Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 299

Kuuung!!

“So, that’s it…!! I understand.”

Mayer’s expression turned serious as he quickly grasped Lenok’s words.

“If they went to such lengths to kill me, they must be in a desperate situation. Even if it’s a bit of a hassle, it’s best to root them out for good.”

Instead of replying, Lenok glanced inside his coat.

Davie was replying to the messages that a flustered Panoa was sending to his phone.

It seemed the people remaining in the conference room weren’t of much interest. Was Mayer the only target?

Thinking this, Lenok gripped the throttle harder.

Buaaaang!!

The bike accelerated once more as it exited the dense city area. Small sparks flew from the road, blurring the surrounding scenery into streaks.

From the moment they left the 10th district’s core area, the number of vehicles rapidly tailing the bike increased noticeably.

Each one was a black car with heavily tinted windows. Though the models varied, they were all painted matte black, not reflecting even a hint of light.

“…”

The scale was so massive that even Lenok was surprised. It was enough to make one believe they had mobilized an entire military unit.

Weeing!!

The windows of the vehicles lined up behind the bike opened.

What emerged were not human faces, but dozens of gun barrels.

Mayer’s face stiffened, and at the same moment Lenok sharply turned the bike’s handlebars.

Tututututututu!!!

The gun barrels fired in unison, creating a wide spread of impacts, sending countless sparks flying on the road.

“Uwaaaah!!”

Mayer screamed, unable to look back, gripping Lenok’s shoulder tightly, but Lenok ignored him and continued to drive the bike relentlessly.

Simple gunfire wouldn’t even damage the shield, let alone this monster bike prototype.

The opponents must know this, so if they started using force in the middle of the city, there was only one reason.

They wanted to stop Mayer from escaping and keep him here at all costs.

Kwaang!

Going beyond simple gunfire, black jeeps pulled up on both sides of the bike, closing in.

It was a daring approach, knowing who Lenok was.

Perhaps they calculated that he wouldn’t be able to use powerful and precise magic while driving the bike directly.

It was a reasonable judgment, but if he were so easily cornered, he wouldn’t have even attempted this in the first place.

Lenok muttered as he tightened his grip on the bike’s brakes.

“Davie.”

[Riding assistance algorithm overhaul complete. Initiating evasive maneuvers.]

Kkiiik!

The bike, which had been speeding to avoid the bullets from behind, suddenly lowered its center of gravity and tilted sharply.

Lenok, and even Mayer’s shoulder, came close to scraping the asphalt as the bike drastically slowed down.

Kiiiiiiiiik!!

“…!!!”

The other cars, unable to react in time, narrowly missed the bike.

The moment he regained control of the bike, which had almost come to a complete stop, was fleeting.

It was a feat impossible without exquisite balance, timing, and perfect control of the throttle.

Among the pursuers, some who recognized the difficulty of the stunt opened their mouths in surprise.

Lenok immediately changed direction and began to drive vertically down the empty road.

The thick tires were not heading towards the front or back of the road blocked by dozens of vehicles, but towards the shopping district with buildings lined up.

Kagagak!!

He lifted the front wheel of the bike onto the wall of a shopping building where no one was walking.

Mayer’s face turned pale as he understood Lenok’s intentions.

“…I’m not sure if my grip will hold out until the end.”

“You can relax. The seatbelt is sufficient.”

“What on earth are you… Ugh!!”

Buaaaang!!

Lenok didn’t reply and just pulled the throttle.

The bike, violently rotating, began to climb the building wall vertically.

It was a choice only possible for Lenok, who controlled the bike’s center of gravity with magic and assisted with levitation magic.

The pursuers, who had been relentlessly firing, stopped pulling the trigger at the sight of the unconventional driving path.

Tutututututu!!!

The bike, having turned at a right angle, began to race vertically up the building’s exterior walls.

It was an unreal movement that seemed to defy gravity.

“C-can a mage even escape like that…?”

“An ordinary mage would have trouble even levitating their own body with magic. That’s only possible for that man.”

“Get a grip and step on it!! If we lose him here, all our preparations will be for naught!!”

“…He won’t get away. I’ve already requested air support!!”

The pursuers, quickly regaining their senses, stepped on the gas, watching the bike’s receding figure.

Thud thud!!

Lenok, having quickly escaped the encirclement, came down from the building’s exterior wall and sped down the middle of the empty road.

“To reduce traffic this much at this time…!!”

Mayer tried his best to look around and provide Lenok with helpful information.

“It’s impossible unless they control intersections beyond the crosswalks to adjust traffic density!! We need to avoid areas where roads with many lanes meet!!”

“Understood.”

It wasn’t impossible to hack the traffic signals at intersections to adjust the direction or to detour them by pretending there was construction.

Rather, the fact that they could immediately grasp Lenok’s escape route and do such a thing proved the meticulousness of the opposing organization.

Lenok, who had quickly changed direction following the map route Davie displayed on the bike’s AI interface, was about to accelerate when.

Tututututututu!!

A helicopter blocked the bike’s path, accompanied by a sound that seemed to crush the air.

A surreal steel monster appeared in the middle of the open six-lane road.

The rotor blades, constantly rotating and vibrating, emitted a deep tremor, and the black, glossy body quietly looked down at the bike.

Lenok looked up at it and smiled.

“This is unexpected… Do they think there won’t be another chance if not now?”

Such shootings and explosions were common in the outer districts, but it was rare to see equipment like this, which was usually used for military purposes.

Unless it was a matter of life and death for a superhuman, mobilizing heavy firepower like a helicopter would allow the city government to intervene.

Yet, in the inner area of the 30th district, they were openly mobilizing equipment to kill a city council member.

[Was there ever any common sense in this city from the beginning?]

Davie muttered indifferently, but Lenok didn’t have time to respond.

Weeeeing!!

The missile hanging directly below the helicopter’s heavy body scattered flames and fell onto the middle of the road.

Mayer’s jaw dropped at the absurd level of firepower, which was beyond excessive.

Before a hoarse scream could escape his throat, Lenok moved first.

Chwararararak!!

While gripping the throttle with his right hand, he extended his left hand and indiscriminately scattered hundreds of strands of magic in all directions.

Hundreds of strands of magic wrapped around and supported the buildings that rose beside the six-lane road like a spiderweb, forming a spiraling cone in the center.

He caught the missile flying straight through it, reducing its rotation and impact, and held it in mid-air just before it exploded.

Chiiik!!

“…!!!!!”

An unbelievable feat of stopping a missile fired in mid-air with his bare hands.

While those who witnessed the scene, and even the person who fired the missile, were stunned, Lenok quickly drove the bike under the helicopter and sped down the road.

Mayer, who had been clinging to Lenok’s back and witnessing all these miracles, clicked his tongue silently.

“…I’ve thought this before, but you really don’t seem like a normal human. Do you even know what you just did?”

“I eliminated the possibility of being blamed for causing civilian casualties by using force in the city.”

Kkiik!!

Lenok replied, glancing at the map that appeared on the interface.

“My colleague has already secured all the CCTV data. With this, we can be sure that there’s no chance we’ll be blamed.”

In reality, it was all the work of the digital spirit curled up in his chest, but there was no need to explain that to Mayer.

Ignoring Mayer’s voice of admiration, Lenok muttered coldly.

“All that’s left is to find the ones who made this troublesome and crush them.”

* * *

After shaking off a few more pursuers, Lenok quickly arrived at the destination he had set and stopped the bike.

Kiiiiiiik!!

The bike’s engine was burning hot from the violent movements.

Traces of wear and tear were visible on the thick tires from the continuous friction with the road surface.

The bike was obtained through a deal with Sebastian. Its mobility and durability were beyond compare, but despite its size and class, it was surprisingly delicate and required careful maintenance.

Lenok clicked his tongue briefly and got off the bike, quickly looking around.

It was an abandoned dock with old containers piled up.

The ships visible behind him were rusted and lying on the dry side of the sea.

Mayer, who got off the bike following Lenok, looked around.

“…This is Altara Port in the 29th district.”

“You knew about it.”

“I heard it’s been abandoned since construction was halted after a chemical accident at a nearby factory. It’s one of the areas the city government promised to redevelop, so I’ve been keeping an eye on it.”

Mayer, muttering with a pale face, grabbed his trembling legs and slowly sat down.

“I’m sorry. This old body isn’t listening to me.”

“It’s alright.”

He was an elderly man, close to the age of Jorden, the old man who worked with Lenok.

The fact that he hadn’t lost consciousness while riding the bike with Lenok proved his resilience.

It was no surprise that he had lost all his strength now that the tension had eased.

Lenok looked down at Mayer, who was breathing heavily, and pondered.

‘What should I do…’

If it was just a matter of lacking physical strength, he could use the Thunder God or a potion to restore his energy, but he couldn’t guess whether Mayer’s body could withstand it.

The medicines and magic Lenok used were all made and researched thoroughly to match his own condition and symptoms.

In terms of natural weakness, Lenok and Mayer might not be that different, but that was precisely why artificial doping should be avoided.

‘It’ll take about 10 minutes for support to arrive. It’s better to assume they won’t come.’

He had contacted Panoa and Jenny about the destination in advance, but they said the roads were blocked and it was difficult to move.

He had contacted Killian, a member of the Dyke Corporation, but if that was the case, the speed at which Lenok’s colleagues arrived wouldn’t be that different.

Lenok, having made a quick decision, took out a talisman from his chest and placed it in Mayer’s hand.

“It’s a druid’s talisman. It will help conceal your presence if you carry it.”

“I’m sorry I couldn’t be of more help.”

Mayer said, coughing dryly.

“With no way to know who the traitor is among my aides, it’s difficult to call for help…”

“On the contrary, once this is over, it means we can clean up the inside neatly.”

Lenok said, leaving Mayer behind and turning his head.

“It won’t take long.”

The abandoned port was filled with old containers.

If it was the presence-concealing ability of the talisman, which even the old Lenok had not been aware of, it would be enough to hide Mayer.

While checking his condition as he lit another cigarette, the pursuers, who had arrived late, began to surround the port in a line.

Tutututututu!!

Two huge helicopters appeared almost simultaneously in the sky on both sides.

On the ground, dozens of jeeps blocked the entrance to the port, and the people who got out of them quickly began to surround Lenok.

Kuuung!!

Lenok couldn’t help but chuckle as he confirmed the appearance of an armored vehicle that had smashed through a container wall and an old tank.

“It’s rare to see guys moving like this even in undeveloped areas. Did they come here with a plan from the start?”

“This wouldn’t have happened if you hadn’t made a big deal out of it.”

A man who walked out from among the lined-up people spat and said.

He had all sorts of tattoos and ornaments on his nose and ears, and his clothes were decorated in a flamboyant array of colors.

He looked far from a soldier. The strange glow flickering from the spear in his hand was impressive.

The man walked up to Lenok with a swagger, stared up at his face, and then smirked.

“So, this is what Gyonroe looks like? You’re much cleaner than I thought. I thought you were some kind of ugly monster, the way you always hide your face.”

“Judging by your attire, you don’t seem to be part of the defense forces… Are you from a gang?”

“Listen up. I won’t say it twice.”

The man said, tapping the floor with the shaft of his spear.

“Hand over the old man you’re with. Then I’ll let you go.”

“…”

“We’re from the same back alley, and I’m giving you a special pass because you didn’t touch our guys while running away. Got it?”

The man’s eyes gleamed strangely.

It was a dangerous atmosphere, as if he would rush in and tear off his limbs at any moment.

But Lenok just stared at his face and muttered.

“So, you’re the Bardiche Brotherhood.”

“…”

“The most recent news was a local newspaper article about your deputy leader, who was sentenced to death, attempting to escape… After that, there’s been an unusual lack of news about you. If you’ve appeared like this today, there’s only one reason.”

He compared the faces of everyone present with the city government’s network database. He collected news articles from the media that had ever exposed their identities to track their affiliations.

Lenok, looking into the man’s wavering eyes, smirked.

“Did you save your deputy leader’s life in exchange for becoming a dog for one of the city council members? For a lawless group with no roots, your loyalty is impressive.”

Kwaaang!!

At that moment, a flash of light flickered between the man and Lenok, and a light shockwave rippled through the foggy dock.

The man, who had thrust his spear into the shield that Lenok had erected, growled.

“Keep talking if you want to die.”

“It seems not all the council members want this to succeed.”

Lenok, who had taken the cigarette from his mouth, muttered as he slowly walked forward.

The man, enraged, tried to swing the spear he was holding, but the spearhead that had pierced the shield did not move any further.

Kkigik…!!

“Shit!! What is this!!”

A mass of magic threads that had bound his entire body was gripping him so tightly that he couldn’t even move a finger.

It was a restraint that had gathered the weight of dozens of old containers scattered around and adjusted it exquisitely.

It was such a precise control of power that even a skilled magic user wouldn’t know where to start to break free.

“Were you planning to kill Mayer and then pin the blame on the underworld connections? With the power of a city council member, it wouldn’t have been impossible.”

“Y-y-yik!!!”

The man struggled madly, looking at the flickering cigarette light in front of him, but it was meaningless.

Lenok slowly flicked the cigarette’s flame onto the top of the man’s head and muttered.

“So, you chose the day we made an appointment to meet to come out. But because I ran away with Mayer, your plan went to waste.”

“Aaaah, aaaaah!!”

Hwararararak!!!

At the same time as the cigarette flame flickered, the man’s body began to burn fiercely, as if he had been doused in oil.

The man’s body, tightly bound by magic threads, writhed and convulsed as he burned alive, but even then, the magic threads did not budge.

The flames illuminated by a human being turned into firewood.

The organization members standing behind him all swallowed hard at the sight of that terrible sentence.

With a decent eye, they wouldn’t even be able to notice the existence of the magic threads.

To them, it looked like the vanguard of the Brotherhood had just burned to death while struggling on his own.

The man’s breath was cut off as his insides burned, and the spear he had been holding until that moment fell to the ground.

Tung!

Lenok slowly bent down, picked up the spear, and said.

“It’s been three years since I started working in this city.”

“…”

“If you know about me, you should know that this whole thing is meaningless, right?”

Even though he didn’t utter any momentum or murderous intent, the wizard in front of them felt a strange pressure.

It was the power that only a warrior who had survived countless battlefields and stages, stepping on countless opponents, could possess.

Admiration for a being who had passed through countless corpses in this city, where defeat was directly linked to death.

Who was the one who made them realize the unchanging truth that they would die more strongly than anyone else?

A cold silence flowed among those who had surrounded the port. The sight of people stepping back one by one.

“I’ve heard countless stories about Gyonroe too.”

Before the chaotic atmosphere could spiral out of control, someone spoke from the very back of the crowd.

At the same time as the voice was heard, the crowd parted, and someone walked out through the gap.

“A madman who likes to fight even though he’s a mage, who enjoys dueling monsters alone, a ghost-like man who seeks blood more than money… How could we not be afraid?”

The one who had stepped forward, receiving everyone’s consideration despite arriving last, was a young man who had not yet shed his boyishness.

The young man looked up at Lenok and smiled brightly.

“But, when it comes to being scary, money is scarier.”