Genius Warlock

"I never had any expectations for you. Not even once," Theodore stated in his usual manner as he thrust a knife into Carl's back, a move that carried an authentic air.

Oliver, suspended upside down from the ceiling, silently observed the unfolding scene.

Despite the perfect moment for an attack, the suddenness of the situation led him to desire further observation.

Additionally, other concerns occupied his mind, such as the absence of a puncture wound resulting from Theodore's strike.

Certainly, when one pierces another's torso with a knife, a wound should manifest, and blood should flow. However, the spectacle before his eyes defied this expectation.

Rather than creating a wound, Theodore's arm and the knife appeared to meld together, to fuse.

Bubbles effervesced at the point of flesh meeting, veins and blood vessels intertwined, and even their life forces became entangled.

It was fusion. Although Oliver lacked scholarly knowledge on the subject, he sensed it instinctively.

Equally intriguing was Carl's emotional state.

Carl, who had overseen human experiments at Mattel, ironically descended into a chasm of terror, fear, confusion, betrayal, and sorrow, mirroring the children he had once experimented on.

It felt as if his entire world had crumbled.

From Oliver's perspective, it didn't quite add up. In all honesty, it baffled him.

While Theodore's actions were somewhat unexpected, they weren't fundamentally different from what Carl himself had done in the past. So why such a reaction?

Even though the roles had switched, he was essentially continuing the same practices he had always engaged in.

What added to the incomprehensibility of the situation was that Oliver, despite his detached observation, felt a slight twinge of pity. Just a faint one, akin to what he had felt for Colin.

Thud.

Oliver, who had been hanging from the ceiling, landed on the ground, and in the meantime, Theodore deftly absorbed his prey.

With the eyes of a warlock, Oliver witnessed it.

The life force and emotions of Carl were devoured by Theodore's life force and emotions.

It was akin to a snake devouring a mouse.

"Ah… Thank you for waiting," Theodore spoke after completely assimilating Carl's body, looking remarkably refreshed.

"No, I was curious to watch, so you don't have to thank me."

"Ah, is that so?"

"Yes."

Oliver nodded.

This was his first encounter with someone consuming another person in such a manner.

While Puppet had displayed something similar in the contaminated zone, and the disciples of the Human-meat Chef had demonstrated a similar process, there was a clear distinction.

Puppet and Human-meat Chef's disciples engaged in ‘consumption,' whereas Theodore executed ‘fusion,' literally absorbing his subject and only assuming their will.

At first glance, Theodore's technique appeared to be more advanced.

‘There appear to be weaknesses, though…'

Oliver inquired, "May I ask a few questions?"

"Go ahead," Theodore granted permission.

"Was that technique developed internally within the School of Life Magic? Or did you adapt it from Mr. Puppet or Mr. Human-meat Chef?"

"Have you met either of them?" Theodore asked in response.

"I've met Mr. Puppet, but not Mr. Chef. However, I have met his disciples and know that they consume human flesh to absorb power."

"Hmm… and you're still alive? Quite impressive. Or should that be expected?"

"……?" Confused by Theodore's enigmatic response, Oliver tilted his head.

Theodore elucidated, "I did adapt the technique based on theirs but refined it in the School of Life Magic's way. Their methods are inefficient."

Oliver nodded in agreement.

As mentioned earlier, Puppet and Human-meat Chef focused on ‘consumption,' whereas Theodore practiced ‘fusion.'

In terms of efficiency, Theodore's approach seemed superior.

He had not only rejuvenated himself by absorbing Carl's life force and youth but also acquired Carl's mana and energy flow as his own.

"Is that the end of your questions?"

"Um… can I ask a little more?"

"Go ahead."

Theodore accepted with delight as he stretched, relishing his newfound youth. Swallowing Carl had evidently put him in high spirits, and his demeanor was surprisingly amiable.

Following Kevin's explanation, Oliver decided to probe Theodore, even though he was intrigued by Theodore's unexpected benevolence.

"Why are you okay with this?" Oliver inquired.

"What do you mean?"

"Ah, I didn't mean anything bad by it. I'm just personally curious. As far as I know, he is Mr. Theodore's grandson, yet you seem completely fine with consuming him… I was wondering why."

"Hmm… a strange question coming from a warlock."

Oliver nodded, acknowledging the peculiarity of his question. It wasn't a query one would typically expect from a warlock like Oliver. Nevertheless, his curiosity persisted.

When Theodore absorbed Carl's body, Carl had displayed genuine feelings of betrayal, sorrow, and fear. In essence, he had trusted Theodore.

Oliver had witnessed such emotions before—in children abandoned by their parents, newly sold into mines.

A sensation of being forsaken by the world.

For a brief moment, Carl had experienced the same emotions as those powerless children.

It bothered Oliver somewhat, and for some inexplicable reason, he found himself thinking about Colin.

"Whatever the case, he's still my grandson, isn't he?"

"……"

"I even consumed my own children, what difference would a grandson make?" Theodore casually revealed, shocking Oliver.

Uncertain how to react, Oliver gasped involuntarily.

"Uh… Why?"

"Why do you think people have children?"

"The orphanage director told us our parents were too stupid to use contraception."

Theodore burst into laughter, genuinely amused by the response.

"It's not wrong. Most people are born that way—through alcohol and carelessness. But there are those who deliberately have children, those who are wealthy and influential."

"Why do those people have children?"

"To pass on their genes."

"Genes?"

"Yes, it's the only way to give their finite lives some form of meaning. Having children is proof that they existed. Do you not understand?"

"Hmm… Honestly, it's a difficult concept for me," Oliver admitted. Being an orphan, he had never had anyone explain the notions of parents, children, or family, nor had he had anyone elucidate the significance of descendants. Strangely, Theodore was now providing these explanations.

"Some people amass a lot during their lifetimes—overwhelming wealth, influence that can reach the other side of the world, knowledge that can change the world. But when death comes, it all becomes meaningless. So, people have children to pass on their achievements and indirectly live on. That's the reason for a child's existence."

"Hmm…" While not necessarily in agreement, Oliver found the perspective intriguing.

"Then, shouldn't you avoid consuming your child and grandson Carl?" Oliver pointed out the inconsistency, but Theodore shook his head, as if Oliver was entirely missing the point.

"You don't understand… If you can overcome death and live forever, blood relations like children and grandchildren lose much of their meaning."

Theodore laughed as he spoke, radiating the joy of overcoming an unjust reality and the satisfaction of attaining his goal.

Oliver pressed further, "Do you have the technology for eternal life? Professor Kevin said that there's no such technology in the field of Life Magic."

"Right, there isn't. But we'll be able to develop it soon, now that you're here." Theodore pointed at Oliver.

"Me… you mean me?"

Oliver looked around to double-check.

"Yes, you."

"…I think there's a misunderstanding—"

"—Hahahahahahahahaha!" Theodore suddenly burst into intense laughter, almost like a roar.

"It's funny. Truly funny… You possess all the blessings one could only dream of as a human, yet the very person who owns them is this foolish… It angers me."

Suddenly, Theodore's expression turned serious.

"Didn't you say that mixing emotions and mana isn't your specialty?"

"Yes."

"You said you happened to use the technique, didn't you?"

"Yes."

"You didn't learn blood magic; you simply mimicked and used it?"

"Yes."

"Your magic isn't something someone taught you, but something you could just use?"

"It's similar. Although I did learn, I used it before I learned."

Having received these responses, Theodore's previously cheerful demeanor gave way to intense jealousy and anger.

Jealousy toward Oliver and anger at the unfairness of his own reality.

It was a series of perplexing events.

Among all the people Oliver had encountered thus far, none seemed as blessed as Theodore. Yet, he harbored jealousy towards him, who hailed from an orphanage and resentment towards the injustices of the world.

It was an inexplicable reaction.

"Do you have any idea how much I had to pay to fully absorb your blood?"

"…? Are you referring to the wizards upstairs earlier?"

"Yes, there was a tremendous backlash just for implanting a small drop of blood. Even excellent wizards twisted in agony, their blood corrupting, leading to death."

"……"

"So I had to pay with the mana and life force of over a hundred wizards to barely implant a few drops of blood into Carl. I swallowed such Carl! …Tell me! Who are you? What being are you to possess such blood?!”

Theodore already held a degree of certainty, but he sought confirmation from Oliver.

Contrary to Theodore's heightened emotional state, Oliver could only muster confusion and bewilderment.

It was like encountering a drunken individual rambling on the street.

Nevertheless, Oliver responded courteously, "…I am merely a private staff member of a Magic Tower Professor, Zenon Bright, and a solver for District T."

Evidently, this response did not satisfy Theodore, as he appeared displeased, as if he had been disregarded.

"As I suspected, it's too much for you. It's excessive!" Theodore exclaimed, releasing his emotions onto the ground.

Astoundingly, it was [Bless], the original black magic of Marie and the one that Oliver had recently employed.

Theodore's emotions took on a form between mist and light, sweeping across the entire building and overlaying Oliver's previously established control.

Oliver made a belated attempt to defend his control, but it was too late.

Woosh… Screech… Crack! Crack!

Theodore expertly manipulated black magic to distort the upper portion of the building, as if he had wielded it from the beginning.

It took on the form of a wire-made globe, rendering the ground beneath exceedingly precarious.

At the impressive skills, Oliver realized that what Theodore had gained extended beyond absorbing Carl; it involved honing fundamental skills.

This only deepened the mystery.

Why would someone of Theodore's caliber betray Magic Tower, sacrifice numerous wizards, and even his own grandson, all for the sake of absorbing a few drops of his blood?

However, Theodore, suspended upside down from the apex of the globe, soon revealed his own reasoning.

"I will swallow you whole to overcome the curse of aging and death granted by Gods to humans! To beat the Doom that's coming! To close the gap between Merlin and myself, to prove that I am the greatest wizard! The chosen one!"

Theodore shouted these intriguing words as he unleashed a torrent of electricity over the grotesque landscape he had manipulated using Bless.

The blue electricity crackled vividly, dense and coarse as it enveloped the entire structure.

Recognizing that conventional defenses would not suffice, Oliver leaped to evade the surge of electricity.

"Where do you think you're going!"

As if he had been waiting, Theodore manipulated the electricity spread across the surface, which he had controlled using Bless, to attack Oliver.

Dozens of lightning bolts streaked toward him from all directions.

A technique that, though straightforward, demanded exceptional magical control.

Just before the lightning struck, Oliver conjured a blood balloon using a small reserve of blood he had stored in a test tube, harnessed a significant amount of blood, and narrowly dodged the attack by shaping the blood like wings around him.

In this state, covered in Black suit, Oliver approached Theodore and asked, "Do you know about the Doomsday clock of Judgement?"