The Book Eating Magician Chapter 50:
Uh, This is Eating? #2
At the time when Gluttony was eating a huge jackpot, the Sylvia and Randolph’s tag match was slowly ending . Obviously, it was the elder lich who had the edge .
[Rot away…!]
The black magic spread and rotted everything, regardless of whether it was organic or inorganic matter . The ground became compost, and the air turned into a poison which would decay the lungs . It was a level of pollution which even aura users couldn’t tolerate .
The 6th Circle magic, Life Drain, was completed . The elder lich, the top ranking undead, was immortal . Fighting him with 5th Circle magic was unreasonable .
Thanks to that desperate gap, Sylvia reacted one beat later . “Freeze!”
The air and ground froze, stopping the pollution . The high speed freezing was due to the artifact, ‘Jack Frost’s staff . ’ Addition, if it wasn’t for her overwhelming sensitivity, she would’ve suffered more .
Other magicians would’ve already reached their limits, but she had just under 3% magic power remaining .
“Hah…! Hah…!” Her hair stuck to her sweaty face in an unpleasant manner .
She wiped angrily at her hair and glared at the white bones floating before her .
Her opponent’s capabilities were a few times higher than hers . The amount of magic power and speed of magic casting didn’t fall behind either . If the immortality was added, there seemed to be no way for Sylvia to attack .
The situation was similar for Randolph who was fighting nearby .
Kakiing! The two swords collided with two swords, causing sparks to fly from the four swords .
The blades moved faster than the sound . Randolph’s left sword broke the opponent’s shoulder, while the skull knight drew a line of blood on Randolph’s neck . The incessant attacks caused a fearsome wind to rise around the two swordsmen .
The knight was just a mere skeleton, so its swordsmanship lacked flexibility after becoming an undead, Randolph cleverly moved through those gaps . However, that didn’t change the fact that the skeleton knight was a tough opponent .
‘Damn old geezer!’
At the same time, Randolph blocked three of the skeleton knight’s stabs with a single blow .
Keeng! Randolph let out a huge sword pressure .
He retreated a few steps from the pressure . It was a perfect type of counter attack which could have come straight from a textbook . If the opponent wasn’t hardened as an undead, his head would’ve fallen off around 10 times now .
‘Still… I found a gap I can dig into . ’
The skeleton was using a swordsmanship which had stopped improving 100 years ago, so Randolph didn’t miss the small loopholes which were revealed .
[Young Lady . ] Randolph’s voice was heard using a trick which directed his voice toward only one person . [I will give you a gap . Use the biggest technique you have available…!]
Without waiting for a reaction, Randolph focused on his dual wield . For the first time in this battle, the skeleton was thrown back by pure strength . Randolph’s momentum had changed in a very short moment .
‘Have I seen this posture before? An old-fashioned inspiration…’
If a technique had been lost 100 years ago, there would also be a new technique born 100 years later . However, there was no such posture in Randolph’s family’s swordsmanship . The moment it changed from a familiar posture to an unfamiliar one, there was a gap in his body’s defense . It was a mistake Randolph wouldn’t have done if his opponent were alive .
‘Now!’
Randolph’s two swords were like two fangs—two streaks of light!
Gwarurung!
Cracks occurred in the two swords as they accelerated to the extreme, and light flowed from the cracks . Just like a thunderbolt running through the ground, the two swords, which were covered in aura, struck the skull knight’s upper body . Then an intense shock wave was generated and knocked firmly against the skeleton knight .
The large skull knight flew right toward the elder lich .
[What is this…?] The elder lich’s chanting stopped at the unexpected situation .
If he completed the magic, then he might destroy the precious corpse with his own hands . Right now it was just a skull knight, but it was valuable material which could someday be transformed into a death knight .
During that moment of hesitation, the cold magic power grew . “Master of the cold, Ymir! I beseech you…!”
It was the final magic Sylvia had used in the final match of the tournament, but its completeness and power had greatly increased . The elder lich belatedly noticed the movements of the magic power, but the skeleton knight before him hindered him from avoiding it . At that moment, Sylvia’s magic was completed .
‘Minor Force . Blizzard . ’
A terrible whirlwind swallowed up the two undead!
Jjejejeok! Jjejeok! Jjejejeok!
The ground and even the water in the atmosphere froze . Even the black magic power had no way to resist this overwhelming cold . The skeleton knight turned into a statue as it brandished its swords, while the elder lich’s skull was visible in the translucent ice .
In a sense, it was the best attack . The Life Vessel couldn’t be destroyed while the elder lich was still safe . If so, using ice magic which restrained his freedom was the most effective thing to do . In an instant, a huge sheet of ice was built in the middle of the room .
[…How great . Truly excellent skill, girl from the Blue Tower . ]
However, his attitude was unchanged .
Despite being trapped in the ice, the elder lich was still in a relaxed state . There was no way for them to destroy his immortality . The result had been decided from the beginning, and this battle was just a process of getting there .
[Nevertheless, you can’t escape from death . The moment that your magic power runs out and this ice dissolves, that will be your last moment!]
“Ah, you’re still barking a lot even until the end,” Randolph murmured as he released his grip on his two swords . He knew this was a fight which couldn’t be won . It would’ve been the same if all three people were present .
As long as there was no means to overthrow the elder lich, it was all was just a meaningless struggle . Sylvia’s magic power, which had been maintaining the ice, reached its limit .
Jjejejeok… The ice capturing the two undead started to split apart .
As Sylvia’s magic power was depleted, the cold air thinned . Small cracks spread, and the ice mountain soon collapsed . Finally, the skeletons emerged from it .
[This is the end… From now on, you will become my servants and forever serve the great death…!]
Sylvia and Randolph had no power to resist or get away . As the two people stood in place, the black magic of the elder lich reached out like a wave of fog . It was black magic which would rot the body of a living person in an instant . Not long after that, Randolph would become a skull knight and Sylvia a banshee .
Then at this moment, an unpleasant sound rang out from somewhere . Gulp .
The fog stopped and the skull made a confused sound . [Um? What does this mean…?]
The sound was accompanied by a strange sense of loss . It felt like something had disappeared from his body as an inexplicable emptiness tickled his head . The soul of the grimoire’s host, the man called Giovanni, had ended up in someone’s stomach .
His end came shortly after that .
[———–!!!] The elder lich struggled noiselessly as his soul melted . The skeletal body rattled, and magic power was scattered randomly .
Sylvia and Randolph saw the immortal flesh turn into ashes . This was the fateful end of the elder lich, Giovanni .
Pusususu…
As he disappeared into ashes, the two people gaped with blank expressions . Victory and defeat had been decided in a place they didn’t know .
***
The dungeon which had lost its core would certainly collapse . According to that principle, the dungeon created by the elder lich started to shatter back to its original form . It became a cave which was just a few meters wide and a few hundred meters deep .
The core room that Theodore was trapped in was no exception .
Kukukukukung…
As the earth trembled, everything returned to its original state . The expanded walls, the bizarre sculptures, and the soil contaminated with a red power all recovered their original vitality . The core room wasn’t a newly created space but a remodelled one .
Theodore understood this fact as he looked around . “Indeed, this is the room that was written in the report . ”
He nodded while looking at the antiques and ragged parchment paper on the ground . According to Giovanni’s report, he had found a room full of treasures, including Randolph’s heirlooms .
‘But there isn’t anything that looks like a sword… Perhaps it is somewhere else?’
The positioning of the items might have changed after the dungeon had been created and then removed . Theo placed the antiques into the dimension pocket and stepped out of the room to join the party .
No, it was more correct to say that he tried to .
Wuooooong!
Feeling an eerie presence behind him, Theo widened the distance reflexively . He was one step ahead of the ominous presence due to his sensory perception . Theo’s eyes looked around quickly, and he found a book covered in darkness .
It was a book which stretched out chains of darkness!
“Grimoire!” As Theo cried out with shock, a hole opened in the palm of his hand .
–Huhu, you found it! Leave it to me from here on, User!
Gluttony’s usually emotionless voice was filled with a fierce joy . The tongue extended, grabbed the dark grimoire and threw it to the ground .
(■■■■■■■…!)
–A fresh guy!
Gluttony ignored the eerie scream coming from the grimoire and continued to beat the book . The grimoire was just like a fly caught by a toad . Darkness occasionally seeped into the cave, but Gluttony’s tongue ignored the shock and continued to hit the grimoire persistently .
[■■…■■■…]
Gluttony’s attack proved to be effective as the darkness gradually became silent . It was like a person getting thrashed . Theo felt sorry for the grimoire as he was forced to stand still and watch the scene .
The grimoire was probably hit roughly 30 times? It flopped wildly on the ground .
–Impertinent fellow! Daring to take over my user… It would have been better to pick a random person to run away .
Gluttony laughed in a pleased tone . Based on his ridiculing words, the grimoire seemed to have attempted to steal Theo’s body as its next host . The grimoire admitted defeat and became like a piece of food as it rolled toward Gluttony .
Just like a beast grabbing its prey, Gluttony placed its tongue on the cover of the grimoire . At the same time, the information of the grimoire flashed in Theo’s head .
[Death’s Worship]
[This grimoire contains the soul of the legendary warlock, Jerem . As a 9th Circle necromancer who attacked mankind on the side of the demons, Jerem will steal the body of any creature who reads the grimoire and turn them into an undead . He dreams of the perfect resurrection as his soul awaits in the abyss .
* The rating of the grimoire is ‘Legend . ’
*When consumed, there is a very low chance of absorbing 50-100% of the abilities possessed by the warlock, Jerem . The ‘Negative Dimension’ and undead which belong to Jerem will also belong to you .
* When consumed, there is a very high probability that the warlock, Jerem, will rob your body . If you want to hinder this possibility, release another one of Gluttony’s seals and increase your achievements . ]
“…9th Circle?” Theo let out a shocked cry when he saw the number .
The peak of magic, the 9th Circle magicians had disappeared from the continent for nearly 1,000 years .
Only the Blue Tower Master and Red Tower Master had reached the 8th Circle, and they were transcendents who dealt with power beyond the limits of humans . They were also the reason why the Meltor Kingdom was able to compete with the giant Andras Empire who surpassed them in size and strength .
However, the 9th Circle? If a 9th Circle magician reappeared, they would be able to dominate the continent alone . Alas, the advice written on the explanation suppressed his greed .
“…Hey, you can’t eat this now . ”
–Let’s see? This is an extremely rare chance . Isn’t the opportunity to become a 9th Circle magician worth the cost to your life?
“Don’t speak such funny words . ”
Theo could tell by the exchange of words . If he had nothing to do with Jerem, Gluttony wouldn’t have prevented the grimoire from eating Theo . Maybe Gluttony had a separate means of capturing the book or the ability to suppress it .
Theodore’s conviction caused him to open his mouth and say, “You… do you have a way to handle that grimoire?”
–Yes and no .
It was a vague answer, but that was enough .
Theo’s concentration reached its peak, and he quickly found the answer: feed it the dimension pocket and open the hidden function . It was the reason why Gluttony had given Theo the hint without any price .
“A hidden feature . Right?”
Theo might be imagining it but Gluttony’s mouth seemed to distort .
–I can’t answer any more than that . Ah, and the time I can hold onto the book is only five minutes from now . I just wanted to let you know, so don’t worry .
“This bastard…!”
It was a devilish and enticing answer . If Theo didn’t unlock the hidden function, he would be unable to capture the book . Once that happened, the grimoire would escape from Gluttony’s tongue and find another host .
In the near future, the elder lich or a host, which had reached a higher level, could cause an unprecedented catastrophe . Thanks to the dangerous grimoire, he didn’t have time to worry about the value of the dimension pocket .
In the end, Theo’s right hand reached into his clothes .