Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 128

Trying to continue fighting in this collapsing space would only lead to unnecessary losses.

Jaun Audiss was definitely not someone to be treated as an ordinary terrorist.

After crushing three gems in his hand and scattering the powder on the floor, a portal glowing with a bright blue light opened.

“What a shame. It would have been cleaner if I had killed you here,” Jaun said, looking back at Lenok with a smirk as he stepped one foot into the portal.

“I lost money, all my lackeys are dead… I guess I’m just unlucky to meet such a weirdo. I never imagined there would be someone who could analyze and directly imitate an artificial domain.”

“………”

Indeed, Jaun seemed to fully understand how Lenok had thwarted Craig’s plan.

This was proof that, despite his frivolous behavior, he possessed the keen eye and insight of a skilled sorcerer.

He was definitely an enemy not to be underestimated.

Would they meet again? Considering his tricky fighting style, it wasn’t something to look forward to.

But it seemed Jaun felt the same way, as he chuckled and shook his head.

“Well, whatever. It’s not my problem anymore.”

“………”

“Let’s not meet again. Live well in that rotten city. And don’t bother coming outside…”

With those words, Jaun turned his back without hesitation and threw himself into the portal.

Lenok stared silently as he disappeared in an instant.

He had met many strange people, but few were as unpredictable as him.

He said money was everything, then thought about avenging his friend, and then changed his mind and ran away as if nothing had happened.

Was he just hiding his true intentions, or did he simply enjoy lying for no reason?

Even his fighting style was a perfect match for his lying personality.

He was not Lenok’s type of person at all. He also didn’t want to see him again.

Only after realizing that Jaun had completely disappeared did Hina slowly lower her sword.

“…It’s over.”

Her exhausted face was proof of how intense the fight with Jaun had been.

Considering how he used all sorts of gems to unleash completely different types of sorcery, it was no wonder that he was difficult to deal with.

Chen also shook his head with a gloomy expression.

“It was all I could do to keep him pinned down. If we had a little more time, he probably would have gotten to the lower level of the common area first.”

“That’s enough.”

Lenok replied.

In any case, they had undeniably contributed to helping him face Craig alone.

That was enough.

Kugugugugu…!!

As they talked, the collapse grew more severe.

The piles of rubble around them were now filling up half of the common area.

“We need to escape before the whole place collapses.”

Someone said, but no one there took the words seriously.

Whether by chance or not, all the freelancers who had survived so far were masters of mana manipulation [the ability to control magical energy].

If they were in danger of dying just from being buried under rubble, they would have already died at the hands of the terrorists.

Hina said with a determined look.

“I’m going to stay here and investigate the database. I can’t go back until I find the records of Reisen’s slush fund [secret funds used for illicit purposes].”

“I was originally going to interrogate that crazy old man directly… but since he’s dead, I guess there’s no other way,” Cheisha chimed in, pouting.

“There’s no need for that.”

Lenok said, taking out the hardware he had recovered earlier.

“I found the database that Craig was using personally.”

“This is…!! Thank you!!”

Lenok nodded, seeing Hina’s face light up as she looked at the hardware.

“Let’s go. If we don’t get out of here quickly, things will get ugly.”

“What do you mean…?”

“By now, Reisen’s freelancers have probably realized that this is the main base.”

No one there failed to understand Lenok’s words.

Kwaaa kwa kwa kwa kwa kwa!!!

The labor camp collapsed, creating a massive sinkhole along the giant hole in the ground.

It was only natural that the factories and parking lots on the outskirts, along with nameless old vehicles, were swept away.

The surviving workers, supervisors, and vagrants who lived nearby watched the collapsing labor camp with vacant eyes.

As poorly built as it was, it collapsed so easily.

The human relationships that had been formed there were also just as fleeting.

If Lenok had known this, he might have been able to escape this place more easily than the day he first opened his eyes in the factory.

While the others went to find their bikes, Lenok, who was waiting in the nearby ruins, turned his head when he sensed a presence nearby.

He thought all of Falchion’s members would have fled by now, but it seemed there were still some remnants left.

“The factory collapsed…”

“What about the supervisors? Did they all run away?”

“Are we free now…?”

He noticed that he couldn’t sense any mana, and it turned out that the workers from the labor camp had not escaped and were still there.

The tremors had subsided, so there was no particular danger, but they would have to find their own way to survive now.

Lenok was about to dismiss it when he noticed a familiar face among the workers and hesitated.

“………”

The very person who had given Lenok a cigarette when he was pretending to be dying.

The worker who had given him a cheap cigarette as a farewell gift was right there.

His name was definitely Ban.

He still remembered that first act of kindness, which was why he had chosen that name as his alias in the back alleys.

It was a strange coincidence.

Without realizing it, Lenok got up with his tired body and approached him.

“H-he’s coming this way…”

“He’s a mage, try to do something.”

“Damn it, you do it… what do you want me to do?”

Ignoring the murmuring workers, Lenok crouched down in front of Ban, who was sitting with an exhausted face.

Ban glanced up at Lenok’s face, but he didn’t look very frightened.

He slightly avoided Lenok’s gaze and spoke curtly.

“Do you need something?”

“…No.”

Lenok smiled faintly and took out a cigarette from his pocket.

The cigarette held between his thin fingers was not just one.

“Want a smoke?”

He didn’t know why.

Perhaps he just wanted to repay the small debt he had been thinking about for a long time.

If it hadn’t been for that one cigarette he had been given back then, Lenok might not have been able to escape that factory.

Ban, who had been staring blankly at Lenok’s face, grinned.

“Well, I’m not complaining.”

“That’s enough.”

The two of them faced each other in silence and smoked.

The cigarette smoke, scattered between their tired gazes, spread through the cold winter air.

..Baaang!!

Lenok got up from his seat, hearing the sound of a motorcycle in the distance.

Ban silently looked up at Lenok’s back as he turned away.

There were no farewells.

Ban wouldn’t know who Lenok was, and Lenok had no intention of telling him.

They would just pass each other by, not knowing each other’s circumstances.

Just like how they had first met.

And just like how they had parted ways.

That was all.

“This is fucked up…”

As the saying goes, ominous premonitions never miss.

Just like the curse muttered by someone behind him, a truly shitty situation was unfolding before Lenok’s eyes.

More than a dozen jeeps blocked the path of the group’s bikes as they were speeding across the plateau.

And in front of them, a crowd of countless freelancers got out.

There was no need to say who these people were, trying to ruin everything at the very last moment.

Reisen’s hired freelancers had caught a big fish at the very last moment.

“Wow… this was a close call.”

The giant standing at the front said with a cheerful voice.

“I never thought you would tamper with the data we gave to Wooshin.”

“………”

“Thanks to that, we were busy taking down the lackeys while you guys were having a blast raiding Falchion’s base, you bastards!!”

Kwaaang!!

With an enraged roar, he stomped his foot, causing one side of the plateau to explode and a huge cloud of dust to rise.

Even to Lenok, who had taken the lives of countless warriors, his strength was considerable.

He looked like a skilled warrior at first glance, but his somewhat deranged way of speaking couldn’t be hidden.

And considering that what was on top of that muscular body was not a human head, but a machine made of steel, the answer was clear.

Lenok chuckled and replied.

“Didn’t you say you’d dress up more nicely next time? You look terrible right now.”

“Huh? What the hell are you talking about!!”

The giant said, throwing off his top and proudly showing off his bulging muscles.

“Look at this beautiful physique. The pinnacle of beauty that a human body can achieve is right here!!”

“…Does your way of speaking change strangely when you change your body? I know you’re crazy, but it’s a bit much.”

The giant, Mad Manson, tilted his head as he looked at Lenok.

“Shut your mouth. Anyway, just by looking at you, I can tell you’re not in a state to fight properly. It would be best if you hand over the data you got there. Our councilman is very angry.”

“That’s right.”

A young man with narrow eyes slowly walked out from behind the giant. He was wearing a blue robe and smiled faintly as he looked at Lenok.

“The councilman was so angry when he found out that he had been deceived by Marcia… This has become a difficult situation.”

“………”

“If we go back like this, the agents will be subjected to a strong search of the agency itself for the crime of mocking the councilman.”

The young man, Wooshin, continued with a bright smile.

“If you hand over the data right now, we will try to speak well to the councilman.”

“I’m sorry, but I don’t know what data you’re talking about.”

Hina retorted without changing her expression.

“We’re just on our way back after suppressing a terrorist organization to protect the city’s safety. I can’t understand what you’re talking about.”

“………”

Wooshin’s narrow eyes were no longer smiling.