Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 1138

“The connection between a sorcerer’s techniques and their physical body is as inseparable as their soul.”

“Kkeueeek.”

“The decline in technique performance was expected when transferring bodies, but this is beyond what I anticipated.”

In the dimly lit operating room, a clown writhed and screamed.

A man with an indifferent expression stood before the operating table, meticulously cutting and reattaching the clown’s body.

With a snip, snip sound, the man, who was rejoining the clown’s flesh, spoke in a languid tone.

“The output of the reattachment technique is nearly 80% lower than before. There’s no need to explain how terrible this performance is.”

“No, I mean, please be gentle-”

“In short, the surgery not proceeding smoothly is an inevitable result.”

Whirr- Whirr-

The clown screamed as his body was mercilessly cut and reattached. Blood splattered onto the operating table, but the man didn’t even blink, only raising his magical power.

The familiar magic pattern unfolded from the man’s fingertips. The very ‘reattachment technique’ he had directly mentioned and was now using.

Seeing and hearing that, Lenox narrowed his eyes behind his mask.

“…Could it be?”

Lenox remembered who the man operating on the clown was.

A member of Pandemonium who had fought Lenox over the floating island cluster in the Philemon Dominion.

Dominic Cabarro, the continent’s largest drug dealer, known by the alias Juice Master.

What did it mean that the man who had disappeared after being defeated by Lenox was now using the reattachment technique to operate on the clown?

“…”

Even with the incomprehensible scene before him, Lenox calmly organized his thoughts.

The reason the clown was at the auction house. The appearance of Dominic Cabarro, who had been missing for a long time. Even the existence of the special reattachment technique that the reattachment sorcerer, Abesta Chapman, should have possessed.

After eliminating all impossible assumptions and leaving only the feasible conclusions, Lenox was finally able to understand the situation.

‘They transplanted the reattachment sorcerer’s right brain… into Dominic Cabarro’s body?’

The reattachment sorcerer, Abesta Chapman, whom Lenox had defeated at the first gate, had self-excised his right brain.

That was why the reattachment sorcerer couldn’t use his source image, including the magnetic field, at all during his fight with Lenox.

Even with that penalty, the sorcerer’s skill was remarkable enough to stand evenly against Lenox until the end, among all the sorcerers he had faced.

Lenox had not forgotten that the sorcerer’s right brain was definitely stored somewhere.

But he had never even imagined that Pandemonium, not the Magic Federation, would be storing his right brain.

Was there some kind of connection between the Magic Federation and Pandemonium that Lenox didn’t know about?

Or had someone among the Pandemonium members separately contacted the Federation and stolen the sorcerer’s right brain?

Either way, the fact that they had transplanted it into the drug lord’s body and revived him was far beyond the imagination of any ordinary person.

The reattachment sorcerer focused on the surgery, and the clown writhed on the operating table, letting out exaggerated screams.

“It seems you know about the doctor performing the surgery. Is it because he’s a member of the same organization?”

As Lenox, speechless, watched the bizarre scene unfold below, a refined-looking man with a mustache approached him from the side. A Syndicate associate who had invited Lenox to this auction house.

“He was brought here a few weeks ago, and until then, he was a vegetable who couldn’t even move a finger.”

“…”

“He only regained consciousness after being adjusted by the Mastermind, and he turned out to be a very unique individual.”

“…Mental adjustment, huh.”

To adjust the state of the reattachment sorcerer who had his right brain transplanted into Dominic Cabarro’s body, they borrowed the Mastermind’s abilities in Tokerphz. [Tokerphz is a city known for its advanced technology and unique individuals].

And the clown had entrusted his safety to the Syndicate to have the reattachment sorcerer, who had regained consciousness, perform his surgery.

And the fact that this man knew that much of the inside story-

“I’m late with the introduction. I’m Raymond.”

The man standing next to Lenox smiled and tapped his cane.

“As the ‘manager’ of the Syndicate, I’m in charge of protecting all the facilities under my jurisdiction in Tokerphz.”

“…”

He didn’t seem to be struggling at all, even though he was moving this vast office with his telekinesis alone.

A telekinetic user who could freely handle weights of tens of tons with pure mental power.

Despite his seemingly uncomfortable movements, his psychic power output was at an extraordinary level.

It was no coincidence that he was in charge of protecting the Syndicate’s facilities and institutions, including the auction house.

But even knowing that, Lenox was pondering something else.

‘The clown knew that the reattachment sorcerer was receiving treatment in Tokerphz.’

Lenox’s gaze deepened as he looked at the clown writhing ridiculously.

‘It’s certain that Pandemonium cooperated in the sorcerer’s revival. But what about the Magic Federation?’

To obtain the immortality of the psychic, Michael Jellich, of the Ability Awakening Corps, the reattachment sorcerer had excised his own right brain.

It was a certainty that the excised right brain would have been in the Federation’s possession.

But the fact that the sorcerer’s right brain was transplanted into the drug lord’s body meant that there was some kind of agreement between the Federation and Pandemonium.

What was Pandemonium aiming for by reviving the sorcerer? Why did they provide the drug lord’s body as the sorcerer’s ‘vessel’?

Was the reattachment sorcerer’s right brain, awakened in a new body, the same person as the left brain Lenox remembered?

“You seem to have a lot on your mind.”

Raymond raised his hand, looking at Lenox.

“Why don’t we sit down and play a card game?”

“…A game?”

In his hand, he was already holding cards used for playing games.

He shuffled the cards with a practiced hand and showed the front, giving a gentle smile.

“There’s still some time before the auction starts. Just keep me company for a while.”

“If you want to play, you should find someone else.”

“Of course, I’m not trying to play a game with you for no reason.”

Raymond smiled and stroked his mustache at Lenox’s sharp reply.

“We’ll have to wait for him like this until the surgery is over. In the meantime, why don’t we bet on the whereabouts of the items that have been put up for auction in this auction house?”

“…Items?”

“That’s right. For example-”

Raymond said, gesturing with his eyes towards the office wall.

“The ‘weapon’ left behind by the Order’s apostle.”

Thud!!

At that moment, a pale light shone through the screen on the office wall.

A pale, light-filled barrel, leaning diagonally inside a container that appeared to be an underground warehouse.

A twisted shape like a long screw. A smooth form without any supports.

The Forbidden Weapon ‘Sorrow’.

A forbidden artifact made using humans as materials. A blasphemous weapon made by grinding down a high-ranking superhuman.

A weapon that retained the abilities of the superhuman who was used as material, no different from a living thing.

“It was buried in the ruins of the stadium that was the site of the final battle. The workers found it during the stadium reconstruction work.”

Raymond said next to the silent Lenox.

“Eight workers have already died fighting each other after being possessed by that thing. It truly lives up to its name as a forbidden weapon, doesn’t it?”

“…”

The Order’s forbidden weapon that the 8th Apostle, Kamrodal, had summoned and wielded at the last moment.

It had remained even after colliding head-on with Lenox’s gauntlet.

Even Lenox, who had retreated after the battle, thought it was unlikely to be recovered.

But the Syndicate had taken charge of the stadium reconstruction work and had succeeded in finding the weapon by searching the site.

“What do you want?”

“There’s no way that the Order’s highest-ranking apostle would have left behind such a treasure when retreating.”

Raymond laughed at Lenox’s cold words.

“In other words, that weapon is the decisive proof that the Order lost this battle. Isn’t that right?”

“…”

“Don’t overthink it. I just want to sit down and play a simple game with a sorcerer like you.”

Raymond used his telekinesis to neatly place the deck of cards on the office table.

“If you win the game, I’ll tell you the location where the forbidden weapon is stored, using my authority as the auction house manager.”

“…”

“As for how you will ‘recover’ that weapon, we can decide that later.”

Lenox knew the value of that pale cannon without needing to be told.

It was a decisive means that the astute and discerning 8th Apostle had pulled out in a moment of desperation.

It was probably an artifact with the ability to turn the tide of the battle or change it at once.

It was absurd that the Syndicate had acquired such a weapon and put it up for auction instead of using it.

Raymond’s attitude of telling him the location of the forbidden weapon and letting him take it was also incomprehensible.

“As the manager of the auction house, it’s not allowed to give away items without bidding.”

Raymond smiled and tapped his cane.

“But it’s inevitable that items will be stolen due to unforeseen accidents. Isn’t that right?”

“…You’re obsessed with meaningless bets, as befits a manager of Tokerphz.”

There was no need to find out the location of the forbidden weapon through a bet, but it was difficult to cause a disturbance while the clown and the reattachment sorcerer were undergoing surgery.

Screech!!

Without hesitation, Lenox pulled a chair and sat down at the table, speaking coldly.

“I’ll play along just once.”

“Good.”

As Raymond moved his hand, dozens of cards were lined up face down on the table.

He pointed to the cards, neatly arranged with their backs facing up, and said,

“The rules are simple. We each draw a card and keep it, and at the end, we’ll flip them all over and reveal our hands.”

“…”

“The one who has the Joker at the end, or the one whose use of techniques or abilities is discovered, loses.”

A rule that was like an extremely simplified version of a Joker-drawing game, not a proper game at all.

But as soon as Lenox heard those words, he understood Raymond’s intention.

From the start, what Raymond was trying to test against Lenox was-

“Let’s begin. You can go first if you want.”

Lenox drew a card from the deck and placed it in front of him.

Raymond also drew a card and placed it next to him without checking the front.

The two people took turns drawing cards in the middle of the office.

“It’s impossible to guess the front of a card by looking at its back.”

Raymond opened his mouth, the sound of cards brushing against each other in the background.

Raymond, who had naturally drawn and placed a card, leaned back in his chair.

“Looking at one aspect and seeing the other side is just as difficult.”

“…”

“If there was such a person, they would never lose even in this simple game.”

Raymond’s voice changed subtly.

“Not just in games, but in their life as well.”

“You keep talking nonsense.”

Lenox replied, inserting a card into his hand.

Lenox, casting a cold gaze from behind his mask, said,

“Do you think I haven’t understood the rules of the game yet?”

“That’s right. You don’t know anything yet.”

Raymond’s gaze deepened as he stroked the back of a card.

“You don’t know who controls Kabahim. You don’t know how dangerous he is.”

“…”

At that moment, Lenox paused his hand as he was drawing a card.

He had realized what Raymond’s real purpose was in suddenly proposing the game.

“You’re talking as if you know something.”

“I don’t know. I just found out.”

Raymond fiddled with a card.

“It’s clear that the reason why Freya Collins’ world tour was messed up so ambiguously isn’t in this city.”

“…”

“But if you try to cause trouble in Kabahim, it will be difficult with the current method.”

Raymond said, glancing at his hand.

“The ruler of Kabahim is like a demigod within his own castle. To face that distorted transcendence, you’ll need more thorough preparation.”

“What nonsense are you trying to say?”

Lenox replied, picking up a card, but then he stopped his hand.

“…”

He had almost simultaneously realized through magic detection that the card Lenox had just drawn had a bizarre clown drawn on it.

As Lenox silently slid the Joker card into his hand, Raymond asked,

“What do you think it would be like if there was someone who could see both the front and back of a card at the same time?”

Raymond leaned back in his chair leisurely.

“If there was someone with such a talent, they would never lose in this game. They could just look at the Joker beforehand and avoid it in the hand they draw.”

“…”

“That man’s fate was the same. Born as a bastard, he survived by seeing both sides of fate and ascended to the throne-”

Whack!!

Raymond said, putting down his hand at the same time as drawing the last card.

“Only after becoming the ruler of Kabahim was he able to fully realize his ‘talent of duality’.”

“…”

The talent of duality.

Lenox knew what kind of talent that meant.

The ability to observe two concepts simultaneously in one space-time.

The ability to see both the front and back of a single phenomenon, to see what others cannot see.

That was why those with the talent of duality felt all sensations twice over, and even their personalities were divided into two.

The talent of duality possessed by Pandemonium’s broker, Hairea, also had these conditions and symptoms.

Did that mean that the ruler of Kabahim also possessed that rare talent that even Lenox had only seen once?

By now, the two had drawn and divided all the remaining cards.

It was time to flip the cards over and check the front of their hands.

“When you arrive in the royal capital, you will inevitably face him in some form.”

Raymond said, slowly flipping over the cards in his hand.

“And you will have to allow him to see your ‘back’.”

“…”

“You will have to hide, deceive, or erase it. He will never tolerate you hiding anything.”

Raymond’s expression momentarily clouded as he looked down at the back of the cards.

“In that way, he took on the blessings and curses of the entire royal capital and synchronized himself with that space-time.”

“You speak as if you know the ruler of Kabahim well.”

Lenox said, slowly flipping over his cards.

“Were you an acquaintance?”

“…An acquaintance?”

At that moment, Raymond couldn’t help but laugh out loud.

As if the very term was so ridiculous that he couldn’t help it.

“If you’re referring to the person who was his teacher, then you could call me that.”

“…”

“Remember my warning well and prepare for it.”

Raymond said, gesturing with his eyes towards Lenox’s hand.

“If you can’t hide your Joker in front of that man, just like now, the only ending that awaits you and your companions is one.”

“You’re mistaken. Those guys aren’t my companions.”

Lenox said, flipping over all his cards.

“And it’s absurd to think you can guess my secrets with a card game like this.”

“…What?”

At that moment, Raymond realized that there was no Joker in Lenox’s hand.

In the moment that Raymond, as if possessed, flipped over his remaining hand.

Raymond opened his mouth as he saw the Joker card mixed in his hand.

“How… From the beginning, were you completely ignoring my abilities?”

Raymond, a high-ranking telekinetic user, was a type with exceptionally developed brainwaves among psychics.

He had reached a level where he could perfectly read all the vibrations and movements of objects occurring in the office.

Of course, he had been aware of all the movements and types of cards while playing the card game with Lenox.

He knew that Lenox had drawn the Joker, and even which side of the hand the Joker was in.

Yet, when he flipped over his hand to reveal it, the Joker was in Raymond’s hand.

Did Lenox deceive Raymond and switch the cards, or did he ‘manipulate’ the front of the cards?

Lenox stood up from his seat, leaving Raymond behind.

“If there were only two faces to fate, I wouldn’t be standing here in the first place.”

“…”

“Even if you can see both sides of a card, there are always infinite variables and exceptions, as is the case even in this game.”

Lenox muttered, looking down at the auction house below.

“What will happen can only be known by seeing it for yourself.”

“I see…”

Raymond closed his eyes.

“Did you have a method from the beginning?”

“I won the game. Tell me the location of the forbidden weapon as promised.”

Lenox said, turning his gaze.

“It seems the surgery is almost over.”

“Once the suturing and disinfection are finished, it’s time for the final touches.”

At that moment, the reattachment sorcerer, who had been reattaching the clown’s body in front of the operating table, opened his mouth.

After flipping over the eyelids of the clown, who was hanging limply with his tongue out, he slowly raised his gaze.

“Then, is it time to greet the guest who came to see me?”

“…”

As if his unique transcendent sensitivity had not disappeared even after his body had changed.

In the moment that the reattachment sorcerer raised his head and made eye contact with Lenox across the office.

“It’s a strange feeling. Suddenly, my head feels strangely sore.”

The sorcerer gave a hollow smile as he looked at Lenox.

“Have we perhaps met somewhere before?”