Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 994

“It’s not solid evidence, more like circumstantial, but at this point, it’s almost certain information.”

Bernard spoke, shaking the file in his hand. His words confirmed that a high-ranking executive of the Azure Eye was among the clients who had booked surgery with the Grafting Artificer.

“Changes in the observation cycle of the lighthouse illuminating the barrier. The movements of the watchers going back and forth across the front lines… all of this supports the fact that the Azure Eye has temporarily withdrawn from the vicinity of the gate.”

“……”

“Considering that there’s nothing wrong with the lighthouse keeper, Lapis Palshier, there’s only one possibility.”

Bernard handed the file to Lenok.

“Something the Azure Eye needs to ask the Grafting Artificer. A surgical procedure for a high-level transcendent [a person with extraordinary abilities] that only the Artificer can perform.”

“A request…”

Bernard’s explanation skipped over many details, but Lenok was still able to reflect on the events at the gate.

Lenok remembered the words the Grafting Artificer had spoken when they met at the entrance of the gate city.

‘The Grafting Artificer said that the discussion about the lighthouse was already over as soon as he saw me.’

The Artificer had revealed his presence at the gate in the first place because he had sensed Lenok’s innate eyes [a unique ability to perceive things others cannot].

A message thrown out, assuming Lenok with the innate eyes was on the watcher’s side. It was as good as confirmation that the Grafting Artificer and the Azure Eye had made a deal regarding the lighthouse.

If they had agreed not to illuminate the lighthouse near the gate, and the reason was something the Azure Eye needed to ask the Artificer, then as Bernard said, it was highly likely to be something only the Artificer could do.

“Judging by your reaction, it seems you have an idea of what’s going on. The current assessment from the unit is that a key watcher of the Azure Eye is in critical condition.”

Bernard spoke again, looking at Lenok’s contemplative face.

“Stopping the lighthouse means they’re a crucial asset to the Azure Eye, and needing the help of a renowned doctor like the Grafting Artificer means their injury is severe.”

“Isn’t the Azure Eye officially hostile only to the Guiding Order and Pandemonium?”

Angel, who was sipping whiskey beside them, asked.

“It seems there was a major clash with the Order or Pandemonium recently. There hasn’t been any news of that from the Cartel [a powerful organization that controls information and resources].”

“Who knows? The Azure Eye tends to handle most matters quietly. Since their leader is a lighthouse keeper, they’re very skilled at blocking external surveillance and observation.”

Bernard shrugged.

“Thanks to that, information gatherers like me have to run around to get information about the Azure Eye. I found out about the changes in the lighthouse’s observation cycle myself.”

“You’d have solved it with your innate ability anyway, why are you making such a fuss about running around?”

“…Anyway, here’s the ‘easy way’ I’m proposing.”

Bernard cleared his throat and turned his gaze towards Lenok, who was looking at the documents.

“Contact the Azure Eye executive who booked surgery with the Grafting Artificer, and enter the operating room as their caretaker.”

“……”

“I can provide you with the items you need for disguise and concealing your presence. The important thing is for you to gain the cooperation of that high-ranking executive.”

“A caretaker…”

Lenok shook his head.

“I admit it’s an ingenious idea. You’ve managed to gather relevant information.”

The idea of infiltrating the Grafting Artificer’s territory by piggybacking on a patient who had booked surgery wasn’t bad in itself.

Bernard’s ability to investigate the characteristics of the operating room, the time of the surgery, and the scheduled events at the gate was something to be acknowledged.

However, Bernard didn’t react to Lenok’s praise and immediately asked back.

“So, can you do it?”

“Before we discuss that plan, there are two problems.”

Lenok closed the file with a thud and answered.

“First, I left the Azure Eye more than a few months ago. I haven’t explained the reason to the other watchers either.”

“……”

“I don’t know what the watchers think about that fact. I don’t even know if they’re willing to cooperate with me in the first place.”

Lenok glanced away and said.

“At the very least, I need to know who the watcher who booked surgery with the Artificer is. Only then can I know whether they’ll cooperate with this matter or not.”

“So, it’s a matter of people.”

Bernard nodded.

“Okay. I’ll try to secure the list of booked patients from our side. What’s the second problem?”

“The second problem is…”

Lenok placed the file on the table and stood up.

“The Ability Awakening Squad still hasn’t told me what they want from me.”

“……What?”

Bernard’s question came a beat late.

But Lenok didn’t miss even that small hint of awkwardness.

Thump!

Lenok, with a blank expression, grabbed Bernard’s shoulder with one hand as he tried to stand up, and pressed him back down.

“The series of information you just explained to me. This isn’t a briefing you prepared in just a few days.”

“……”

“The squad has been looking for a way to get into the Grafting Artificer’s operating room for a long time. Isn’t that right?”

Lenok had planned to head to the first gate to obtain a fragment of the barrier four days ago.

But the information Bernard had just revealed wasn’t something that could be planned with information gathered in just four days.

A series of information, and the inferences based on it, that could only be possible if they had been constantly monitoring the Grafting Artificer, the Order of the Spell [a group of mages], and the movements of the Azure Eye.

That meant that the Ability Awakening Squad had been preparing for the goal Lenok had thought of four days ago for a long time.

“This is a discussion that’s only possible at the level of having all the plans set and choosing the personnel to execute them. And you’re sharing the plan with me and trying to get me to carry it out.”

Whoosh!

The flames that rose from Lenok’s hand stretched out and instantly spread wide over Bernard’s back.

The flames split like wings, swirling and engulfing Bernard’s figure.

Lenok looked at Bernard’s face, which had stiffened from the heat brushing his cheek, and asked.

“Tell me, ability user. What does the squad want from the Grafting Artificer’s operating room?”

There was no way they would share this information and plan for free without any ulterior motives.

At the very least, the squad had to be pursuing the same goal as Lenok, or strongly desire something more.

Crucially, while sharing this information, Bernard had not mentioned what they wanted at all.

Lenok knew that before considering the success rate of the plan, it was meaningless without understanding the motive.

“…Evan, sir.”

Angel tried to say something with a stiff expression, but Bernard raised his hand to stop her.

The explorer, who had been looking up at Lenok with a calm expression, slowly nodded.

“You’re right. We’re not sharing this information with you without any compensation.”

“……”

“But that’s only if you accept this task. Isn’t that right?”

Even with Lenok’s flames surging over his neck, Bernard only stiffened his expression. He didn’t show much agitation.

That was probably because, as Angel had explained, Bernard himself was a veteran who had overcome all sorts of battles.

“You can think of it as an advance payment. If we hadn’t shared this information first, you wouldn’t have trusted us at all.”

Bernard spoke slowly.

“You’ve listened to my story so far because the Grafting Artificer you met and the information about the operating room I explained matched. That’s why you didn’t doubt my plan even after hearing about the Azure Eye, right?”

“You keep changing the subject in a strange way.”

Bernard’s words were a fairly accurate guess of Lenok’s judgment, but Lenok didn’t waver.

Because it was clear that he was avoiding the main point by mentioning the issue of motives.

“Just answer the question. What does the squad want?”

“…Haa. This is why I didn’t want to take on this task.”

Bernard sighed softly and complained.

“High-level mages are too good at finding loopholes and gaps. They try to read between the lines of every conversation. Even if we take a stance that puts us at a disadvantage, they don’t just let it slide.”

“Is that all you have to say?”

As Lenok raised his magic power, Bernard finally opened his mouth.

“The body of the squad’s Third Seat, Michal Zhelikh, is preserved in the Grafting Artificer’s operating room.”

“The squad’s Third Seat?”

“It’s what we call the ten most powerful innate ability users in the Ability Awakening Squad, in order.”

Bernard’s explanation was much more polite than before.

Bernard carefully turned his neck and loosened his shoulders.

“Seat Zhelikh was a possessor of an extremely rare special type of innate ability within the squad.”

“……”

Special type innate ability.

Lenok frowned, feeling a strong sense of déjà vu from those words.

Lenok folded the wings of flame and held them under Bernard’s chin.

“The third strongest ability user in the squad is dead and remains as a corpse in the Grafting Artificer’s operating room?”

“It was an unfortunate accident. There was a misjudgment on Seat Zhelikh’s part.”

Bernard’s expression darkened for a moment as he answered.

“He was an ability user with the ability furthest from death among the ten seats. He didn’t expect that the Grafting Art could affect his innate ability to that extent.”

“……”

“The problem is that after Seat Zhelikh’s death, his body fell into the hands of the Grafting Artificer. The Artificer is a very skilled doctor, so if he confirmed Zhelikh’s ability, it wouldn’t be strange for him to dissect and investigate the body.”

Bernard met Lenok’s gaze with a firm expression.

“Currently, the top priority of the squad’s headquarters at the first gate is to retrieve the remains of Seat Zhelikh preserved in the operating room.”

“……”

A high-ranking executive of the Ability Awakening Squad who died at the hands of the Grafting Artificer.

They were sharing the plan they had been making to enter the operating room at this time with Lenok to retrieve that body.

There was only one thing the squad wanted from him.

They wanted Lenok, who had entered the operating room, to retrieve the body of Seat Zhelikh on their behalf.

“I understand that the Ability Awakening Squad wants to recover the body of someone named Zhelikh.”

Lenok tilted his head.

“But taking the body out is bound to be noticed by the Artificer. It’s a contradictory goal to the method of secretly infiltrating the operating room you suggested. It seems like a big risk in many ways.”

“We’re not asking you to recover the entire body. In the first place, given the Grafting Artificer’s nature, it’s unlikely that Zhelikh’s body is still in its original form.”

Bernard said with a calm expression.

“The higher-ups believe that the Third Seat’s body has already been dismantled into organs and tissues.”

“……”

Bernard’s answer seemed to have no expectations for the Grafting Artificer’s skills or cleanup.

Just from those words, one could guess how terrible and insidious the Artificer’s reputation was.

“The only part of Seat Zhelikh’s body we want to recover from the operating room is one thing. The brain, which is crucial for the operation of the innate ability.”

Bernard tapped his temple with one hand.

“Especially the cerebral cortex, where the flow of thought is most clearly observed.”

“You’re saying you want me to recover the cerebral cortex from the brain fragments that the Artificer has chopped up?”

“It shouldn’t be difficult to distinguish. The Grafting Artificer must also know which part of the body is most important for an ability user.”

Bernard nodded, folding his arms.

“He must have separated and stored Zhelikh’s head separately. He might even be conducting research already.”

“……”

“If you’ve heard this far, I think you understand what I’m trying to say.”

Bernard spoke calmly, looking at the silent Lenok.

“Infiltrate the operating room and bring out the fragment of the barrier you want, and the remains of Seat Zhelikh. That’s the entire content of the deal we want to propose.”

“……”

“The reason we revealed this information first is not only to gain your trust, but also because your goal can be achieved more easily the moment you recover the remains of the Third Seat.”

“The achievement of my goal can be easier?”

Lenok’s eyes lit up as he looked at Bernard.

“Are you saying that Seat Zhelikh’s innate ability preserved in the Grafting Artificer’s operating room is that powerful?”

“Seat Zhelikh had the ability that was literally the furthest from death among all innate ability users.”

Click.

Bernard took out a case that shone with a pale white light and gave a wry smile.

“He was an immortal based on semi-permanent super regeneration, and at the same time…”

Lenok was also speechless when he saw the sentence clearly engraved on the case.

A strange shape that seemed to converge into one path.

It was the emblem of the Guiding Order.

“He was one of the origins of the Order’s immortal body experiments.”

* * *

Clang, clang!

Purple chains bound in a dark room.

On top of them, dozens of corpses hung by their necks, swaying slowly.

Behind the swaying of the corpses, a middle-aged man sat alone in the darkness with his back turned.

“Oedon, sir.”

One of the ability users of the squad standing behind him quietly called his name.

“Evan Martinez has arrived in the gate city.”

“……”

“Currently, Bernard is in charge of explaining and persuading him about the squad’s plan. If things go well as planned, it’ll be fine, but…”

The ability user hesitated and asked.

“Considering the nature of the Thousand [a title given to a powerful mage], if we don’t consider a clash with the Artificer…”

“Considering the loyalty that fiery mage has shown to the Azure Eye, it wouldn’t be strange.”

Just by uttering a low reply, his voice echoed loudly, and the chains shook violently.

Each time, the dozens of corpses hanging on the chains swayed back and forth, stirring up the room.

“That man is looking for a place to burn his life anywhere. He hasn’t changed at all since the labyrinth.”

The middle-aged man, who had been facing away, slowly rose from his seat, supporting himself with one hand on his knee.

Several of the ability users who had been assisting him hurriedly approached him.

“Oedon, sir. The adjustment of your ability isn’t finished yet. If you move now…”

“What, I’m not going to ruin the adjustment that I’ve been working on for over a week.”

The man said with a voice tinged with laughter.

“It would be even more troublesome if there were any problems with the recovery of the immortal body that I’ve been working on for over half a year.”

“In that case…”

Beyond the man’s face, which had turned his gaze from the darkness, a purple light flashed.

“I will go meet the Thousand myself.”