Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 29

“Just like you were going to do to me earlier. Got it?”

“Yes, sir!!”

After sending the pale-faced man, who was now repeating his orders, away, Lenok leaned against the wall and finished his cigarette.

“I should probably visit the orchard again soon….”

Thirty Cashburn cigarettes, purchased from Plumber’s orchard.

He had been trying his best to conserve them, but when there was a big job like this, they were inevitably used up quickly.

He rummaged through his pockets and found that he only had four left.

He should have bought more in advance, but they were so expensive that he kept putting it off, which was now a problem.

Could this affect the battle?

Lenok pondered for a moment, but the truth was, he couldn’t really guess without actually clashing and gauging the opponent’s level.

‘Based on the duration of the drug’s effects, I can probably hold out for about a day….’

If the gang split their forces and attacked in waves, then Lenok might be in a bit of trouble.

It was likely an unnecessary worry, but Lenok didn’t stop thinking.

Even if he planned for every possible scenario, variables could still arise.

Lenok had learned that the hard way from his encounter with Kroken Acilus.

‘My magic power and bullets are plentiful. If necessary, I should consider using the gun to buy time.’

Of course, he had already identified escape routes in case something went wrong.

He had also memorized the underground passage inside the warehouse, so there shouldn’t be any problems there.

He stopped thinking and stood up.

He had been away for too long; it was time to show himself to the others.

They were already feeling anxious about facing the gang, and if Lenok was gone for too long, they might try to sneak away.

Lenok didn’t think he had any leadership or command skills, but he could at least easily guess how people might be thinking.

As he expected, when Lenok returned to the warehouse, some people flinched and turned their heads.

“……..”

He didn’t think they were wrong. Everyone’s life was precious.

But the choice was also theirs. Lenok had no intention of helping them make that choice.

Lenok didn’t say anything and went inside the warehouse, where he sat down on any box he could find.

There was still a lot of time before the patent office opened.

If the gang didn’t move, he might have to spend a lot of time waiting.

‘…..This reminds me of the military.’

It wasn’t difficult compared to the two years he spent just passing time.

Fortunately, a mage’s strong mental fortitude prevented his cognitive abilities from deteriorating even after staying up all night.

Time passed.

Lenok, who was cleaning his revolver, noticed that things were getting a little noisy outside.

He immediately spread his magic power in all directions to sense any activity.

A radius of 2km. His perception, which had developed much wider and more intensely than before, sharply scanned the surroundings.

As he had sensed, he could detect all sorts of unknown heat sources surrounding the area.

Lenok focused even more and quickly gauged the intensity of the presences gathering in this place.

‘Roughly two strong heat signatures. Then ten. The rest are about one hundred and fifty….’

Two leaders and ten officers. 150 members.

It was fewer than Jenny had said, but it wasn’t a number to be careless about.

With his mind quickly turning cold, he went outside, and the people who had been waiting immediately rushed to Lenok.

“M-Mage…!! Outside, there’s….”

“I know.”

Lenok cut off the man and continued to focus on the situation outside.

The speed… it was quite fast.

If it were just one or two people, he might think they were magic users, but if over a hundred people were rushing at once, it was likely they were using vehicles.

At that moment, Jo, who had finished his patrol, ran into the warehouse and shouted.

“They’re here!! Everyone, get ready!”

Booooom!!

Along with those words, the faint sound of engines could be heard from afar.

Headlights pierced through the dim darkness, and a pungent smell filled the air and stung his nose.

Soon, the darkness in the area was completely gone, and the surroundings were lit up by car headlights.

Fireworks.

“…….”

Judging by the engine sounds and lights that filled the area beyond the wall, everyone else must have realized that the warehouse was completely surrounded.

The people looked back at Lenok with frightened expressions, but Lenok deliberately hardened his expression and replied.

“Just guard the entrance well. I’ll take care of the rest.”

Lenok was the strongest person here, and the only one who could use them in any way.

It was necessary to remain as calm as possible and instill a sense of composure.

It was a good thing that the pyrokinetic, who had been half-threatened by Lenok, was standing at the front, but if things got really dangerous, he would probably run away, regardless of Lenok.

While he was thinking, the harsh honking grew closer.

They gripped their respective equipment tightly and waited.

Faint figures could be seen silhouetted against the headlights, but they didn’t approach the warehouse.

Were they waiting to assess the situation?

A long silence passed, and the first to move was not the vehicles at the entrance, but the wall near the warehouse.

Thud!!

The ground shook slightly, and a loud noise erupted.

“Eek…!!”

Someone let out a shrill scream, but everyone shared the same sentiment.

It didn’t take long to realize what was happening.

The gang’s vehicles surrounding the warehouse were ramming directly into the wall.

‘They plan to completely destroy the wall and complete the encirclement.’

The cruel intention to not let anyone leave this place alive was clear, but Lenok chuckled.

How could they choose to ram so thoughtlessly after only assessing the situation for such a short time?

Their move just now made it clear.

It was already decided who wouldn’t be leaving this place alive.

No sooner had he finished thinking than his plan came to fruition.

KWA-AAANG!!

A deafening explosion erupted from behind him. A sharp gust of hot wind loosely brushed his back.

The dark sky turned bright red, and a scorching heat rose.

At that moment, everyone looked up at the sky with the same feeling.

A battered old jeep was spinning in the air, engulfed in flames, flipping its chassis.

Koo-oong!!

A red-hot fireball flying through the sky landed right in front of the warehouse, scattering sparks in all directions.

People panicked and scattered, but Lenok didn’t even blink and was lost in thought.

‘Even if it was caught in an explosion, it wouldn’t fly this far… what’s the reason?’

Lenok knew better than anyone the power of the [Claymore] magic he had set up.

The amount of magic power he had invested and the range of the modified power were already perfectly organized in his senses.

No matter how violently it exploded after coming into contact with the car’s oil, it was strange for such a large explosion to occur that could blow a car away.

While he was pondering, Lenok suddenly noticed the oil leaking from inside the car and his eyes lit up.

It was hard to see in the flames, but it was a deep fluorescent color, completely different from ordinary oil.

As soon as it leaked from the car and came into contact with the heat, it reacted rapidly and fueled the flames.

It seemed that the gang was using a different type of fuel for their vehicles, not ordinary fuel.

That small coincidence and Lenok’s plan combined to create a spectacle in the night sky.

Kwaang! Kwaaang!! Kwaaaang!!!

The explosions didn’t stop with just one.

Explosions echoed one after another, and fireballs rose like fireworks into the dark sky.

They were paying the price for their reckless and unprepared ramming.

With the ground shaking, the surroundings suddenly became as bright as day.

In that light, Lenok could see the face of the leader of the gang.

A shaved head and a face that looked younger than he expected. A long scar on his mouth. And a loose-fitting tracksuit that didn’t quite match the dignity of a leader.

The other man standing next to him was holding a slender, long cane and had a strange smile on his face.

Lenok’s eyes lit up as he noticed the subtle magic power emanating from the man with the cane.

‘A mage.’

This was the third time he had encountered another mage.

Professor Aris Richelene. A search-type mage who was helping the scavengers. And this man.

And it was almost the first time he was facing one directly.

What kind of magic would he use? How should he respond? What was his main type? What kind of Sinister system did he have?

Would it be better to attack first? Or should he take the hit and counter?

‘I want to know.’

Lenok, who had thought of dozens of things the moment he saw the mage, was slightly surprised to find himself being consumed by his own thoughts.

“…….”

Losing focus in front of hundreds of gang members was dangerous.

But he was so curious.

What kind of magic did the mages of this world truly use?

What kind of attacks and mind games would they force on him? How would they try to counter the magic he used?

His reason and judgment, which were perfectly suited to his talent as a mage, were not just enjoying the moment, but completely indulging in it.

That’s right. Facing the search-type mage he had met last time felt too anticlimactic.

He couldn’t even block Lenok’s interference, and instead, his magic was deciphered, and he didn’t die from shock due to the overclocking.

But this mage was different.

He was one of the two leaders standing at the forefront of the gang, wasn’t he?

He might be able to have a much higher level of combat.

“…..Hoo.”

…..Calm down.

As he took a deep breath, the smoke pierced deep into his lungs.

Along with a dull sensation hitting the back of his head, the drug’s ingredients that quickly permeated his body slightly increased his strength.

Lenok, who had quickly regained his composure, turned his gaze back to his surroundings.

The effect of the [Claymore] was so explosive that a hole had been blown in the encirclement that had surrounded the area.

In the first place, the idea of blocking an escape route with only about a hundred people was absurd, but it was a positive thing that there were fewer troops than before.

In fact, those standing in front of Lenok seemed to have noticed the situation, and their faces were full of color.

He spread his magic power and quickly scanned the surroundings again.

‘A little over ten cars were destroyed. The remaining number is almost exactly one hundred.’

And almost all of them were concentrated in front of the warehouse.

There was no reason to be careless, but there was no need to be tense anymore.

He brought his right hand to his neck and activated his magic power.

Woo-oong!!

With the intense vibration of magic power, the words that came from his voice echoed loudly like thunder.

[How long are you going to just keep waiting?]

“……!!!”

[Come in. I’m sure you have something to say.]

The engine sounds that had been deafening his ears suddenly stopped.

Along with the somewhat agitated murmuring of the people, he could hear the sound of others getting out of the cars.

The flames that had been clinging to the completely destroyed cars disappeared, and darkness fell again.

Through the dim darkness, he could hear the sound of people approaching, step by step.

The gang was actually walking into the warehouse, as Lenok had said.

Normally, the gang would never show a willingness to talk like this, as Lenok had suggested.

From the gang’s point of view, they just needed to wipe out everyone gathered here and secure the new drug sample.