Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 1013

The Conjunction Master (1)

“When a vacancy occurs in the position of a Great Ability User who constructs a collective mental network, the Lord will recognize it.”

The psychic who intruded immediately after retracting the Thousand-Mile Fragrance Domain [a psychic ability that creates a sensory field] and burning away Sulju’s life domain.

At the same time, psychics with powerful mental waves began to surround Lenok from all over the ruins.

“Mikal Jellich and Ohedon, the Sixth Seat, were neutralized, and Lord Aphelia awakened, recognizing your existence.”

“……”

“So, it means that it became necessary to take you away, even if it requires somewhat extreme methods.”

Belonging to the Ability Awakening Squad, a special unit that operates with a small elite force, carrying out solo missions.

Considering how they appeared before Lenok now, they were probably created as tools to hunt and eliminate powerful psychics.

“Ability Awakening Squad, 13th Seat, Loeved Auler. The master of the Metal Machine, and in the name of the Elimination Squad, I shall-”

Loeved, the silver-haired man, tilted his head towards Lenok, who was looking around.

“What are you looking at?”

“……!!!”

Clang!!

A thick steel bar rotated like a drill, and a shockwave burst out, drawing concentric circles.

Lenok’s body slid through the ruined city streets.

Loeved looked down at Lenok, who had slightly lowered his head, and grinned.

“As expected, your reaction speed has been excellent. Not very mage-like, is it?”

“……”

“Even high-ranking sorcerers usually can’t maintain their vigilance in such an exhausted state.”

Thump!!

As he swept back his disheveled silver hair, the metal gathered from all directions began to rotate behind Loeved’s back.

The solid metal covered Loeved’s entire body, transforming into a thin, light armor.

A psychic who can freely change even the form of metal by manipulating it.

Metal manipulation, considered one of the most versatile abilities in the material manipulation category.

Lenok also knew through Ollinik how difficult metal manipulation was.

“Even if your mental strength is strong, your thoughts tend to become narrow when your body is pushed to its limits… but you seem to be free from such a concept.”

“You speak as if you’ve killed many mages.”

Lenok, who quickly identified the opponent’s identity and affiliation, stood up and said.

“Were you planning to nullify all the cooperation up until now to take me to the Lord?”

“Cooperation? I think you’re mistaken about something.”

Loeved stomped his foot and jumped down, and a heavy roar echoed on the ground.

The man who slowly walked forward waved his hand at Lenok and said.

“The Ability Awakening Squad only accepts fellow ability users as comrades. A blessed mage like you isn’t even a consideration in the first place.”

“So, the deal to retrieve Mikal Jellich’s brain was also intended to be handled like this from the start.”

“I feel sorry for Bernard about that part.”

Loeved gave a cold smile.

“Unlike Bernard, we don’t trust non-ability users. It’s impossible to trust someone who doesn’t share the same pain, right?”

“……”

“The pain of being ostracized and treated like a ticking time bomb from the moment of birth. That is the origin and essence of the Squad.”

Discrimination against non-ability users by innate ability users. It wasn’t something he couldn’t have guessed.

The subtle attitude other psychics showed him when he visited the tavern to meet Bernard.

The ‘circumstances’ that Angel glossed over and postponed explaining at that time were probably related to the Squad’s attitude towards non-ability users.

“Opinions are divided within the Squad, but Lord Aphelia leaves the treatment of non-ability users to the discretion of those on the field.”

Clank!!

Loeved, who had wrapped his arm in solid metal, raised it and said.

“Evan Martinez. I’ve heard of your reputation, but this battle at the Gate was the first time I could confirm it directly… so you are too dangerous.”

Loeved’s eyes, which had been calmly observing, gleamed with a cold murderous intent.

“A mage who was defeated by Gyeonryeon [a powerful psychic] succeeded in killing a Conjunction Sulju [a being that can manipulate the fabric of reality] in a one-on-one fight. Do you have any idea what kind of impact that fact will have on this front?”

“……”

“If you stand at the forefront of the Gate at this point, when Ohedon, the Sixth Seat, has been defeated, we will lose control. That would be a great threat to our comrades in the Squad.”

So, there are factions within the Squad that are friendly to non-ability users and factions that are hostile.

It wouldn’t be strange if a high-ranking executive, around the 11th Seat of the Squad, stepped in late.

No, rather, the fact that they intervened at this point is proof that their abilities are that outstanding.

“From the beginning, you were aiming for the point when Balak Ohedon was defeated and the battle entered a lull.”

“It’s ironic. His defeat in the battle with the Conjunction Sulju gave us the justification to intervene.”

Woo-oong!!!

The mental waves emitted by other psychics felt like they were pressing down on the entire space.

The construction of a field that not only suppresses the activation of abilities but also makes the operation of thoughts cumbersome.

Was this why they had been stalling for time while talking to Lenok?

“What happened in this Gate City today violated several unwritten rules of the central front. But thanks to that, we also got this opportunity.”

“……”

“Immediately after the battle with the Conjunction Sulju. At this point when you’ve retracted your Self-Domain [a personal space where a mage’s power is amplified]. If it’s not now, when you’ve scraped your magic power to the bottom, it would be impossible to catch a monster like you.”

Clank!!

The moment Loeved clenched his fist, countless metal bullets rose from all directions, aiming at Lenok.

The waves of mental power, tilted as if they would pour down at any moment, towards Lenok, who stood alone on the ruined street.

Loeved smiled as he looked at Lenok’s disheveled appearance.

“It’s not a request, but it would be better if you didn’t resist. It’s not necessary for your limbs to be intact to make you kneel before the Lord.”

“……I see.”

Lenok answered and raised his gaze.

The Ability Awakening Squad is one of the largest forces in the central region, ranking among the top in terms of size and status.

It is impossible to measure such an organization with a single standard and distinguish between friend and foe.

Therefore, Lenok had also tried to keep his promise with them despite the Squad’s notoriety, but-

Lenok, who had been silently looking up at the darkening sky, muttered.

“There’s no reason for me to turn a blind eye to you just because I promised Bernard.”

[Exploding Fireball]

Whoosh!!

The flames that erupted from the other side of the street condensed at an incredible speed and blew up the psychic’s head.

The corpse, cleanly incinerated above the neck, staggered and slumped to the ground.

“……!!!”

Ultra-fast incantation that they couldn’t even react to, despite deploying a field to limit the operation of thoughts.

While the others flinched at that unrealistic speed, Lenok, who had taken out a potion from his pocket, said.

“I’ll interrogate Bernard about this later, and shall we take care of what needs to be done first?”

“Thousand……!!!”

“I’ll kill you.”

A declaration of murder devoid of any emotion.

The psychics, feeling a chill as if their hearts had been pierced by Lenok’s chilling message, stepped back.

Loeved, seeing this, clicked his tongue and stepped forward.

“……Right. It wouldn’t make sense to hunt a great mage without putting in this much effort.”

Wee-ing!!!

The metal bullets that rose at Loeved’s gesture began to rotate.

“I’ll take the lead. Everyone move!!”

Hundreds of metal bullets were fired at Lenok, and Loeved accelerated even faster.

Reinforced attribute-type psychic powers fell on the field that the psychics had deployed from all directions.

Amidst the rain of bullets and the activation of all sorts of psychic powers, Lenok slowly raised his magic power.

The moment Lenok turned towards the pouring murderous intent, with the blazing barrier behind him.

“Tsk… You insects.”

With a soft click of the tongue, something pale slammed into Loeved’s body at an incredible speed.

Kwaaaang!!!

A dash that exceeded the speed of sound. A murderous weight, as if a dump truck had hit a person.

Loeved raised a steel plate with an amazing reaction speed, but he couldn’t stop it.

Crack!!

The steel plate that was pulled up from under his feet shattered, and a gaunt-looking old man appeared.

“You…!!!”

“Shut up.”

Before Loeved could say anything, he spread his palm and placed it on his side.

With just that, Loeved’s armor crumpled, and his body was thrown to the other side of the street.

Thud!!!

The old man, who had blown Loeved away with a shockwave that crushed the air, fluttered his robe and stood in front of Lenok.

Lenok muttered as he recognized the face of the old man in the white robe.

“……Barbaria.”

Jebyeok Yanikus Barbaria, the high-ranking observer of the Azure Eye [a mysterious organization], who had received surgery in the Conjunction Sulju’s operating room.

Was the tyrant of Kaius, whom he had released from the operating room, still in this city?

“I wondered why you were looking for the Gate, but it seems you joined hands with the Squad.”

The old man looked back at Lenok as if he was pathetic.

“To be with those who are full of elitism, who don’t even consider anyone other than fellow ability users as human, your judgment seems to be far below your power.”

“……”

It was a strange scolding that seemed to belittle Lenok, but at the same time, highly valued his skills.

Does he also know that Lenok fought and won against the Conjunction Sulju?

“I told you to quietly escape without doing anything unnecessary.”

Lenok, who had put the pill he was about to swallow back into his pocket, retorted.

“It hasn’t even been half a day since the surgery ended. Do you want to die?”

“Ha! This mere heart disease. I don’t particularly care about it now.”

Jebyeok snorted and patted his chest.

“I’ve even entrusted the surgery to a Sulju, so if I die here, it’s my fate.”

“……”

“Stand up. I will personally guide you out of the Gate City.”

Jebyeok turned his back, leaving the psychics who were surrounding him.

“I, Yanikus Barbaria, do not forget the favor I received from a commoner, even if it is one I should command.”

He fluttered his flamboyant robe, put his hands behind his back, and glared at the psychics.

“I will help you so that you can meet the Lighthouse Keeper again.”

“……I think you’re mistaken about something.”

It didn’t matter that Jebyeok was participating, but he had no intention of returning to the Azure Eye.

The moment Lenok was about to open his mouth to clear up the unnecessary misunderstanding.

“A touching bond.”

Clang!!

The slanted tavern collapsed as if it had exploded, and Loeved walked out.

“Seeing you observers licking each other’s wounds makes me want to throw up.”

Loeved, who was wearing solid steel like a huge bone, looked at Jebyeok and Lenok with a cold expression and smiled.

“Yanikus Barbaria. What difference would it make if a human like you joined the Lighthouse Keeper’s mission?”

“Shut up, you insect.”

“……”

Loeved’s expression turned bewildered at Jebyeok’s sudden outburst.

Jebyeok narrowed his eyes as if looking down on Loeved and said.

“How dare those who rely on a madman like Aphelia give advice to anyone?”

“Hey, old man.”

Loeved’s expression turned cold at Jebyeok’s words, which unhesitatingly disparaged Aphelia.

“You better watch your mouth. Don’t you know that the Lord might be watching this place?”

“Even if she’s looking at us with her cross-eyed gaze, it doesn’t matter.”

Jebyeok stepped forward and said with a sneer.

“How could I be afraid of a seizure patient who can’t even manage her own limbs?”

“……I’ll kill you.”

Loeved, with a gruesome face, raised his mental waves, and the other psychics agreed.

Leaving the minimum number of people to maintain the field, everyone moved to form a battle line.

As the psychics, who had surrounded the two from the front and back, narrowed the gap, Lenok opened his mouth.

“Barbaria. Take care of that metal ability user. I’ll kill the other ability users.”

“Was the battle with the Sulju too much for you? Have you lost the guts to take on the strong one?”

“Due to personal reasons, I need to kill as many members of the Squad as possible.”

Mikal Jellich said that he needed the lives of all the Squad members to take over the consciousness weapon.

Since it was unknown how much consumption was required in the transfer process, it was best to take as many measures as possible.

He had recovered about half of his magic power, but his body had not fully recovered yet.

If he could get help from Jebyeok, things would be much easier.

“Well, fine. I happen to have something I wanted to test.”

Jebyeok snorted and took out a vial from his pocket.

“The elixir you gave me. If it’s not as effective as you claimed, you’ll be in trouble.”

“……You were still saving that?”

The moment Lenok retorted with a bewildered look, Jebyeok, who had taken out the vial, gulped down the contents.

The moment the ability users, who had quickly approached, rushed at Jebyeok with flames and mental waves in both hands.

Kwaaaang!!

Red magic power burst out as if exploding, instantly pushing the psychics back.

“Kuh…!!”

“What kind of pressure is this…!!”

The ability users didn’t even have time to react to the sudden release of magic power.

The moment Jebyeok, wrapped in red light, disappeared among the psychics, the limbs of those he touched were twisted as if they were broken.

Crack!!

The tyrant who ruled Kaius. Yanikus Barbaria is a physical ability user who has reached level 8.

Among them, he is a martial artist who has reached the pinnacle of using bare-handed combat and joint locks.

All techniques used with the body as a weapon are murderous techniques that tear apart the human body.

Crackle!!

When he touches a person’s body, there is a terrible sound of an old tree twisting and splitting.

From all directions, psychics began to collapse on the spot with desperate screams.

“Kuaaaak!!”

“M-my legs…!!”

“Scream more. You insects…!!”

On Jebyeok’s lips, a pure smile like a child had already bloomed.

He seemed unable to bear the joy of this moment, when he was crushing and breaking human bodies.

A hand that was close to an evil person who liked to kill people by nature.

The moment Jebyeok, who had crushed more than a dozen ability users in an instant, reached out to the remaining ones.

A heavy metal pillar fell in front of and behind Jebyeok, and Loeved slapped Jebyeok’s face.

Kwaaang!!

Beyond the fluttering flamboyant robe, Jebyeok and Loeved’s gazes met at the same time.

“I heard you were an old man on the verge of death, but you’re just fine. It must be the effect of the medicine you ate earlier?”

“When I kill young pups, my energy surges.”

“Let’s see how long you’ll keep spouting senile nonsense…!!”

Thud thud thud!!

Surrounding Loeved and Jebyeok, more than a dozen metal pillars were slammed down.

Inside the metal cage created around the two, Jebyeok and Loeved’s fists collided.

Kwaang!!

The metal armor protecting Loeved’s body exploded, revealing his bruised bare skin.

Sharp metal bullets were fired, tearing apart Jebyeok’s robe.

Their arms and shoulders collided as if they were sticking together, and they bounced off, instantly closing the distance again and becoming entangled.

Crack!!

Each time, there was a terrible sound of joints, bones, ligaments, and muscles breaking from each other’s bodies.

“……!!!”

“Old man!! Is this all you’ve got?”

The sight of Jebyeok’s pale face and Loeved pushing him fiercely.

Lenok, who was dropping flames on the bodies of other psychics, tilted his head as he watched the scene.

He could endure damage to muscles or ligaments, but he wouldn’t be able to last long with bone fractures.

However, Loeved was continuing the fight even as his whole body was being broken by Jebyeok’s joint locks.

“Could it be that he has modified all of his bones with metal?”

Kwaang!!

He pushed Jebyeok and bounced him off between the metal pillars.

He slammed his fist down on the white robe, pounding the old body.

“You said you had a heart disease, right? Your pulse seems a bit weak, should I give you some CPR?!!”

“Cough…!!! That’s ridiculous…!!”

Bang! Bang!!

Without even thinking of adjusting his shaking body, Jebyeok looked down at Loeved.

In Jebyeok’s eyes, as he watched Loeved, who was frantically focusing on his attacks, there was an undisguised sneer.

“Your low-level thinking is limited to that.”

“What?”

Crack!!

At that moment, Loeved’s neck rotated counterclockwise and snapped.

“Gasp…!!”

“You believed that all you had to do was protect and restore your bones by making them out of metal.”

Jebyeok, who had grabbed Loeved’s slumped neck, gave a vicious smile.

“If you contract your muscles by rubbing them and twist your nerves, your skeleton won’t be able to withstand it no matter how strong it is. You’ve learned martial arts wrong.”

“……!!”

“You should have kept your distance and responded with metal manipulation, but you dared to engage me in close combat?”

Kwaaang!!

Jebyeok, who had instantly smashed the metal pillars and kicked Loeved, said.

“I’ll rip your neck off.”

“Lord Loeved…!!!”

The psychics, who were helplessly pushed back by Lenok, urgently called his name, but there was no way to stop it.

The moment Loeved, who couldn’t get up from his seat due to the shock of his neck being turned backwards, gritted his teeth.

“Ah~ Everyone, stop.”

Whoosh!!

Along with a languid female voice, Jebyeok’s body stopped in its place.

As the wings of a giant bat fluttered and covered the sky, the ground instantly turned dark.

“Thank goodness. I’m not late, am I?”

In the ruins where the corpses of psychics were scattered.

On the battlefield where metal pillars were bent and broken, a woman casually put her arm around Jebyeok’s shoulder.

Flamboyant makeup that didn’t suit the battlefield. Blood painted red like mascara around her eyes.

“No, but I arrived at the Gate, and instead of Thousand, a strange old man was fighting.”

The woman laughed and tilted her head towards Jebyeok.

“You need to explain what’s going on, right? Isn’t that so?”

“……Who are you?”

Jebyeok, who slowly shook off the woman’s arm, gritted his teeth and turned his head.

Although his body was injured, Jebyeok himself hadn’t even noticed her approach.

Despite having bat wings tens of meters long on her back, her abnormally stealthy mobility.

Even though she had a human appearance, she didn’t feel like a human, giving off a strange sense of incongruity.

Lenok, who had thrown away the corpse of the psychic he had just burned, turned his gaze with a stiff expression.

“You are……”

A face he had never seen before.

But as soon as he saw the woman with the flamboyant makeup, the stigma engraved on his right wrist was throbbing.

The authority of the priest left by the priestess Seina Naidri. The fact that the stigma, which was the proof of it, was reacting meant-

“Tada~ I’m an Apostle~”

Whoosh!

The woman, who had grabbed Jebyeok by the collar, threw his body as it was.

At the same time, she kicked Loeved, whose neck was turned, in the stomach and sent him flying.

Kwaaaang!!

Leaving behind the two superhumans who had flown tens of meters in both directions and crashed into the ruins, the woman smiled brightly.

“The 7th Apostle under the Guido Order, Lariata Armush. I’ve appeared under the command of the main group!”

“……”

“And you are……”

The 7th Apostle’s eyes, which slowly turned towards Lenok, momentarily held a cold hatred.

“The Apostle Slayer who killed our cute little sister, Amrita?”