Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 681

Armand’s eyes, which had been intently watching the smiling man, widened suddenly.

“Jaun Audiss…!!”

Armand, who shouted a name quite familiar to Lenok as well, hurriedly drew his sword.

“I saw that face in an agent’s mission report. I heard you abandoned the terrorist organization and ran away, so why are you here?”

“……”

The man, who had been narrowing his eyes and staring at Armand for a moment, clapped his hands as if he had belatedly remembered.

“Ah!! Was that my name?!”

“…What?”

“I’m sorry, you see. I can’t quite remember what this body’s owner’s name was.”

“……”

“Well, it’s not like we’re close enough to remember each other’s names.”

The man said that and burst into a chuckle as if it were nothing.

“But seeing as how there are people who know this body’s owner and come looking for me, it seems he wasn’t completely heartless.”

“What are you even talking about…”

While Armand was muttering with a bewildered expression, Lenok leaned on his staff and turned his body around.

“I know that face.”

“Hmm?”

As soon as he saw Lenok’s face, Jaun Audiss’s face began to twitch subtly.

A bizarre sight, as if Jaun’s skin was reacting to the face of Ban, with his skin surface rising and falling.

The man silently stared at his twitching facial skin, then slapped his own cheek hard.

*Slap!!*

“You, you’re acquainted with this body’s owner?”

The man asked, as if he found it fascinating.

“It’s been a long time since I killed the ego, so it doesn’t react to most stimuli… Were you perhaps siblings or lovers?”

“The opposite.”

Lenok smiled.

“I could have killed him, but I let him live a few times.”

“…Heh heh.”

“You may not know, but that body seems to still remember me.”

Taking a step forward, Lenok whispered.

“And I know you’re not the real Jaun Audiss.”

An ancient black magician who took over Jaun Audiss’s body with a consciousness transfer ritual at the end of the Infinite Labyrinth [A dangerous, multi-layered dungeon].

A strange person who entered Pandemonium [A mysterious organization] and worked with Soryu in the Western Continent.

The black magician who wields both Jaun Audiss’s gem magic and black magic, Ermong, was hiding here.

“Pandemonium. What are you doing in a place like this?”

Ermong and Glen.

Two people who have no connection other than being members of Pandemonium, what on earth are they doing hiding in the underground of the undeveloped district?

Where did the remnants of the black magicians who joined hands with Reisen go, and why are they leading the scene instead?

*Whoooosh!!*

“…!!”

The moment Lenok raised his magic power, Ermong’s expression changed completely as he realized the power.

Ermong, glancing at Lenok, took a step back.

“Ahem, if you know about me, you should know that fighting in a place like this is not a good idea…”

“Gem magic. You still have it, right?”

Lenok cut off Ermong’s words and asked as he strode forward.

“Looking at how you’ve turned this entire area into gems, you must have artificially created an environment to maximize the use of the magic.”

“……”

“I’d really like to hear what you’re planning to do with dozens of these humans.”

“Haha…”

Ermong, who had been awkwardly laughing, soon drooped his shoulders.

A hair-trigger atmosphere that seemed like it would explode at any moment.

Glen was blinking his eyes while collapsed, and from behind, Armand’s breath could be heard being swallowed.

Ermong, who had been silent, sighed and said.

“That’s why young magicians are… Every time I meet one, they’re all unlucky.”

“……”

“But you’re much more dangerous than I thought. If we fight here, I’ll surely die, right?”

Ermong, who had been muttering as if giving up, suddenly raised his head.

“Ah, but I can’t stand it. I’m just going to try it once!!”

*Kiiing!!!*

The diamond that fell under Ermong’s feet turned into a pillar of light, blowing away the entire underground cavity.

The gem magic, which did not stop with one blast but continued to rotate, smashed the water tank pillars and burned Glen’s body to death.

Ermong, who grabbed one of Glen’s bodies, burst into mad laughter.

“The Fortitude of Vulcan!! Let’s see how great that rumor is!!”

“I… I want to go back…”

Ignoring Glen’s stammering words, Ermong, without hesitation, smashed his head and rushed towards Lenok.

After throwing a gem into the air, he used the shockwave as a booster to instantly increase his speed and penetrate.

He approached while dashing diagonally through the half-collapsed glass cavity.

With eight gems neatly placed between his fingers, he chanted the gem magic.

[Ten-Faced Jade: Catalyst Conversion]

[Singing Stone: Multi-Deployment of Magic Resonance]

The gem wings that unfolded behind Ermong were dyed in eight different colors and rotated.

Under his feet, he drew the shape of a golden monstrous bird.

Extracting gem magic from between the beak of the monstrous bird, the black magic that was chanted twice was activated simultaneously.

It cleanly swallowed Lenok’s figure on the spot and exploded there.

*Kugwagwagwagwa!!!*

[Heavenly River Stone: Space-Linked Exfoliating Bloom]

*Kiiiiiiik…!!!*

The ultimate technique of gem magic, which twists and cuts space by throwing a gem into the center of the explosion.

[Sentence: Monumental Tremor]

The eight rays of light rotated in a spiral on the spot, condensing into a giant gem pillar, a miracle.

The colorful gem pillar, like a giant tombstone, slammed down on Lenok’s head, sealing his existence in hell without a trace.

*Kuaaaaang!!*

The glass cavity shattered entirely from the impact, and the giant gem tombstone fell down between the black stairs.

“Puhah!!”

Ermong, who had avoided Glen’s body falling from above, picked up one of them and said.

“Sick friend, from now on, you’re going to track that psychic. I’ll finish the preparations in the meantime.”

“Preparations?”

*Thud!!*

The gem tombstone split vertically, and Lenok walked out through the exploding magic light.

*Crackle, crackle…!!*

Lenok, who had been reaching out as if to grab Ermong by the collar, stopped for a moment when he saw the scenery of the stairs unfolding below.

The moment Ermong tilted his head slightly at the sight.

A giant hand of lightning struck and smashed the black magician’s head.

*Kwaaaang!!*

“Kyak!!”

Ermong’s figure, which was helplessly rolling and bouncing down hundreds of stairs, was instantly covered in blood as he stood up.

“Puhah, a cowardly time-difference attack…!!”

“You’re not one to talk.”

[Constant Thunder]

*Kiiiiing!!!*

The flash of electricity that burst from Lenok’s fingertips formed a giant sphere of lightning and exploded.

Once again, it slammed Ermong’s figure deep underground.

*Thududududuk!!*

“Ukehekekek!!”

With a bizarre scream that was hard to tell whether it was a scream or a laugh, he chanted black magic without hesitation even while being beaten.

He somehow managed to block the pouring lightning by grabbing and swinging black mist and chains.

*Kugwagwaga!!!*

The black and blue light of thought intersected as they fell down the solidified oil cave.

In a fleeting moment, more than a dozen unique magics exploded in all directions, burning the oil-stained underground cavity without a trace.

[Piercing Lightning Annihilation]

[Rending Thunder]

*Crack!!*

Shards of purple lightning, split into hundreds of pieces, rushed in like fragments of blades.

[Peacock Stone: Magic Diffuse Reflection]

The gems scattered by Ermong transformed into the shape of a giant mirror, desperately deflecting the firepower in all directions.

[Green Chalcedony: Familiar Manipulation]

[Diamond: Magic Hardening]

While wielding black magic and gem magic as he grabbed them, he planted gem wedges everywhere and detonated them as traps with a time difference.

Ermong’s battle, where he repeated chants at a rapid pace while engaging in a frontal attack with Lenok.

Even while simultaneously handling two different magics, gem magic and black magic, during the battle, there was not a single error in his hand movements.

“Aghghghgh!!”

Although he was constantly making bizarre noises with his mouth, gem light flickered between the black flowers blooming in the darkness.

Between the flower buds that swirled around his pupils, gem creatures surged out, rushing and exploding.

*Kwaaaaaaang!!!*

The art of slamming and detonating familiars created with gem magic with their entire bodies.

As much as the magic condensed within the rare gems was immense, the range and attributes of the explosions also diverged into different systems, targeting Lenok.

“Huk huk, my mooooney!!”

Even while shedding tears of blood, the hands forming seals did not stop.

While constantly slamming and detonating gems, on the other hand, he condensed gem magic within his body to amplify his physical abilities to the limit.

He secretly continued his preparations, aiming for the single moment when Lenok’s shield would be pierced by the explosions.

The moment when dozens of shields were shaken and peeled off by the shockwaves of different systems and attributes that burst out from the gem explosions.

Ermong’s figure, which had been crumpled and slammed down, leaped as if disappearing from the spot.

*Paaat!!*

However, with a single breath from Lenok, all the explosions froze on the spot.

Crystals of cold, harder than gems, pressed down on the black magician from all directions.

[Myriad Snow White River]

[White Swarm]

*Jjeoooooong!!!*

The black oil cave instantly froze with a breath of pure white cold, pressing Ermong’s figure to the spot.

The black magician’s figure, with his whole body congealed in pure white frost, was sprawled under Lenok’s feet.

“Ugh…”

“……”

However, Lenok ignored Ermong and immediately moved his steps beyond him.

Beyond the huge oil barrier that Ermong had unknowingly tried to protect even during the fierce battle.

*Thud!!*

The moment he ruthlessly smashed the barrier, Ermong’s frozen body scattered into gem crystals and melted away.

At the same time, beyond the smashed and collapsed barrier, the real Ermong, who had been standing with his back turned, turned his head with a troubled look.

“Oh, already?”

“……”

Instead of answering that question, Lenok silently looked up at the huge room where Ermong was standing.

In front of a huge black tree of unknown end, Ermong and a young man of unknown identity were standing.

With thick roots constantly sucking up the abundant oil beneath their feet, and hundreds of withered branches hanging down above their heads.

On each of the long branches of the tree, Glen’s body was hanging, lifeless.

Like fruits growing on a tree, Glen’s corpses were hanging on each branch.

The image of the tree swaying with hundreds of corpses hanging from it felt strangely eerie.

“I knew it wouldn’t be easy, but I didn’t expect to be discovered this quickly.”

Ermong shrugged.

“I went to the trouble of sending a clone down first to find you, but how did you figure it out?”

From the moment Lenok came down to the oil field and found Glen, Ermong had already noticed the intruder.

However, in order not to reveal what he was doing and his location, he deliberately created a clone and sent it down to Lenok first to make him fight.

The clone created with gem magic is difficult to recognize as a clone due to its unique aura.

Furthermore, if you give them a large amount of gems and use them, it is even possible to exert combat power similar to that of the gem magician himself.

However, Lenok, as if he knew from the beginning that Ermong’s clone was fake, killed the clone without any hesitation and found this place.

Lenok answered Ermong’s question, who was genuinely curious.

“I just knew when I killed it.”

“……”

Ermong, who had lost his words, silently met eyes with the young man standing next to him.

Lenok looked at Ermong and laughed as if he found it amusing.

“It’s hard to think of someone who doesn’t even think about deploying a domain and fighting until they’re about to die as the real body.”

“Heh heh…”

Having seen Armand Martins’ clone ability, he was able to quickly notice the difference.

Ignoring Ermong’s hollow laughter, Lenok asked.

“This tree is the real purpose you guys were secretly plotting underground, right?”

“……”

“It seems to be sucking up the oil with its roots and bearing fruit on its branches… but in reality, it’s sucking up both terrestrial power and life force from both the roots and branches at the same time.”

Lenok’s gaze simultaneously turned to the center of the tree trunk where Ermong was standing.

“And the place where that energy gathers… is it inside the tree trunk?”

It absorbs terrestrial power through the tree roots and simultaneously absorbs Glen’s life force through the branches.

The energy gathered from both the roots and branches is being collected together to complete something inside the tree trunk.

The meaning of the shape of the old tree that was devouring the entire huge room and hanging over his head was clear.

The Extinction Tree Acrotreenier [A mythical tree that devours civilizations].

Ermong was now trying to use the power of the outer god that devours civilizations and extends its roots to the other side of the universe again.

The reason Reisen was able to tell him this fact was probably because Ermong was able to temporarily escape from the outer god’s dream while using the power of the Extinction Tree.

“It’s been quite a while since then… I didn’t think you’d try to recover the traces left here now.”

Lenok muttered.

Lenok’s eyes, looking at Ermong, calmly sank.

“Is that also an order given by your leader?”

“……”

Instead of answering, Ermong paused for a moment with a thoughtful expression.

After a moment of silence, he nodded as if he had made a clean decision.

The determination on Ermong’s face as he strode forward.

The moment Lenok, seeing that, slightly tilted and leaned on his staff.

Ermong prostrated himself in front of Lenok.

*Thud!!*

“…Could you please let it slide just once?”

“……”

“I’ll give up everything here and retreat, so please just pretend you didn’t see anything for 10 minutes.”

“Hey.”

At Ermong’s words, the young man who had been watching the situation also interjected with a displeased look.

“What are you doing right now? Are you going to retreat just because of one injured magician after coming all this way?”

“Then you can fight that friend and die instead.”

Ermong, who was prostrated, avoided eye contact with a listless look.

“Haven’t you heard the news from the Mechanical City? Injured or not, that friend is just crazy.”

“……”

“He’s so crazy about fighting that he came back to work in Vulcan even after causing such a ruckus. I don’t want to die here for no reason. It hurts.”

Lenok’s face twitched faintly at Ermong’s words, which strangely hit the nail on the head.

The young man looked at Ermong and Lenok and let out a cold sneer.

“Don’t be ridiculous, old man. You’ve been stuck in a mine for hundreds of years, sleeping… Do you know who I am?”

The young man, stepping past Ermong, raised his magic power and muttered.

The black magic that was wrapped around his feet swirled around the young man’s body like a dark shadow.

A magician who uses high-level black magic.

The young man looked down at Lenok with a cold expression and said.

“There’s no way I’d run away because I’m scared of some rootless magician who’s been rolling around in the streets. Shut up and finish the work.”

“Good confidence.”

Lenok smiled.

It had been a long time since anyone had recognized Ban and picked a fight with him, due to his unnecessarily high reputation.

It had been a very long time since someone had come at him so boldly.

“That Fortitude, Fortitude… There are so many people who think highly of a dying magician.”

The young man said that and strode forward.

“Even while relying on life support devices, you’re desperate to enjoy that status. Right?”

“……”

*Dudududuk!!*

Each time he moved, the black magic that surged up was quickly assembled on the spot and transformed into dozens of unique spells.

The art of deliberately stopping and maintaining the magic just before completion, without immediately firing it at the same time as chanting.

In terms of difficulty, it was a miraculous feat on the level of keeping a bullet in the barrel even after pulling the trigger.

It was proof that he had completely mastered the spells he was using and was fully controlling the flow of magic.

*Karak!!*

The young man, who had a dozen types of black magic swirling behind him under his control, stood in front of Lenok.

“I’m different from my master.”

The young man sneered.

“You’re just a fake with half-baked talent. I’ll prove it here.”

“Master?”

Lenok tilted his head.

“Who is your master? Is it someone I know?”

“Ah…”

Ermong shook his head with a slight sigh.

“My name is Baegon Dayor.”

The young man answered with a cold smile.

“I am the successor of the great black magic and the rightful disciple of the Underworld King, the master of all death.”