The Book Eating Magician Chapter 362:

Chapter 362 - Seimeis Legacy (3)

Theodore’s eyes sharpened as he heard the name of Shuten-doji . It was one of the great youkai Seimei had mentioned before Theodore entered Oe Mountain . Among the hundreds of youkai on the mountain, Shuten-doji was in the top three . He was the leader of the Oni and someone worthy of being called the strongest! Even Theodore, who had become transcendent, felt a tingling sensation on his skin . It would be difficult for the current masters of Japan to endure Shuten-doji’s presence .

‘If the youkai in the mountain are to be released without a collar . . . It would be an even more terrible disaster than what happened in the middle empire . ’

Most of the mutants were driven by their instincts and were busy eating each other . They might be strong, but they were simple beasts . It was possible to find a way to break through somehow .

However, Shuten-doji and the youkai were different . They were cunning creatures who had lived for nearly a thousand years… Monsters who could skillfully use their strengths . They were so terrible that Seimei had sealed them up . Otherwise, there wouldn’t be a weed left in Japan .

“I am Theodore Miller . I have something to say to you . ” Theodore subconsciously spread open his feet .  It was like meeting the gaze of a predatory beast . The moment he turned around or stepped back, the beast would surely rush in to prove its superiority .

His intuition told him that Shuten-doji was such an existence .  If Theodore exposed the slightest weakness, Shuten-doji’s hidden bloodlust would rise and his fangs would become exposed . Would it be the prey’s blood or his own blood that spilled in the end? Either way, it wasn’t the ending that Theodore wanted .

“Hrmm? Did you want to speak to this old man?” Shuten-doji gazed at Theodore with a smile on his face .

“I want to speak to everyone . ”

“Kuhat! It must be a big topic . How long has it been since someone called me out like this? Well, good . If you are the owner of the Heavenly Sword, I have to acknowledge it!”

“ . . . How did you know?”

“I don’t know about others, but I can’t not know it!”

While Theodore was feeling astonished, Shuten-doji eyed the large scar that crossed his own upper body in a diagonal direction .

“Seimei, that swindler used the sword to cut my intestines! He tore up a body that couldn’t be cut .  Kuhaha! I can’t forget such a hot and wonderful strike!”

“You didn’t die . ” It wasn’t a taunt . Instead, they were sincere words coming from Theodore .

The Heavenly Sword’s power was much greater than that of aura blades, and just like Magoshiro, it could cut 8th circle magic like paper . Shuten-doji grinned and nodded .  “It was too good an attack to be content with one blow . Thus, I came to this Oe Mountain while believing in the promise of a rematch . . . ”

Then the expression of the laughing Shuten-doji distorted . “That **** fox! Abe no Seimei! I have waited a thousand years while he forgot his promise! I knew his nature was close to a scammer, but to think he actually dared to trick me!”

Kurururung .

The mountain was surprised by the intense anger, and the trees shook . The monsters surrounding Theodore and Shuten-doji fell to the ground, while the youkai breathed in and waited for the tsunami to pass . It was truly a lion’s roar! The mountain had shaken with one roar from the youkai .

Shuten-doji looked at Theodore with blazing eyes .  “Okay! I won’t wait any longer! Tell me what you have to say, master of the Heavenly Sword! If it doesn’t make sense, I will throw you out and go down Oe Mountain, stepping on the worms!”

The leader of the Oni was serious .  In a crisis where one wrong word would turn the whole mountain into his enemies, Theodore contemplated the use of the word ‘master . ’ It was a treasure of Seimei’s, the one who had made a mountain of youkai submit to him .  If Theodore used it, even Shuten-doji would have to comply with his words . However, was that judgment the best?

‘There is a limit to the ‘master . ’ The burden will grow tremendously if I try to control so many monsters . ’

Then Theodore changed his mind and opened his mouth, “A fight . ”

“Hoh?”

“I will provide a battlefield and the enemy . There are monsters that can be a threat to you . You can trample, crush, and eat them without leaving a trace . How about it?”

“Kuhat, it is tempting . ” Shuten-doji realized the words were sincere, and a bit of his previous good mood came back .  The youkai, who had come to Oe Mountain based on the promise of fighting Seimei again, had been born of violence and impulses . For him, Theodore’s proposal was no different than a nail in the throat . However, he wasn’t the only youkai on Oe Mountain .

“It is up to here, Shuten-doji,” a giant crow fell down between the two of them and spoke in a profound voice . “I acknowledge that you are stronger than us, but you aren’t qualified to represent all of us . ”

 Following the crow, a spider youkai walked forward . “I, Tsuchigumo, agree with Daitengu . ”

This caused Shuten-doji to frown . “I never asked for your opinion! Birdie, spider! Do you want to fight today?”

“Well, you won’t be able to deal with both of us at the same time . ”

“I would die rather than submit . That is what I think . ”

It seemed like a big fight was going to start between the top three youkai . The youkai who couldn’t withstand the pressure were thrown back or spitting out blood .  The strengths of Shuten-doji, Daitengu, and Tsuchigumo were that great . Shuten-doji would be the strongest in a 1:1 fight, but he couldn’t be sure of winning or losing when it was 1:2 . It wouldn’t be good for Theodore whichever side won .

‘That can’t happen . ’

It would end up like that if Theodore wasn’t here .

Kiiiiing!

A moment later, a wave of pressure swept over the three youkai . It was an outrageous force that could wreak havoc on the entire mountain . The youkai naturally stopped their war of nerves and shifted their gazes to Theodore .

“Are you fighting without listening to me? Won’t you regret this?”

“Human! Even if you are strong . . . ”

“Freedom . ”

This one word caused Daitengu and Tsuchigumo to stiffen . Filled with desperate longing after being trapped on Oe Mountain for a thousand years, the two youkai stopped after hearing that word .  Were Theodore’s words true or false? Without missing this gap, Theodore continued speaking, “If you cooperate in my fight, I will provide you with a place to live freely out of this narrow mountain . ”

“How can we believe you?”

“If you don’t believe me, I will give you a vow . How about it?”

Shuten-doji wasn’t much interested in a free life, but the reactions of the two great youkai were immediate .  They would become allies depending on the severity of the vow . If a transcendent vowed using their name, it wasn’t unusual for them to die if the promise was broken . So, it was a promise that even the great youkai could trust, despite knowing human malice .

“Can you explain in detail? I will listen and decide . ”

“Me too . ”

“Okay, I was already going to do that . ”

Daitengu, Tsuchigumo, and the other youkai focused their attention on Theodore . Maybe 100 or more youkai were caught by his words, drawn by the promise of freedom . Theodore’s lips curved at a pleasant thought .  ‘The southern swamp will be able to accommodate all these youkai . ’

This wasn’t something he had thought of on the spot . He had been planning it since knowing about Oe Mountain .

Despite Sloth’s disappearance, the swamp was still unstable . It was the epicenter where an excessive amount of mana gathered, so it would take a long time for the transformed ecosystem to return to normal . The swamp wasn’t a place for an average person to go in and out, and it went without saying that the ecosystems of the nearby areas couldn’t adapt to it either .

‘But the youkai can adapt to this ecosystem . ’

Youkai were a phenomenon, rather than creatures . The high mana concentration in the swamp would just be a life force for them . It would be a place where they could leisurely relax and wouldn’t have to eat each other to maintain their existence .

Of course, there were a few violent ones who would attack humans, but he would add restraints so that they couldn’t leave the swamp . In any case, humans needed several centuries more to open up the southern swamp . By that time, the youkai that moved to the swamp would’ve disappeared due to the greatly diminished mana concentration .

“ . . . Okay . We will be your force if you keep your promise . ”

“I, Tsuchigumo, will follow you . ”

Once the two great youkai agreed, the rest of the youkai raised their respective voices . It felt like the entire Oe Mountain was crumbling .

“I swear by the name of Theodore Miller!” With his right hand shining a golden colour, Theodore proclaimed the liberation of Oe Mountain in a loud voice, “―Follow me!”

Oe Mountain—the knot of a thousand years was broken .

 

*     *     *

 

Wuuuong-

There was a hole in the air where there was nothing, and a black-haired young man slowly walked out . Theodore Miller—the greatest magician of the present age, according to Seimei—returned from Oe Mountain . He didn’t even get a moment to enjoy the blue sky as the waiting people rushed toward him .

“You are back!” The crowd split apart as Seimei spoke in a bright voice . “Is the story good?”

“Well, it is okay . ”

“It wouldn’t be difficult to convince Shuten-doji, but how many others did you convince to come along?”

Theodore nodded and pointed at the hole that hadn’t yet been closed . “All of them . ”

“ . . . What?”

“They all said they would follow my orders . ”

“Don’t tell me . . . ” Seimei’s eyes widened with astonishment as a palm appeared through the hole .  With purple skin, an ugly face, and a strong presence, this was the appearance of the youkai that many Japanese people had nightmares about during their childhood .

“Kuhuhu, the outside air after a thousand years isn’t bad . ” Shuten-doji looked down at the frozen humans behind Seimei and laughed . It was because he saw a human who shouldn’t be here .

“Seimei! You **** bastard! You’re still alive!” Once Shuten-doji saw his enemy, he roared loudly, and the air became several times heavier .

An explosive aura emerged, and most of the people present collapsed, aside from Nobutsuna, Toman, and Suzuka . The power that Shuten-doji spontaneously emitted was terrible . However, Seimei just laughed . “No, look carefully . Why would I send him if I had been alive all this time? I’m not without conscience . ”

“ . . . Damn fox!” Shuten-doji said, gritting his teeth after he realized Seimei’s condition . “You broke your promise to fight again because you died! I have nothing to talk about with a person like you!”

“I didn’t want to break it . I’m sorry . ”

“Shut up!” Shuten-doji moved past Seimei who was making excuses . He outwardly looked angry, but the appearance of his back was different .  Theodore sent Seimei a subtle look .  However, Seimei just shrugged . “I thought we would fight once before I died . I didn’t know I would be defeated in the empire . ”

“Don’t give excuses . ”

“I’m not . I didn’t mean anything . You should know that . ”

Seimei might be shaped by the power of the Eight Jade Magatamas, but his current self was just a fragment of his soul . He might be able to act independently, but he was just a fragment who couldn’t be far from Theodore . As such, he wasn’t in a state to keep his promise with Shuten-doji .

Kung .  Kuuong .  Kung .

Subsequently, the youkai emerged after Shuten-doji . Each one was a national threat stronger than the top rated creatures .  Daitengu and Tsuchigumo were surprised to see Seimei, but they passed by him without caring once they realized his state . It was a different reaction from Shuten-doji’s . As the youkai quickly filled the area, Seimei spoke with half surprise and half excitement, “You did a lot better than I expected . The more you have, the better . This should be enough . ”

“What are you thinking?”

“It is impossible to mix humans and youkai together in the same unit . So, I will do the opposite . ” 

The best shaman, Abe no Seimei, had been named as a great master, and there were countless records about how he had tricked the youkai . ‘Strange trickery’ was a synonym for ‘Seimei’ .  

“I will split the troops into two forces between the north and the south, and use a blitz attack to crush each base!”

It was the earnest start of the war .