Chapter 131
Chapter 131
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Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 47
Chapter Title: Behemoth (3)
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Behemoth couldn't make any reaction.
It was that much of a shock. Before the overwhelming impact that literally halted his brain, the little bull merely blinked its three large eyes.
A little kid with emerald-colored hair and pupils.
He bore no resemblance whatsoever to the great being who had created him in the past, Diablo Volpir.
Yet the aura he exuded, and the words mouthed silently while clearly referring to him specifically.
'I... Is it really you?'
66666 years.
That's what he heard.
He had no idea how much time had passed since his master, Diablo Volpir, fell to the 12 Gods.
With his poor head for numbers, he couldn't calculate dates.
He had simply planned to die. He wanted to charge at the 12 Gods who sought to erase his master's traces and join him at his side.
-He said he'd return.
If not for Yormungand's words, he would have done just that.
Behemoth regretted it endlessly.
Why hadn't he followed his master? Even if he'd been told not to come, he should have gone anyway.
If he was going to end up lingering like this, he should have burned every last bit of his remaining life to aid his master.
-Endure it. Bear with it. That's what we must do.
He could never win against Yormungand, that cunning bastard's silver tongue.
So he followed him this time too.
Embracing regret, he pretended to be dead, biding his time.
But it was too long a time. Madness surged in. He tried to stay still, but the occasional seizures were impossible to endure.
Even curled up deep underground, during fits he unwittingly unleashed his power.
The endless wait drove him madder by the day.
Then one day, an elf came and spoke to him.
Her name was 'Shiora', the very one who had delivered the prophecy of 66666 years to him.
'I thought I could finally enter eternal slumber.'
After telling him that day, Shiora induced a deep sleep in him so he wouldn't have more fits.
If the prophesied day never came, it was better not to wake. He was too weary to cling to invisible hope.
And today, her descendants arrived. But they knew nothing of the prophesied day.
The moment he felt disappointment rising again, he saw him.
There he stood before his eyes. In a completely different form, as a child, smiling at him.
'Sorry.'
Jamie mouthed the words once more.
Behemoth couldn't contain his emotions. Over 60,000 years. A vast span where civilizations had crumbled and rebuilt multiple times.
He had finally appeared.
"Master..."
Moisture welled up in Behemoth's large eyes.
His simple nature reflected fully in his emotions.
Jamie inwardly panicked at the sight of Behemoth on the verge of tears. If this guy acted true to his personality now, things would go awry.
'Hold it in now. Please.'
Jamie mouthed his plea, but stopping Behemoth's tears seemed unlikely.
Left with no choice, he grabbed the creature's face with his hands.
"Ughk-!"
Suddenly seized, Behemoth twisted his face and let out a weird noise.
Jamie, with an innocent smile, hugged Behemoth tightly and naturally turned around backward.
"Waaah- So cute. Even cuter up close."
At Jamie's sudden action, the people nearby shot him even stranger looks.
Regardless, Jamie clutched Behemoth like a stuffed doll and began acting with all his might.
"My Pippy from home seems to have shrunk~"
"...What's Pippy?"
Han glanced at Siegfried and asked.
"How should I know?"
Siegfried had no idea what Pippy was either.
In truth, no such creature as Pippy existed. It was a bull name Jamie had just made up on the spot.
"But why's that guy suddenly acting like that?"
Han felt a disconnect from Jamie's behavior. Compared to how he'd seemed moments ago, it felt like a different person.
But Jamie was just an 8-year-old kid now.
Objectively, Behemoth's current form was utterly adorable, so an 8-year-old liking it wasn't odd.
Boys that age usually favored toy swords or soldier dolls, but they could certainly like cute plushies too.
Even so, the disconnect didn't vanish.
Siegfried somewhat agreed.
"Not very befitting a young master. Well, normally that would be natural."
The problem was that Jamie Welton didn't fit that 'normal' mold.
"Tastes vary, after all."
Then Izaya, who had been quiet, spoke up.
As the two looked at him, Izaya wore a needlessly pleased smile.
"Reminds you of your son?"
Izaya gave a wry smile instead of answering.
Han apologized briefly for bringing it up unnecessarily.
Anyway, thanks to Izaya, Jamie's behavior could be chalked up to taste, letting them breathe a sigh of relief.
Jamie turned around, let out a deep breath, and whispered to Behemoth in the tiniest voice.
"Hey. No one knows who I am right now."
"M-Master."
"So act like you don't know."
"How... You're really the master?"
"Later. We'll talk alone. For now, act like before. You can do it."
"Yeah."
Behemoth was simple-minded.
And from way back, after Black, he was the second-best at following orders. The only difference now was that the hulking mountain of a beast had shrunk to a cute miniature version.
"Kid. I get you like cute things, but we should probably get back to talking. Mind letting go now?"
"Was planning to anyway."
Jamie released Behemoth.
Behemoth stared at Jamie for a moment, then composed his expression.
"Ahem."
"Guess the kid's embrace felt pretty good, huh, tiny bull?"
"Who you callin' tiny, punk?!"
"So, what's this 'prophesied day' about anyway?"
"Whatever. Doesn't matter now."
Behemoth pretended indifference while sneaking glances at Jamie.
Jamie wanted to slap his forehead. How could he be so obvious?
Luckily, the others didn't question Behemoth's behavior.
'Being a kid on the outside sure helps in times like this.'
Even if outside and inside didn't match, one word—"he's a kid"—cheat-keyed everything away.
Just like now.
"More importantly, the contract I made with that elf. You do know the details, right?"
"In exchange for providing you our energy, you move for our goal. Right?"
"Is the amount sufficient?"
"More than enough. But can a pipsqueak like you even consume it all? You're so tiny."
"I ain't tiny!!"
Behemoth yelled, unable to hold back.
"I'm just low on power right now! Once I chow down on energy, I'll recover in no time."
Jamie had a hunch what energy Behemoth meant.
Back then, the food he loved most was...
'Apples?!'
Behemoth wouldn't touch anything but apples, claiming only their juice converted to energy.
Jamie, who had created him, found it absurd.
'This guy... doesn't tell me he's still believing that?'
Behemoth's body was literally mountain-sized. The massive apples he ate supplied energy only during consumption for recovery.
Apples had nothing to do with it.
Jamie unconsciously rubbed his forehead.
"What's wrong, young master?"
"Ah. Just a bit tired."
"Can't blame you."
Siegfried nodded in understanding.
Anyway, the Frontiers seemed to have prepared apples as promised. A whole lot of them.
"I'll hear your goal bit by bit. First, I need to prepare too. Come back tomorrow."
"Prepare what?"
"Don't pry!"
Behemoth bellowed and ducked back into his hole.
"Damn. We gotta trust that thing?"
Han disliked Behemoth. Because of its ridiculously small size.
Was this puny bull really the one who turned the Kelton Mountains into a sea of fire?
'Who knows. As long as the mission succeeds.'
There had been a crisis, but it was resolved somehow.
And they got to see something amazing.
'A technique made by the Welton ancestor's predecessor... Just witnessing it is a huge achievement.'
Han personally felt he'd gained much from this mission. Back home, organizing it all might bring enlightenment.
And meeting Jamie Welton and Siegfried.
That was a major gain too.
Especially Jamie—hard to believe he was only 8, showing veteran mage prowess.
His swordsmanship seemed unbelievable for just months of training. No telling when they'd meet again, but he'd need to stay on guard then.
"Gotta come back tomorrow. What a hassle."
Han scratched his head with an annoyed look, then asked Jamie and Siegfried.
"What about you two?"
"What else? Saw something fun, so time to head out."
"Guess we part here then. Made my day fun, thanks. Kid, be even more amazing next time. I'll expect it."
Han smiled and extended a hand to Jamie.
Jamie eyed it, smirked, and shook.
"No clue when next is, but I'll be leagues stronger than now. Don't get disappointed if you haven't grown."
"...Cheeky bastard to the end."
But Han couldn't deny it.
This bottomless genius surely would be.
"Izaya. Let's go."
"Well then."
Izaya beside Han bowed to the two, and as Han shook a bell, they vanished.
"Alright, us too. Lots to do. Lots to hear."
"Haha..."
"Don't think laughter covers it."
Siegfried grinned and draped an arm over Jamie's shoulder.
Their figures also vanished from the volcanic plain.
Moments later, Behemoth emerged again and flew to where Jamie had been.
He read the faint ancient script etched on the ground.
'I'll come tonight.'
Behemoth's mouth corners lifted.
Sssslither-
In deep darkness, a snake slithered through the grass.
The snake gazed at the large full moon overhead and flicked its long, thin tongue.
Climbing a tree, it smiled at the familiar aura carried by the moonlight.
"Behemoth."
The snake instinctively knew his long-time comrade had awakened.
As the snake smirked oddly and began molting, upon completion, beautiful curves drew under the moonlight, with lush hair cascading down.
A slender, elegant hand gathered the abundant hair into one.
The snake—Yormungand—turned back with a bewitching smile.
"You were right."
"Told you."
There stood a man.
A young man with black hair and purple eyes.