Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 232

The wrinkled skin was gone, replaced by smooth muscles, devoid of any tattoos. The ornate jewelry that had once adorned his body was nowhere to be seen, replaced by the humble attire of a solitary monk: a simple robe and a staff.

Though his appearance, physique, and overall demeanor were completely different, Lenok was neither flustered nor mistaken.

Instead, he simply chuckled at the young man before him.

“I think I understand why you were so late in deploying your domain.”

“…….”

“While you prided yourself on following the Cartel’s chairman for half your life, deep down, you were longing for the place you had returned to, weren’t you?”

The young man quietly closed his eyes.

Lenok continued, “It’s not surprising. People’s hearts rarely move as they intend. How many people belatedly look back at what they truly desired?”

“I am grateful to you,” said McQueen, the young man who had regained his youthful body.

He turned his head slowly, gazing up at the massive temple behind him.

“Even after reaching the Saint-level, I wandered for a long time. I couldn’t accept that the fundamental image deep within my heart had returned here… because I believed that I had never once regretted the moments I spent with the chairman.”

“I see.”

“But now I think I understand. The reason why I longed for those days of asceticism, which I always thought were lonely, boring, and solitary… it was because that was also me.”

“…….”

“Parden McQueen, who was born an ordinary human and trained as a monk, is also me. I left all my… youth here.”

McQueen said, spreading his arms wide.

It signified that McQueen had reconciled his human self with his sorcerer self.

Even if it was a miracle that only occurred within his domain, the fact that his body had temporarily regained its youth was proof that he had overcome one of the countless branching points that existed even within the realm of a level 7 Saint-level mage.

The staff in his hand floated into the air, glowing brightly.

Kugugugugung!!!

At that moment, four statues in the temple’s courtyard behind him began to rise, glaring at Lenok.

Arjumarta, who had deployed the domain with McQueen, and the Asuras [powerful demigods in Hindu and Buddhist mythology], each with a fierce expression, resembling generals.

[Uwoooooooooh!!!]

The four statues roared, their mouths wide open, smashing through the temple walls and leaping forward.

Their speed was unbelievable for beings of their size, over ten meters tall. At the same time, the chains around their waists extended, instantly surrounding Lenok.

Originally a great barrier used to protect the mountain temple, but within McQueen’s domain, it transformed into a massive restraint to bind only one person.

Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang! Clang!

The statues, positioned like guardian Buddhas, surrounded Lenok and simultaneously raised the weapons in their hands.

The chains encircling Lenok rose into the air, drawing a massive circle, and simultaneously constricted the space itself.

A spatial binding technique that even McQueen couldn’t touch.

But within his mental image, within the memories of the temple he longed for.

What could he not accomplish within the heart of a seeker who was saving his own inner self?

McQueen slowly formed hand seals with his freed hands, having set down his staff.

As the incantation was completed, the weapons of the statues surrounding Lenok glowed a bright yellow.

The power of each one surpassed the [Pillar Demise Cannon] that McQueen used as his signature technique.

The light emanating from his half-opened eyes was fixed solely on the enemy before him.

“Farewell.”

[Four Directions Demise]

[Seven Heavens Asura Scenery]

[Lazy Prison Fall]

The weapons of the statues, falling from four different directions, collided and converged at one point, creating a massive shockwave.

From the center of the shockwave, which spread out in a large circle, a massive amount of heat fell vertically, targeting the single person bound directly below.

Parden McQueen, who struggled to summon even one statue outside the domain, was now deploying a sure-hit technique by summoning four shikigami [spirit servants or familiars in Japanese folklore].

There was no joy, no sorrow.

Only respect for the opponent who had given him another chance and shown him a new realm.

McQueen slowly closed his eyes.

Until he heard a voice whispering in his ear.

[Excellent.]

“……!!!”

[Is this the scenery of a self-domain that a Saint-level mage deploys with all their might…? It’s the second time I’ve seen it, but it’s the first time I’ve truly felt it.]

“H-How…”

[It’s only after reaching this point that I can see it properly.]

McQueen, his face pale, snatched the staff that had floated into the air.

The tranquility that had filled his mind was gone.

He was only thinking about stopping the voice that was currently echoing in his ear.

His body, which had temporarily regained its youth, responded, and McQueen dashed forward, trampling through the snow.

To confirm the corpse of the enemy who should have been dead, at the center of the four statues that had stopped, frozen solid.

And Lenok answered.

[Then, it’s my turn.]

At that moment, a massive shadow flowed out from the center of the four statues and began to engulf the surroundings in an instant.

The mountain scenery that McQueen had envisioned was nowhere to be seen, as the ground and sky were instantly devoured, painting everything in black.

A world dyed in black. Floating in the dark void as if looking at a starless universe, forgetting even where to set foot.

“Uwaaaaaa!!”

McQueen, who had been struggling madly, stopped breathing after a massive golden circle appeared before his eyes.

The golden light that had suddenly appeared in the void rotated counterclockwise in place, forming a massive circle, chasing its own tail.

“Uh…”

While he was staring blankly at the circle, dozens of more lights appeared from all directions, rotating in place, chasing their own tails.

Paahhhhhhh!!!

The golden rings overlapped dozens of times, creating hundreds of shockwaves.

And then, becoming thousands of waves, they formed one massive golden ring.

From the center of that brilliant light, Lenok looked down at McQueen with a calm expression.

“T-This is…”

McQueen’s fingertips trembled.

He knew what technique Lenok had used, and that was why he couldn’t understand it even more.

Proof that a mage had truly entered the realm of the Saint-level.

He couldn’t believe it because he knew that it was the scenery of a mental image imprinted on one’s own self-domain.

“Is this truly… a mental image that a human can possess…?”

How could he accept that this vast and empty space was the scenery of the mental image that the young mage held?

McQueen couldn’t understand what it meant for a fundamental mental image based on one’s life and memories to be a landscape like the universe.

He couldn’t be the same human. It would be more believable if a monster from the outer sea transformed into a human form-

“I simply changed the point of view.”

Lenok, stepping onto the bottomless space, spoke as he walked slowly.

Everywhere his feet touched, shockwaves echoed, and the golden waves behind him followed him closely.

The only light illuminating this dark space was shining from behind Lenok.

“Beyond the past that exists in memories, beyond the present where enlightenment was gained… I decided to choose the possibility itself.”

Memories of living as an ordinary human on Earth and the moments he had lived as Lenok in this world.

He had looked back at all those memories, but there was no mental image that met Lenok’s standards.

A simple self-domain was not enough. Lenok’s talent, spirit, and resolve were already complete.

The mental image of a domain once set cannot be changed. At least, to stand on equal footing with the strong who control this world, he had to choose the best possibility at this branching point.

If that possibility was not visible in his memories, Lenok decided in his awakened state due to Yakseon’s help.

If there was no mental image he liked, he could simply bring the possibility itself.

Not the past, nor the present.

Lenok had decided to bring that possibility from the future he had not yet experienced.

“That’s impossible.”

McQueen muttered blankly.

He understood what Lenok meant, but he couldn’t comprehend the process.

“That’s impossible. It’s just wordplay…!! How can a human do such a thing!!”

Just as Parden McQueen didn’t like his own mental image, it was impossible for a human to choose the scenery of their heart that they desired.

Even if he had brought a mental image from his memories, it would be unbelievable, let alone bringing a necessary mental image from a non-existent future.

Even McQueen, who had lived for hundreds of years and encountered countless superhumans and monsters, had never heard of such a thing.

“I’ve always been worried.”

Lenok ignored his words and continued, walking towards McQueen.

“In choices where I can’t be wrong even once, what is the best move I can make…”

The moment he fixed the mental image of his self-domain, it would become difficult for Lenok to hide his identity in battles against the strong.

What ability could allow him to maximize his talent while not losing the anonymity that had allowed Lenok to roam so freely?

It would be better if he could freely change the mental image of his self-domain depending on the situation.

That was why Lenok had used the ‘opportunity to choose’ itself as his milestone, drawing possibilities from the future.

“Avid Yonsen saw exactly what I had obtained.”

“…….”

“The fact that I had obtained the opportunity to choose itself. That meant that I was directly looking at the countless futures I would face from this very spot.”

It was a path created by sharpening Lenok’s most powerful talent to the utmost.

Maximizing his powerful intuition and extremely sensitive combat senses to observe and choose countless future possibilities.

The power to observe and realize the countless branching points that stemmed from the possibility of Lenok.

The self-domain chosen by a mage who had reached his limit was precisely.

A kaleidoscope that reflected countless parallel worlds.

Pa-ba-ba-ba-bat!!

At that moment, different landscapes began to appear within the thousands of golden rings that had appeared behind Lenok.

The sheer amount of information was enough to paralyze the brain just by looking at it. It was impossible to even guess how vast the capacity compressed within was.

“Ah, ah…”

McQueen finally realized what the scenery visible inside the thousands of rings meant.

The countless branching points that Lenok, a single human, could have chosen.

The golden rings that had appeared under this dark sky were precisely ten thousand mirrors to reflect those countless possibilities.

“If they knew this… all the magic towers would try to kill you.”

McQueen muttered, stammering.

He could say that because he understood more accurately than anyone else what Lenok had accomplished.

It didn’t end with simply dividing, observing, and realizing parallel worlds.

If that were all, the kaleidoscope that had appeared behind Lenok wouldn’t have been so chaotically scattered.

Intentional disorder. A bit of leeway to leave room for his domain to grow further in the future.

McQueen, realizing that fact, shouted at the top of his lungs.

“You are arrogant beyond measure, mage! You dare to try to glimpse the laws of the world with just the Saint-level, without even being sure that you will reach that point!!”

“…….”

“How dare you try to grasp the fragments of omnipotence…!! Are you not afraid of the wrath of the Ascended!!!”

Despite McQueen’s desperate cries, Lenok paid no heed.

Wasn’t it to keep this moment a secret that he had waited for McQueen to deploy his self-domain first?

There was no need to hesitate.

Within the two layers of domains that were completely cut off from external gazes, Lenok’s true value would remain a secret forever.

One of the countless golden mirrors that had appeared behind him slowly descended onto Lenok’s hand.

“I’m going.”

It was one of the countless future possibilities that Lenok could have faced.

Disguised as Eden, the leader of the Seager Bang gang, he entered the Torben Magic Tower, learned unique lightning magic.

He overcame the infighting and checks among the mages within the tower with his overwhelming talent and reached the pinnacle.

The mental image of a mage from the tower who had finally succeeded in facing his inner self.

A faint possibility that might have existed in the midst of infinite choices was drawn into the realm of reality at this very spot.

Kuoohhhhhhhh!!!

A raging sea of lightning.

In the sky filled with dark clouds where no ground existed, a massive blue light flashed, and only one mage perfectly manipulated all those natural phenomena.

[Self-Domain Expansion: Branch Point Observation]

[Higher-Order Mental Image Realization]

[Eight-Linked Thunder Palace]

The sky where eight bolts of thunder met.

Within Lenok’s domain, where endless thunder roared, McQueen cried out.

“Uwaaaaaaaa!!”

The techniques of his prime, unleashed with his youthful body, shone once again at this spot.

The four statues that had appeared behind him formed hand seals with McQueen, transforming into a shield of pure light that protected all directions.

[White Majesty Realm]

A pure white whale that had leaped up from beneath the sea of clouds swallowed everything whole.