Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 577

Cartel headquarters, deepest underground level.

A massive iron barrier had transformed the entire underground cavern into a giant vault, sealing it shut.

In the shadows before the barrier, a dozen agents moved swiftly, trying to find an opening in the enemy’s defenses.

“The power for the underground vault, where the server room is located, is being supplemented by a backup power plant.”

A calm voice echoed, piercing the agents’ ears.

[Hoo, hoo…!!]

[Huk…!!]

Tense breaths echoed through the comms network, followed by sharp cries that abruptly ceased.

“The backup power here isn’t just drawing from stored energy; they’re also illegally siphoning power from external public facilities.”

Crack!!

[Kuaaak…!!]

“It’s the kind of theft only a shady organization like the Cartel would attempt.”

Each time a faint light flickered in the silent darkness, the presence of those around it vanished.

The agents, too, tried to muster their magic and will to counter the attacks coming from all directions, but.

In almost every instance, bursts of lightning and bullets, faster than their judgment, swept through the area, suppressing their momentum.

[…Everyone, fall back. Await orders from above.]

One of the agents, sounding resigned, muttered into the comms.

[It’s impossible to carry out any more operations against that man.]

There was no reply, but all the agents inwardly agreed.

The source of the ceaseless flashes of electricity in this vast cavern.

A black-haired mage sat on the steps in front of the massive vault door.

Though hidden in the shadows, the piercing glint in his eyes was clearly visible even from dozens of meters away.

And beyond that glint, the sheer power and danger of the magic blazing within him.

The Cartel’s underground vault.

This steel barrier, where the most sensitive confidential documents of the Corporate Alliance were stored, was blocked by a single person.

That one mage was holding off the elite agents who had undergone thousands of hours of combat training.

They couldn’t even get close enough to swing their weapons; all they could do was endure, dodging the life-threatening electric currents and trying to buy time.

Around Lenox, dozens of bullets floated in defiance of gravity.

The faint electric field flowing through the bullets rippled outward like a breath, completely blocking any approach.

“I thought I could shoot down a few more, but that old man made it take longer than I expected.”

Lenox, glancing at the agents, held a thick, bare wire in his hand, its insulation stripped off.

Pzzzzzt…!!

The electricity surging from the end of the wire flowed over Lenox’s skin, but instead of burning him, it used his body as a conduit, spreading into the air like a flood.

At the same time, a huge curtain of lightning formed around Lenox, rotating in a semicircle, enveloping him.

[Electronic Field]

A common magic, covering a wide area but not very powerful, used as a starting technique to assist with electric magic.

However, the massive electric field swirling in the air, flowing from Lenox’s fingertips, was powerful enough to black out even the consciousness of a superhuman.

Lenox was using the backup power stored in the Cartel headquarters to deploy common magic on a large scale at almost no cost.

In the process, he was manipulating the power in real-time to intercept any agents who approached the barrier.

“It seems the agents’ overall approach and internal atmosphere have changed quite a bit.”

Pzzzzzt!!

[Kuaaak…!!]

The moment he flicked a floating bullet with his finger, the bullet vanished from its spot.

At the same time, an agent who had been trying to sneak up to the vault behind Lenox collapsed, blood splattering from his abdomen.

Without turning around, Lenox flicked his finger, pulling the agent’s body to his feet, and muttered.

“There are a lot of faces I don’t recognize, and the operation formations and equipment they’re using are very different from what I remember.”

[……]

During the time he cooperated with the Defense Force’s rebellion, Lenox had participated in mock training with the agents’ field operatives.

The operation formations and equipment he remembered from that time were almost completely different from what he was seeing now.

“And if it were the agents I knew, they wouldn’t be trying to antagonize the Cartel by carrying out such an aggressive operation. Isn’t that right?”

Lenox asked, removing the visor of the agent who had fallen at his feet.

“Ugh…!!”

Unable to overcome the nausea that surged as soon as he regained consciousness, the agent vomited.

The lightning Lenox used wasn’t just optimized for burning and killing.

By manipulating the nature of the lightning, he could interfere with the nervous system, causing confusion.

He could also use it to suppress its lethality and half-destroy a person’s senses, as he was doing now.

“I don’t have any great attachment to the position of external advisor… but I owe a personal debt to Pallard O’Con.”

“……”

“Those who are out of it will regain their senses in about three days. Take the injured and go back.”

Lenox’s eyes flashed coldly.

“Then, considering my personal connection, I’ll spare your lives.”

“Cough, Khaaak…!!”

In the process of resolving the Defense Force rebellion, Lenox knew that Pallard O’Con had made many concessions for them.

He had repeatedly committed overreach to protect civilians, not for his own achievements, and he had covered all the necessary expenses.

As a result, he had allowed Lenox into one of the restricted areas, Area 6, which led to him meeting Kaiser and learning another secret.

The agent, who had been holding his breath and vomiting, raised his hazy eyes and smiled weakly.

“I’m sorry, but that will be difficult, Mr. Ban.”

“……”

“O’Con, the Deputy Director, is not in charge of the agents now. Team Leader Marcia, who was close to you, is no longer here either…”

Click!!

The agent quickly drew a pistol from his waist and pointed the barrel at Lenox’s forehead.

“Please step aside. We will quietly withdraw after we get our hands on the Cartel’s accounting books.”

Was the act of vomiting in front of Lenox a deliberate attempt to quickly alleviate the aftereffects of the lightning?

Even so, his recovery was too fast. He must be a superhuman with considerable skill and rank.

But even knowing that, Lenox shook his head, looking at the gun pointed at his forehead.

“I’m not here to persuade you or mediate.”

“…Huh?!”

Pzzzzzt…!!

A streak of lightning pierced the agent’s back, paralyzing his entire body by penetrating his spinal cord before he could even pull the trigger.

Thud!!

“You seem to have been with the agents during the Defense Force incident. If you have nothing more to say, then sleep.”

Leaving the agent who had fallen back down with a blank expression, Lenox raised his gaze.

A scene like a black well opening up in the ceiling of the vast underground cavern.

“I think I need to talk to the other executives, not you.”

Crack!!

As the shadow passage opened wide, Lenox waited for something to fall from the other side.

But there was no presence on the other side of the passage.

The passage itself was a deception. The moment Lenox realized that the opponent had already arrived at this location and shifted his senses.

A white-haired old man appeared like a ghost right next to Lenox, swinging his sword with lightning speed.

A swift slash that was too fast to even see the moment the sword was drawn.

A rough sword strike, rising from his shoulder, surged as if to split Lenox’s body in a semicircle.

Kuaaaang!!!

A tremendous roar and a violent tremor that shook the entire underground cavern.

Mediated cement dust flew everywhere, obscuring the vision of dozens of people at once.

Amidst the swirling dust, the old man’s laughter echoed softly.

“I wondered who was emitting such a powerful stream of intent…”

Whoooosh!!

The sound of armored wings came from beyond the dust.

At the same time, a loud engine noise filled the area, blowing away all the dust and revealing the scene in front of the vault once more.

The old man, O’Neil, stood still, holding a thin sword in one hand, while the mage, without even looking back at O’Neil, had a cigarette in his mouth.

The armored wings extending from Lenox’s back had stopped the old man’s blade head-on.

“That powerful thunder from earlier, this tingling magic… you must be the mage known as the Immovable Fortress.”

“I don’t recognize your face. Are you an agent?”

Lenox glanced over as he lit his cigarette.

Click!!

At the same time, the armored wings split into five sections, transforming into the shape of a giant hand, revealing the old man’s face.

“I know you’re working as an external advisor for this special agency. Why are you interfering with our operation?”

“You seem to be a high-ranking executive, but I don’t think I need to explain.”

Lenox simply nodded, ignoring O’Neil’s words.

“I have my reasons for guarding the underground vault. Take your agents and leave. Then we can stop here.”

“Hmm…”

“Did you not hear me?”

“No, seeing you in person, I’m having some second thoughts… give me a little time.”

The old man’s eyes, which had been intently observing Lenox through the split wings, flashed sharply.

“I can’t remember the manual for how far I can go with an external advisor from the same organization. It’s been too long since I’ve been in the field.”

“Is that so?”

The moment Lenox smiled and raised his hand, a heavy engine starting sound echoed from inside the split wings.

At the same time, the base of the wings rapidly heated up, and hot steam was released.

Chiiik!!

“Then I recommend you try taking this first and then decide.”

“…What?”

Gilleon’s armored wings were not only capable of flight but also a rare artifact that greatly amplified the ability to manipulate space.

Although he hadn’t obtained the full pair, only wearing them in the form of a single wing, he could still borrow some of their power.

The current projection of space-warping unique magic was also a result of that.

Lenox was using the functions of the armored wings to continuously use new applications for intervening in space.

Crackling!!

The scene of space cracking and splitting in front of Lenox and the old man’s eyes.