Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 448

“The End of Optimism (3)

“Aren’t you sleeping too long?”

“I was expecting a useful asset, but it seems he’s quite the heavy sleeper.”

“Let’s take off his mask. I want to see his face.”

* * * *

At that moment, Lenok jolted awake, his magic power surging.

* * * *

*Thud!*

The wave of magic power emanating from Lenok instantly pressed down on everything around him, lifting him to his feet.

Someone who was about to touch his mask was swept away by the wave and fell backward.

“Ugh, damn it! You scared me!”

“If you were awake, you could have said something. We couldn’t tell anything with that mask on.”

A woman in a frilly outfit, sprawled on the ground, and a young man with his face painted stark white, so much so that his features were indistinguishable.

The young man, whose face paint made him look almost comical, squatted on a nearby rock, looking down at Lenok with amusement.

Behind them, a dense jungle with unknown bushes and leaves was visible, but strangely, there was no heat or humidity.

Sensing an instinctive unease, Lenok quickly distanced himself from the two, gasping for breath.

“Haa, haa…”

Asset. Mask. Heavy sleeper.

Lenok quickly processed the keywords and searched his memories.

He remembered accepting Myung’s offer, taking the archangel’s tears, and then Myung moving him as his consciousness faded.

‘Archangel’s tears. What’s the effect?’

He awkwardly touched his body with both hands.

He had heard that it was an old-world artifact that extended lifespan, but Lenok didn’t know if it would have the desired effect on his body.

He thought it was one way to resolve his penalty, but he wasn’t sure if such a miraculous medicine could really remove it.

In any case, the fact that Lenok was conscious and fine at this point was proof that the medicine had been successfully administered.

After circulating his magic power from head to toe, Lenok realized what changes had occurred in his body.

‘Overall increase in physical abilities. Removal of impurities in the body. Magic flow fluidity increased by about 2 times. Overall strengthening of muscle fiber tissue…’

Lenok took a small breath as he noticed the last change in his body.

The wounds on the back of his hands. The aftereffects of the injuries he sustained in the battle with Madrich had completely disappeared.

Not only that, but his skin was smooth, as if new flesh had grown, and the condition of various tissues had improved.

Only then did Lenok realize how the archangel’s tears worked, and he nodded.

‘I see. So, the meaning of extending lifespan… was to reverse the age of the body.’

An artifact that reversed the age of the body without interfering with the achievements he had accumulated.

That was the true nature of the archangel’s tears, which were said to extend lifespan.

Lenok nodded, pondering what exactly had happened to his body.

‘Not bad. This is certain.’

It wasn’t something that eliminated the penalty itself as he had hoped, but perhaps it was even more helpful to Lenok now.

Originally, Lenok’s body had been overworked to the point of death in an illegal factory on the outskirts of a megacity.

But by taking the archangel’s tears, it was as if all the things that had made Lenok’s health poor had been erased.

Considering that Lenok’s talent was not just in his mind but also based on his physical body, it was a great achievement.

If the archangel’s tears had the effect Lenok thought, there was room for various customizations, even if it meant ignoring the aftereffects of mana poisoning….

“Hey, can we talk to you now?”

The young man, who had appeared in front of Lenok’s mask, asked, stretching out his words.

“If we waited for you to wake up, shouldn’t you listen to us now?”

A unique appearance with his face painted white and a forced smile drawn on it.

It looked clumsy and awkward, as if imitating a clown, but the magic power flowing from his body was completely different.

The form of magic power was so strangely tangled that even Lenok couldn’t gauge its level.

Lenok, who had been unconsciously assessing the opponent’s level, frowned behind his mask.

‘A clown.’

Myung had said that a clown would be waiting when he arrived.

He also remembered that So-ryu and Ermong had mentioned that he was completely insane just before they disappeared.

If he was in charge of the southernmost region of Pandemonium and had been appointed as the right person for this operation, he must be a significant figure.

He had to be careful, as he couldn’t properly gauge the other party’s intentions yet.

“I was expecting a bit more from the newbie Myung brought, but it’s troublesome if you act like this.”

The young man said with a bright smile, unaware of Lenok’s thoughts.

“What we have to do now is definitely not the kind of work where you just do your own thing.”

“……”

Before answering, Lenok watched the young man’s movements.

Between his wiggling fingers, he held two green dice.

The young man, clicking the dice, walked towards Lenok and asked, slightly bowing his head.

“You didn’t come without hearing anything, did you? If that’s the case, it might be better if you weren’t involved in this-”

“How much time is left until Gye-baek reaches the well?”

“……”

The clown was speechless at Lenok’s question.

That one sentence was enough to show how much Lenok knew.

“I understand that Myung can’t participate in this. But I need to confirm if you can replace him.”

Considering that Myung was a projection when he came to Lenok, it meant that he couldn’t leave his post right now.

Therefore, it was necessary to confirm whether these two people, who seemed to have been deployed in his place, were skilled enough.

He couldn’t carry out an insane operation of throwing Gye-baek into the Well of the Codex without verifying the team members.

“Oh, so you want to check our skills?”

Another person, who had been staggering, spat and stood up.

A red-haired woman with flowing clothes, who swept her hair back.

“A guy who’s not just arrogant but also presumptuous has arrived. Is this really going well? Shouldn’t we contact Agnetta?”

Unlike her simple gestures, her clothes were so flashy that they seemed dazzling.

She looked as if she had just been dragged out of a concert hall, and even her movements seemed uncomfortable.

‘Wait, a concert…?’

Lenok, whose thoughts had reached that point, stared at the woman’s face and muttered.

“I feel like I’ve seen that face somewhere…”

“Kyahahahaha!!”

At that moment, the clown burst into laughter at Lenok’s mutter.

Conversely, the woman’s face crumpled like wet paper.

“Reya, did you hear that? He said he’s seen my face somewhere!!! Kihihihihit, this is so funny!!”

“Damn it, don’t laugh! You bastard!!”

The woman, called Reya, yelled, her face flushed.

Her volume and tone were abnormally clear and high-pitched, and the moment Lenok thought it sounded familiar, the clown, unable to stop laughing, said.

“Ehehehehit, it’s possible. It’s possible. What’s the problem if he doesn’t recognize the face of the self-proclaimed most famous diva on the continent?”

The most famous diva on the continent.

Only then did Lenok realize who the woman was and nodded.

As civilization had developed through magic engineering, the entertainment and culture of this world had also developed similarly to where Lenok had lived.

There was a world with idolized superstars and celebrities through music, acting, and dance.

And the woman standing in front of Lenok was an incredibly famous singer on this continent.

‘Freya Kalins. I think that was her name…’

Perhaps because he had only seen her face on the billboards on the outer walls of buildings, he hadn’t recognized her when he saw her in person.

No, he hadn’t expected that such a singer would be here as a member of Pandemonium.

Lenok shook his head, staring at Reya, who was trembling.

“That’s enough. I remember who you are. I didn’t expect someone like you to be in a place like this.”

Behind the mask, a cold gaze shone.

“And in such a conspicuous outfit.”

“Damn it, it’s not my fault either!!”

Reya couldn’t hold back and shouted again. She seemed to be extremely hot-tempered, unlike her appearance.

“I was in the middle of preparing for a tour performance in the southern continent when this bastard dragged me here out of nowhere!! I’ll go back as soon as I finish my job, so keep that in mind, you bastard!”

“Okay, okay.”

The clown scratched his ear, looking indifferent to Reya’s loud voice, who was hot-tempered and foul-mouthed.

“I’ve told you so many times, I can hear you even if you don’t shout. I’m going to do all the work anyway, so why are you so upset?”

“What, you bastard!!”

Reya grabbed the clown by the collar and started shaking him, and the clown swayed weakly at her touch.

Both of them had a light attitude that didn’t match the reputation of Pandemonium that Lenok had seen so far, but Lenok wasn’t fooled by that.

If this man was really in charge of this operation, it meant that the clown’s abilities were also monstrous, not inferior to Myung.

“How can we do anything when you’re the only useful person in the south? The only one with a decent head on his shoulders is So-ryu, but I don’t want to call the gem mage who’s always with him, he’s too unsettling.”

After saying that, the clown released Reya’s hand with a gesture and straightened his clothes.

“Ahem, ahem, to answer your question earlier… Gye-baek will reach the well within half a day.”

“……”

“Until a month ago, he was crawling deep in the sea, so no one paid attention, but recently he landed on the southern coast and started to pick up speed.”

Come to think of it, there was a faint stream of water flowing like a canal where Gye-baek had passed.

At that time, he was focused on what a monster that had failed to ascend looked like, so he hadn’t paid attention, but it wasn’t strange if seawater was flowing in near the coast.

In the middle of a remote jungle where no one ever went, there were only stories that were hard to believe that three people were gathered together.

But the clown continued to speak as if the location didn’t matter.

“The Well of the Codex is a restricted area that cannot be entered by ordinary means, but I have a way to open the well. We just need to push Gye-baek into the well in the gap between the two monsters colliding.”

“I have a question about that.”

Lenok said, crossing his arms.

“The Gye-baek I saw was not something that could be carried or touched with bare hands.”

“Hoo.”

Lenok ignored the clown’s strange exclamation and asked again.

“In this situation where we don’t know how the Codex will react, how do you plan to push Gye-baek into the well? Will the others just watch?”

He understood the intention of pushing Gye-baek, a living mass of Gias [a type of magical energy], out of the well and using him as a projectile to shoot towards the outer sea.

He wanted to test whether Gye-baek, as a bomb, would be effective against the monsters of the outer sea.

But whether it was possible to implement that absurd process in reality was another matter.

The Ascended Codex was not as well-known as Gye-baek, but it was certain that he was not a completely insane monster like Gye-baek.

Even if he had no interest in the world, he wouldn’t be so detached as to ignore Gye-baek entering his territory.

At this point, when the collision between Gye-baek and the Codex was inevitable, how exactly were they supposed to help?

Even though Lenok had risen through the ranks at a pace that was different from others, he wasn’t sure if he could achieve what he wanted among the Ascended [beings who have transcended normal limitations].

Even the dying Jintun Zygis Ithernoer had reigned as a god in his labyrinth.

It was difficult to even be sure of his own safety inside the well.

He needed evidence that all these premises could be established and that the plan could succeed.

“Hmm, hmm. That’s not a bad question.”

But the clown nodded after listening to everything Lenok had to say.

“But it seems you didn’t get a full explanation about this, did you?”

“What?”

“Well, I understand. In fact, these details are difficult to know deeply unless you’re directly involved. Considering that, you’re probably much younger than you look-”

* * * *

*Thwack!*

Reya, who had been quietly listening to the clown, hit the clown’s head with the iron bar stand she was holding.

With a roar like a bomb exploding, the clown’s head burst open.

But Reya, even after witnessing the gruesome sight, instead glared with a frustrated expression.

“If you have something to say, say it quickly, you bastard. We’re in a hurry, according to him, so why are you acting so relaxed?”

“……That’s too much. Don’t you know what an icebreaker is?”

The clown’s head grew back from inside his neck, where his head had exploded, as if nothing had happened.

It was a comical gesture, as if he had hidden his head in his collar.

“You don’t appreciate my efforts to lighten the mood. Can you even call yourself a celebrity?”

“Really?”

Reya scoffed.

“Isn’t it that you want to see how far your tricks will work on him?”

“Shall we get to the point? Of course, the situation you’re assuming is reasonable, but there’s no need to worry too much.”

The clown, who had casually changed the subject, said.

“The Well of the Codex is a magical realm comparable to the Ideological War Zone, but when Gye-baek approaches the well, he won’t have time to pay attention to us.”

“You’re talking as if Gye-baek will crawl into the Well of the Codex on his own.”

“Of course. It was only a matter of time, it was going to happen sooner or later. Anyone who remembers the days when the Central City was still standing would know that.”

“……What?”

“Hmm, it’s a bit complicated to explain this… It seems Myung omitted a lot of explanations before sending you. Or maybe you’re such a talented person that you can do your part without any explanation…”

The clown, who had been pondering with his arms crossed, spoke with difficulty.

“To put it simply, the purpose for which Gye-baek was created was part of the Central City’s plan to attack the well.”

“I see.”

“……Did you understand with just that?”

“I heard that the Central City tried to make Gye-baek a strategic weapon. That purpose itself is in the Well of the Codex, right?”

“……”

Lenok spoke immediately, instead of the clown who had closed his mouth.

“A significant portion of the Gias that make up Gye-baek is probably related to the Well of the Codex, and you’re saying that you’ve touched it and made it move, right?”

“Hee.”

Reya, who had been watching Lenok askew with her arms crossed, laughed.

“I was a little disappointed when you showed up looking clueless, but you’re much smarter than I thought.”

“……That’s right. It took you more than three days to understand this simple fact, Reya.”

“……”

* * * *

The clown’s head was smashed once more, and a new head popped out of his neck as if nothing had happened.

Lenok narrowed his eyes, watching the scene carefully behind his mask.

‘It’s not an illusion. He’s clearly being injured by the impact of the skull being crushed.’

According to Reya, the clown was definitely testing how far Lenok could see through his tricks.

The fact that he was repeating impossible resurrections in front of Lenok was also part of that.

Considering the circumstances and the strange sense of unease surrounding this space, and the faint sense of familiarity he felt from the clown, it was definitely….

As Lenok came to a conclusion in his mind, the conversation continued.

“Well, that’s not wrong. In a way, it’s very accurate. One of the people who cast Gias on Gye-baek at the time pulled the trigger.”

“……”

“Some may say that Gye-baek’s existence is Ars Nova’s biggest failure, but I think differently.”

The clown, who had slightly turned his gaze away from Lenok, who wasn’t answering, muttered.

“They succeeded. They knew how to take even the noble mission of ascension into their own hands and manipulate it. It’s just that everything collapsed before they could fully confirm the results.”

The Central City, which controlled even the mission of ascension at will.

It was impossible for Lenok to even judge the level of their civilization and technology with his experience and knowledge.

But what did it mean that such a great power had collapsed due to the aftermath of the Black Consumer Project?

What exactly was the existence of Alcaide, who was deeply involved in all of this, dreaming of?

Apart from listening to Reya and the clown, Lenok didn’t forget why he was standing here.

It wasn’t because he was moved by the ideals of the commander or Myung.

He was only here to see and judge for himself the resentment that Pandemonium dreamed of and desired.

Then, what he had to do was also decided.

“……Okay. I understand.”

Lenok nodded, adjusting his mask and standing up.

“Then let’s go down and start working.”

“Go down? Where are you going to go down in this jungle?”

Lenok didn’t waver at the clown’s nonchalant reply.

Even though he was a little late in understanding what kind of tricks he was playing, he shouldn’t show that he had figured it out later.

More than Reya, who was crossing her arms with a sullen face, this clown, who was being unusually kind, seemed much more dangerous to Lenok.

Lenok, judging that he needed to be strong, moved immediately.

*Whoosh!*

Using a teleportation technique, he went behind the clown and casually placed his hand on his shoulder.

“You said that anyone who knew about it since the days when the Central City was still standing would know.”

“……!”

Lenok said, looking at the clown’s faintly reacting back.

“It’s strange that the jungle is so deserted at a time when the clash between the Ascended is imminent… Don’t you think so?”

“Is that… so?”

Instead of answering, Lenok turned his gaze to Reya.

“The position of the ground you two are standing on is strangely identical, and it even shakes occasionally… At first, I thought it was an optical illusion caused by the unstable magic power in the area, but it wasn’t.”

“……”

Lenok smiled, slowly turning to face the clown, who wasn’t answering.

“Shall I tell you one more thing? I also think Myung is quite reckless, but he’s not the kind of person who would leave a fainted person on the bare ground.”

“Hoo, that’s.”

The clown, who had been listening to Lenok’s words until then, finally started laughing again.

“That’s an answer I didn’t expect.”

* * * *

*Whoosh!*

At that moment, the magnificent jungle scenery that had surrounded the three of them began to melt away as if washed away by rain.

At the same time, what came into view was a black barrier that blocked all sides.

Red lights lit up between the constantly shaking floors, and clouds could be seen outside the darkened windows.

*Thud thud thud thud!!!*

The violent noise and vibration that he hadn’t noticed until now.

Lenok, who had confirmed the shape of an old truck stuck inside the barrier, immediately realized where he was.

A flying object that was hovering thousands of meters in the air.

It was a huge airship that was large enough to carry a truck and still be able to fly.

Inside the airship’s barrier, which was almost like an open space, all sorts of cargo and containers were piled up like mountains.

As if the silence from just before was a lie, sharp killing intents were pouring out from all over the barrier towards Lenok.

They were all covered in black suits, with only red laser pointers aimed at him.

The vast interior space of the airship’s barrier. An unknown, strange-shaped magic circle drawn on the floor where the three of them were standing.

The clown smiled at Lenok from the center of it and spread his arms wide.

“You’re the eighth person to realize the existence of the Silver-Rank Airship Besponir on your own. I’d say that’s good enough to pass. So, shall we start planning the operation properly now?”