Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 684

Lenok had faced Baegon, who, while arrogant and impulsive, was a talented mage. It’s a given that the more talented a mage is, the more they possess the rational intuition to view everything objectively.

In that sense, it was strange that Baegon believed himself to be a disciple of the Underworld King without any context. Conversely, it was also true that Myung had no reason to deny Baegon and lie.

‘The other side of death. The gap between illusion and reality. Mission and tool.’

If one were to piece together the words Myung had muttered while not in his right mind, one could at least guess at the truth.

If Myung had developed a significant mental problem during the process of obtaining the qualification, as Ermong had said.

If the shock or backlash was so severe that his personality had split, to the point where he could not remember his own words or actions.

If Myung could not be defined as one person, wouldn’t it be possible to understand Baegon’s actions so far?

[A sharp observation. All the more so because it’s not entirely wrong.]

However, Myung only smiled silently at Lenok’s question.

[But it’s not the way you think. The foundation of my power is fundamentally different from your talent.]

“…Different?”

[Everything is different. The shackles of an unwanted lineage, and even this cursed black magic.]

Was he saying that he did not value this transcendent power and the black magic that felt so grand?

However, Myung seemed to have no hesitation in belittling his own power.

[It’s not me, but a miracle created by twisting the curse and sacrifice I bear. You don’t have to worry about it too much.]

“…”

Was he saying that Lenok’s guess was not entirely wrong, but also not completely correct?

Myung did not bother to deny that he was not one person, but conversely, he questioned the separation of his personality.

That answer was closer to explaining the source and method of his power than the consciousness or subject of Myung.

Then, as expected-

“Is it because the way that lineage exists is related to the existence of the Outer Gods?”

[……]

“The oldest mage family that uses the symbol of the Eye of Destruction… Where did it all begin?”

Myung did not answer that question immediately.

Instead, he slowly retrieved the darkness that had taken over Baegon and pushed it back into the coffin.

Along with the withdrawal of his will, the grip of the dark giant slowly lost its shape and disappeared in the darkness.

The chains that had spread out in hundreds of directions inside the coffin folded in and rotated.

[It’s not difficult to reveal the old history and the family’s shame, but…]

The sound of the sinking chains quietly echoed, overlapping with Myung’s voice.

[If external matters are involved, it becomes annoying to explain in words. You must have already seen it in the Machine City, right?]

“…What?”

[Challenging transcendence is not a blessing or a privilege. Rather, it’s a shackle closer to a curse.]

Myung said, leaving Lenok in silence.

[That’s why, sometimes, even if it means being unreasonable, there’s a need to stop them for a moment.]

“…”

[I succeeded in leaving a little room, but there are others who couldn’t.]

In an instant, Lenok felt a cold cynicism seep into Myung’s tone.

[Traitors who have forgotten their essence and dream of miracles close to corruption… We may always be looking back at ourselves and laughing.]

He had obtained the qualification to challenge ascension, yet he had deliberately postponed it.

And there were traitors who could not do that and could not stop.

Even though it seemed difficult to even have a conversation, Myung was trying to tell him what he could explain as simply as possible.

That must be because of the existence of that huge black coffin, created by the power of the Eye of Destruction, which Baegon had opened.

The power of the black coffin, which was directly related to the oldest lineage, was forcibly holding Myung’s consciousness, which should not exist here, in place.

However, even with the power of the black coffin, it was not possible to hold Myung’s will for long, and his consciousness began to fade.

Myung seemed to have noticed it as well, and he was self-deprecating.

[Yes… It’s just a brief respite. Even this moment wasn’t planned.]

“…”

Rather than losing contact, it was as if Myung’s will itself was gradually faltering.

A tired voice, as if it was becoming increasingly difficult to exist in this place.

[I’ve given a heads-up to Hirea, so please confirm…]

“…Okay.”

Until just now, Myung could not distinguish whether this place was reality or another side of consciousness.

Even so, he had been talking, answering questions, and even aware that Lenok had returned from the Machine City.

It was inevitable to be impressed by his transcendent mental strength, which was clearly revealed even though he did not show it.

[Soon… It’s always been like that.]

Lenok felt as if Myung was quietly laughing from the other side of the darkness.

[That’s why it’s not me, but you who are needed.]

With those words, the darkness burning inside the black coffin wavered precariously.

The moment Myung’s voice became completely blurred and could no longer be heard.

With a silence that made his ears ring, the darkness completely disappeared.

Fwoosh!!

The black coffin that had contained Myung’s will shattered into pieces on the spot.

The black tree that had been cast over his head convulsed from its roots, withered, and shrank.

It turned into a handful of dust and collapsed on the spot.

Kuuuuung!!!

At the same time as the disappearance of the giant tree that had supported the entire underground area, the ground shook like crazy.

“Haa… I somehow survived again today.”

Ermong slumped down in his place, looking like he had aged ten years.

“…It’s a bit embarrassing to ask now, but you’re not still planning to kill me, are you?”

Ermong glanced around, ready to run away quickly. Lenok chuckled at Ermong’s appearance and turned his gaze away.

“I’ll spare you. Take that guy named Glen and get lost.”

“Yes, thank you. But why did you suddenly change your mind…?”

Ermong asked, wondering, as he walked along the collapsing underground corridor.

Lenok activated his mana detection, checking the life signs in the surrounding area, and replied.

“It’s probably because he’s useful if Myung has him.”

It seemed certain that Ermong was acting on behalf of the Underworld King’s affairs, now that Myung was having difficulty moving due to personal reasons.

That was probably not because Ermong was a black mage like Myung, but rather because of a more personal reason or connection.

Lenok knew this, but he had no intention of killing Ermong here.

Ermong’s expression turned sour at the answer.

“…Ugh. Considering you mentioned Hirea, I thought you were ready to join Pandemonium.”

“…”

“Well, never mind. I didn’t want to do this kind of thing anyway… Come to think of it, why am I even doing the scouting?”

The moment Ermong grumbled and threw a gem above his head,

The walls of the collapsing underground space instantly hardened and turned into a passage leading to the surface.

“Glen!!”

Ermong shouted, with one foot on the passage that had hardened and stuck to the wall.

“If you don’t come out quickly, I’ll just bury you all here and leave…!!”

Bang!!

At that moment, an explosion erupted above Lenok and Ermong’s heads, and dozens of people poured down.

The dozens of Glens were flailing their arms and legs with blank expressions, and Armand was desperately swinging his fists among them.

Ermong’s expression turned bewildered.

“…W-were you still fighting?”

“Cough!!”

Armand’s clones were desperately trying to shake off the pouring Glens, but the Glens were just rolling around with blank faces.

Even though some of the Glens had their mouths torn and their noses broken from being beaten, they didn’t seem to care at all.

Unlike what he had shown in the Well of the Compendium, here he didn’t even seem to want to fight.

Rather, he just kept talking to Armand, who was constantly beating him up.

“That’s not how you do it.”

“Shut up!!”

Thwack!!

The Glen, who had collapsed with his face caved in, said blankly.

“Moving multiple bodies at the same time is done by feeling. It’s a headache.”

“Nonsense…!!”

“It’s easier if you give up. Accept it.”

Armand resisted to escape from Glen, even as he fell through the collapsing sand pit.

Ermong sighed and shook his head as he watched the scene.

“Who’s teaching who… That’s why it’s so hard to take these guys around.”

“Teaching?”

Lenok looked down at Glen, who was being beaten to a pulp by Armand.

“To me, he’s nothing more than a punching bag.”

“That guy has a strange mental illness.”

Ermong replied indifferently.

“If he thinks someone is using a similar ability, he tends to think they’re all him.”

“…”

“So he’s trying to teach them how to accept something like a hive mind.”

So that’s why he had been telling Armand to give up since earlier.

If he thought of Armand as the same being, it made sense why Glen was just taking the beating.

However, Lenok, who had been watching Armand’s movements through the collapsing sand pit, soon lit up his eyes.

“His clone manipulation is much better than before. Is that nonsense having some effect?”

“More than that, if we just keep watching like this, it wouldn’t be strange if we all get buried alive in the sand…!!”

Thump!

At that moment, the sand suddenly surged up from under Lenok and Ermong’s feet, and instantly pushed the group above ground.

A rapid updraft that went against the passage dozens of meters below ground.

The sand dust writhed as if it were alive, and spat out dozens of people at the same time through the collapsed pit.

Swish!!

Ermong, Glen, and Armand were thrown out as if they had been bounced off the back of the completely ruined genetic facility.

“Cough, cough!!”

Ermong, who belatedly realized the situation after seeing Lenok, who had landed lightly behind them, shook his head.

“Manipulating sand particles with mana one by one… You’re not human either, are you? Or are you some kind of sand mole hybrid?”

“I spare you, and you just keep running your mouth.”

Manipulating sand particles directly with mana was something Lenok had easily done even before completing his rank.

From the beginning, Lenok had never intended to be buried alive and die in this vast desert.

“Ugh…!!”

“Gack!!”

Perhaps because Lenok had forcibly grabbed them by the scruff of their necks and pulled them up, they all seemed to have eaten a lot of sand in the process.

Lenok nodded as he watched Armand and Glen gagging and spitting out sand.

“The Central Council is watching this matter. It’s better to move quickly.”

“Yes, let’s do that. I’m planning to get out of here quickly as soon as those guys come to their senses.”

Ermong grinned, picking his nose.

It looked very awkward to see Saihan Zaun Odis doing such an action, but what could one do when the black mage who had taken over his body was going to use it like that?

Lenok stared at Ermong for a moment and then asked.

“The oldest lineage. That’s not just about Myung, is it?”

“…”

“It seems like you have a reason for that too. Isn’t that right?”

Lenok, who had competed with Ermong in the Hanghasami Labyrinth under the identity of Evan, had some idea of his identity.

A black mage from ancient times who had survived for hundreds of years, leaving only his consciousness.

The consciousness transfer technique he had developed, which allowed him to freely switch human bodies, was a magic that even Lenok had to admit was highly perfected.

If Myung had deliberately kept such a black mage alive, wouldn’t it be because the black mage Ermong was also deeply involved in the curse or lineage that Myung had mentioned?

Ermong, who had wiped his nose-picking hand on his pants, silently raised his gaze.

For a moment, his eyes, which had never shown any emotion, seemed to sink into gloom.

“I don’t know. I’ve lived my whole life without paying any attention to such things.”

“…”

“I just want to kill the weak, get rid of those who get in my way, and live freely, even escaping the shackles of the flesh.”

Ermong shrugged.

“Even if there is some kind of connection, it doesn’t seem like it’s because of me.”

“Ugh, ugh…”

The Glen who was spitting out sand was carrying the healthy Glen, and the Glen with the caved-in face was carrying the Glen with the broken leg.

“If you’re interested in the oldest lineage, you should look for other families, not me.”

Ermong smiled as he turned his steps, following Glen, who was looking back at him with blurry eyes.

“As he said, this family is already completely crushed, leaving no room for anything.”

“…”

“Let’s see. Besides the Extinction Escape and the Empty Mirror, I think there were a couple more… If you look for them, there might be more, right?”

The five families that existed as the oldest lineage of mages.

Besides Myung’s lineage, which dealt with black magic, were there more families called Extinction Escape and Empty Mirror?

“I heard that the Order of Mages at the Central Front is dealing with very old ancient magic. It can’t be said that there’s no connection.”

Central Front Order of Mages. Was it possible that the oldest lineage was located in that place, which collected all the techniques in the world?

Lenok nodded.

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

It was difficult to fully trust Ermong’s memories, which had spanned hundreds of years, but it was better than nothing.

The fragment of the Eye of Destruction Acrotrienia had already tried to absorb Myung’s mana, even after abandoning the human it had possessed.

Just knowing why the oldest lineages were so closely related to the power of the Outer Gods would be a valuable clue.

Lenok thought so and watched the back of the black mage as he walked away.

It was easy to forget due to his frivolous and light attitude, but he was originally a villain close to being an evil person who did not care about the sacrifices of others.

Even if he killed him here, he wouldn’t feel much remorse or guilt.

He had considered half-killing Ermong here and handing him over to the council, but-

Since he already had one foot in Pandemonium, there was no reason to do anything more here.

Having made that decision, Lenok erased even the faint worries that had remained in a corner of his mind.

“Huh? Why do I suddenly have chills…?”

Lenok smiled and turned his steps as Ermong, who was shivering and walking faster, walked away.

The aide was sitting blankly in the sand pit, looking at Lenok with a battered appearance.

He hadn’t heard about Myung’s existence or the fragment of the Eye of Destruction because he was fighting Glen, so there was no need to coordinate their stories separately.

“…Is it all over now?”

Lenok nodded as he looked at Armand.

“Mostly. I’m planning to tell the city council the whole story, so can you call another airship?”

* * *

Inside a room filled with thousands of screens covering all sides.

In the empty space where even the ceiling and floor were filled with screens, mountains of paper and research materials fluttered.

Rustle, rustle!!

The sound emitted from the screens replaced the silence, and the light from the screens replaced the room’s lighting in a bizarre sight.

Only the occasional shaking of the piles of paper collapsing could be felt.

Whoosh!!

At that moment, one of the wires that was scattered haphazardly on the floor of the room activated.

The moment a man who had walked out from among the piles of paper stepped on the wire with his foot without a care.

-Doctor.

Soryu’s cold voice echoed quietly in the room.

“I’m listening.”

The Doctor said, throwing the piles of paper he was carrying in both hands heavily on the floor.

Thump!!

-It’s noisy around you, are you alright?

“Don’t worry about it. It’s nothing.”

The Doctor, who was sitting on the pile of paper he had thrown down, reached out his hand, and a coffee cup was created in the air, emitting warm steam.

“It’s taking unnecessarily long to filter out the dummy data pouring in from outside the outer sea. Thanks to that, the observation room is a mess.”

Instant, where the cup, coffee grounds, and hot water were created by coordinate implementation on the spot.

However, there was a faint sense of satisfaction on the Doctor’s face as he tilted the cup.

“I really like this taste of my brain rotting.”

-……

“If you combine cheap drugs and hormone regulators, it’s like squeezing your brain. It would be even better if you could add a mana collapse line… but that’s a taste that would kill both of us if we ate it.”

The Doctor, who was slumped between the mountains of paper, muttered with a hazy expression.

“The Makina thing too, if you spread your hands out unnecessarily, all sorts of problems arise… If the preservation device breaks, who will take responsibility…”

-Doctor. Where is Ermong right now?

“Ermong? Why do you ask about that guy?”

-I need his consciousness transfer technique to infiltrate the Central Front. I don’t want to cause unnecessary commotion.

“Hmm…”

The Doctor finished all the remaining coffee and sat up straight.

“Tell me more.”

-You know where he is.

Soryu’s voice turned sharp for a moment.

-Is there a reason you can’t tell me?

“Let’s talk after I hear you out.”

At the Doctor’s calm reply, Soryu was silent for a moment before answering.

-Yanicus Barbaria has joined the Blue Eye. He accepted his defeat cleanly after losing the battle with the Lighthouse Keeper.

“…Barbaria? Are you talking about the ruler of Kaiush?”

Jebyeok Yanicus Barbaria.

A level 8 physical ability user and a tyrant who ruled the small city of Kaiush in the Western Continent.

He was an old monster whose status had not diminished even though he had become weak in body and mind due to a long illness, and the Doctor had heard of his name.

“I heard that he became very bad-tempered due to his old age, but that young Lighthouse Keeper made such an old monster submit?”

-According to the reports from the field, it seems that she has completely inherited the Lighthouse Keeper’s abilities.

Soryu said in a low voice, seeing the Doctor taking an interest.

-The magnetic field of the Heavenly Eye has been observed from her.