Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 278

The audience was speechless at the anticlimactic ending, so different from the life-or-death battle they had just witnessed.

The next contender to step up was Mad Manson, a freelancer with a robotic head.

The head of the Six Spirits Clan glared at him as if to kill him, but what was the point since it was already out of his hands?

Regardless, the expectations of the citadel residents were only rising.

Even if they were in the dark about the outside world, they had managed to get a rough idea of the proxies’ identities.

They realized that both the mercenary Adam Brobeck and the freelancer Mad Manson were skilled individuals who had made a name for themselves in the shadows of the mega-city.

Moreover, since these two were not from the citadel, they could watch and cheer without any reservations.

“This time, they’ll fight properly, right?”

“Show us how you fight outside the citadel!”

“If they’re fighting for money, they won’t betray us, right?”

However, it didn’t take long for those expectations and cheers to vanish.

Manson, who had seemed to be brandishing his sword for a few moments, spent about ten minutes running away before raising both hands in surrender.

[Surrender.]

The green light gleaming from between the heavy robotic head shone brightly.

Uuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuuu!!!

Thousands of jeers echoed throughout the estate.

Looking down at the scene, Head Evon’s face crumpled in displeasure.

“…This isn’t good.”

“Huh?”

At her mutter, the boy sitting next to her, Head Ilwon, raised his head to look at Evon.

“There’s no way they would act like this unless they have something in mind.”

Head Evon muttered, anxiously biting her nails.

“We need to keep the audience engaged until the ritual is over…”

“…”

“The guards currently deployed might not be enough. In the worst-case scenario-”

“That’s quite an interesting story.”

Oren, who had been quietly closing his eyes, spoke.

“The proxy war ritual itself has nothing to do with the people.”

“…I don’t understand what you mean.”

“I’m just wondering if there’s a new reason why you’re suddenly concerned about the residents’ existence.”

Oren opened his eyes slightly and met Evon’s gaze directly as he muttered.

“For example, if you’ve become too engrossed in some strange belief…”

“…”

Head Evon’s face stiffened.

Oren had phrased it casually, but it wasn’t hard to see the hidden meaning behind his words.

They both realized that they each held a piece of the truth.

The veins in Evon’s arm, which was gripping the armrest of her chair, faintly swelled.

The other clan heads watched the scene, holding their breath.

However, Head Evon endured Oren’s provocation with superhuman patience and smiled.

“It seems that Head Samyoung is misunderstanding something. It’s just that we haven’t had many opportunities to be with the residents, but we’re always doing our best to help them.”

“Misunderstanding?”

“That’s right. While Ilwon and Samyoung have been diligently taking care of the citadel’s public sentiment, hasn’t our Evon been silently supporting the citadel’s foundation?”

“…”

“That’s why Ilwon is simply yielding to us this time.”

She said that while gently stroking the head of Head Ilwon sitting next to her.

“Isn’t that right, Head Ilwon?”

“…Yes, it is.”

The boy slowly raised his head and met Oren’s gaze.

The clear will that surfaced in his eyes was not mixed with any hesitation.

“Although I received help from Head Evon, this is all something I’m doing of my own volition. There’s no reason for you to worry about it, Head.”

Head Ilwon. He knew that the son of the deceased Clan Head had purely chosen everything that had happened so far of his own will.

Oren also knew that, which was why he hadn’t been able to reach out to him rashly until now.

Oren had been observing the situation for a long time, unable to grasp what price Head Evon had offered to extend her influence over Head Ilwon.

But now, having obtained information about the cult through Lenok, he could understand.

“Taeoh. Growing older and entering eternal rest are two completely different things.”

Oren said.

“The opposite is also true. It’s obvious that gaining youth and resurrecting the dead are different things, isn’t it?”

“…!!!”

In Oren’s gaze towards Head Ilwon, Taeoh, there was only a faint pity left.

“Moreover, what meaning is there in an illusion created by devouring the blood and flesh of others?”

“…”

“It’s not too late. You can have the Clan Head position. But I’ll be satisfied if you just admit that everything you’re doing right now is wrong.”

“I don’t know what you’re talking about.”

Taeoh gritted his teeth and turned his gaze away.

“The proxy war is almost over, and the Clan Head position will be in my hands through a legitimate process. There’s nothing you can give me, Godfather.”

“…Okay. If that’s what you say, then so be it.”

Oren answered calmly and turned his gaze to the estate.

“But the proxy war isn’t over yet.”

On the stage where the Seven Sages’ proxy, the mercenary of Plato, was waiting.

A young man with a sharp impression, wearing a coat, was slowly walking up the stairs.

“Let’s see who will be standing at the end.”

* * *

‘Just as I thought.’

Lenok, who had been eavesdropping on all the conversations between Ilwon, Evon, and Samyoung, nodded quietly.

If Evon’s goal in cooperating is the resurrection of the dead, then the target must undoubtedly be the deceased Clan Head.

Taking advantage of the clan heads’ agitation, Oren had successfully seized a subtle gap in the conversation and shared a piece of the truth with Lenok.

‘The resurrection of the former Clan Head…’

There was no need to explain how much the act of resurrecting the dead went against the laws of the world, and how impossible a miracle it was.

It wasn’t just bending or rewriting the rules, but a rebellion that directly defied the existing cycle of life.

However, if Head Evon had lured Head Ilwon with the bait of the youth she had regained, it was a plausible scenario.

Taeoh, who was a member of the Three Leaders and the head of the Eight Clans, would have understood the value of time that the old men of the city council desired.

If they could perform such a miracle, they would be willing to sacrifice others.

Even if it meant the lives of the residents of the Eight Directions Citadel.

‘I’ve grasped the clan heads’ goals. Then what about the cult?’

Head Ilwon, who desires his father’s resurrection. Head Evon, who wants to gain youth.

It was clear that both of them were hoping to benefit from the research on immortal bodies that the Guiding Order had conducted on Dylan O’Casey.

But then, what was Walter’s true desire?

After acquiring the authority of the Clan Head and releasing the barrier of the ruins.

What did the cult want to do by using the traces of the old world, a space-time that was disconnected from this world?

“…”

Lenok remembered the monster that Walter had summoned at Lavatenon University by sacrificing his possessed body.

What if the monster he had shown wasn’t just a desperate attempt to escape from that place?

What if Walter’s ‘mission’ truly meant such a possession?

What if it was part of a plan to summon beings that transcended the world’s timeline, using the space-time of the old world as a catalyst?

Oooooooo!!

Lenok stopped thinking there and returned his gaze to reality.

The opponent he had to fight right now was standing in front of him.

And all the plans that Lenok and Oren had set up were based on the premise that they would take the Clan Head position, weren’t they?

Even the audience, who had already lost interest due to the appearance of the Level 7 Saint-ranked mage, turned their heads and focused their attention.

Even if the citadel residents were in the dark about the outside world, they had had enough time to hear and know who he was.

“Another mage?”

“You’re not thinking of giving up like that guy earlier, are you?!”

“If you’re the leader, show us something!”

Despite the citadel residents’ enthusiastic response, the gazes of the two people on the stage did not waver.

The first to speak was the slender martial artist, Adam Brobeck.

He chuckled as he looked up at the audience, who were forcing out their cheers.

“It’s an interesting sight. Don’t you think?”

“…”

“There are a lot of dog-like things that happen when you’re a mercenary, but there’s a reason why I can’t quit easily. Where else would I get to have such unique experiences if not for this job?”

“That’s a positive way of thinking.”

Lenok replied, lighting a cigarette.

“How are Nicole and Maoren doing?”

“Huh?”

Adam muttered, slightly surprised by Lenok’s words.

“Amazing. You still remember those two?”

“I’m not one to forget people easily.”

During the collaboration with the agent, when they were dealing with the black mage and the terrorist organization Falchion, he remembered that Nicole and Maoren, who were involved in that scene, were members of Plato.

It wasn’t a long meeting, but he remembered Nicole’s attitude of highly evaluating Lenok, who was an unknown freelancer at the time.

Considering that Maoren used a lot of honorifics towards Nicole, Nicole must have been a high-ranking member of the mercenary group.

It wasn’t hard to guess that Adam would know her.

At Lenok’s calm reply, Adam smiled awkwardly.

“Hehe, actually, I’ve heard about you from Nicole, too.”

Click!

At the same time as Adam lightly flicked his elbows, the gauntlets he was holding in his hands swelled up greatly.

The gauntlets, which had become thick and heavy gloves that covered both forearms as if they had become a piece of armor, transformed.

The martial artist, holding two steel bars in his hands, slowly took a stance and continued to speak.

“She told me never to meet you as an enemy. But when I hear something like that, I want to fight you even more.”

“Is that so?”

“Yeah. So after the confinement was lifted, I was looking for an opportunity. I never thought we’d meet so soon…”

Adam licked his dry lips and smiled.

“I guess I’m lucky.”

“You’re an interesting one. You’re not common either.”

Lenok also chuckled.

This city, which seemed to be built on madness and chaos, was actually maintained by quite precise and complex calculations and reason.

In this place where everyone was full of schemes, there were few people like Adam who purely burned with a desire to fight a strong opponent.

“You don’t seem to be very involved in the current situation.”

Lenok replied indifferently.

“So I’ll spare your life.”

“Ooh, you’re looking down on me. I like it.”

Adam also smiled as he lightly jumped in place.

“Let’s see if you’re qualified to say that. Thanks to your lackeys giving up so easily, I have a lot of energy left over!!!”

Paang!!

As soon as he finished speaking, Adam lowered his stance and pushed his body straight up.

The deeply bent knees sprang up like a spring, and his slender figure shot forward.

Adam, who had landed next to Lenok in an instant, deeply lowered his right shoulder and pulled up his magic power.

Hooooooong!!

An uppercut that was shot up from close range.

At the same time as he swung his arm, a huge current of air exploded from the ground below, sweeping over Lenok.

Bbeoeoeong!!

The audience cheered enthusiastically at the intense first attack.

“Ooooooo!!”

“Are we finally going to see a proper fight!”

Ignoring the cheers echoing throughout the estate, Adam immediately squeezed his body through the dust he had created.

He quickly broke through the thick dust, located the mage’s presence, and charged.

He swung the magic power he had hammered into his gauntlets.

Kiiing!!

[Stonia Fist Technique]

[4-Stage Consecutive Strikes]

Dududung!!

The gauntlets, glowing with dense magic power, shot out like a machine gun, heavily pounding Lenok’s body.

The force contained in the consecutive punches was so fierce that the wind pressure alone swept away the dust in the area, instantly revealing the figures of the two.

Jjeoeoeong!!

The right fist, which had been twisted in with a large rotation of the elbow, was blocked by Lenok’s shield.

The gauntlet, which had broken through several layers of intangible barriers, stopped right in front of the mage’s nose.

“Hwaaaap!!”

Adam shouted loudly and twisted his gauntlet with all his might, cleanly shattering the remaining shields and instantly pounding the spot where the mage had been.

[2-Stage Rotating Crushing Fist]

Ujijik!!

“…!!”

As Lenok’s brow twitched and he stepped back, the gauntlet slammed into the ground, overturning the surrounding earth.

Kwaaaaaaa!!

Adam smiled confidently as he watched the wave of dirt that was pouring out.

“Your response is too passive, unlike your reputation. How about using some power, buddy!”

“…”

When Lenok didn’t answer, Adam once again charged through the broken ground.

Adam, who had readjusted the thick gauntlets on both hands, relentlessly swung his fists one after another without any hesitation.

Kugugugugugu!!

When he swung his fists, an engine sound like a huge truck passing by echoed.

Unlike typical martial artists whose attacks are relatively fast and light, Adam’s two fists were slow but heavy, and even felt a strong sense of pressure.

That was probably due to the presence of the thick gauntlets that covered both of his forearms.

Beyond simply being heavy and taking up space, the air around the gauntlets was rotating, creating a faint attractive force.

It was the result of not only choosing a unique and firm style but also completely specializing the way he applied magic power.

Whether his method of focusing on power rather than speed while following the martial artist’s fighting style was wrong was unknown.

Only the time he had lived and the blood he had spilled on his gauntlets could prove the rightness or wrongness of that method.

“Hahahaha!!! If you don’t want to be disqualified, you’d better decide quickly!”

Despite his reckless and intense attacks, Adam had his own calculations.

In the proxy war, the battle between the executioner of the Four Armies and the shadow mage of Samyoung.

Adam clearly remembered the scene where the shadow mage, who had pushed the executioner to the brink, was disqualified for not being able to control his magic power.

Considering that the flow of magic power that the mage had displayed was definitely not above level 7, the flow of magic power that this chain could accept was quite narrow.

It was a rule that was infinitely disadvantageous to a mage like Lenok, rather than a martial artist like himself.

No matter how skilled a mage he was, he wouldn’t have been able to guess the magic power limit of the bracelet just by watching a few previous battles.

The opponent was a mage who had already reached a different level than Adam, but if they were both carrying similar handicaps, he had a chance of winning.

No matter how sturdy a mage was, if he suppressed his magic flow and dragged him into close combat, he would definitely-

“I can win…!!”

Kuuuuuuuuung!!

Immediately after that, a huge, heavy fist of ice slammed down from above Adam’s head, emitting a tremendous roar.

“Uuuuuuuu…ugh.”

Along with the giant’s arm that had struck the estate like lightning, a chilling cold spread out.

The chill that made his whole body stand on end froze even the faint heat in the audience.

“…”

Lenok blew out smoke as he looked up at the clan heads with their mouths agape.

Lenok nodded to the host, who was staring blankly at the scene.

“Next.”