Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 1157

As the old man in the top hat swung his sword, knights fell all around him.

The apostle’s figure, gracefully stepping over corpses in pools of blood, caressed the sword’s light.

‘Eldrich… No way…!’

Soryu muttered, watching the old man massacre the knights surrounding the Blue Castle.

‘The missing commander of the Royal City’s 2nd Knight Division. Has he become an apostle of the Order…!!’

Soryu had been with him in Tokerphos, but this was the first time he had seen his face directly.

It seemed he hadn’t been able to see the battlefield directly, moving just before the terror began.

‘If you know that much about me, you must be a member of the royal family.’

Thud!

The 5th Apostle, having stabbed a resisting knight through the heart, turned his gaze with a benevolent smile.

‘That look and expression… I see. Are you one of the princes left behind by His Majesty?’

‘……’

‘Please understand my lack of courtesy before royalty. I’ve lost many memories since awakening, and…’

Eldrich elegantly twirled his sword, looking at the pale Soryu.

‘Now, I serve the teachings of the All-God, not the royal family.’

‘An apostle, yet you still clumsily imitate a human.’

Lennok interrupted the 5th Apostle’s words, asking coldly.

‘After rampaging like that in Tokerphos, what are you thinking now?’

‘Huhu, there’s no need to take it so negatively.’

Even at Lennok’s sharp retort, Eldrich wore a benevolent smile.

‘If our goals align, it’s not unusual to borrow the power of a traitor. Isn’t that so?’

With a light flick of his hand, the corpse skewered on his sword fell, scattering blood.

‘You killed the people of the Blue Castle indiscriminately, and you speak so easily.’

‘You, too, are an enemy of the royal family, so it shouldn’t be a bad thing.’

The 5th Apostle chuckled.

‘Looking at you reminds me of my memories as a human. I was merely helping in the process of settling grudges.’

‘……’

The highest-ranking 5th Apostle of the Order, Eldrich.

An 8-level physical ability user and former commander of the 2nd Knight Division of Kabahim.

It wasn’t hard to guess what had happened for him, a knight loyal to the royal family, to become an apostle of the Order.

But it was obvious that this murderer, who had killed countless people in Tokerphos, was not a being with a normal way of thinking in the first place.

Unlike the madness of the clown or the grafting surgeon, he was a chaotic embodiment whose direction could not be grasped, beyond the question of trust.

‘If you don’t want to die, you’d better reject that guy’s offer…’

Suddenly, one of the corpses sprawled across the hallway twitched and opened its mouth.

The corpse, its body twisted grotesquely as if suspended in mid-air, staggered to its feet.

Soryu frowned as he saw the corpse slowly approaching.

‘……Chebien.’

‘The puppeteer.’

Lennok asked without turning his gaze.

‘I sensed a presence, so you were hiding nearby.’

‘I was collecting my puppets scattered throughout the royal city… I can’t have my precious puppets ruined by this commotion…’

Chebien let out a gloomy laugh, looking at the 5th Apostle.

‘I was collecting the puppets hidden in the Blue Castle when that apostle appeared… I was watching the massacre he committed here…’

‘I wondered why the feeling was a bit weak while cutting, it was because puppets were mixed in.’

The 5th Apostle turned to Chebien with a benevolent smile.

‘But don’t worry. I’m only interested in killing the knights of Kabahim, not in ruining puppets.’

‘……’

‘It seems His Majesty has already stepped inside the [Door]. The area around the sanctuary must be filled with knights he trusts. What will you do?’

In the pool of blood and pile of corpses, the elegant figure of the old gentleman holding a sword turned to look at them.

Soryu was about to say something, but then closed his mouth and turned his gaze to Lennok.

It was probably because he knew who had the authority to make decisions now that the clown was gone.

‘If Aronbiger Kabahim has already entered the [Door], finding his location will be a distant task.’

Lennok asked.

‘How can you guide us to Aron’s location?’

‘The bloodline ability passed down in the Kabahim royal family is proof of the contract they made to manage the remnants of the dead god. Therefore, their power is absolute in the royal city.’

Eldrich shook the blood off his sword and slowly lowered it, speaking.

‘But because of that, their presence is like the sun, impossible to hide anywhere, and not difficult to find.’

‘……’

‘Even at this moment, I can feel His Majesty’s presence. There is a longing there that cannot be hidden by crude offerings.’

The old man’s benevolent smile seemed to twist grotesquely for a moment.

‘I received a very important mission from him a long time ago… Although I’ve become like this, I intend to see His Majesty and tell him the results.’

‘Heh heh heh, is this the end of a knight who failed his mission…’

Chebien let out a slow sneer.

‘Completely broken… Do you think you can cooperate with something like that…?’

‘To break through the human sacrifice performed to hide the location of the [Door], we might need an expert in forbidden arts.’

Lennok looked at the apostle with a blank face.

‘If you have a way to find the location of the [Door] hidden by the knight order, tell me. I’ll listen and decide.’

‘It’s not that difficult.’

The old gentleman smiled, not reacting to Chebien’s mocking words.

‘Kill more humans than those offered in the sacrifice, and cover it with the meaning of death. In fact, it’s what I’ve been doing since before you came.’

‘The meaning of death… Cover it?’

‘Why does human sacrifice produce overwhelming efficiency and results compared to other rituals or ceremonies?’

The 5th Apostle, placing his hand on the sword at his waist, said leisurely.

‘It’s because the act of using humans as sacrifices is one of the endings that should not be allowed to humans in the first place.’

‘……’

‘If you kill more humans than those used as sacrifices, neutralizing the meaning of the offering at the ritual site-‘

Immediately after, Eldrich’s hand slashed the ground beneath his feet at an invisible speed.

Clack!!

The sharp sword light cut through the floor of the market office, revealing a blood-stained magic circle hidden beneath.

The moment he slashed and tore apart the magic circle that was operating with patterns and symbols drawn in human blood.

The floor collapsed, and Lennok and the 5th Apostle simultaneously fell into the endless hole below.

Kwaaang!!!

‘Like this, you can even find the coordinates of the [Door] secretly hidden by the knight order.’

‘This is…’

On the walls of the falling hole, thousands of other holes were densely packed.

A huge passage hidden underground. Countless holes on its walls, each large enough for one person to pass through.

‘This way.’

Thud!

Eldrich, grabbing onto one of the countless holes in the wall, stepped forward.

‘The [Door] of the royal city is hidden deep underground, and the paths that can be taken are extremely limited.’

The 5th Apostle took the lead, seeing Lennok and Soryu following.

‘There are many vents to disperse the cold air flowing underground, making it difficult to find the way without prior knowledge.’

‘All the holes here are vents to let out the cold air.’

‘It’s the same reason why the sewers that manage the royal city’s waterways are outside the royal city.’

Soryu replied.

‘Because the cold air overflowing underground is so strong, it’s impossible to live without ventilation facilities.’

‘……’

‘It goes without saying that all of that is because of that [Door].’

Gooooooo…!!!

Each time they moved through the vents following the direction Eldrich pointed out, the cold grew stronger.

The cold wind turned into a chill that made their blood run cold, and the moment the air and even magic began to freeze and become heavy.

Lennok was able to face the frozen void [Door] at the end of the complex ventilation system.

Whioooooo-!!!

A huge altar existing in the underground of the royal city.

On top of the altar made of hundreds of steps, the frozen [Door] was slowly rotating.

A vague shape closer to a square than a circle. The void swirling counterclockwise within the black ring.

The chilling cold that was constantly extending and encroaching on the outer edge of the [Door] was painting the altar pure white.

‘Stairs…’

‘What’s wrong?’

‘Never mind.’

Lennok, who frowned as soon as he saw the altar, replied to Soryu’s question.

‘The shape is similar to what I saw in the Well of the Compendium. Is it a way of managing it by creating a separate altar to preserve the [Door]?’

‘That’s an accurate explanation. That altar is a direct imitation of the preservation method used in the Well.’

Eldrich muttered.

‘The royal family’s bloodline is Ars Nova [a royal family’s unique power], the preservation of the [Door] is the Well, and the use of power is the Order’s method. Looking back, the royal family has always been on the side that closely examines the secrets of the world.’

‘……’

‘If this is the conclusion they reached after reaching out to all kinds of civilizations and histories to study the [Door], then the lives I gave for the royal family might not have been meaningless. But…’

The 5th Apostle, looking down at his hand with a blank face, said.

‘Now, everything is too late.’

‘……Sir Eldrich.’

‘Go. I will deal with the knights guarding the [Door].’

The 5th Apostle’s expression, hidden by his top hat, was not visible as he stood up.

‘You should prioritize entering the sanctuary beyond the [Door].’

Thud!

Leaning out of the vent, he fell towards the frozen altar that soared in the distance.

The moment the old man’s figure landed among the knights guarding the altar, the sword light drawn from his fingertips flew diagonally.

He sliced through the bodies of the knights in heavy armor, turning them into minced meat.

Chwaaaak!!!

‘Guh…!!’

The knights, their bodies instantly severed and scattered, let out a single scream.

A fully armed physical ability user. The monstrous power that tore apart knights who were blessed by the royal city.

As entrails and pieces of flesh flew, blood splattered, and severed corpses were scattered all over the altar.

The apostle, adjusting his top hat and greeting them on the blood-stained altar.

‘It’s a sad thing, Sir Eldrich.’

Kagagak!!!!

At that moment, a sabre sword landed on the old gentleman’s head, rotating like a whip and scattering slashes.

Reflexively grabbing his sword and turning around, he deflected the sabre sword that was bouncing around, and at the same time-

The 4th Knight Commander, Floria, stood on the altar, looking down at Eldrich with a complex expression.

‘You, the most respected of all the knights, have become so broken.’

‘……’

‘Did you fail the mission given by His Majesty and become a monster that kills fellow knights?’

‘Broken? That’s wrong, Sir Floria.’

The 5th Apostle adjusted his top hat and smiled benevolently.

‘I have rather found freedom. I am rather grateful to His Majesty.’

‘Grateful? What…’

‘Because he tried to fill the position of the Ten Knight Commanders with new people, I was able to awaken to the teachings of the All-God.’

Paang!!

Eldrich, having blown the head off a knight rushing from behind, moved forward.

‘I didn’t know that killing people was so fun. Killing the knights I knew was an incredibly great joy.’

‘……’

‘Because His Majesty did not look for the talent he wanted only on this continent, I was able to realize the true meaning of the end.’

Eldrich, facing Floria, smiled.

‘Isn’t all of this the grace of the great king?’

‘Is that so?’

Floria, gripping her sabre sword with a cold expression, said.

‘Then, I have no choice but to kill you all here.’

‘I don’t want to show off my strength against my juniors.’

The old gentleman closed his eyes, gripping the sword at his waist.

‘From now on, I will hurry my steps.’

Outer World Small Universe: Heresy

[Trampling Greatsword]

Kwaaaaaaaang!!!

At the same time as Eldrich deployed his small universe [a unique power], a huge greatsword appeared and slammed down.

The bulging blood vessels covering the sword’s surface, as large as a skyscraper, writhed and pulsed grotesquely.

‘Kuaaaak!!’

‘Ah, ahak…!!’

The bodies of the knights crushed between the greatsword were mashed into a pulp of blood and flesh.

The greatsword, with the bodies of the screaming knights wrapped around its surface, rotated violently and moved forward.

It slammed into the frozen altar that the 4th Knight Division was guarding, scattering its fragments.

Kwawung!!!

Stepping on the wind pressure of the rotating greatsword, he jumped over the fragments of the broken altar.

The sword light of the sabre sword, sharply chasing Lennok as he fell from the ceiling towards the [Door].

‘Bloodline…!!’

‘Hahahaha!!! Where are you looking!!’

The 5th Apostle, laughing wildly, kicked Floria’s figure, who was about to turn around after spotting Lennok.

Each time he swung his sword, knights were killed indiscriminately, and pieces of flesh flew everywhere.

Kwajijijijik!!!!

‘Your Majesty!!! Where are you!!’

Eldrich, killing the knights madly with a joyful expression, burst into laughter.

‘The knight you abandoned has returned alive like this…!!!’

‘Completely broken…’

‘I didn’t expect anything from the beginning.’

Lennok replied coldly to the dumbfounded Soryu.

‘Abandon it. From now on, enter the [Door] on your own.’

He seemed to know Floria from before, but seeing a familiar face made him unable to control his madness.

But he didn’t expect to be able to work with the apostle normally until the end anyway.

Finding the location of the [Door] was a great achievement. From here on, it was Lennok’s job.

Chwaaak!!!

Avoiding the sword light flashing from all directions, he pulled the magic thread onto the fragments of the collapsing altar.

The moment Lennok’s figure increased speed and passed through the void existing beyond the [Door].

Hwaaaaaak!!!!

The surrounding scenery changed, and Lennok’s body, draped in a shadow robe, tumbled to the floor.

Lennok, barely regaining his balance after rolling on the hard floor with a strong impact, quickly raised his gaze.

‘Where is this…?’

A vast corridor, like a giant maze, where golden ripples echoed infinitely, was spread out.

Above his head, a dark sea view was reflected, and below his feet, the frozen royal city was visible.

A magnificent golden palace that simultaneously faced the scenery of the ground and the outer sea, both above and below.

A corridor of an overwhelming scale that could not even be compared to the Kabahim royal castle.

Did he fall into a different place from Soryu or the 5th Apostle right after entering the [Door]?

‘Ars Nova Empire Imperial Palace. Nayuta Shrine.’

Just as Lennok paused at the unexpected sight, a leisurely voice echoed from behind him.

‘It’s an old and stubborn illusion of memory, once called the capital of the continent.’

‘…….Clown?’

The clown’s face, painted white with makeup, was sprawled out on the golden corridor.

‘Phew, I knew you’d arrive eventually, but aren’t you too late?’

The clown, looking down at Lennok while lying down, grinned.

‘Thanks to you, I’ve become a rag while stalling for time by interfering with the royal family’s plans.’

‘That’s… probably not wrong.’

As if scorched by fire and then frozen and crushed. His hair was burning, and frost was on his cheeks.

His skin was injured and cracked, as if he had overexerted his injured body.

His energy was clearly worn out, as if he had already used up a lot of magic.

Lennok, pulling out magic threads and wrapping them one by one around his wrist, asked.

‘What’s the situation so far?’

‘Aronbiger Kabahim has completely taken control of the sanctuary where the remains of the dead god are located.’

The clown, raising his upper body, shrugged.

‘I tried to draw attention by releasing the power accumulated in the sanctuary outside the [Door] and making a mess of the royal city, but he didn’t even care?’

‘……’

‘I have confirmed that he is using strange ancient knowledge to take control of the sanctuary and change the scenery inside at will.’

The clown pointed to the scenery of the palace made of golden ripples spread around him.

‘The scenery created here now is also the result. It’s not the real imperial palace, but a corner of the illusion created inside the sanctuary.’

Thump, thump, thump…!!

A roar that gradually grew heavier and more intense from the other side of the corridor.

The sound of armored knights’ footsteps was getting closer from afar.

The activation of the [Door]. Or perhaps the knight order was moving, sensing an intruder who had entered the sanctuary.

‘You speak as if you know about the imperial palace.’

Lennok, quickly grasping the situation and organizing what he had to do, asked.

‘Have you ever been there yourself?’

‘Oh my, is it okay to suddenly ask such a transparent leading question?’

The clown smiled and stood up.

‘I know what kind of answer you want to hear, but I’ve long forgotten about my origins. Or is it? Does the name still remain?’

‘What nonsense are you suddenly talking about?’

‘It was just a story about being faithful to the present, not the meaningless past.’

Kwaang!!

Golden ripples scattered from the other side of the corridor, and knights armed in heavy armor appeared.

A strong presence that was scattering intense cold from their whole bodies, and their magic and thoughts were grotesquely swollen.

Proof that they, too, were receiving an increase in power by some means inside the sanctuary.

Lennok and the clown simultaneously stepped forward, looking at the knights approaching from afar.

The clown, holding a dagger in reverse and spinning it, and Lennok, wrapping magic threads around his wrist.

‘It’s been a while since it was just the two of us like this, hasn’t it?’

The clown said leisurely, looking at the knights who were surrounding them with murderous intent.

‘Do you remember what it was like in the Well? Let’s do it like that time.’

‘You’re talking nonsense.’

Lennok sneered.

‘Didn’t you say not to cling to the meaningless past earlier?’

‘Ah, was that so?’

The clown tilted his head for a moment and then grinned.

‘Then cancel it. Shall we just turn everything upside down?’