Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 399

“Director, I’m here.”

Kasia, who was wandering around the control room in her research coat, waved her hand after spotting Baila.

“Kasia. I told you to greet properly in front of others.”

“Come on, a project just finished the other day, so there won’t be any outsiders coming in for a while, right?”

“Isn’t that assistant professor you brought an outsider?”

“Hahaha… Let’s not talk about me losing the bet.”

Kasia scratched her cheek and smiled awkwardly.

Baila chuckled lightly at the sight, but stood behind her without saying anything.

The deputy researcher, with his striking gray hair, still couldn’t take his eyes off the monitor screen.

“Are you still repeating the same task?”

“It’s been more than three days since he started working.”

Kasia answered immediately.

“He spent a whole day touring the research institute’s facilities, and from the next day, he’s been determined to sit in one place and focus on meditation.”

“It’s hard to understand. What use is that kind of process for researching magic….”

Baila muttered, looking down at the vast, open space visible beyond the screen.

Carlisle Research Institute, one of the research facilities directly under the City Council.

In the very center of the underground of this facility, which boasts a vast and systematic setup that ranks among the top in this huge city in terms of scale.

A man with a tired expression was standing, rubbing his neck.

He had a spirit in the form of a fox cub on his shoulder, constantly emitting mana and rotating it around himself.

Fzzzt…!!

Some of the mana that had completely separated from Lenok’s body rotated in the air, drawing a huge circle, and spun rapidly in place.

Lenok, looking up at the circle of mana that had expanded just enough to barely contain the lean mage’s body, carefully reached his hand toward the center.

Woo-oong…!!

The moment Lenok’s faintly trembling hand passed through the center of the circle, trying to reach the other side.

The rotating mana collapsed like sand, scattering and disappearing in all directions.

Faaaat!!

At the same time, a powerful shockwave occurred, pushing away the debris scattered around the space from Lenok’s surroundings.

At the edge of the vast space, the debris of objects and shelves that Lenok had pushed away had already piled up like trash, forming a huge mountain.

Baila quietly looked down at the scene and asked.

“The research project commissioned by the Special Task Force Aegis. When was the call date?”

“Huh? It’s in a week. I was planning to schedule meetings from then, and all the other researchers have taken their leave…”

“A week… Good. Leave him alone until then.”

“Are you sure?”

Kasia was surprised and asked back at Baila’s words.

Although Lenok was given access to the research institute, they had agreed to monitor his facility usage for three days.

With Baila having full authority over the research institute, there would be no problem in applying stricter conditions, but she did not expect Baila to be lenient towards Lenok.

However, Baila also answered, looking down at Lenok in the space below with a calm gaze.

“Even if he is Aris’s disciple, if he had intended to abuse the research facilities for personal gain, I would have kicked him out immediately… But if he needed a place to train his magic without being disturbed by others, it’s not something I can’t understand.”

She had allowed him to use the research facilities as a condition of the bet at Lavatenon University, but if he tried to do anything strange, Baila was ready to kick Lenok out immediately.

The facilities and equipment at the Carlisle Research Institute were all created with a huge budget of tens or hundreds of billions of cells [currency unit] and a long period of effort, for the development of next-generation power sources and academia.

Even during the gap between projects, allowing such facilities to be used privately is a great privilege.

As such, all the staff of the research institute had been thoroughly monitoring what Lenok was doing, but for nearly three days, Lenok had been going to the underground space every day, using his mana and repeating the process of measuring the values.

“He said he was going to create a sample arbitrarily because there was no way to compare it with similar mages since he was dealing with spirit magic. Let him out as soon as it seems like the work is roughly done. Keep a close watch to make sure he doesn’t do anything foolish while strictly managing the main facilities.”

Despite Baila’s cold words, Kasia smiled with a nonchalant expression.

“You’re being quite lenient, even though you say that? It seems you’ve taken quite a liking to Assistant Professor Evan.”

“Hmph… I just understood why Aris hired that guy as an assistant professor.”

Baila scoffed at Kasia’s words, but she did not completely deny them.

One of the greatest achievements from Aris’s lab was the dual compatibility of mana and electricity.

After learning that the spirit mage had made the greatest contribution to that paper, which is currently being treated as a core empirical theory at the Carlisle Research Institute, Baila was also trying to respect Lenok.

“Since the research institute is still researching the mana fusion engine, there might be progress if that guy helps.”

Baila glanced down at Lenok and turned her head away without hesitation.

“I’ll consider this matter as a stepping stone for that time.”

“Isn’t that a topic that can only be discussed after Professor Richelene’s sabbatical ends….”

Instead of answering, Baila immediately led the other attendants and disappeared to another part of the research institute.

As the director who commands the entire Carlisle Research Institute, she has no time to rest even after one project is finished.

As the director of a research institute directly under the City Council, she has to manage several projects simultaneously and be mindful of the budget at the end of the year.

In this situation, Baila’s ability to take on the position of temporary professor at Aris’s personal request is certainly commendable.

Lenok, who was concentrating on controlling his mana at the bottom of the space, checked Baila’s fading presence and slightly raised his head.

“Did she leave?”

[She did.]

The fox cub, who was yawning while sitting on Lenok’s shoulder, replied.

The day after the conversation with Oliviera Ron Maze about the magic eye.

Lenok had received access to the Carlisle Research Institute as per the victory condition of the bet and had been staying in this space for three days, conducting personal research.

What was Oliviera’s answer to the last proposal Lenok made at that time?

Because he understood the meaning to some extent, Lenok could not neglect the research to readjust his hierarchy [a mage’s level of power and understanding].

Only by accurately understanding what the chairman of the cartel fundamentally wants and approaching it, could Lenok’s purpose be achieved in a complete way.

After briefly thinking about the Seven-Colored Treasure Magic Eye that flashed under the veil, Lenok shook off unnecessary thoughts and asked Davi again.

“Are you managing the data output to the research institute’s database well?”

[Master, it’s been three days. Are you doubting my work processing ability?]

“Baila is as thorough in her work as she is capable. Even if she says that, she might come back and try to notice any abnormalities in the research institute’s facilities at any time.”

Lenok slowly turned his gaze and looked around.

“At least, it’s better to keep the fact that I’m using the large-scale top-secret facilities of the Carlisle Research Institute as secret as possible.”

He wasn’t just foolishly rotating mana alone in an empty space.

He was simply finding and occupying a spot to use the huge mana particle accelerator that occupied several kilometers around the Carlisle Research Institute.

Among all the facilities in the research institute, it was by far the most precious top-secret facility.

He spent a whole day of the agreed three days exploring the inside of the research institute and finding a spot that could be compatible with the accelerator buried hundreds of meters underground.

At the same time, using Davi’s system hacking ability, he infiltrated the closed internal network of the research institute, intercepted the packets of the control room network, and inserted dummy data to cause errors in the output system.

Although it looked like he was focusing on mana rotation in an empty space, Lenok’s mana was rotating along the vast pipes of the accelerator buried underground in the research institute.

[It seems they have completely cut off the connection with the external network for security reasons, but if we break through the firewall from the inside, there won’t be any big problems.]

“It’s a good thing Aris didn’t tell Baila much about me.”

Aris, who had continued research on Davi’s existence directly with Lenok, was aware that Davi’s abilities were somewhat related to the cyber world.

If Baila had known what kind of abilities Lenok’s spirit had, she wouldn’t have let him into the research institute in the first place.

Because he maintained his identity as a spirit mage with limited abilities, he was able to use the research institute’s facilities so easily.

“Shall we continue?”

Kasia’s gaze, still watching this side with a camera, was a concern, but he had confirmed how far he could deceive her eyes for three days.

All that remained was to directly prove the theories and rules he had thought of in advance, using the powerful performance of the accelerator.

Along with drawing a circle of mana in the air again, Lenok’s mana, which had been slowly rotating inside the accelerator, also resonated.

The shape of the mana, which was twisted twice on the palm and maintained a gentle curve, was exactly compatible with Lenok’s mana rotating inside the accelerator.

Woo-oong!!

In response, Davi whispered various data into Lenok’s ear as if he had been waiting.

[Mana amplification rate 1435%. Idle rotation 276 degrees. Accelerator activation 32%. Space camera screen adjustment 10 seconds rollback complete.]

“Hoo!!”

It wasn’t just difficult because he was drawing a circle of mana.

The circle of mana that was now appearing in front of Lenok’s eyes was a simplified diagram of the movement of mana flowing between the mana particle accelerators of this research institute.

In other words, it was an act of flowing and manipulating his mana in a radius of thousands of meters centered on Lenok.

Even if Lenok was a powerful Saint-level mage and a superhuman who had risen to the verge of reaching the Supreme level, it was a distance that could not help but be burdensome.

[If the activation rate exceeds 40%, it will be difficult to get away with just deceiving the output data. We need to be careful with the adjustment.]

“I know…!”

It was only possible because it was a simple repetitive task of simply letting mana flow and rotating it through the accelerator, and if he made even a slight variation in this rotation, it would surely collapse.

The further away from the caster’s body, the more mana is consumed, and the weaker the control becomes.

Even a Saint-level mage who has completed his hierarchy and imprinted his mental image can only control a few hundred meters at most.

That’s why Lenok was deliberately using the mana particle accelerator located underground in the research institute to extend the distance and range of mana he could control to the limit.

Only a range that encompasses this scale, speed, and scope could meet the conditions Lenok wanted.

At the end of the circle of mana rotating in front of Lenok’s eyes, a bright blue mana light began to peel off as if it were being bleached, revealing its inner flesh.

Kiiiing…!

The outer surface of the ring gradually cracked and turned white, and a faint golden mana light was visible through it.

The moment he confirmed that sign, Lenok immediately stopped the rotation of mana.

Kaaang!!

With a sound like glass breaking, the fragments of mana shattered and disappeared again.

Even with a tired face and sweat dripping down, Lenok raised his trembling hand.

“Let’s go one more time right away. Get ready…!”

Weeeeing!!!

Following the circle of mana that reappeared in front of Lenok’s eyes, the remaining mana flowing along the accelerator resonated together and rotated doubly.

It rotated as if swimming in the mana particle accelerator of the research institute, covering a range of several kilometers in the blink of an eye, and slowly floated a diagram of the scenery within the circle.

He shook his head without even properly wiping the sweat that was pouring down like rain.

With that movement alone, Lenok’s body swayed greatly and staggered, and Davi, who was standing on his shoulder, quickly bit and clung to the sleeve of his coat.

[Master…!!]

“……!!!!”

Three days of forced march. He did not stop even though he was aware that his mind and body had reached their limits, scraping his mana to the bottom.

Only after recognizing the limits and the size of the vessel that were revealed by voluntarily scraping the mana to the end, could he discuss the next step.

In the time he had been running without stopping, only the things he had not yet grasped remained in his mind.

Nothing was over yet. The answer Lenok had in mind had not changed in any way.

The golden kaleidoscope that was now appearing in front of him, reduced to a local scale, was nothing less than proof of that unwavering conviction.

Faaaat!!!

The image of the scenery drawn by the circle of mana flowing along the accelerator was reduced in front of Lenok’s eyes, revealing some of its fragments.

And from inside the small golden ring that appeared, a different scene from the bleak scenery of the research institute’s space finally began to be seen.

Kuo-o-o-o!!!!

A sea of lightning with a vast expanse of bright blue thunderclouds.

At the same time as confirming the appearance of a white whale swimming in between with his own eyes.

Thud!!

Lenok, who had used up all his mana and was exhausted, collapsed to the floor like a puppet with its strings cut.

“Haa, haa…!!!”

His whole body was soaked in sweat as if he had just sprinted, and his eyes and cheeks were sunken.

It was a level of strenuous work that went beyond simply testing his mental strength and consumed his internal energy to the bottom.

Nevertheless, Lenok’s expression had changed to one of utmost satisfaction.

“Davi, did you see it?”

[Yes. It’s really as Master said.]

The cyber spirit replied with a slightly agitated tone.

[In an environment where the acceleration of mana particles is maintained to the limit, mana is being rearranged in a certain direction. I have confirmed that it is a pattern that could not be found in the existing database.]

“Only by rotating mana on this scale and changing it, can we recognize the mana arrangement that occurs in a range that transcends the hierarchy.”

This was because he was aware that what Lenok had just done was not just about the change in the nature of mana, but a clue to a new concept.

He constructed a huge barrier array with a radius of thousands of meters using the barrier technique of Jintun [a type of magic], and at the center, he forced out the results by hammering in the mental image he had built up.

The golden halo that was arbitrarily created using the residual mana of the labyrinth.

He was adjusting his own condition and conditions in order to reproduce the partial deployment of the magnetic domain through that method.

Lenok muttered as he slowly caught his breath.

“If we have confirmed the manifestation conditions and arrangement patterns, that’s enough. Now that I know the direction is not wrong, I can complete it if I have the foundation properly.”

Lenok’s magnetic domain, a kaleidoscope that observes possibilities.

He had confirmed that he could partially apply his abilities by summoning a part of it without fully deploying the domain.

That alone would reduce the danger of Lenok deploying the domain, and further increase the efficiency and power of the deployment.

Regardless of what was happening around him, Lenok was constantly preparing and researching to move further up.

“The foundation of a new magic system will be this form.”

Lenok slowly gathered himself and stood up, taking out the vibrating cell phone from his pocket.

The name Panoa Bellucci was written on the screen. Lenok, who confirmed that he had been contacted by Dyke again, muttered.

“Now it’s time to deal with the troublesome things.”

[It’s time to go hunting.]

Davi raised his tail and sharpened his claws.

“…….”

Lenok grabbed Davi’s tail, which had scratched his coat on his shoulder, and pulled his ear.

* * *

Swaaaaah!!

In the middle of a dark night with heavy rain pouring down. Even though it was long past the time to leave work, the lights in the office showed no sign of going out.

Inside the conference room, where people were busily coming and going, dozens of monitors and observation devices were temporarily installed.

Among those who were going back and forth, only business-like conversations and stiff tension were constantly exchanged.

Panoa looked at the raindrops pouring down outside the window and slowly turned her head.

“Recheck the coordinates. Camera installation is complete.”

“Recording preparation complete. Contact has been made with Gyeonrye [Lenok’s alias]. We will now begin securing the location.”

“All security devices have been opened as per the pre-established scenario. Check the position of the formation. All employees have evacuated.”

“Personnel deployment in front of the elevator on the 8th floor lobby is complete. Support target is one Gyeonrye. Are you really sure about this?”

The employees in charge of monitoring all turned their heads toward Panoa, who was standing behind them.

Her pale complexion, as if she had not recovered her energy, and her trembling eyelids, as if she had not yet recovered from fatigue.

However, the bright light shining through them made one guess what kind of determination she had to stand in this place again.

Panoa calmly accepted the gazes of such employees and nodded.

“It’s Gyeonrye’s own request. The number of personnel participating in this operation is limited to only one.”

“Even if he is an excellent mage, I think we would need a few people to act as the vanguard….”

“If it’s really not possible, we should hire a freelancer and deploy them now….”

“Stop. If he really thought he needed a vanguard, Ban would have said something himself.”

Panoa said in a quiet voice.

“…….”

“In this matter, he might even think it’s a hindrance. I’m ready to accept any reckless request for the best results.”

“……Understood.”

How could she have known that the underground military industry advancement that started with her planning would turn out like this?

Everyone respected Panoa’s will, who had returned to the company to overcome the situation at hand, putting aside regrets and lingering feelings.

The employees of Dyke’s strategy room did not add any more words and instead turned their gaze to the dozens of monitors that had been installed in advance.

A view of a dark hallway and a messy office as if they had just left work.

Dyke’s 2nd branch, which boasts a scale that ranks among the top three in the military industry.

It is the first branch to be established, boasting the largest scale after the headquarters, and is also in charge of the practical work of directly managing the production plan on site.

If the data and materials here were stolen or damaged, the damage would be irreversible.

However, Panoa was clearly aware of this, yet she entrusted all authority to Lenok.

Even though Dyke’s military response team was still maintaining its power, she was convinced that this was not a wrong decision.

[Maintenance inside the command center is complete. Work to minimize casualties within a 5km radius of the operation site is complete.]

She, who was standing at the very back of the strategy room with a stiff face, grabbed the microphone with a trembling hand.

[This is an operation that is being carried out with the determination to turn the high-ranking officials of the city government into enemies. Please keep in mind that there must be no mistakes in the procedure.]

“…….”

[From the point when the review of the information announced in advance is complete… We will begin the operation to secure evidence of the collusion between Achilles and the city government.]

And as if responding to Panoa’s resolute declaration, from the darkness of the monitor installed at the very top.

Lenok, sitting on a pile of documents, was silently smoking a cigarette.