Book Eater

Chapter 379: Through Adversity and Towards the Stars (3)

“...!”

Theo was at a loss for words. Just the absurd alias, Planet Buster, gave him a little insight into how fearsome Wrath was. Anyone with a little bit of knowledge about astronomy would agree. Magicians exploring the laws of the world had already known for centuries that the material world was just a massive celestial body, and it could be deduced that every star shining in the night sky was tremendously huge. As the study about celestial bodies continued, the magicians came to understand the greatness of the stars.

「 The ground we live on is just the shell of a star! 」

The ground surface with an altitude of 0 meters and the bottom of the deepest sea were just the skin of a star. The fall of a mountain or the breaking of the sea into two rivers might seem like the wrath of a god to mortals, but transcendents would realize that it was merely a scratch on the planet’s surface. The same was true for creating typhoons that would sweep over the whole world, destroying the crust of the continent and exploding all volcanoes.

“A grimoire that can destroy stars exists?” Theo muttered in a disbelieving voice. “No way.”

The thickness of the material world’s crust was several hundred kilometers. The mantle that existed below that, beyond mortal perception, was thousands of kilometers in thickness, followed by an outer and inner core of enormous energy.

The laser Fafnir had fired in the past had penetrated through a few kilometers of ocean and pierced the crust for a few hundred kilometers. However, the material world’s crust was at least six thousand kilometers in depth.

It was nothing more than a cat scratch.?

That laser would have obliterated several kingdoms, but it couldn’t penetrate more than two percent of the world. It would need to be sixty times more powerful to destroy a star at minimum. Even then, it wasn’t certain. The durability of a planet became stronger with every kilometer one dug. Putting aside the thousands of kilometers of mantle, the rotating core emitted an enormous magnetic force, blocking almost any energy interference. It couldn’t be broken with six hundred times the power, let alone sixty.

- I know that User can’t accept this easily. However, my words are true. Wrath is a weapon used to destroy any world that threatens our Seven Sins. Even the Dragon’s Paradise, which was dozens of times larger than this star, couldn’t bear the power.

“Dragon’s Paradise?”

- It was the dimension where dragons lived and where the dragon god, Bahamut, and his kin nurtured and managed the dragons of every dimension. It was also a dimension where the dragons gathered in the millions.

Theo’s eyebrows raised slightly at the interesting story.

-Maybe if Bahamut and his kin had gathered their strength at the same time, they could’ve prevented it. But the moment the dragon god left to manage another dimension, Wrath fell and the planet shattered.

“... Gluttony, I want to ask one thing.”

- What?

It was hard to be more surprised than this. Theo’s expression calmed. “Wrath is referred to as a comet? What the hell is its size that it can exert such a ridiculous destructive power?”

He was well aware of the destructive power of a meteorite. No, he thought he was well aware. The ultimate summoning spell was to call an asteroid from outer space. The remains of the Grand Canyon had been caused by a few pieces of meteorites dropping in the Age of Mythology.

Nevertheless, the destructive power of Wrath was well beyond those spells. Even if all life in this material world were extinguished, the power to collapse the star itself couldn’t even be imagined.

- Three kilometers.

Now, Theo could imagine it and feel despair.

- It is three kilometers in diameter and made of a special metal. Wrath ignores the laws of physics, and is immune to space-time magic. It accelerates using a built-in engine and increases the penetrating power with rotation. Once it reaches the core of the planet, it absorbs and amplifies the core’s power, becoming a supernova.

“...”

- The special metal isn’t present on this planet and has been altered to not respond to any solvent. It collects information on the technology and resistance of the civilizations remaining on the planet from the Seven Sins and then pushes forward with more power.

That was truly a metal star. Studies showed that a stone-like meteorite around one kilometer in diameter could reset civilization upon impact. What about a meteorite three kilometers in diameter, made out of a special metal and had various powers? It was hard to picture because the numbers were so huge, but Theo paled.

This… It can’t be blocked, even if we had hundreds of transcendents.

It would be a doomsday.

- Cough! Well, don’t despair. I have thought about a way out.

“What?!” Theo raised his head just as he was about to despair.

- It isn’t possible to stop the fall of Wrath itself, but it is possible to affect the timing and power of the impact. I can delay the impact by using the purpose of my existence as an excuse and reduce its power to the point of only reducing civilization. If you make a shelter prior to the arrival and evacuate your people, there won’t be a problem.

“My people? Who else?”

-If you design a large shelter, you can protect as many as you want. However, I wouldn’t recommend it. As the number of people who know about the threat of Wrath grows, Wrath will recognize it as an increase in resistance and increase its destructive power. I can’t do anything about it either.

Theo gritted his teeth instead of asking a question. Sometimes he forgot that Gluttony was also a grimoire. It didn’t care if humanity was destroyed or if a star was damaged. As long as it fulfilled its purpose of existence, it didn’t care if the world collapsed tomorrow. For Gluttony, the value of the whole human race wasn’t worth a single grimoire.

... No, wait a minute.

At that moment, a light went off in Theo’s head.

“Gluttony! Wrath exerts its power on the basis of the world’s technology or resistance?”

- That’s right.

“Then if only I am aware of the approach, will it remove most of the power to reset civilization?”

- ... User, what are you thinking??

Gluttony responded cautiously, but it was obviously implying affirmation. Of course, it was too difficult and close to impossible, but…

“Listen to me.”

Theo didn’t speak for long. He hadn’t fleshed out his idea in its entirety, but the crux was clearly visible. Once Theo was done explaining, Gluttony was silent for a moment.

- I have to ask something. User, are you sane?

Theo grinned. “I am sane. More than ever.”

- User’s plan is a gamble of pure foolishness. I would rather you be crazy.

“But is the idea sound? Is it possible or not?”

This time, a few minutes passed before Gluttony responded heavily,

- It is possible, though the odds are low enough to be meaningless.

“That’s enough.”

If it wasn’t a dead end, it could be overcome. Theo had always found the way through with that belief. He sighed in relief as he asked, “Did you say you can delay the impact? What is the maximum time you can buy?”

- Considering the location at the present time and its speed... Four months. Three thousand and forty eight hours. The error range is eight hours and thirteen minutes.

Theo nodded and muttered, “... It won’t be easy. I have to hurry.”

There were four months before the world was destroyed. It wasn’t long, but there was a lot he could do in four months. After finishing his conversation, he opened his two clenched fists. Long shadows stretched out in the sunshine outside the window. Theo was silent as he stared at the shimmering shadows of the willow leaves.

***

After three days of talking, the first round of negotiations was completed. Japan wanted farmland, which was scarce compared to its population, while the remnants of the empire, centered on the Fairy Dance Lee family, wanted an easy to defend area with fortresses.

Meltor would preempt some gold mines, land, and so on in exchange for strength.

Time is already flowing like this.

Once both sides reached a satisfactory conclusion, Theo realized it was time to return. He spoke with Lee Seol before leaving, “The secondary and tertiary groups will assist with the cleanup. Do you understand?”

Lee Seol held a scroll with his signature on it and answered with a bright smile, “Yes, Theo! Leave it to me!”

Despite having lost her country, the Fairy Dance Lee family could be said to have gained the greatest benefit from this catastrophe. Theo had used their home as the starting point for a large-scale magician force, and the power of the combat unit led by Lee Joonyoung was stronger and more trustworthy than any refugee group. They were an organization that was temporarily taking on the role of a country, so they could help the refugees the best.

“Yes, I believe in you.” Theo patted Lee Seol’s head before turning toward the space gate.

The personnel who were to accompany him had already been arranged. Theo saw one of them and said softly, “White Tower Master, who are you putting in charge of this base?”

“Elder Hesel of the Red Tower and Elder Ole of the Blue Tower are co-heads. There are some differences in personality, but I gave them the same authority. They should coordinate well.”

“I understand.”

Orta knew the members of each tower well enough to put the right personnel in the right place. Theo nodded without saying anything more. Orta wouldn’t be leaving for long anyway. After reporting to Kurt, Orta would return to the East Continent to remain in charge.

.

So Theo handled the last issue. “Suzuka.”

“Yes, descendant of the founder,” Suzuka politely replied.

“Shuten-doji won’t break his promise with me, but I don’t know about the rest of the yokai. In case of an emergency, you should place onmyōjis around the mountains where they are isolated.”

“I will do as you say.”

“Ah, and...” Theo pulled out a mirror. “Take back the Eight Mirrors and keep it in Seimei’s shrine. It is something that has no relationship with me.”

Suzuka bowed. “T-Thank you.”

“The Eight Jade Magatamas were shattered completely, and I have a use in mind for the Heavenly Sword. I’m sorry I can’t give them back.”

It wasn’t entirely as he said. His foresight told him that the Eight Mirrors weren't necessary in the fight against Wrath but the Heavenly Sword would be. However, there was nothing to say about the Eight Jade Magatamas that had broken in the fight with the heavenly demon.

Rather than being saddened, Suzuka just bowed deeper. “No. We aren’t blind to the wisdom of Founder Seimei, and he entrusted the three artifacts to you. Please give me whatever you want.”

“I’m thankful for your words. Give my well wishes to Nobutsuna.”

“... Be well.”

After the conversation with Suzuka, Theo approached his colleagues in front of the space gate. Veronica and Orta could open it, but only Theo could jump between continents without any ill effects. Theo touched the magic crystal attached to the space gate.

「 Central Tower, Opening Warp Gate No. 1. 」

A dazzling glow emanated from the space gate.

Hwaaak!

A familiar landscape could be seen beyond the gate. The research tower of the central tower, the facility designed and built by Theo, was waiting for its owner’s return. Theo took one step ahead of everyone else and entered the space gate.

“Let’s go back.”

... To the magic kingdom of Meltor.