocking it would cause serious injuries. In this critical situation, Theo just seemed to be completely defenseless.

- What?!

But Pride was completely flabbergasted as Theo’s body turned semi-transparent, and its attack passed through him!

Kakang!

Randolph took advantage of the monster’s surprise to launch his trademark high-speed attack. No matter how powerful a monster was, there would always be a gap to exploit.

Clovis Two Swords Style. Special Hidden Meaning Technique. Thunder Claws.

This wasn’t an opponent Randolph could go easy on, so he used his Hidden Meaning technique without any hesitation. Aura shot out of his falchions like thunderbolts.

Kwarurung!

Pride didn’t expect a bombardment in place of abject surrender, and the attack tore apart its ribs and heart. This type of wound would take longer to recover from than a single, neat wound. Additionally, the combined attack of the two people wasn’t over yet.

“Release!”

Randolph retreated, while Theo’s translucent body returned to its original form. Theo, who avoided the attack with Fluidization, released the spell he had prepared for this situation.

Memorize. All Slots Open. Triple Blaze Burst. Triple Fire Strike. Spell Fusion: Explosion.

The fusion magic converged six fire attack spells into one. It was complete overkill against humans but lacking if he wanted to kill Pride.

“Strike Flare!”

A menacing swirl of magic power fueled the flames as it impacted Pride’s chest, which had yet to regenerate the damage from Randolph.

Kwakwakwakwa!

The shockwave from the attack tore apart the clouds and cracked the frozen sea. The flames were so hot that the ice instantly turned to steam, and waves evaporated, leaving only salt behind. This was the greatest firepower that Theo could currently produce.

However, the monster at the epicenter of the heat survived.

- ... Annoying.

The sea breeze blew away the water vapor, revealing a form Theo had never seen before.

- A monkey managed to do this to my body?

Pride glanced between the two humans in clear irritation. It had the golden eyes of a wild beast and glacially white hair. It almost looked beautiful. However, Theo and Randolph couldn’t help taking a few steps back as they sensed the power hidden beneath its skin.

Is that a.. werewolf?

- No.?

Gluttony, who had remained silent till now spoke.

- That is a species called Ulfheenar.

I’ve never heard of it.

- Of course not. It’s the species of the one who slaughtered the beast king, Fenrir. A werewolf is simply a subspecies of the Ulfheenar, much like the relationship between the elves and the Arv.

A top species!

Theo’s eyes filled with astonishment. The Ulfheenar were an ancient species who some said had the power of a god, unlike the descendants of modern species who had lost all of their origins. The high elves only inherited some of the Arv’s abilities, but they were able to cause miracles. So, what were the abilities of this top species?

Gluttony, what is the Ulfheenar’s special ability?

- Um...

You don't know?

-I know. But it is difficult to explain.

As Gluttony was choosing his words, Pride lifted both fists with a body which had completely regenerated. Theo reflexively crouched as Gluttony’s ridiculous answer came back.

-There is no special ability. It’s just strong.

“What?” Theo blurted aloud.

Simultaneously, there was a white flash, and a deafening sound rang out.

――――――――――!

Theo couldn’t grasp the situation and frowned.

“Cough!”

Suddenly, Randolph fell to one knee and coughed up blood. Both his hands were still holding the falchions, but his face was flushed red, like he had stepped into a furnace. Pride, who was still standing in its original spot, clapped in praise.

-You are better than expected, monkey. That was thirty-six strikes from the top, bottom, left, and right. Monkeys can’t catch up to this speed.

Theo was shocked as he understood what had happened.

This is ridiculous...!

It was only when he looked carefully that he noticed signs of movement carved into the ice. Pride and Randolph had just completed an incredibly fast exchange of attacks. Theo finally understood what Gluttony had meant. An Ulfheenar didn’t have a special ability, its innate physical ability was naturally above the master level!

Randolph used Hidden Voice to send the shocked Theo a message.

[Young Master, I’m going to need some healing magic.]

[Where are you hit?]

Randolph pretended to lift his right arm naturally, but Theo was forced to gulp when he saw it. Blood was dripping out from the fist mark on the mithril alloy breastplate which Theo had enchanted with protection magic before they left.

[It was a glancing blow… but it broke three ribs. I won’t be able to endure a direct hit.]

Randolph advised that he would be more comfortable if his ribs were healed. The Ulfheenar had casually punched through high quality armor that had been bolstered with master-level aura.

“... It’s coming!”

The two people gathered up their strength as they watched Pride.

At the very least, they had to hang on until Aquilo recovered enough to return to the front lines. That was the only prerequisite for their victory. The red cloak and double swords started to dance with the white flash.

On the outskirts of the thrilling battlefield, Aquilo was staring blankly at the backs of the two combatants.

***

Kwaang!

Once again, Randolph blocked an invisible kick and shot backwards. As he hurtled through the air, he took stock of his injuries. His right wrist was dislocated, his left clavicle fractured, and even his hip joints were feeling dangerously creaky.

“Kuheok...!”

Had it been five minutes, or maybe ten? Maybe it had been less than thirty seconds.

After Pride transformed into the Ulfheenar, the battle was entirely one-sided. Despite concentrating on defense, their wounds were only accumulating, and they couldn’t heal everything.

Thunderbolt!

Theo’s thunderbolts hammered down, but Pride sidestepped them with careless ease. Astonishingly, it seemed that the Ulfheenar was a species capable of avoiding lightning. Pride’s movements seemed to break the laws of physics.

Pride leisurely raised its claws as it walked forward one step at a time.

- Do you see your deaths nearing?

“Dogs… only know how to bark, huh?”

- Hmm, an apex wolf definitely belongs in the mammals category with dogs.

Despair was starting to creep up on Theo and Randolph, and Pride was exulting in his imminent victory.

- This is getting boring. That’s it for the appetizer.

It was barely an instant. Pride moved so quickly that neither Theo or Randolph saw it. The story might’ve been different if they hadn’t accumulated so many injuries. However, as Theo said, what ifs were just the excuses of a loser.

- Die.

The claws of the Ulfheenar, that could cut through aura, swung at their necks.

Randolph calculated fifteen defensive moves, but they all ended with his death. Theo could avoid this attack with Umbra, but the moment Randolph fell, there would be no one left to protect Theo. It was checkmate on the battlefield.

But a new player entered the fray.

[лед (Freeze).]

The world was suddenly awash in white. A slow smile crossed Theo’s face the moment he heard an unknown language spoken clearly. It was magic that bent natural law to will, an ability that every magician dreamed to possess. It was the true power of a dragon, to change and shape reality itself.

“Ugh, this thing really is hard to kill,” Aquilo muttered as the Ulfheenar was sealed in a block of ice. “But this should hold it for a while.”

She had transformed back into her humanoid form, and patted the trapped Pride as she turned to look at the two panting men. To be more precise, it was Theo’s eyes that she met.

She smiled. “Boy, you’re more gutsy than I thought.”

Theo blinked. “Huh?”

“Did you come to fight on the premise that I will help you?”

Theo’s words died in his throat. However, Aquilo didn’t seem offended as she giggled at him. She hadn’t struggled like this even when she had fought a whole fleet. She had laughed merrily when human fools had come to “subjugate” her.

However, it was humans who saved her when she had been cornered by a monster.

“Hoo… This is the first time I’ve felt this way.”

It wasn’t good or bad. She was just angry that someone had intervened in the game, and the pride of a dragon didn’t allow her to bow her head first. Aquilo sent Theo and Randolph a strange look as she sucked on her pipe and pondered for a moment. Then she decided to follow her feelings, just like always.

“Well, it doesn't really matter.” She blew out a long spiral of white smoke. “I’ll follow your instructions as much as I can. But do you have an idea to take that monster out? My breath didn’t do a thing.”

Theo replied, “... I’ve thought of a way.”

However, there was no time to explain as the block of ice had begun to crack. They would die if she refused or tried to escape, but Aquilo replied surprisingly easily.

“Okay, then what do you need me to do?”

“I need time.”

Theo needed at least ten to fifteen minutes. Randolph couldn’t hold Pride back for five minutes by himself, but if Aquilo lent a hand, it might be possible. Every minute and second was precious. Aquilo accepted the request. When the ice shattered, the second round would begin.

Theo invoked the method he had prepared, “Activate Overwrite.”

The system responded to the user’s will immediately.

[The C Rank Overwrite has been triggered!]

[Please select the author you want to overwrite. (Available people: 2)]

The martial artist from the east, Lee Yoonsung... Or the best summoning magician in the modern age, Satomer...

Confronted with these two choices, Theo chose one without hesitation.

[Object name ‘Satomer’ has been loaded into the user’s body.]