Shoot Towards Dawn (8)

It was an elderly man holding a thick book in one hand, dressed in a robe similar to what Aun Philara was wearing. He looked at Ronan and let out a sly chuckle.

[Greetings, Ronan.]

"Vijra."

It was a horrendous voice that Ronan couldn't quite adapt to. The pressure in his chest made it difficult to breathe, and there was an evil energy in the air that he had never experienced before.

There was no need for explanations. The devil's grimoire was vividly present before him. Vijra, with a smile like a rift, spoke.

[I like it. Not only do you not bow your head, but you dare to call me by my name.]

"…That old man is Lorehon, isn't he?"

[Yes, indeed. One of the insects who dared to try and comprehend me.]

As Ronan stared at the grotesque appearance of Tower Master Lorehon, his lips twisted. Both of Lorehon's pupils were completely black, and black tears flowed down his wrinkled cheeks like ink.

'Is that the main body of that book?'

Suddenly, Ronan's gaze fell on the book held in Vijra's hand. The gigantic and thick tome, large enough to be used as a serving platter, had a sinister appearance befitting a Master of Forbidden Books.

In the center of the thick leather cover was a single eyeball the size of a fist. Vertically slit pupils were fixed on Ronan, and veins extended from the eyeball like a spider's web.

'Looks fucking grotesque.'

Ronan thought to himself. Vijra spoke up.

[I've been watching you for the past few days. You're quite interesting.]

"Why are you doing all this nonsense?"

[Sitting still and focusing on recovery is quite dull. If you hadn't disturbed me, I could have enjoyed the war between Gracia and Acalusia.]

Vijra savored his words. He boasted about manipulating Zion de Gracia to orchestrate his actions.

And he also took credit for manipulating the three sisters of Gracia. Regardless, he mentioned recovery; perhaps he weakened while he was sealed.

"What do you want?"

[I appreciate how quickly you understand. I'm starting to like you more and more.]

"You're not just going to let those people go, are you?"

Ronan pointed at Aun Philara and Eyrie, who were bound in blood-soaked restraints at the altar. Whatever method was used to restrain them was unknown, but their condition looked dire. Eyrie groaned in pain, and Vijra, with a sly smile, closed the book he was holding.

He stood up, and while he was sitting, it hadn't been apparent, but he was nearly two meters tall. Vijra extended his slender index finger to point at Ronan's chest.

[It's quite simple. Surrender your body to me.]

"Surrender my body?"

[Yes. I was getting tired of just playing with illusions. While I had some amusement in manipulating fantasies… your body might offer more interesting possibilities.]

Ronan furrowed his brow. It wasn't a proposal he was thrilled about. At that moment, the bound Eyrie spoke, gasping for breath.

"Ugh… Ronan, please don't…"

[Noisy.]

Vijra exclaimed while pointing at them with his finger. Clang! The chains that bound the two of them began to glow red, and smoke started to rise. Eyrie's scream burst from her lips.

"Ah, ahhh!"

"Ugh… don't listen… to him…"

Even Aun Philara couldn't help but groan in pain. The smell of burning flesh filled the air.

Eyrie's form flickered as if it might disappear at any moment. Ronan clenched the hilt of his sword and growled.

"Damn it, stop it right now."

[Very well.]

Vijra nodded in response. The color of the chains returned to normal, and the screams ceased. A malicious smile played on his lips.

[I propose that if you accept my offer, I will release those two little mice. Leave this tiresome tower as well. Isn't it a fair deal?]

"What if I refuse?"

[That's something you can't afford to do, as you should know very well.]

Vijra laughed. Suddenly, a powerful magic surged like a wildfire, distorting the surrounding space. In an instant, the familiar room disappeared, replaced by a vivid desert landscape. Ronan's eyes widened.

"What the… damn it."

[Do you like it?]

Gone was the dimly lit room and replaced by an incredibly realistic desert. The sensation of the gritty sand underfoot was vivid. The sunlight pouring down from above was scorching. It was so unbelievably real that it was hard to believe it was an illusion.

With a mere wave of Vijra's hand, the surroundings changed each time Ronan blinked. A rainforest with pouring rain, a snowy wilderness with ice scales, and even the Imperial capital, Barun, stretching to the horizon.

In the end, waves of flames erupted from Vijra's body, sweeping everything away. When the room returned to its original state, Ronan grimaced.

'He's a complete monster.'

He was on a different level. Even Sarante or Aun Philara couldn't compare. Ronan spat on the floor and glared at Vijra.

"Are you showing off your power?"

[It was just to show you not to be too resentful when you hand over your body. What you saw just now was the potential this bug holds.]

"Potential?"

[Yes, I sense a potential in you that is incomparable to this pile of trash.]

Indeed, as befitting someone who had even beguiled an Emperor, Vijra's arrogance knew no bounds. He confidently asserted that he could make better use of Ronan's body than Ronan himself.

While it was more like boasting than actual words, his skill was evident, so it wasn't an empty claim. Suddenly, Vijra snapped his fingers.

[Aren't you despairing enough yet?]

Bang!

Suddenly, the wall around them crumbled, revealing a larger space. The voices of the Forbidden Books, which had been silent for a while, sporadically echoed.

[Hahaha, look at his expression!]

[Once they realize their situation, humans tend to become quiet.]

Ronan's eyes scanned the surroundings. Forbidden Books of various appearances floated in the air, encircling the space where they stood.

[Lord Vijra, please hurry and take possession of that young one's body to complete your resurrection!]

Mana emanated from the wide-open Forbidden Books and was being absorbed into Vijra's body. It resembled roots supplying nutrients to a stem.

Ronan immediately recognized this as part of the previously mentioned "recovery." Vijra spoke.

[Now you understand. You have no choice.]

Vijra gloated. Ronan didn't respond, but he knew all too well that this was the most suitable situation for despair.

'This is fucked.'

Entering his second life, he faced the worst crisis yet. The disparity in power aside, the issue was the hostages.

'Is there really no other way?'

Ronan wondered, rapidly rolling his eyes. Then, amidst his frantic thoughts, something familiar caught his eye.

'Hmm?'

It was a sparkling mana, the emblem of Nebula Clazier. It had been overlooked until now, with so many things to consider. Ronan furrowed his brow in puzzlement.

'Why is that coming from there?'

Mana was flowing from an entirely unexpected source. It wasn't from Lorehon's lifeless body or the gigantic book in his hand.

'I wonder…'

In an instant, a possibility pierced Ronan's mind. It was a reckless plan, but there was no other way. Ronan, who had been spitting out curses, finally spoke heavily.

"…I'll accept your proposal."

[Excellent.]

"Be sure to keep your word. Release those two after I surrender."

[Hahaha… of course. I swear it on my name.]

"What do I need to do?"

[Just stay still. Everything will be over in an instant.]

Vijra chuckled gleefully. Ronan closed his eyes in resignation. The voice filled with joy spread in the darkness.

[Don't be too disheartened. The world will remember you for eternity.]

As Vijra approached, Ronan felt his hand on his forehead. It was the moment when Vijra began chanting a suspicious spell.

"Fuck you."

Ronan grasped the hilt of Lamancha. In an instant, as if anticipating Ronan's move, Vijra had already taken a defensive stance. It was an incredibly swift reaction. He smirked as if it wasn't particularly surprising.

[Foolish. I anticipated this as well.]

"Is that so?"

However, Lamancha's blade had been aimed at a different target from the beginning. Ronan hadn't intended to strike Vijra. He swung his sword toward the bound Aun Philara and Eyrie.

Swish!

A crimson arc pierced through the altar, deep into their waists, and blood spurted out. Both Aun Philara and Eyrie widened their eyes.

"Ro-Ronan?!"

"Why… why would you…"

"You really made it quite well. Now behave yourselves."

Ronan said, his tone indicating his annoyance. Then, the forms of Aun Philara and Eyrie dissolved like smoke and disappeared. Even though the illusion had vanished, a continuous fountain of blood and a burst of mana continued to pour forth.

Vijra, who had been clutching his chest as if he were being strangled, fell to one knee.

[Ugh…!]

Splat!

Despite the illusion's disappearance, the fountain of blood persisted. Simultaneously, mana flashed like a beam from within the bound Forbidden Books.

Both were coming from inside the altar, the very spot where the crimson lines had appeared.

Crash!

Then, the altar split in half, revealing a single book.

'That's the main body.'

Apart from its darkness, the book wasn't much different from ordinary ones. It was alive, however, constantly writhing with red blood and sparkling mana as if it were a living being.

Ronan frowned at the unharmed book.

"Tsk, it didn't get cut completely?"

[Ugh… how…]

"I just have good eyesight."

Ronan chuckled. The gamble was a success. The sparkling mana was flowing from the inside of the altar, not anywhere else.

The grotesque and noisy book was just an illusion; the real body was hidden inside. Ronan saw mana rising from the bodies of Aun Philara and Eyrie and realized that the two were illusions as well.

'But why is Nebula Clazier's energy coming from that book…?'

However, Ronan was bothered by the mana emanating from Vijra. It was dazzling to the point of causing his eyes to hurt.

The concentration was too thick to be coming from a member of Nebula Clazier who was buried while breaking the seal. Ronan's thoughts, which had been wandering in search of clues, finally connected to the legend intertwined with Vijra.

'A book written by a devil.'

Perhaps the devil who wrote Vijra had some connection to Nebula Clazier. Ronan was racing to put the pieces together to bring this to a conclusion.

In an instant, the black book that had flown towards Lorehon pierced into his chest. Ronan cursed as he saw the book disappearing like a drop of water in a puddle.

"Shit."

[Heuggh… Kugh!]

Combined with its host, Vijra expelled black blood. It seemed that he had suffered considerable damage due to the recent attack.

Thud!

Vijra, who had been twisting his limbs grotesquely, finally turned his gaze towards Ronan. A roar that seemed capable of shattering the world echoed.

[I won't let you go!!]

Ronan gritted his teeth. In an instant, everything, except for Vijra and the Forbidden Books, began to vanish.

The bluish-gray rocky walls, the split altar, and the dancing flames of shadows all turned to dust. Vijra, who was shedding black tears, fell to the ground and shouted.

[Hell Prominence!]

"What?"

Ronan's face stiffened. An intense energy emanated from Vijra, spreading out from him. The magic circle that had appeared beneath his palm expanded rapidly.

'This isn't very fun.'

Before long, the magic circles sprouting from the ground and walls extended into the air. Inside Ronan's mind, various screams resounded.

[Lord… Vijra, what is this magic…!]

[Damn it, save me!]

[Have mercy…]

These were the cries of terrified Forbidden Books. Ronan tried slashing his sword through the air, hoping that they might be illusions, but unfortunately, they were real, tangible magic.

'Guess there's no other choice.'

Ronan grumbled. Simply cutting a few wouldn't be enough to stop a spell of this scale. The only possibility was to kill the host, Lorehon.

With a quick decision, Ronan swung his sword towards Vijra.

Whoosh!

Just as the blade energy was about to hit him, the ground suddenly surged upward, blocking the path of the strike.

Kwaaang! Shards flew in every direction, and a deafening noise reverberated.

"Shit."

[Did you think the same trick would work twice?]

Apparently, he could use earth magic as well. Ronan didn't give up and rushed towards Vijra.

His movements were noticeably slower than before the surprise attack, but Vijra was highly skilled in earth magic, making it difficult for Ronan to close the distance. Protruding rocks and stones suddenly emerged, obstructing Ronan's path.

'Not good.'

Amidst this, the Hell Prominence magic circle continued to brighten as if it was about to explode. Inside Ronan's mind, thousands of hypotheses swirled to salvage the situation. Suddenly, one word flashed like a beacon.

'Wildfire.'

He wasn't sure why that word came to mind, but the memory of being involved in wildfire suppression operations during his previous life as a punitive soldier flickered in the depths of his mind.

Ronan reached into his pouch abruptly, extracting a metal case. Inside were scrolls personally crafted by Aun Philara. Some contained powerful spells capable of wiping out entire villages. Ronan emptied the case and grabbed five scrolls at once. He then pulled them both up and down.

Boom!

The scrolls tore apart, triggering the engraved magic in unison. Depleted mana filled the air, and space began to distort. Vijra's eyes widened as the complex magic circles expanded rapidly around him.

[What have you done?!]

"If I'm going down, I'll take you down with me."

[You're talking nonsense…]

Whoosh!

Suddenly, an erupting column of fire engulfed Vijra. Ronan realized that this was the same teleportation magic that Aun Philara had used.

This was the moment he had been waiting for. Ronan had approached with caution, and he seized the opportunity to tackle Vijra to the ground.

"I got you, you piece of shit."

[Damn you, let go!]

The teleportation magic was cut off. Vijra struggled, but with the strength of a frail old man, he couldn't dislodge Ronan. Eventually, resigned, he began casting another spell.

Whoosh!

The erupting column of fire consumed both Ronan and Vijra. The two figures vanished from the room. At the same time, the magic circles covering the entire space emitted a bright light.