The Book Eating Magician

Kraaack!

Eight-Tails was hit in the face and thrown back. It might be different with a proper defense, but the creature couldn’t be calm after being hit in the face. This was even more so after it had dispersed the power of six tails.

It was true that its durability was different from a human’s, but this fist could even crush a rock. Eight-Tails trembled from the unfamiliar pain and stared at the worm that hurt it. Then Magic Bullet aimed like a Thunderbolt at Eight-Tails’ tattered eyes.

Kyaaaak!

No matter how strong the body, the durability of the eyes was inevitably weaker than other areas. The pain was like a heated poker burning on its head. Theodore didn’t slow down as he watched Eight-Tails roll around on the ground.

“Be a sword, fire of purgatory.”

Theodore finished the chant for a spell. This was the purgatory sword that had cut the 4th stage Pride previously, the application of attack magic which Veronica had used in the distant past.

“Infernal Blade!”

A flame sword was summoned, distorting the surrounding air. This flaming sword could cut any substance which existed in this material system. Eight-Tails instinctively sensed the danger and raised its body.

This was 7th Circle fire magic—destructive compressed black flames. A hit in the head would be a serious injury that couldn’t be easily recovered even with Eight-Tails’ regenerative power. Theodore held the flaming sword and rushed toward Eight-Tails.

Hwaruruk!

Swordsmanship wasn’t needed; he just swung along the path that Eight-Tails moved. The flaming sword which burned everything in its way was powerful enough by itself. If Eight-Tails tried to avoid the flames, Theodore would use magic or fists to obstruct it.

Kwarurung!

A lightning bolt struck Eight-Tails, then a mace-like fist hit its staggering body. This time, the impact struck Eight-Tails’ stomach, and it spurted blood out. In fact, a human would die from this wound 10 times over, but it wasn’t enough to fatally wound Eight-Tails.

Theodore closely observed the situation with a grim expression. ‘This can’t continue.’

Contrary to the appearance of the battle, Theodore wasn’t actually dominating this fight. Eight-Tails was still alive no matter how many times it was bandaged. It would be a fatal injury if Inferno Blade destroyed its brain, but Eight-Tails knew this and had desperately stopped that from happening several times already.

Moreover, that fact that a fatal wound wasn’t possible was a minor problem.

Kyaaaak!

How many times had it done this? Eight-Tails received the Magic Bullet, which Theodore had shot out, on his forearm and then rushed over.

At first, it hadn’t been able to prevent the attack, but it had now grasped the timing and could counterattack. Its lack of fighting ability was quickly being filled up by fighting with Theodore and the two spirits. Eight-Tails’ unknown shamanism, which was difficult to deal with, became more elaborate and precise.

Seimei also noticed Eight-Tails’ ability climbing.

[Ohu, a novel technique? It pushed ahead with strength at first, but now it is using little tricks.]

‘Tch, is that so?’

[Well, it should be able to hold on for a few more hours if it is like this. You need to hurry. I can’t help you if it isn’t shamanism.]

It was as he said. Eight-Tails’ strength wasn’t just shamanism. It was eating up martial arts and other unknown powers to become more mature. If they didn’t defeat it, they might inadvertently make Eight-Tails a perfect monster.

“Haap!” Thinking this, Theodore stretched out both fists.

Fairy Dance’s Direct Transmission.

Four Major Hidden Techniques.

Rain like an Axle.

It was a technique he hadn’t shown before. His fists ruthlessly pounded Eight-Tails’ face and upper body dozens of times in one breath.

Kwa kwa kwa kwa kwa!

It was truly a shower of fists! Eight-Tails’ body faced a tremendous power and was pushed back. The power of the punch was enhanced by ether, so Theodore’s fist was stronger than a mace.

Beaten at a blurred speed, Eight-Tails’ skin crumpled, while its flesh and bones burst. Still, it was unbelievable that Eight-Tails only suffered a few broken bones. It wasn’t a serious injury, despite receiving the force of the second hidden technique.

However, instead of being amazed, Theodore frowned. He hadn’t intended to just knock Eight-Tails down with this attack. Merely pushing back his opponent with this attack was something he hadn’t experienced before.

Theodore Miller was a magician, and martial arts was just a bonus. In the end, the truth Theodore believed in was magic.

‘It was theoretically perfect, but what is this?’

In fact, there were other methods to destroy Eight-Tails. He had Abraxas which could overwhelm its regenerative power. Yet there was a reason he didn’t bring out his original magic.

Receptacle of Solitude…

Theodore had observed it a few times, and the intensity of this shamanism wasn’t something that could handle magic. As soon as Theodore used Abraxas, the borders of this place would open, and the monsters would rush out. He didn’t know about Eight-Tails, but Theodore couldn’t be assured that there weren’t other offerings.

He needed to defeat this monster without giving others a chance to escape. Coincidentally, the method was already in Theodore’s hands.

‘Forced Harmonization!’

The focus of this new magic was lightning. He had been using lightning for some time and realized some facts.

The most important thing was that the human body couldn’t perfectly handle lightning’s speed. The moment that Theodore’s body became lightning, it would lose its substance and turn into a collection of currents, with most of the force being lost in his brain.

‘This was why Marquis Fergana didn’t collapse with one blow.’

If Theodore’s blow had been true lightning, Fergana’s body would’ve shattered without a trace. Of course, Theodore’s body would also be broken, so it was a one-off magic. The loss of power was in exchange for safety.

Due to this, Theodore used lightning to accelerate his thinking speed, or when he needed high-speed movements. That was enough to make it a useful skill. However, Theodore was a magician and had embarked on developing magic that surpassed this premise, and he had actually succeeded some time ago.

Giga Lightning X Ether.

Complete Integration: Thunder Giant.

If he had to name it a different way, it would be ‘Attract the Lightning God.’

Kururung! Kwarururung!

A giant made of golden thunderbolts emerged. The giant behind Theodore was 20 meters tall, but there was no sense of weight at all. It was a natural story. After all, lightning had no weight.

Guarrrrr….?

It wasn’t just Eight-Tails that was confused. Everyone present stopped to look at the giant. The Tiger King stopped biting at the clones, while the White Bear paused from where he was holding three clones to the ground. The sudden appearance of the golden giant was shocking.

The price for this short moment of surprise was fatal.

‘The human body can’t properly make lightning, but it can be copied with ether.’

The true power of this unique magic was that the power of ether and lightning moved into Theodore’s brain.

Kwaaaaang!

No one could see it. The giant moved at the same speed as a lightning body, and its fist punched Eight-Tails’ body.

‘Go!’

The golden giant moved.

――――――――――――!!!

It hit, hit, hit, and hit again. The golden giant exceeded the speed of sound, but no shock waves were created. It might be because lightning affected the air around the body. Or was it because fluid mechanics didn’t apply to the flow of electricity?

Gruesome roars rang out in succession.

The earth shook, and Eight-Tails were buried in sand as it was crushed by the fists. The destructive power was enough to ruin a body stronger than mithril. It wasn’t just the shock. There was also a huge blast that burned the bones.

100—no, it surpassed 1000 hits a long time ago. Eight-Tails’ body was thrown back 100 meters and forcefully stuck into solid rock. Theodore’s brain could only maintain this for 10 more seconds, but it would be 10 minutes of hell for Eight-Tails.

Kyaaack!

Eight-Tails couldn’t escape no matter how it struggled. A scream burst from its mouth as all its limbs were broken. Then Eight-Tails’ body bent over. It had long since gathered its dispersed power. Eight-Tails wrapped itself in its eight tails and waited for the horrible punching to stop.

At that moment…

[Oh, I see. It is possible if it is this type of technique.]

‘…What?’ Theodore’s expression subtly changed.

[Listen well. So…]

The explanation was swift. Usually, Seimei would’ve taken his time, but Theodore currently couldn’t control the lightning god. Seimei knew the seriousness of the work and didn’t act frivolously. Theodore nodded after hearing the story. He wouldn’t be harmed even if this failed.

‘Okay. Try it once.’

[Ohh! Leave it to this Seimei!]

At the same time, his right hand moved on its own. No, it was Theodore’s lips as well as his right hand.

“Alara Kalama, Uddaka Ramaputta.”

Sanskrit, the secret words of the monks, poured out of Theodore’s mouth. Naturally, it was Seimei who was chanting the spell. He had seen the situation and suggested the use of shamanism.

“Rajagaha, anuttara sammasambodhi, vesakha!”

The thunderbolts became tangled together, and the giant’s fists shone with an unknown light as it continued to hit Eight-Tails. Then the quiet Eight-Tails started trying to struggle again. Theodore didn’t know what was going on, but it was proof that it was working!

Seimei continued to move his hands as he chanted.

It was the mantra of Breaking Evil and Manifesting Good, a spell that borrowed the power of the King of Heaven who ruled over all wrongs. Although it had a different origin from the Art of Onmyōdō which Seimei used, Seimei was a master shaman capable of using the esoteric techniques.

Indra, the king of heaven and the one who controlled thunder and lightning… His lightning strikes turned all evil spirits into dust, and they could get rid of negative emotions in the human mind.

Indeed, Eight-Tails’ tails started to scatter.

Kyaack-! Kyaaack!

Did it know that its strength was disappearing? Eight Tails didn’t stop struggling even when it was hit by the giant’s power. Eight tails went down to seven, seven tails went down to six…

The power of the Receptacle of Loneliness collapsed before this technique. After five, four… and then finally three tails were left, the black tails regained their color.

‘…Gold?’

Maybe this was its true color. Theodore closed his eyes against the brilliant light, while Seimei ended the chant.

“―Svaha!”

For a moment, a golden light covered the heavens and the earth.