Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 535

The Giant of the Light (3)

The garden behind the main building of the Turyeon Gate.

Even within the Turyeon Gate, where facilities are determined by one’s level and skill, this inner garden is provided for important guests.

Several massive statues with fierce expressions, resembling ogres and demons, surround the garden as if protecting it.

The thick hands of the statues, lined up on all sides, spread out like a curtain, secretly concealing the innermost space of the inner garden.

At the edge of the sunny garden, untouched by any external gaze.

In a martial arts hall directly connected to the wide lawn, Lenox was slowly loosening his body.

The scene was a stark contrast between the solid wooden floor under his feet and the warm garden visible right next to him.

The unique structure, half-connected to the outer garden, was impressive, but he had no time to pay attention to such scenery now.

Because a man in a pure white robe, with his hands behind his back, was staring intently at him with a strange smile.

Gyeolbaek, standing empty-handed without any equipment or weapons, opened his mouth.

‘Take your time to prepare. I can give you as much time as you need to warm up.’

‘…….’

‘However, I don’t intend to give you many chances to prove your worth. You understand?’

He smiled, his pure white eyebrows arching long.

‘Having lived for so long, I’ve become quicker at distinguishing those who can learn from those who cannot.’

Gyeolbaek’s pure white eyes shone coldly.

‘At least when it comes to judging talent, if you cannot stimulate my curiosity or inspiration, I cannot give you a chance. That is a courtesy to all the martial artists who have passed through this gate.’

‘Enough with the useless talk, just tell me the specifics.’

Lenox said, erasing the taste of the painkiller slowly melting in his mouth.

‘Tell me about the test method and the passing conditions.’

He had already mixed various medicines, including stimulants, painkillers, and a paralytic that suppressed his sense of balance.

The pretense of warming up was to avoid giving unnecessary excuses to the others watching this place.

Because Lenox and Gyeolbaek were not the only ones standing here.

From the other side of the inner garden’s martial arts hall, a dozen people were looking down at them.

Each of them exuded an unusual aura, martial artists of considerable skill.

They were probably high-ranking officials of the Turyeon Gate, who were allowed to directly observe this test after hearing Gyeolbaek’s decision.

Among them, the black-haired woman with a stern impression, standing on the far left, sighed and opened her mouth.

Her eyebrows were particularly thick, and her features were sharp. At a glance, it was noticeable that she shared similar features with Gyeolbaek.

‘Grandfather, I still cannot understand this situation.’

‘What do you mean?’

‘After breaking the seal and going out for the first time in a while, the first thing you do is a test to accept a new disciple.’

The woman glanced at Lenox with a distrustful look.

‘Moreover, if the target is a notorious mage from the shadows, who can understand this situation?’

‘…….’

‘He is someone who has no reason or purpose to do this. I can only think that he has some kind of ulterior motive.’

For her to say that much, it meant that what Kyunroe had been doing in the shadows was known to some extent by the martial artists of the Turyeon Gate.

They also had to have heard about the battle between Madrich Onion and Lenox to show such a reaction.

The fact that they were guessing Lenox’s identity even though Gyeolbaek hadn’t said anything was the same.

It wasn’t that he couldn’t understand their reaction.

No matter how skilled they were as martial artists, who would understand the words of a high-level mage like Lenox suddenly learning martial arts?

A person with the talent and power not to feel any regret even without learning martial arts,

The very fact that he was approaching Gyeolbaek in this way was suspicious.

Gyeolbaek, as if he was aware of such a reaction, only chuckled.

‘Caria, that’s because you don’t know the situation well. The very fact that I brought him here—’

Having said that much, Gyeolbaek stopped talking and shook his head quietly.

‘It’s done. It won’t be too late to talk about it after it’s over.’

‘……Grandfather.’

‘If he doesn’t pass the test, it’s all just talk, isn’t it?’

He must have realized that if he were to say more, he would have to explain the whole situation to the others as well.

Gyeolbaek, who had taken a step forward, looked at Lenox with his pure white eyes.

Lenox indifferently accepted the gaze and instead gestured his head towards the woman who was sharply watching him.

‘Didn’t you say you left your granddaughter in a foreign land?’

The woman whom Gyeolbaek had just called Caria. She had openly called him grandfather.

He had said some ridiculous thing about being reminded of his granddaughter in a foreign land when he saw Lenox, and it was absurd that he had told a lie that would be exposed in less than half a day.

‘Hehe, did I? As I get older, my memory keeps going back and forth.’

‘…….’

‘Well, that’s not important. While waiting, I decided what to test your talent with.’

Gyeolbaek, who had casually changed the subject, slightly released his hands from behind his back and took another step forward.

‘It would be meaningless to test a high-level mage’s cognitive abilities or judgment. I am well aware that I cannot judge your martial talent with such things.’

‘So?’

‘If it’s difficult to examine each aspect because a certain ability is already too outstanding, then ultimately, I have no choice but to judge by the overall impression and feeling.’

Gyeolbaek, who was stroking his chin, muttered in a vague tone.

‘But the problem is who to make the opponent…….’

Krode Azlan said that and slowly began to unleash his hidden aura.

Whoooosh!!

Along with an auditory hallucination as if a cold wind was blowing, the magic power flowing from under his feet lashed out like a whip, tearing at the ground.

The moment his white robe seemed to flutter, Lenox had the illusion that Gyeolbaek’s presence was swelling madly within him.

Krode’s intense aura, filling the vast martial arts hall and seeming about to explode.

‘Shall we check it out directly?’

‘He’s coming……!!’

The step he took forward turned into a pure white flash.

Using the simultaneous activation of magic power detection and magic eye, he pre-input Gyeolbaek’s movements from the realm of prediction.

Lenox’s neck seemed to twist to one side, and then his collarbone and shoulder folded in, lowering his posture exquisitely.

Immediately after, a flash of light that grazed his cheek turned into a human form.

Fwoooosh!!

The eerie sound of the air tearing came a beat late.

‘Oh ho.’

Gyeolbaek’s gaze turned to Lenox, who had lowered his body.

‘It’s not in the realm of perception and senses. You didn’t even think about reacting from the start?’

‘Hoo……!!’

Even though he had only taken one evasive action, sweat was pouring down his entire body.

Even though he had completed all preparations to move his body with magic power manipulation, his body was reacting to the pressure pressing down from the front.

In Lenox’s mind, as he looked at the monster in front of him, the various pieces of information he had memorized earlier were quickly circulating and being organized.

‘The first attack must be a preemptive strike after using the Straight Step Cedar Shadow. I should assume that there is no possibility of reacting to it with my physical abilities.’

Lenox, with Davi’s help, had succeeded in obtaining some information about Gyeolbaek’s abilities and the small universe using the collective intelligence of the deep web.

He had thoroughly memorized the martial arts and preemptive patterns that Gyeolbaek mainly used, as well as the abilities that were presumed to be his mental state.

In addition, there was information from mock battles that others had built up while discussing the situation, assuming a one-on-one battle with Lenox.

From a few minutes before the sparring began, he had simulated this situation in his head at least 50 times.

As a result, Lenox was able to safely evade Gyeolbaek’s first attack, which had crossed space and approached him from the start.

‘The Straight Step Cedar Shadow is a high-level footwork that approaches by crossing space, with the condition of showing the opponent the first step.’

A paradox of gaining near-certain mobility by leaving room for reaction.

It is a technique that embodies the concept of ‘the initiative after the fact’ more perfectly than anything else in the martial arts of the Turyeon Gate.

If he could use magic, he would have twisted space with the compassion of an archangel to check the Straight Step Cedar Shadow and counterattack, but it was impossible for Lenox’s body, which was manipulated by magic power, to react to and evade that attack.

He hadn’t even considered perception through sight and the five senses from the start.

He was thoroughly predicting Gyeolbaek’s movements in advance with the magic eye’s ability and magic power detection, and moving first to make the opponent’s offense and defense follow.

Lenox had learned and researched the martial arts and techniques that Gyeolbaek used to stand here.

Gyeolbaek must have felt that as well, as he was silent for a moment.

‘……I see. Is that the answer you have given?’

‘…….’

‘Are you trying to dance until you break, even using yourself as a pawn? Truly, you are a mage.’

Flap!!

With a single gesture from Gyeolbaek, his white robe fluttered wildly, obscuring the view.

Gyeolbaek’s voice, which had sunk into the fragments of magic power that were jumping around in all directions, echoed quietly.

‘Caria. Come down here.’

‘Grandfather……?’

‘You will have to continue the sparring in my place.’

Gyeolbaek said that and slowly began to step back.

‘I want to step back and see what this mage is trying to show. Will you help me?’

‘…….’

Caria, who had been silent, soon sighed and swept back her hair.

Her figure, which had fallen from the upper platform of the martial arts hall, landed on the floor where Lenox and Gyeolbaek were standing in an instant.

‘Since it’s Grandfather’s request, I’ll help you for now…….’

Caria, who had stepped forward while glancing at Lenox, said.

‘After this is over, you must explain everything clearly.’

‘Is that what you mean?’

Gyeolbaek, who smiled contentedly, turned his gaze towards Lenox.

‘Although the opponent has changed, I believe it will be fine. This is only to verify your martial talent.’

‘…….’

‘I believe you will have no objection to taking a form that is easy for you to judge.’

‘I don’t care.’

Lenox also calmly replied and took his stance again.

It had become difficult to fully utilize the information about Gyeolbaek and his martial arts that he had scraped together from the deep web,

But if his opponent was Gyeolbaek’s granddaughter, it wouldn’t be different from facing a lower version of Gyeolbaek himself.

If so, Lenox’s chances of putting up a good fight in the following sparring would increase.

Lenox’s eyes, looking at Caria, sank deeply.

‘I want to start quickly if you’re ready. How much time do you need?’

Lenox wanted to finish the test quickly before the effects of the drugs wore off.

However, Caria seemed to have taken Lenox’s words as a kind of provocation.

Caria, who had twitched her lips, slowly turned her neck and opened her mouth.

‘Mage. I understand that you have an arrogant personality because of the talent you were born with, but—’

The magic power that had risen around Caria’s body began to surge greatly.

Whooong!!

‘If you don’t want to die, you’d better focus on me now.’

Caria declared with a coldly hardened face.

‘Unlike Grandfather, I’m not good enough to control my strength against a half-wit like you……!!’

The light of her will, which had been swirling around Caria, pounded the ground and increased its speed.

Thump, thump, thump!!

With three steps that sounded like thunder, Caria’s body turned into a streak of lightning.

A sharp, piercing energy that rushed diagonally, as if grazing him.

However, Lenox twisted his knees and shoulders in different directions on the spot, drastically lowering his center of gravity.

Immediately after, Caria’s preemptive strike grazed his back narrowly.

Lenox smiled as he saw Caria’s surprised expression, who had stopped at close range.

‘The judgment to try to provoke me on purpose isn’t bad, but you should think of a more aggressive word.’

‘……!!’

‘The word ‘half-wit’ isn’t that wrong, actually.’

‘How long are you going to be so relaxed……!!’

The moment Caria’s hand drew a semicircle in the air, it swept through and disappeared from all sides of Lenox at the same time.

Woo woong……!!

A barrage of attacks that delivered more than a dozen strikes at once from close range.

The hand movements that were shaking in front of his eyes were slow enough to be seen with the naked eye, but the attacks that branched out from them were comparable to the speed of sound.

The mystery of the gap that approached with the speed of the beginning and the end being as far apart as heaven and earth.

The difference in speed turned into a white flash in front of Lenox’s eyes and poured down like fire rain.

Du du du du!!!!

Amidst the white flames that were erupting incessantly, Lenox also moved his body by manipulating magic power in a trance.

He could never hold out by simply dodging and receiving.

Even knowing that he wouldn’t reach, he had to step forward and reach out to secure a space to twist and survive.

Caria, who was sprinting quickly and twisting her shoulder, and Lenox’s figure, leaning his whole body forward, intersected on the spot.

Ka ga gak!!

Each time she moved her body, Caria’s movements, which rushed in like lightning, were splendid and dazzling.

But despite that, Caria’s face, looking at Lenox, had hardened at some point,

And the gazes of the martial artists who had been admiring her movements were gradually shifting away from her and towards the mage.

‘How can a mage be doing this against Caria, the guardian of the law…….’

‘It’s absurd. Is this really possible?’

Caria’s movements and actions were flawless, even for martial artists who had honed the martial arts of the Turyeon Gate their entire lives.

It would be impossible not to be swept away by the barrage of attacks that did not cling to power, but were fluid and sometimes fiercely aggressive.

However, the mage standing in the middle of that onslaught was moving his body as if thoroughly denying the thoughts of those martial artists.

Kki gi gi gik……!!!

While manipulating his body using magic power, he also layered it on his skin to twist and deflect Caria’s magic power.

The dozens of magic power threads that intersected around the two of them shrank and expanded, flashing strange lights and emitting the sound of the air twisting.

With Caria’s attacks, which unleashed more than a dozen strikes in a single movement, the mage’s figure staggered and scattered as if distorted.

In Caria’s mind, in a fleeting moment, more than a dozen thoughts and worries mixed together and turned into a huge confusion.

‘The balance was broken from the start. The movements and lines of the body are also virtually below standard. But even so……!!’

As if he had already exceeded his limits, he was receiving Caria’s attacks with a pale face, but he was always pushing his body in at the necessary moments.

A fierce battle where they were exchanging blows, shaking and staggering as if they were about to break and bend.

Pa ba bak!!

At a distance close enough to feel each other’s breath, the two’s hands and arms crossed and overlapped in a chaotic manner, binding from all sides.

Amidst the eerie touches that grazed his neck and temples, Lenox’s body tilted and Caria pushed forward, but.

The expressions of the two were displaying emotions that were completely opposite to the superiority and inferiority that was felt at first glance.

Caria, who had bitten her lip tightly, and Lenox, who was silently receiving Caria’s attacks with a blank expression as if he was about to collapse.

Lenox’s right hand, which had received Caria’s fist with his elbow with an awkward gesture, collided with Caria’s wrist, which had rotated in a semicircle almost simultaneously.

Crack!!

At the same time as their arms bounced off each other, they stopped precisely.

Lenox, who had stopped in front of Caria’s side, and Caria’s hand, which had closed as if to grab his throat.

Lenox, who had half fallen on the floor of the martial arts hall, muttered with a blank face.

‘If we had continued, she would have had a ruptured abdominal organ, and I would have died instantly from a severed carotid artery.’

‘…….’

‘It’s a more boring ending than I thought.’

Lenox, who chuckled, slowly took his hand off and lay down on the spot.

‘I lost. I don’t have the strength to continue.’

‘……You lost? Do you really think so?’

Caria asked with an expression that could not hide her agitation.

They had only exchanged blows for a few minutes, but Caria had noticed that Lenox was a beginner who had never properly learned martial arts.

The way he moved his body was only strange, and he had no physical sense of how to parry and counterattack any attacks and where to give up space.

He had only focused on receiving and deflecting attacks by forcibly moving his body, relying entirely on his own cognitive abilities and strategy.

‘But I almost couldn’t break through.’

If she hadn’t forcibly narrowed the distance at the last moment, reduced the options, and dragged it into a power struggle to block the variables, she might have been the one who was attacked.

For that monster-like mage, what had just happened was just a pastime to test his own abilities.

The moment Caria, who had noticed that, lost her composure and tried to awaken her magic power once more.

Clap, clap!!

Slow clapping sounds echoed from behind the two of them.

‘Excellent.’

Gyeolbaek was slowly clapping his hands together.

At the same time as he gestured to the other martial artists, only Caria, Gyeolbaek, and Lenox were left in the vast martial arts hall.

Lenox, who had struggled to get up, wiped away the sweat that was flowing down and asked.

‘Is the test over?’

‘May I ask you just one last thing?’

The white-robed young man, who had squatted down in front of Lenox, stared at him intently.

‘I just confirmed it. The injuries that are tormenting your body are not only serious, but critical.’

‘……’

‘After checking it myself, the rumors are rather pale. I want to know the reason why you are trying to learn martial arts with such a body.’

‘……There’s no grand reason.’

Lenox slowly chose his answer, thought for a moment, and then chuckled.

‘It’s because I’m in this state that I’m trying to find other methods and countermeasures. Is there any other reason?’

The circumstances of him suffering serious injuries from the battle with Madrich Onion.

Thanks to that information, Lenox was able to openly reveal that his body was not in good condition without revealing his penalties.

Judging from Jenny’s reaction, he was certain that even in his current state after taking the Tears of the Archangel, he looked close to death to others.

Gyeolbaek was also accepting Lenox’s condition as something similar and was asking about the reason why Lenox was trying to learn martial arts.

‘I see…….’

Gyeolbaek’s face, who had been pondering Lenox’s answer, was filled with undisguised admiration.

‘You haven’t given up your will to rise even with such a body. You are already a great martial artist.’

‘…….’

‘Transcendent cognitive abilities and near-prophetic evasion. The self-control to thoroughly set the limits that your physical abilities can handle, and even the self-observation ability to accurately judge your condition even with an injured body.’

Gyeolbaek, who had slowly risen from his seat, said.

‘This is the first time I’ve seen such an extreme case. As someone who explores martial arts, it’s clear that this is a very interesting and valuable case to study.’

His gaze, which had felt somewhat murky and blurry, had regained its focus clearly.

At this moment of exploring martial arts, the mental problems that were tormenting Gyeolbaek were also disappearing as if they had been washed away.

‘I have never thought of accepting someone who does not have the basics as a disciple, but…… I have made a decision.’

Gyeolbaek, who had risen from his seat, nodded his head.

‘I will teach you the Fighting Pull. I will use that to repay you for this operation.’

‘Grandfather……!!’

Caria turned her head with a surprised expression.

‘How can you teach a forbidden technique that is not even allowed to be practiced in the main gate to an outsider……!!’

‘Explain what the Fighting Pull is before you talk.’

‘Well, it’s not a word that refers to a difficult meaning or form. It might be the most necessary technique for you right now. In a word…….’

To Lenox’s indifferent question, Gyeolbaek smiled as if he was enjoying it.

‘It’s a way to move the body with the mind.’