Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 267

Clatter!

He cocked the hammer, instantly loading six bullets. Simultaneously, he channeled his magic power, aiming the gun barrel out the shattered window.

As if on cue, a figure appeared, darting through the alleyways between buildings and walls, then leaping towards them.

Swish!

Even mid-air, the figure twisted and turned, accurately targeting the back seat of the truck.

Only two eyes were visible in the pitch-black attire.

In that gaze, there was a faint sneer, as if to say, ‘You couldn’t possibly hit me.’

Lenok ignored the taunt and immediately pulled the trigger.

The revolver he had commissioned from Palmer was made of a material with high magic conductivity, capable of fully receiving Lenok’s dense magic power.

And if that hairy craftsman had done his job properly, it meant he could now freely use the shooting support magic he had previously been unable to use due to concerns about damaging the gun.

The instant he pulled the trigger.

More than six types of shooting support magic rapidly stacked and rotated on the revolver’s long barrel.

[Aim Correction: Double Layer]

[Attribute Enchantment: Dispersion]

[Trajectory Modification]

[Bullet Binding]

[Ricochet Shot]

[Four-Round Burst]

Tat-tat-tat!

Lenok’s wrist rotated smoothly, instantly emitting four flashes of light in all directions.

The first bullet, fired at that moment, far exceeded the speed of sound.

It pierced the forehead of the figure running at the front before he could even react.

Clang!

At that moment, the second bullet, which had been skimming the ground and ricocheting off an incline, collided in mid-air.

It shattered into dozens of metal fragments, turning into subsonic killing weapons, and slammed into the pursuers’ bodies.

The third and fourth bullets, carried by the wind, gently curved and pierced the bodies of the pursuers who had stopped in their tracks.

“Ugh…!!”

“My leg…!!”

It was impressive that, rather than letting out painful screams, they focused on their last words and assessed the situation, as if they had received considerable training.

Lenok, watching the pursuers, immediately pulled the trigger again.

Bang!

The fifth bullet, imbued with the magic of electricity, spun as it flew through the air.

At that moment, the other two bullets embedded in the pursuers’ bodies resonated together, vibrating in a huge triangle for a fleeting moment.

A powerful storm of electricity raged within the area outlined by the triangle.

[Potential Resonance]

[Harmonics]

Zzzzzzzzz!

The magic that knocked down the pursuers, who had been trying to recover from their injuries while maintaining consciousness, caused the passengers in the truck to cheer.

“Wowww!”

“That was amazing!!”

“Magician! Magician!!”

Even the people watching from the side were left gaping at the ricochet shots.

And the spectacle of electric magic that completely broke the pursuers’ momentum.

Even if they didn’t know the principles behind it, it was clear how Lenok was breaking through this situation with such precise skill and ability.

Only then did they realize they were with a freelance magician who had made a name for himself, and smiles bloomed on the faces of Tucker and the other employees.

Tucker stammered as he quickly spoke.

“If, if we just get to the client, we’ll be safe. Those guys will definitely help me…!!”

“I don’t know about that…”

Considering this attack was likely orchestrated by the Eight Families, it was uncertain whether the client would really protect Tucker.

However, instead of dampening the excited atmosphere, Lenok placed his finger back on the trigger.

“This isn’t over yet.”

Bang!

He completely reversed the direction of the gun barrel and fired the last remaining bullet towards the sky in front of the truck.

The bullet shattered into dozens of metal fragments in the air, and using those fragments as a medium, a net of electricity floated in the air.

Zzzzz!

Immediately after, a black figure that had fallen from the sky jumped straight into the middle of the electric net.

If he was from the same group as the pursuers, he too should have been immediately neutralized by Lenok’s electricity and lost his combat ability.

But the last figure was different.

He flipped his body mid-air and swung the blade in his hand, creating a faint gap in an instant with a sharp slash.

Even Lenok was impressed by the incredibly precise swordsmanship.

The figure, who had quickly squeezed through the gap and broken through Lenok’s encirclement, landed directly on the hood of the truck.

Swoosh!

As the figure’s hand blurred, the headlight was cleanly sliced off, and the vehicle lost its balance.

Screech!

With the impact, the truck tilted sharply forward, scraping along the alley floor before coming to a stop.

The end of a short but intense chase.

“Hiiik…!!”

At the same time as Tucker, who was terrified, cowered, the figure, wrapped in the net, shouted in a booming voice.

[Who dares to travel on the road without the permission of the Six Spirits Family!]

“…”

[As a representative of the Six Spirits, who manages all traffic and transportation in the fortress, I cannot overlook the violence of outsiders! The sinner must get out of the car and show their face immediately!!]

“Th, this is bad.”

Tucker said, trembling.

“I’ve never had a problem with the Six Spirits Family, but to be caught by the representative…”

“Representative?”

“…Mad Manson, a freelancer notorious for his eccentric personality even outside. Oh my god, of all people…”

“…”

Lenok stared silently at Tucker, who was rambling while sweating profusely, then leaned his head out the window.

A young man had landed on the hood of the car.

On his head, a mechanical part, not human, was proudly placed.

The man with the robot head, shouting loudly in a voice mixed with mechanical sounds, made eye contact with Lenok, who was leaning against the window frame.

[If you submit obediently, you will not be harmed…]

“…”

[…]

The man who had been shouting, Mad Manson, a multi-body adapter, quietly shut his mouth.

Lenok asked.

“What are you doing there?”

[…]

“Ugh… Boss?”

“A, are you acquainted?”

Confused voices leaked out from among the subordinates who had belatedly cleaned up the damage and followed Manson.

Manson glanced sideways.

[…I mistook the person. This isn’t the place.]

“Huh?”

“But you were sure these guys were the ones…”

[Be quiet! Are you saying I’m wrong!]

Manson, who had threatened them, subtly got off the hood of the truck and cleared his throat.

He desperately avoided Lenok’s gaze and placed his hand on Tucker’s shoulder, who was still trembling.

[Sorry about that. You can go now.]

“Th, thank you…?”

Manson, who had passed by Tucker, who had not grasped the situation, spoke subtly without looking at Lenok.

[There… that… magician, you can go now too, I think.]

“…”

[…]

“…Okay.”

Lenok sighed and nodded.

He didn’t know why Manson, who had disappeared after the Cartel’s work, was acting as a representative of the Eight Families here, but that was something he could find out later.

It was clear this wasn’t a place to talk in the middle of a place where people’s attention was focused.

Tucker, still sweating profusely, turned to Lenok with trembling eyes.

“B, Ban-nim… What, what is going on?”

“I know Manson. It won’t be a big problem.”

“Oh, oh… I see…!! Thank you so much, thank you!!”

As Lenok answered with a calm expression, Tucker, who had finally understood the situation, rushed to hug Lenok with all his might, extending his massive body.

Lenok, who naturally deployed a shield to push away Tucker’s embrace, answered calmly.

“I’d like to receive a token of gratitude in the form of goods, not physical contact.”

“O, of course. Is there anything you’d like as compensation…?”

“I’m not asking for much.”

Lenok smiled slightly at Tucker, who had shrunk back a little.

“How about we exchange contact information for now?”

Tucker’s existence, having established a business in the Eight Directions Fortress and traded with the local residents, was clearly a useful card for Lenok.

Rather than demanding material compensation right away, it would be wiser to observe the situation and demand the most appropriate compensation.

The two continued their conversation, and the truck, with its headlights cut off, began to leave the alleyway.

Manson, watching the truck move away, muttered quietly.

[I’m screwed. Should I run?]

* * *

“Failed?”

“Yes. The representative of the Six Spirits just let them go.”

“I thought the Six Spirits had already promised cooperation.”

The man lowered his head at the cold voice coming from beyond the blinds.

“It seems the representative and the target knew each other.”

“…Who was the representative? I don’t know much about that side since I haven’t been paying attention to it.”

“It’s a freelancer named Manson. He’s said to be quite skilled and well-known outside.”

“Hmm…”

Ban of District 49.

He didn’t usually pay much attention to outside information, but it was impossible he didn’t know the person who had recently been the subject of rumors in the underworld.

He had tried to find out the intentions of the ‘Unbreakable’ who had entered the fortress, but things had gone wrong from the start.

“Surely he didn’t really come to escort a merchant named Tucker.”

“I think the possibility is low.”

“I want to commend him for his audacity in showing his face at this time… but it doesn’t matter. In the end, the answer will come from one of the four families that have pledged their allegiance to me.”

A bright yellow light flashed along with the voice.

“It must be one of the Eight Shields, Five Wheels, or Three Shadows. Put a tail on the guy named Tucker and monitor his movements. Don’t let the magician named Ban get away.”

“…”

“Can’t you hear me?”

The man hesitated and continued to speak at the irritated voice.

“That’s… After the merchant named Tucker finished his business, the Unbreakable seems to have disappeared immediately.”

“…”

“We are doing our best to track him down, but…”

It wasn’t hard to guess what would be said next.

Only the sound of something breaking echoed in the room.

* * *

Late at night.

In the back alleys of the city where everyone was asleep.

A small flame flickered in a subtle corner where unusually high walls overlapped, forming shadows.

Flick!

“So, what you’re saying is…”

Lenok, who lit a cigarette and put it in his mouth, opened his mouth.

“You had a well-paying job and were on a business trip for a while, is that it?”

[…That’s about right.]

“Even though you promised to join the company after the Cartel’s work was done.”

[I’m sorry.]

Manson obediently bowed his head to the ground without saying a word.

Lenok stared down at him for a moment, then asked with a look of realization.

“Why didn’t you recognize my presence? It seems like you didn’t know at all until you saw my face.”

[My body is not fully adjusted yet, so my senses are very dull.]

“…”

[It’s a pretty good body, you know. It might be helpful to the boss too. Hehe.]

Lenok sighed at Manson’s disgusting laughter.

Manson, as a multi-body adapter who manipulates multiple bodies with one consciousness, has the strange characteristic that his combat power and specialized abilities change depending on the body he uses.

Looking at the muscular, well-built young man he was now, it was almost certain this was a body Manson had chosen with combat in mind.

Lenok leaned against the wall, crossed his arms, and nodded.

“Okay, explain the situation inside the fortress. I heard there’s a fight going on between the Eight Families for the position of the family head. How far has it progressed?”

Originally, he was planning to gather information himself, but there was no need to go through the trouble when Manson, who was acting as a representative of the Six Spirits Family, was here.

However, Manson tilted his head at Lenok’s words.

[I’m curious myself. Didn’t you come into the fortress knowing everything? I thought you were going to kill me right away, so I was holding back.]

“What do you mean?”

[The battle for power inside the fortress is almost over. Four families, led by the One Origin Family, have pledged their allegiance.]

“…”

[I thought one of the three families that were cornered had hired you as a mercenary… Did you come into the fortress without knowing anything?]

“It’s true I plan to participate as a representative. I have some personal matters to look into.”

Lenok said, taking out a ticket from his pocket.

“The problem is which side the Five Wheels Family has sided with.”

[Oh, dear…]

Manson clicked his tongue as soon as he saw the inscription on the ticket.

[You’ve chosen a hard path. The Eight Shields, Five Wheels, and Three Shadows are not on the side of the One Origin. And among them, the Five Wheels are…]

“The Five Wheels are?”

Instead of answering Lenok’s question, Manson got up and turned his head.

[It’s nearby. Let’s go check it out ourselves.]

After passing four blocks and walking along a wide avenue, a mansion like a palace appeared.

A house that looked like a palace with at least five floors and a large yard.

The mansion, with the words ‘Five Wheels’ written in large letters in the middle of the gate, already seemed to have lost half its function as a house.

The Five Wheels Family’s mansion looked as if it had been hit by a bomb, with holes in the walls and the yard a mess.

The bloodstains and soot scattered here and there clearly proved this mansion was not being properly maintained.

Manson walked into the mansion without hesitation, but Lenok stopped at the eerie presence he felt inside.

Manson turned his head at Lenok’s gaze fixed on the mansion.

[What’s wrong? You came as a representative of the Five Wheels Family. Even if it was me, you wouldn’t be kicked out of here.]

“Aren’t you a representative of the Six Spirits Family right now?”

[Hey, even so, they wouldn’t attack a guest out of the blue…]

Manson, who was about to put his hand on the wooden door leading to the main building of the mansion, suddenly lowered his head.

Clang!

With a metallic sound like a can being kicked, the metal head fell straight to the floor.

Manson’s gaze, which had rolled to the wooden door and stopped at someone’s feet, met Lenok’s.

[Huh?]