Book Eater

Chapter 365: Final Evolution (2)

“Heavenly demon?”

The literal interpretation was a demon of heaven. It didn’t seem to refer to a specific species, but it was a very unusual name for demons who were usually associated with hell. Yet a demon from the sky was the symbol of the greatest authority on the East Continent?

From the standpoint of the West Continent, it might be the same as a demon king. When Theo reached that far, Gluttony spoke in a heavy voice.

- Demon king... It might be a bit different from User’s guess, but it has been called that in other dimensions. Some other aliases are the demon emperor, the first demon king of heaven, only king existing in heaven, and Māra-pāpīyas?

“... What?” Theo froze at the unexpected words.

- Only king existing in heaven, master of the sky, the ruler of the demon world. It is true that it is an unclear existence in User’s mind.

“No, what nonsense are you talking about?” Theo’s patience finally broke.

Māra-pāpīyas was an existence that could crush the material world with one finger! Such a being hadn’t existed in the world at the height of the Age of Mythology. No, it was almost impossible for it to exist. Just like a bowl couldn’t contain a larger volume than its size, Māra-pāpīyas was a monster that the small material world simply couldn’t hold. In the same way that the material world couldn’t handle the seventh stage of the Seven Sins. Calling Māra-pāpīyas to the material world meant the destruction of the dimension.

He snapped, “It is ridiculous enough to leave rationality and irrationality behind! Doesn’t the primary goal of you grimoires involve existence itself? Even if it is a dead end, what is the meaning of shattering the material world itself?”

- You misunderstand.

“What?”

- My description hasn’t ended yet, User. I tried to explain the concept of the heavenly demon, but I never said that the heavenly demon is the same as Māra-pāpīyas.

Theo escaped from the hell of despair, closed his mouth, and listened to the explanation.

-I’ll explain it in a manner easy to understand. Heavenly Demon is the name of the project, not the name of a specific entity. Lust started this project when she thought she exhausted all possibilities of this dimension and concentrated all resources on the birth of one creature.

“Not the ultimate creature?”

- The goal itself is the ultimate creature. However, the problem is the probability of success. The heavenly demon will be born from the failure of the ultimate creature.

The failure of the ultimate creature was the heavenly demon. Theo’s complexion was currently slightly better than before, but it was still pale. He didn’t have to fight a fearful threat like Māra-pāpīyas, but the threat was bigger than he had imagined. This was a monster that would be reborn as a great god in other dimensions! He didn’t know how much resources Lust had collected, but it would be a threat to the entire material world.

He paused, “Wait, then that means Lust knows that failing will create the heavenly demon?”

- That’s right,?

Gluttony replied without any hesitation.

-?But even failures provide data. Lust will give up this dimension to the heavenly demon project, analyze the defects of the created heavenly demon, and send it onto the main body. The large-scale mutation of the East Continent is just a process of supplying materials to complete the heavenly demon.

“Dammit! That’s the only reason for killing billions of people?”

- Common sense and ethics are meaningless concepts for grimoires.

Theo’s teeth ground audibly. He suppressed his boiling rage and admitted that his way of thinking was too normal. A grimoire could sacrifice the population of the entire continent for one experiment, like burning down an entire mountain to kill a flea. Intelligence and logic were just a small breakwater in front of the madness that sought to fulfill the purpose of their existence.

“... We must stop the birth of the heavenly demon itself.”

- That’s correct.

There was nothing more foolish than waiting for the enemy to prepare. Every time Theo breathed, his spent magic power recovered. The presence of the 9th Circle meant communication with the world. He only needed an hour to reach his peak state. He had already learned a few tricks with the Heavenly Sword and found ways to apply it to ultimate magic. If Theo could fully control the two artifacts that he was still unfamiliar with, he would be half a notch stronger than he was now.

“Gluttony.”

If he knew himself and the enemy, then he could fight and win a hundred times. So, to prepare for any unforeseen events, Theo consulted Gluttony.

“Teach me about the common strengths and characteristics of the heavenly demon.”

- Okay. The heavenly demon has a physical ability close to the limit of the genetic factors that make up its body. It also possesses an absorption capacity resulting from incomplete spiritual scars, as well as transcendent power. This means it can eat a soul without a physical substance just by touching it and also eat any creatures killed by its hand…

Theo’s blue eyes stared at the wind that started to swirl while he listened to Gluttony. It was because he felt that an unbelievable wind was blowing.

***

Wohhhhhh!

At Hyungkang Castle, a castle approximately three hundred kilometers to the northwest of the Baekun Mountains, a fierce battle was raging. The monsters had scented the survivors and had been swarming the mountain for three days and nights. Their corpses piled up nearly half the height of the castle, and things were starting to look more difficult.

If it wasn’t for one man, Hyungkang Castle would’ve already become a feast for the monsters. The middle-aged man jumped into the frontlines sword in hand, raising the morale of the soldiers with a loud voice, “If you are alive, swing your swords! Don’t give our families to these monsters! I will join you along with the rest of Hyungkang Castle!”

Chwaaaaak!

The aura blade, which was called an energy sword in the East Continent, sliced through the necks of the monsters. The soldiers almost looked like the armed forces of ancient times.

Not yet, not yet. We can buy two more days if we keep holding on.

However, despite his energetic behavior, Wichung’s eyes were sober. He was a superhuman who was beyond the limits of humanity, a swordsman who reached the level of a master. Yet, he hadn’t caught a wink of sleep in three days, and his body felt as heavy as a wet cotton pad.

He felt the responsibility and pride of being a leader. But he had two pillars to support him.

- Castle Lord, please take a few steps back.

He immediately sprang backward as a blue lightning bolt struck a monster a few feet in front of him. Wichung kicked the body of a monster, which had been turned into charcoal, and glanced up. He couldn’t afford to perform a sound transmission, but if it wasn't for their timely assistance, he would’ve fallen a few hours ago. This battlefield teetered on the edge of a cliff.

... No, it would’ve been over a long time ago if it wasn’t for these women.

After breaking a leopard variant in two, Wichung squinted at those who were supporting the front lines from a distance, the foreign magicians who resembled fire and ice. It had been absurd when the two beauties first arrived as reinforcements, but that had only lasted a few seconds. The silver-haired woman with the cool atmosphere couldn’t promise victory or defeat, but the woman with blazing hair was overwhelming.

They called themselves the Blue Tower Master and Red Tower Master, and they were the last bastion of this castle.

Kwaaaaaaah-!

One, two, three... Eight flaming pillars razed the battlefield, burning the monsters in the area into handfuls of ash. It was a destructive power that bought a bit of time to breathe on the battlefield.

But despite casting the spell, Veronica cursed. “Shit!”

The monsters had immediately filled the gap she had scorched into the mountain. Where did so many cockroach-like monsters come from? Veronica had a huge amount of magic power, but even she was growing fatigued little by little. If she fought efficiently, they would lose too many troops. If she used a lot of magic spells, she would lose strength.

Sylvia… She’s still okay. It looks like she gained some experience from the northern war. Blundell trained a reliable talent.

The monsters rushed in Sylvia’s direction once again. Veronica punched out before inhaling deeply, intentionally using as little power as she could. It was the first time a Dragon Breath had been seen on the East Continent for thousands of years.

―――――――――――――!!

The incandescent glow that emerged from Veronica’s lips ripped through all the monsters within a hundred meters of her. It wasn’t as powerful, but it was more than the monsters could handle.

A hundred meters, two hundred meters, three hundred meters… As the variants near the castle ceased to exist, cheers calling for her rang out all over the castle.

“Goddess! Goddess!”

“The Goddess of Fire has done it!”

“Don’t turn your eyes away, you idiots! Move quickly so that the goddess can rest!”

Veronica chuckled as she took a few steps back. They had grown on her after a few days of sharing life and death. She had used a significant amount of her magic power on Dragon Breath, but the soldiers should be able to handle the rest. However, if the number of variants kept increasing, it would be a tough battle by noon tomorrow.

[You are good, woman.]

A voice was all the warning she got.

Kaaang!

She lashed out with a fist, and sparks flew as it collided with the enemy. The shock waves that emanated caused the ward around the castle to ripple, pushing the passing wind away. It was a collision of two forces that was closer to a bomb than a conflict of powers.

Veronica realized that the enemy wasn’t pushed back and interest filled her golden eyes. “... That’s my line too. You’re quite decent, aren’t you, white cat?”

The monster that resembled a white tiger let out a low roar.

[Know who you are speaking to, exotic woman! It is enough that We have to come personally to pay you a visit when We carry the blood of a sacred creature. We will punish you a hundred times over!]

Veronica raised an eyebrow, “We? So tomcats also use the royal we?”

[―This bitch!]

Kuhuhuhung!

The air seemed to become heavier. Fear was a presence exuded by top species that weighed on the minds and bodies of their targets. Veronica was inwardly amazed at the Fear, while she was smiling outwardly. There was no species in the world that could apply Fear to dragons.

“Why, kitty? Nyang nyang, do you want to play with this sister?”

[Maybe your tongue will stop flapping when We cut it off!]

Finally, as it stood on two legs, the monster who awakened the power of the sacred creature, the White Tiger, unveiled its identity.

[We, King Hodae, will kill you! Regret your fearless tongue before the great king!]

“King? King? Are you the leader of these crooks?” Veronica just giggled. “Okay. It is good to know that I just have to kill you.”

Flames erupted around her body as Veronica formed two fists. “Bring it on, kitty. I will give you a present.”

[―Kuwooong!]

The literal dragon and tiger fight began.