Book Eater

Chapter 253: Baekun Mountains (2)

“The Tiger King is a tiger, as their name implies.”

Theo’s pace was fast, but the slopes of the Baekun Mountains were a challenging hike. Lee Seol started talking about the boss spirits, Tiger King and White Bear, while the wind bit at their ears. Whether they were spirits or beasts, tigers and bears stood at the top of the food chain. They both had the ability to tear up a small troll. If they were the boss spirits, then they were both strong.

“A long time ago, tigers used to be hunted for their pelts. But after the Tiger King appeared, no one tried to hunt tigers in this country. So the tiger leather market dried up.”

Theo mused, “Come to think of it, I haven’t seen any tiger pelts around.”

Lee Seol sighed. “There’s occasionally a fool who tries without knowing anything. I don’t know how many times I’ve met them in the mountains. But since I wasn’t part of the Fairy Dance family’s main house, I couldn’t ask them to stop the would-be hunters from entering.”

“Seol,” Theo quietly listened to the complaints and asked, “But even if the Tiger King is powerful, it can’t always protect the tigers. Surely there are some poachers who act in the shadows?”

Lee Seol grinned. “Yes. That does happen.”

“Hrmm?” Theo didn’t understand why she was grinning so fiercely.

Lee Seol shrugged. “Simple. The tigers of the Baekun Mountains are now too strong to hunt.”

“What, the tigers?”

“Yes, the Baekun Mountains is the best spiritual land in the center of the continent.”

Theo’s eyes sparkled. In magic, it was called a ‘Place of Power’, where mana gathered abnormally. The flora and fauna in a Place of Power exceeded the species’ natural abilities. There were also cases where they would also develop intellect. It was hypothesized that the centaurs from the Age of Mythology were born through this phenomenon.

Theo asked, “So, it wasn’t just the Tiger King. The other tigers became spiritual as well?”

Lee Seol nodded. “Yes, although they aren’t as strong as the Tiger King, they are beyond the level of ordinary beasts. They are too strong for first-class warriors to hunt one on one.”

Theo replied, “Then this is a war, not a hunt. You should ask the imperial family to prohibit access.”

There was an abundance of first-class warriors on the East Continent. It denoted a warrior who had trained in martial arts for more than a decade and had participated in a war. Even so, these first-class warriors couldn’t win against the tigers?

Beasts had a natural advantage against humans in these mountains. Those who couldn’t use the forest for cover would become tiger prey. It was dangerous, even for masters.

In that case, the mountain’s keepers might not actually be protecting the spirits.

It might be different for the Fairy Dance Lee Family in its prime, but if the declining family tried to forcefully take over the Baekun Mountain Ranges, they might be wiped out by the boss spirits at the head of a host of hundreds of spirits.

Theo kept moving. As Lee Seol’s story ended, they had reached the foot of the Tiger King’s mountain. The story had piqued his interest, or he had gotten faster than he’d thought...

“.... Indeed, this terrain is extraordinary.”

It was a sheer slope with rock outcroppings everywhere. A lone, worn trail wound its way down into the valley. There were marks on the walls that were clearly made by a beast. They were perfect territory markers. The wind had gotten chillier as the shadows lengthened in the valley.

Tiger King’s Valley...

It was the residence of the Tiger King, one of the boss spirits that reigned in the Baekun Mountain Ranges. Weak people would hesitate to enter, as even animals kept a wary distance.

However, Theo’s reaction wasn’t either of these.

“Seol.” After arriving, he set Lee Seol down again and said, “Your request was to arbitrate between the two boss spirits. Will you tell me what the circumstances are?”

“Of course, Theo,” Lee Seol said, looking at him with a somewhat regretful expression. She quickly became serious. “You should know that a dragon vein circulates the energy of the Baekun Mountains. It begins in the heart of the mountain range and flows down several rivers to different areas. There are two trees that have received this energy and grown into sacred trees.”

“Sacred trees?”

“Yes, spirits often live around these sacred trees. There is one tree in the Tiger King’s Valley, and another in the forest where the White Bear resides.” A shadow crossed Lee Seol’s face. “The sacred tree that the Tiger King was taking care of is dying. It will take at least a hundred years for a new sacred tree to grow, so the Tiger King asked the White Bear to share the remaining sacred tree.”

Theo frowned. “Asked... This request, was it refused?”

“Yes.”

Perhaps the feud had started with this refusal. Theo smiled bitterly on the inside.

Spirits don’t seem very different from humans.

If there was one thing another person needed, it wouldn’t be given. In a sense, it might be an instinct born in both humans and beasts. This wasn’t just a matter of the Tiger King and White Bear. No, this was a confrontation between the two groups they commanded. It seemed that this problem couldn’t be solved easily, so Theo breathed in deeply.

Chill.?

A sudden chill ran down his spine.

“-Run!”

“T-Theo?”

Theo pulled Lee Seol behind him without any hesitation and stepped forward. Theo’s senses warned him that if he didn’t respond immediately, he would die.

■■■■■■■―――!!

A roar shook the earth! The mountains trembled, birds flew into the sky, and peacefully grazing elks bolted. A wild animal’s instincts were far more sensitive than a human’s, so they were able to sense it right away. The roar belonged to the apex predator of the valley. It was the roar of the king of beasts.

It’s coming!

However, Theo wasn’t stunned stiff. Instead, he faced the monster that had caused his heart to start beating quickly as it tore through the valley toward him.

Pajijik!

The lightning was no longer unstable and flickering, but flowed around Theo’s body like water. The three months he’d spent at the Fairy Dance Lee Family’s home hadn’t been a waste.

Theo was now so sensitive to mana that he didn’t miss a drop of mana inside his blood vessels. He focused briefly, and exactly 0.12 seconds after, saw what was charging toward him.

... Much faster than expected. It’s about as fast as Randolph.

Four claws swiped through the air at Theo’s head with such force that even a mithril wall would be rent into two. Therefore, Theo didn’t deal with it head on. Instead, he moved diagonally between the arms of the assailant.

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

This blow wasn’t sufficient alone. Theo started to rotate his seven Circles after a long time and cast the fastest spell in his arsenal.

Sevenfold Thunderbolt. Spell Fusion: Keraunos.

Lightning emerged from Theo’s palms.

Kwarururung!

The heavens seemed to split in two. Any animals in the vicinity fled into their burrows while the birds fell out of the sky. The roar of the Tiger King was still echoing in the valley, causing the rocks themselves to vibrate.

Theo’s blow could be called a perfect counter. His skill at blending martial arts and magic at once was amazing. However, his expression was still dark. He had felt the feedback through his hands, and could tell he had landed a solid blow. Nevertheless, he wasn’t convinced that the enemy had even been hurt.

What a ridiculously tough hide.

Theo stared at the enemy, who had sprang backward while holding up his palms. This time, he could see the appearance of the opponent.

“Tiger person?” Theo murmured to himself.

At the same time, he was sure that the other person’s ears twitched at the words.

“Huh? Where do you see a beast person when looking at this body? You’re still a little boy who has yet to grow a beard, but somehow your eyes are that bad?”

“Still...” Theo stifled his urge to respond as he carefully examined his opponent.

A pair of sharp eyes peered out from amidst golden hair. A striped tail swung lazily behind toned legs, as sharp canines revealed their ancestral carnivorous heritage.

The owner would be a sensual beauty in every sense if it wasn't for her one hundred and ninety centimeter height. Her body was so voluptuous that it seemed like the fur covering her was barely containing everything. There were no signs that she had been hit by lightning, except for a few strands of curled hair.

At that moment, Lee Seol stepped out from behind Theo and cried out, “Tiger King! What are you doing all of a sudden?”

“Oh, our cutie is here! Are you worried because we haven’t said hello for a few months?”

“Please don’t change the subject! Why did you attack Theo?”

“No, that is…” The half human, half beast beauty scratched her head awkwardly. It seemed like she had acted without thinking. “That... you know? I was feeling a bit bad these days, so I can’t hold back my will to fight when I see a male. It's fight or mate, so I chose this method to solve it.”

Lee Seol's hands flew to her face as she blushed bright red. “M-Mate? Gross!”

The Tiger King chuckled. “By the way, haven’t you brought a fairly good male? I was starting to get worried about you, but it seems like I didn’t have to worry at all.”

It seemed like the Tiger King liked making fun of Lee Seol. Theo started to relax as he understood that there was no fight on the horizon. He had thought the Tiger King would emerge, but he never thought she would be a beauty.

No, it is unclear if she even is human?

He couldn’t help himself. “I didn’t think the Tiger King would be a woman.”

“Well, I’m female according to the standards of your species. It doesn’t matter from my viewpoint.” The Tiger King answered smoothly and laughed, turning her back to Theo while waving her tail at him. “What? Is it important that I’m female? Since you are a male, do you want to try me once?”

“Eh...”

The Tiger King erupted in laughter. “Kyahahaha! It is a joke, a joke. I honestly don’t mind, but the little cutie won’t come back forever.”

Lee Seol yelped, “T-Tiger King!”

The tense air disappeared, and Theo let out a long sigh as he realized the Tiger King had a personality he would find hard to deal with. She was a spirit, and was wilder than humans. Although she had instinctively attacked first, she now seemed rather childlike.

At that moment...

“Don’t be so shallow, Tiger King. Your dignity is crumbling away.” A heavy bass voice rang out.

When the Tiger King realized who it was, she grumbled, "Tch, this damn bear.”

A gigantic shadow grew even larger as a newcomer landed beside them.

Kuuong.

They were so heavy that a small crater formed beneath them. If that fall had been meant as an attack, the target below would’ve been flattened like a pancake.

... Big.

The newcomer had white hair and white skin, and was wearing white leather like the Tiger King. With a height of at least two meters and thirty centimeters, he dwarfed the deceased Pan Helliones. The White Bear might look human, but his body was several times larger than an ordinary bear. Moreover, he was emitting an intense pressure, despite the lack of hostility.

I can win against one... but not two.

Theo instinctively measured the power of both spirits and made a calm assessment. They might have different abilities than humans, but he could make an estimate of their strength. The Tiger King and the White Bear were both intermediate level masters. Moreover, Theo didn’t know the inherent power of spirits, so they could have a few more hidden abilities.

It was impossible to suppress them or to make both of them surrender.

... Now then, what should I do?

The atmosphere only grew tenser as the two spirits stared at each other. Theo observed the situation calmly.

It was wiser to take a neutral position until he judged who was right and wrong. Magicians always assumed the worst in order to create the best assessment. This code of conduct wouldn’t change regardless of the circumstances.

However, an unexpected variable popped out before Theo could pick an option.

[Hoing!]

A little girl popped out of the valley floor. A bud danced on her head as her earthy skin shone brightly. It was Mitra, a fragment of Mother Earth and the ancient elemental of the earth.

Her sudden appearance drew the eyes of both spirits.

The Tiger King looked dumbfounded as she muttered, “... M-Mountain deity?”

“Mountain deity?” Theo asked quizzically.

Meanwhile, the White Bear’s eyes had widened. “No, the earth deity!”

“Earth deity?” Theo didn’t know what was going on, but he was stunned when the two spirits suddenly reached for Theo’s hands. He could feel how warm their fur was.

Theo didn’t feel any ill will, but as he tried to extract his hand, the two spirits cried out, “Please help us!”