Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 432

If a clone is made with this level of precision, it’s almost certainly a forbidden technique using human sacrifice. And it must be a type of ritual created with the power of an apostle.

Lenok had directly faced the apostle ritual, ‘Scales of Amrita,’ which was used for large-scale teleportation at the Eight Trigrams Fortress, and was aware of its efficiency.

“…That’s really amazing, Evan.”

Kasia, who had been watching the scene with bated breath, couldn’t hide her admiration.

“How can you be so overwhelmingly dominant in a situation where you’re practically surrounded…? It’s hard to believe even while watching. Are you perhaps a soldier instead of a traveler?”

“He seems even more of a monster than before… Is it just my imagination?”

Archwood, whose complexion was slightly pale due to the aftereffects of his injury, seemed rather relieved after seeing Lenok’s actions.

“If the Guiding Order realizes that you’re too troublesome to deal with, they won’t be so persistent. If they’ve clearly recognized your skills, they might even retreat-”

“More importantly, look at this.”

Lenok, interrupting Archwood’s words, pointed to the face of the dead priest.

The face of the priest, who had fallen with blood flowing from his temples, had changed into that of a completely different person.

The faces of the other two also turned serious upon confirming this.

“A transformation ritual… Or did they control someone else?”

“That’s a race not commonly seen in the Balkans. They’re likely a member of the Order.”

At Archwood’s words, Lenok turned to him with a slightly surprised expression.

“Why, what’s wrong…?”

“No. I just thought you were making a surprisingly reasonable point…”

“…”

Archwood, unable to say anything, coughed and began to subtly gauge Lenok’s reaction.

“More importantly, would you like to talk for a bit after this is over? I’d like to have a constructive conversation about the royalties and capital investment for your paper…”

“…”

Lenok acknowledged Archwood’s consistency in trying to latch onto him as the author of the paper, even in this brief moment.

Ignoring Archwood, who was subtly appealing to their past connections and mentioning investment in the research results of the paper, Lenok rummaged through his pockets.

“Do you know that your paper has already been cited nearly 8,000 times? This is an absurd number even just within the pure magic academia. If we find a suitable investment and proceed with the research in earnest, the business success is already guaranteed…”

“Camilla, this is Evan. It’s over on this side.”

[We’re still searching on this side.]

Ignoring Archwood’s nonsense, he immediately started the call.

The person Lenok had called before starting this operation, asking to work together.

Lenok had contacted the Antares Mercenary Group, with whom he had built a relationship under the name of Evan, in advance.

“I haven’t found the exact location, but I’ve confirmed the terrain and scenery. I’ll send you the relevant data, so please search around the outskirts of the city.”

Lenok said that, checked the contact information, and spoke again.

“I’ve sent a photo taken during the battle. They’re likely to have this appearance.”

[Okay. Since you’re also our little brother’s teacher, I’ll take care of this matter for sure.]

A unique, cackling laugh echoed from the other end of the line.

[We have a particularly strong uncle who has returned from injury in our mercenary group… Huh?]

Milla’s voice, which had been coming from the receiver, suddenly cut off.

“What’s wrong?”

[Hmm, well, that’s…]

Milla said, sounding slightly flustered.

[The commander is coming himself?]

* * *

Near a large city. An unnamed plain.

A small cave nestled among randomly jutting rocks.

Among the dozens of people lying as if dead, a few convulsed as if having a seizure before collapsing limply.

As someone watching from the side gave a signal, a woman walked out from deep inside the cave.

Her face was stiff as she looked around at the priests.

“What, is it already over?”

The appearance of Amila Bainzer, who had just died from Lenok’s bullet piercing her head.

Her complexion looked perfectly fine, without any wounds, but her expression as she looked at the people lying on the cave floor was not good.

“Camrodal’s dolls… That’s why I don’t like this ritual. I only find out what’s going on after the ritual is over.”

The words spoken by the doll that had projected Amila’s consciousness just before it died were not false.

The apostle ritual created using the power of Camrodal, the 8th Apostle of the Order, Camrodal’s Doll, is a ritual that sacrifices the same number of humans to project one’s clone onto the sacrifice.

Once a doll is created based on her memories and abilities, it moves independently, and those memories are transmitted to the caster only after the clone dies.

“It can’t be helped, can it?”

Gavin, a young man who had been leaning against the cave wall and watching the situation, replied calmly.

“This method is the best way to gather information without directly entering the city. It’s only natural that the reward is insufficient as we’re not taking on any risks.”

A clone created based on the caster’s memories and abilities does not have the same combat power as the main body, but its thinking and judgment are comparable to the main body.

Even if it’s difficult to use directly in combat, it should be possible to enter the city and investigate information.

In fact, Camrodal’s Doll was the forbidden technique of human sacrifice most frequently used by priests who preached the Order’s doctrines.

However, Amila immediately shook her head at Gavin’s words.

“No, that’s not what I mean. The clone’s memories haven’t returned.”

“…!!”

What does it mean that the clone’s memories have not properly returned even though the priests offered as sacrifices have died?

It meant that something very strange had happened to her doll in the city.

The atmosphere surrounding Amila instantly became tense.

“What should we do?”

“Scales of Amrita. Contact the branch right now and tell them to prepare. We’re getting ready to escape.”

“Understood.”

There was no need to foolishly remain in this place when they knew things were going wrong.

They had to leave this place right now.

As the priests began to move quickly, Amila opened her mouth again.

“Ah, and while you’re preparing the ritual, get one priest ready separately.”

“What are you planning to do?”

“If not now, I won’t be able to confirm it. I’ll have to meet our great 8th Apostle directly.”

Thud!

Without hesitation, she killed one of the priests she had brought and offered him as a sacrifice, opening the mental network to communicate directly with the apostle.

The fanatics armed with doctrine were too far gone to fear death.

“Kuh…”

The fanatic looked blankly at his heart being pierced.

The blood that rose above his heart transformed into a wriggling cephalopod shape and floated into the air.

The cephalopod slowly looked around, then found Amila’s face and muttered in a languid tone.

[Bainzer… What is it…? I told you not to call me like this.]

“Amila Bainzer, the bishop of the Northeastern Branch of the Order, will receive the 8th Apostle.”

Amila bowed her head respectfully, cold sweat running down her forehead.

“It’s not that, but I would like to ask you to briefly tell us about the memories of the ritual we just used…”

[I made a big mistake.]

The cephalopod’s tone was slow, as if it was too lazy to even properly vibrate, but its timbre was truly chilling.

[Instead of thanking me for using the ritual, you seek the reason for its failure from me? Before the end comes, I should cleanse all the believers with my own hands.]

“…I apologize.”

[Originally, I shouldn’t even forgive you for asking such a question… But I owe you a great debt…]

Camrodal’s eyes slowly closed.

[Knowing that, you must have sought me out… It’s audacious… But fine…]

As the 8th Apostle showed a sign of agreement, the other priests secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

The 8th Apostle Camrodal.

One of the very few single-digit apostles who have not yet fallen into madness, his power deals with the division and imitation of consciousness and spirit.

With the power he received from the End of the Outer Sea, Camrodal infinitely divides his consciousness, imitating an Ascendant [a being of higher power], and suppressing his madness, and through this, he was still active for the Order.

Although his nature is eccentric and chaotic, making him difficult to deal with, unlike other apostles, he was not someone who could not be reasoned with at all.

Amila had aimed for that and opened the mental network to directly hear about the development process of the ritual from Camrodal.

Even if the memories of the clone created by Camrodal’s Doll ritual are not transmitted to the caster, the owner of the ritual would have received the thoughts of the doll created by his power.

Of course, Amila did not call the apostle directly like this every time an apostle ritual failed.

‘It doesn’t make sense that the doll that entered the city died so quickly. There must be something of equal value.’

Although its combat ability was infinitely inferior to the main body, there was no way that the clone, which had inherited some of her memories and judgment, would have died in vain.

If so, it must have been because it had encountered a reason or a strong enemy.

At the very least, she had to know what her clone was trying to do.

[I see…]

Camrodal, who had been silent, slowly nodded his slippery cephalopod head.

[You met a strong one. A skilled hunter and a seeker of excellent knowledge. Your doll approached to obtain the technique that person created and was defeated.]

“…”

[Even though you set a trap first, you couldn’t escape… In the end, that person messed with the clone’s head, and the ritual went awry… It’s quite natural that the memories weren’t transmitted.]

The reason why the memories of what Amila’s clone had experienced were not properly transmitted to the main body.

It was because the clone’s consciousness system was severely damaged in the process of Lenok hitting her head with various reactions and checking for inflammation.

Amila’s clone herself was not aware of it, but it was a side effect that occurred when the cult leader became aware of himself in her head and had a conversation with Lenok.

It was due to an overload caused by the intervention of an existence superior to the apostle’s ritual, but no one noticed it.

“Can you tell me what that technique is?”

[Impossible. Only the intense emotions felt just before death remain.]

Amila nodded.

“I need to find out. If it moved while ignoring the existing orders, it must be something of undeniable value.”

[Do as you please. But you will not be able to achieve it.]

“…Excuse me?”

Amila, who was about to call Gavin to prepare, stopped in her tracks upon hearing the apostle’s words.

[The reason I responded to your call today was not to grant your request, but to see that person’s face.]

“What… What on earth…?”

Amila felt a chill run down her spine, and her mind began to race.

Quickly reaching a conclusion, she shouted to the surrounding priests.

“Everyone, run away and hide!! Someone is coming here right now-”

“Amila Bainzer.”

At that moment, as someone whispered her name, the other priests all collapsed like puppets with their strings cut.

“Northeastern Branch Director of the Guiding Order. 58 years old. A manipulator-type sorcerer. Born in Kavahim, lost both parents in the highlands of the Northern Continent, and joined the Order. Granted the official position of priest before the age of twenty and rose to the position of bishop at forty-two.”

“…”

“Five years ago, you took over the position of Northeastern Branch Director of the Order, pushed out the Far Eastern Branch amidst the chaotic situation, and regained influence. You drastically increased the number of believers joining the doctrine.”

Amila, not flustered by the calm male voice reciting her life history, quietly looked around at the fallen priests.

Amila let out a hollow laugh as she confirmed that even Gavin, the young man who had been supporting her so reliably, had stopped breathing with his eyes wide open.

“…They’re all dead. It wasn’t a preemptive strike either. He really cut off their breaths the moment he recognized our reaction.”

It was not at a level that could be concluded as simply a superhuman with outstanding skills.

The perfect and clean handiwork that was tantamount to issuing a death sentence to all living beings the moment he stepped into this cave.

A physical ability user at their peak. At the very least, a Saint-level ability user who has completed their hierarchy.

What does it mean that no one noticed such a strong person approaching so closely, and that only the 8th Apostle Camrodal recognized that fact?

However, such thoughts of Amila were swept away and disappeared by the next words the man uttered.

“In five years, you will win the internal power struggle within the Order and rise to the position of general manager who integrates the Eastern Continent. You will accumulate more achievements in the future, directly confront the cult leader, and succeed to the position of the 5th Apostle. You will be granted the power of ‘Gallatia,’ one of the Ends of the Outer Sea, and play a leading role in breaking through the central front.”

“What, what are you saying…? What is that…!!”

“At the end of the world, you were very likely standing next to the cult leader.”

The man, who slowly grabbed her chin and turned her to face him, smiled.

“You’re lucky. Today, I can erase that possibility from the Order’s ranks.”

A tall figure with a fur coat draped over his shoulders. The face of a young man smiling with a gentle expression.

However, the aura emanating from that smile was by no means friendly.

The moment Amila recognized the man’s face and widened her eyes.

“Antares…!!!”

Crack!

A dull sound of someone’s neck being twisted in the opposite direction echoed in the quiet cave.