Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 815

Kashuin, the Archangel of the old world, served a failed god.

A being of a different form, who, from beyond the Ascension Gate [a metaphorical gate between worlds or dimensions], became aware of his own existence and entrusted himself to Lenok.

Using the qualifications that the priestess Seina possessed, he forcibly stimulated and caused the power he possessed to go berserk.

The moment Kashuin, with his wings spread wide, soared into the air and unleashed a pale white light.

A sanctuary in the form of a disc spread out from the Archangel, rotating as it began to obliterate all the military spirits in the vicinity.

[Die, die…!!!]

Spewing out a terrifying roar that was unbelievable for something called an angel, he frantically swung his own thoughts in all directions.

[Vanish, you filthy and disgusting imps!!!]

Kwaaaang!!!

The thoughts and twisted magic that Kashuin spewed out were so intense that the surrounding military spirits were swept away, creating a temporary void below the cenotaph’s hollow.

Under the pale white sanctuary rotating around the Archangel, the military spirits could not withstand it and either vanished or fled in a hurry.

[It hurts, it hurts!!!]

[This isn’t our land. This isn’t our power!!]

The spirits of the Soul-Soothing Garden, who had been observing the situation, were also momentarily hesitant, taken aback by Kashuin’s sudden rampage.

[Where did a holy spirit of that magnitude come from…!!]

[Stop it. Once the sanctuary is fully declared, it will become even more difficult to remove!!]

Although he had fallen after losing the god he served, Kashuin was a powerful holy spirit who had received the name of an angel in the old world.

The thoughts and magic he emitted possessed real power, and were practically a natural enemy to formless ghosts.

Even the spirits of the Soul-Soothing Garden, who had been venting their anger at Lenok, were momentarily drawn to Kashuin’s presence, unable to stop themselves from being wary of him.

While the surroundings were in turmoil due to Kashuin’s rampage, Lenok took out an old pencil with trembling hands.

The Enac Pencil with five fingers [a reference to its design or function].

A disposable consumable artifact that temporarily teleports the user to escape from dangerous areas.

Although its usage had decreased significantly after mastering the blink technique, Lenok still kept the spares.

“…Oh, Oris!!”

“…”

Grabbing the unresponsive Judge, he plunged the old pencil into his wrist.

At that moment, Lenok and Oris’s figures escaped the cenotaph’s open space, tumbling down the stairs far away.

Thud, thud!!

Rolling down the stairs with his battered body, Lenok’s complexion turned pale in an instant.

If he hadn’t scraped together his almost non-existent magic power to create a shield, he would have passed out without being able to withstand it.

“Ugh…!!”

Lenok’s figure, dragging Oris by his neck with magic threads, quickly slid down the stairs.

The spirits of the Soul-Soothing Garden, who immediately recognized this, began to issue orders to their subordinate military spirits.

[He’s escaping… we must catch him.]

[It doesn’t matter if we don’t capture him alive. We must get his soul, no matter what!!]

[Move the military spirits to corner him. We’ll take care of making a path.]

Not only did he invade the Sanctuary of the Abyss, but he also damaged and destroyed the remains of the Ascended.

With the Abyss damaged by the aftermath of the battle inside the sanctuary, all the plans that were being carried out to rectify the failure of the Night Walk were practically ruined.

The unbelievable reality that the plan, which had gathered all the spirits and the lord’s soul of the Soul-Soothing Garden, as well as the city’s resources, had been destroyed by a single sorcerer.

But that was why they knew that they had to restrain Lenok’s figure in this place and seize his memories and power without leaving anything behind.

Even if he was a sinner who had committed an unforgivable crime, his power and talent were so high and different that they were hard to find in this city.

Therefore, they had to obtain his power when Lenok was exhausted and injured.

[Ooooooh!!]

Although he had unleashed holy-type magic power with the Archangel’s Compassion, not all the military spirits of the cenotaph were affected by that magic power.

Among the souls subservient to the tower, there were also high-ranking military spirits who were not affected by such magic power.

Those beings also instinctively felt a strong pull towards Lenok’s presence and began to chase him madly.

Thud thud thud!!

Hundreds of military spirits surged like a tide from all sides of the cenotaph’s stairs.

They opened their mouths wide, stretched out their arms and legs in a trance, and let out screams that constantly resonated with the soul.

A group of military spirits quickly caught up to Lenok, who was bound by magic threads and helplessly rolling down the stairs.

In the midst of all this, Oris, who was weakly hanging onto Lenok’s magic threads, struggled to speak.

“…You stupid human, run away alone.”

“…”

“We can’t both escape from the tower. It’s not like before where I can save you and run away…!!”

Kooong!!

A military spirit in the form of a huge beast swung down hard as if it had been waiting for the two of them at the bottom of the stairs.

Lenok’s figure, barely twisting his magic threads to dodge and accelerate as if sliding under the military spirit’s legs.

However, he couldn’t even control that power properly and slammed his back directly into the wall of the tower’s stairs.

Bang!!

“…Ugh.”

“Look. You’ve become so dull that you can’t even control your own manipulation techniques properly now.”

Oris chuckled, lying fallen at Lenok’s feet.

“Throw me to those guys and run away. Even if I get eaten by them and disappear now, I don’t really feel much emotion-”

“You think I brought you along because of some kind of attachment?”

Crack!!

Instead of answering, Lenok stepped on Oris’s face and got up, taking out a potion from his chest and gulping it down.

A crooked obsidian mask, a shadow robe torn to shreds.

As he shoved the potion bottle into his mouth with stiff hands, the potion dripped down between his lips.

Wiping his mouth with the end of his sleeve, Lenok shook his head and smiled at Oris, who was trampled under his feet.

“I plan to drag you along, whether you like it or not, until we cross the Headrain River, so don’t worry.”

To escape outside of Yorta, they would have to cross the Headrain River again, which they had crossed when they came.

In that process, a landmark was needed to guide the direction of the river flow towards the outside.

The priestess had taken on that role when they came, but she had finished her role in this journey and disappeared.

That was why Lenok was saving Oris and trying to escape with him no matter what.

“…Hehe, you arrogant bastard.”

Oris also chuckled as if he had no choice, and just let himself be dragged by Lenok’s hand.

But that was only for a moment, as Oris soon completely lost his remaining consciousness and hung his head low.

It was already his limit just to stall for time while being tortured by the Soul-Soothing Garden.

It would be difficult to expect any meaningful help from the Judge here.

Just like when they first escaped from the cenotaph, there was no ghost shark to move them to the tower’s basement.

Even if he took out Onion’s ghost ship, it would be nothing more than a useless obstacle in this place without waterways.

At the very least, they had to get out of the cenotaph and down to the canal where the Headrain River could be seen.

The closer they got to the ground as they continued down the stairs, the more the number of military spirits blocking their path continued to increase.

[Soul… give me just your soul!!]

[The spirits of the Soul-Soothing Garden promised me a vessel.]

[That body is mine now!!]

But even with his exhausted body, Lenok continued to break through them and search for a path to the ground.

He scattered the consumable artifacts he had prepared without hesitation, stirring up and disrupting everything in sight.

A magic-infused incendiary bomb that had fallen haphazardly from his robe detonated on the spot, pushing back both the charging military spirits and Lenok’s body at the same time.

Kwaaaang!!

He shattered the floor and walls of the tower, creating a crack that forcibly skipped the stairs.

Staggering as if he was about to collapse, not even thinking about tending to the wounds that were scratching his arms and legs through his shield.

He scraped together the magic power that had reached its limit, and constantly drank potions to replenish it.

The moment he crossed the last corridor stairs leading to the ground.

The tower’s corridor and stairs in front of him were all flipped over and rotated backwards, causing the entire space to rewind and surge upwards.

“…!!!”

In the blink of an eye, swept away by the sudden upheaval of the entire tower, unable to resist.

Lenok found himself standing again in front of the huge hollow surrounded by the Soul-Soothing Garden’s tombstones.

Kuuung!!

The very spot where he had stirred up chaos by wielding the archangel’s pity, dragging Oris’s spirit along as he attempted to escape.

As Lenok stood there, staggering, one of the spirits that had risen above the tombstones spoke.

[This tower, created for the souls participating in the Night Parade of a Myriad Spirits [a ritual where spirits gather], exists in the material realm but is not of it.]

“……”

[It takes the form of a tower but is not a tower, and possesses the structure of stairs but is not stairs.]

The spirits whispered, as if mocking Lenok’s predicament.

[Likewise, just because it takes the form of a door does not necessarily mean it is an exit leading to the surface.]

Jorta, the city of military spirits.

The memorial tower located at the city’s center takes the form of a tower, but it is not a real tower.

Its essence is a bridge of souls built by using the military spirits participating in the Night Parade of a Myriad Spirits as components.

Therefore, by manipulating the military spirits that exist as parts of the tower, one can freely reorganize the structure and the stairs, even changing the path as desired.

A divine trick that manipulates the tower’s stairs, trapping Lenok so that he can never physically escape from this place.

The chilling intention behind it all was to completely seize Lenok’s existence in this very spot.

[Though already dead, he is a vessel of a remarkable sorcerer who survived even after contending with the body of an Ascendant [a being of immense power]…]

The spirits of the Soul-Soothing Garden whispered, no longer hiding their greed.

[I find you even more desirable than the remains of the Harbinger, which were enshrined in the Abyss.]

“……”

[If not now, it would be absolutely impossible to hold a rogue like you in this place.]

Dark desires were openly felt amidst the gloomy whispers.

Those ancient wills, now unreservedly revealing themselves, reached out towards Lenok.

Saaah!

Nine spirits, having left the tombstones, soared up simultaneously and began to rotate above Lenok’s head.

The hazy flames of their souls gathered and rotated counterclockwise, transforming into what looked like hands reaching out towards Lenok.

As if trying to embrace Lenok, nine fingers approached from the hollow ceiling, whispering softly.

[Rejoice, human…]

[You shall become our servant, and you shall personally hold the banner that will restore the meaning of the Night Parade of a Myriad Spirits.]

[You shall become the commander and vanguard of our Jorta’s revival, once again sounding the alarm to this world.]

It was not one of the spirits of the Soul-Soothing Garden taking charge, but a judgment where all nine spirits would occupy and control Lenok’s body.

Instead of taking the Harbinger’s remains and raising them, they intended to use Lenok’s body to carry out their plans.

From the moment they saw Lenok emerge from the Abyss, they had been dreaming of something more than simply punishing him.

“……”

The hands of the spirits, like blue smoke, wrapped around his body above his head.

Oris, who had lost consciousness and fallen at his feet, and the artifact that remained in his arms.

The magic power that had run dry and his body that had reached its limit.

“Fine.”

Lenok, who had been silently watching the approaching spirits, smiled faintly and closed his eyes.

“If that’s what you want, I’ll show you once.”

That the outcome they desired could never be achieved.

If he had to show them in this place that, even if they killed Lenok, interfering with his existence was absolutely impossible.

Then, if he could buy even a little time by doing so, it would be enough.

The moment Lenok thought that and slowly stepped forward towards the approaching spirits of the Soul-Soothing Garden.

From the dark shadows hidden beneath the tower’s hollow.

A voice echoed from beyond.

“How utterly pathetic.”

A whisper that seemed to vibrate and tremble the air just by breathing.

Even though it was a low whisper, its timbre vibrated like thunder, resonating with a chilling intensity like the roar of a predator.

“I didn’t save you so you could just let go like that.”

“……!!!!”

Lenok forgot to even breathe at that voice, and the spirits of the Soul-Soothing Garden stopped in their tracks.

[…Who is it?]

[Who has entered this memorial tower without permission, eavesdropping on the secrets of the spirits?]

[Reveal yourself!!]

“…No.”

Lenok muttered unconsciously at the spirits’ outcry.

Because he clearly remembered the predator’s voice that had echoed from beyond the shadows.

That menacing voice, once heard, could never be erased from memory.

Someone who should never exist in this place was here now.

“This is, definitely…!!!”

Crack…!!

A sound like something was being strangely twisted was heard.

A noise like something real was being forcibly rubbed and crushed.

A strong sense of incongruity, as if connecting the entire space where he was standing now, from a place so far away that even Lenok’s senses could not reach.

As if something had appeared in this place. Conversely, as if something had disappeared from this place.

The moment Lenok, sensing the manifestation of that incomprehensible contradiction, abruptly raised his gaze.

A sharp flash of light grazed his cheek and disappeared.

And broke one of the nine tombstones standing behind him in half.

Kwaaaang!!!

[Aaaaaaack!!]

One of the nine spirits that had descended towards Lenok let out a terrible spiritual cry, then twisted its body madly in place.

[How can this be…!!]

[How can a spirit stone made of a celestial stone be broken by mere impact!!]

Was it more shocking that the tombstone that maintained the Soul-Soothing Garden was broken than the spirit’s suffering?

Behind the spirits, who were confused and spewing out their essence, forgetting even about taking Lenok’s body, a huge vibration echoed.

Thump!!

It was as if every step shook all the stairs of the tower with a deafening sound.

The brief tremor of moving his foot, bearing his weight, and shifting his center was a miracle that was conveyed to everyone in this place.

In the midst of the chaos where the swarming military spirits and the spirits of the Soul-Soothing Garden were rampaging.

Only Lenok faced the dark scales gleaming from beyond the shadows and broke out in a cold sweat.

Thump!!

A dark, massive form, sinking darkly even in the hollow of the dark memorial tower.

With each step he took along the shadows, his overwhelming form gradually revealed itself beneath the hollow.

Thump!!

Following the faintly gleaming dark scales, a tail, straight like an iron bar, rotated to maintain balance.

A long snout, clutching and tearing at a pale military spirit with one hand, and sharp teeth densely packed.

The yellow reptilian eyes that seemed to be staring indifferently, yet murderously, at everything in this place.

Kwaaaang!!!

A massive and ferocious will that was so overwhelming that he couldn’t understand how he hadn’t noticed it until now.

“Ah.”

The crocodile giant, who had drawn the attention of thousands of military spirits the moment he appeared, spat out the spirit he had been chewing and muttered.

“It tastes much worse than I thought.”

There would be countless epithets created to revere and fear his power and nature.

But grand modifiers were meaningless in describing his existence.

Only his name explained who he was and justified all his actions.

A member of Pandemonium [a chaotic realm]. A retired war mercenary. A traveler on the pilgrimage.

Croken Acilius.

A monster more dangerous than anyone else, who should never be in this place.

Stood in the middle of the memorial tower, tilting his head back.

“After all, leftovers that others have eaten are not my taste.”

Croken grinned, his reptilian pupils flashing as he looked at Lenok.

“So, I guess I have to step in myself now.”