Chapter 404
A quiet voice announced the end of the fight.
Theodore stepped back and saw Gluttony stuck to the ground. Gluttony was caught in the 'sword that sealed time'. It had lost its Absorption Star Method and couldn't lift a finger. Though Theodore's body, which had lost its left arm, was wary of the possibility of resistance, Gluttony's artificial body had already scattered into the air.
It was literally world-shaking. The fight between the two transcendent beings had caused the earth to shake wildly, triggering a localized earthquake. In a sense, it was fortunate that this was finished now. If Theodore hadn't stopped the offensive and actually competed with the power of the management authority, the northern part of the continent would've been blown away.
Theodore closed his eyes for a brief moment and sighed deeply.
'Almost half of the restored atmosphere has been blown away again. The glacier melted from the heat, causing the sea level to rise by a few meters. It won't be fixed for a while.'
In the end, he had no room to complain. Theodore delayed thinking about reality and turned to Gluttony. The sky was crying out, and the earth was shaking. The end was approaching. Both of them knew this and didn't speak. Time pa.s.sed without a word. Eventually, the shaky ground and sky calmed down.
-Hmm. Finally, Gluttony opened its mouth and spoke calmly, -You are strong, User. You have surpa.s.sed my expectations.
"...Really?"
-That's right. You easily suppressed me without using my strength...
There was no big difference between Theodore and the heroes of the Age of Mythology. Most of them wouldn't be Gluttony's opponents unless they were like Simon Magus or Solomon.
It wasn't an exaggeration. Theodore's clone, created by Gluttony, was stronger than it was originally. From the magic power and computing power through to the overwhelming amount of knowledge and magic linkage that fired spells in seconds, Theodore's clone had been a near-universal magician.
Among the heroes of the Age of Mythology, approximately only 10 of them would be a match.
-Now you might be able to knock down Nídhöggur if he appears in the material world. Some preparations are needed but you can be born as a new G.o.d on this planet.
"I don't want to be a G.o.d."
-I know. You don't even want to overthrow Akasha's throne of omnipotence. You are such a person, Theodore Miller.
Theodore couldn't say anything. It was a strange relations.h.i.+p from beginning to end, but Gluttony was the one who best understood him in this world, even more than the family members who were connected to him by blood or his lovers.
The grimoire was a part of him that was so close he couldn't speak about love. Gluttony knew everything. It was Theodore's second soul and companion, the one who had reached out a hand of salvation to Theodore when he had fallen into inferiority.
"s.h.i.+t!"
Thus, Theodore had to hesitate. He had already wasted a few minutes on the opponent whom he could finish off with one chant. No matter how powerful the 'sword that binds time' was, he couldn't keep Gluttony in this state forever. It meant there wasn't much time left to talk.
At that moment...
-Don't hesitate, Gluttony opened its mouth before the hesitating Theodore. -Why are you so agitated? Why are you hesitating? Do you think that I've regained reason? No. This chance doesn't exist. Once the binding power is lost, I will attack again.
"I know even if you don't say this."
-You have made your choice. You didn't look at the end of all truths and decided to stay in this world. Continue to the end of this path without looking back. This is the responsibility of the winner.
"Hah," Theodore laughed bitterly at the words. 'Advising me to finish it off.'
It was really annoying that Gluttony was always right. Theodore didn't hide his heart as he spoke in a sarcastic tone, "Why don't you speak words of surrender instead of death? Why don't you ask me to seal you or something like that?"
-Will you do it if I ask?
"No."
-The result is obvious, so there is no point. You wouldn't want to see me like that either.
The penetrating words caused Theodore to bite his lips. Otherwise, a bad sound would emerge.
"...I still can't get the final word in, dammit."
-I won the argument. With this, it is 1:1?
"How funny." Theodore couldn't help laughing and realized
"―Yes, let's finish it."
The two who met must now part. Theodore realized the inevitability of this and raised his palms. He couldn't buy any more time. As his nine circles revolved and the magic power in his body boiled, a complicated magic circle rose from his palms as he spread them out. This was a magic that he had previously cast once by borrowing the power of others.
-Dimensional Banish? It is a decent way.
A Seven Sins grimoire wouldn't disappear from this material world unless the host was destroyed. What if it had a defenseless structure like l.u.s.t? As such, in order to combat the grimoire, Theodore needed to pour out firepower like he had done with Pride or to banish it from the dimension like what had happened with Sloth.
Wuuuong… The s.p.a.ce started vibrating. It was the sign that the circle around Gluttony was punching a hole in the dimension. Theodore was surprised since the speed was faster than he had expected. However, he soon realized why.
'I see. Thanks to the experience with the Akas.h.i.+c Records, it seems I have learned how to deal with dimensional boundaries...?'
Theodore's speed was two times faster than that of Simon Magus, who had spent 10 minutes to launch it. However, this didn't mean that Theodore was a magician beyond Simon Magus' level. The Akas.h.i.+c Records was the center of the most profound dimension in s.p.a.ce. After blending with it, Theodore had reached another level of dimensional magic.
-Umm… At this time, the silent Gluttony spoke up. -I have something to say... but I can't really remember. No, I don't know how to say it.
"..."
-This is the first time I've had a contractor like this... I'm sorry that I've missed a good chance. I thought I understood human emotions, but I should a.n.a.lyze it again from the beginning...
It wasn't a normal voice but a powerful one, and it sounded like a farewell rather than a complaint. Theodore bit his lips until blood flowed and focused on the magic circle. He didn't want to show an ugly appearance while saying farewell. Subsequently, the banishment magic circle was completed without any mistakes.
"Goal, designated."
The s.p.a.ce around Gluttony distorted. No, it wasn't the s.p.a.ce but the dimension. The pa.s.sage leading to the outer dimension opened its mouth, and everything inside it would disappear without a trace. The specified action of a finger snap was the key to start it. Theodore didn't hesitate to snap two fingers. He didn't look back as his friend had advised.
"Activate!"
Before his mind could hesitate, his fingers moved.
Kuuong!
Dimensional Banish—its magic circle started to vibrate at super speed. This was the preliminary work to tear apart the walls of the dimension.
Gluttony's voice was almost inaudible due to the noise. -Ah, that's right... Is this the feeling of 'regret'...? It hasn't been a long time. No, maybe that is why it is more...
Theodore didn't answer.
-Meeting a lot of people up to today... talking to them... fighting... going to sleep... The ones who left the deepest impression... most of them occupied one corner of the storage s.p.a.ce...
Again, Theodore didn't answer.
-No... this isn't what I wanted to say. Theodore Miller... you are the most mysterious of all the magicians I have contracted with... the greatest magician to the end. The journey with you... It was a special experience for me...
"..."
Gluttony's voice was now m.u.f.fled. Theodore wouldn't be able to hear it unless he focused. So, he listened quietly. His heart was whispering. Theodore couldn't miss this moment, the end of a friend he wouldn't meet again.
Jijijik!
The final step of being expelled from the dimension was completed, cutting away the coordinates designated by the magic circle and blowing it outward. Now Gluttony's voice was distorted like it was on a low frequency. -...The time that we have spent together... It, has, been, fun... Use..r.
Simultaneously, the banishment was carried out perfectly.
Syuok!
The s.p.a.ce, that had been torn off, disappeared somewhere before returning to its original state. There was a pit on the ground, like something had been dug up. n.o.body would know what had happened here just a moment ago. Theodore was the only exception.
"...Yes," the words that he couldn't suppress emerged after everything was over, "I also enjoyed it."
It was all thanks to Gluttony that he could come here. He had gained strength, fame, and people who loved him, and he had saved the world. Theodore stood before the pit and looked at the sky. Due to the fight between the two beings, strange colors swayed over the northern hemisphere like an aurora.
'Long... It wasn't long...' Theodore looked back on his journey. Gluttony advised Theodore not to look back, but it had meant for Theodore to not feel regretful.
Theodore didn't feel regretful. So, he looked back without hesitation on everything that had allowed him to reach this day.
He'd met a grimoire in a library.
He'd met a good teacher who had seen a talent he hadn't had.
He'd overcome his inferiority complex and saved his home from danger.
He'd met the elves from fairytales and survived a monster.
He'd saved the world tree, made friends, and also met an evil dragon.
He'd killed a monster, jumped over a wall, and inherited a power.
He'd made bonds in distant lands and become the hero of a kingdom.
He'd thrown down the monster behind the empire.
He'd repelled an invader from another world and become protector of the world tree.
He'd defeated a disaster on the distant continent and a threat to the world.
He'd smashed a falling meteorite and rejected all truths.
And… he'd sent away a friend.
"...Go."
How was his life? Theodore asked himself. He remembered the day it had started and how he'd met many people. There were both good and bad people, along with bargaining, fighting, talking, pointing his sword, and talking again. Theodore had developed relations.h.i.+ps with many of them.
'One day, all of them will leave me. But not now.'
By denying omnipotence, he would enjoy the happiness he held on to. As a friend of his had said, this was the right and responsibility of the winner. Theodore would follow these words.
'Let's live the right way...' Just like how he was always told. He inadvertently looked up and saw a shooting star streaking across the sky. Tomorrow would come as always.