Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 625

“Boyan must have had his own calculations.”

Renok said, watching Boyan bite his lip.

“He probably thought that with so many furnaces, it would be difficult to pinpoint the heat source, making it hard to notice if he was secretly raising a spirit.”

“……”

“Even after the number of furnaces increased to five, he thought that if the spirit consumed the heat, it wouldn’t be noticeable. But the problem was that he overlooked the fact that as the spirit grew, it would start emitting heat on its own.”

Even if someone were to inspect the inside of the furnace to check the internal facilities, the spirit could simply transform into an ethereal state and hide.

Or, it could just run through the complex furnace passages of the workshop and avoid being seen.

“The fact that the people in the Machine City are relatively ignorant about spirit magic was also a good environment for hiding a spirit for a long time. He used his head well, in his own way.”

“Why, Boyan?”

Cybird finally turned to Boyan, his face flushed red and his hands trembling.

“I don’t think I’ve ever treated you unfairly, but how could you betray my trust for years…!!!”

“…I’m sorry.”

“I’m not asking for an apology, tell me the reason!!!”

Despite the fierce scolding, Boyan didn’t answer, instead hugging the spirit and bowing his head.

“If he could raise the spirit well and become a successful spirit mage, in a way, it might be better than remaining a craftsman in the workshop.”

Renok chuckled and squatted down in front of the bowed Boyan, making eye contact.

“Perhaps you thought that even if all the time you spent in the workshop became meaningless, if you just endured for a few years and raised the spirit like this, it would be enough, wouldn’t you?”

“Yes, what do you know…!!”

At those words, Boyan jumped up as if he had been burned, grabbing Renok by the collar.

“Don’t be ridiculous, you little brat who just came up to the upper workshop district today, daring to…!!”

“Yan!!”

Cybird shouted sternly, but Boyan, who was completely agitated, didn’t stop there.

“Do you have proof? Just because you guessed a few things right, you’re acting like you know everything I’m thinking?”

“Proof?”

However, Renok just chuckled, letting Boyan’s hand hold him.

He brought his swaying head close to Boyan’s ear and whispered quietly so that only he could hear.

“That spirit. Shall I guess where you got it?”

“…!!!”

Renok accepted Cybird’s request not only to establish a new position in the upper workshop district.

The subtle, undeniable trace of a spirit emanating from Cybird when he came to him.

He was convinced that it was related to the essential purpose Renok was seeking in the Machine City.

Boyan didn’t get the spirit by chance.

Someone who gifted him the spirit and awakened his talent as a spirit mage.

Renok had just confirmed through that reaction that the person behind it was related to the secret of Machina that Renok was aware of.

“Looking at that reaction, I think I can narrow down the candidates even more.”

“Tsk…!!”

Perhaps thinking that his secret would be completely exposed if he stayed like this, Boyan’s face twisted horribly.

Thwack!!

Boyan, who had forcefully pushed Renok away, held out the fire spirit he had been carrying in his arms and began to draw up his magic power.

The lizard spirit, reacting to Boyan’s magic power and synchronizing its own power, immediately opened its mouth wide.

[Shhhheeeet!!]

With a strange metallic sound, it spewed out a fierce blaze of fire.

KWAHAAAA!!!

The massive wave of heat not only engulfed the workshop in an instant but also burst through the walls.

The other artisans’ faces hardened at the unexpected level of firepower, and their eyes were fixed on Renok, who had been caught in the flames.

“Tsk…!!”

Boyan, who had slung the fire spirit under his arm, quickly began to run away.

Yan’s figure disappeared as he dashed through the hole he had made in the workshop wall.

The artisans, who had been crouching, unable to move properly in the fiery wind, hurriedly picked up their phones.

“C-call the police!! Call the police!!”

“No, we should call the firefighters first!!”

“Wait a minute. Come to think of it, the craftsman named Lyman earlier…!!”

Some of the artisans, who had quickly gotten up from their seats, hurriedly checked the spot where the fire spirit had swept through and disappeared, their eyes wide.

There wasn’t even a speck of dust left near the workbench, which had been scorched by the flames the lizard had spewed, let alone a pile of ashes.

Mauzer, who had been standing by the furnace and yawning, was just smacking his lips with a carefree look.

* * *

“Haa, haa!!”

Boyan ran like crazy, holding the lizard under his arm.

People on the streets stared at the spirit Boyan was holding, as if it were something strange. He quickly tucked the lizard into his clothes and hid it.

His whole body was instantly drenched in sweat due to the heat emitted by the spirit and the intense running, but Boyan didn’t care.

His whole body had already been soaked in cold sweat from the moment he was accused as the culprit in front of his master.

“Damn it, damn it…!!!”

He kept muttering harsh words and ran away, turning into a deserted alleyway where there were no people.

He hadn’t intended to do this at first.

When he first got the spirit, he had only planned to stay in the workshop for a while until he could properly handle spirit magic.

How long did it take for the small hope that started as a small breeze to grow endlessly and turn into greed?

It was already too late from the moment he started secretly raising the spirit in the furnace and failed to reveal that the temperature inside the workshop was fluctuating.

“If it weren’t for that bastard…!!”

If it weren’t for the nonsense that the suspicious craftsman his master brought was spouting, he would never have been caught.

He thought that he was really close to becoming a full-fledged spirit mage, raising the spirit by feeding it the flames of the furnace for a few more years.

Everything had turned to nothing.

All that was left for Boyan was the spirit that had been greedily consuming the heat of the furnace and had now begun to emit flames on its own.

[Shishit?]

Boyan, looking at the lizard that was sticking its head out from his collar and flicking its tongue, slowly stopped walking and sat down between the walls.

“Haa, haa…”

He had looked through relevant books and information to raise the spirit properly, but Boyan had not achieved any significant results.

The information about spirit magic in the Machine City of Machina was all from a long time ago.

But that was why Boyan believed that becoming a spirit mage was a way to rise higher in this stifling Machine City.

The flames of the spirit, which could never be explained by the experience of the old men and craftsmen in the stubborn workshop.

There was no way that there wouldn’t be craftsmen or businessmen who wanted to refine or process metal with these flames of the spirit.

And in this Machine City where there were almost no spirit mages, this ability was a unique advantage that only Boyan could provide.

With this ability, Boyan could gain a unique position in the Machine City that no one else had.

“I was planning to leave the workshop and start a business in two years…!!”

“That’s a novel idea, but it’s impossible.”

“…!!”

A cold voice came from right behind the wall that Boyan was leaning against.

As if aware that Boyan had jumped up, someone appeared from behind the wall, walking out leisurely.

“It’s difficult to manifest the unique properties of a spirit’s elemental magic in the material world. It’s only possible if the spirit itself is of a high rank or if the essence of the spirit originates from a special environment.”

Renok, leaning against the wall, gestured with his eyes at the spirit Boyan was holding.

“Your spirit doesn’t fall into either category. It’s a pipe dream.”

“……”

Even though his thoughts were being openly denied in front of him, Boyan couldn’t answer for a moment.

It was because the aura emanating from the craftsman named Lyman, who had been questioning him in the workshop earlier, and the man standing in front of him now felt completely different.

The neat and tidy appearance of the craftsman was nowhere to be seen.

Even though he was just staring at Boyan with a blank face, there was a dangerous fluctuation that made it impossible to guess his next move.

A mix of eerie and sharp sensations, the form of which was unknown, spread out as a strange sense of pressure.

For a moment, Boyan didn’t think Renok looked like a human.

“Uwaaaah!!!”

As if having a seizure, he drew up his meager magic power and will to the fullest and poured it into the spirit he was holding.

The lizard, clearly recognizing its master’s primal desire and murderous intent, puffed up its body, its burning feathers standing upright, and opened its mouth wide.

A wave of flames burst out from the lizard spirit’s mouth.

KWAHAAAAAA!!!

A more powerful and vile flame than anything Boyan had ever attempted with the spirit.

With this, he could surely burn that man to ashes without leaving a single corpse.

The moment Boyan’s face, which had been cornered, was twisted with a moment of joy, a stream of water poured out in front of Renok, who had been standing still, blocking the wave of flames.

SWAAAAAA!!!

“……”

A completely empty alleyway. The stream of water that suddenly shot out from beyond.

Boyan, with a dazed face, turned his gaze and found the reason right next to Renok, gritting his teeth.

“A fire hydrant…!!”

The fire hydrant, which had been standing in a corner of the street covered in dust, suddenly exploded. The stream of water shot out precisely in front of Renok, blocking the flames.

Renok asked, watching the flames slowly die down.

“You were lucky. Right?”

“No way. There’s no way this is a coincidence!!!”

What was the probability that the fire hydrant would explode at the exact moment Boyan shot out the spirit’s flames?

Even if the god of luck was protecting him, it was logically impossible.

Moreover, in Machina, where the entire city was controlled by systems and electronic signals, there could be no errors or coincidences.

Boyan, who knew this, tried to argue somehow, but Renok crushed Boyan’s resistance with a single word.

“What if it’s not a coincidence?”

“…What?”

“Wouldn’t it be easier for you to just think it was a coincidence, that you were lucky?”

What on earth was he talking about? The moment Boyan was blankly thinking about the meaning.

Clank!!

The utility pole next to the alleyway suddenly snapped in half and fell on Boyan’s head.

Kooong!!

The moment Boyan, who had barely avoided the heavy weight of the cement block, stepped back in horror.

The wall nearby shattered, and a driverless vehicle popped out from inside and rammed into Boyan.

Kwaang!!

[Shishit!!]

The lizard in Boyan’s arms opened its mouth wide and spewed out flames once more, melting the shape of the vehicle on the spot.

But it didn’t stop there. All sorts of facilities and structures in the street began to fall on Boyan as if they had been struck by bad luck.

Thud!!

The traffic light, its assembly undone, fell on his head, and the wires buried under the road overheated and melted under his feet.

The nearby trash can exploded, dumping its contents on him, and a drone that had been circling the area as if on patrol crashed into Boyan’s back.

Every time he tried to attack Renok using the spirit’s power, the entire street seemed to come alive, stubbornly grabbing Boyan’s feet.

“Haa, haa…!!”

The moment Boyan ran towards Renok to somehow deal with him, avoiding the facilities that were exploding and scattering around him.

The sewer cover under his feet shot up as if exploding, hitting Boyan’s jaw.

Crack!!!

Boyan’s eyes, his jaw twisted diagonally, rolled back on the spot.

Even though he was a magic user, he struggled to maintain consciousness and continue the fight.

“…Ugh!!”

The moment he approached Renok, he felt an unknown eeriness and sat down on the spot, retching.

Renok looked at Boyan as if he were curious, then slowly walked over and looked down at Boyan, who had knelt down.

“It seems you’re not without talent as a spirit mage. If you can feel something with just your spiritual sense, it means your senses are still alive.”

“You, what the hell are you…”

Boyan said with difficulty, sitting down and struggling with a pale face.

Renok ignored Boyan’s words and nonchalantly took the lizard spirit from Boyan’s arms.

Even though it was a touch without any magic or power, Boyan couldn’t even resist and gave up the spirit.

The lizard also didn’t resist at all, unlike before, and was just stiff and still like a dead corpse, being lifted into Renok’s hand.

“I’ve killed quite a few spirits recently.”

Renok said with a smile.

“I think I’ve loosened my presence a bit so that you can feel it.”

Renok, leaving Boyan who was now unable to even answer properly and was just gasping for breath, slowly lifted the lizard and looked at it, saying.

“Your spirit, I couldn’t explain it earlier, but it’s quite a unique spirit.”

“…What?”

Renok’s eyes shone coldly as he looked at the spirit.

“To be precise, it’s a spirit that shouldn’t be here.”

He hadn’t explained it to the other craftsmen, but Renok knew that this lizard spirit was not a spirit that originated from this world.

The fire spirit that was basically given to spirit mages at the same time as learning fire spirit magic in WORLD 2.0.

Eldorgon. Tarhim. It was called by names in an unknown language, but it was known to players as ‘Salamander’.

What Boyan had obtained was a relic of the 2nd world and a trace of a spirit.

The reason why Renok was able to recognize the problems of Cybird’s workshop relatively quickly and find the cause was also because it was somewhat different from the traces of the spirit that Renok knew.

Renok was already half-convinced that this faint sense of difference was not a coincidence.

‘The traces of the old world are more widespread in Machina than I thought.’

This was the third time he had directly witnessed traces of the old world in the Machine City of Machina.

Was it really a coincidence that he had encountered that knowledge and traces, which were difficult to see even in a large city, several times in this city?

The reason why he didn’t immediately catch Boyan when he attacked Renok and ran away from the workshop was only for this moment.

“Spirits can be born by chance in harsh or extreme environments, but there’s no way you could have obtained a Salamander on your own.”

Renok asked.

“Who is it?”

“……”

Perhaps because it was Boyan’s most fatal memory and weakness.

Even while sweating profusely, Boyan tried to avoid answering somehow.

Thud!!

Renok grabbed Boyan’s chin with one hand and forced him to make eye contact with his own.

“Answer me.”

Kieeeeng!!

“Ah, ah…”

An illusion arose in Boyan’s eyes, as if Renok’s eyes were rotating strangely.

Boyan’s spirit, driven to its limit after a bizarre battle that was difficult to explain.

He had completely blocked off any escape routes, both physically and mentally, and had driven him to the brink, all for this moment.

Boyan’s spirit, which had collapsed so easily, was pierced by the magic eye, rummaging through the deepest parts of his memory.

Fwaat!!

[Blindfold. You made sure it was done properly, right?]

[Yes, yes. Of course.]

In the darkness where nothing could be seen, only the trembling voice of Boyan and the blunt voice of a man could be heard.

[I’m saying this for you, not for me, so make sure there are no gaps in covering your field of vision.]

The man, who used a somewhat old-fashioned way of speaking, said again.

[If you even glimpse the light of the door, an ordinary human will inevitably become an idiot on the spot.]

[Wh-what… what exactly is a door?]

Perhaps his tension had eased slightly at the man’s words of concern for him.

Boyan in his memory mustered up his courage and spoke.

[Why are you making a craftsman like me do this… what are you making me do?]

[……]

[I thought I would be able to get money, but I didn’t know about this… this is too scary!!]

Boyan, walking in a space where he couldn’t see an inch ahead, his hands tied, trembling.

The man was silent, then answered quietly.

[Excess is worse than deficiency, and existence always precedes annihilation. To go against this law, a price is required.]

[…Huh?]

[We must all share the responsibility for awakening the lost memories.]

Ignoring Boyan, who was blankly asking back, not understanding his words, the man admonished him.

[It’s not that you’ve been chosen or that you have to sacrifice yourself, so you can rest assured. There are already many others who have taken out the things that were forgotten inside the door, and they have forgotten in return.]

[……]

[You just need to stand in front of the door and remind us that the cycle of failure is still going on.]

The man said calmly.

[Because that will be the only lifeline left for us who failed to ascend.]

At the madness contained within those words, Boyan closed his mouth without saying anything.

He just accepted the reality that had befallen him and trembled as he walked forward.

[The time needed is only a moment. You don’t need to endure for long. Today’s conversation will all become a handful of bubbles and sink below the world.]

Clank!!

At that moment, Boyan heard the sound of something moving in front of him, where he couldn’t feel anything.

Kooong, weeeeng, click, swaaaa!!

Krrreung, glug…!!

A bizarre sound, as if machines, living things, monsters, and humans, all real forms, were moving together.

Even though all his senses were blocked and he was only listening to the sound with his two ears, he couldn’t escape the overwhelming amount of information.

His arms, legs, and shoulders trembled uncontrollably, and saliva filled his mouth and dripped out.

The moment Boyan, unable to control his body, forgot to even breathe in a daze within the sounds he was hearing.

The man said.

[The door is opening. Get ready.]