Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 1249

“It’s all over, then.”

“……”

“It took longer than I thought. Or, should I say it was shorter than I thought?”

A woman with an ordinary appearance, sitting at a table, tilted her head, looking up at the sky.

Angel, a member of the Cartel’s board of directors, silently stared at the coffee placed on the table.

The heart of the mega-city Balkan.

A high-end cafe on the top floor of a skyscraper in District 10.

The woman, sitting in a VIP seat by the window with a clear view of the outside scenery, rested her chin leisurely on her hand.

“Two days… no, was it three? It’s been so long since I’ve been out, I can’t quite grasp the flow of time in this world.”

“……”

“But what happened in there couldn’t have been resolved in just three days.”

The woman smiled faintly, not waiting for Angel’s reply.

“Kaiser Bajur… I wonder how much time he’s rewound so far. Maybe an eon has already passed without us knowing.”

“……”

“I also wanted the talent of reversing fate, but it’s a shame. I tend to think of bloodline abilities as a type of superpower in a way.”

“If you really intended to, you wouldn’t be wasting time with me like this…”

Angel opened her mouth in a faint voice.

Slowly raising her gaze, Angel looked at her friend in front of her and said,

“Aphelia… from the beginning, you didn’t intend to get deeply involved in this war, did you?”

“That’s right.”

Aphelia affirmed nonchalantly.

She looked at Angel with a soft smile and tilted her coffee cup.

“I think I’ve done my part. And more than anything, I came to see a friend today.”

“……”

The Zero Seat of the Awakened Ability Brigade, Aphelia Ionics Zaeldark.

The inhuman monster, once called the strongest connector in the continent’s history, now descended into the mortal realm in a human body.

The noise that always covered her voice, the chilling transmission that seemed to pierce the brain directly, are all gone.

They had all vanished as if washed away, and she was simply smiling in front of Angel like an ordinary woman.

It wasn’t surprising.

When she met those who had been with her when the brigade was first formed, she often returned to her old self like this.

Like back then, when she gathered ability users who couldn’t control their innate talents and taught them how to live.

As if forcibly recalling and acting out a time when everything was pure, righteous, and upright.

Angel was one of the few survivors who had founded the brigade with Aphelia.

“I happened to meet an old friend at the military parade. It reminded me of you, Angel.”

“……”

“I was also curious about the Balkans, so I happened to be here today—”

“Aphelia. The subjugation war is over.”

Angel said quietly.

“Since it was a war watched by the entire continent, the reaction is intense. The traffic on the city government’s central network has exploded to the point of complete paralysis.”

“……”

“As the head of the telecommunications division, I have a lot of work to do… I have to go back now. If you have anything to say, please say it now.”

The moment she heard those words, Aphelia’s face became utterly expressionless.

The emotions and personality she had been so brightly putting on disappeared like a lie, a sense of incongruity as if being erased.

Aphelia, who had put down her coffee cup, said in an indifferent voice.

“I destroyed Kabahim. I acquired the bloodline abilities of the royal family and the remnants of the outer god that remained there.”

“……”

Aphelia’s smile turned sinister.

“Although there’s no substance, and I’ve only grasped the shell… this is enough to give me the cause to move in the center.”

“…That’s.”

“So, before that, let’s have you return to the brigade.”

Aphelia whispered, slightly lowering her head.

“Before I get my hands on the ‘privileges’ of the Imperial City and change everything as I please.”

“……”

“Until now, I’ve respected Angel’s wishes, but I don’t want to anymore.”

Aphelia, who had slowly risen from her seat, smiled with a bizarre brightness.

“After all, I feel more comfortable holding the things I like in my own hands, right?”

“……”

Since the brigade was founded, Aphelia had always worked and endured for the sake of the ability users who followed her.

When did the brakes get applied to her seemingly endless benevolence and patience?

“It won’t be easy, Aphelia… the Awakened Ability Brigade has already changed too much, and we can’t go back to that time anymore.”

Angel raised her gaze with a complex expression.

“Since many things have changed from the ‘promise’ we first made… isn’t that why you couldn’t stop me from leaving the brigade?”

“Maybe so.”

Aphelia agreed.

“But Angel, we might not have much time left. You were ‘seeing’ it too, weren’t you?”

“…That’s.”

Without waiting for Angel’s reply, Aphelia turned her gaze.

“The power that the mage showed in this war today was a miracle of a kind that has never existed in the continent’s history.”

Her eyes, looking at the shimmering dark blue lightning outside the window, shattered like a mosaic.

“Fate, talent, aptitude, nature, or curse… many words can explain the result, but in the end, none of them are proper causes.”

“……”

“A result that exists without a cause. Perhaps the appearance of such a person is a sign that the end of this world is near?”

“…Aphelia.”

Instantly, Angel looked up at Aphelia with a surprised expression.

Even the old her, who was kind and gentle to everyone and always reached out to others first.

She had never praised or paid attention to someone else’s talent and fate in this way.

A mage who was so remarkable that she, who had guided all ability users but never expected anything in return, would directly mention their talent.

Aphelia, who had slowly turned her body, whispered.

“I can hear the whispers of how people are calling him after this war ended.”

“……”

“Extreme Lightning, Quaking Star, Thunder Emperor… certainly, in that he is revered even after killing so many people, he might be very similar to an emperor.”

Aphelia chuckled softly and moved past Angel.

“So, I’ll stop here for today. To have a proper conversation with such a seeker, I need to adjust my abilities a bit more.”

“Aphelia, I…”

Before Angel, who was hesitating, could say anything, Aphelia had disappeared.

The opposite seat was empty. The coffee cup she had touched was collapsing in its place.

Chiiik…!!

A bizarre phenomenon as if the connection of matter itself was severed and broken, like a radiation beam.

An inhuman atmosphere that left no mercy in the place she had left.

She had known long ago that everything was wrong and broken.

Angel, looking at the place where Aphelia had left with a complex expression, took out her phone.

* * *

“Wow~ so it ended up like this after all?”

A shadow, leaning crookedly and looking up at a small TV hanging on the wall in a dark operating room with dimly flickering old lights, chuckled.

“The result of throwing in more than four legions and even the Ten Seats of the Brigade is the annihilation of the leadership, this is really bad for the legion’s reputation.”

“……”

“The central officials probably didn’t expect such an overwhelming result either. Ah, if I had known it would turn out like this, I should have just watched from afar.”

The shadow, swaying its body while watching the TV screen, quickly turned its head.

“Certainly, a lot of interesting things have been happening in that city lately. Don’t you think so too?”

“I told you not to talk to me while I’m concentrating.”

Another shadow, standing with its head bowed in front of the operating table, said.

Each time he moved his hand slowly, the ‘something’ lying on the operating table struggled weakly.

The shadow, not even caring about the opponent’s resistance, rummaged through its contents and said,

“I need practice to regain my senses after a long time. It’s not the time to play around, so shut your mouth.”

“You’ve been talking about regaining your senses since Kabahim. When is that friend who left home a while ago coming back?”

“That means that it requires adjustments that are so precise and difficult that they can’t even be compared to your techniques.”

Each time the shadow standing in front of the operating table spoke, black, dead blood splattered to the side.

Without even looking at the blood and flesh falling between the surgical gown, he said,

“From the beginning, I knew that Kyunroe was a uniquely talented sorcerer among the mortals born recently. It’s unexpected that the legion’s commander was defeated, but it’s not an unacceptable result.”

“Again, again. Are you just going to say boring things like that? Even the toy lying on that operating table can say ‘I knew it would happen’ after the result comes out.”

“I’m not talking about the result, I’m talking about the result that has already come out. It was you who asked for my opinion on this matter first.”

“That’s because I don’t want to hear such boring impressions. As a sorcerer of the special trait system, I want you to give some iconic opinions or impressions.”

“I don’t know about that, but I suddenly feel like sewing your intestines and organs together like that.”

The shadow sitting in front of the TV chuckled, unfazed by the other’s chilling retort.

“I heard that some of our members participated in the subjugation war, I wonder if they’re still alive. It would be fun if at least the Doctor died.”

“Are you talking about Doctor Atermeyer? I don’t think he would have died in this incident.”

“No, if you say Doctor, you should understand right away. But what do you know to say that?”

“Because I helped with the work of processing the ‘vessel’ he used in this incident.”

“…Huh?”

“Was he a promising engineer from Endorose? I had a hard time modifying the brain of that vessel to contain the Doctor’s spirituality. Thanks to that, it was good practice.”

The shadow standing in front of the operating table said that and turned its body.

“Because of that, I roughly got a sense of it with the last practice just now. The preparation is done, so lie down on the operating table.”

“No, when did you even contact the Doctor and do such a thing? I knew you had a useful talent, but you’re more outgoing than I thought. It doesn’t suit you. I’m saying again, it doesn’t suit you.”

“I just thought it was worth owing a favor to Doctor Atermeyer’s request. Your nonsense is long.”

The shadow in front of the operating table, adjusting its gloves, retorted.

“As promised, I will now proceed with your physical adjustment surgery. I need to inject anesthesia, so move quickly.”

“First, can you please remove the first guest lying on the operating table and then talk?”

The shadow chuckled, shrugged its shoulders, and approached the operating table.

“I’m pretty tolerant, but even so, I’m not so open to strangers that I’d share an operating table with someone I’ve just met.”

“I will.”

Thud!!

Something that had lost its human form slid down under the operating table with a thud.

Only then did the shadow smile and sit on the operating table, which was soaked with blood.

Taking out a scalpel from the sterilizer, the other shadow asked,

“Adjusting your body considering your technique characteristics and manipulating luck. I’ll focus on these two, and I’ll touch your sensory organs and hormones. No complaints, right?”

“Yes. The Ascetic is coming back soon, and the Commander will move, so we need to prepare in advance.”

The smile of the shadow lying on the operating table turned grotesque like a clown.

“As I said before, from now on, there will probably be a lot of things to do in the center.”

* * *

Central Front Outer Fortress. Alpha Rain Forward Base Paradox Blue.

The outskirts of a huge fortress with a vast green prairie. A plain where a warm breeze blows.

A central stronghold city among Arsnowa’s colonies that has not yet collapsed.

Above the city, where all civilians and personnel had evacuated, a flying fortress hundreds of meters in size was floating.

The shape of a huge pyramid, rotating majestically in the sky, gleaming with a platinum-colored light.

The innermost part of the central command headquarters of the private military company Dead Rise, Ultima Alert.

The most important base that controls and directs all operations and orders of the legion.

An eerie silence flowed in the situation room.

“This can’t be…”

“Did the commander… lose…?”

“Commander Songha… Roberaid, Townsend…”

“Lord Baragan took out Quetzalcoatl [a powerful, mythical weapon], how could such a crushing defeat happen…”

Even here, thousands of kilometers away from the Balkans, the results of the subjugation war were all too clear.

The gruesome sight of the legion’s main forces being massacred. The tragedy of the commanders and transcendents of each faction lying scattered as corpses.

Even though they couldn’t see what exactly happened inside District 49, everyone watched the results.

A great battle involving more than four legions and the 3rd Command Primo Alert. The Blaber Magic Tower and the mechanized corps. The elite forces of the Awakened Ability Brigade.

The legion was defeated in the largest war in the Eastern Continent, which mobilized more than five super-large strategic weapons and tens of thousands of superhumans.

All that remained was an enormous amount of damage and losses that were impossible to even estimate.

Gooooo!!

In the innermost chamber of Ultima Alert, where the commanders couldn’t hide their sighs.

Gileon, who was breathing weakly with tubes inserted all over his body, quietly closed his eyes.

“Kaiser…”

How many times was this a failure for Kaiser Bajur?

How many times had he faced a failure leading to death and returned to reality?

But after countless regressions, Gileon sensed that the end had finally come this time.

Even though he had lived his whole life by Kaiser’s side, Gileon had ultimately failed to be of any more help to him.

He had hoped to somehow prolong his remaining life and be of some help, even a little.

Perhaps, what Kaiser wanted was not Gileon, but someone like Kyunroe.

Not someone who would reach out a hand from the side, but someone who would end it for him.

As if he was waiting for the moment when a broken machine part would finally stop working after breaking down.

Beep!!

A system screen rose next to Gileon, and the stiff faces of the commanders appeared.

[Lord Mylos. The 10th Legion has completed preparations to deploy to the Balkans.]

[Now that the commander has been defeated, we must move the main forces immediately.]

[Since we do not know the principle by which Lord Bajur’s resurrection is achieved, we must secure the remains as quickly as possible, otherwise—]

Most of the legion commanders were aware that Ethan Bajur had the talent of a ressurector.

Therefore, those who did not know of Kaiser’s demise were moving with the intention of taking immediate follow-up measures despite the defeat in the subjugation war.

Now that the deaths of the legion commander and the leadership in the Balkans had been confirmed, Gileon Mylos was the only one with the authority of the supreme commander.

At this moment, when a great battle had just ended, and they could have the highest chance of victory against Kyunroe.

[We will move Ultima Alert to the Eastern Continent immediately. Give the order.]

[The 6th Legion of the Southern Front is moving to rescue Lieutenant General Atiya.]

[The legions across the continent are currently awaiting your decision, Commander.]

“…No.”

But instead of answering those words, Gileon struggled to raise his gaze and looked at the ceiling of the dark room.

As if looking beyond the thick walls, beyond the ceiling, at the sky beyond.

Breathing faintly, as if about to break, Gileon slowly reached out his hand.

Thud, thud.

As he removed the tubes connected to his arm one by one, black-stained feathers scattered finely each time.

Faaaaaaaat!!!!

In the feathers that instantly filled the entire dark room, Gileon murmured as if whispering.

“We won’t be given… that kind of leeway…”

[Commander, what do you mean—]

[If we don’t move right now, the legion’s prestige will be shaken across the continent—]

Kwaaaang!!!

The other commanders were not given time to understand Gileon’s words.

The ground shook, the sky convulsed, and everything standing on the ground swayed greatly.

The bewildered soldiers followed Gileon’s gaze to the sky a beat late and realized the cause.

[What on earth is—]

[Th, the sky…!!!!]

[It’s a meteor shower, that’s…!!!!]

From the far side of the blue sky, a stained silver meteor shower was falling with a tremendous roar.

Once, it was a beautiful silver starlight that shone with a clear and pure belief.

Now, it was the remnants of a fallen, corrupted, and degraded Ascendant [a being of immense power].

Kugwagwagwagwagwagwa!!!!!

Hundreds of corrupted silver stars fall towards Paradox Green, drawing the shape of a huge celestial sphere.

Each starlight is a herald of destruction, compressed with an immeasurable amount of magic and heat.

The corrupted flames of a fallen one that would crush space the moment even one of them hit directly.

Gileon whispered with his eyes closed.

“…They’ve come.”

[Could it be…!!!!]

On the other side of the plain where the distant meteor shower was falling, a giant wearing a robe stood alone.

The dragon-like horns protruding from the thick robe. The corrupted silver scales visible beyond the swaying hem.

“All that a foolish and lacking follower can do is this much.”

From within the robe, the corrupted eyes of the silver dragon flashed menacingly.

“Dead Rise. You’d better be prepared.”

Kugugugugu!!!!!

At the same time as the fallen one’s hand rotated, the meteor shower falling from the far side of the sky changed its trajectory all at once.

The moment Gileon, who had removed his respirator, staggered to his feet and met the gaze of the corrupted gem dragon beyond space and time.

Everything was covered in stained silver in the explosion of distant starlight falling towards Ultima Alert.