Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 710

The Empty House (4)

Dead Rise subordinate unit garrison facility. Satellite production factory temporary control room.

Several dozen soldiers were silently watching one person’s every move.

A communications officer who had rushed out from the hallway urgently called out a name, then quickly shut his mouth.

“Mr. Stockton…!!”

“You don’t need to shout, I’m watching,” a middle-aged man with a stern look, arms crossed, retorted.

The soldier who had rushed out was speechless at the sight of the scene unfolding on the control room screen.

On dozens of monitors, the garrison facility around the factory was being monitored.

On the other side of the transmission screens, already half-destroyed, a huge wave of metal could be seen surging.

An overwhelming area-of-effect attack that forcibly resonated only the metallic substances among the endless fields of trash, sweeping across the ground.

On another screen, a pure white frost mist was gathering, completely freezing the garrison facility.

On yet another side, a beast with pure white fur was madly smashing temporary structures and supplies.

Without taking his eyes off the screen, Stockton asked, “Where is Ms. Peisha?”

“We haven’t been able to reach her yet…!!”

“All the adjacent garrison facilities are destroyed, so she can’t use the communication devices.”

Stockton nodded.

“It seems we have no choice but to go out and meet them.”

“But considering their movements, they’ll track us down quickly!!”

“That’s true. I never imagined that the internal facilities of Sector 59 would be discovered so easily.”

Stockton shook his head, a bitter smile on his face.

“We underestimated the Witch of the Barrage too much. Or rather, should I say I didn’t know that Kyunroe was this capable?”

“……”

Stockton, who had been delegated full authority in place of Peisha, had not been focusing on satellite production without any preparation.

Originally, Sector 59 was designated as a restricted area, a rough terrain where entry was difficult unless one was a specially authorized manager.

Even if they found out the location of the factory, if they didn’t have the authority, there would inevitably be a commotion in the process of entering.

In that case, Stockton could simply assess the presence of intruders by observing the commotion outside the sector and respond accordingly.

Even if the Witch negotiated with the council and gained authority, it would take time, so they could just complete the satellite.

As long as the Witch was in Vulcan, taking the Phoenix Warship and using it as an engine’s power source was only a matter of time, or so he thought.

He never imagined that she, who should have no connection to Vulcan, would join hands with the most dangerous mage in this city.

“Judging by the timing, they must have moved as soon as they pinpointed the location of the factory. They had access to the restricted area from the beginning.”

Just like Dead Rise, they had also obtained access to the restricted area through an abnormal route.

They had been deliberately bringing in supplies from outside the city to conceal their location and timing, but now that things had turned out this way, it had all been in vain.

“I heard Kyunroe is working as an outside director for the cartel. The fact that the board members are running wild on the battlefield must be his doing….”

“Garrison facility 83% annihilated…!! 10km remaining to the main force!!”

“At this rate, the location of the factory will be pinpointed. We should go out and prepare for interception…!!”

“No. It’s already too late.”

Stockton cut off the adjutant’s words as he was about to issue an order.

“If they’ve identified the flow of supplies being transported from the garrison facility, then the factory’s location is as good as exposed. There’s no reason to needlessly disperse our forces.”

“Th, then…!!”

Stockton, who had been quietly looking around at the soldiers who were only looking at his mouth, nodded.

“We will gather here and hold out until Ms. Peisha returns. All personnel, prepare for battle.”

“All forces, prepare for battle!!”

“All personnel except for the development team, gather in the operational area!!”

Clank!!

As soon as Stockton’s words fell, the soldiers guarding him rushed out into the hallway in perfect order.

Stockton, who was the last to leave the control room, passed through the empty hallway and opened the door to the research lab located at the deepest part of the factory.

Kwaaaa!!

A room filled with a fishy smell of blood. In a space where the ceiling and walls were stained with a gruesome crimson color, two people stood with their backs turned.

Stockton asked, “Solshier. Is the preparation complete?”

“Of course, Milo,” a young man with a gentle impression, Solshier, turned his head and answered with a smile.

He nodded, pointing to the man with slicked-back hair standing next to him.

“Our Lord Yemju has finally finished preparing the Scorching Soul. It should be enough for you and me to use.”

At that moment, the man called Yemju pulled out a hot flame with his bare hand.

Whoosh!!

A bizarre scene as if pulling out hot lava from a furnace.

However, there was not a hint of pain on the face of the man touching the flame with his bare hands.

Kkyaaaaa!!!

Ignoring the desperate screams echoing from all directions, Stockton turned his gaze.

“We need to hurry. There’s no time.”

Beyond the crude window frame created behind the door.

A wave of metal that seemed capable of sweeping through the entire factory was surging and rippling.

There was no one here who didn’t know that it was a wave of death that was incomparable to anything they had seen before.

“Kyunroe is coming.”

* * *

Flame-type unique magic

Property change emission manifestation

[Red Chain Link]

[Karmic Flower]

[Forty-Fourfold Overload]

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!!!

Hot crimson flames trailed behind the armored vehicle, spreading like wings.

[Branching Fire Spout]

The flames that fell on the surging wave of metal exploded like a volcano, spewing hot air into the sky.

Kwagwagwang!!!

Tatianna, who had kicked the steering wheel, gritted her teeth as she looked at the factory in the distance.

“Satellite factory…!!”

A solid structure that stood out even among the mountains of trash and waste.

In the shape of a thick circular pillar, it was spewing out acrid smoke from various places.

The heat rising above the factory distorted like a mirage, obscuring the dawn sky, a bizarre sight.

However, Lenox turned his gaze to focus on something other than the factory.

“Even after coming this far, I can’t see the launch pad. They might have just buried it at the back of the factory.”

He thought he could find either the factory or the launch pad, but if he found one, he should naturally know the location of the other.

In particular, there must be a transportation route secured to take the satellite produced at the factory to the launch pad.

However, despite this, the area around the factory was only filled with mountains of trash, and there was no sign of a road leading to the launch pad.

“And there are too few people at the factory….”

Considering that the number of personnel assigned to the subordinate unit garrison facility was between several dozen and several hundred, the number of troops guarding the factory should also be considerable.

But why is only the location of the factory left at this point?

It was difficult to confirm the truth even with magic detection due to the powerful barrier and magnetic storm inside the restricted area.

Considering that the executives of Dead Rise couldn’t be unaware of this, perhaps….

Lenox, lost in thought, muttered to himself as he stared blankly at the sky.

“Could it be…?”

“Ban, what do you mean?”

Kugugugu…!!

With a tilt of one hand, the wave of metal boiling beneath his feet began to accelerate.

The wave of the Sensory Domain [a type of magic], which rose as if leaping through the fields of trash, covered the front of the factory as it was, the moment it hit….

The wave of metal passed through the factory’s scenery without touching anything.

Kugugugugu!!!

The tilted armored vehicle fell upside down over the collapsing wave of metal.

The armored vehicle tumbled among the scattered scrap metal fragments, hitting the driver’s seat and the passenger seat.

Kukwakwang!!

Kkigigik!!

The armored vehicle finally came to a stop, overturned after a long time.

Behind that armored vehicle, the factory that had been standing perfectly fine just a moment ago was nowhere to be seen.

Instead, what came into view through the car window was a huge theme park that was close to ruins.

A vast width as if it was made to accommodate tens of thousands of people. On the wide open plain, broken rides, shops, and various facilities gave off an eerie atmosphere.

The remnants of a city expansion development plan that had been completely abandoned.

There was evidence before his eyes that this vast incinerator was also designed as a street for people to live and come and go decades ago.

“Hoo….”

Lenox, sitting in the passenger seat in the overturned car, smiled bitterly.

The moment he struggled to unfasten his seatbelt and grabbed the passenger door handle.

Crack!!

A military boot that appeared from the side crushed the passenger door handle.

At the same time, a stiff voice was heard.

“There’s a saying that the greatest sin on the battlefield is ignorance.”

Clank!!

Hundreds of superhumans, who had simultaneously appeared surrounding the overturned armored vehicle.

All of them were equipped with anti-magic gear used in battles against great mages, and heavily armed with fireproof insulation material all over their bodies.

Superhumans equipped with gear that could withstand being in a flame hell for a while aimed their weapons at the armored vehicle.

“Even the mage who is said to be the most battle-crazed in Vulcan can’t properly deal with spells he’s seeing for the first time. Isn’t that right?”

Stockton, standing at the head of those superhumans, muttered as he stepped on the back of the armored vehicle.

“That’s why we left this city and headed to the center. To learn things that can’t be seen in one part of the continent, and to learn how to deal with them.”

Whoosh!!

The blood-red greatsword, blazing in Stockton’s hand.

The crimson flames that rose along the blade did not burn even the skin that wrapped around his bare hand.

Before Lenox could answer, Stockton, who had grabbed the blood-red greatsword with both hands, forcefully plunged it into the armored vehicle.

Immediately after that, the armored vehicle exploded with tremendous force, scattering its remains in all directions.

Kwaaaaang!!

Even while being directly hit by the armored vehicle fragments, Stockton’s eyes and senses did not miss Lenox’s presence until the very end.

Whether Lenox had remained inside the armored vehicle until the last moment.

Whether the target he had killed was Lenox himself, not an illusion or a decoy.

Beyond not leaving any room for future trouble, he even observed death with all his senses heightened at the moment of taking a life.

At the last moment when the armored vehicle exploded and scattered, Lenox was definitely lying inside that armored vehicle.

Leaving the blazing fragments like a tomb, Solshier and Duren approached Stockton, who had plunged the greatsword into the ground.

Solshier with a long spear, and Duren with flames burning in crimson behind their backs.

The flames surrounding the three of them were all burning fiercely, as if squeezing out tremendous magic power.

Solshier looked at the armored vehicle fragments where Lenox was buried and asked, “Where’s the Witch?”

“She’s not here. I suspect she changed her movements right before the attack.”

“We have to find her.”

Yemju, Duren, who had swept his hair back, said strongly.

“That woman has the Phoenix Warship of the previous Magic Tower Lord.”

“……”

“If we can’t recover the Phoenix Warship after using the Scorching Soul, then the satellite production is effectively completely suspended.”

“Yemju. Don’t order me around.”

Stockton replied with a blank face.

“My job is only to protect the factory and repel the intruders. When Ms. Peisha returns, she will assess the situation and make a decision.”

“If Tatianna Chiglet escapes, we might not even be able to pinpoint her location this time!!”

“Since she has entered the restricted area, she couldn’t have escaped far. Isn’t that right?”

“……”

“Confirming Kyunroe’s death is the priority. I can’t compromise on this.”

Duren shouted angrily, but Stockton didn’t budge.

“It’s dangerous to move rashly when the cartel’s board members are still around. Wait here so that the factory’s location isn’t exposed.”

“You stupid soldiers…!! You don’t even know who’s hiding the factory in the first place-”

[A mirage, right?]

A voice echoed from within the blazing armored vehicle fragments.

The three of them’s expressions changed drastically at those words, which were heard even though no one had opened their mouths.

“……!!”

Stockton and Solshier, who had turned their bodies like lightning, moved simultaneously.

They simultaneously swung their magic power and thoughts, as if slamming them into the armored vehicle fragments, and the crumpled iron plates were torn to shreds.

In the crimson flames that were burning fiercely, a powerful magic power slowly stretched.

Kkigigik…!!

The armored vehicle fragments, which had melted like a tomb, slowly opened, and a calm voice began to be heard.

[I heard that if you mix a spell with an existing natural phenomenon, its power is amplified many times over.]

“Shoot!!”

Tatatatata!!!

At Stockton’s words, the soldiers who had been waiting pulled the trigger, and thousands of sparks began to fly between the scrap metal and iron plates.

[A mirage spell that refracts light using the temperature difference in the atmosphere… There’s a lot to learn from an old magic tower.]

However, even amidst the rain of bullets that were pouring down like crazy, Lenox’s words did not stop.

[Just watching how you apply your own system, that struggle alone is worth it.]

“That’s why I told you not to move until you confirmed the death…!!”

“Solshier, move!!”

Stockton and Solshier, who were holding the blood-red flames blazing greatsword and spear, leaned forward almost simultaneously.

Duren staggered backward with a look of panic.

However, before the two superhumans could jump into the armored vehicle fragments that were set up like a tomb.

The light that burst out from between them pierced through Duren’s body in an instant.

“Kuhak!!”

Duren was thrown to the other side as if he had been bounced off. Behind him, the mage waved one hand and walked out.

While Stockton was gritting his teeth at the sight of him being unharmed despite the desperate attack, Lenox, who had already torn off the crimson flames that were circling behind Duren’s back, said.

“You guys call this the Scorching Soul.”

Whoosh!!

Lenox carefully examined the lump of crimson flame held in one hand.

“A clear presence that can be felt to the touch. A heat that surpasses flames, and something that can even be granted to a specific weapon….”

It burns on its own without firewood, has a form without a catalyst, and has a mind even though it has no form.

Evidence of an unrealistic fruition that extends branches and bears fruit even though it has no roots.

Lenox already understood what this irrational result was based on.

The Scorching Soul. What it means to burn the soul.

Lenox, who had been quietly looking at the crimson flame, asked, “It’s a forbidden weapon, isn’t it?”

“……!!!”

The mages of the Magic Tower who were with Tatianna.

Dead Rise did not simply grind them down as engine materials.

Rather, with the help of the Magic Tower Lord Yemju of Blaver, they were trying to process their minds and bodies into living artifacts for use.

That’s why they were able to take the gamble of facing Lenox head-on instead of running away at this point.

“The fact that the Magic Tower’s Yemju came to the city as reinforcements was also for this purpose from the beginning. When Halfman was captured, did one more reinforcement come?”

“Kuh…!! What do you think will change even if you get your hands on that!!”

Duren clutched his blood-stained side and stood up, trembling.

A collision that was close to a moment. One exchange of attacks that crossed at a close distance where their gazes could meet.

However, with just that, Duren suffered a severe injury that he could not recover from, and even had the flames of the Scorching Soul he was using taken away.

He could never beat this mage in a short-term battle where they were competing in psychological warfare.

Sensing that, Duren desperately opened his mouth and began to shout at Lenox.

“The Scorching Soul is a thought weapon that operates by paying the Magic Tower’s authority and price…!! Even if you hold it, trying to handle it, you’ll only be cutting your own flesh-”

“I think I roughly know how to use it.”

“……What?”

The flames of the Scorching Soul that had moved onto the back of his hand tried to burn Lenox’s arm, but stopped as if blocked by an invisible force.

At the same time as he pulled up his magic power, the crimson flames wrapped around his bandaged left arm.

[Power recognition confirmed.]

[Suitability factor judgment completed. Formal succession process resumed.]

[Solar system re-entry.]

Soon, it swelled to dozens of times its size in an instant and turned into a huge curtain.

Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh!!!

The curtain of flames that rose above the four people’s heads spread wide to both sides and turned into wings of fire.

The flames, which had transformed into the shape of a giant firebird, glared at Yemju as if they had intelligence and were alive.

Lenox nodded as he looked at Duren, who had gone pale and stiff, unable to say anything.