Book Eater

Chapter 245: The Rightful Heir (1)

A fortnight wasn’t a long time, but it wasn’t short either. Theo healed his body while breathing in the mana of the Baekun Mountains, and he was getting better day by day. This absurd pace of recovery wasn’t just due to the Baekun Mountains. Practicing Fairy Dance had also accelerated his recovery.

He hadn’t noticed it before, but Fairy Dance also acted as a secret technique to circulate his blood with fewer movements. In this era, it was just a simple training exercise, but it was beneficial for Theo who was deeply wounded.

The cracks in his Circles were like rice paddies in the midst of a drought. However, Fairy Dance restored the broken blood vessels and accelerated Theo’s recovery. Even Gluttony couldn’t help commenting on his speedy recovery.

- Amazing. Eastern shamanism is neglected because it’s so highly unsystematic. However, I didn’t know it would reach such an irrational area beyond rationality

Gluttony muttered in a strange voice about a theory it had never considered before. The basis of shamanism was ultimately a denial of rationality.

In mathematics, a theory referred to the act of formalizing a system that explained the laws of the material world. All magic had been developed using that definition. Only a few spells imitated the power of a god, demon, or dragon.

However, Gluttony recognized shamanism as the pinnacle of magic.

- Theories based on rationality are bound to have limits. The ignorant draw boundaries and focus within those boundaries, rather than thinking about going outside them. The efficient guidelines that are the driving force behind the development of civilization are actually a barrier to transcendence.

In a sense, it is a laughable story. In ancient times, people didn’t know astronomy and didn’t think the stars in the night sky were that far away. There is a saying that the ignorant are brave. The meaning might be a little different, but I can say that they are right. As humans gained knowledge, they realized the limit of recklessness. They can’t reach the stars no matter how high they jump, and humans can’t conquer the sun.

If possible, challenge it. If it is impossible, don’t challenge it. Magic is a power based on rational values, but shamanism is a power that doesn’t stop irrational challenges.

Gluttony admired the shamanism which healed Theo’s body. It was a force which caused phenomena that couldn’t be defined with theory. In spite of magic overwhelming it in overall ability, shamanism reached areas in some fields that ancient magicians had thought impossible.

Theo thought about the matter.

Shamanism... I am on the East Continent, so it wouldn’t be bad to look at it.

- Good decision, User.

He had been thinking about it since practicing Fairy Dance. Unlike aura, which was starkly different from magic, a magician could learn a lot from Eastern magic. Although he had only learned two of Lee Yoonsung’s hidden techniques, his physical abilities and mana control had increased dramatically.

It wasn’t enough to tap on the wall of the 8th Circle, but if he kept stacking advantages one by one, he would see the benefits one day.

If possible, I want to learn Shukuchiho before I leave.

The magic which White Tower Master Orta had used to move a few kilometers instantly was really attractive. If Theo could use it, he would be able to run away even if he faced someone strong like Zest.

Theo was contemplating options when he felt someone approaching and opened his eyes. It was a presence he had become accustomed to in the meantime.

“You came quickly. Have you finished the preparations?”

Theo, who had been waiting outside the cabin, looked at Lee Seol. She normally wore shabby clothing as she ran around the mountains, but she couldn’t wear that today. This was a duel trial hosted by the notary, so she would stand out.

“Yes, thank you for your patience, Sir Theo.”

She wore fancy clothing and simple makeup, while her expression was serious with no signs of playfulness. This duel trial would influence the future of the Fairy Dance Lee family. She seemed to be carrying a heavy burden despite being only sixteen, but her expression didn’t reveal her troubles at all. Theo would respect that determination. He turned toward the path down the mountain.

“Then let’s go.”

“Yes.”

Anxiety and confidence warring inside her, the girl who protected Baekun Mountain took steady steps forward. How long had it been since she had gone down the mountains? Nevertheless, Lee Seol didn’t stop.

Her steps only got faster with every moment.

***

According to the notary, Shim Samho, the venue for the duel trial was the Lee Family’s main building. Some would ask if having a duel in the mansion was okay, but the Fairy Dance Lee Family would find it insulting.

The main house had over ten floors, and the front yard was big enough to hold a parade ground. When the sundial pointed exactly at noon, a hubbub rose.

“Oh! There! It is the mountain’s keeper.”

“Is Lee Seol really here?”

“It has been several years since she left the house...”

“That’s just the main house. The woodcutters sometimes deliver news to us!”

As the parties of the duel trial, Lee Seol and Theo arrived, the villagers gathered around the mansion. They were curious about Theo’s identity, worried about the future, and slandering Lee Inyoung in secret... Theo was relieved that nobody was saying anything really bad.

For Lee Seol, who was only a child, a crowd’s malice could be deadly in many ways. The two were then met by the other parties to the duel trial.

“Fortunately, you aren’t late,” Shim Samho, wearing the same cloth over her face, greeted Theo and Lee Seol.

Theo stepped forward, placing Lee Seol behind him, and spoke, “When will the duel begin?”

Shim Samho chuckled. “Oh, my. Don’t be so rushed.”

Theo spoke bluntly, “A long conversation isn’t needed. Additionally, please fulfill your promise to protect Lee Seol until the end of the duel trial.”

“You are especially cold to me. Well, I understand.”

Theo watched with sober eyes as Shim Samho guided Lee Seol to her seat. According to Lee Seol, there were no masters in the present day Fairy Dance Lee family. This meant they weren’t that much of a threat to Theo, who had almost regained his physical condition.

However, the woman called Shim Samho was different. She had a strong, unidentifiable presence which tickled his neck. So he stayed on guard.

At that moment, Theo felt a gaze boring into his back.

Hoh.

Theo turned to find someone standing next to Lee Inyoung and glaring at him. He seemed older than Theo but less than thirty years old. In the East, this person was a youth, but his capabilities had already reached the peak. Theo grasped the man’s level without much difficulty and was slightly impressed.

However, Lee Yoonsung’s reaction was the opposite.

- Hoh, this is so pathetic that I can’t say anything.

What is it?

- No matter how much the family has decayed, the person who represents the family is a youth who isn’t even a master? Far from competing over who will become the master of the Lee Family, he can’t even face our ancestral tablets.

... He’s really bitter.

Theo thought inwardly about Lee Yoonsung’s spiteful words. The man seemed to be directly related to Lee Inyoung. He was close to being a master, while being under thirty years old.

Of course, his progress wasn’t comparable to Theo, but it was pointless to compare the masters of the East and the West. However, Lee Yoonsung had complained that the man’s level was poor. In that case, how strong had the Fairy Dance Lee family been in the old days, and more importantly, how strong was the Lee Yoonsung who had shattered it?

Theo couldn’t even fathom the Fairy Dance Lee family. Shim Samho returned to the center of the empty parade ground. “All the participants have arrived. Then is it okay to start the duel trial immediately? Both of you?”

“It doesn’t matter to me.”

“It also doesn’t matter to me.”

Theo answered and walked forward, while the man next to Lee Inyoung came forward as well. The man representing the other side wasn’t Lee Inyoung but this man.

Shim Samho noticed Theo’s suspicions and whispered, “That is the only son of Lee Inyoung, Lee Joonyoung. Do you want to say hello?”

Theo replied curtly, “There's no need. I don’t feel like playing at being friends.”

He had already noticed that Lee Joonyoung’s eyes weren’t much different from his father’s, burning hot with enmity toward Theo. Theo didn’t know what Lee Inyoung had said, but it had placed Lee Joonyoung in a state of complete hostility toward Theo.

Theo moved to the center of the parade ground. It was an unspoken signal that he was ready to fight anytime.

“You certainly don't seem afraid.” Lee Joonyoung entered the duel arena without hesitation. He had displayed his talent since he was a child, and had been raised as the successor to his prestigious family. This was the Lee Yoonsung who stood in front of Theo.

“Huhu, it seems like you two are ready. Then in the presence of this notary, Shim Samho, I will enforce the duel trial,” Shim Samho said. She spread out her hands and ordered, “The two of you, please step back fifteen meters from your current position.”

The distance between them was to be thirty meters, so Theo slowly moved to the edge of the duel arena. A spell could cover this distance instantly, but right now, Theo wasn’t a magician. He was a man fighting for the leadership of the Fairy Dance Lee Family in place of Lee Seol. Thirty meters was a significant distance in a melee battle.

The two men faced each other.

“You are forbidden from using any weapons or drugs, you can’t have any helpers intervene, and you can’t leave this duel arena. If you do any of the above, it will immediately be declared an offense, so please keep this in mind.”

Theo and Lee Joonyoung both nodded as Shim Samho outlined the rules. They were already watching each other’s eyes and movements. The confrontation between the two of them had already begun as Shim Samho raised her hand.

“Huhu, okay. Then...” She spread open the red fan in her hand and… “Start!”

The duel began as she snapped her fan shut.

Kuuong!

Of course, it was Lee Joonyoung, confident in his own power, who attacked first. He had yet to enter the realm of a master and couldn’t see Theo’s power, so he wasn’t intimidated by Theo. He was outraged that this foreigner dared plant his dirty feet in the home of the Fairy Dance Lee family. It was utterly unacceptable to Lee Joonyoung, who held great pride in his family.

I acknowledge his boldness, but that is it!

Lee Joonyoung’s black robe flapped as he raced forward, narrowing the distance between them. He was employing the footwork of the Fairy Dance Lee Family, passed down through generations. It was like clouds always flowing in the wind. Some masters could even use this foot technique to cross the water. Lee Joonyoung hadn’t reached that extent yet, but he did narrow the distance in an instant.

His fist moved as fast as lightning.

Kwaang!

He used Thunder Blast. Generally, it was a great preemptive attack that didn’t allow counterattacks. As such, Lee Joonyoung’s fist flew through the air like lightning. It blurred with a blue aura and was strong enough to crush steel. Theo wouldn’t be able to endure it without using magic.

... Well, that’s what the audience thought.

What?’

Theo had embodied Lee Yoonsung’s martial arts many times, so he couldn’t believe his eyes

This is the extent of the fist?

Lee Joonyoung’s fist didn’t flow through the air. It was strong, but this fist wasn’t Fairy Dance. It was just a strong punch which would push many stupid people. It would certainly cause serious injuries if it landed, but Theo just sneered and moved.

He unfolded his left hand and struck back.

Fairy Dance’s Direct Transmission; Hand Counterattack Technique; Left Palm Lone Peak.

Simultaneously, there was an unexpected noise.

Jeeeong!

It sounded similar to something hitting heavy metal, not a human body.

Lee Joonyoung grabbed his throbbing fist and fell back a few steps. It was like hitting a wall of adamantium. His fist was starting to swell, and a few fingers looked broken.

However, he couldn’t stop the question from slipping out.

“... Shaman. You... How did you stop my technique?”

That’s right. The presence of aura was absolute in close combat. Theo’s counterattack was exquisite, but he had been hit by a fist filled with aura. Common sense dictated that Theo’s left hand should’ve shattered.

However, Theo’s left hand was fine. Something white swirled in the middle of it. This was special magic developed as a substitute for aura.

“Ether.”

It lagged behind magic power and aura, but what it lacked in power, it made up in density. However, it couldn’t be converted back to magic power, so the consumption was inefficient. This was a magician's answer to aura, an aura-like energy which wouldn’t conflict with magic.

“This is a power that my teacher, Lee Yoonsung, created in his life.”

It hadn’t been enough to learn just Battle Song. Theo had only been able to use this power after learning the hidden techniques of Fairy Dance. Now, Theo had inherited all of Lee Yoonsung’s techniques.