Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 470

As Lenok stared at Madam, who had abruptly stood up, she pressed her lips together.

“……”

She quietly settled back into the armchair like a ghost, cleared her throat lightly, and spoke again.

[Ahem, I apologize for the commotion. I haven’t often received immediate agreement in this kind of transaction…]

“No, it’s fine.”

[Are you serious about giving blood? I hope there won’t be any unnecessary wordplay that upsets us both. Even though I was planning to introduce you to Murphy because of the blood mage boy, changing your words when dealing with a vampire is…]

“So, that doctor’s name is Murphy.”

Lenok replied with a nonchalant expression, and only then did Madam’s voice become sharp.

[…A drop of blood from an 8th-level Archmage. Do you know what it means to say you can give it to me right here, right now?]

“……”

[That’s like declaring in front of me that the realm of Fortitude, which no one has been able to confirm until now, has already reached a level beyond the hierarchy—]

“Don’t get ahead of yourself.”

Lenok said, slowly reaching inside his coat.

He watched Madam’s veil, which had quietly settled, as he slowly pulled something out.

Her gaze was fixed on the finger-sized object Lenok had produced.

“If I’ve presented the terms of the deal and you’ve shown a willingness to accept, the details can be adjusted at any time.”

[……]

“The reason I’m accepting your terms is that I’m also concerned about this matter. I want a solid guarantee, even if it means taking some risks.”

*Thump.*

Lenok placed a small glass vial on the small round wooden table between them and said,

“A doctor from the Central City. An authority specializing in self-diagnosis fields like blood and genetic analysis. He’s reliable, right?”

[…His name is Alejandro Murphy.]

Madam said, quietly reaching out to pick up the small vial.

[He’s a 47-year-old vampire who has lived for over 100 years.]

“……”

[He was one of the very few who managed to escape when Ars Nova fell. He was a very skilled doctor in his field, even in the Central City.]

She carefully lifted the vial, slightly raised her veil, and slowly checked the contents.

From Lenok’s position, her face was obscured by shadows and an unknown magical power.

Madam stared intently at the single drop of deep red blood inside the vial and murmured.

[His skill and experience go without saying, but the diagnostic records he brought out when he escaped the Central City are like a supreme treasure. Just by having some of the diagnostic records from the Central City, which boasted the most extensive data on the continent, there are more than enough people who want his treatment.]

Diagnostic records from the Central City. This was information Lenok hadn’t even heard properly from Jenny.

He had only thought that a doctor from Ars Nova would have that much skill, but he never imagined that they would have brought out the data from when they worked in that city.

If it was diagnostic records kept in a city of that size, it would undoubtedly have a vast amount and categories that were different from existing medical data.

Perhaps it could even provide new or groundbreaking diagnoses that had not been presented to Lenok until now.

As Lenok thought this, Madam, who had placed the vial down with both hands, nodded.

[I’ll contact Murphy. He’ll be waiting.]

“Is it a sufficient gift for the terms of the deal?”

[A promise is a promise. But I never thought you, Fortitude, would offer something like this as payment.]

Madam’s veil trembled faintly as she spoke.

[To have the blood of an 8th-level mage who isn’t yourself… Did you perhaps think that a deal like this might happen?]

“There’s no way.”

Lenok said, slowly putting on his coat and getting up from his seat.

What Madam had requested as a condition of the deal was not Lenok’s blood, but a single drop of blood from an 8th-level Archmage.

Strictly speaking, it didn’t matter much who the owner of that blood was.

That’s why Lenok decided to choose a different method instead of rashly handing over a drop of his blood to Madam in this place.

The fingernail that the clown had given Lenok at the end of the jungle as a mark of passing. The clown’s blood was deeply embedded in it.

“I just happened to have it stored away. If it weren’t for this, I wouldn’t have even remembered it.”

Even so, the clown was clearly an 8th-level Specialization mage.

There was no way Madam wouldn’t recognize the specialness contained in that blood.

Moreover, since it was an item that the clown had given to Lenok of his own volition, it perfectly met Madam’s conditions.

It seemed that the act of giving blood willingly was considered to have a special meaning for vampires, so Lenok also needed to be cautious.

At least after learning how Madam intended to use the clown’s blood, it would be better to give her Lenok’s blood when they traded again later.

Madam, perhaps realizing that Lenok had no intention of drawing his blood on the spot, sighed softly and got up from her seat.

[Okay… It’s in the form of blood, but this overwhelming density is beyond the typical physical composition. It’s definitely the blood of an 8th-level mage.]

“……”

[Here’s Murphy’s hospital location and personal contact information. I’ll contact him, so you can go and meet him right away.]

Madam picked up a fountain pen on the table, scribbled something in a small notebook, tore it out, and handed it to Lenok.

[It was a good deal. I hope you’ll come back with a problem big enough for me to ask for your blood next time.]

Lenok chuckled at Madam’s somewhat sulky words.

In the end, she hadn’t asked for Lenok’s blood directly, and had unintentionally received something else instead.

Madam seemed to want a drop of Lenok’s blood as payment more than the 8th-level mage’s blood she had just obtained.

“If you’re more helpful than that doctor Murphy, then anytime.”

[Hmm…]

Leaving Madam, who was making a humming sound, Lenok picked up the note and turned around as if he had remembered something just as he was about to leave the room.

“On the way up, I broke some of the facilities in the castle. Please understand.”

He had destroyed the elevator’s power system and all sorts of facilities with magical overload, so he had to mention it in advance.

However, Madam nodded as if she didn’t care much about Lenok’s words.

[Ah, you mean the Tokerphuz’s things.]

“…Tokerphuz?”

[Their culture is heavily influenced by the Central City, so there are many novel entertainments. They’re things that can be brought in at any time, so don’t worry about it too much.]

“Novel entertainments, huh…”

[You seem interested? It’s a city that’s practically obsessed with gambling and entertainment. They were also the first to come up with bets and gambling that involved playing with power, like the elevator.]

The elevator installed in Madam’s castle.

That thing that only worked after all the power for the castle’s internal facilities was supplied was a product of Tokerphuz’s entertainment?

When he had heard the story from the clown and Leya, he hadn’t been interested, but it was clear that the city also had a considerable personality.

[If you have time, visit it sometime. There are all sorts of amazing human groups there.]

“I’ll keep it in mind.”

If Madam mentioned it like this, it meant that there was something in that city that was impressive enough to leave a strong impression even on a vampire like her.

Although there were images and scenes that came to mind, Lenok put those thoughts aside for a moment and immediately left Madam’s castle.

Behind Lenok, who was walking out of the lobby tapping his staff, were only freelancers who were keeping their mouths shut and watching his every move.

Only then did Lenok confirm that the atmosphere was similar to the underworld he remembered, and he moved on.

“Davi, can you check the location Madam gave me?”

[It’s an underground complex located in District 44. It’s not far from here. It’ll take about 10 minutes by bike.]

“Any other unusual things?”

[There are no properly taken photos of it in the satellite city, so it’s highly likely that they’re using some kind of method to jam the entire area.]

Davi, who was tilting his head inside his coat, said.

[It seems to be a measure to prevent the leakage of internal data rather than blocking external data.]

“……”

Lenok understood what Davi meant and nodded.

The diagnostic records of the Central City that the doctor named Murphy was keeping. It was probably a means to prevent that data from leaking out.

Lenok immediately called out his monster bike, inserted his staff next to the seat, and pulled the throttle.

*Vroom!!*

Lenok’s new model, which accelerated rapidly, disappeared into the streets.

* * *

As Davi had said, Lenok arrived near District 44 not long after.

While looking around for a place to enter without being seen, his cell phone suddenly started vibrating.

[I thought you looked terrible after fighting Onion.]

A listless voice echoed over the receiver. A presence that made it possible to guess the other person’s power just from their voice.

It was the chairman of the cartel, Oliviera Ron Maze.

[Are you still struggling with an injury?]

At her words, Lenok chuckled while holding the throttle.

“…Has the rumor already spread that far?”

[The executives are making a fuss because a director of the cartel appeared on the street looking half-dead.]

Oliviera said in a truly annoyed tone.

[I don’t think a mage of your caliber would be unable to consider the aftermath. However, please refrain from doing so for the time being. It’s not uncommon for ignorant bugs to seek a quick fortune.]

“Thanks for the advice. But it’s already too late.”

Lenok said, glancing up at the buildings in District 40 that were quickly passing by.

“It seems like everyone who needs to know already knows.”

More than a dozen gazes were directed at the bike, which was making a loud engine noise.

Some of them didn’t even bother to hide their emotions or intentions.

Most of them were 7th-level Ascended Ability users who had completed their hierarchy. The presence of a military-grade powerhouse with a particularly intense aura could also be felt from time to time.

Considering the status that Fortitude had built up in this world, it was an extremely arrogant display of presence.

However, Lenok didn’t think this situation was that surprising.

He was called a blood-crazed mage, but that was because Fortitude possessed powerful combat abilities that were unlike a mage.

However, if he was relying on a life support device, it was obvious that the balance of power had been disrupted.

Even if he was being conservative, his combat endurance would have dropped significantly, and it was clear that he had gained another weakness in the form of the life support device.

The fact that the meticulous Fortitude had revealed himself in this way was proof that he didn’t have the time to weigh the pros and cons.

What if someone took advantage of this opportunity and managed to defeat Fortitude, who boasted an undefeated record?

The bounty on Fortitude’s head on the deep web was already beyond imagination, and capturing him alive would be like obtaining a living treasure chest.

It was obvious that the risk was high, but the return that came with it was also incredibly huge.

If Lenok had really been seriously injured and relying on a life support device, he would have had to avoid encountering such a situation as much as possible.

However, the reason Lenok had come out so openly, even though he knew the atmosphere of the underworld, was that this situation was actually more likely to be helpful.

It would be easier to make excuses even if he had to leave unexpectedly, and it would also be easier to filter out those who were hostile to Lenok.

It would also be easier to handle various suspicious matters under the guise of being sick.

Of course, all of this was based on the fact that Lenok wasn’t actually that sick, but there was no reason not to take advantage of this gap in information that had been created by chance.

[We’ve arrived.]

“…They’re not actually attacking.”

Considering the aura he had felt while passing through the streets, he had thought that a battle would occur at least once, but it was unexpected.

Perhaps they were still trying to keep their distance and see if the rumors were true.

Thinking this, Lenok immediately headed to the underground complex below the commercial district of District 44.

In the corner of a dark and dusty warehouse, only a broken CCTV camera that didn’t have any lights was hanging pathetically.

However, the moment Lenok stood in front of that camera, the warehouse floor seemed to collapse, and a staircase leading to a deeper underground appeared.

*Clunk!!*

The moment Lenok walked out of the dark passage into an open space, he realized that he was standing in the middle of a vast hallway.

A quiet hallway where there was no one to be seen.

At the end of the space, where only pale lights were shining in a row, someone sitting in a wheelchair was looking at Lenok.

“You’re much thinner than I expected.”

A sticky voice, as if something was stuck in his throat.

The person who slowly rolled his wheelchair up to Lenok’s front stared at him for a moment before reaching out his hand.

“Alejandro Murphy. A vampire. It’s an honor to meet the most ruthless mage in the Balkans.”

“…Has that rumor already been exaggerated that far?”

A gaunt-looking young man who looked like he was just over thirty, with thick glasses and a body that was even more withered like an old tree than Lenok’s.

But what was more noticeable was the faint glow of magic that shone on his skin.

Lenok realized that it was a trace of mechanical equipment, including a life support device, that had been inserted into his body.

The man who introduced himself as Murphy was a cyborg who was a vampire and had modified his body with machines.

Without delay, Murphy turned his wheelchair around, and Lenok followed.

“I heard about you from Madam. That you need help.”

“I heard that you’re a well-known authority in the field I want. I heard you’re from the Central City.”

“It’s not a difficult task.”

Murphy replied bluntly.

“If you weren’t a transcendent who had reached a high level.”

He opened the steel door at the end of the hallway, revealing a vast examination room inside.

One side of the examination room was made of glass, but it was strangely blacked out, so nothing could be seen.

“There are many cases where the internal components of transcendents above level 7 change differently from ordinary humans. Do you know that?”

“I have a rough idea.”

“Therefore, if a high-level transcendent is suffering from a major illness or injury, it’s quite difficult to diagnose the exact cause or symptoms.”

“……”

“But that’s why such cases become valuable specimens.”

Murphy turned to look at Lenok, who was silent, and smiled.

“The diagnostic record database that I brought from the Central City. You want to use those records to find out how your body is breaking down, right?”

Murphy’s eyes turned to the staff Lenok was holding.

“Life support device. It’s not bad for a custom-made item, but it’s not enough for a high-level mage. I can make you something much better than this.”

“Like what you’re using now?”

“I can make it in the form of a staff if you want.”

Murphy chuckled.

“However, in order to extract your physical information and form a comparison group in the Central City’s diagnostic record database, there are a few procedures that are necessary. That’s my only condition.”

The vampire’s eyes shone sharply.

“To share the process of carrying out those procedures with my business VIPs. Do you agree?”

“I think I need to know what the procedures are first.”

“It’s nothing much. Just repeating a few simple experiments.”

At Lenok’s nonchalant reply, Murphy immediately snapped his fingers.

At that moment, the blacked-out glass lit up brightly, revealing the scenery beyond.

More than a dozen isolation rooms were created beyond the examination room. Inside, different creatures were trapped one by one, looking this way.

There were unknown plants and animals, human-sized monsters, and even more than five humans.

The moment Lenok understood the meaning and closed his mouth, Murphy said.

“I’m going to extract your blood and inject a drop into each of them in turn.”

“……”

“By comparing the numerical values derived from that and doing a relative analysis, I can extract the most precise data. There’s no more effective way to reduce errors and variables than this.”

“Human experimentation, huh…”

“Hmm, you’re not against this process, are you?”

Murphy’s lips twitched slightly, as if he was surprised.

“They’re death row inmates who were taken out of special prisons with bribes. Serial murder is a given, as well as arson, terrorism, and even cannibalism. If it weren’t for this experiment, they wouldn’t be able to breathe the outside air in any way.”

“It seems that Ars Nova handled criminals in this way.”

“There weren’t many opportunities to conduct clinical trials on magic users in such a grand city.”

Murphy replied, tapping the armrest of his wheelchair.

“It was something we couldn’t give up, so we carefully selected those who were deemed to have no chance of rehabilitation and persuaded them to contribute to the development of the city.”

“…Who are your business VIPs?”

“Actually, it’s been quite a while since I stopped being a doctor. I only occasionally treat acquaintances as a side job to expand my business.”

Murphy said, snapping his fingers once more.

At that moment, the wall cabinet in the examination room opened as if it was being turned upside down, revealing countless blood storage test tubes.

They looked like the display case in Madam’s room, but the test tubes were somewhat similar to the form of an ampule.

The size and shape were such that it wouldn’t be strange to inject them with a needle right away.

“In the long history of doping, blood doping, where one’s own blood is drawn in advance and then injected back into the body to achieve an effect, has been very popular.”

Murphy said.

“But if the rejection reaction to other people’s blood can be reduced, it’s possible to do it with other blood, not just one’s own. It’s much more stable and has fewer aftereffects than doping with drugs or narcotics. The probability of being caught is also lower.”

“……”

“Everyone needs to achieve results beyond their own abilities. I’m just offering a reasonable deal to those who have such a desperate desire.”

At that moment, countless screens turned on above the isolated space beyond the glass of the examination room, and more than a dozen people began to appear on the screen via video call.

There were men and women of all ages, wearing fancy clothes, makeup, and adorning themselves with luxurious items.

[Doctor, if you’re ready, let’s start quickly.]

[I heard this item isn’t for sale. Then there was no need to participate, was there?]

[Then Manning, you can leave. It’s been a long time since the doctor invited us to a demonstration.]

Everyone, who looked wealthy at a glance, was looking down at the scenery of the isolation room with a somewhat impatient expression.

Some of them were looking around, not seeing Murphy and Lenok on the screen, and were even talking among themselves.

[The championship title finals are in three days. I hope something good comes out.]

[I even skipped my rehearsal for the performance, I have to order at least one set!]

[I have an important deal with the dictator of the Western Republic. I hope there’s a good gift.]

There were business people, athletes, singers, as well as high-level magic users, soldiers, and even those who appeared to be priests of the church.

Authorities from various industries from all over the continent, drawn by the results of Murphy’s business.

“They don’t know who the main character of the experiment that will be conducted from now on is. If you don’t give your permission, the blood used in today’s reaction experiment will not be sold.”

Murphy smiled sharply. The mechanical device inside his facial skin glowed, adding a fluorescent light to his smile.

“I’m just sharing and showing the process. Do you understand what this means?”

Only then did Lenok realize what Murphy was thinking and chuckled.

“…You’re planning to use my blood as an advertisement for your blood selling business.”