Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 529

Lenox and Antares were quietly walking through the bustling exhibition hall.

Around them, dozens of aircraft and floating devices slowly passed by.

“That’s a tactical bomber used in the Cavahim Kingdom. It’s scheduled to be discontinued within 10 years.”

“…….”

“That’s a vertical takeoff and landing aircraft from the Paragini Republic. There will probably be a major engine defect and explosion about five years from now.”

“…….”

“And those are reverse-flow control shuttles made by the artisans of Avadria. By now, the mages of the Order Alliance are probably filing a large-scale lawsuit for formula replication.”

Antares was casually explaining the aircraft on display around them.

However, the words flowing from his mouth were not about the history or performance of the aircraft, but about the stories of their demise.

Stories of the future that no one could possibly know now, practically riddles.

Lenox quietly listened to Antares’s explanations, then tilted his head slightly.

“What is it you want to say?”

“…….”

“Are you planning to waste time explaining the specifications of these aircraft to me?”

Only then did Antares slowly stop walking and turn his gaze toward Lenox.

“Well, how should I put it? If I had to say it…….”

He looked at Lenox with a gentle smile and spoke slowly.

“It means that all the aircraft on display in this exhibition hall are not even worth a single anti-gravity technology that came from your fingertips.”

“…….”

“In the first place, this expo concluding without incident and bringing new vitality to this city was something that was not supposed to happen.”

Antares said.

“But the fact that your anti-gravity engine is superior to any aircraft on display here is something anyone can see without needing foresight.”

“You’re saying that things don’t always go as foreseen,” Lenox replied.

“Weren’t you trying to reduce the variables that weren’t mixed into the foresight in that process?”

“It depends on the situation. In Vulcan, I’m trying to minimize my stay to avoid variables, but…….”

Antares smiled wryly and lowered his gaze.

“To me, who has already determined the future, the variables of foresight are also another hope. In a way, you are one of those variables.”

“…….”

“A dark mage in the shadows, a university researcher in the light. It’s hard to believe even while seeing it, this double life.”

Antares asked.

“At least, based on the way I think humans live, these are results that are hard to achieve even one of them properly. When did it start?”

“I want to ask you the opposite,” Lenox said.

“When did you know?”

He was the first person to notice Lenox’s double life, even though he hadn’t been told directly.

But even so, Lenox didn’t unleash his magic or feel any murderous intent toward Antares.

He already knew that being exposed to Antares as both Ban and Evan wouldn’t be a big blow.

Antares had already told Lenox his most fatal and deepest secret.

The ability to foresee the future he gained in exchange for observing his own end.

The unbelievable truth that he was traveling all over the continent to change the future through it.

He was a man with such complicated circumstances that he had difficulty keeping his own secrets, let alone revealing the secrets of others.

If they held each other’s weaknesses, the relationship of trust would not break unless one side collapsed.

Lenox was somewhat aware that Antares might have anticipated this situation and revealed his secret in advance.

Perhaps even that was a fragment of the future leading to the end.

“Seeing the future isn’t about blindly picking out non-existent possibilities.”

Antares stared at Lenox for a moment, then put his hands behind his back and slowly began to walk.

“It’s about taking a fixed ending and looking back at the process of getting there in reverse.”

“…….”

“In that sense, the paper you submitted on magic conversion was incredibly detailed in dealing with the past and future perspectives.”

Antares spoke slowly, leaving Lenox who didn’t answer.

“I don’t know that many people who are talented enough to do something like that.”

Was he saying that he had some idea from the time he submitted his first paper, and now he was sure?

Even while listening to Antares’s explanation, Lenox wasn’t that surprised.

Antares’s actions of coming to Jenny’s bar and explaining the possible terrorist attack at the expo.

That itself was practically impossible unless he was sure of the relationship between Ban and Evan.

Lenox was just curious about how Antares had guessed that fact and connected the two identities.

“So you’re walking backward through the future, knowing that your end is set…….”

Lenox shook his head and asked.

“Do you really believe that there can be an answer beyond what you want at the end?”

“I don’t know,” Antares admitted honestly.

“I don’t think I can do this forever.”

“…….”

“That’s why I want to finish the preparations before it’s too late. The upcoming war and hunt will be so huge that they will change the very concepts that have existed so far.”

The contradiction of using the future glimpsed through foresight to move toward an unforeseen ending.

What Antares was doing was different only in form and method, but it was no different from a clown manipulating and deceiving the Geass [a magical contract or binding].

What was the reason for taking on such risks and wandering around the continent, building up his own arrangements?

What kind of meaning was the flame that remained in Antares’s heart until the end?

“You’ve been intentionally hiding Evan Bailen’s identity until now. Completely different magic patterns and residences, alibis and personal information, even variations in scent and habits…… Your double life was at a level where it was completely impossible to track with physical evidence alone.”

“…….”

“But now that you’ve made these achievements public, the number of people curious about your identity will increase dramatically.”

Antares continued, leaving Lenox who didn’t answer.

“Where on earth did this talent come from, what kind of education did you receive, what kind of knowledge did you learn, what kind of thoughts do you have, and what kind of future do you envision? And…….”

The two stopped walking at the same time.

“What kind of answer do you want?”

It was a fragment of a great dream that humanity once created while yearning for the outside of the world.

The traces of eternity that had turned into bubbles in the face of an irresistible truth and a vast sea of darkness.

Among all the aircraft in the exhibition hall, the space shuttle boasted an overwhelmingly large scale, size, and output.

Antares quietly looked at it and murmured.

“They’ll want to grasp and understand it.”

“…….”

“If you want to hide it until the end, you’ll have to be much more careful than you are now. Even if you deceive everyone perfectly, in this world where mystery is alive, any lie can become the truth.”

“……I know,” Lenox answered quietly.

“It was my decision to participate in the expo, even knowing that.”

Lenox, who was looking at the shape of the shuttle that Antares was looking at, smiled.

“Without progress or regression. Sometimes I dream that this time will continue forever…… but we can’t always stay still.”

“…….”

“It’s time for things to change. The second paper is the first step for that.”

The anti-gravity technology that was implemented by imitating the updraft of the Autonomous Region.

It wasn’t just the result of the time spent in the Pilenom Autonomous Region.

The countless hours spent discussing magic theory with Aris at Lavatenon University.

The ideals of the superhumans who were so powerful, strong, and great that he had faced as a Half.

The will of the Commander to hunt the Outer Gods, which he had confirmed at the last moment in the Well of the Manual.

All those wills and memories that stretched out toward the outer sea gathered to become a step toward the answer Lenox desired.

“Opening a path in the sky and pioneering new means of transportation is just the beginning.”

Beyond countless times, past unmeasurable spaces, the end of the outer sea swimming in the incomprehensible universe.

Passing by the abandoned dream of failure, the world gets a little closer to them with this.

“If it was Evan’s role to open the way, then someone else will take over next.”

Lenox continued without hesitation.

“I don’t know how long the changes that will come through anti-gravity technology will take…… but won’t someone use it to find another answer?”

Even if Lenox wasn’t the one to give the answer in the end, it was fine.

If only he could create another path before the end of the world completely arrived with the new step Lenox had presented.

“I see,” Antares smiled.

“But that change won’t take as long as you think.”

“……What?”

“If you keep watching what you can see, you sometimes see what you can’t see.”

A seer doesn’t just passively receive the inspiration that flows in and glimpse the future.

They must have excellent intuition and judgment, intelligence and inspiration, and the ability to distinguish the truth of the inspiration that comes to them.

Otherwise, they would go mad in the immeasurable illusion.

Apart from having a fragment of the omniscience of seeing the future, Antares himself was also a sage who could draw a concrete future based on the past and present.

“The shock that comes from the commercialization of anti-gravity technology. You won’t be able to avoid the aftermath and the recovery process.”

Antares turned his body, seeing Lenox’s slightly stiff face.

“I’m sure now. Your identity must not be exposed at this point, and your abilities and intelligence will be a necessary possibility for the upcoming end.”

“…….”

“I’ll help you a little so you can achieve what you want. That will be the only way to leave a few variables in the upcoming changes.”

“Help me?” Lenox chuckled.

“What help can you give me now to hide my identity?”

“Even in the future that is constantly shaking and changing, there are a few constants that are usually fixed.”

“…….”

Antares’s gaze was no longer directed at the aircraft inside the exhibition hall.

As if he no longer felt any value in them.

His gaze was fixed on Lenox’s eyes.

“The giants of the light will start to move.”

* * *

Buaaaang!!!

A rough engine sound echoed over the dark asphalt.

A pitch-black flash that could barely be seen scattered rough flames on the road and disappeared.

Kkkkkkkk!

Each time the throttle was pulled, the surrounding air heavily pressed down on the shoulders, but the chassis, which moved according to the automatic driving algorithm, deflected even that pressure and protected the user.

Lenox, while adjusting his fluttering coat collar, reached for the earphone in his ear.

“Jenny, how’s the situation on your end?”

-Negotiations failed. The deal is canceled. Changed the plan to take over the goods.

“Got it.”

-Is it possible?

“I’ll need about 10 minutes.”

-No, are you moving on that bike right now? Baaaaaan……!! Even with your condition, if you ride that thing……!!

Click!

Lenox ignored Jenny’s words and immediately increased the speed of the bike.

Buaaaang!!

But on both sides of Lenox, more than a dozen armored vehicles followed as if they had made a promise.

Steel plates that were assembled as hard as armor to withstand any shock and explosion. Nothing could be seen inside the darkly tinted windows.

Instead, the mechanical rapid-fire cannons that protruded from both sides of the armored vehicles fired flames all at once.

Du-du-du-du!!!

Hundreds of bullet marks were imprinted along the edge of Lenox’s bike’s wheels, bursting with hot heat.

At the same time, the chassis of the vehicles, which were rushing in as if they were about to crash into the bike at close range, moved wildly.

They didn’t care that they were shooting each other with rapid-fire cannons and that bullets were ricocheting everywhere.

A desperate struggle as if they were determined to break the bike and reduce its mobility no matter what.

Lenox frowned slightly at the blatant urgency mixed in their movements.

“Have I been resting for too long?”

It had been a long time since he had taken a request from Jenny, and now there were guys running rampant with ridiculous tricks.

In the shadows of this city, trying to put pressure on Lenox with vehicles was tantamount to suicide.

Whether they knew it or not, the opponent was pushing the armored vehicles as if they were going to crush Lenox without hesitation.

Clank!!!

At the same time as the bike’s chassis tilted to one side, a long gun barrel popped out of Lenox’s coat sleeve.

The three-way rotating charging shotgun was fully charged in an instant, receiving Lenox’s magic after a long time.

Kiiing……!!

[Magic Rapid Fire 4-Layer Overlap]

[Trajectory Correction]

[Recoil Nullification]

[Concentrated Fire]

[Rotating Scatter Shot]

Immediately, magic divided into three parts beyond the rotating muzzle, rotating at subsonic speed, mixed the mysteries of rotation and repulsion and burst out.

Ppeoeoeong!!!

At that moment, the side of the armored vehicle that was rushing toward Lenox first disappeared as if a hole had been punched through it.

The bike’s chassis floated diagonally due to the recoil of the shotgun, easily jumping over the armored vehicles’ attacks.

Fragments of resonance incendiary bullets fell endlessly below the bike wheels rotating against the night sky.

Clank, clank, clank!!

As if they were magnets, they stuck to the underside of the armored vehicles as soon as they fell on the road, flashing incessantly.

The blue magic light that soared up as if rotating burst out one after another on the road, raising more than a dozen dazzling pillars of light.

Kwaaaa!!!

The shape of the monster bike soared even higher, as if using the recoil of the explosion as a support, like climbing stairs.

Between the reverse gusts, the bike’s thick wheels landed on the road below, bursting with countless flames.

Lenox, frowning between the dazzling frictional heat and flames bursting out from all directions, asked.

“I’ve shaken off the pursuit. Where are the goods?”