Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 801

Lenok’s Incarnation and the martial artist stood facing each other, leaning slightly.

The moment they simultaneously adopted the Ninefold Arrival stance with a twisted center of gravity, the martial artists moved first.

Whoosh!!

The martial artists’ figures swayed like ghosts, scattering rapidly to the left and right.

In an instant, they dashed to the Incarnation’s close range and landed a powerful direct hit.

Boom!!

A violent roar. Just by unleashing a fist strike, an intense surge of spirit energy exploded.

Faint mist billowed from all directions, quickly filling the entire corridor.

However, the Incarnation did not collapse or disappear from the martial artists’ attacks.

Instead, it simply raised its hand, rotating its mental energy as it brushed its wrists together with both hands.

Whirring!!

The moment the pale halo rotating at the Incarnation’s fingertips emitted an enormous light.

The entire floor of the corridor where they stood exploded, creating a tremendous roar.

KWA-AA-AA-ANG!!!!

“Kuaaak!!!”

A corner of the ghost dragon’s fortress shook violently, the impact so immense that it was released to the outside.

Even Lenok momentarily raised his hand, turning his gaze away from the aftereffects, and the martial artists’ figures were flung out at tremendous speed from all directions.

The martial artists’ limbs were crushed, and they were unable to stand properly, their faint spirit energy dripping.

“Cough…!!”

“How can this be, such power from just a counterattack…!!”

Unable to even stand properly, they were astonished by the mental energy technique the Incarnation had just used.

They had already realized the gap between the Incarnation before them and themselves with just that one exchange, and they had inwardly accepted defeat.

‘That’s for sure.’

Lenok watched the scene from behind and nodded.

The counterattack the Incarnation had just used against the martial artists. It was definitely a technique that remained in Lenok’s memory.

‘The Ninefold Arrival martial arts. And it can even use it with proper power.’

The Ninefold Arrival martial arts, the Eight Forms, passed down through the Arrival martial arts.

Among them, the counterattack technique [Eight Sceneries], which corresponds to hand-to-hand combat.

Lenok’s Incarnation was freely using that martial art here, even though he hadn’t specifically taught it.

‘The mana consumption is fine too. Unlike me, if it can freely use the Ninefold Arrival without risk…’

The Eight Sceneries that Lenok uses are incredibly powerful, but each time he uses them, he has to endure a creepy sense of discomfort as if he is losing his own senses.

That’s why, even though he had acquired such a powerful technique, he had rarely used it in actual combat.

However, if Lenok’s Incarnation could freely wield the Eight Forms of the Ninefold Arrival in his stead, he could expect a considerable increase in combat power.

If done well, it wouldn’t be impossible to establish a front and rear guard, as Lenok had hoped, adding stability to the battle.

[Master, aren’t you getting too excited?]

“…Let’s finish this soon.”

Ignoring Davi’s words, Lenok lightly gestured towards the Incarnation.

With the outcome of the battle decided after just one exchange, there was no reason to drag it out any longer.

There would be plenty of opportunities to test the Incarnation’s other abilities and powers.

“Kuh…!!”

(……)

The martial artists, unable to even think of resisting, bowed their heads as they collapsed.

However, instead of continuing the attack as Lenok had said, the Incarnation stopped in its place and looked at the martial artists.

It was a blatant attitude, as if it wished this battle would not end here.

Lenok, who immediately noticed that subtle reaction, frowned.

“What is it trying to do?”

“Useless mercy…!!”

The martial artists, taking the Incarnation’s reaction as a provocation, moved their mangled bodies and charged again.

Pa-ba-ba-bat!!

Two martial artists moved quickly from either side, slamming heavy blows towards the Incarnation.

They attacked fiercely, making it impossible to react, shaking the center of gravity, changing trajectories, and disrupting the order.

Heavy fist strikes pounded the air, emitting clear roars.

Du-du-du-du!!

However, the Incarnation did not attempt to attack the martial artists. It merely stood there, receiving the attacks from all directions.

It blankly dodged the swinging fists and twisted elbows. It controlled the flow of power, letting it flow to the side, and cleanly shook off even the impact that should have accumulated.

Kee-ing!!

A pale, pure white ripple rotated like a ripple on a lake, nullifying all attacks.

The level of completion of the technique was so high that there was almost no loss of power felt while executing the counterattack.

Moreover, the pale ripple that rotated each time a counterattack was used reversed and poured out with a power that surpassed the initial attack.

Pu-beo-beo-beong!!

The pale light that burst out, smashing through the fortress corridor in all directions, was so powerful that the martial artists were swept away and on the verge of self-destruction.

The martial artists, who clearly felt the power, let out screams of astonishment, while on the other hand, they wore strange expressions.

“To distort the laws of physics, how can a human body possess such martial prowess…!!”

“Why, while freely using such secret techniques…?!!”

Why was it only using counterattacks to forcibly continue the battle?

Soon, the forms of the martial artists’ military spirits, having lost even the last shred of their will, crumbled.

(……?)

However, even after the battle was over, the Incarnation tilted its head as if it did not understand its own reaction.

It stretched out its fist towards the fallen martial artists, then simply waved it around in the air as if caressing it.

It seemed as if it did not understand why it had taken such actions at all.

“…This is troublesome. This was not in my expectations.”

However, as soon as Lenok saw that gesture, he realized what the problem was.

The Incarnation was not just choosing to use only the Eight Sceneries in this battle.

It was simply that the Eight Sceneries were the only technique it knew how to use.

It wasn’t that it didn’t know the techniques, but rather, it was a gesture closer to not being able to recall them even though it clearly knew them.

However, Lenok’s gaze suddenly turned to the Incarnation’s arm, which was still caressing the air.

Pa-cheu-cheut!!

The Incarnation’s arm, made of pale flashes of light, was shattering and disappearing from the tip of its fist.

It looked as if it would lose its form at any moment and return to a puff of smoke.

However, the Incarnation did not care that its arm was breaking and tried to swing its fist in the air.

It seemed as if it was trying to use the technique it had barely remembered again and again before it forgot it.

“That’s enough.”

However, Lenok raised his mental energy and stopped the Incarnation’s movements in place.

Kkii-ik!

(……!)

Although it was not born in a normal way, it was clearly Lenok’s own Incarnation.

He had only been watching its reactions to confirm its abilities and nature, and it was not to the point where he could not control it.

He had released it for a while to check the Incarnation’s power, but he had no intention of standing by and watching it self-destruct.

“Stay still if you don’t want to disappear already.”

He attached mana threads to the Incarnation’s stiffened body to restore its form and prevent it from collapsing.

Lenok, who had managed to restore the Incarnation’s body to a reasonable extent, checked the remaining facilities of the fortress beyond the shattered corridor.

Judging by the distance to the fortress courtyard, there was only about one test left.

Lenok pondered as he passed through the gate that the martial artists had been guarding.

“The Incarnation Technique. It was a much more difficult power than I thought…”

Lenok’s Incarnation, which was related to the martial artist of the 1st world.

However, when he put it into practice, the results were very different from what he had expected.

It was more like using a technique with a fixed form, rather than a complete warrior.

And Lenok already had an idea of where the basis of that ability came from.

It was the same when he defeated the military spirits through the archangel’s compassion, and there was a strange commonality felt in the Incarnation’s actions.

Lenok quickly recalled his memories and organized the characteristics, and found the answer.

“It seems that the techniques the Incarnation can use depend on the caster’s knowledge or experience.”

Davi, who also understood Lenok’s thoughts, asked in disbelief.

[This light bulb seems to have a bad case of amnesia, unlike Master’s Incarnation?]

“…I guess so. But this has its own uses.”

If it could freely use the Eight Sceneries without any consumption, unlike Lenok, it could serve as an excellent shield.

Lenok quickly organized his thoughts and pondered the problems when handling the Incarnation.

“The problem is rather the Incarnation’s durability. No matter how I think about it, its strength is too low.”

As Yao Xun had explained, Lenok’s Incarnation was not an Incarnation created through a normal process.

The process of building an Incarnation through the repulsion of the body and mind had failed, and as a result, its meaning was forcibly realized by Lenok’s talent.

“When using the counterattack Eight Sceneries, it’s okay because it doesn’t receive any impact, but if it moves directly, one part of it will definitely break.”

Lenok had not forgotten that the Incarnation’s arm had shattered immediately after defeating the martial artists.

It meant that even the level of impact from directly moving the body was too much for the Incarnation’s spirit to withstand for long.

Moreover, once it broke, Lenok had to restore it with mana threads, so the mana consumption would double.

Excellent martial arts. Tremendous power. But a durability that easily breaks with one attack and requires restoration.

Davi, after listening to Lenok’s explanation, briefly summarized the Incarnation’s characteristics.

[It’s like Master’s boxing version. Now that I see it, aren’t the master and the Incarnation in the same situation?]

“……”

Lenok closed his mouth at Davi’s direct words, which were becoming sharper day by day, unlike a spirit.

(……?)

The Incarnation, which was walking behind them, simply tilted its head as it looked at the two of them.

[Master, then how are you going to use this guy? At this rate, there’s no cooperation or joint combat.]

“…It’s not like I have to use the Incarnation only as a front guard.”

He couldn’t expect it to act as a front guard right away, but the fact that it could use the Ninefold Arrival was definitely a positive thing.

An Incarnation, although it has some will, is ultimately an entity that moves according to Lenok’s will and manipulation.

If so, there were plenty of ways to apply it in battle.

Thinking so, Lenok reached out and slowly placed his arm on the Incarnation’s forearm.

Woong!!

The Incarnation’s spirit body, faintly glowing, overlapped with Lenok’s arm.

It was as if Lenok’s arm was covered in a pale, pure white light, glowing faintly.

Lenok said as he looked at it.

“As I said before, if I overlap my coordinates with the Incarnation like this, mana consumption is significantly reduced.”

[……So?]

“……”

Instead of answering, Lenok immediately stretched his hand slowly towards the air.

At the same time, the Incarnation’s arm also moved while overlapping with Lenok’s arm, and at some point, it separated, creating a gap.

Kee-ing!!

It was a strange sight, as if Lenok’s right arm had doubled.

Lenok chuckled as he looked at it.

“The answer to how I can use the Incarnation right now is right here.”

* * *

After that, Lenok traversed the harsh environment of the fortress in all directions and arrived at the courtyard located at the end of the fortress.

There were a few times when fallen military spirits rushed at him like before, but he was able to easily destroy them by wielding the archangel’s compassion.

The archangel of the old world, Kashuin, who was residing inside the artifact, felt the presence of the Incarnation and had a fit several times.

However, when Lenok focused only on sweeping away the military spirits without taking him out, he became tired and quiet.

He would have to explain this situation to Kashuin later, but passing the final test was more important.

Thud!!

The vast shape of a graveyard filled the courtyard garden.

What was unusual was that there were countless people, who seemed to be the same participants, collapsed all around the graveyard.

“Kuh, ugh…”

“Cough, cough…!!”

People were collapsed in various places in the graveyard, their bodies stiff, weakly exhaling.

They were probably the participants who had participated in the ritual that had started a few days ago and had taken the test first.

Ignoring them and walking further, a middle-aged man who seemed to be the gravedigger was standing in the middle of the graveyard.

“I have heard about the noble guest from Yao Xun.”

The gravedigger immediately bowed respectfully, as if he recognized Lenok.

“Welcome to the final test site of the Spirit Transformation Ritual.”

“The final test?”

“To awaken the knack of handling the Incarnation with the power of pure mental energy, through the gap between the body and mind. That is the purpose of this Spirit Transformation Ritual.”

The gatekeeper replied.

“The noble guest has overcome many obstacles that isolate the body and mind so far. Even if it was not defined as a test.”

“……”

Only then did Lenok understand why so many fallen military spirits were wandering around the fortress.

He had thought they were signs of being old and unmanaged, but even dealing with the fallen ghosts was part of the test.

The gatekeeper explained.

“The final test of the Spirit Transformation Ritual is to prove that you can control the spirit and body with pure mental energy.”

“How?”

“Break through the ancient guardian spirits residing in this graveyard and open the door of the ossuary located at the end of the graveyard.”

The gatekeeper said.

“Yao Xun will be waiting for you there.”

Clunk, clunk!!

No sooner had he finished speaking than the graveyard began to stir, and one by one, something began to rise from beneath the ground.

Spearmen wearing old armor. A martial artist who died of old age. A mage with a spear stuck in his chest. A priest with a head split in two….

The corpses that should have been sleeping under the graveyard slowly raised their heads from all directions, scattering eerie mana.

Behind the corpses, pale spirits floated up, directly powering their bodies.

Swae-aek!!

A long spear was thrust down from behind, as if they had been waiting for it.

However, instead of grabbing the mana threads, Lenok raised his hand towards the falling spear blade.

A reckless gesture, as if he was trying to stop the blade with his bare hands.

Immediately after that, the pale spirit of the Incarnation rose above Lenok’s hand, receiving the falling blade head-on.

A gesture as if another arm had popped out from the elbow and was taking the attack instead.

Kee-ee-ing!!

With just that, a pure white ripple rotated over Lenok’s arm, deflecting the thrusting spear as it was.

The powerful rebound that exploded crossed the graveyard’s hollow, shimmering with dazzling light.

KWA-AA-ANG!!!

“…!!”

He hadn’t even used mana, and just by raising his hand, he had this much power.

The guardian spirits, surprised by the unbelievable defensive ability, stopped, and Lenok nodded in satisfaction.

“Yes, this is enough to use for the time being.”

A new defense method that Lenok had devised to use the Eight Sceneries wielded by the Incarnation without risk.

It was to overlap Lenok’s and the Incarnation’s spatial coordinates, allowing the Incarnation to take the attacks aimed at Lenok instead.

“I don’t like that I have to deactivate both the shield and the barrier to move…”

But if he considered it as having one more means of survival, it was more than enough.

The moment Lenok, who had muttered that, took a step forward.

Whoosh!!

The shadow robe crossed space and appeared in a spot tens of meters away from that spot.

The guardian spirits, who were trying to rush at him by drawing mana from the surroundings, let out cries of astonishment.

“Spatial transfer!!”

“Especially dangerous in the special trait system…!!”

Pa-ba-ba-bat!!

Lenok’s figure flickered as if blinking, dashing away from the guardian spirits.

He twisted to avoid the following sword strikes, smashed the shields he faced, and swung mana threads in all directions.

Chwa-ra-ra-rak!!

The net-like barrier of threads, radiated in all directions, quickly filled the entire corridor and hindered movement.

“It’s a manipulation technique that has completed its nature transformation. Don’t touch it!”

“Don’t chase it, turn around and block it ahead!!”

Lenok’s figure, as if mocking the guardian spirits blocking the paths in all directions, broke through in an instant.

In the flashes of light that flickered in different trajectories and directions, Lenok raised his mental energy to the fullest.

Tuk!!

The Incarnation’s spirit body flickered and overlapped with Lenok’s pale, glowing skin.

At the same time, the Eight Sceneries used by the Incarnation were activated simultaneously against the attacks pouring in from all directions.

Kee-ee-ing!!!

A sword strike that was thrust down onto his shoulder. He blocked the wrist holding the sword.

He twisted the axis of rotation by bumping his elbow, and broke the center of gravity by stepping on the pelvis.

He overlapped his ankles, put his knee against it, and twisted his leg.

Tens of gazes intersecting in different directions.

Lenok’s two eyes, mimicking the Eye of Possibility and the power of Revelation, glowed blue.

The pale ripples flickered in succession around Lenok, suppressing all the guardian spirits’ attacks.

Du-du-du-du!!!

“Ugh!!”

“M-my body!”

The other guardian spirits’ figures fell and were pushed away, flung out in all directions as if exploding.

He pushed away the bodies that had lost their balance, broke the center of gravity of those who rushed after him, and advanced forward.

The extreme of counterattacks, focusing solely on receiving and breaking the axis, without even using physical enhancement.

In an instant, he trampled and crushed the guardian spirits in all directions of the graveyard, and traversed through the damp bushes.

The moment he left the defense entirely to the Eight Sceneries wielded by the Incarnation, and swept away all the guardian spirits by slamming spatial transfer and manipulation techniques.

“You’ve come.”

Lenok was able to face a man guarding the door of the ossuary.

“……”

Thud!

He threw down the corpse of another mage, who had been pierced by mana threads and was in tatters.

The man looked at Lenok, slightly twisted his body, and began to assume a stance.

“It is an honor to meet a fellow martial artist of the same school in this place.”

“…Same school?”

Lenok immediately understood the meaning of those words when he saw the stance the man had taken.

The basic stance of the Eight Forms of the Ninefold Arrival martial arts, which he had seen several times in this fortress.

Just with that, the entire space around the man seemed to sink, giving the illusion of rotating heavily.

Woo-woo-woong!!

A martial artist who was more powerful than anyone among the superhumans and military spirits he had met in this fortress.

“Our guardian spirits are beings who remain in the mortal world, dwelling in the bodies of the dead through a promise with the ghost dragon… They are just dropouts full of regrets.”

The man, with his eyes closed, clenched his fist and muttered.

“I, too, have regrets that I have not been able to properly display the great martial arts I have learned.”

“Do you think the Ninefold Arrival is a great martial art?”

“Of course.”

The man nodded without hesitation.

“It is called the technique of the Berserker Arrival, but I am convinced that it is the martial art of a master who has surpassed him.”

“……”

“Eight weapons and one hand-to-hand combat technique. Especially this martial art performed with bare hands contains the foundation and essence of all arts!”

The man asked Lenok, who was silent.

“Is that not why you also learned martial arts, just like me?”

“…I don’t know.”

Lenok chuckled and muttered.

“It might not have been such a grand reason, surprisingly.”

When he first started WORLD 1.0, what was the reason Lenok chose the martial artist class?

It was such a long time ago that he couldn’t remember it well.

Unlike Lenok, what was the reason he, who was left alone in the first world without knowing anything, had honed his talent?

Starting with just two fists, succeeding in ascension, becoming a god of a failed world, and finally becoming a hotbed of insane fanaticism.

To find out, he was picking up the memories and powers he had left behind one by one.

“…I see. You also have regrets that you shouldn’t drag on for too long.”

Perhaps he had felt something from Lenok’s answer, the man’s momentum changed even more explosively.

Ku-gu-gu-gu!!!!

The man muttered.

“Our meeting may also have to end as briefly as this coincidence.”

“……”

“Enough talk. I’ll go all out.”

Woo-woong!!

The mental energy that burst out from the man became a tangible pressure and poured down on Lenok.

The secret art of the mind, using mental energy itself as a weapon, poured out through the means of fist strikes.

The moment Lenok sensed that it was the Eight Forms of the Ninefold Arrival martial arts, the essence of hand-to-hand combat.

(……Ah.)

Along with a faint whisper, a fierce resonance began to echo from within Lenok.

Woo-woo-woong!!

A strange sensation, as if the Incarnation was responding just by facing that martial artist.

A strong sense of unity that awakened the entire senses, as if reviving a forgotten memory.

The moment Lenok realized that it was the first step to handling the Incarnation, which Yao Xun had mentioned before.

The martial artist and Lenok almost simultaneously took the same stance and moved in the same way.

The Ninefold Arrival Secret Transmission

Intent to Reach the Heavens (意喇求天)

A new secret art of the Ninefold Arrival, shot out by moving as if directly controlling the Incarnation.

At that moment, a pale halo unfolded before Lenok’s eyes, and a pure white gauntlet slammed into the martial artist along with the gate.

“…!!!”

KWA-AA-ANG!!!

The iron door, unable to withstand the power of the gauntlet, was shattered in one blow. The martial artist’s figure was crushed and scattered.

Lenok’s figure, scattering fragments of iron, smashed through the ossuary and fell into the underground hollow that unfolded beyond the door.

Boom!!

A huge hollow surrounded by a faint mist.

At the end of the hollow, which unfolded like a circular stadium, there was a huge door that was sinking into a pitch-black light.

The deep darkness, the origin of which could not be guessed, that he had seen with his own eyes when he faced the Void in the Spirit Tower.

The reverse gate of the Void, which he had been searching for ever since he had met the Soul Calming Garden, was there.