The Book Eating Magician Chapter 110:

Chapter 110 – Towards the Storm (4)

Beyond the eastern forest, the horizon was burning red . Perhaps it was proof that Theodore and Laevateinn’s battle was reaching the next stage . Flames would sometimes emerge through the clouds, while the whole forest itself was filled with bursting heat .

White Tower Master Orta sat idly on a stump in front of a cabin and watched the scene .

His lips, revealed under the white mask, suddenly parted . “In the last war, the empire lost two master swordsmen . The 3rd and the 6th, they were tough opponents . ”

Unlike his emotionless voice, Orta really meant it . If he looked back on when he encountered the 3rd Sword, he would still get goosebumps . There were dozens of senior magicians who had died from that man’s sword . The 6th Sword’s swordsmanship couldn’t be ignored either . The wounds from his sword had been so strong that they never faded . From that time on, Orta had started using this mask .

Orta unconsciously touched the mask and smiled bitterly . “It has already been 15 years, pretty fast . ”

Even if the magicians and swordsmen reached the master level, it was hard for their lifespan to exceed 200 years . Meltor and Andras had repeated wars, so their lifespan was short on average . Nevertheless, the battle between the magic kingdom and sword empire continued on, and the reason for that never changed .

There were always people who appeared to fill those empty seats .

“…The personal talk ends here,” Orta said as he got up .  Then he turned in the direction of the cabin and stared . No, to be exact, he was staring at a area of air . Orta looked alert, like he was convinced that someone was there .

“Won’t you show yourself, Sword Master? If you take one more step, then I won’t be able to stay still . ”

Anybody would be confused if they saw this scene . There were nothing in the place where Orta’s eyes were fixed on, just an occasional breeze passing through . No life could hide in it, and there wasn’t even a flicker of mana .

In this first place, this was the Great Forest, so no one could avoid Elvenheim’s Ratatoskr surveillance . It was an impossible feat even for White Tower Master Orta, who could use space magic .  At that moment, Orta’s index finger drew a line in the air .

Kaaang!

Suddenly, flames emerged . In the empty space, two powers collided, and there was a shock wave .  

Then as the two powers canceled out, the shock wave rippled through the ground and showed traces of a border . This wasn’t a coincidence . It was just a step away from the point where Orta had given the warning .

Simultaneously, a shocked voice rang out, “No?!”

The voice sounded like an echo, not leaving any traces of where it came from . It was like a whisper in his ear as well as a yell in the distance . So, it was impossible to find the owner just by listening to the voice .

However, Orta was convinced he knew and looked at a point two steps to the right of where he had originally looked .  As a positive light shone in Orta’s eyes, the space where nothing was present began to distort .

“…I am amazed . You… are you really looking at me?” A man appeared within the distorted space .

His face was covered with a mask similar to Orta’s, but the colour was a dark black, as if to melt into darkness . There were a sword which was neither long nor short hanging from his waist . It was an arming sword, designed to be handled with one hand and suited for those with a sleek physique .

Oddly, there was a masked man standing in the forest of the elves .

As the tension rose, Orta opened his mouth first . “3rd or 6th, which one are you?”

“I don’t know . Do all sword masters have to belong to the empire? I could just be a sword master passing by . ”

“…How slippery . ” Orta frowned at the man’s joking answer .

The opposition was an unidentified person and surely one of the Empire’s Seven Swords, but there was no way to prove it . The existence of a master who hadn’t been exposed to the outside world was annoying in many ways .

On the surface, there was a non-aggression pact, and a third country wouldn’t be able to plan this in a few days . In this situation, Andras wouldn’t suffer any losses .

“You are the one who released Laevateinn . ”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about . ”

“At the time of the delegation, you released the monster and infiltrated the deepest part of Elvenheim . Due to Laevateinn, you can aim at the neural network where the gap is weakest . Is your purpose the assassination of the high elves?”

The man flinched at the truth that emerged . He hadn’t said anything, yet the opponent had pierced through their plan in an instant . It was a really terrifying insight . When the man’s mouth shut, it was an inadvertent sign of agreement, and Orta immediately understood that his thoughts were correct .

‘It is well-organized in its own way . The risk is low, and there is nothing connecting it back to Andras . They overlooked the danger, but…’

Andras probably didn’t understand completely what Laevateinn was . If they knew, they wouldn’t have released a monster which would burn away all life in the material world . They almost destroyed themselves in their last ditch effort to stop the Meltor Kingdom .

Andras just thought it was a plan which could deal a fatal blow to Meltor and Elvenheim in either direction . If Elvenheim collapsed due to Laevateinn, that would be good . Even if it failed, it would cause massive damage, and they could assassinate the high elves in the meantime .

In Elvenheim, a country which originated from the world tree, the high elves were the focal point and not simply a symbolic meaning . At least four high elves were needed to keep the world tree alive . If it fell below that, the world tree would weaken and wane .

If this happened, rather than Elvenheim playing a role in the war between Meltor and Andras, the existence of the country itself would be jeopardized .

“Who?”

“What?”

“Only idiots would use a knife that they don’t know much about . The person who released Laevateinn and sent you here, I want to hear their name . ”

However, the man just laughed and shook his head . “I don’t know what you are talking about . And you, will you even be in a state to receive the answer?”

“I see . ”

“Well, I did realize something . ” The man naturally raised a hand to his sword .

Wuuong-

The sword which had accepted its master’s hand cried out threateningly . A frivolous attitude was nowhere to be seen as the sword master’s eyes sharpened behind the mask . The man activated the power behind a sword master’s existence, Aura ability .

He didn’t know how, but his opponent had seen through his stealth and realized the whole plan . This meant it was too risky to keep Orta alive .

“You have to die here . ”

A sword master’s flesh contained its own lethal power . Falling leaves were shattered without warning as a white aura formed around the sword . The current sword would even be able to break a dragon’s scales .

Despite facing a blade which could slice at his neck any moment, Orta opened his arms without any fear . The number of people who had witnessed the White Tower Master fight didn’t even reach 10 . The white mask covered his face, but a strange smile was revealed underneath it .

“It has been a long time since I’ve felt this tension . It is quite delightful . ”

“…Are you going to fight like this?”

“That’s right . ”

There was only a 10-meter distance between the two masters . For a sword master, it was such a short distance that it wasn’t even half a step . The man thought he was being thought lightly of, and indignation bubbled under his black mask .  There had been a desire to pay homage to the enemy who had fought against his seniors . However, that died down after his pride was wounded .

“I am familiar with the rumours . The White Tower Master, a fugitive who doesn’t hesitate to show his back on the battlefield… You yourself claimed that combat isn’t your specialty, isn’t that right?”

“Well, your words aren’t wrong . ”

“Is that so? Then…”

‘Die . ’

There were no preliminary actions . His ability, ‘Disappear’ removed him from the world . Visual, auditory, olfactory, as well as tactile senses… all signs of his existence were erased . So, all of his attacks were like ambushes, and the front was no different from the back .

There wasn’t even a flutter of mana as he stretched out toward the elder’s neck .

Kiiing .

Shortly after that, the positions of the two masters were reversed .

Fushu!

Red blood spurted out . Drops of blood splashed out from torn flesh and flowed down the neck . It was obvious that if the attack had been even one step deeper, it would be his brain, not his ears, which would have been damaged, and he would’ve died instantly .

“Hmm, I am still rusty,” Orta murmured as he looked at the sword master whose ear he had cut off .

“…You, how?”

“Well, it is as you said . My magic is forever exploring space and time, so I never thought of combat as my specialty . ” A creepy light appeared from behind the white mask . “It isn’t my specialty, but I never thought I lagged behind in it . ”

If anyone in Meltor were asked about the greatest magician, they would say Blundell Adruncus . If anyone in Meltor were asked about the most powerful magician, they would say Veronica’s name . If anyone in Meltor were asked about the most mysterious magician, they would cautiously mention the Yellow Tower Master .

This was why White Tower Master Orta was more dangerous than anyone else . If there was an opponent he couldn’t win again, he would flee and kill someone he could win against . In fact, it was Orta who had taken down the 6th Sword in the last war, but no one had witnessed how he’d fought .

As the black masked man understood this fact and started sweating, Orta sent him a cold smile .

“The price of not giving me an answer is costly . Don’t think you will be able to leave with all your limbs…!”

The second battlefield was unveiled in the deepest part of the Great Forest .

 

*     *     *

‘Two steps left . ’

Theo’s bones were already trembling . His physical body didn’t exist, so it was likely that his brain would melt from the heat . The water elemental ruler’s protection and Umbra were used to maintain his life, but Theodore had already reached his limit .

He needed to take one more step . However, his intuition told him that if he took this step, he would surely die .

“Da…mn!”

He had no choice but to go .  He knew he had to go .  He ought to go .

However, the soles of his feet didn’t move .

The boundary of life and death… this last hurdle was so hard . Theo might die the moment he took this footstep . All the glory in his hands would turn to ashes . He was afraid that even his soul would burn up .

There was no way to bring out more strength . Mitra’s strength was pointless in this dead land, and he had already mobilized the power of Umbra to its limit . The current result was because he also used the defense magic in Memorize .

Theo somehow understood that this was the boundary . This was the realm of a hero, the realm of those who overcame the fear of death and threw themselves into the struggle .  Then, he remembered it .

‘What…?’

Theo had already crossed this boundary once . If he reached the place where he’d left his footprints, he would feel more comfortable . The face of Ellenoa, who he had almost died to protect, entered his mind . As he recalled the moment he’d dealt with Superbia, all hesitation disappeared .

He made the third step .  Then as the flames burned his consciousness, Theo shouted, [Gluttony—!]

–I have been waiting!

The tongue stretched out from his left hand, and in the swirl of heat and light which no one’s eyes could see through, the nemesis of a grimoire appeared .  Even the grimoire Laevateinn, who didn’t have a separate intellect, tried to withdraw as it felt an unconscious fear .

However, just before that could happen, it was caught by the tongue .

–I got it!