Book Eater

Chapter 172: Claiomh Solais (3)

Huk.

Hyde disappeared into thin air. Frost Storm may have disrupted it at first, but his Aura Ability was second to none. Moreover, its effect had nothing to do with his condition, so Hyde’s presence didn’t leave even a speck of dust.

Even so, Theo laughed.

Still, it isn’t perfect.

As expected, Frost Storm’s impact forced Hyde to reveal the slightest hint of his presence. It was enough for Theo to calculate and move in response to his instincts.

Right at that moment, the hairs on Theo’s neck rose.

Shayak.

He took half a step backward just as the air in front of his neck was sliced. It was Hyde’s sword, or perhaps his aura blade. Theo spread all ten of his fingers before him.

Pipipiiiiing-!

Magic Bullets peppered the air in front of him. The transcendent blue lights, far beyond Alfred’s original version, shot through the air. Some of them vanished into thin air as they impacted Hyde’s body. It wasn’t possible to damage him properly, but it did reveal Hyde’s body.

Okay, it works!

Theo smiled and formed a fist as his idea worked. In fact, Magic Bullet was excellent against melee experts such as sword masters. It was good at close range, but suffered from accuracy problems at long distances. Although it wasn’t that bad, it was quickly becoming a niche part of his repertoire.

However, this situation was exactly that niche. Magic Bullet was very efficient with magic power, and could be fired continuously. A 7th Circle magician could pour it out like a shower.

Pipipipipi-!?

The battlefield was lit in blue, but the light emitted from his fingertips was more fearsome than beautiful. Theo was shooting three or four Magic Bullets per second, if not more. The light rays were screaming through the air at a rate of close to fifty times per second.

It tore furrows into the gravel and dirt as the barrage swept across the area. This wasn’t how the war hero had used it, but the power of Magic Bullet was truly awesome. However, Theo’s opponent was a sword master who had surpassed that hero of the past.

The concept of this technique had been devised by someone weak, so a sword master could easily trample on it.

Pttt!

Suddenly, blood poured from Theo’s body.

“Kuok...!”

Theo was half a beat too late. He had underestimated his opponent’s boldness when faced with a barrage of Magic Bullets and suffered a deep cut. Fortunately, his bones and nerves were safe. However, there was still blood pouring from the wound. He quickly used healing magic while retreating a few steps, before his neck started prickling. Hyde was even closer. The edge of the blade passed through Frost Storm and brushed Theo’s ribs.

Simultaneously, Theo bent his waist back unconsciously.

Swik!

This was an Eastern evasive maneuver that would be impossible with heavy armor. His upper body was now completely parallel to the ground as the sword passed overhead. It was an unbelievable reaction that even took Theo by surprise, but he quickly followed up with a swift kick with his right foot.

Ppak!

It was a perfect hit. Although it wasn’t enough to break the Aura Ability, a few drops of blood fell onto the ground. Thanks to Battle Song, Theo’s strength was already on par with an aura user. A kick from him wasn’t inferior to a blow from a mace. Even the body of a sword master would receive a shock which would cause a nosebleed.

However, Theo instinctively understood that although it felt like he had the momentum, Hyde had actually used this to take one step closer to Theo.

“-Thunderbolt, cry!” He didn’t waste time chanting, and summoned seven bolts of thunder.

Sevenfold Thunderbolt.

This wasn’t a lightning spear that concentrated all its energy on a single point, but rather a rain of thunderbolts localized right where Hyde was hiding!

Kwarururung-!

The sound of thunder was deafening in this enclosed space. But Theo didn’t dare take his eyes off the area the thunderbolts struck. There was just one spot that was completely unharmed. He had to watch carefully in order to not miss the movements of the sword master in the center.

However, Hyde didn’t move immediately. Instead, he bent over.

“... Kehup!”

Hyde coughed up dark red blood uncontrollably. It was a color which proved the impact had reached his intestines even though he had defended with aura. A lightning spear could be invalidated with the god sword, but there was no way to block all the thunderbolts. Theo, who was still calculating his next move, was struck by a sudden thought.

Hey, haven’t I become stronger?

He was always fighting an uphill battle, but this situation didn’t quite seem as dangerous as all his other opponents. He had yet to use Umbra, and he wasn’t seriously wounded yet. Moreover, he had reacted incredibly quickly and accurately to that sudden attack.

This was no longer a battle for survival. Between Alfred’s Magic Bullet, Lee Yoonsung’s martial arts, his own magic, the Artificial Yin and Yang, and Dragon Words, this was becoming a battle where he could sense the possibility of victory.

This was a sense of enjoyment which couldn’t be felt in battles against stronger opponents. Confidence emboldened Theo’s movements.

“Ugh-!” Hyde had yet to recover from the damage, but he was greeted by another barrage of Magic Bullets. One hit wasn’t fatal, but it was annoying and cumbersome. However, the consumption of aura was too extreme to block all of them.

Hyde’s combat style of battling while maintaining his Aura Ability was quickly becoming untenable. His aura was gradually drying up, and it wouldn’t be long before it ran out.

“... Don't make me laugh!” Hyde roared.

However, a sword master was a sword master. Hyde used his left arm as a shield and broke through the Magic Bullets as he lunged forward. A few hit him, but his aura defense was still intact. Hyde managed to close the gap, but Theo avoided Hyde’s sword. It passed by his temple, and he countered with a punch to Hyde’s body.

Chaaeng!?

Theo’s punch was blocked by Hyde’s silver left arm. But Hyde had another arm as he swung his sword down. Clearly, Hyde’s body was different from a human’s. Sensing that he couldn’t tie Hyde up like this, Theo tried to put some distance between them again.

But the moment he started to spring backwards, Hyde screamed with a demon-like face, “The light that drives away evil!”

Hyde’s left arm erupted in a silver light. It was a candle compared to the sun-like radiance with which he had wiped off the warlocks or even when he had drawn Theo into this battlefield, but it was clearly the light of divine power.

It was the nemesis of all magic, Argenteous Brilliance. This was the light that had defeated Balor at Nuada Airgetlám’s hands. There was no attack power at all, but Theo could feel the light stripping something away from him.

... No, it isn’t just a feeling!

Theo’s eyes were filled with amazement. Argenteous Brilliance had forcibly canceled every active spell on his body. Even Frost Storm, which had been activated with Dragon Words, had completely disappeared. Theo couldn’t believe that it could forcibly cancel a 7th Circle magician’s spell made with Dragon Words.

Chill.

Theo felt death creeping up on him. The light had erased Battle Song, which had been the thing keeping him alive, as well as Frost Storm, which had bought enough time to read and block Hyde’s attacks. He would need two seconds to reactivate them, but that meant staying alive for two seconds in front of a sword master!

Theo’s body was already moving unconsciously even as his brain froze in terror.

Jjeok!

Eh?

Strangely, Theo’s fist drove easily into Hyde’s body. Anyone watching this battle would call it a last hurrah. A sword master’s aura defense couldn’t be crushed by the fist of a human.

“... Eh?” However, Theo’s jaw nearly dropped. “Why?”

Theo wondered why his fist was fine, as well as why there was no blood on his skin. Why had Hyde taken a few steps back from the punch of a magician? It was such an unimaginable situation that Theo even forgot to prepare for a counter.

The magician had just revealed so many openings in sheer confusion. However, Hyde couldn’t even move his body, let alone punish those gaps.

“Kuheok! Kuk, kuhuup...!”

Hyde’s sword trembled and slowly fell as blood dripped from his lips. His youthful, taut skin had shriveled and wrinkled, and his straight back had grown stooped. It was like Hyde had aged dozens of years in an instant.

In a situation that nobody could believe, Theo discovered the answer to the phenomenon that was occurring.

... I see. Is that the price for using the god-sword?

- It seems like it.

Gluttony was also convinced.

- I wondered how an unqualified being had this power, but now I understand.

Explain.

- It isn’t a big deal. The god-sword simply connected itself to the body’s source of life, and used it to activate. But no matter how much vitality a sword master has, he can only use it a few times.

Theo nodded inwardly. It wasn’t mere aging; Hyde looked terrible. His life force itself was being sucked out. Normal humans would have died long ago. A trace of sympathy passed through Theo’s eyes as he continued to ask Gluttony questions.

How much longer can he last?

- Hmm.?

Gluttony observed Hyde through Theo’s eyes.

- His life is deteriorating. Using anything more is impossible. It won’t be long until he dies.

Damn.’

Theo gritted his teeth because he wanted to end this fight here. From this point on, Theo was in a better position, but Hyde wasn’t prepared to lose yet. So, Theo couldn’t be careless before it was over. His senses warned that something was approaching.

Unsurprisingly, Hyde stood up again. “... This is… as far as.. I go.”

A sword master wouldn’t be blind to his own condition. Hyde realized that this place was his grave. The god-sword, Claiomh Solais, would kill him. Perhaps it was a great honor for him to die here. The life that had started in the slums would end with the god-sword.

Hyde smiled and threw the sword in his right hand away.

“What are you doing?” It looked like surrender, but Theo was wary.

“Fighting with my sword… ends here. Too bad. My strength can’t reach you.”

Before Theo could reply, Hyde grabbed his silver left arm. Then he yanked on it like he was pulling the sword off.

Kiing!

It was a sight that seemed like a lie as Hyde held the silver sword in his right hand. The blade, Claiomh Solais, shone bright silver with Hyde’s vitality as fuel.

“Glory to the future of Andras...” Hyde said as he firmly grasped the light that had wiped out the Orcus warlocks and fashioned it into a sword.

“Theodore Miller, I will take you with me!”