Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 303

“Gearsides, huh….”

Lenok had heard that name before.

Back when he was tracking the traces of the Guido Order at Lavatenon University, wasn’t a student in the Department of Necromancy treated as being affiliated with the Machine Cult? [A group focused on magical engineering and technology]

He thought they were far removed from Guido’s fanaticism, but it seemed they were being called Gearsides.

“They’re a group that started in the Machine City of Machina, growing in size and capital, and they’ve consistently shown interest in the civilizations and weapons of other cities.”

Jenny nodded, continuing her explanation.

“They’re a top-tier research group pioneering new frontiers in magical engineering. There are rumors that their leader has recently started trading with the Underworld. If that’s true, it wouldn’t be surprising if a new member of Pandemonium [A powerful criminal organization] is born soon.”

Jenny’s tone was almost conclusive. Lenok, realizing the reason, nodded.

“Did you find something on the captured Defense Force members?”

They had chosen three likely candidates, but it seemed they had already half-confirmed Gearsides as the culprit behind this incident.

Considering they didn’t have much time to think about this matter, it was easy to guess where the information came from.

At that, Drey immediately spoke up.

“After repeated investigations and interrogations by our staff along with Manson, we found abnormal metabolic activity in the blood of the captured members. They’re artificially enhancing their physical and cognitive abilities by implanting microchips in their bodies.”

On the screen, unknown mechanical devices flowed through the blood vessels.

They clung to various parts of the blood vessels, wriggling incessantly, looking bizarre like parasites.

Drey, with a calm expression, said as he looked at it.

“Overwhelming output, efficiency, and even recovery power compared to ordinary mana users. Physical abilities that can almost certainly give them an advantage against an equal superhuman. In other words, they are super soldiers developed as a product of magical engineering.”

“Wouldn’t there be side effects with this method?”

“Of course. It’s a failed project that the Defense Force Headquarters already tried to partner with Gearsides on once.”

Being a former member of the Defense Force, specifically from a special unit, Drey was well aware of the various partnership plans the Defense Force had attempted.

“In exchange for forcibly activating metabolism, aging accelerates abnormally, and eventually, cell regeneration ability repeatedly degenerates. In exchange for boosting combat power for a short time, they have to live the rest of their lives with a much weaker body than others. It’s a bit of a loss in terms of securing long-term military power.”

“……”

“I know it as a project due to the lack of technology that precedes efficient results, but the fact that they brought this out is proof that they have partnered with someone who has that level of technology.”

“So, they’re just going for success with the coup… But there are too many strange things.”

Lenok shook his head and said.

“If they decided to oppose the city government, it wouldn’t be strange for them to advance into the inner city right now and bomb the outer districts. Instead, why are they hiding their demands and only repeating single, almost one-off attacks?”

If the Defense Force had invaded the outer districts in a near all-out war, Lenok would have focused on wiping out the enemies without much hesitation.

However, after the Defense Force made their demands and declared war, the biggest incident was not the Defense Force’s advance, but the assassination attempt on Mayor Meyer by another council member.

“The headquarters’ goal is likely somewhere else… We need to figure that out to decide how to deal with this.”

Even for the sake of the business he was currently running with Jenny, he had to prevent the Defense Force from bombing the outer districts.

However, if he didn’t grasp the exact purpose of the headquarters in the process, he would end up wasting his strength in useless places.

Lenok couldn’t afford the time or the leeway to do that right now.

“Of all times, Hyun-Gung is away… If that woman were here, things wouldn’t have turned out this way.”

Jenny sighed quietly, but it couldn’t be helped.

At least, it seemed highly likely that the Defense Force had confirmed Evelyn Marcia’s absence and then acted.

Beep!!

Lenok checked the alarm on his phone and nodded, getting up from his seat.

“For now, you two should contact Dyken or Antares and keep focusing on gathering information.”

“What are you going to do, Ban?”

“I need to meet with the people who understand this situation the best.”

Lenok said, holding up his phone screen.

“Even without Evelyn, the only armed group directly under the city government that understands this world the best is the only one.”

The colleagues who were moving in a different direction from him, as Meyer had said. There was no need to ask who they were from the start.

An intelligence organization that had gained the privilege of managing the shadows of the megacity, regardless of the restrictions of the Prohibition Edict [A law restricting the use of certain powers].

Beyond the pale screen, the name of Agent Hina O’Neil was displayed.

* * *

[How far has the data collection progressed?]

“56% of the target rate. It’s much faster than expected.”

[That’s not enough.]

A stiff mechanical voice echoed calmly through the speaker.

[To build a combat algorithm and implement iterative learning, we need much more data and learning time than we have now.]

“I know that. But I wish you’d consider our position as well.”

A relatively aged male voice replied.

“We’re securing data by grinding our troops and transmitting data through the magnetic storms of the Vulcan outskirts. We’re practically trading human lives for algorithms. If you don’t give us more time…”

[It was your generals who decided to agree to our plan.]

“……”

[If the data on the promised military-grade superhumans is not secured, the deal is off.]

“……Calm down. You didn’t prepare for this long just to end it here.”

The man, hesitating, continued.

“If securing data was as easy as just engaging in combat, it would clearly be our fault. But there are cases where no data is collected even after combat.”

[What do you mean?]

“The Fortress of the 49th District… It killed six of our troops and captured four in a single battle and disappeared. But the formula deviation analysis system you sent us didn’t activate even once during the battle with him.”

[……]

“Many of our troops who confirmed that result are dissatisfied. We promised them compensation, but there are no signs that things are progressing properly.”

The man spoke forcefully to the silent voice.

“It’s clear that there’s a problem with your data analysis system. I think follow-up measures are needed.”

[Understood.]

The voice, silent for a long time, replied.

[Among the samples that attempted combat, only that mage’s data is being processed as an error. This is our mistake.]

The man’s face brightened.

“Then?”

[We will handle the Fortress matter directly.]

“……”

So, it wasn’t the introduction of new technology that would revolutionize the Defense Force’s power.

The man, quickly recovering from his disappointment, cleared his throat and said.

“Okay. Then we’ll focus on securing other sample data instead of messing with the Fortress anymore.”

[Don’t forget to carry out the city center attacks. If you’re unnecessarily cautious and draw attention to us, then…]

“We were going to move anyway. Don’t worry.”

After coaxing and appeasing the voice for a long time, the man hung up and slammed his fist on the chair.

Crack!!

The solid wooden chair shattered like a toy under the gloved fist.

The man was also one of the generals who had risen to high rank after serving on the front lines for a long time.

Although he had become rusty due to not experiencing combat for a long time, his own mana was at a level that was comparable to any warrior.

The killing intent the man was emitting in all directions became an invisible blade, indiscriminately slashing and smashing everything around him.

“Damn it!! Those guys who claim to be at the forefront of magical engineering are worse than children when it comes to negotiations…!”

“G-General, please calm down.”

A young soldier, who had been fidgeting beside him, carefully cleaned up the chair debris and soothed him.

The man, unable to contain his anger for a while, slowly sat down on the chair.

“……Right.”

The man, quickly regaining his composure, silently gazed out the window.

“We can’t fall apart after coming this far. The die has been cast long ago.”

The man stroked his sparse beard and muttered as if possessed.

“How did we get this far, we can’t be abandoned like this. Haven’t we always dreamed of the day we would enter that place?”

“……”

“If necessary, even if we have to use the blood of Vulcan citizens as a carpet…!”

The man turned his gaze to his aide and growled.

“Contact the other generals. We need to start moving in earnest now.”

“Understood!”

The man watched the aide quickly leave the room with a complex gaze.

The scenery outside the window behind the man was moving very slowly.

* * *

The day after receiving Hina’s call.

Lenok finished his simple preparations and headed straight to the meeting place she had mentioned.

Thanks to the significant progress in his research with Aris, he had to report additional achievements in spirit formulas and reschedule.

On top of that, he had to maintain the firearms damaged in the continuous battles at the fortress and do personal training on spatial formulas, so he was short on hands.

However, he couldn’t ignore her call right away.

[Welcome to the Agent Headquarters, the Intelligence Bureau directly under the City Government.]

The place where Hina had called Lenok was right in the middle of the Agent Headquarters.

Whoosh!

A vast field covered with green grass. In the center, a wave-shaped building with a glass front.

It was a building with an infinitely transparent appearance, but Lenok noticed that he couldn’t see the inside of the building at all.

It was the headquarters of the city government’s intelligence agency, which directly managed the shadow security of the megacity.

Unlike what he had imagined, it had a very sophisticated atmosphere, but its security was likely beyond what Lenok had expected.

The black sedan parked nearby also had dark tints, making it difficult to see inside.

And the shape of the powerful security barrier surrounding the headquarters.

Considering that it was an organization where Evelyn had been for a long time, such meticulousness was to be expected.

Ding!

While waiting for the door to open after pressing the call button, sharp gazes were felt from all directions.

“……”

Obvious gazes were felt from nearby, pretending to make phone calls, or even from those who didn’t show themselves.

It was the first time he had received such gazes in the city center.

Reactions that couldn’t have come out unless they recognized Lenok. That was proof that the Agents were also putting a lot of effort into the shadow forces.

As he waited, fiddling with a cigarette inside his coat, the door opened and someone popped out.

She was wearing a neat suit, greeted Lenok, and smiled as she adjusted her glasses.

“It’s been a while.”

“Indeed.”

“Actually, it hasn’t been that long.”

Hina said teasingly to Lenok, and Lenok chuckled in response.

“Are you talking about the time of the Executive Council meeting?”

“Huh? How did you…”

Lenok, passing by the surprised Hina, immediately received an access card from the desk on the first floor.

Lenok, shaking the temporary name tag in the form of a necklace given to visitors, replied.

“I was a bit nervous back then… I was checking every life sign passing near the stadium.”

It was a place he had gone to with the intention of negotiating with the cartel’s chairman.

He was prepared for a life-or-death battle at that place if necessary, so he was keenly aware of the surrounding signs.

It wasn’t difficult to grasp not only Evelyn, who had appeared to help Lenok at that time, but also the presence of the Agents who were observing the situation.

“That’s a very… inhuman answer.”

Hina, shaking her head with a strange expression, naturally stood in front of Lenok and began to guide him.

“Anyway, it’s good that you came. Actually, considering that Mr. Ban has been officially appointed as an external advisor to the Agents, we should have had a meeting like this a long time ago, but things got twisted and it ended up like this.”

“If Evelyn hadn’t been away, this wouldn’t have happened.”

From the beginning, Lenok had been exchanging work and transaction details through Evelyn since he first contacted the Agents.

It was not his intention, but it was also true that he had been using her, who was by far the absolute ace within the Agents, as Lenok’s exclusive contact.

However, Hina’s expression after hearing Lenok’s words was quite sullen, contrary to what he expected.

“That wasn’t our intention, it was all the team leader’s…”

“Team leader?”

“……It’s not something to talk about when the team leader isn’t here. I’ll tell you later.”

Hina naturally changed the subject and continued.

“Anyway, the reason I called Mr. Ban today isn’t just to show you around the Agent Headquarters. With the possibility that the mastermind behind the attempted assassination of Councilor Meyer is another councilor, our Agents will take over some of the work to resolve the current situation.”

“I figured.”

Lenok replied, fiddling with the cigarette in his pocket.

The attempted assassination of Councilor Meyer by the Bardish Brotherhood just a few days ago.

On the surface, it seemed like a terrorist attack by an underworld organization dissatisfied with a councilor, but the truth was completely different.

The coup by the Defense Force Headquarters. The councilor’s visit through that series of events.

The suppression and seizure of the security personnel, which would be impossible without specific knowledge of the relevant schedule.

All of that could not be explained unless it was the work of another councilor.

Therefore, Meyer had suspended all external activities and was under strict protection at his home, following the recommendation of the city council.

He was still the de facto head of this operation, but he was in a position where it was difficult for him to move directly.

“The assassination failed, but as a result, it greatly reduced Meyer’s radius of activity. They were prepared to trap him from the start.”

Of course, just because Meyer was under house arrest, it didn’t mean that contact was completely cut off.

However, the feeling of communicating with the outside world using video calls or holograms was very different from actually going out and meeting people.

The councilor who stabbed Meyer in the back from within had succeeded in making it difficult for him to resolve this matter, even if they couldn’t kill him.

As a result, the Agents, who had been moving discreetly, came to the forefront, and they took over the work from Meyer.

The Agents’ call to Lenok now was, in a way, a continuation of what Meyer was trying to do.

“Why would another councilor go so far to interfere with things?”

Woo-oong!

Lenok asked as he rode the elevator up the building with Hina.

The scenery outside the glass window rose rapidly, and the landscape on the ground receded.

“If the Defense Force’s mobile fortress really starts bombing the 30th district, the city council won’t be able to avoid responsibility either.”

“The secretariat doesn’t think it’s likely to be a personal grudge against Councilor Meyer.”

Hina replied as she walked down the vast corridor on the top floor of the building, where no one was seen.

The only sounds in the corridor were the footsteps of the two of them.

“Then?”

“It’s because of the Prohibition Edict.”

Hina muttered.

“Mr. Ban, you’ve been active in the shadows of Vulcan for a long time, so you might not feel it, but the Prohibition Edict, which binds the power of the light, has been a heated debate for a long time.”

“……”

“The prohibition, which was created for the order of the city and the safety of its citizens, is now becoming a shackle… As the influence of the shadows has increased rapidly over the past 20 years, such voices are growing among city government officials.”

Hina knocked on the wooden door with the Agents’ emblem largely embossed on it and continued.

“There are also many opinions that the Agents’ power alone is not enough to manage the outer districts.”

“That means there are many people in this city who are just waiting for the Prohibition Edict to be lifted.”

Bang!!

At that moment, the wooden door swung open to both sides, and a clear voice echoed from inside.

“The power that has been condensed in this city for decades is eager to burst out.”

What appeared from inside the door was a middle-aged man with a relaxed demeanor.

The man in a shabby shirt scanned Lenok up and down and smiled, extending his hand.

“And I think you might be the solution to this problem.”