Jjeok, jejejeok.

The flames on the ground had frozen over. Blizzard was originally an advanced 7th Circle spell, so the range of this Blizzard had been reduced to a paltry ten meters. However, within those ten meters, Sylvia had perfectly reproduced a spell of the 7th Circle.

Even the flames of Muspelheim had been temporarily stilled.

“Heinz, two seconds!” Theo had predicted the result faster than anyone and pointed at the next magician to continue the chain.

Knights were very familiar with group battles, but it was often impossible to coordinate a group without specialized training. But Theo’s supernatural senses allowed him to bridge the gap and catch the timing of the flow to conduct this chained attack.

The White Tower Superior, Heinz followed his command perfectly. “Blow, a storm! Capture the enemy!”

Precisely two seconds later, the fire giant broke free of its ice prison. But it didn’t have the luxury to enjoy its newfound liberation as a storm descended around it. The 6th Circle wind spell Vortex Prison rippled around the giant and tied it down. Vortex Prison was known to tear even high ranked monsters like cyclops to pieces.

However, that wasn’t enough to stop Laevateinn.

Kururung! Kwarurung!

There was a thunderous rumble from inside the vortex, and the storm itself started to burn as the fire giant swung its fists. Lightning flashed and shockwaves expanded as the storm ineffectually raged, but the fire giant’s strength had already surpassed that of a master and it destroyed the vortex.

However, the fire giant didn’t see what was happening to the ground.

Theo barked, “Olson!”

“Earth, hold that ungodly presence in your arms!”

The ground sank around the fire giant, and a giant wave of earth buried the fire giant before its flames could burn away the soil. Of course, the fire giant did not stay buried for long and slowly started to emerge from the ground.

Theo followed with another sharp order, “Thirty meters in the 6 o’clock direction, two seconds!”

A huge iceberg plunged from the sky to pierce through Laevateinn. The massive chunk of ice was the size of a house, and by the time the fire giant melted it away, the next spell was ready.

“Three seconds, Ordu!”

The wind shell exploded against the fire giant’s head several times.

“Forty-six meters in the 10 o’clock direction, now!”

Ice arrows poured down and tore the flames to pieces.

The spells were being chained immaculately as the next spell immediately caught the fire giant when it escaped the previous one. The immortal Laevateinn could hardly move.

The two elves watched the perfect chain and couldn’t help feeling awe. The spells themselves were incredible, but the display of ability from the person conducting this battlefield was absolutely stunning.

Without Theo, this deadlock would’ve collapsed much sooner.

Alucard murmured, “... Amazing. Isn’t this close to a prescience ability? Or a prediction ability based on experience? Either way, it isn’t an ability someone that age should have.”

Edwin nodded. “Yes, I think so as well.”

Theo seemed to have an astonishing insight for battle, combining prediction and tactical prowess. He was comfortably exerting pressure on an opponent in a manner that could only be achieved after decades of experience. Yet he seemed completely unaware of how ridiculous his actions were. He was completely focused on the battle, calculating distance, time, and variables for his enemy and allies.

Damn, are we there yet?

Theo didn’t even have time to blink. He roughly wiped away his sweat and glared at Laevateinn. It might seem like they had the upper hand, but in truth, the party was being slowly pushed back. Theo had calculated it out to be around three steps every ten seconds. Moreover, the magicians would soon run out of mana. It would be dangerous if he didn’t accomplish his objective in the next thirty minutes.

Gluttony’s advice echoed in his head.

- Despite being a grimoire, Laevateinn is not intelligent. It has an instinct, but its actions will always comply with the rules. Thus, its weakness lies in those rules.

Laevateinn’s third form was merely a transient phase for shifting from the second form to the fourth form. It was a process of offering up everything in order to burn away all life. That’s why the third form was a diffuse flame storm. However, what would happen if the second form wasn’t able to obtain the offerings and was constantly disturbed?

Exactly fifteen minutes later, Laevateinn answered this question.

***

No one in particular noticed it first, since they were all paying close attention to their opponent. After all, the target was a fire giant which could melt any metal in a moment.

The fire giant suddenly stopped struggling and curled up into a ball like a massive chrysalis. The party was instantly on guard.

As Edwin drew back his arrow carefully,

Chiiiii.

Theo felt a terrible chill run down his spine.

Death. 

Defense magic didn’t mean anything as every being in this place would die.

As soon as he felt his instincts screaming, he yelled, “Alucard!”

They would’ve all died if it hadn’t been for Gluttony’s advice, if Theo hadn’t explained it in advance in the meeting room, and if Alucard hadn’t been with them.

“Gentle water mother, El-Mare!” Alucard immediately reacted.

He was now well aware of how dangerous the third form was. The lack of offerings had considerably reduced its power, but the fire giant was still beyond anyone who was below the master level.

[Did you call?]

If it wasn’t for this occasion, the arrival of the water elemental ruler would’ve been prefaced with a rainshower that would have nourished the ground for several kilometers.

Alucard didn’t waste time on greetings. “Protect us from the mighty flames!”

[... Child of the forest, I will accept the request according to the contract,] An inorganic voice answered the call.

As soon as El-Mare spoke, a blue shield wrapped around the party. Even as the soul that governed all water, it could only endure one or two rounds of the 7th Circle Inferno. So, it was inevitable that the party would receive some punishment.

Immediately afterwards, a super heated hell unfolded.

―――――――――!!

There was no sound. A flash of light expanded as the heat drove away the air. Theo blinked away the blood flowing from his eyes as he stared at the battlefield. Muspelheim’s heat had even managed to penetrate the shield. It was a wonder they could even breathe. The elemental ruler was their only lifeline.

“... Crazy,” Theo muttered as he took in the sight in front of him. The rest of the group noticed the difference a few beats late.

“············?!”

“············?!”

Light and ash were all they could see. It was the picture of hell. No life could survive on this burning land. Air, water, and everything else needed to survive had been erased by heat and fire. The remaining vegetation on the horizon was the only comfort. If the green hadn’t entered his eyes, he really would’ve thought that the world had been destroyed.

Theo regained his calm faster than anyone else.

It’s finally coming.

As a grimoire that ate grimoires, Gluttony couldn’t eat a book which didn’t exist in this world. So it was impossible to subdue the fire giant, Muspelheim’s second form. No matter how many times it was destroyed, the infinite flames would reappear, and no one below the transcendent level could subdue it. However, from the third form onwards, Laevateinn’s body was revealed.

It was only twenty steps to the center of that fiery hell.

“A bead of light.”

The white bead shone brilliantly. It was the passage connecting the material world to Muspelheim, the reality of the grimoire which existed to destroy the world. Theo finally caught sight of Laevateinn’s body and took a step forward.

Chiiik.

“Ack!”

As soon as Theo took one step forward, his skin turned red. Despite the protection of the water elemental ruler and 5th Circle defense magic, human flesh couldn’t withstand this heat, especially if the person wasn’t a sword or magic master.

Maybe Theo would somehow survive ten steps. After that, his flesh would burn, his blood would dry up, and his bones would break. For that reason, it was Theo’s fight alone from here onwards.

“...!”

“…….!”

He had a silent conversation with his party. Someone saw him take one step and thought he should reconsider. Someone else gave him protection magic, despite it being meaningless.

Sylvia tried to catch up with him but was held back by a magician of the Blue Tower, while Edwin bowed his head in apology for not being able to help. His powers became extremely weak in a space where upper ranked elementals were ineffective.

Theo glanced at all of them before looking forward again.

Not yet… A little more. I can endure it...

He took one step, and then another. The heat peeled away his skin, but it wasn’t to the extent that he would die. His disciplined body and mind could endure this much pain. On the fifth step, his muscles started to burn. Then Theo pulled out his trump card.

Wuuong! 

Emerald light shone from the mark on his right arm and enveloped his entire body.

The national treasure Umbra. The treasure that gave its owner its abilities, including Fluidization. Umbra had the ability to ignore physical attacks, so it could handle this heat. So, after the first five steps, Theo’s body turned transparent. However, he wasn’t completely free from the heat.

Kuok...! This is outside the laws of physics...!

Muspelheim’s flames could even burn spiritual bodies. Theo took seven more steps, but the heat started to fracture his body. He managed another eight steps forward. However, in order to put it in the range of Gluttony’s tongue, Theo needed at least three more steps. It also meant that this heat would triple three times over.

Theo really wanted to run away right now, but he gritted his teeth and persevered.

Let’s go.

If he didn’t stop Laevateinn here, the world would perish. Even if a transcendent he didn’t know about showed up to stop Laevateinn, Elvenheim would still be destroyed. It couldn’t be helped if he had never started this operation, but he couldn’t forgive himself for running away when he was this close to the end.

Theo took one more step. As he patiently tried to endure the heat which seemed like it would melt through his bones, Theo started mentally complaining about someone who wasn’t there.

He complained about the White Tower Master Orta, who had declared he wouldn’t participate in this subjugation mission.