Chapter 163

“SSS+++? What in the world?”

Nazariu hadn’t thought Theo would get anywhere with Paracelsus.

Handling Paracelsus required specialized knowledge even within the Magic Tower, or at least something on the level of the Grimoire Belphegor.

But now—

Reassessing classification. Attempting EX rank… Additional data identified. Upgrading classification… EX+, EX++, EX+++… Final classification: Rank R.

“What?!”

“That’s impossible!”

The mechanical voice of Paracelsus continued, leaving Nazariu and Jerima in shock.

Despite all their efforts gathering grimoires and artifacts for the Homunculus Project, the highest classification ever assigned had been EX rank.

Even that was due to the incredible luck of unearthing the skull of an ancient giant from the frozen glaciers of the North Sea.

R-rank, a theoretical classification meant only for divine beings, had never been achieved before.

“Stop this!!”

Nazariu lunged toward Theo in desperation.

He didn’t know what Theo was feeding Paracelsus, but if it continued, the artifact would be destroyed.

Paracelsus’s AI was built meticulously, relying on carefully curated data as its foundation. Introducing a superior and incompatible dataset would corrupt it.

“Stay seated.”

Wellington forced Nazariu back into his chair, keeping him restrained.

“Please! Please, stop this!”

“If you keep resisting, I’ll have to subdue you by force.”

Nazariu struggled against the restraints binding his hands and feet, but they were infused with a control mechanism, leaving him powerless.

“Paracelsus! As a first-class authority holder, I command you! Cease data acquisition immediately! Shut down all systems!”

But—

“Hmph! After all we’ve gone through, you think I’ll let that happen now?”

Lodbrok’s voice resounded, rendering Nazariu’s desperate attempt meaningless.

Shutdown command initiated. Failed. Reboot system termination failed. Forced shutdown protocol execution failed. Error: All previous authority holder data has been erased.

“What…?”

Nazariu’s face turned pale.

The ancient dragon data mixed into the database had allowed Lodbrok to overwrite Paracelsus’s command structure entirely.

Detected category fundamentally different from demonic source code. Reinterpreting existing algorithms to analyze new data… Failed. Reattempting… Failed. Current database incompatible with new data.

Meanwhile, Paracelsus devoured Theo’s blood greedily, its jagged mouth gnawing at his fingertip like a starving beast.

Separating existing algorithm system. Expanding database to integrate ancient dragon data. Searching for new patterns… Failed. Searching again… Failed. Additional data required. Command structure being deconstructed to propose new model…

Hiss!

Steam rose from the black orb, which trembled violently under the strain of processing the overwhelming input.

Nazariu tried to intervene, but Wellington held him down firmly.

“There we go. Firewalls are down. Shall we take a peek inside?”n/ô/vel/b//in dot c//om

Lodbrok’s voice was almost gleeful, like someone about to savor a delightful meal.

A cascade of messages flashed before Theo’s eyes.

[Ancient dragon data designated as primary protocol.]

[Hacking successful.]

[Initiating thought extraction.]

Flash!

“...!”

Suddenly, an overwhelming flood of data surged into Theo’s mind.

Demons are entities that failed to become gods.

We who fell into Purgatory, unable to obtain divinity—what must we do?

How can we overthrow guardians like the dragons?

An opportunity to reach the celestial pantheon…

Attempts to end the world… Why do the shackles of time and the prison of space afflict us so?

The chaotic data was jumbled and incomprehensible, a cacophony of fragmented information.

Theo staggered, struggling to maintain his balance.

“Focus, boy. The algorithm is collapsing, scattering the data. Misinterpreting it will destroy your neural pathways.”

Lodbrok’s warning was calm but carried weight.

Even with her vast intellect, sorting through the chaotic mess of Paracelsus’s database would require a monumental effort. She could only shield Theo from being overwhelmed, leaving him to extract what he needed.

“I’ll handle the data surge. Focus on pulling out the information you need.”

“Yes, understood.”

They divided the workload. Lodbrok contained the rampant data while analyzing Paracelsus’s core structure, and Theo focused on extracting the information he needed—particularly the final chapter of Belphegor’s Grimoire.

It was a grueling task, but Theo’s studies on time magic proved invaluable.

Time is relative.

Conversely, time is absolute. Harnessing it to my will could open greater possibilities.

Analyze time microscopically. Break it into even smaller units, stringing them horizontally—an infinity of segments.

If independence of thought is achieved, wisdom to overcome adversity and calamity can be obtained.

As more data on time magic filled his mind, Theo began piecing together new understandings.

What of the body? How does one free it from time’s constraints?

The laws of the macro and micro worlds differ. Light, the fundamental measure, sits at their center.

Light, neither wave nor particle, possesses absolute speed, the fastest medium for transmitting information.

If I could encode my will within light, carry my independent consciousness…

Light is knowledge, the torch that banishes the ignorance of darkness.

If that light illuminates my path, it will transcend hell, infinite timelines, the circular loop, reaching something beyond…

“This is more than just knowledge. Other grimoires’ insights have merged with demonic wisdom.”

Quickly sorting through the endless sea of data, Theo extracted what he needed and regained his composure.

In his hand, Paracelsus now sagged limply, emitting thin trails of white smoke.

Recovering algorithm… Establishing new framework with priority data… Command authority reset… Redefining grimoire…

The messages indicated that Paracelsus was no longer what it once was.

“Ha! Humanity’s advancements in magical knowledge are truly fascinating. Even the status of us dragons seems precarious now.”

“What did you do?” Theo asked warily.

“Oh, nothing much. Just a playful little tweak.”

Theo imagined Lodbrok chuckling mischievously in her lair, winking slyly.

“A tweak?”

“It wouldn’t be fun to spoil the surprise. Take your time discovering it. You’ll enjoy the journey!”

Theo couldn’t shake the ominous feeling from Lodbrok’s laughter.

Whatever she had done, it was unlikely to hinder him—but it wouldn’t be straightforward to uncover, either.

“What… did you do?” Nazariu demanded.

“Nothing,” Theo replied with a casual shrug, tossing Paracelsus to him.

Nazariu examined the artifact nervously but found no apparent issues with its AI system.

“Who… are you?”

The Magic Tower and the Alchemist Guild had failed to achieve R-rank data, yet Theo had done so effortlessly.

Even if his blood had acted as a catalyst, Nazariu doubted it was the sole reason.

‘I need to understand the nature of the data he implanted into Paracelsus. Otherwise, the project is doomed to fail.’

Though Nazariu couldn’t take his eyes off Theo, the young Ragnar was already focusing on his next move.

[You have uncovered new clues about time and successfully completed Scenario Quest #6.]

[Completion Rate: 115%]

[Evaluation: S+]

[Reward: ■■Regression Ability obtained.]

[Bonus Reward: Clockwork Reinforcement acquired.]

[Details of the abilities must be discovered independently.]

“■■Regression Ability…”

Theo had an inkling of what the blurred-out message implied.

‘It must be connected to the chronograph the Mage Empress used.’

If he could replicate the ability to revive the spirits bound to the Spirit Crypt Sword in reality, it would be an unparalleled asset.

But there was no time to dwell on it.

BANG!

The door burst open violently.

“Theo Ragnar!”

It was Cleve, barging in after finally shoving past Selpherd and Arin.

Selpherd followed shortly after, shaking his head apologetically at Theo—he’d done all he could to hold her off.

Theo nodded in gratitude before turning to Cleve with a polite bow.

“It’s been a while, Cleve. I didn’t expect to see you here.”

“You—!”

“You seem a bit out of breath. Would you like some tea to recover before we talk?”

Cleve glared at Theo’s calm demeanor, her rage barely contained, but forced herself to regain composure as she scanned the room.

Nazariu and Jerima, the targets of her mission, were seated and bound, seemingly unharmed.

Cleve motioned sharply for Theo to follow her.

“We need to talk. Now.”

***

A Private Room with Theo and Cleve

Cleve enveloped the room in an aura, ensuring no sound could escape, and asked coldly,

“What the hell are you thinking?”

“Pardon? I’m not sure what you mean,” Theo replied with feigned innocence.

“Don’t play dumb.”

Theo smiled faintly.

“I wasn’t intentionally trying to interfere with Black Snow’s mission.”

“Oh? Then what?”

“I was after a personal item. It just so happened that the Vice Tower Master’s group from the Magic Tower had it before me.”

“A coincidence?”

“Yes.”

“And you expect me to believe that?”

“It may be hard to believe, but it’s the truth. Now that my business is done, Black Snow is free to take the Vice Tower Master’s group with you.”

Cleve’s brow twitched in frustration.

“So, now that you’re done, we’re supposed to pick up the pieces? Black Snow suffered quite a bit because of you. What should we do about that?”

“It seems what Black Snow needed wasn’t just the Vice Tower Master himself.”

“That’s not the point—!”

Cleve cut herself off, realizing she’d almost said too much, and frowned.

“A shame. I was hoping to hear more,” Theo teased lightly.

Cleve let out a short laugh, a mix of exasperation and disbelief.

Despite disrupting their operation, Theo had the audacity to probe for information. It was both audacious and, annoyingly, clever.

This sharp wit was what had once led her to acknowledge Theo, though facing him now as an adversary was nothing short of irritating.

“Let me be direct then. Why is Black Snow pursuing the Vice Tower Master’s group from the Magic Tower?”

“Why do you want to know?”

“It might be relevant to my and the White Dragon Knights’ future operations.”

Even if the Vice Tower Master was captured easily, his political standing wasn’t insignificant. If he had been openly wandering Ragnar territory, there was undoubtedly a deeper agenda at play.

“The Vice Tower Master is requesting to meet with our highest-ranking official. It’s as though he knew exactly who would show up here.”

Theo noticed Cleve’s expression tighten subtly.

“He came to meet Commander Deung Ryong, didn’t he?”

“...!”

“But Commander Deung Ryong has hardly operated outside the field for decades and has no significant ties to the Magic Tower. Which means there’s someone even higher up involved. That leaves only one conclusion.”

“Stop right there. Don’t say that name.”

For the first time, Cleve issued a warning. The implication was clear—if Theo pursued this line of thought, he wouldn’t walk away unscathed.

Unperturbed, Theo calmly finished his sentence.

“Former Patriarch Hilda Ragnar.”

“You dare—!”

“So it really was her the Magic Tower wanted to contact.”

Theo’s eyes turned cold as steel.

“What I don’t understand, though, is why the Vice Tower Master made such a blatant show of himself. If all they needed was a quiet meeting, why parade around so openly for everyone to see?”

Cleve’s silence spoke volumes.

Theo’s probing had already struck the core of Black Snow’s suspicions, and both of them knew it.