The atmosphere had been broken through. Using the layer of hydrogen and helium as fuel, Wrath entered the planet’s atmosphere by burning its surface. The thickness of the atmosphere was around 1,000 kilometers.
The speed started to decelerate after entering the zone where air resistance existed. However, it was clear that even if Wrath only moved at 2 kilometers per second, it would destroy all life on this planet. Before that, he had to reduce either Wrath’s speed or mass no matter what.
Kieeeeek! The cries of more than a thousand evil spirits rang out at once, echoing in Theodore’s ears. Theodore pushed away the pressure with Soul Calibre but realized it wasn’t a fundamental solution.
‘Kuk, there is no time to think of a way!’
10 seconds were left. After entering the thermal layer, Wrath would burn far more intensely than right now. It would become visible to the people on Earth, and at that point, it would all over. It was because Wrath’s destructive power would increase with the number of observers.
“Emergency order! In the name of the victor!”
He unsealed the knot Seimei had left behind.
“Yin and Yang Bind, release!”
The band on Theodore’s left arm was released. His blood blackened, and the blood vessels bulged from all the magic power—the strength of the heavenly demon. It wouldn’t be hard to get rid of the evil spirits with just 20% of this power. In fact, as soon as this was released, the evil spirits were so afraid that they scattered in all directions.
‘No! This isn’t enough!’
Nine seconds were left. Theodore needed to somehow deal an effective blow.
“...Shit.”
There was one moment of hesitation before Theodore cried out, 「 Absorption Star Method, activate! 」
It was the ability to disassemble all the entities he made contact with into the smallest unit and then absorb that power. Lust’s final weapon and the strongest ability given to the heavenly demon revealed its teeth again. It wasn’t just in the material world. The mana in the atmosphere, as well as the seeds from soil, plants, and animals, were absorbed. This was the power of predation to eat everything, regardless of species, property, or system.
Kieeeeeeek-!
Those who could threaten a city or a nation were just prey in front of this power.
Theodore’s left arm stretched out and dragged in the evil spirits that were trying to escape. It was similar to a scene of water pouring down a drain. The evil spirits with a high density disintegrated into mana as soon as they reached his arm, filling the circles which had been drained after the previous battle. Theodore’s magic power became saturated in just two or three seconds.
“Haaaap!”
Theodore concentrated all the overflowing magic power into his right arm. As he pushed all the power of his left arm into Soul Calibre, the emerald blade grew to a length of several hundred meters in a flash. It could be called a blessing in disguise. The pure power of the Absorption Star Method increased the power of Soul Calibre. Eating over a thousand high level evil spirits was enough for that.
Synergy-Harmonize.
Add the power of Abraxas to wreak havoc!
Fusion Complete: Four Elements Exterminating Sword.
Once the fusion spell completed, Theodore jumped up and wielded the emerald blade that had become a pillar. The sword accelerated as the faint atmosphere separated. The sword’s length increased, making the sword’s speed increase as well. The edge of the blade broke through supersonic speed and cut the outer wall like it was butter.
Kakakakak!
It pierced through properly. Theodore felt the sensation and didn’t retreat, raising his magic power instead. He couldn’t miss this opportunity. Based on this resolution, he demonstrated more magic power than usual. This was his last chance since there were only 500 meters left until Wrath would become visible to the world. What if the 800-meter-long blade turned into a powder keg?
「 Sword, blow up! 」
It penetrated deeply and exploded. Theodore was unaware of it, but demolition was the simplest and most effective technique. The moment Wrath was about to enter the thermal layer, there was a big explosion.
―――――――――――――!!!
The sky was torn. The air burst and a vacuum occurred, putting out the flames and making everything quiet.
Jjejejeok...! Jjeok...!
The state of the sphere was miserable. In the spot where Soul Calibre had been stuck into the outer wall, more than one hundred meters of debris were scattered like a meteor shower. Wrath had lost more than one-third of its volume, and the orbit seemed to shake.
‘That’s it! At this rate, one more blow before it hits the ground―’
However, Theodore wasn’t allowed even a moment of hope.
[The number of observers on the target planet is constantly increasing. 3... 9... 17... 30 people. Upgrading the available power based on the increase in hostility by two stages.]
The lost volume was restored, and Wrath started accelerating. It was now falling at a speed of 4 kilometers per second. As if the damage Theodore dealt to it hadn’t existed from the beginning, Wrath’s outer wall became smooth and it fell to the ground.
This was when Theodore realized, ‘...Had it already expected this?’
Wrath had the highest logic circuits among the Seven Sins. It collected accurate data and could make future predictions using this data. If so, how easy would it be for Wrath to calculate the range of Theodore’s actions? It had guided the situation to this moment by expecting ‘Theodore Miller’s full power.’ The killer bots, soul stakes, and evil spirits that it had sent out had just been paving stones to this moment.
Theodore had lost. Thinking this, he tried to deny it, “No, not yet! It isn’t over yet!”
The magic power he had absorbed was still overflowing. By rotating all nine circles, as well as using Gluttony’s functions and the assistance function of Goetia, Theodore used six ultimate magic—lightning, storms, hellfire, blizzard, gravitational field, and space waves.
Jeeeong!
The firepower, which could erase a mountain, struck the outer wall and bounced far away. The defense had increased to a different level from when they fought in outer space. The number of observers was still increasing, and Wrath’s output amplified significantly.
‘Limit...!’
Theodore couldn’t do his best. This wasn’t his best. He hadn’t used all the means he had and hadn’t revealed the depths of his creativity.
‘If I don’t exceed the limits...!’
Theodore knew that he had to go beyond his limits. He knew that if he crossed the wall in his mind, a mouse could kill a lion. However, this world wasn’t so hospitable. Theodore repeatedly made meaningless attempts as the number of observers who saw Wrath on the ground reached almost 10,000. Wrath’s surface became so hard that both the ultimate magic and Soul Calibre didn’t make a single scratch.
“Uwaaaaah!” Theodore became so desperate that he lost concentration for a moment.
Puk! A soul stake rose from the bottom and pierced his feet and thighs.
Peeok! Suddenly, two killer bots struck his defenseless sides and abdomen. Theodore’s remaining magic power was strong enough to stop the fatal attack. However, once his bones were broken and internal bleeding occurred, there would be no way to maintain his spiritual body. His translucent body regained its physical form.
Then...
[Second vibration activate.]
It was the vibration that had destroyed Yamato no Orochi.
“Kuweeeeeek!” Finally, Theodore was thrown off Wrath’s surface, with blood spraying from his eyes, nose, and mouth. It was a miracle that he didn’t die instantly. He was saved by the sheer force of kicking off the surface. The power of the super vibration was fearsome, but most of the power was consumed as Wrath fell by centimeters. Theodore was no longer an obstacle, and Wrath kept moving forward.
“...Ah...ahh...!”
He reached out to Wrath, but it had accelerated to 10 kilometers per second and was now out of his reach.
“...N-n...o...!”
It was over. Theodore was convinced of the destruction of this material world as blood flowed from his eyes. Like ants in front of a flood, like a frog in front of lightning… In front of absolute ruin, Theodore was just a crumb, a crumb that fell apart once it was kicked.
-Not yet, User, Gluttony’s voice penetrated his body and mind. -Take your family, lovers, and a few other people to another dimension. Then return after Wrath is gone. Even if the civilized planet is reset, User’s power can restore the ecosystem within a hundred years.
It was exactly as Gluttony said. Wrath was still falling, and Theodore had a few minutes to escape from this world. If the fight couldn’t be won, then why shouldn’t he flee?
His valuable family...
The women he loved...
Was it a sin to evacuate with them?
‘Ah.’
This was closer to the unconscious desires of a human than a cowardly judgment. In the future which was only filled with despair, a faint light shone through. Who would blame Theodore for thinking this before the imminent destruction?
Kiiing!
However, right after that, a faint light sprang up from his right hand, and something flowed into his consciousness. The people that Theodore Miller thought was precious—his father, mother, and little brother, as well as Veronica, Ellenoa, and Sylvia...
Theodore’s eyes flinched. He felt a sudden sense of discomfort as their locations poured in.
‘...What?’
The discomfort was sensed from Sylvia’s location. There were two life reactions coming from her coordinates. Theodore was troubled for a moment before he received a shock like he had been hit by a hammer.
“...D-Don’t tell me.”
He had no doubts about the precise location. The stirring of life was vividly conveyed from Sylvia Adruncus’s body. A child… His child existed in a world that would soon be destroyed.
“―――――.” Theodore reached out without speaking, pulling an elixir out of his inventory and pouring it into his mouth. His shredded limbs recovered in an instant. After a few seconds, his body was restored to its original state, and Theodore gritted his teeth.
‘Run away? Leave this world?’
What would he tell his child who would be born in a few months?
‘Your dad abandoned his world and ran away?’
He didn’t want to. He would have to kneel down and bow his head in shame. Theodore couldn’t say this... He didn’t want to have his son live in the shadow of a shameful father. Although he felt sorry for Sylvia, he had made up his mind… just like her grandfather, Blundell Adruncus, had once done. For those who were precious to him, Theodore’s life was trivial.
“Gluttony.”
Hearing his voice, Theodore’s companion sighed.
-...I knew you would eventually do this. It will fail.
“Just 0.1 seconds. It doesn’t matter if it is only 0.1 seconds. If I can maintain my consciousness for even a moment…”
-It has a close to zero chance of success. It isn’t even 1%.
“Won’t you do anything for your purpose of existence?”
Gluttony fell silent at those words, and Theodore immediately concentrated mentally. From now on, he would make a mad gamble. He awakened his sorcery, Forced Harmonization, and reached for the next level. Theodore’s harmonization was able to ignore attributes, elements, and opposing forces, mixing them together. It was possible to even join with magic weapons or foreign bodies that weren’t of magic.
That’s why Theodore had a thought.
‘Maybe it is possible to assimilate with the concept of magic itself.’
Gluttony had heard the hypothesis a few months back and immediately responded, -It is impossible. No, you will die even if it is possible.
‘Why?’
-I didn’t want to let you know this, but the 10th circle comes from the source of magic. However, User wants to throw yourself into the center of this force. Do you want to dissolve in the infinite flow of information?
-Simon Magus went through proper training and was well prepared, yet he failed at the 10th circle. Jumping into the source is a shortcut, but you will surely die.
That’s why Theodore had erased this shortcut. Now that he had found something more fearful than death, Theodore was able to choose this method without hesitation.
‘Let’s go.’
His destination was the source of all the wisdom in the universe. Theodore shook off his fears and took a step as he felt his body and soul moving beyond certain boundaries which were neither of time nor space. However, why did he feel that he was going away?
Fate laughed at him as it created a path he couldn’t come back from.
Akashic Harmonize.
Shortly after that, Theodore Miller's life activity ceased.