Chapter 396 – Goodbye, Dear Friend (2)

Kukukung…!

The magic power overflowing from both beings shook the earth. The outskirts of the crater collapsed, and the clouds that had just formed were torn apart again. Theodore’s eyes shone just before the collision. Due to his contact with the Akashic Records, he was able to see a few dimensions higher. It was possible for him to peek at the power of the grimoire, Gluttony who had separated from him.

‘It is equivalent to ‘me’ before entering the Akashic Records? No, the grimoire has perfect arithmetic abilities and its other functions, so I should assume it is more than that.’

Gluttony was stronger than most transcendents. It couldn’t be compared to the ones they had fought in the swamp and might be even stronger than the heavenly demon. Nevertheless, Theodore didn’t feel any fear. The reason for that was very simple.

-You will regret your stupidity, Theodore Miller! Gluttony cried out furiously and stretched out both of its palms.

Memorize.

All Slots Open.

Nonuple Keraunos.

This was the ultimate magic Theodore had created personally. Nine of Gluttony emerged at the same time. It was a destruction which could crush a mountain and tear the sky. Only one second was required to complete the nine ultimate spells. Then the world was filled with a pale light as the lightning assault began.

Kwarururung!

The surface of the crater, unstable due to the aftermath of Wrath, collapsed with a loud roar. Meanwhile, the inside of the crater started to melt quickly, and the blizzard, which had raged for many years, was blown away. White lightning flashed and changed the ions in the atmosphere. Even adamantium would evaporate. The lightning bolts of huge power struck down tens of thousands of feet. They turned the heavens and the earth upside down, making a strange mark.

It wasn’t a power that could be safely handled even by a transcendent.

-Hmm. However, Gluttony stared ahead with calm, dark eyes. It might be in the form of a human but dust couldn’t block the vision of a grimoire. The Keraunos was perfectly aimed. This was the consequence of ranged attacks, but it didn’t mean much if the attack didn’t hit directly.

“Kuwabara kuwabara.” (TL: Knock on wood, said to especially ward off lightning)

There was no doubt that Theodore had survived without getting hurt. Gluttony grunted when he heard the spell and realized what the countermeasure was. -The lightning god’s blessing. Learning to avoid lightning from me—it gives a bad taste.

“If you knew, you shouldn’t have used it. Isn’t it no different from knowing the answer to a problem?”

-…If lightning doesn’t work, how about this?

Did Gluttony want to avoid communicating? Without responding to Theodore’s friendly words, Gluttony cast two spells—Hellfire and Absolute Zero.

Just one of these great magics was enough to destroy an army. Theodore’s magic could be summed up in one word—Abraxas.

It was dangerous. Theodore had a carefree expression and moved his palm one beat late. There was no proper countermeasure to Abraxas, a magic that caused collapse. It could only be hit with a similar magic or offset. The two Abraxas clashed in the middle.

Pak!

The space burst without a sound. The power of Abraxas overlapped twice and further extended the crater. The pit with a radius of two kilometers was enlarged to a radius of four kilometers, and the light was lifted.

‘It will come.’

Shortly afterward, Theodore sensed something. He sensed that Gluttony would aim for this moment. The flash of Abraxas wasn’t a real light but part of the collapse. Creatures based in the three dimensions couldn’t recognize this light with their five senses. However, the senses of the grimoires were different from life forms. If Gluttony could observe the dimensional vibrations, he wouldn’t miss the advantage of this moment.

‘Can it do it?’

Theodore’s nerves accelerated to 0.3 seconds and gave up on this thought.

Gluttony wasn’t an autonomous maneuver-type grimoire. There was a clear limit to the ability to act independently from its contractor. Gluttony would self-destruct if Theodore just ran around without fighting. If Theodore held on until it ran out of power, would it let go of its greed?

“That would be the ideal end.”

The moment Theodore mumbled that and smiled…

Puhak!

Gluttony soared high into the sky and created a magic circle. -You have forgotten what was on your left arm…!

A strong suction force was felt from the darkened body. It was neither wind or gravity. There was only one source of the ominous pull. It was the heavenly demon’s power which was tied to Theodore’s left arm—the inherent ability of the incarnation of disaster, the Absorption Star Method.

Kiiing!

Subsequently, Theodore’s right hand shone. The moment the power of the Absorption Star Method was recognized, the management authority of the material world lent him its power. If he didn’t act soon, the world would dry up.

“No, I don’t need it.”

However, Theodore didn’t accept the power. Although Gluttony might’ve drawn a great deal of power through the Absorption Star Method, Theodore was confident enough to win at this stage. Gluttony tried to say something but realized it was stupid to give advice and shut its mouth. In any case, wasn’t this a fight where one of them might die?

-…It doesn’t matter.

Simultaneously, the entire sky was covered with a red magic circle.

“Hah.”

It was ridiculous. Theodore was speechless since he knew that these magic circles were the ultimate magic launcher. This was hard even for a grimoire. It was obvious that Gluttony’s body had collapsed from the repulsive force. However, it didn’t deal significant damage to Gluttony, since it wasn’t a real body except for the left arm.

‘At least 15… If I had to guess, there are at least 23 spells.’

Would this magic transformation have been possible during the Age of Mythology? This was the unreasonable result of adding Theodore’s abilities together with a grimoire’s computing ability. From here on, Theodore had to do well. If he made a single mistake, he would die.

-Die.

The sky was torn.

* * *

The battle after that wasn’t long, but it was fearsome enough to be reminiscent of those during the Age of Mythology. Even if all the power in this present material world were collected, it wouldn’t be able to hold against this firepower for 10 seconds. With a single lightning strike that created a cliff and a fire that ate the wind in the form of a dragon, this was a landscape where all types of natural disasters gathered in one place.

Blade of Chronos—a translucent sword was shot out at the speed of light. It was a magic that sealed any time and space it touched, a technique which sealed defense magic.

During the Age of Mythology, some magicians had sealed gods with this. It was a magic that Theodore couldn’t use even though he knew about it, yet Gluttony seemed to have grasped the logic behind it.

「Instantaneous acceleration, 132 times! 」

However, Theodore didn’t panic as he carried out his defenses. If it was an acceleration that the seal couldn’t follow, then the sealing sword would self-destruct. The translucent sword was squished and vanished. Without seeing the result, he immediately attacked with four ultimate spells.

Dimension Buster.

Immovable Fire.

Eternal Force Blizzard.

Keraunos.

As the space burst, the ultimate magic of three attributes came into play. This retaliatory attack was really bloody. If he didn’t know how to deal with it, it would be a fatal blow. Without any delay, the energy of three attributes rushed into the space which was shattered by Dimension Buster.

Theodore envisioned some of his old ideas and put into action a magic he had never used before.

「 Arcane Barrier! 」

Even so, he quickly responded to the damaged space, restoring it by transferring space from elsewhere, while the three ultimate spells of different attributes were frozen at their space coordinates. It was a unique counter skill that could only be done by Theodore Miller.

Forced Harmonization.

Of course, this trick couldn’t control the ultimate magic. Additionally, the caster was an existence with unmatched computer power—Gluttony. Theodore’s actions were just a minor intervention. Gluttony twisted the normal circuit and let it go.

―――――――――――!

Without the intervention of Forced Harmonization, the magic of three attributes couldn’t coexist. Once Theodore’s Sorcery was lifted, the three spells trapped in the same coordinates exploded. It contained significant power. Theodore took a step forward without any fear. With this, Gluttony had exhausted 25 ultimate spells. It had the initiative and would continue the one-sided offensive.

‘…Is that what you thought?’

Theodore smiled calmly and spread open his right hand.

「 Tathagata’s Hand. 」

Gluttony floating in the sky was grasped firmly.

-Kuk?

Gluttony’s black body froze as it was squeezed by the space around it. It tried to use space movement or time acceleration, but nothing worked. This magic had never been seen in the history of this material world! Theodore revealed the trick as Gluttony watched him with astonishment.

“Don’t be surprised. It is a power for a one-time use—the ability of a top-level deity that can’t be escaped.”

It was a technique used by the Great Sage, the Equal of Heaven. Theodore himself would have no way of escaping. Meanwhile, Gluttony was using the Absorption Star Method and was treated as an eternal presence, making the binding force ten times stronger.

-A magician relying on this trick instead of magic…!

“Didn’t you cover for your lacking magic with the Absorption Star Method? How about you surrender? Take a look at the seal.”

-Trivial nonsense! Gluttony fiercely shook off Theodore’s goodwill. -I will dissipate the strength of this seal. If I disassemble it with the Absorption Star Method and use it as my strength…!

“So… you still haven’t seen it?” Theodore appeared behind Gluttony’s back with a single space movement and reached out without hesitation.

Yin and Yang Binding—it was the same technique as Seimei’s, but the intentions were a bit different. Seimei had been just a piece of a soul and he had been prepared for his extinction. However, it wasn’t as difficult for the present Theodore. He took a part of his soul and made it into a string, then he tied it around Gluttony’s left forearm.

Seook.

Theodore cut if off just like when he cut off his own arm.

“I won’t miss this time.”

-Kuk…!

Theodore personally demonstrated the magic to Gluttony. He put a ‘time-binding sword’ into Gluttony’s left foot. The translucent sword sealed Gluttony to the spot. Actually, Theodore had been able to do this from the beginning. He could have overpowered Gluttony without giving it a chance to resist. However, Theodore had let this unnecessary fight go on.

“…Hey, my friend.”

It was the companion who had been with him for dozens of years, the existence that had raised the dunce of Bergen Academy to become the strongest magician of this material world… Theodore had known this would happen. He was confident in this fight. Still, he arrived at this moment due to his heart. For him who had seen another dimension, his past self was nothing. Theodore just mourned that the end was coming and dragged out the fight.

“…”

It wasn’t too late even now. He could sign the contract and go back to the previous state. Sadness and foolishness burned up inside of him. Theodore swallowed down these thoughts.

“I won, Gluttony.” There was remorse in Theodore’s voice.

Gluttony was silent and didn’t respond for a few seconds.

-Yes. Before long, it replied in the same voice as always, -…It is my defeat, Theodore Miller.