The Book Eating Magician - Chapter 165

Chapter 165

Chapter 165 – Heaven, Earth and Human Test (3)

The fourth one who appeared was Aquilo . The ruler of the ocean, she emotionlessly created a coin-sized hole in the middle of Theodore’s face .  Who was the fifth person? It was Randolph Clovis . Theodore still remembered the two swords slicing his neck .  The sixth time he died was because of Pride’s claws, and the seventh death was when he was torn apart by the arrow of Elvenheim’s guardian, Edwin .

He didn’t continue counting after that .

‘Now, how many times… have I been killed…?’

10 times, 20 times… At the very least, it was more than his body could count . The face of the opponent changed every turn, but he always died a meaningless death .

The manner of killing Theodore was truly diverse . Some people were close to him, while there were others whom he had a hostile relationship with . They never spoke a word of greeting and attacked him with dull expressions .

Understandably, the result was 100 defeats .  Those who appeared in this space were some of the hardest people to fight, especially in a situation where his hands and feet were bound . Moreover, Theodore had faced them at least 100 times .

Theodore stared at the new enemy before him with dark eyes .

“Randolph . ”

The sword master was holding his double swords in a familiar stance .

This was the third time . With a weary look, Theodore updated the number of times Randolph had appeared in front of him . This space didn’t seem to only embody ‘enemies’ from Theodore’s memories, nor did it invite anyone stronger .

No, even if he’d met them, this space seemed to exclude people whose abilities he didn’t understand . As evidence of that, the members of the empire’s Seven Swords, Pan Helliones and Lloyd Pollan, didn’t appear .

‘The order of appearance is random or irregular, but the number of people is 11 . They are all people who can beat me . ’

Despite experiencing death more than a hundred times, Theodore was still calmly thinking of answers . There was heavy fatigue in his eyes, but his spirit was too strong to stop him from thinking .

Shortly after that, Theodore thought of something and waved his right hand .  Simultaneously, Randolph’s double swords headed toward him .

Chwaack!

This time, it was Theodore’s neck . Theodore glared as his head separated from his body . It was Randolph’s super-fast Aura Ability which Theo couldn’t avoid, even if he used Umbra .  As Theo realized what had happened, he grumbled bitterly at the pain he wasn’t used to . ‘If I move even a little bit, will it start?’

At the next moment, Theodore stood in the white space again .

“……” He barely suppressed a scream .

Theodore confirmed his next enemy with bloodshot eyes .  It was the beauty, Veronica . Theodore hadn’t moved yet, so she just watched him from afar .  Of course, his life would fly away once he moved even a finger . It was valuable time for Theodore to take a break from dying .

Theodore needed to think . He needed to think of a way to achieve victory .  However, Theodore trampled on that hope . ‘It is impossible . ’

Regardless of whether he challenged it a hundred times or a thousand times, it was impossible . If he continued to challenge with the 0% chance of winning, he would lose everything .  Additionally, Gluttony and some of Theodore’s bigger abilities were sealed, leaving Theodore as a 6th Circle magician with excellent abilities . There was no chance for him to beat a master .

‘I am still helpless against brute force . ’

Theodore thought he had become much stronger in the meantime, but he still couldn’t escape the days when he had been stuck in the academy’s library .

This was his fate . These were the clutches of violence which he couldn’t escape with hard work and effort . He had died more than 100 times while searching for breakthroughs, but there was only one solution left in Theodore’s mind .

It was to declare that he gave up on the ‘Heaven Test’ .  Even the great shaman, Seimei, wouldn’t be able to stop Gluttony .   Theodore’s power had been sealed before the ‘system’ accepted this test . However, if he gave up on this test, he would be able to escape from the cycle of death that Seimei created . Theodore could avoid pointless deaths .

Instead, he would fight in a situation where he could win .  He didn’t need to fight when he couldn’t win .

‘What a poor way of living . ’

Theodore exhaled and said cheekily to Veronica in the distance, “Let’s do it once more, Tower Master . ”  

She might be a fake created from his memories, but the ‘strength’ which Theodore perceived didn’t differ from reality .  Maybe it due to his taunt or the way the system was set up, but…

A red comet flashed, crossing the gap of several hundred meters in seconds!

‘The timing is the same . ’

It was a straight fist filled with confidence in her strength . In eastern magic, it was taught that softness suppressed strength . However, even softness would be torn away before such power .

If Theodore tried to avoid it, his posture would be ruined by the shock wave and his breathing cut off by the subsequent attack . Theodore had fought with Veronica three times and had been killed in such a way .

However, in this confrontation, he didn’t flee from her fist .

Kwaang!

The sound was extremely loud when their fists met . It resonated through Theodore’s fist, not Veronica’s .  It was the result of countering Veronica’s fist with no errors . Even if Theo didn’t have the help of his sensory perception, his learning ability and experience meant he would succeed .

However, what was the meaning of this counter? This was Veronica’s body, which was at the level of steel without any strengthening magic . Once 8th Circle magic was added to the human body, he would be smashed into dust .

Indeed, the left arm which Theodore had used to counter the attack had already turned into bloody dust up to the elbow .

“Che, only one attac…” Theodore said as his head was smashed again .  Puhak!

It might simply be his imagination, but he seemed to see a slight smile on Veronica’s red lips before he died .

*     *     *

He didn’t think anymore .  He didn’t worry anymore .  He would no longer back down .

After Theodore formed such a resolution, his deaths occurred a few times faster than before . He didn’t last long, but he struggled to win anyway .

Peeok! In the end, he managed a punch to Randolph’s hateful face .

Chwaaaak! A thin slice was cut off from Aquilo’s tail .

Hwaruruk! He burned a few strands of Blundell’s beard and smudged the White Tower Master’s robe with dirt .

Theodore quit running away from the power he couldn’t match and repeatedly fought back . Even if he couldn’t win and died, he didn’t stop .  He didn’t fight to win . He just fought .  Theodore wished he could win, but it didn’t matter if he couldn’t . Life was always filled with unreasonable force and trials . He wouldn’t be able to escape them if he didn’t fight .

‘One more time . ’

It might be a meaningless struggle, but Theodore fought on .

‘Once again . ’

He would’ve quit the academy a long time ago if he were the type to give into despair . Unfair talent, unfair fate… Human’s lives weren’t fair, and a person should realize this .  Theodore’s steps would only slow down if he despaired . The heavens ignored any complaints, and talking to someone… even that effort might be meaningless .

‘Not… yet!’

He still had to try . Those who didn’t stop moving their feet until the end of their lives were entitled to say ‘fuck you’ to the heavens .  Adapting to fatalism was the role of a priest, while it was the fate of a magician to explore the world and deny a certain life . The ones who resisted until the end was examples of magicians .

However, Theodore was soon forced to stop .  It was due to the ‘monster’ who appeared when his number of deaths surpassed 200 .

“Isn’t this a little too much?” Theodore didn’t want to sound weak, but anyone watching this situation wouldn’t be able to blame him .

With white scales which glowed with a bright light, it was the apostle of destruction…

Fafnir .

The being who had erased the 5th stage Pride in a single blow appeared before Theo . Since this was a spiritual world, there was nothing to be burned by its heat . However, it was obvious that Fafnir would use the ‘laser . ’

Meltor’s magicians—no, all the magicians in the world wouldn’t be able to defend against it even if they concentrated their defense magic together . This was a death which couldn’t be resisted .

‘Well, I will try it once . ’

Theodore would die anyway . When else would he get a chance to attack an ancient classed dragon? Theodore rotated the six circles to the maximum that his heart could endure . The difference in strength… he knew it better than anyone else .

Even so, he prepared to fight .

――――――――――――!

As the light of destruction was about to strike its target…

「It is up to here . 」

The world stopped .

Jjak jjak jjak!

Theodore heard the sound of applause ring out from somewhere . He released the almost completed defense spell and looked in that direction .  There was only one person who could intervene in this situation . It was Abe no Seimei, the one who had created this space which had killed him endlessly .

That damn person was clapping . “Brilliant . ”

“…Do you not want to see my unsightly corpse anymore?” Theodore asked coldly .

Unlike Theodore’s cold tone, Seimei said with a genuinely admiring expression, “It isn’t unsightly . ” Then he continued, “The Heaven Test is a trial that reveals how a person copes with a fate that can’t be fought . …To succumb, compromise, give up… or decide not to stop resisting until the end . ”

That’s right . As Abe no Seimei said, the Heaven Test presented opponents and situations where Theodore couldn’t win . He’d competed with monsters with his bare body, and he’d constantly experienced the trauma of death, wearing down his spirit .

The essence of a person would be revealed in circumstances where they were pushed to the edge of a cliff . When faced with true despair, it turned out that he had the proper qualifications to be a hero .

In that sense, Theodore was graded with 1,000 points out of 100 .

“You pass, Theodore Miller . I will give you some gifts, as well as the knowledge you want . ”

“What…?”

The system messages popped up before Theodore could get a reply .

[You have passed the ‘Heaven, Earth, and Human: Heaven chapter . ’]

[You have completed all stages perfectly . ]

[The proficiency of the skill, ‘Art of Onmyōdō,’ has been adjusted to the highest level . In order to avoid conflicts with your existing circles, I recommend a gradual absorption . ]

[‘Ring of Muspelheim’ and ‘Aquilo’s Blood Mark’ have been integrated . ‘Artificial Yin and Yang’ has been formed . The power of the two imprints are stronger than before, and they will respond more obediently to the user’s will . ]

[The user’s capacity has expanded through an unknown intervention . Confirming mental power… Confirming amount of magic power… The conditions for ‘Transcendence’ has been met, it will be fulfilled . ]

[After 20 seconds, you will sleep for 168 hours . ]

“What does this mean?” Theodore was perplexed by the bewildering message windows .

Seimei waved his fan and replied happily, “Well, I just helped balance it . You showed me something nice after a long time, so I should do something good . ”

“Please explain properly!”

“Can I explain it all in 20 seconds? Just think about it while sleeping . ” Seimei’s words weren’t wrong .

There was a limited number of words which could be spoken in 20 seconds, and Seimei’s knowledge would be more metaphorical descriptions .  Additionally, Theodore’s mind was exhausted from dying hundreds of times . His hand stretched out to try and grab Seimei, but his knees collapsed .

‘D-Dammit…’

As Theodore’s consciousness faded, Seimei’s voice sounded like a mountain echo, “I hope someday you will be able to grant my request . But maybe you’ll need 10 more years, huhahaha!”

“……”

“I will give you one more piece of advice . ” Seimei’s playful tone was gone, and the last advice he gave engraved deeply into Theodore’s mind . “If you go to the eastern continent, never approach the capital in the center . If you have to go, only try it after you have reached full transcendence . ”

Before Theodore could respond to the advice, the heartless voice of the system broke the communication between Seimei and Theodore .

[From this point onward, you will sleep for 168 hours . ]