Chapter 133
Chapter 133
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Translator: Ebonarch
Chapter: 48
Chapter Title: Getting Stronger (2)
-----------------------------------------------------------------
Behemoth sat atop the summit of the Great Volcano, gazing up at the night sky. Not a single cloud marred the heavens, where a half-moon hung suspended.
The moon, precisely cleaved in two, shone beautifully despite being only half.
"Behemoth."
A voice called out to him from behind—an unfamiliar child's tone.
Yet the way it spoke his name felt as familiar as if he'd heard it just yesterday, even after the passage of sixty thousand years.
Behemoth couldn't control his trembling body.
He slowly turned around.
A long shadow stretched out in the moonlight. Hair fluttering in the night breeze and a robe swaying with it evoked a certain figure in Behemoth's mind.
He lifted his head to look at the shadow's owner.
The shaking emerald hair and dark brown robe were far removed from what he remembered.
"Master... Is that really you?"
But there was one thing—one single thing he could never forget even if he tried—that gleamed in those eyes.
Jamie poured strength into his intensely glowing purple eyes and said,
"Crossing the long span of time, I have returned to this land. I, Diablo Volpir."
"Master!"
Behemoth could hold back no longer and launched himself at Jamie.
Jamie smiled at the charging Behemoth and said,
"You rascal. Even if you're happy to see me..."
Behemoth leaped toward Jamie's open arms.
"Do you plan to keep talking so casually?"
Crack!!
He struck with the edge of both hands.
"Gwehk!"
The small bull crashed to the ground.
Jamie dusted off his palms and clicked his tongue.
"Even after all this time, since when did you start calling me 'Master' like that?"
"M-Master, it is you."
"You little—"
"Master... please."
"That's better."
Diablo Volpir had always been exceedingly strict with his familiars.
It was unavoidable—they were constantly locked in battle, and on the battlefield, the chain of command had to be absolute.
A superior getting chummy with subordinates?
That could shatter discipline, leading to ignored orders in the heat of combat.
For that reason, he never showed weakness before his familiars.
As Jamie fixed him with a stern gaze, Behemoth peeked at his expression and cowered.
Jamie couldn't help but chuckle at the sight.
"You've only shrunk in size; your antics are the same as ever."
"Master!"
With Jamie's demeanor softening, Behemoth hopped about, circling excitedly.
He'd been moping just moments ago, but now he was bright as day—a lie couldn't have changed him more.
His size aside, Behemoth remained the same simpleminded brute.
"Master! It's you, Master!"
How overjoyed he must be.
'Well, he waited all those long years for me alone.'
Knowing his temperament made it all the more heartbreaking.
Jamie gave a wry smile and raised his hand. Black mana gathered at his fingertips, membranous wings unfurled, and a small bat emerged.
Behemoth startled at the sight and cried out,
"Black!"
Born from Diablo Volpir's black mana, they were like brothers.
In the past, they bickered constantly but were the most reliable comrades on the battlefield!
He'd forgotten.
In his ceaseless prayers for his master's return, he'd utterly forgotten Black, who had been closer than anyone.
And Black had done the same—
Snap!
Black's large eyes quivered.
Behemoth flew to him teary-eyed, and the two embraced, sobbing uncontrollably.
Jamie watched from behind, shaking his head with a look that said they were hopeless.
Time had indeed passed.
Black, once invisible beside Behemoth, was now ever so slightly larger.
"Blaaaaack!"
Kki-geek!
Behemoth was fully enveloped in Black's wings.
Jamie waited a moment for the two familiars to finish their reunion.
Soon after, they parted and belatedly exchanged greetings.
"Black, how have you been?"
Kki-gik!
"Were you asleep the whole time?"
Kki-kk.
"You've had it rough too. But since you're connected to Master through the soul, you didn't have to wait, right?"
Kkiiik.
Black only squeaked, but Behemoth seemed to understand perfectly, nodding as he continued the conversation.
Even to Jamie, it was astonishing, though they were born from the same black mana.
'I didn't design them to communicate with each other.'
Black was created solely to assist Jamie in magic. He had no need to converse with anyone but Jamie.
Yet the three of them conversed effortlessly. When Black and Behemoth spouted nonsense, the third would chide them.
'Yormungand. Are you still alive?'
If Behemoth was simpleminded, Yormungand was calculating. Kindly put, highly intelligent; harshly, cunning.
Thus, Behemoth was always Yormungand's plaything. But it wasn't mere torment.
He was made that way, yet he always looked after his brothers from behind the scenes.
If Behemoth lived, Yormungand likely did too.
That could wait; what Jamie most wondered was his size.
Why had he shrunk so much?
"Behemoth."
"Yes, Master."
"'Yes' what? Speak properly."
"Yes, Master..."
"What happened?"
The mood turned serious, and Black flew to Jamie's shoulder.
Behemoth stared at Jamie quietly before speaking.
"It was after you vanished, Master."
Behemoth remembered that day vividly.
Rain poured ferociously, thunder and lightning roared chaotically, tearing the sky asunder.
The great black sorcerer who turned his back on the world spoke to his creations:
-I will definitely return.
All protested.
That place was a death trap. At least take us with you.
The black sorcerer shook his head. Instead, he issued one command.
-Do not let anyone approach me.
His enemies were the 12 Gods, masters of the world.
Their blind followers, mad with fanaticism, were desperate to kill him.
All rebelled, but in the end, they obeyed.
Days passed, and the familiars instinctively knew.
Their master's presence had vanished.
"We scattered far and wide..."
The 12 Gods moved to erase every trace Diablo Volpir had left.
Many familiars fell.
Behemoth, vast enough to touch the heavens, couldn't hide.
He nearly lost his life to enemy threats countless times.
Then Yormungand spoke.
-He said he'd return.
So hide and survive. Shrink that bulk of yours and burrow deep underground.
Endure the suffocation.
Behemoth obeyed.
He fragmented his immense power a thousandfold, scattering it, and curled up deep below with only a portion.
It wasn't uncomfortable. They could maintain consciousness independently. The problem arose elsewhere.
"It was so hard and painful... I missed you so much I thought dying would be better..."
Even shutting off consciousness, the deep-seated longing for his master, Diablo Volpir, grew uncontrollably.
He recited Yormungand's words each time, but there was a limit.
"I ended up using power without realizing..."
The Great Volcano was said to have erupted a thousand years ago, but it had periodically scorched the surroundings far longer.
The intervals neared ten thousand years, unknown to modern humanity.
Thus, Behemoth weakened steadily, exhausting most of his vitality in the final outburst.
"That's when an elf named Sioran appeared."
She told the utterly drained Behemoth of a prophesied day sixty-six thousand six hundred sixty-six years hence.
Simpleminded and gripped by mania, Behemoth couldn't even ask how she knew.
He simply believed his master, Diablo Volpir, might return soon, and contracted with her.
"The elf dispersed most of my power and shrank me to prevent outbursts."
Thanks to that, the volcano quieted.
A thousand years passed since, leading to this day.
"Then you wouldn't know what happened in the interim."
"Yeah. I sensed upheavals outside, but had no spare attention."
"Why the childish speech?"
"It happened when I shrank."
"...I see. You suffered much."
Jamie stroked Behemoth's small head.
He never imagined he'd live to pet that giant's head.
The world was full of surprises.
Feeling Jamie's touch, Behemoth realized something, snapping his three eyes open wide.
"Yormungand might know!"
"That one. Alive after all."
"He told me not to give up and survive. He believed you'd definitely return."
"No idea where he is... right?"
"Nope. But unlike me, Yormungand fled across the world and survived. He must know something."
"And... can't you standardize those endings?"
"It's not on purpose."
Fair enough.
Jamie nodded vaguely, then burst into laughter.
"Master?"
"Just... I'm happy."
Sixty-six thousand six hundred sixty-six years.
Someone foresaw his resurrection.
Frontier knew the secret. Hwan and Izaya seemed unaware, but Isis at its pinnacle surely did.
But he didn't want to dwell on that now.
Jamie scooped up Behemoth in one arm and settled Black on the other.
He addressed his familiars.
"I'm glad we've reunited like this."
"Master!"
Kkip!
Behemoth burrowed roughly into his chest, and Black, despite seeing him daily, plastered himself to Jamie's face.
"Whoa! You two!"
Jamie's small frame toppled backward.
Normally, he'd scold them.
'I'll let it slide today.'
It was a joyous day.
"Behemoth. You have a task."
"Mission! Mission!!"
"Yes. A mission."
Behemoth snorted excitedly, face alight.
"Give me the mission!"
"Tomorrow, you'll head to Frontier's headquarters."
"...Do I have to go after all?"
"Yes. I know you wanted to come along, but you can't miss this opportunity."
"Opportunity?"
"Learn everything you can about Frontier. Didn't you promise to help them anyway?"
Frontier.
He wanted to go himself and see what it was, but circumstances prevented it.
So he'd send Behemoth. He didn't expect much from the dim bull, just the basics.
Especially.
"Make sure to learn about its master, Isis."
"Got it!"
Behemoth replied vigorously.
After over sixty thousand years of waiting, a few years apart was nothing.
As Jamie rose with a smile, Vena crossed his mind. She too would go with Frontier tomorrow.
"And one favor."
"A favor? Not an order?"
"Yes. Tomorrow, a girl named Vena will go with you. Take good care of her."
Vena was timid.
She'd likely be anxious. Having a straightforward fellow like Behemoth with her would help.
"Vena is my subordinate and your comrade. Treat her well."
"Ooh—comrade!!"
Behemoth lit up at "comrade."
Jamie shook his head and gave his final instruction.
"We won't see each other for a while, so recover most of your power by then. Understood?"
"Don't worry!"
"And apples aren't your energy source, so eat moderately."
"Eek?!"
Behemoth looked shocked, as if hearing it for the first time.
Yormungand would have teased him mercilessly for his stupidity.
Black would have flown about laughing.
Jamie straightened and gazed at the night sky.
"Beautiful."
The stars filling the heavens twinkled as if ready to fall.
Morning broke.
Vena sat on the bed, luggage packed.
No need to stay as a pink squirrel for a while. Relief mixed with regret at not maintaining that uncomfortable form.
"All packed?"
Jamie, up early, sipped juice.
He'd craved coffee, but the innkeeper scoffed at a child wanting it and gave juice.
Orange-lime mix from yesterday—tart enough to jolt him awake differently from coffee.
"Master."
"Yes."
"...Thank you so much."
"Parting forever?"
"No, but..."
"Go on, then."
Jamie set down his glass, smiling brightly.
Vena clutched her skirt tightly. Her hands shook. She fought back tears.
Shoulders heaving, hair trembling.
Jamie snapped his fingers, cracking the window open. Crisp winter morning air wafted in—cold, yet refreshing.
Vena straightened unconsciously.
"Your place is always by my side, so go easy. That's an order."
"...Yes, Master."
At those final words, Vena smiled through tears.
Jamie leaned on the windowsill, watching Vena outside, earring to her ear—likely talking to Brahma.
"Regrettable?"
Siegfried had approached unnoticed.
Jamie pondered, then smiled wryly.
"A little."
"Partings mature us."
Jamie somewhat agreed.
But having endured countless farewells in his past life, it meant something else to him.
No eternal separations.
Reunions existed.
That's why he could send Vena off smiling.
Regrettable, but not sad.
No such emotions remained.
"Shall we head out?"
"You recover quickly, Young Lord."
"Can't waste time moping."
"Act your age a bit. You're too mature."
The two bantered as they left the inn.
Thankfully, the sky wasn't overcast today.
A gloomy heaven ill suited farewells.