Chapter 3 Part 7
Side: Ephthal
The room was completely filled with magic elements.
At the same time, there were crackles of Shiden (Purple Lightning) flashing through the room.
“It seems that the guy is angry at this forced intervention”
In total, there are four Gods called contract beasts, and usually, one of them protects each and every contract.
Judging from the slave crest, the one administering this contract is probably ──
“Hmm…. A puny human dares to attempt to intervene with the slave crest that we protect illegally?”
A slender body about seven meters long suddenly appeared, floating midair.
Its body’s diameter is about fifty centimeters and looks like a snake, or rather… a dragon.
Well, it goes without saying that the one who came this time is the Seiryu (Azure Dragon).
“I’ve always been one to use my power to get rid of unpleasant things, after all”
Hearing that, the Seiryu (Azure Dragon) opened his big mouth and laughed in amusement, “Haha!”.
“I’ll respect your brazen attitude… towards a God. Even if it’s due to ignorance”
“Ignorance, you say…?”
“The contract beast method has been widely known for a long time. In the last few hundred years, humans have been so fearful and reverent of us… to the point that there hasn’t been anyone foolish enough to oppose us…”
“Oh? Then?”
“It is still fresh in my mind when we obliterated an entire small country not too long ago. If the whole country is rebelling, it would still be understandable. However, it’s rare to see someone have the gall to oppose us all on their own. Well, I guess you’re just too ignorant to understand how terrifying we can be”
“Ignorance, huh…”
Hearing that, I chuckled.
“I see. It’s just as you say. Ignorance is a terrible thing”
“Yeah, that’s right. You do understand the difference in our power, don’t you? It’s too late to beg for your life now, isn’t it?”
He certainly has an overwhelming amount of magic power.
“Beg for my life? Why should I?”
“You’re really an imperturbable man. No, it should be clear to anyone present here that they feel terrified due to my overwhelming magic power…. I see. You’re just putting on a brave front, aren’t you? However, it would be a little more endearing if you were honestly afraid like the little girl over there”
I looked back and saw that Anastasia seemed to have felt the magic power of the Seiryu (Azure Dragon), and her knees gave way.
“Why don’t you test it out and see if I’m just putting on a brave front or not”
“Haha. Is that so? It’s been a long time since I’ve descended to this world. So I’ll show you a little performance”
“A performance?”
“Yes. To mock the prideful country bumpkin who is ignorant. After showing you the difference in our power, I’ll bite off your limbs and eat your intestines little by little while you’re still alive!”
The Seiryu (Azure Dragon) did a small nod.
Then, the naturally occurring magic power and Ki ── dissolved into the atmosphere of the room, and flowed into the Seiryu (Azure Dragon).
“This technique is…”
“Oh? So you know about it? This is a technique similar to the physical ability strengthening that you humans can do. However, its efficiency is on an order of magnitude higher”
The amount of magic power flowing out of the Seiryu (Azure Dragon) rose explosively.
Anastasia’s scream, “Eek!”, could be heard from behind.
“This is Divine Realm strengthening! You can’t even put on a brave front after being shown this amount of magic power now, can you?”
“…I see”
“Hahaha! Even at this point, you still haven’t changed your expression!? You really are an amusing human! But after having your right arm bitten off ── would you still say the same thing?”
With that, the Seiryu (Azure Dragon) opened his mouth wide and aimed at me, charging forward at great speed.
“Realize the power of a God!”
On the contrary, I deployed a physical ability strengthening technique.
Magic power poured into my muscles and increased their performance by tens to hundreds of times.
I also poured magic power into my cerebellum so that achieving inhuman reflexes are possible.
“Divine Realm strengthening, you say? It’s a high-sounding name, but in the end, it’s just a physical ability strengthening, isn’t it?”
Naturally, my physical ability strengthening has improved dramatically ever since I learned close-quarters combat in this life.
It’s a combination of my original magic power manipulation and the advanced physical ability strengthening technique that I learned from Cecilia nee-san and Mauriat, who are both considered to be swordmasters.
Inevitably, it is also not unreasonable to say that its effects are at peak levels.
That’s right, what I’m doing now is the ultimate in physical ability strengthening.
In other words, it is also ──
── Synonymous with what’s called, ‘Divine Realm strengthening’.
The large jaws of the approaching Seiryu (Azure Dragon).
He’s certainly fast, but it’s not impossible to deal with it.
No, if it were me from my previous life, I probably wouldn’t have been able to deal with it.
Well, I would be able to settle it before I was brought into close-quarters combat if it were the old me.
“── Wha-!? How can a human use Divine Realm strengthening!?”
His large mouth closed with a thump that cut through the air.
The Seiryu (Azure Dragon) opened his eyes wide as I avoided his fang attacks.
“Hey, God? A power that exceeds humans, you say?”
As a counter, I struck the Seiryu’s (Azure Dragon) face ── as hard as I could with my thunderous fist.
“Guaaaaaaah!”
He was struck with all my power and blown a few dozen meters away, sending the Seiryu (Azure Dragon) slamming into the wall of the room.
*Ker-thump* As I heard the collision, I shrugged my shoulders and said.
“I’m sorry, but I also stopped being a human a long time ago”
“A human… that can use Divine Realm strengthening!?”
“Physical ability strengthening can also be handled by humans. They just get better at it, don’t they? There shouldn’t be anything odd about it”
The Seiryu’s (Azure Dragon) entire body trembled as he started speaking in a panicked voice.
“That’s ridiculous! It’s not possible… no, it can’t be! I won’t accept this! I won’t accept this at all!!”
“I don’t need your approval to handle Divine Realm strengthening now, do I?”
But, well, half of it was that I used an unusual method.
As it turns out, I can use Divine Realm strengthening.
Magic power manipulation is my primary profession, but the muscle and Ki relations are the domain of close-quarters combat roles.
I’ve trained quite a bit in this life, but still, the strengthening lies in a world called ‘Divine Realm’, after all.
Naturally, a much higher level of precision than what an expert in the use of body and Ki could do is required.
Honestly speaking, my current skill level in close-quarters combat is considerably higher than Cecilia nee-san… but still, it’s going to take a lot of time for me to work on that aspect along with my magic power as I tune them.
And therefore, I need several seconds of preparation to use Divine Realm strengthening.
Moreover, the physical ability strengthening is instantaneous and explosive, so it’s not always effective during battle.
It must be timed and activated at intervals.
Naturally, a technique that requires several seconds of preparation is not yet ready to be used in an actual battle.
Then why was I able to activate it right away earlier…?
Well, that’s because I’ve outsourced the control of magic power to Merlin, and now I only need to manage my body and adjust my Ki.
All the mental barriers have been opened to Merlin, and the magic circuits in my brain are being remotely controlled right now.
If she wanted to, Merlin could also do some nasty mental attacks.
Only Merlin, who I trust, can do this, and she is the only one that can control magic power to this degree in the first place.
Normally, it would be impossible to let someone else control the magic power inside your body, but that’s where my beloved apprentice comes in.
“Damn it… lowly human… don’t get carried away!!!”
The Seiryu (Azure Dragon) charged at me.
The speed was incomparable to what I had seen earlier, and even my reflexes, which are enhanced to be within the ‘Divine Realm’, could barely see it.
I barely avoided the dragon’s jaw with a side jump.
No… I couldn’t avoid it completely. My cheek was slightly cut, and I could feel the blood trickling down.
“Hahaha! The earlier attack just caught me off guard! If I took it seriously, you and the others don’t stand a chance…!”
I avoided another charge with another jump.
I narrowly avoided it this time, though. It was beyond the speed of sound, with a thunderous shockwave followed suit
“As expected of a God. Amazing speed”
The Seiryu (Azure Dragon) nodded with satisfaction.
“It’s not very mature of me to take on a human seriously. You should be honored. I’m facing you with my full power, as a ── God”
“Oh, thank you.”
And then another charge.
Just as before, I avoided it with a side jump, but I didn’t get to counterattack.
If I had a sword that could reach, I could avoid it and do a counterattack at the same time, but Anastasia had taken the Raikiri (Lightning Cutter), so right now I’m unarmed.
Or rather, I thought I could somehow handle it unarmed. Guess I’m at a disadvantage….
“Hahaha! Being defensive, huh? No, the fact that you can avoid my attacks is admirable! Be proud of your power in Hell!”
He’s indeed right. I’m on defense.
I could easily defeat him with magic, but this time I have an objective called close-quarters combat experimentation.
Now, what should I do…. As I thought about it, I sighed as if I had given up.
── I probably underestimated my opponent too much by aiming for no damage taken in close-quarters combat.
Then I will just do that thing and finish him off with my bare hands….
As I prepare myself, “I’ll show you that I’m not just defending”.
“Oh? What are you going to do?”
“Oh, I’m gonna show you some… human skills.”
The Seiryu (Azure Dragon) laughed boisterously at my words.
“Hahaha! That’s what the strong would say! The Sovereign Fist Saint who worked his way up to the ‘Divine Realm’ ── ! In respect to your training of reaching there, I promise to face you with all my power ── until your heart stops beating!”
Hm? The Sovereign Fist Saint?
As I was still confused, the Seiryu (Azure Dragon) charged at me again, but at the fastest speed I have seen today.
Fast! It’s beyond what my eyes can follow!
But I’m not so naive as to think that a slight increase in speed after a number of monotonous attacks… will work.
It’s a half-hunch. However, I’m somewhat sure.
I can anticipate his attacks so far and take evasive action. If I can’t follow it with my eyes, then I have no choice but to move first.
So, this time I didn’t jump to the side but moved my upper body to avoid the jaws of the dragon that was quickly coming for my head. But I couldn’t avoid it completely.
“Hahaha! I couldn’t take you down in one blow, but I got your shoulder! At this rate, you’re going to bleed out and get incapacitated, you know?”
As he said, he got a bit of flesh from my right shoulder.
The blood was also gushing out and the battle can probably only last another… five minutes, huh?
But this was to be expected from the beginning. After all, I didn’t expect to be able to avoid the attack completely.
“── Wha-!?”
As soon as the flesh from my shoulder was taken away, I went horseback riding on the Seiryu’s (Azure Dragon) back.
Well, from the perspective of the others, it’s probably like riding on a serpent floating in the air.
And so, I just wrap my hands around the Seiryu’s (Azure Dragon) head a little below the cranium ── in human terms, the neck. Alright… it’s just as planned!
── Rear naked choke.
In this world, the concept of pinning techniques doesn’t exist. In other words, there is also no concept of Shime-Waza (Judo Choking Techniques). Let alone Kansetsu-Waza (Judo Joint Locking Techniques).
Although the opponent is a God, he has a physical body that has descended to this world, so naturally, he has internal organs and a ‘brain’.
As long as there are blood flow and internal organs, the Shime-Waza (Judo Choking Techniques) should be effective. However, the diameter of the neck is quite large, so it’s just barely possible.
Anyway, from this guy’s perspective, the judo techniques that I used to do before I was reincarnated in this world… the chokehold, must be like a blade from another dimension.
I use my ‘Divine Realm’ power just barely to choke the Seiryu’s (Azure Dragon) neck.
“Guhak…!”
*Thud* The Seiryu (Azure Dragon) that was floating in the air fell to the ground. Alright! It’s working!
“Splendid… hu… man…!!”
Again, I choke him with all my power.
Then the Seiryu (Azure Dragon) mustered up the last of his strength and roared.
“Still, it’s a pity, isn’t it? I am… the physical attack type… but ── I also can handle magic! Haha… hahaha… hahahaha! The Fist Saint who specialized in physical attacks… you… can’t… possibly defend against the magic attacks that I’m about to launch…!!”
The Seiryu’s (Azure Dragon) body shined, and an enormous amount of magic power began to flow.
It seems that he’s planning to launch point-blank range magic attacks against me.
But still… a Fist Saint who specializes in physical attacks? And so, I sighed.
── Haa, this guy has got it all wrong….
However, the magic power that flooded the room, is it lightning energy?
Or rather, is this idiot… going to unleash lightning magic on me, of all people?
“Hey, you… this magic power is…”
“Ha… haha… ha!! Fist Saint? Are you… surprised? I am… capable of dishing out both physical and magic attacks!”
Well, I’m extremely surprised.
I didn’t expect him not to know his place….
“What I am going to do now is… suicide attack…. I’m going to get shocked, too… but since we’re so close together… the lightning attack is going to hit you, too…!!”
“Hey-hey, you can’t be serious?”
“Ha… hahaha! You are a physical attack specialist and I’m… much more resistant to magic than you are… an order of magnitude higher even…!!”
No, well… that’s probably an order of magnitude higher.
I mean, he’s generating quite a considerable force field. As expected of someone who calls himself a God, he seems to use a substantial level of magic.
Naturally, I began to form my own magic to counter the lightning attack.
“Eat this, Fist Saint! Level 9: Thunder God’s Boisterous Dance, Thor’s Lance!”
Countless lightning spears came towards me and the Seiryu (Azure Dragon).
At the same time, I also activated my magic.
“Level 10: Emperor of the Thunder God, Ephthal!”
When I use lightning magic, I become the very Thunder God themself.
And naturally, there is no way that… lightning magic will work on a Thunder God, too.
‘Emperor of the Thunder God, Ephthal’ magic is also useful as lightning-related defensive magic, or rather, it completely nullifies any lightning magic that is not equal to or higher than my level 10 magic.
The logic here is exactly the same as it was in the decisive battle with Merlin.
Any magic can also be assimilated and absorbed by my ‘Level 10: Emperor of the Thunder God, Ephthal’.
Incidentally, as for the ‘Emperor of the Thunder God, Ephthal’ magic, it was unleashed towards the room’s corner.
This was supposed to be training in close-quarters combat, so there’s no point in using magic to defeat him.
And so, this is what happens as a result ──
“GWAAARRGGGHHH!”
The Seiryu (Azure Dragon) was struck by the lightning that he unleashed and seemed to have taken some damage.
Naturally, I did not receive any damage….
The Seiryu (Azure Dragon) shouted in dismay that my strength to choke him didn’t weaken at all.
“What… why? Why… isn’t it working!? What’s more, the magic that was unleashed towards the corner of this room is…!? This magic is… it can’t be… no way… could it be…?”
It seems that he finally understands the situation. And so I spoke with a sigh.
“A habitual contract breaker ── do you understand if I say Ephthal the debt dodger?”
“E, E… Ephthal, you say!? But that person should have died four hundred years ago…”
Merlin couldn’t help but burst out laughing when she heard that.
“Hahaha!! No, well, even if it’s four hundred years ago, it should still be a legend among you guys…”
“Wh-Wh-What do you mean… by that?”
“If it had been Suzaku (Vermilion Bird), Genbu (Black Tortoise), and Byakko (White Tiger) who had directly confronted him, they might have recognized him as Ephthal-sama first… but, well, it’s already too late now. Still, I never thought Ephthal-sama would do the same thing four hundred years later”
“Yeah, wasn’t that right, Merlin? That time ── when we borrowed money from an illegal loan shark and then blew up the entire contract by not paying the debt. It really was a masterpiece, wasn’t it?”
“But I wonder about donating all of that money to an orphanage or charity”
“Even though it’s dirty money, if we line up our own pockets with it, we would be no better than a fiend now, won’t we?”
“Well, that’s true…”
Anastasia spoke up with a spaced out look on her face.
“Um, er… uh… Merlin-sama? What do you mean?”
I responded with a chuckle.
“As she said, I had a go with these guys a long time ago to test my abilities”
“…Eh?”
“Well, at the time, as soon as these guys appeared, I cast my ultimate magic as an opener when I broke the contract”
“Ephthal-sama? Please don’t forget the opening ritual magic that was cast by all the inner disciples, too”
“That aside, as they showed up, the look on their faces… it was a real masterpiece”
“Um, er… Master…? Merlin-sama? What are you guys talking about…?”
“I told you, didn’t I? Don’t measure me with your common sense ── the Four Emperors aren’t bound by absurd contracts”
“…Um, er… in other words?”
“In the first place, contracts are made based on mutual trust between you and the other party. I don’t approve of someone forcing my descendants using contracts, to be responsible and bound by it for a war many generations ago. In the name of the first Emperor of the Thunder God, I won’t let such a fiend go”
At that moment, the Seiryu (Azure Dragon) that I was choking went limp and fell to the ground with foam at the mouth.
“The Four Emperors… Eph… thal… impos… si… ble…”
“So, Seiryu-san? How does it feel to be defeated by a chattering mage with a rear naked choke?”
“…Re… gret”
Then the Seiryu (Azure Dragon) became completely limp and stopped moving.
“I only destroyed the body of a God that they used for descents, though. Well, once they find out that I’m here… they probably won’t be messing with Anastasia anymore”
I distance myself away from the Seiryu (Azure Dragon).
Then, after scorching the Seiryu’s (Azure Dragon) body black with fire magic, I dusted off the dirt on my hands.
“Well, in any case, the issue is settled now”
