Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 1081

Kundara (15)

The Rampant Ascendant of Level 9.

A snake guarding a well, a transcendent who mastered sorcery and gained qualification in the body of a humble spirit beast.

A monster capable of bending its senses to literally encompass the entire planet within its range.

The Guide, Padme Kiesa, offered to help Lenok become an ascendant, claiming she owed him a debt for the end of the Heavenly Hound.

However, Lenok immediately realized what exactly Padme meant by owing him a debt.

‘It’s because of Padme’s thought projection.’

Back then, when he clashed the identities of Gyeonroe and Cheonbeon to draw attention and sent Lapis to the world’s boundary.

At the end of the battle watched by the entire city, Lenok had faced Padme’s thought projection that had emerged into reality.

To end the battle by forcibly killing that thought projection, he had pulled a fragment of the Eight-Lotus Thunder Palace into reality.

Padme was saying she owed Lenok a debt for that incident.

‘So, the thought projection appearing in Vulcan back then wasn’t Padme’s intention. But I didn’t expect her to still remember that.’

Padme Kiesa, the snake guarding the well, is an ascendant who completely reconstructed herself through sorcery to gain qualification.

However, as a backlash from abandoning herself in the process of establishing herself, she suffers from an endless curse of oblivion.

The fact that this transcendent, who struggles to even remember who she is, remembers that incident is proof that the situation held significant meaning for Padme herself.

Above all, the fact that Padme still remembers Gyeonroe’s identity, whom she only met once in the consciousness world—

“……”

Nibecks Orosia’s self-domain, twisted and stopped in a mess.

Nibecks frozen in place, Oliviera who quietly turned her gaze after grasping the situation.

And the disguised ascendant, waiting silently for Lenok’s answer with a blank face.

In the quiet silence, Lenok quickly sorted out what he needed to know.

“I don’t understand what you mean by helping me become an ascendant.”

“……”

“Even if you are a qualified transcendent, how can you directly assist in that process?”

Trying to maintain his composure, he consciously adjusts his expression.

Lenok also finds it difficult to gauge a clear chance of victory against a transcendent who has reached the pinnacle of this sorcery.

Moreover, as her memory is unstable, it wouldn’t be strange if she forgot what she said and went berserk or changed her mind at any moment.

He is facing an ascendant who could potentially destroy this entire outer city.

He must accurately gauge her intentions to safely escape this situation.

However, unlike the tense Lenok, Padme’s reaction was more peaceful than expected.

“The thoughts accumulated in this city have long exceeded their limit. It must be because they are hiding under the shadow of the star, rejecting normal causality.”

“Thoughts…?”

“If we use that backlash as explosive power to twist fate, we might be able to create a miracle, even if only for a moment. I can guide you from the side.”

The bronze-skinned girl slowly tilted her head to the side as she spoke.

“It’s a bit risky, but if it’s a seeker like you, it would be okay to try.”

“……”

She is saying that the conditions suitable for a challenge were met in Kundara, and Lenok moved because he met those conditions.

Rather than a necessary or special reason, it’s a vague answer that feels like she’s doing it because she can.

At least, it wasn’t the answer Lenok had expected to hear from Padme.

After pondering for a moment with his head tilted, Lenok asked.

“Is this completely unrelated to Maleon’s challenge?”

“I don’t know that name.”

Padme replied with a blank face.

“It has been a long time since I could remember the names of mortals. The only one I have business with is you.”

“……”

While she doesn’t know about Maleon, she is aware that an ascendant might be born in this city.

Without knowing anything about the process, she foresees the result and tries to intervene without a second thought.

The transcendence that freely moves between ignorance and omniscience makes it even more impossible for Lenok to understand Padme.

Hesitating to judge due to the incomprehensible gap, Lenok asked.

“Why… why are you making such an offer to me at this point?”

“……”

Before answering, Padme stared at Lenok for a long time.

As if she was looking at Lenok to recall a memory she had temporarily forgotten.

An unbearable silence flowed, and a soft voice flowed from Padme’s mouth.

“I said I would do it because I can.”

“…What?”

“I said I would challenge it because I believe I can do it. Didn’t I say that?”

“……”

Only then did Lenok realize what Padme was saying, and he felt a chill run down his spine.

The conversation in the consciousness space where he met Padme with the young Heavenly Hound’s consciousness.

Padme asked why he was trying to challenge ascension, and the words Lenok had answered.

Because he realized that the ascendant still remembered that.

“I said that your wish and answer were no less than those of others.”

“That’s…”

Padme, bound by the curse of oblivion and unable to remember even herself, remembers the answer Lenok left behind at that time.

Could it be because that answer remained such an impressive memory for Padme herself?

Lenok, who was momentarily at a loss for words, was about to open his mouth to answer when—

Kwaaaang!!!

The entire domain shook violently, and in the distance, Nibecks was seen fleeing with all her might.

Taking advantage of the gap while Lenok and Padme were talking, she was planning to escape her own toxic domain.

“She’s doing something useless.”

Padme, who glanced away, faintly frowned and raised her magic power.

Buaaaang…!!!

The self-domain [Infinite Serpent Malady] deployed by the level 8 toxic sorceress, Nibecks Orosia.

Using her shed skin as a [Gate], she forcibly connects her self-domain and toxic domain,

And melts her own toxic sorcery into the entire space-time, transforming into an incarnation of disease.

Originally, she should have poisoned Lenok and Oliviera, who had stepped into the domain, almost certainly without any warning.

However, the self-domain that Nibecks deployed with her deadly intent was fading in the face of a single transcendent.

Kugwagwagwa!!!!

The moment Padme, disguised as a human, took a step, the land stained with poison cracked and collapsed.

The sight of her erasing the domain built by Nibecks just by moving her feet.

Lenok, who was watching from behind, hardened his face.

‘Just by existing, she’s repainting and crushing Nibecks’ domain. Just how big is her consciousness…!!’

Padme is a transcendent with the most vast landscape of mind among all ascendants.

Even if the density or durability of her mind isn’t outstanding, the size of her consciousness is literally overwhelming.

That’s why Padme was destroying the domain imprinted with Nibecks’ mind just by standing still.

However, as if she had noticed Lenok’s thoughts, Padme turned her gaze and said.

“Originally, the balance shouldn’t be tilted this much.”

“…What?”

“The reason this domain is being devoured by me is because the essence of that long-lived species is in a superior-inferior relationship with me.”

Padme said, looking at Nibecks writhing in the sky with a blank face.

“The future of a species is destined to converge into a great flow. Since I exist at its pinnacle, that snake will also become so.”

“……”

Once, Lenok had heard similar words from Padme about the topic of Lenok’s guardian spirit beast.

Because the essence of Lenok’s guardian spirit beast was similar to Padme’s, it was destined to be devoured by her someday.

That’s why he went all the way to the military city of Yorta to remove the curse of molting placed on his guardian spirit beast and returned.

If the same curse of molting was given to Nibecks Orosia.

“Uaaaaaaah!!!”

Before his thoughts could finish, the white snake floating in the sky screamed roughly.

Moving along with Padme’s raised hand, forcibly changing its position against its will.

Every time the girl gestured, it was dragged around and helplessly slammed its head into the ground.

“This can’t be happening. This can’t be…!!!!”

Kwaaaang!!!

Nibecks, who bowed her head as if surrendering under the huge swamp of poison she had created, cried out.

“To a mere beast, I, a noble long-lived species!!!!”

“……”

“Why is the curse of molting…!!! Why is that snake, born as a beast, reaching a higher species than me!!!!”

“Even after transcending the hierarchy, are you still trying to determine superiority by clinging to your innate birth?”

Padme asked softly.

“You have been denying the natural order even though you knew the outcome, so the ending you have met is indeed worthy of being called a curse.”

“Kkeueueueuk…!!!”

With a strange sound that was neither a scream nor a cry, Nibecks convulsed violently.

However, Padme ignored such resistance and placed her hand on Nibecks’ trembling scales.

Jjeojeok…!!

The ends of the scales cracked and slowly shattered, beginning to seep into Padme’s fingertips.

A bizarre phenomenon where Nibecks’ body turned into powder and seemed to become one with the ascendant.

Nibecks, seeing her scales being pulled out, screamed and prostrated herself on the spot.

“O, ooo… great ascendant…!!!”

Thump!!

With her thick lower jaw pressed tightly to the floor, Nibecks stretched out her body and cried out, showing her intention to submit.

“I will do anything you want. Please, just not be absorbed by the curse of molting…!!!”

“……”

A declaration of surrender that was in complete contrast to the arrogant behavior she had shown just moments ago.

While Lenok silently stared at Nibecks begging for her life, Padme spoke calmly.

“The transcendence you gained through molting should have already been absorbed into the great flow and disappeared.”

“Th, that’s…”

“You have repeatedly molted yourself to gain transcendence, yet you have been evading the natural order through tricks, and now you are begging for your life?”

“Why take the hard road to transcendence when there is an easy way…!!”

Nibecks retorted as if spitting out the words.

“Even if I fully enjoyed the blessing of being born a long-lived species, the road is still long, so how can I be bound by a mere curse! I have only chosen the path to survival!!”

Lenok, who had been listening to the two snakes’ stories, turned his gaze as if he had guessed something.

“Oliviera.”

[Raising one’s hierarchy is a process of constantly redefining and changing oneself.]

Oliviera replied.

[However, among the long-lived species, there are those who can easily change themselves by shedding their skin and molting.]

“…Is it because shedding one’s skin itself has the same meaning as abandoning one’s former self?”

[The blessed long-lived species can reach a high hierarchy just by following the natural order given to them. But…]

She said coldly, with a mocking tone.

[That’s why, in the end, they become bound by the natural order they have accepted.]

“……”

They have raised their hierarchy by shedding their skin and molting, but because of that, the higher their hierarchy, the more similar they become to the higher species of the same lineage.

Among them, Padme is a transcendent who has reached the pinnacle of a species that sheds its skin and molts.

Lenok, understanding why the curse of molting, which his guardian spirit beast had also been afflicted with, had such a name, nodded.

“It seems you helped prevent that curse from consuming Nibecks.”

[My magic eye has the ability to fix causality and make it unchangeable. It would have been perfect for that old snake.]

Oliviera laughed.

[But I didn’t think Nibecks Orosia would harbor such inferiority towards Padme.]

The fact that she emphasized the difference between Padme’s and her own birth while expressing her displeasure was a reaction that came from being aware of the curse of molting that was bound to Nibecks herself.

Perhaps she also vaguely knew the gap and outcome that existed between herself and Padme.

If she didn’t want to admit it and forcibly denied it, and wanted the elixir of ascension to somehow bridge that gap, it would make sense.

But—

“Padme Kiesa.”

Lenok, having thought that far, took a step forward and spoke.

“I have something to say about your offer. Let’s stop for a moment and talk.”

“……”

Padme, who had stopped her hand from absorbing Nibecks, turned her gaze with a blank face.

Lenok, meeting her gaze, brought up the words he had calmly thought out.

“I intend to create a new ascendant in Kundara and reach the ancient eon. In that process, I intend to confirm what it means to become an ascendant.”

“So?”

“I don’t intend to refuse your offer, but I feel that I need to see the process of reaching level 9 with my own eyes at least once and prepare for it.”

Lenok said calmly.

“Therefore, I cannot give a definite answer as to when I will attempt the upgrade. I know what the cooperation of an ascendant means, but I cannot rush things because of that.”

“……”

Lenok also knows.

Ascension is a challenge that must be achieved completely alone, without the help of others.

However, there is clearly more to the reason why Padme is intervening at this point and recommending the challenge to Lenok.

Rather than rejecting the offer outright, it would be necessary to postpone it for a while and calmly consider what Padme wants.

Above all, if he can gain even a little experience or knowledge about the upgrade from an ascendant who has reached level 9, there is no reason to refuse.

“You were not trying to promote your own upgrade in this city.”

Padme dismissed Lenok’s answer with a blank face.

“Are you saying you need time to make a judgment on that part?”

“I am gathering various plans and materials to know that. For example, Nibecks Orosia, who is trying to escape from you right now.”

When Lenok pointed at Nibecks, the huge body of the white snake with cracked scales twitched.

“I need that snake’s true blood. It doesn’t matter whether Nibecks lives or dies, but I would like you to hand over her custody. That viper must not disappear yet.”

It was not a bad result to resolve the situation without fighting, but it would be troublesome if Padme absorbed Nibecks like this.

He needs to use Nibecks’ true blood to revive the blood contract and open the ten gates to recover Kaise’s corpse.

If Padme were to swallow all of that, nearly half of the purpose for which Lenok came here would be lost.

“I see.”

Padme, who had been staring at Lenok, removed her hand from Nibecks’ scales.

Thud!!

“Kuk!!”

“You are trying to choose the timing to qualify yourself, yet you are not clinging to it.”

Padme said, pushing Nibecks back with a single gesture.

“Magician. You already understand what your ‘choice’ means.”

“……”

“Good. I don’t think I can remember the existence of other mortals now. There is no reason to consider other possibilities.”

Padme nodded and raised her hand.

The girl’s right hand, engraved with complex sorcery characters, was directly inserted into her left forearm.

Crack!!

With her hand inserted into her forearm, the girl moved her hand with a blank face.

The sound of flesh and blood tearing echoed, and the moment Padme pulled her hand out of her forearm.

A very thick, dark-colored scale was held in the girl’s hand.

Lenok, who received the scale that Padme silently offered, asked.

“What is this…?”

“It is a dark scale (墨鱗) that I removed from my main body for disguise.”

Padme said calmly, without even thinking of stopping the bleeding from her arm.

“It is used in a way that shapes the body by combining with my consciousness, so this scale is practically a part of me.”

“……”

Padme looked up at Lenok and said with a blank face.

“Use this scale when the decision is made.”

“…Wait, if this scale was the catalyst used for your disguise.”

The moment she handed over this scale, wouldn’t Padme’s disguised human form be unable to be maintained normally?

As if that guess was correct, Padme’s bleeding body was fading like a mirage on the spot.

Nibecks, who had been bowing her head in front of Padme, was also raising her magic power as soon as she saw that.

“I made a mistake. I have finished preparing to take that existence from my domain and return.”

Cheeeek…!!

A pungent smoke where the ground was melting.

Nibecks muttered in a sinister voice, spewing poison from her whole body.

“If I can just get the elixir, I can escape the curse… Did you think I would be bound by this curse forever?”

“Whether you are bound by the curse or escape it, I have no interest in the ending you will meet.”

However, Padme said indifferently, looking at Nibecks.

“But there is more than one way to solve the curse of molting.”

“…What?”

Huuk!!

At that moment, Nibecks’ limp body once again slammed its head in front of Padme.

Kwaaang!!

“Kyak…!! Wh, what are you trying to do!!!”

On the top of the terrified snake’s head, Padme placed her fading hand and raised her magic power.

With an eerie resonance, a strange sound echoed from inside Nibecks’ head.

Creak, creak…!!

A noise like gears misaligning, colliding, and breaking.

An unpleasant friction sound, as if scraping away a huge tower built up inside, from the top.

It breaks and bends, and soon becomes irreversibly damaged.

A sign of ruin that a being who has built up their hierarchy would never tolerate.

The moment Lenok realized that it was a miracle that was only allowed to an ascendant who had reached the pinnacle of a species, intervening in the origin of others.

“Hwaaaaaak!!!!”

A sound of something snapping from Nibecks’ head was heard, and the snake’s body scattered as if exploding.

Pueeeeeeong!!!

The white snake, which had been the size of a house, instantly shrank to about the size of a person smaller than Lenok.

“……”

“Ah, ah, aaaaa…!!!”

A moment of silence ended, and Nibecks, who belatedly realized what had happened to her, wailed.

Lenok also lost his words and stared at Padme with a dumbfounded expression.

Because he felt that the hierarchy felt from Nibecks’ body had greatly decreased compared to before.

“…No way.”

Padme did not resolve the curse of molting that was placed on Nibecks by absorbing her.

“Did she forcibly lower Nibecks’ level… to a level where she wouldn’t be consumed by the curse?”