Chapter 347

A wave of exhilaration was followed by a jarring shock.

‘He arrived this quickly?’

Theo had been drawing attention with his chaos all over the battlefield—that much was expected. However, no matter how skilled he was, Felix thought it would take him more time.

“All surrounding enemies have been subdued.”

Theo flicked off the debris clinging to his sword and stepped forward.

He had hurried to join them due to a lingering sense of unease.

‘There were too few troops.’

The number of enemies present was insufficient to pose a significant threat to the dock. It was this lack of forces that had allowed Theo to quickly take control of the area.

At that moment, Theo narrowed his eyes and fixed his gaze on the tightly sealed gates of the dock.

There was no sign that the airship was active, but something about the sensation beyond those gates was unmistakably familiar.

‘This unsettling feeling.’

The aura inside clawed at his skin, raising every hair on his body and filling him with an ominous dread.

Step. Step.

Without a word, Theo began quietly channeling his mana.

He slowly awakened every nerve in his body as if preparing for battle.

The countless presences approaching from behind caught his attention, and Theo turned toward them.

‘The hammer and the anvil.’

Recalling the classic pincer strategy, Theo frowned.

Though it would take time for the incoming forces to reach them, it was only a matter of time. Meanwhile, the enemy within the gates would undoubtedly stall until reinforcements arrived.

Without hesitation, Theo turned back to the sturdy gates and struck them with his sword.

The radiant slash left behind a beautiful trail of light, drawing gasps of admiration.

BOOM!

The massive, thick gates crumbled like tofu, collapsing as dust and debris scattered in all directions.

Clang. Clang.

The sound of something activating came from beyond the dust cloud. As the figure began to emerge, Theo felt a surge of fury.

“Loddy, reinforcements are on their way. Hold them off. Sir Felix, leave only the knights necessary to operate the airship and have the rest follow Lodbrok’s command.”

Issuing these orders, Theo suppressed his anger and stepped forward.

“You have no idea how long I’ve been waiting for this day.”

A repulsive voice echoed from within.

Standing inside was Dante Roll, the traitor of Ragnar.

Above him loomed a shadow so sinister it seemed almost inhuman.

“A beast reduced to its primal instincts.”

“Pwahaha! A beast? You think I’m just a beast now?”

Slash!

As Dante swung his fist, two sharp streaks of dark light sliced through the air, scattering the surrounding dust in an instant.

His crimson eyes glowed ominously, accompanied by razor-sharp fangs and drool dripping hungrily onto the ground.

It was unmistakably the form of a beast.

The energy radiating from Dante triggered Theo’s memories with startling clarity.

Two figures surfaced in his mind.

One was Hilda.

The other…

‘Ashin.’

The gluttonous aura emanating from Dante was reminiscent of the very entity that had once caused the system itself to malfunction.

However, there was something off—a subtle yet peculiar inconsistency in the sensation.

“You really found a fitting partner for your ambitions.”

The insatiable greed that once defined Ashin now melded seamlessly with Dante’s ambitions, creating an overwhelming sense of revulsion.

It was as if Theo were staring at a grotesque pile of filth.

‘He’s on a completely different level than Hilda.’

However, there was one critical difference.

Unlike Hilda, Dante’s transformation appeared stable.

Their auras aligned perfectly, with no signs of discord, as if the two entities had become one.

“So, you recognize this feeling, don’t you?”

Dante trembled with exhilaration, his expression twisting in ecstasy as if reunited with a long-lost lover.

His grotesque display of writhing made Theo’s frown deepen.

“Sir Felix, I’ll keep him occupied. Head for the airship.”

Swoosh!

Theo’s figure blurred, leaving behind only an afterimage.

Clang! Clang!

The clash of Dante’s gauntlets against Theo’s sword filled the air with sparks.

Taking advantage of the opening, Felix and his party slipped past, heading for the airship.

“Huh?”

Suddenly, a grotesque lump of flesh emerged from Dante’s side and lunged at Felix, aiming for his flank.

Time seemed to freeze for Felix as he stared at the horrifying sight.

The icy chill of death brushed against him, a sensation he knew he’d never forget, even in death.

“Snap out of it!”

Theo’s sharp voice jolted Felix back to reality.

The fleshy monstrosity that had been aiming for him was now cleanly sliced apart, falling harmlessly to the ground.

“Kuhaha! It’s just instinct, you see.”

“And do you even know what you’ve become?”

Clang! Clang! Clang!

Their weapons clashed again, each impact resonating loudly.

Dante channeled strength into his arms, forcing Theo back as he roared.

“If I can achieve my ambitions, what does it matter!?”

BOOM!

His shout sent shockwaves rippling through the air.

‘He’s grown much stronger.’

Not just his aura or his roar, but Dante’s physical strength had increased by several levels.

Even the force of being pushed back left Theo’s wrist tingling.

However…

‘That can’t be all Ashin is capable of.’

Theo’s thoughts weren’t directed at Dante.

The power radiating from Dante’s strikes didn’t match the overwhelming might Theo had once felt from Ashin.

After all, Ashin was a being on par with the Nameless Sovereign, an existence even Lodbrok acknowledged.

Ashin likely had to suppress its full power to avoid drawing attention from other gods.

Even so…

‘I can’t deny how impressive this is.’

Dante’s abilities—his monstrous strength, his freeform physical transformations, and his enhanced mana—were undeniably formidable.

Unlike Hilda, every aspect of his physical capabilities had been drastically enhanced.

“Hm?”

Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud!

A thunderous sound echoed, drawing Dante’s puzzled expression.

He soon realized the sound was emanating from within Theo.

A faint smile crept across Dante’s lips.

He, too, felt the lethal aura radiating from Theo and couldn’t suppress his growing excitement.

The figure of someone he once knew seemed to overlap with Theo.

The faint, blurred image brought back memories of a face and a presence that could never be forgotten.

‘It can’t be… You can’t possibly…!’

Dante’s wide eyes gleamed with malice.

Even with the contract that had elevated his power by several levels, he couldn’t imagine himself defeating Kyle.

And yet, here was Theo—a mere child who had reached a similar level at such a young age.

Thud. Thud. Thud. Thud!

The sound grew louder, unnerving Dante.

Annoyed by the noise and Theo’s growing power, Dante moved swiftly.

As if losing interest, he confirmed that Felix and his group had escaped toward the airship.

Black lightning began to gather around Theo.

“Only one answer for a dog that’s abandoned its roots—a whip.”

Theo’s figure flickered as if distorted by static, leaving an afterimage in his place.

The moment Dante realized it was an afterimage, a chill ran down his spine.

Slash!

“Kuh!?”

Too slow to block completely, Dante felt blood trickle down his neck from a long gash.

What shocked him more than the injury was the fact that Theo’s movements had been completely invisible.

Even so, Dante managed to smirk.

“Ah… Kyle used to pull stunts like that. But this is different now.”

While Theo’s figure remained elusive, Dante could sense him now.

Flash!

The ground vanished beneath Dante’s feet as he raised his arm to block Theo’s next strike.

“I knew you’d follow.”

If Dante had truly inherited the power of a being comparable to the Nameless Sovereign, stepping into this realm of light-speed combat would be effortless.

Then, it happened.

Ding, ding!

[The God of Causality is shocked by your presence and the lingering aura of the Nameless Sovereign.]

[The God of War shows great interest in the sudden duel.]

[The Guardian of the North Star smiles faintly and expresses anger toward the servant of the Nameless Sovereign.]

The mention of the North Star’s Guardian confirmed their identity to Theo.

‘It’s been a while, hasn’t it?’

The words were directed at Kyle.

This battlefield was Theo’s declaration, a stage to show how far he had grown and to prove his worth by dealing with the traitor of Ragnar.

“Pwahaha! So this is what it feels like! That contract was the best choice I ever made!”

Dante roared with laughter, staring up at the stars as black smoke descended from the sky, wrapping around him like armor.

His aura grew even more ferocious, nearing that of a lesser god.

Theo merely smiled as Dante’s appearance twisted further, his face morphing into that of a true demon.

“I’ll rip that pretty little face of yours to shreds.”

Dante hurled his fists forward, unleashing a barrage of attacks.

Boom! Boom!

The relentless storm of dark energy twisted the air, ripping through space itself.

[The God of War cheers loudly, curious to see how you will defend against this onslaught.]

[The God of Swordsmanship narrows their eyes, eager to witness your next move.]

Swoosh!

Theo’s sword swung with precision—a single slash.

Though it appeared modest, the strike carried overwhelming dominance.

The sword in Theo’s hands was none other than Caliburn.

The blade seemed to absorb the surrounding space-time, causing the air itself to ripple.

Dante’s eyes widened in fury as his face contorted with rage.

“You dare!?”

Theo’s strike mirrored the one Kyle had once delivered to Dante—a lesson from Ragnar itself.

“Ragnar’s essence is the harsh path. And you think reaching this level by borrowing the power of some wretched god makes it yours?”

Hum! Hum!

Caliburn resonated, radiating a blinding light.

Dante’s vision was consumed by pure white.