Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 1097

A light particle convergence technique that scrapes together surrounding photons, converts them into heat, and fires them.

There was no time to chant a counter-spell or block it.

The moment Enakfil pulled out her five fingers while still gripping Maleon’s collar.

BBOOOM!!!

The pale beam of light that erupted from the angel’s fingertips pierced the bulkhead behind Lenox.

[Aaaaargh!!]

[Groooaaan……!!]

Immediately following were the terrible screams of the mermaid and catfish.

It was a power that could pierce through the bulkhead, which had withstood the power of the erosion zone, let alone the long-lived mummy, in one shot.

It was obvious that one could not avoid annihilation if pierced even for a moment by that light.

Lenox, who had barely dodged the beam by moving a few meters to the side, gritted his teeth and stood up.

‘A true-blooded descendant of the angel’s bloodline…!!’

This woman herself wouldn’t be the angel who directly crossed over from the second world.

There were only a very limited number of beings capable of such a ‘choice’.

But even so, it was undeniable that this true-blooded descendant had inherited the ‘true blood’ of the angel that existed in the second world.

Even the fact that she was projecting the cult leader onto Lenox and pouring out an inexplicable hatred through him.

[Why, did you abandon us?]

The true-blooded descendant approached Lenox, her dried-up body creaking.

But instead of responding to the meaningless question, Lenox quickly surveyed his surroundings.

Maleon’s mind and body were reaching their limits, on the verge of collapsing.

Lenox had no choice but to fight the angel here and open a path.

The problem was that the consumption of magic power in the process was so enormous that even Lenox had to worry about his magic power being depleted.

Just maintaining the barrier to withstand the ancient chasm was already burning through his magic power.

If he started fighting now, even Lenox’s vast amount of magic power would be depleted in an instant.

Nevertheless, the answer was already decided.

Click.

Lenox’s expression changed calmly as he took out a golden vial from his pocket.

‘Use the elixir to fix the amount of magic power, and seize the advantage within 4 seconds.’

The time that Lenox could ‘fix’ his magic power with the diluted elixir given by Aris was roughly less than 4 seconds.

It was the time that Lenox could operate his spells at full power without being affected by the environment of the ancient chasm.

‘I have to overwhelm her at once and make her combat-incapable. Otherwise, I won’t be able to save any magic power for the deepest part of the ancient chasm.’

If he didn’t secure a clear victory or render the angel combat-incapable, Lenox’s magic power would begin to deplete.

With Maleon on the verge of fainting, if that happened, he couldn’t guarantee survival inside the ancient chasm.

Considering the erosion rate, the angel in front of him was probably the last true-blooded descendant.

The bulkhead behind the angel was probably the deepest part of the ancient chasm, his destination.

He would take the elixir, operate his spells at full power, overwhelm the angel in front of him, and cross the bulkhead.

If the task was decided, there was no need to hesitate.

Lenox’s face turned expressionless as he pushed aside the complex situation and emotions.

The moment he brought the elixir vial to his mouth, before the angel’s fingertips could even twitch.

Thud!!

A thick hand covered in scales gripped Lenox’s shoulder, and he felt himself being lifted up.

“…Maleon?”

Kugugugu!!!

The dragonkin, his whole body scorched red, covered in bodily fluids and blood, stepped forward, gripping Lenox’s shoulder.

His eyes were still blurry, as if confusing hallucinations with reality, and his body, soaked in fatigue, was trembling slightly.

But the magic power that Maleon was wielding was still directed at the angel in front of him, not Lenox.

“…I promised, didn’t I…”

The focus in Maleon’s eyes returned, then disappeared again.

Even at this moment, countless thoughts of the founders were swirling within him.

While taking in those memories and emotions, in the pain of forgetting who he even was.

Maleon was still holding on to be the same as he was at the beginning.

“To take you, to the end of the ancient chasm…”

“You…”

Even though he had long since exceeded his limits, he was holding on with the single-minded determination to take Lenox to the end of the ancient chasm.

He was piecing together his ego based on the resolve he had before reaching level 9 and the reward he desired after reaching it.

In that moment, Lenox was momentarily speechless at that transcendent willpower, which was not befitting of an ascendant, but was possible because he was an ascendant.

“Let’s go, Ban.”

Maleon’s wavering eyes regained a clear focus.

“As promised, I will take you to the end of the ancient chasm.”

Original Magic (原始魔法) : Star Union Eight Extremes Style (星聯捌極式) [A unique magic style]

Fwaaa!!

At the same time as Maleon stretched out both hands forward, the original magic wielding the stars unfolded once again in this place.

The beautiful twin starlight held in the hands of the giant dragonkin.

But what Maleon was using was not the existing spell he wielded as if he were breathing.

A transcendent inspiration gained by expanding his horizons and grasping his senses anew by reaching level 9.

The ninth outer law that he wielded, containing his own existence and mental image.

Nine Types (九種) – Outer Law (外法) [A type of magic]

[Prosperous Star Cycle (昌星巡環)]

The two strands of starlight that Maleon had conjured overlapped in the air, as if they were covering each other.

The solar and lunar eclipses. The moment the miracle of two stars covering each other and drawing in the sky was simultaneously manifested in reality.

[Sun, Moon, and Stars (日月星辰)]

Tuh-ung!!

The next bulkhead, which had been marked with [Erosion Rate 93%], disappeared as if it had been erased with an eraser.

The metal fragments that had been the bulkhead fell and shattered, bouncing around like toys.

Thud!

At the same time, the angel’s corpse, with only its right torso remaining, slumped down, scattering sticky bodily fluids.

[…Ah.]

The angel, with only half of her face remaining, let out a death rattle, not even realizing what had happened.

The moment the two stars overlapped and were covered in one space-time, an antimatter phenomenon occurred, and the space-time disappeared.

The angel had tried to evade the spell as soon as she saw it, but she had not completely avoided the outer law that designated the coordinates.

“…!!!!”

Lenox, who had witnessed the true value of the Star Union Eight Extremes Style’s level 9 spell used by Maleon Gnosis right behind him, couldn’t close his mouth in surprise.

“It’s the first time I’ve tried this spell, so I’m glad it succeeded at once.”

Maleon smiled and turned his gaze.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t think I can walk. Can you support me?”

“…Maleon.”

Why was the angel’s true-blooded descendant left here?

Did the cult leader know that the true-blooded descendant of the old world had died here?

Was even that resentful voice, that misdirected hatred, a result of his arrangement as a coincidence?

He wanted to know, but he couldn’t know anything in this place.

But perhaps he would see it if he crossed that bulkhead.

A black gate (黑門) [A mysterious gate] that felt more massive, more splendid, and more ominous than any bulkhead he had passed so far.

“This is the last one. Once we cross that bulkhead, it’s over.”

Maleon said quietly, looking down at Lenox.

“Let’s go and see what awaits us at the end of the ancient chasm.”

* * *

After breaking the bulkhead that was blocking the deepest part of the ancient chasm.

As Maleon had said, no more bulkheads were visible.

Instead, only the erosion rate values were written one by one on the long, vast glass corridor.

[Erosion Rate 94%]

His ears went deaf with a sharp ringing.

[Erosion Rate 95%]

The sensation in his fingertips was numbed and slowly disappeared.

[Erosion Rate 97%]

He felt like his legs were gone.

[Erosion Rate 98%]

He couldn’t breathe.

[Erosion Rate 99%]

None of the sensations in his whole body remained intact.

Only his vision, the only thing that remained, was dimly distorted, reflecting the scenery of the corridor.

Kiiiiii……!!

A cracking sound was heard, as if everything that made up a single being was slowly collapsing.

This dizzying sensation of heading towards self-destruction, even though he hadn’t done anything.

Like swimming endlessly in a sea of radiation and self-destructing-

[Erosion Rate 100%]

“Maleon.”

“……”

There was no answer.

Or perhaps he had answered, but Lenox hadn’t heard it.

Perhaps Maleon had also forgotten the sensation of moving his mouth.

He no longer felt whether Maleon was being supported or not.

The barrier he had created to withstand the ancient chasm, the magic power he had left for Maleon.

In the scenery where everything was collapsing, he stared blankly ahead and walked.

He knew.

That if he had reached an erosion rate of 100%, Lenox should have become the same as the mummies he had killed so far.

Nevertheless, the target designation resistance that supported Lenox, and his various talents, including spell immunity.

The penalty that was his origin and foundation was stopping him from changing.

That it would not allow Lenox to ‘defect’ in this way.

Kiiii……!!

He exceeded the limits of what matter could exist.

The other side that was only allowed to level 9 ascendants.

The horizon of thought that even the founders who created and designed this space could not withstand.

One more step. One more step again. And one more time again.

The moment Lenox took one last step from the other side of his origin.

[Erosion Rate 101%]

Fwaaaak!!!

All his senses returned to normal, and Lenox fell forward.

Thud, thud!!!

Lenox’s face, which had fallen headfirst, was slammed into the ground.

His skin burned as he slid along the floor, and his heart was pounding like crazy.

“Haa, haa…!!!!”

The eeriness of the sensation itself disappearing entirely, to the point where he unconsciously raised his hand to touch his face.

Only after breathing like that for a long time could Lenox be sure that he was still alive.

“…Cough.”

Lenox, who coughed lightly, struggled to lift his gaze.

The senses that had returned to normal, rather than being at the limit of the erosion rate.

His mind and body, which had become healthy again at the end of the limit, as if it should have been like this from the beginning.

He didn’t know why this had happened, but there was something he had to confirm.

The end of the ancient chasm. The physical space created outside the outer sea.

The deepest part of this vast and transparent space station, the deepest ten tubes (十管) [Ten interconnected tubes].

What was its true nature? What was the ending of Kaise that was kept here?

The moment Lenox thought that and rubbed his blurry eyes and lifted his gaze.

Whoooosh…!!

A basin filled with blood was placed in front of him on the desolate open space.

From a tube hanging over the basin, drops of blood dripped down, replenishing the blood.

The other end of the tube was very long, leading somewhere, and the end was not visible.

Lenox soon realized that the number of tubes was exactly ten.

“…Ten Tubes (十管).”

The meaning of that word, referring to the ten tubes.

The place he had first heard about from the Blood Pouch, and had been searching for throughout his journey in Kundara.

The key to that place was here now.

Lenox was blankly recalling that fact, then belatedly thought of something and turned his head.

“Maleon.”

The ascendant who had taken Lenox to the end of the ancient chasm was still with him.

The figure of the dragon-headed giant, bleeding profusely, collapsed a few steps behind Lenox.

Lenox, gritting his teeth and lifting his body, hurriedly approached the collapsed Maleon.

“Maleon. We’ve arrived. This is the entrance to the Ten Tubes.”

“……”

Maleon did not answer.

He was just lying there as if dead, not even breathing, and not showing any reaction.

As if he had burned all the remaining flames and collapsed, his magic power and thoughts were no longer felt.

Realizing that, Lenox struggled to rummage through his pocket and patted his shoulder.

“Maleon. Wake up!”

What kind of medicine should he use to help Maleon here?

No, given that he had used a powerful drug like a spinal cord stimulant, did a medicine that would work on Maleon even exist?

In his mind, he was thinking about the worst possibilities, and while making a cold judgment that there was no hope, Lenox was searching for medicine.

If there was anything that could awaken Maleon’s heart, which had stopped in this situation, it would be something he had obtained from the life zone of the grafting technique-

“Ban…”

At that moment, Maleon answered Lenox’s words.

“My head hurts, so could you speak a little quieter?”

“…Is he really alive?”

When he checked through magic power detection, Maleon’s heart was still stopped.

Even though his will or thoughts were not felt at all, Maleon was regaining consciousness and talking to Lenox.

As Lenox hesitated at that incomprehensible phenomenon, Maleon slowly propped himself up on one arm.

“Hoo…”

Koo-oong…!!

Maleon, who had struggled to raise his upper body, leaned against a nearby pillar and tilted his head back.

“Dragonkin can continue blood circulation even if their hearts stop. Unlike humans, it’s not a sign of death.”

“……”

“I’m fine. At least, I’m much better than I thought.”

Maleon said, slowly rubbing his shoulder.

“I don’t know why, but I feel better than when I was passing through the ancient chasm. If I had to put it into words, I feel much… calmer.”

“Calmer?”

“It’s like listening to a very soft melody, a feeling that my mind has stabilized?”

Maleon answered with his eyes closed.

“It’s hard to explain specifically, but that feeling is actually stabilizing my mind and body.”

“……”

“Everything feels calm and clear. Right now, I feel like I can make clear judgments about anything.”

Maleon, who had been checking his condition with his eyes closed, slowly stood up.

“Let’s move. We need to finish everything while there’s still time.”

“What do you mean by ‘there’s still time’…”

“Because this feeling and emotion I have right now might be a miracle just before the candle goes out.”

Maleon said calmly.

“We’ve arrived in front of the Ten Tubes, but we haven’t entered them yet. You know that too, right?”

“……”

The miracle of Maleon’s mind, which had been driven to the limit and had been going crazy even while seeing hallucinations, returning to normal.

Maleon was thinking that this moment itself might be a last burst of energy.

While Lenox was silent, realizing that fact, Maleon slowly moved his steps and stood in front of the basin where blood was dripping.

“I know what these tubes and basin mean.”

Maleon said, looking at the blood dripping into the basin.

“The blood contract that ten true-blooded descendants made together. The result of their resolve to preserve this space forever until the end.”

“……”

“But when one of them broke the promise and siphoned off the true blood, this contract became meaningless.”

Maleon turned to look at Lenox.

“You know what I’m talking about, right?”

“…Nivex Orosia’s true blood.”

Lenox answered.

“It’s because of the blood she siphoned off to make the elixir of ascension, right?”

“That’s right.”

Maleon nodded.

“To reconnect the blood contract and reactivate the Ten Tubes, Nivex’s true blood is needed. That will be the first step in operating the ancient chasm and moving Kundara.”

“……”

“Will you put Nivex’s true blood into this basin?”

Maleon asked, looking at the silent Lenox.

By now, Lenox was holding a small vial filled with blue blood in his hand.

The true blood that Nivex had forcibly squeezed out of herself, after her rank had been forcibly lowered by the Compendium.

Lenox, who had approached the basin, opened the vial and slowly poured it in.

Swaaaah…!!

The blood that had been contained spread out in an instant and began to draw the shape of an elaborate blood magic circle.

A blood magic circle made by weaving ten locks, as if drawing a very elaborate picture inside the basin.

The remaining blood defied gravity and began to rise and be sucked into the tubes.

Kkiririk-

The moment the ten tubes, which had absorbed the blood, bent and lowered, unable to withstand the weight.

Chwaaaak!!!

The blood that gushed out of the basin created a huge blood gate in front of Lenox’s eyes.

A blood gate created using the blood magic that the Blood Pouch had shown him before.

A spatial rift created using the true blood of the highest-ranking long-lived species as a material.

Lenox, realizing that, felt an indescribable emotion and closed his mouth.

“……”

Ahead of this, was Kaise Bajur.

His ending, which he had been chasing ever since he learned about the Black Consumer Project.

His fear, which he had sympathized with after being with the past Kaise in the closed area.

The end of Kaise, who had failed to change the world and had ended up changing.

Could he finally put an end to that name, which he had recalled and chased countless times?

To that plan, which had not fulfilled its meaning even after its failure?

“I can hear a sound…”

Maleon whispered with his eyes closed.

“I can feel a beautiful melody from inside…”

“……”

“It’s in there. Can you feel it?”

“…Yes.”

He didn’t know if it was a melody, but Lenox also sensed it.

It was definitely in there.

He didn’t know if it was the ending Lenox had hoped for, or an unwanted failure.

But in the end, it was something he couldn’t know without seeing it for himself.

That was why Lenox had traveled such a long journey to reach this point, wasn’t it?

If he could give meaning to all those times he had wandered and worried without knowing what to do.

Before he could even finish thinking, Lenox’s feet were already moving.

Step.

He crossed the endless gate of true blood and stepped into the other side of the spatial rift in one go.

The deepest part of the ancient chasm. The most secret and dangerous depths of the outer city of Kundara.

Fwaaak!!

Cold and hot air. Moist and dry humidity.

The end of the space station, where the contradictions of the two extremes coexisted, and the empty universe was clearly visible.

He was standing inside a protrusion that jutted out like a probe.

The ten tubes that stretched along the walls pulsed like blood vessels, supplying blood.

The blood that flowed out in that way gathered together and infused true blood into something.

Glug, glug…!!!

A throne where ten tubes were intricately intertwined like blood vessels.

The figure of a man sitting on that throne with his arms draped over it.

The moment he saw the magic power flowing from his body and the somewhat familiar languid atmosphere, he was certain.

His physique was a little different from what he remembered, but it was definitely him.

It was Kaise Bajur himself, who had been abandoned in reality after decades of failure, whom he had only encountered as a past illusion in the closed area.

He had never met him directly, yet he was so familiar.

The answer he had left in Lenox was still so clear.

Even without confirming it, he felt like he could even draw his face.

Like this, if he lifted his gaze, even that curly hair he remembered-

“…Huh?”

Lenox asked back with a blank expression.

He couldn’t see his face.

No, there was no face.

Instead, a sharp sword mark was neatly engraved in the place where his neck should have been.

The scene of the throne, as if someone had forcibly cut it off from above the neck.

A bizarre eeriness, as if he was standing in front of an execution platform, not a tomb for Kaise.

Only then did Lenox understand what he was seeing now.