Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 582

As dawn approached, the streets were shedding their darkness, and the sun began to rise.

However, unlike the sky that was nearing morning, no lights shone from the windows reflecting the sunlight.

The cause was the backlash from a mage using large-scale space magic, which had drawn all the reserve power from the entire district.

Behind the people lingering in the power-cut streets, several jeeps with darkly tinted windows sped across the road.

These were transportation vehicles hastily deployed by the Agent headquarters to retrieve the agents involved in the operation.

Should they be relieved that there were no ambulances among them?

However, Greta’s expression, as she leaned against the back seat of the jeep and looked at the street, was stiff, unlike when she had walked out of the president’s office.

“…Hina.”

Chiiik!!

Greta silently took the cigarette from Hina’s hand, who had offered it to her, and took a slow drag, then muttered.

“Did the negotiations go well?”

At Hina’s question, Greta shook her head with a wry smile.

“It was the worst.”

“…”

“He knows very well how to narrow our options. If he had tried to kill me, it would have been easier to deal with, but he was surprisingly calm.”

At Greta’s gloomy answer, the other agents also fell silent.

“The differences in settlement schedules between companies stemmed from the city government’s lax administrative processing. Other underground organizations would have noticed the loophole, so they wouldn’t just let it slide. We wasted a one-time opportunity…”

“B-but, didn’t we achieve positive results regarding the weaponization of the anti-gravity engine?”

The agent sitting in the passenger seat opened his mouth, trying to lighten the mood.

“If we succeeded in operating the antimatter particle cannon, which has failed all this time, surely we will be able to…”

“That’s also wrong. The weaponization of the anti-gravity engine wasn’t successful here. It was successful because it was here.”

Greta shook her head.

“The engine’s output limit skyrocketed the moment we entered the airspace above the cartel headquarters. To the point where it became possible to generate antimatter, which had failed until now.”

Hina, understanding the meaning of those words, sighed with a troubled look.

“I suspected it, but there was another reason why you moved directly, unlike the original plan.”

“The situation lined up, so I used it to shake things up, but I needed to step in myself to confirm the antimatter generation process.”

Greta had recognized the value of the anti-gravity engine and had been trying to weaponize the technology early on, but had repeatedly failed.

Apart from the ability to create a path in the sky, the engine could not produce enough output to be weaponized.

This was possible because Lenox had deliberately cut off any room for abuse of the technology in the process of commercializing the anti-gravity engine.

However, in the process of Lenox activating space magic at high output, the anti-gravity engine, responding to that magic power, had overloaded more than necessary.

“There’s something in the cartel’s underground vault that releases the output limit of the anti-gravity engine.”

She had tried to identify its identity and squeeze out results from the derailed plan by shaking up the operation, but the result was a complete failure.

Greta couldn’t even imagine that the cause was a mage who had blocked this operation midway.

Moreover, since Greta herself had made a promise not to interfere in the cartel’s business district for five years, it would be difficult for her to set foot in this area in the future.

“The board of directors didn’t even gather, and the executive board was practically non-existent, yet we failed. If it comes down to an inter-organizational conflict, rather than a raid like this…”

As she said that, Greta suddenly raised her gaze upwards.

Following her, the agents who raised their gazes towards the other side of the street outside the window quietly closed their mouths.

This was because an armored giant, sitting cross-legged on the rooftop of a blacked-out high-rise building, was quietly glaring at them.

And opposite him, the figure of a bear as big as a house, sharpening its sharp teeth.

The moment they met the gazes of the two giants and the beast, they felt an intense, breathtaking pressure.

Yet, until they perceived it with their senses, they had been completely unaware of their existence, a chilling secrecy.

Perhaps they were members of the cartel’s board of directors or executive board who had not been able to participate in this operation.

Only then did they all realize what it meant to have such a board of directors and executive board in place.

“I was going to shake the cartel and change the underground landscape itself to our advantage, but it went wrong from the start.”

Greta clicked her tongue, then shook her head as she let the smoke out the window.

“Well, it’s not like we’re fully prepared either. Let’s be satisfied with confirming the power of the Ironclad today…”

“I didn’t know that Mr. Ban could handle space magic as well.”

Hina said, inwardly impressed.

“I had a feeling he was dabbling in it before, but I didn’t think he would be doing such high-level applications…”

“It is presumed that he fully mastered the senses while acquiring Gilleon’s artifact.”

Another agent, who was analyzing combat records next to her, replied.

Comparing the amount of impact and magic power concentration recorded by the Agent’s suit over time and extracting data.

One of the analysts that Greta had deployed to the field on a regular basis at the same time as she took office as director.

“There were rumors that it was an artifact with outstanding space interference capabilities even decades ago. I don’t know the reason, but there must be a deep connection between the Ironclad acquiring that wing and his space magic application abilities.”

The analyst said, showing Hina the laptop data as a graph.

“It would be fine if the Ironclad continues to work with us as an external advisor, but if that’s not the case, it would be better to create a response manual that focuses on attacking the wing.”

“This clash was poorly timed, but I think we should keep Mr. Ban as an external advisor no matter what. He’s also close to Team Leader Marcia, and turning a mage of that caliber into an enemy is really…”

However, unlike Hina, who was focused on the discussion about Lenox’s treatment, Greta tilted her head.

“The external advisor position is one thing, but I’m not so sure about the manual for attacking the wing.”

“Yes…?”

“When he blocked the antimatter particle weapon at the end, it didn’t seem like he was relying heavily on that artifact…”

Silence fell among the group as they understood the meaning of Greta’s words.

Space manipulation ability that doesn’t rely on artifacts or specific forms.

In other words, it meant the emergence of a unique magic system that had not been witnessed anywhere on the continent for over decades.

“Are you saying that the Ironclad has acquired unique space-type magic…?”

“No, if that were the case, he wouldn’t have shown a combat style that relied on the wing… I’m not sure either.”

Greta, who denied her own speculation, chuckled.

“Let’s take a break and think about it later.”

Greta, who leaned back in her chair and crossed her arms, muttered as if she had just remembered something.

“We’re short on people, short on people… By the way, why isn’t Hyun-gung answering his calls?”

* * *

Lavatenon Magic University.

He was walking down a quiet hallway where no one was around.

He had heard information about Madam’s past from Virgil, but there were several things that needed to be dealt with first.

Kaise’s body and the place where he was buried. Apart from obtaining that information, it was not something that could be done while handling several schedules at the same time.

He had contacted Madam and made an appointment, but the exact date had not been set.

For now, he had to deal with the anti-gravity technology thesis and its aftermath under the identity of Evan Bailon.

With a box full of various experimental tools in both hands, he continued the call with his cell phone tucked under one shoulder.

“So, you’re still not receiving calls from Greta Witherhill?”

– …Yeah.

He could hear Ivelyn sighing softly from the other side of the phone.

-She’s definitely capable. She’ll be able to boost the Agent’s power without much difficulty. So, I’m going to focus on the Eye of Azure [a strategic military operation] for the time being.

“The Eye of Azure…”

-It seems that Rapis is surprisingly hesitant about advancing to the central front. Apart from securing a bridgehead, it’s a question of whether the timing is right.

“The construction of the third lighthouse must be finished by now.”

The Far East branch of the Guido Order, having acquired an island that runs on the sea, had said they would build a third lighthouse on that island.

It was an incident that ended with Lenox annihilating the 10th Apostle, Amrita Praubel, but he had not seen the end of it because he was participating in the interim settlement of the Demon Realm.

-If you don’t plan to go to the field, they’re asking you to help with sparring to help retired agents regain their senses. I refused for now, though…

Ivelyn, who was muttering like that, asked Lenox as if she had remembered something.

-Oh, by the way, I heard you learned a new space-type technique? It seems that the rumors have already spread all over the place after this operation.

“Has the story already spread that far?”

-It’s only natural, since you showed it to both the cartel and the Agent at the same time. Is that the power of the new magic system you were talking about?

At Ivelyn’s question, Lenox shook his head.

“Strictly speaking, it’s thanks to an artifact I recently acquired. I’ll tell you about it when we meet separately later.”

Gilleon’s armored wings, which have a function to assist with space interference.

However, Lenox already had a grasp of the concept of manipulating space to some extent, even without the power of the wings.

The reason why he had only shown his space manipulation ability on a large scale as Ban after acquiring Gilleon’s wings.

It was partly to create a suitable excuse that the space magic used by the Ironclad was the power of the armored wings, unlike Victor.

It was because he intended to deliberately show the weakness that Ban’s space manipulation technique was dependent on the power of the armored wings.

After going into hiding under the guise of being injured, Lenox had learned that deliberately creating weaknesses was more useful than he had thought.

If an enemy facing Ban were to approach him by attacking the armored wings, it would be easier to deal with them in reverse.

Just like when he devoured the guys who were trying to induce close combat by targeting the Ironclad’s injury.

It was not difficult for Lenox to give the opponent a characteristic or ability that was completely unrelated as a weakness that was easy to target.

-Well, I understand. It wasn’t something I needed to hear right away. More than that, I have some bad news I heard from the Agent recently.

Ivelyn said in a stiff voice from the other side of the line.

-Do you know that an apartment complex in District 34 exploded, killing more than 2,000 civilians?

“…Terrorism?”

In this city of outlaws where tens of millions of people live, incidents and accidents, including large-scale casualties, never cease.

The areas that correspond to the light side are also exposed to danger, only safer than the dark side.

However, what Ivelyn wanted to say seemed to be about what happened after the accident.

-The problem is that there will be no official response from government agencies, including the Special Operations Agency.

“Why is that?”

-There’s a story that some of the executives of the criminal organization that committed the terrorism have hidden deeper inside District 34.

“…”

-Rather than rashly provoking them and causing additional crimes, they intend to tighten the encirclement and catch them for sure.

“That’s the official justification, then.”

Lenox, who cut off Ivelyn’s words with a single stroke, asked again.

“What’s the real reason?”

– …It seems that some of the city council members have joined hands with them.

Ivelyn hesitated for a moment before adding.

-There are rumors that the upper house deliberately orchestrated the terrorism to increase the power of the government’s armed forces on the light side.

“Hmm…”

Lenox stopped in his tracks with the box in his hands, pondered, and then simply summarized the situation.

“It’s the worst.”

At this point when the prohibition laws have been lifted, the boundary between the light and dark sides has collapsed.

However, it was also true that there had not been too many incidents or conflicts, unlike what had been feared.

Is the city government planning to break this state of limbo and use the threat of the dark side to greatly increase the status and authority of the light side?

Either way, it would be the ordinary citizens living in Vulcan who would ultimately suffer.

Lenox, who was listening to the facts, was not in a pleasant mood either.

He, too, had a foot in both the light and dark sides and lived in this city, so he hoped that the balance of one side would not easily collapse.

While listening to Ivelyn’s explanation, Davi wriggled out of his arms and crawled into the box Lenox was holding.

The brain spirit, with a pen in its mouth, moved its head up and down, writing a message on the waste paper inside the box.

[Jenny]: The name of the criminal organization that committed the terrorism in District 34 is a shamanic group called the Puppet God Palace.

Is she writing and displaying Jenny’s messages in real time, which are difficult to check while on the phone?

It seemed that the emergence of a new criminal organization calling itself the Three Heads was a groundbreaking event even in the dark side.

└They are presumed to be a force that was active in the outer areas of the southern continent’s jungle, but has recently moved to the undeveloped swamp area of Vulcan in the last few months.

└Currently, the organization consists of about 100 members. However, all of them are shamans with considerable skills, and they are tough people who have been rolling around in the extreme environment of the southern great jungle for a long time.

└In the case of the executives who recently infiltrated District 34, they have excellent disguise abilities and are also capable of stealing the spirituality of others to disguise their identities.

Lenox, who was looking at the memo paper that Davi had written down quickly, rubbed his fingers together and lightly created a flame.

Lenox, who had burned the paper away in an instant, muttered quietly.

“Puppet God Palace…”

-Did you already find information about them?

Ivelyn asked, but rather smiled bitterly.

-No, it must be the ability of that picky broker you work with.

“There’s no reason to only get information from one place.”

He received general information about the Puppet God Palace from Jenny, and from Ivelyn, he grasped the interests of the city government in why this situation had arisen.

Two people who can best grasp the interests of the group on both the light and dark sides.

It was clear that they were the people who could get the closest information from the field when such a cross-border situation suddenly broke out.

-Anyway, the reason I contacted you wasn’t to talk about the power struggle within the Agent… I wanted to tell you to be careful of the Puppet God Palace.

“Why is that?”

-District 34, where they’re hiding. There’s a high-speed terminal in that district that’s one of the top five in Vulcan.

Ivelyn said.

-One of them is directly connected to the railway that goes inside Lavatenon Magic University. I heard that undergraduates use it often, is that not true?

Lenox, who had been silent, said.

“I’m not sure. I’ve never paid attention to the undergraduates’ commute routes.”

– …Anyway, the subway in District 34 is said to be passing through the facilities inside Lavatenon Magic University.

Ivelyn’s voice became slightly serious.

-They probably know that your status at the university has increased in value. Prepare for the worst. Okay?

“I see…”

Lenox nodded.

“I understand what you mean. I’ll keep it in mind.”

Of course, Ivelyn knew what kind of mage Lenox was, so she probably didn’t think he would be defeated by the Puppet God Palace.

However, she was worried about the situation where Lenox would not be able to maintain his identities as Ban and Evan.

Officially, Evan Bailon was just an outstanding researcher and did not have the power or strength to protect himself.

In this situation, if he were to be attacked by the Puppet God Palace, a situation might arise where it would be difficult to maintain his disguised identity.

Ivelyn was warning Lenox that he might need to prepare in advance so that he would not be in such a situation.

At that moment, as Lenox was about to kick open the door of the lecture hall.

[Boo, booo~]

Ivelyn suddenly let out a strange cry.

A strange silence flowed between the two.

Lenox, who had been unable to speak for a long time, asked quietly.

“…Ivelyn?”

-It’s, it’s not me! Why are you suddenly suspecting me?

Ivelyn’s voice, flustered, became faster.

Even so, the strange cry continued to be heard.

[Boo, boo~!]

As Lenox tilted his head, Davi, who was looking up at Lenox from inside the box, thumped his tail down with a somewhat sullen look.

Lenox, who inadvertently lowered his gaze to his feet at that movement, stopped walking when he discovered a fluffy ball of fur clinging to his trouser leg.

[Boooo~ boo~]

The figure of a spirit resembling a mountain goat, crying with a strange cry.

The spirit, who had been crouching and waiting in front of the lecture hall door, was pulling on Lenox’s trouser leg while crying very hard.

Lenox, who had finished his call with Ivelyn, muttered with a dumbfounded face.

“…What is it doing?”

[This is exactly what I was worried about.]

Davi, who had climbed onto Lenox’s head, muttered, raising his tail sharply.

[Has he finally decided to serve Master as his master instead of that old organism…!!]

“…”

Was it a delusion that Davi, who was spouting absurd speculations as if they were certain, also seemed a bit crazy?

[I won’t give up Master’s head nest!!]

[Boo?]