hotmtlnovel Chapter 162
Chapter 162
Nazariu hesitated briefly.
If he cast magic here and now, what were the odds of defeating Theo and escaping unscathed?
However—
“I wouldn’t suggest getting any funny ideas.”
Before Nazariu could even attempt anything, the blade pressed against his neck dug deeper.
Drip.
A thin stream of crimson trickled down the blade’s edge, a stark warning.
In that moment, Nazariu realized Theo wasn’t bluffing.
He wasn’t simply aiming to capture; if Nazariu became a hindrance, Theo wouldn’t hesitate to eliminate him.
“Well, it’s not the big catch I was hoping for, but I suppose this will suffice. Someone like you shouldn’t be overlooked entirely.”
Muttering incomprehensibly to himself, Theo watched as Nazariu released his staff and slowly raised both hands above his head.
“I surrender. Just... try to make it as painless as possible.”
“What...? Did I hear that right, or are my ears playing tricks on me?”
“You heard correctly. We captured the heir of the Magic Tower.”
“Why the hell is the Magic Tower’s heir even here?!”
Selpherd stared at the two “packages” Theo’s group had brought back, utterly stunned as the truth sunk in.
To him, the entire situation was absurd.
Theo merely shrugged.
“Don’t look at us. We just happened to run into him. My guess? He was planning some kind of attack in the North.”
Selpherd massaged his temples between his thumb and forefinger before asking, “Any chance you got the wrong guy?”
“None. Black Snow has already confirmed it.”
“Black Snow? So, they were already aware and keeping tabs on him?”
“Yes.”
“...You didn’t mess up Black Snow’s operation, did you?”
Conflicts over jurisdiction between different units were not uncommon during field operations.
If Theo’s actions had interfered with Black Snow’s plans for the Magic Tower’s heir, it could spark a political clash between the two factions.
Although the White Dragon Knights of the frontlines and Black Snow in the shadows were supposed to complement each other, their interpersonal relationships were far from harmoe on, that’s...”
“That’s... what?”
“Well, that’s for you to smooth over, Senior.”
“What?!”
Selpherd suddenly realized that Theo had acted knowing full well what he was doing—and that it could very well lead to trouble.
If this went wrong, they’d all be facing a reprimand from Captain Julius.
Selpherd was about to scold Theo when the door of the café they had rented swung open with a loud bang.
SLAM!
“Theo Ragnar! I know you’re in here! Come out, now!”
The heavy footsteps of someone furious filled the air.
Selpherd grimaced as he recognized the leader of the group storming in—Cleve, one of the only eight elite Musal in Black Snow.
“Hey! Deung Ryong hasn’t even returned yet! What the hell are you thinking—”
Selpherd whipped his head around to where Theo had been standing, but...
“He’s already gone. Said he’d leave the clean-up to us.”
Arin chuckled bitterly, shaking her head in exasperation.
Selpherd’s expression twisted into a grimace.
Once again, his insufferably talented junior had left him to handle the fallout.
***
As Theo stepped into the private room at the back of the café, he found Wellington, who was watching over Nazariu and Jerima, scratching his cheek with his finger.
“Just now, I thought I heard some yelling outside.”
“It’s fine. I trust Senior Selpherd to handle it.”
Theo’s mischievous grin was met with a sigh from Wellington.
“Are you sure about this? Black Snow isn’t the kind of organization to let their prey be taken so easily without retaliation.”
‘How did he know?!’
‘That’s right, Lodbrok?’
“Indeed. The stench of consumed grimoires is overwhelming. Why would anyone create such a thing? Disgusting.”
Without Lodbrok’s assistance, Theo might never have found it.
‘An artifact that has devoured not just Belphegor’s Grimoire, but countless others?’
Lodbrok had called Paracelsus a “Demonic Source Code Complex.”
“It’s a patchwork of codes layered over a grand design. With its algorithm, it continuously simulates and learns, essentially an advanced artificial intelligence.”
Theo silently marveled at the explanation.
“At this stage, it likely has its own judgment and intent. Thankfully, it hasn’t developed full free will yet, but it’s close to the critical point.”
Theo’s thoughts raced.
‘If it’s that advanced, it’s nearly a living entity.’
Even with his past life’s memories, Theo couldn’t pinpoint what the Magic Tower was trying to achieve. But one thing was certain—the faint blue glow emanating from Paracelsus was dangerous.
Theo spent a long time experimenting with it, pouring in mana, chanting activation phrases, and even attempting to read its thoughts.
Nothing worked.
[Skill activation failed for unknown reasons.]
Even Lodbrok was impressed.
“They’ve likely used quantum entanglement encryption. This is beyond what even dragons can easily achieve. Humans... I’m impressed.”
“Any way to unlock it?”
“Not immediately. Forcing it open could trigger an explosion. If that happens...”
“We’re finished.”
“Not even I could save you.”
With the quest’s completion within reach, Theo hesitated. Could he risk it?
Lodbrok continued, “Homunculi are exceptionally delicate constructs. They synthesize and process vast amounts of information, making them extraordinary yet dangerously unstable—skirting the edge of godhood itself.”
Theo clenched his jaw.
Selpherd and Arin might be holding off Cleve for now, but they wouldn’t last long. If Cleve broke through, Paracelsus would be taken, along with any clues to restoring Belphegor’s Grimoire.
And yet, Theo felt an unshakable conviction.
He had to decode this.
A homunculus that had consumed demonic grimoires—who knew if the Magic Tower was trying to revive a demon itself?
Theo’s glare locked onto Nazariu, who returned it with a smug grin, as if mocking his struggle.
‘If it’s this sensitive to information, what happens if I introduce something even more complex?’
“Lodbrok, you said this thing is an AI capable of self-learning?”
“Correct.”
“Then what if I feed it my blood?”
“Your blood? Wait... Ah!”
“My blood contains not only ancient dragon DNA but also the unique lineage of Ragnar. If this thing’s consumed demonic codes, dumping dragon data into it might destabilize it entirely.”
Mixing red paint with blue creates green.
Similarly, Theo intended to overwrite Paracelsus’s demonic identity with the essence of a dragon.
“I might even be able to claim ownership by rewriting its code.”
“And if you fail?”
“Then I’ll salvage Belphegor from the wreckage. That much should be easy.”
Theo grinned.
“If I can’t have it, neither can they.”
“You’re ruthless.”
“I’m Ragnar.”
“Magnificent!”
Pulling out Death Beat, Theo slashed his thumb, letting his blood drip onto Paracelsus.
Rumble!
The once-dormant black orb quivered violently before extending a grotesque, serrated tongue to lap up the blood.
“New data detected. Analyzing. Identified as extinct ancient dragon DNA. Assigning value: SSS+++...”
The game was far from over.