The Book Eating Magician

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!”