Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 685

The Oldest Lineage (8)

The fact that the Heavenly Eye’s magnetic field was observed from the new Lighthouse Keeper.

Upon hearing that, the Doctor fell into a rare silence.

The Heavenly Eye, the fleeting exchange Madrea Falsier had just before failing her ascension and dying.

The Doctor still remembered the conversation that pierced his essence, which sought to calculate and judge everything in the world.

[It’s difficult to estimate the specific level, but it’s certain that she has at least completed the hierarchy.]

Soryu continued.

[After completing the fifth lighthouse and bringing the central front into view, she had been quiet, but it seems she was focusing on increasing her own power.]

“……”

[The news will soon spread to the Order and the Magic Alliance. If it seems like it could act as a variable, you should consider it.]

“Alright… I’ll take care of that.”

The magnetic field of the Heavenly Eye.

Even if it doesn’t reach the ideological domain that Madrea Falsier obtained as an Ascendant [a being who has transcended mortal limitations], if she has obtained the function of the magnetic field that she once passed through in her lifetime, it is necessary to keep an eye on her.

If the Lighthouse Keeper’s mission, the great qualification to observe the outer sea and postpone destruction, has manifested in her mind.

It is highly likely that she possesses something beyond a level that can be explained simply by force.

[To return to Kabahim, we need to break through the central front, and there’s a high chance of encountering Jebyeok. It seems we’ll need to borrow Ermong’s consciousness transfer technique.]

The Doctor, who had been silently retracing his memories, quickly snapped out of his thoughts and smiled.

“I heard you almost killed Jebyeok. If you get caught this time, you won’t even be able to pick up the bones, right?”

[He failed to exploit a gap using his grandson, so he won’t fail to recognize you.]

“To think things went that way because of a mistake there.”

[If the armored ship hadn’t intervened, the operation would have succeeded.]

Even at the Doctor’s sarcasm, Soryu remained calm and composed.

He knew that reacting rashly to this eccentric researcher would only waste time.

[It’s not much of a substitute, but we secured the thing buried under Kaiush. We seized the opportunity while Jebyeok joined the Blue Eye.]

“That thing? Ah, you mean the Divine Hexagram?”

Although the operation of the Well of the Handbook overlapped with the schedule, Soryu’s original reason for trying to kill Jebyeok was to secure the item hidden in Kaiush.

The operation failed, disrupting the plan, but perhaps that’s why Jebyeok was absent.

“Okay. I roughly understand the situation on your end…”

The Doctor, who had been yawning, then answered leisurely.

“But I can’t call Ermong.”

[Why not?]

“That friend of mine, surprisingly, has many uses here and there, so many places are calling for him.”

The Doctor smiled.

“The consciousness transfer technique, as you said, is very useful. It seems he’s busier than you these days.”

[……]

I feel Soryu’s breath turning cold as he doesn’t answer.

The Doctor, having confirmed how far Soryu’s patience had worn thin, finally gave a proper answer.

“Myung is using him directly. It’ll probably be difficult to see him for a while.”

[……Myung directly?]

Soryu, unusually flustered, asked back.

[But he is now-]

“So, if necessary, it would be better to look for other methods.”

At that moment, thousands of screens in the room simultaneously began to display the scenery of a certain city.

KWA-AAAAA!!!

A bizarre sight of a thick, dark-colored wave, as if gathering the darkness of hell, swallowing the entire city at once.

The Doctor, looking at the screen, muttered as if slightly disgusted.

“That is, if you don’t want to talk to such a monster directly.”

* * *

“It’s been over three days since his condition stabilized.”

Someone standing next to Lenox in the dark, unlit hallway spoke quietly.

“The researchers say it will take at least three years for him to regain consciousness.”

“……”

“They are botanists who have worked in the Greenbelt for a long time. There shouldn’t be any major errors in their opinion.”

“Is that so?”

Lenox chuckled and turned his gaze.

The two’s gazes turned to a black sapling placed in a glass garden far away.

“It seems that opinion wasn’t very helpful last time.”

“……”

A middle-aged man with thick blond hair shook his head as if he couldn’t help it.

He might think he’s seeing Lenox for the first time, but Lenox already knew him.

Councilor Conrad Haven.

A city councilor who tried to commit terrorism at the Magic Engineering Expo, but after confirming Evan’s thesis, he abandoned his plan without hesitation and retreated.

He had not shown himself since then, but he had belatedly appeared to explain the aftermath of the situation to Lenox.

It was the result of a new councilor taking over the agenda while Meyer, who had gone to find the medicine, had temporarily stepped down for health reasons.

“I’m just passing on the reports that are coming up to me. I didn’t attend this meeting.”

“That’s not much of an excuse.”

“Think what you want. But what about that?”

Beyond the glass window that Conrad pointed to, researchers in full protective suits were approaching the tree.

Councilor Reisen Azamaha. They carefully extract the bark of what has now become a withered sapling.

They cut and place the branches in thick sealed containers, filling them with an unknown liquid to prevent the power from leaking out.

“Joint research to weaponize materials that have been corrupted by the outer sea.”

“……”

“The discussion with the Senate is over. It will begin in earnest as soon as the person in charge is decided.”

The moment Conrad turned his gaze, Lenox realized why he was explaining this story to him.

“Are you telling me to take charge?”

“The Senate has a very high opinion of your abilities.”

Conrad smiled.

“I’m a politician, and I’d like to learn how you managed to make those stubborn old hags so favorable.”

“……”

It wasn’t that the Senate liked Lenox, but rather that he had resolved the magic particle exposure incident that occurred in the closed area.

Having confirmed that he had the ability and knowledge to intervene in the project, they simply wanted to use Lenox in more diverse ways.

But instead of mentioning that fact, Lenox shook his head.

“It’s enough to receive the results of the joint research. It would be better to find someone else.”

Watching Lenox turn his back without hesitation, Conrad silently lit a cigarette.

“You may or may not know, but research into weaponizing the power of the outer sea is in full swing at the central front.”

“……”

“At the apex of that is the Order, which has turned the apostles of the outer gods into strategic weapons… and those including the Magic Alliance and the Ability Awakening Corps are following behind.”

Conrad continued without waiting for Lenox’s answer.

“The Magic Tower is the same. If you want to go beyond just keeping up with the latest trends in academia and truly build a new Magic Tower in this city-”

“I have no intention of refusing to use the power of the outer sea as a weapon.”

Lenox himself had been using the carapace fragments of Walter Martinez, who was an apostle of the Order, as a shield.

Lenox, who had killed several apostles and rummaged through their byproducts, had no reason to feel any aversion to research.

But even so, the reason why Lenox was not interested in the research to weaponize the fragments of the Destruction Tree was not for any other reason.

“There’s no need to spend a lot of time on research that will proceed on its own.”

“What?”

The history intertwined between the oldest lineage and the Destruction Tree Acrotreenia.

Lenox had clearly confirmed the miracle of extracting and processing the fragments and power of the Destruction Tree into a huge black coffin itself.

Academics and researchers working in large cities have more outstanding aspects in their specialized fields than Lenox.

If it’s about making the branches of the Destruction Tree’s incarnation into weapons or artifacts, they would produce results much more efficiently.

Besides, Lenox had already extracted and kept one of the freshest branches to track down the black mages.

It was quite a dangerous item, so he had preserved and stored it for the time being, but he could take it out and use it whenever he needed it.

From Lenox’s point of view, he only needed to sit still and receive the research results and applications.

There was no reason to spend time on research that would proceed on its own without him having to get involved.

Watching Reisen squirm every time a branch was cut, Lenox opened his mouth.

“However, if you want to continue the research for a long time, it would be better to reduce the administration of growth inhibitors.”

“……Instead of increasing the dosage of the drug, you’re saying to reduce it?”

“If she develops unnecessary resistance, Reisen will regain consciousness that much faster.”

Lenox answered and immediately turned away.

“I know well from experience.”

How much effort had he put into suppressing drug resistance and enjoying the effects of the drug for as long as possible?

Even Lenox, who makes and uses various doping agents himself, has not been able to solve the resistance and is constantly improving the drugs.

Even in a weak human body, he tries to cope and adapt to the given environment.

There was no need to say what Reisen’s body, which had been consumed by the power of the tree that was swallowing civilization, would be like.

The moment Conrad turned his head to ask something, Lenox’s figure scattered like mist and disappeared from the spot.

* * *

“Extend your wrists more and narrow your elbows.”

A bustling street in the middle of the day. A Pilates studio with sunlight streaming through the well-polished glass windows.

A training ground of hardship where he had to endure tremendous pain and regret every time he visited.

While finishing the deal with the Senate and waiting for Hylea’s answer according to Myung’s advice, he also steadily invests time in training his body.

Although it is difficult to achieve great results with this frail body and the body that has not completely resolved the penalties.

Considering what he has to do in the future, it is only natural to check his condition in advance and find the areas that need improvement.

And Lenox was once again paying the harsh price for visiting this place after a long time.

“Twist your waist and place your spine on your back. Then, rotate to the left as if bouncing.”

“No, what does it even mean to place the spine on the back…”

“Ahem!”

CRACK!!

“……!!”

Lancia, the tanned instructor who grabbed Lenox’s shoulder as he writhed without even screaming, shook her head.

“Your flexibility is still close to the worst. Even though it’s been a while since I saw you, it hasn’t improved at all.”

“……”

“Well, I admit that you’ve been taking care of your body better than I thought. Thanks to that, I’m having a bit of fun teaching after a long time.”

Lancia, who had swept back her tied-up white hair, took a few steps back and carefully observed his figure.

Lancia, who was satisfied with Lenox’s trembling body, slowly nodded her head.

“That posture is the basic posture of the martial art ‘Ninefold Return’ that I will teach you from now on, so make sure to remember it.”

“Is this posture, where I can’t even breathe properly, the basic one?”

“That’s just because your respiratory system isn’t flexible.”

“If you use flexibility as an excuse for everything, it’s rather less convincing…”

“Your waist. It’s twisted again.”

CRACK!!

Looking at the quieted Lenox, Lancia said with satisfaction.

“It may be painful right now, but it’s proof that your posture is being corrected, so accept it.”

“……There was a reason why you chose to be a Pilates instructor.”

It’s called a martial art, but it’s actually an extension of the high-intensity flexibility exercises that Lenox had been doing at this Pilates studio.

Lancia nodded with her arms crossed.

“Originally, it would be enough to include only simple posture correction exercises in the curriculum, but I’m teaching you this specifically.”

“Why did you decide to teach me martial arts?”

Lenox asked.

“It’s hard for me to say it myself, but I don’t think I look like I have any aptitude for martial arts.”

The last time he visited the studio, Lancia had mentioned that she would teach Lenox martial arts.

At that time, he thought she would just let it pass, but he never thought she would still remember it.

Where on earth did she see his aptitude for martial arts? Lenox was more curious.

“Well…”

Lancia scratched her cheek, looking a little embarrassed.

“I’ve used up all the instructor fees that you paid in advance for two years.”

“……Excuse me?”

“According to the Balkan Labor Law, 30% of the amount paid in advance must be refunded at any time, but I’m not in a position to do so.”

“……”

“I thought that teaching martial arts would be a bit more profitable…”

Lancia flinched her shoulders at Lenox’s cold gaze.

“B-But, I’m not teaching you useless skills. Ninefold Return is known as the first martial art learned by a legendary warrior.”

“……A legendary warrior?”

“It’s effective in maximizing the flexibility of the body to hone nine martial arts, and in preventing unavoidable injuries by training unused muscles.”

“……”

“I thought it was nonsense when I was learning it, but as time passed, it didn’t seem entirely wrong.”

“Are you calling that an excuse now?”

“Ahem, ahem.”

Lenox sighed as he watched Lancia slightly avert her gaze.

“Okay. Never mind, let’s continue.”

“Oh, are you agreeing to learn martial arts?”

At Lancia’s delighted expression, Lenox asked while maintaining his posture.

“That martial art, it’s not a martial art learned through normal methods, is it?”

“Huh? Well… let’s just say there’s a long story behind it.”

Lancia nodded with a hesitant look.

But Lenox thought that maybe her explanation wasn’t entirely absurd.

Ninefold Return. A legendary warrior. He could dismiss it as nonsense as Lancia said.

But Lenox knew that among the Ascendants who died hundreds of years ago, there was a berserker with the alias ‘Return’.

If that name was mixed into the actual martial art and passed down, it could be a secret technique related to him.

‘I can’t expect such a coincidence…’

But instead of clinging to that fact right now, Lenox focused on following the posture correction method that Lancia taught him.

Whether the legend was true or not, it was enough to focus on increasing his body’s athletic ability by incorporating martial arts, as Lancia said.

In the first place, the reason why Lenox had returned to the studio was to check his physical condition in preparation for what he had to do in the future.

Considering the existence of the outer gods and the meeting with Pandemonium from the oldest lineage.

If he thought about Myung’s message to go to Hylea, he would have to check his condition in advance and correct it.

“Good. It seems you’ve roughly adapted to the posture, so let’s try a few more movements.”

Lancia lightly rotated her shoulders, took a stance, and twisted her shoulders.

“The most basic self-defense technique used in Ninefold Return martial arts. It’s called ‘Eight Reversals’.”

Lancia clenched her fist, lightly twisted her wrist, and unfolded it while rotating.

At the same time, she rotated her waist, shoulders, and knees, and lightly extended her fist forward.

Lenox also maintained the basic posture that Lancia had taught him and roughly followed the Eight Reversals she had shown him.

‘Is it a method of changing the body’s center of gravity sequentially and drawing a circle within the body?’

As he learned about Ninefold Return, he roughly understood what kind of principle it was pursuing.

Lenox was also aware of the principles of martial arts due to the influence of the Touin [a martial art] he had learned from Claude Azlan.

Naturally, he was able to analyze the martial art itself without much difficulty.

The principle of the Eight Reversals that Lancia was teaching now was a method of deliberately breaking the body’s center of gravity and then restoring balance by returning it one by one.

Not a simple repetitive motion, but a principle of return where the first movement is connected and returns to its original position.

“……Hmm?”

“Well, I said it like this, but it won’t be easy. It’s a technique that deflects power like a self-defense technique, so…”

For a moment, Lenox tilted his head at the sense of déjà vu he felt from that idea.

“Unless you practice for a long time and master it, even a beginner will easily lose their balance just by being pushed lightly like this-”

The moment Lancia smiled and lightly placed her fist on Lenox’s outstretched palm.

The magic power that rose along Lenox’s forearm rotated as it was, raising a dazzling golden pillar of light.

KWAAAAANG!!!

The brilliant light that erupted from the middle of the studio swept through the space right next to Lancia and disappeared.

Lancia, who had extended her fist, stared blankly at the hole that had been blown through the studio wall.

“……Huh?”