The Book Eating Magician Chapter 257:
Chapter 257 – Receptacle of Solitude (2)
‘It’s coming . ’
It had eight tails, so he naturally called it Eight-Tails . Theodore’s super sensitivity read its actions ahead of time, but he didn’t move and focused on the Eight-Tails’ movements .
Eight-Tails’ human form might’ve already been lost, but the power wriggling around Eight-Tails’ tails was close to eight circles . Theodore would suffer a serious injury if he was hit by them . Likewise, the movements of the two spirits became more cautious .
Five or maybe ten seconds later…
In a state of maximized concentration where the concept of time was forgotten, the two spirits and one magician witnessed the same sight . The black tails shook . Left to right, right to left… Theodore was shocked as the waving tails created an illusion .
“What…?”
Then the eight tails were suddenly right in front of him .
Puhwaaak!
It moved at a fast speed . Theodore was able to respond to this speed due to his previous experiences of dealing with opponents who had tremendous speeds . Otherwise, his breathing might’ve been cut off by this .
The six shields Theodore reflexively created were shattered, while he took four steps in this gap and quickly moved his hands .
Fairy Dance’s Direct Transmission .
Four Major Hidden Techniques .
Moon Breaking through the Clouds .
Ether coalesced together like clouds, and the hidden technique, Moon Breaking through the Clouds, showed an absolute defense when being hit by an attack from the front .
Theodore paid attention to the tails and realized why he had been surprised . Eight-Tails wasn’t simply moving at a fast speed . It used the gap when they were dazzled by the movements of its tail to narrow the distance using footwork .
‘Kuk, it isn’t merely a strong monster…!’
It might’ve been only for 10 seconds, but his arms were numb from blocking the attack . Theodore clicked his tongue at the destructive power, while the tails struck 10 times per second .
Jeeeong! Jjang! Chaaeng!
Eight-Tails struck from above and then the side . Each blow was heavy and fast like it would break Theodore’s bones . Theodore deflected all the attacks and counterattacked in the gaps . However, there were moments when the enemy’s destructive power was too strong, and he couldn’t strike back . He had to focus on defense . Otherwise, his arms would be crushed in a flash .
It was an extreme strength that could overwhelm steel . Above all, the eight tails were attacking the two spirits as well as Theodore . The monster born of solitude was able to overwhelm three master-level people .
However, they wouldn’t be pushed so easily .
‘Fire!’ Theodore narrowly cast a spell through a gap . Even if his opponent was a monster, it was still a disadvantage for them to be hit at close range . The magician’s magic power eventually appeared as attack magic .
“Inferno!”
When the maximum output was used, 7th Circle magic could burn an entire village to ashes . A storm of fire flowed from Theodore’s left hand and instantly hit three tails of darkness, momentarily pushing the darkness away .
It was possible to destroy three or four tails . However, Theodore’s bright expression disappeared the moment he saw Eight-Tails’ suspicious movements .
Dhanyata… Ohm… Vajra… There was an unknown and meaningless murmur, a monologue that was strange for a monster without any intelligence . Yes, it was like a magician’s chanting .
“This…!”
Theodore prepared a spell, but he was one step too late .
Sva…ha!
As soon as the cry emerged, the darkness in the vicinity sprang at Theodore . This was a shaman’s curse .
There were countless types of curses, ranging from those that rotted the flesh, curses that poisoned the air, and curses that burned the caster’s opponent . Unlike magic, there were several curses which couldn’t be prevented, so Theodore couldn’t be careless .
‘Dammit! It is such crude shamanism!’
Most shamans separated their magic power into a three-circle system, or maybe a four-circle system . Theodore’s hairs rose as he felt a sense of crisis from Eight-Tails’ power .
[Hoh, then should this body help you?] At this moment, Seimei took control of Theodore’s right arm . [How long has it been since I met a shaman? I am a bit dissatisfied that the opponent has little rationality, but this is sufficient . ]
“W-Wait a minute!”
[Don’t delay! I have to take care of this quickly!]
Amidst the heavy rain of curses pouring at him, Seimei started to form unknown characters with his right hand . Theodore was able to recognize some of them, but there were many he didn’t know .
However, the remarkable thing wasn’t the variety of characters but the speed at which they were being made . There were at least three to five characters per second, so the change in hand gestures had to be praised . The phenomenon that resulted from it transcended Theodore’s common sense .
‘T-The curses were scattered?’
[Of course . Daring to use curses in front of this Seimei… I will make that ugly body realize how stupid it is!]
Just like the sea splitting into two, the wave of curses divided around Theodore . This was proof that Seimei’s shamanism could counter all the different types of curses used . It was truly not an impossible feat for the greatest onmyōji, Abe no Seimei . If magic was an architectural technique, then shamanism was a string . A magician stacked bricks to construct a big building, while shamans used strings to knot a man’s neck .
[No matter how hard you try, the loose knot won’t be tightened . Even if the rope turns into a chain, it isn’t difficult to break if you know how . Well, it would take a few months for someone like you!]
‘…Do you have to be so patronizing?’ Theodore complained, but he still paid attention to the shaman as he couldn’t miss this opportunity . Theodore was adept at maintaining the line between life and death, so he couldn’t miss this chance before him . He had the power to overwhelm three tails at once .
Theodore took in a deep breath after finishing his thought .
「Убирайся-к-чёрту (Go aw-ay)!」 He let out a thunderous shout that couldn’t be made with a human voice .
Kwarururung!
These were Dragon Words! The power to rule this material world pushed at the space itself, and three tails flew far away . It wasn’t a force which could be endured . Eight-Tails abruptly bounced back hundreds of meters, while the two spirits approached Theodore to speak while panting roughly .
Only a few minutes had passed, but their fur was tinged with blood .
“I’m alive thanks to you, Human Male!”
“I wasn’t alert and almost got hit . Dangerous monster . ”
Theodore nodded and replied to them, “We shouldn’t hand over the initiative . We might not know the techniques it is using, but its firepower is three times higher than ours . We don’t have a chance if we compete in strength . We need to hit it with everything we have . ”
“I don’t know anything, so I’ll just follow you . ”
“Your words are correct for once, Tiger King . ”
Theodore was busy thinking while talking with Tiger King and White Bear . Their opponent seemed to be a mixed demon fox . Fortunately, there were only eight tails .
[Well, succeeding in nine tails would be unreasonable . A ninth tail can’t be created with such dull power . Look, isn’t the eighth tail unstable in shape? If it consumes more power or receives a serious blow, that tail will scatter immediately . ]
–But be careful . Even if it isn’t a perfect nine-tailed fox, it has eight tails and can produce the output of eight circles . You won’t be able to last for long if you face it head-on .
[Ah, one more thing . This creature has a regeneration ability that’s close to immortality . When it is blown away, don’t feel at ease . Keep hitting it until it was destroyed . ]
Seimei and Gluttony could be called the owners of a great deal of knowledge about magic and shamanism . So, Theodore hurried after hearing from the two voices . It was because Eight-Tails was coming back . Eight-Tails was close to being immortal, so how could Theodore beat it without a frontal confrontation?
Coincidentally, both people had the same answer .
-Continue to beat it up until it dies .
[Strike until it dies, and don’t get hit . ]
Simultaneously, Eight-Tails jumped toward them from far away .
■■■■■■■―――!
Eight-Tails was angry at the person who had blown it away . It was an irrational annoyance that couldn’t be understood . So, it aimed for the three uninvited guests . Going against that terrible oppression, the Tiger King walked forward .
“You want to beat me up? This time, it is my turn, Fox!”
For centuries, there had been a nucleus of mana in the mountains which had existed for hundreds of years, and the spirits that could use it freely had their own special abilities . Some spirits could emit flames stronger than lava, while some land spirits developed wings .
The Tiger King was a bit more special .
Kuweeeeeoh!
As if in response to her roar, the number of Tiger Kings increased by five, and it wasn’t an illusion . The weight of her bodies crushed the ground, and an overwhelming presence filled the surroundings .
Theodore figured out her power and gulped . ‘Doppelgangers…! Additionally, they are produced without a loss of power…’
In a flash, five more tigers surrounded Eight-Tails . The perfect physical body of the Tiger King had increased by five . Even a Seimei-level shaman couldn’t achieve such a feat, so the inherent ability of the spirits was something far removed from common sense .
“Be honored to receive death from the five tigers!” The Tiger King cried out excitedly .
Meanwhile, Eight-Tails chuckled and trembled for some reason . Then its eight tails moved in a fan shape .
“―Huh?”
“…Hey, this bastard! This is a foul!”
The Tiger King—no, six Tiger Kings cried out . Eight-Tails, whose body had increased by seven, laughed at the Tiger King, the White Bear, and Theodore, and showed off its power . It was similar to a child wanting to show their strength, rather than an evil being .
Theodore didn’t panic . Eight-Tails’ intention was certainly to ridicule the Tiger King, but in this situation, it was like a handshake . Eight-Tails was intimidating because its power alone overwhelmed the three . However, unlike the Tiger King, its power was distributed between the seven clones .
“How foolish and young . ” Unlike the angry Tiger King, the White Bear noticed this fact straight away . The White Bear moved faster than Theodore could instruct and activated his own unique ability .
It was a simple yet powerful ability—becoming giant . The White Bear was originally 4 meters in height, and he now grew to over 15 meters tall . The Tiger King was busy with the battle of nerves and didn’t notice the situation . As soon as the transformation was complete, Theodore shouted to them, “Tiger King, White Bear! Take three each! In the meantime, I will deal with the main body!”
“Uh, what? U-Understood!”
“I understand!”
It was before Eight-Tails could react . The Tiger King answered half a beat late, but the White Bear raised his arms as if he had been waiting .
His weight had increased by many times, but his movement speed wasn’t much different from before . It wouldn’t be a unique ability if his movement speed was slowed down . In that case, it would just be a simple penalty .
Theodore rushed forward while appreciating the White Bear’s unique ability . Eight-Tails’ main body and clones couldn’t be distinguished with the naked eye, but it had made a big mistake .
‘The unstable eighth tail . ’
Eight-Tails couldn’t take that tail with it when it split into several clones, so there was one Eight-Tails with one and a half tails . That was the main body . Theodore’s seven circles rotated as he rushed toward Eight-Tails .
Fairy Dance’s Direct Transmission .
Freehand First Strike Technique .
Right Fist Blast Thunder .
Then he punched out as hard as he could .