Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 873

Whaaaang!

The shrill siren echoed through the rainy streets.

It was a dark, rainy evening. Police cars with their headlights on patrolled the downtown area, acting as makeshift streetlights.

At every crosswalk with a blinking traffic light, police officers silently watched people’s faces as they passed by.

That alone was enough to chill the atmosphere of the street, and even the sound of footsteps grew quiet.

In a dark, rain-soaked back alley, out of sight of the public, in a simple management office of an abandoned junkyard.

Whoosh…!

Instead of the soft light that should have been coming from the management office window, a dark, tingling magical power was flowing out.

The magical power that flowed out of the junkyard lightly evaporated the rain falling from the sky.

A bizarre phenomenon where matter was wiped away as if washed clean, without any heat or physical force, just by the manifestation of magical power.

However, the magical power, which seemed to writhe and reach out without control, cleverly stayed near the management office, swirling like a fog.

Crack, crack!

The dark magical power, which had been rotating in place with a will of its own, was sucked into a limp hand.

Lenok, who was leaning against a trash can as a chair, surrounded by the dark magical power filling the management office, finally opened his eyes.

“It’s just the police for now…”

With Deputy Mayor Amy Weinstein’s failure, the city government and the central council must have realized that something had gone wrong in the closed area.

Moreover, if they confirmed that the entire function of District 19 had been paralyzed, they would try to capture Lenok and Lapis no matter what.

However, he didn’t expect that a wanted order would be issued as soon as they escaped from District 19.

Perhaps someone who was assisting the Deputy Mayor noticed the anomaly and issued a wanted order for Lenok and Lapis.

‘They haven’t pinpointed my location, but reinforcements will start arriving soon. I can’t stay here for long.’

Although he had suddenly become a fugitive from the entire city, Lenok was not greatly shaken, to be honest.

In the first place, the city council was not a reliable ally or a trustworthy force.

The old monsters sitting in the center of this city were neither good nor generous or patient.

Even the Iron Fortress, which interacts with the city council over the Magic Tower, sometimes tried to keep them in check and distance themselves.

It was no surprise that Evan, who had no connection to Vulcan, was being treated this way.

He had only heard the news echoing throughout the streets, but he could roughly understand the situation.

The only remaining issue was how to overcome this situation and realize Lapis’s goal.

‘I’ll move once the magical power is somewhat under control. Until then, I’ll just…’

While he was leaning weakly against the trash can, trying to calm himself, Lapis’s voice came from beside him.

“…Evan?”

“You’re awake?”

Lapis, who had been sitting on the sofa in the management office, regained consciousness.

With her eyes closed, she slowly raised her head and turned it directly towards where Lenok was sitting.

Lenok rubbed his chest with one hand and asked, pretending to be nonchalant.

“How are your eyes?”

“…You heard the explanation from Patisha.”

Lapis gave a wry smile.

“It’s okay. Now, for me, seeing is not a matter of visual acuity.”

“…”

“I can tell who is where and make simple distinctions. I won’t hold you back, Evan.”

Lapis had not only inherited the Lighthouse Keeper’s abilities but was already a level 7 Saint-level ability user who had completed her own hierarchy [a system of power levels].

It was unlikely that she would have trouble moving around just because her eyesight had deteriorated a little.

“More importantly, where is this…”

“It’s a junkyard in District 21.”

Lenok said, fiddling with a soaked cigar in his pocket.

“It’s one of the commercial districts adjacent to District 19. It will take some time to shake off the pursuit.”

“Pursuit, you say?”

“The central council has issued a wanted order. We are now being targeted as the criminals who plotted the Deputy Mayor’s assassination.”

“That’s…”

Lapis didn’t say meaningless things like the Deputy Mayor betrayed them first, or that the central council broke the agreement.

She simply acknowledged that the current situation was extremely unfavorable to them and nodded.

“They’ve gained the justification. Was the problem that they reacted much faster than expected?”

“…Something like that.”

“If the city government and the central council intend to be at odds with me, there’s nothing I can do. I knew it wouldn’t be easy.”

Lapis nodded, giving a bitter smile.

“The fact that I came to this city is a problem in itself, and it’s natural to be checked in the process, but-”

Could it be that she didn’t expect a powerful figure like the Deputy Mayor to try to kill her so openly?

Lapis seemed more surprised that the central council had made such a choice so easily than that the agreement itself had become meaningless.

“The words of the council members we met earlier were probably not lies. Rather than the agreement itself being a bluff, it’s more likely the work of a force with other connections.”

“I understand that the city itself is too large, and the direction of the decision-making bodies is not unified.”

Lapis, with her eyes closed, muttered bitterly.

“However, even while opinions are so divided within the council, the speed at which they respond to danger is astonishing… It makes me realize the potential of this city. Perhaps there was a reason for what was being said in the center…”

“It’s a system built by the founders of the megacity. There must be a reason why it can maintain this size even after giving up on expansion development.”

“Escaping the city should be the priority. I’ll give up on the existing plan and prioritize escape.”

Lapis’s reaction was surprisingly calm as she said that.

“Even if we call the Watchers [a group of powerful individuals or an organization], it will take a long time for them to reach Vulcan. It’s better to contact them here and try to escape on our own.”

She had given up a lot to come to Vulcan, yet she put aside all previous failures and thought about the next step.

She was much calmer than when she was being guided by the Deputy Mayor to enter District 19.

Perhaps she had become more accustomed to this kind of conflict while staying on the central front and leading the Eyes of Azure [Lapis’s organization].

“I told you. There’s one more way besides escaping the city.”

However, Lenok shook his head despite Lapis’s calm judgment.

“Maybe we can try that ritual you wanted again.”

“…Huh?”

When Lapis turned her gaze with a momentarily bewildered expression, Lenok said.

“The reason you tried to enter District 19 in exchange for the inviolability treaty of the Autonomous Territory was because there was a gate to the Outer Sea there.”

“That’s…”

Without waiting for an answer, Lenok nodded.

“There’s one more place in this city with similar conditions.”

“Are you saying there’s another gate to the Outer Sea in Vulcan…?!”

“No. It’s not a gate.”

Lenok took out his phone from his pocket, opened the mobile map, and showed it to Lapis.

A restricted area between the 40s districts of the megacity Vulcan, where even the name was not properly written.

“The Three-Headed Dragon’s Eightfold Fortress. Now called the Six-Pointed Fortress, an irregular restricted area.”

Lenok said, tapping on his phone.

“The Six-Pointed Fortress manages a small rift connected to the Outer Sea, which failed to become a gate.”

“…”

“If you perform the ritual through this rift, you might be able to achieve your goal of meeting the Heavenly Gaze [a powerful entity or concept].”

This was the reason why Lenok had escaped from District 19 without hesitation, even though he sensed that he could not immediately enter the deepest part of District 19.

He knew that Lapis’s goal could be achieved by using the ‘rift’ hidden in the depths of the Six-Pointed Fortress.

* * *

“This way.”

As soon as they came out of the back alley, the sound of horns blared from all directions.

Bwaaaang!

On the old road, menacing cars that had been modified in various ways sped by, and traffic lights flickered irregularly from all sides.

Merchants who had set up shop on the sidewalk and were selling all sorts of things, and pedestrians who ignored the hawking and walked quickly.

“…”

Lapis stood next to Lenok, as if she was looking at all the surrounding scenery even with her eyes closed.

Perhaps because she was a user of the power of the first sight, she was not bound by her two eyes even after her eyesight deteriorated.

Lenok led Lapis through the bustling street and into an adjacent street.

“I’ve secured a place to stay. I can’t say it’s safe, but it should buy us about half a day.”

A street where accommodations and guesthouses were located. A self-service hotel where rooms could only be booked in advance.

It didn’t ask for any customer identification, but the price was quite high.

“If they start searching all the accommodations in District 21, we’ll be discovered soon. We need to rest for a bit and move right away.”

Click.

Lenok, holding the card key he had received at the hotel entrance, said as he pushed it into the door.

“I’ll go check the surroundings.”

“…”

Lapis seemed to want to say something more, but she closed her mouth and quietly nodded.

Lenok, who had lit a cigar, immediately used Blink [a teleportation ability] to head to the hotel rooftop.

Whoosh!

He climbed onto the noisy outdoor unit on the rooftop, closed his eyes, and spread his magical power detection.

Lenok’s senses, which spanned thousands of meters, read all the surrounding magical power and presences and found the anomalies.

‘Almost half of District 21 is already within the search range.’

Perhaps they wouldn’t be able to stay at this hotel for long either. It wouldn’t be strange if their location was discovered right away.

However, the reason why Lenok had bothered to secure accommodation nearby, even though he knew that, was not just out of consideration for Lapis’s condition.

‘The magical power…’

Lenok frowned slightly and touched his chest with one hand.

How long had it been since he had directly interfered with his maximum magical power like this?

It was the first time he had used such a drastic method since inheriting the legacy of Jintun in the Endless Labyrinth [a place or concept].

Since reaching level 8, he had never forcibly interfered with the size of his vessel, so his internal magical power was vibrating violently, which was very rare.

“…”

He still believed that the decision to absorb the source power of the gate in District 19 was not wrong.

As a result, he had prevented the Deputy Mayor from being ruined and being dragged around by her plans, and he had gained the benefit of increasing his maximum magical power.

However, in the process, his vessel had been enlarged by the magical power of the Outer Sea, and Lenok’s internal magical power was boiling like crazy.

Woong!

“Ugh…”

Just by slightly raising his magical power, drops of blood formed on his fingertips.

A terrifying stiffness that could tear his blood vessels and make a mess of his whole body if he lost control even a little.

This was the result even though Lenok was suppressing the backlash with all his might through his magical power manipulation ability.

Lenok’s mind had not been invaded by the magical power of the Outer Sea, but his body could not be completely unscathed from the backlash.

He knew from the first attempt that it couldn’t be all benefits, but this was too much.

‘If I try to control it delicately, the backlash gets worse.’

It was less painful and had less backlash if he just grabbed a lump of magical power and scattered it roughly. For the time being, he would have to handle incantations and magic in this way.

It was a great gain to have increased his maximum magical power considerably, but it was inevitable that he would have to pay more attention to it.

“…”

While he was pondering, Lenok realized that he had finished his cigar and lowered his hand.

After neatly burning away the falling ashes and filter, he immediately came down and knocked on the door.

“Evan?”

Lapis opened the door right away.

It was as if no one had even touched anything in the hotel room. There wasn’t even a trace of anyone using any of the items.

On the wide bed, Patisha [a bird companion] was standing proudly on the blanket, preening her wings.

“Why is that crane resting there instead of you?”

Lenok, looking bewildered at the strange sight of the guest being replaced, turned his gaze, and Lapis smiled gently.

“I don’t know when we’ll have to leave. Just sitting and meditating for a while is enough.”

“…”

“While you were away, I also organized my thoughts.”

Lapis, leaving Lenok speechless, sat lightly on the edge of the bed and opened her eyes, which were still blurry.

“For the sake of our future plans, I think it’s best to tell you about what I’ve experienced now.”

“What do you mean?”

“In the process of building a new lighthouse and recovering my abilities, I realized that my power was becoming unstable. I looked back on my memories for a long time to find the reason… and I realized that my grandmother had left her will in this world.”

Lapis said, taking a calm breath.

“And I also found out where I need to go to meet my grandmother’s will.”

“…”

“I’m sorry I didn’t tell you in advance. Knowledge about the [Gate] is often distorted if it’s heard from others rather than seen directly… I didn’t tell you because I thought you might be in danger.”

“You’re saying there’s a danger that can only be avoided if you see the gate directly and then hear about it.”

Come to think of it, most of the knowledge Lenok had gained about the gates of the Outer Sea was from hearing explanations after seeing the gates directly.

Was it not just a coincidence, but rather a consideration from those who had given Lenok the knowledge?

Lapis lowered her head, looking somewhat subdued.

“The other [Gates] I know of are either extremely strictly managed or occupied by very dangerous transcendents [powerful beings]. This was the only place I could choose.”

The Heavenly Gaze’s consciousness remained on the boundary between the Outer Sea and the world even after the Heavenly Gaze’s death, acting as a substitute for the lighthouse.

Lapis realized that in order to meet such a consciousness of the Heavenly Gaze, she herself had to get closer to the boundary.

That was why she had accepted the unreasonable demands of the central council and tried to make contact with the gate to the Outer Sea located in District 19.

It would be impossible to get close to the boundary between the Outer Sea and the world without pushing the ritual directly out of the Outer Sea.

“I can feel it even now.”

Lapis said with her eyes closed.

“That it knows I’m coming. That it’s not just waiting for me.”

“…”

“Perhaps the grandmother I’m going to meet is already…”

Lapis’s expression, reflected through the window, wavered faintly, then quickly became firm.

“You said that there is a space in the sanctuary of the Six-Pointed Fortress that has an environment similar to a gate.”

“Yes. But if you can’t trust that fact, we can look for other ways-”

“No. I trust you, Evan. I’ve never doubted you.”

Lapis answered firmly.

“If I succeed in contacting the Watchers, I’ll move to the fortress right away. First, where is that phone…”

Lenok was lost in thought as he watched Lapis, who had been calm and composed just a moment ago, now clumsily tapping on the phone keyboard like a tech novice.

In fact, there was one more way besides what he had told Lapis.

At this point, having absorbed the magical power of the Outer Sea and forcibly increased his maximum magical power, there was a new method that he could not have attempted before.

However, it was a gamble that could completely ruin the current situation, so it was difficult to even bring it up.

Lenok was wondering if he should tell Lapis about it, and just as he was about to open his mouth.

Knock, knock.

A knock on the door was heard from outside.

Lenok immediately raised his hand, and Patisha, who had been preening her wings, came down to Lapis’s side and carefully embraced her.

After confirming that the pure white crane was covering Lapis’s body and standing with her back to the door, Lenok immediately headed towards the door.

“Who is it?”

“Are you Mr. James, who booked our self-service hotel today?”

It was the alias Lenok had used to book the hotel.

“Yes, I am. What’s the matter?”

“The district office in charge of District 21 has sent an official document to nearby accommodations. It seems we need to reconfirm the identities of our guests. Would you happen to have a moment?”

Swoosh.

A piece of paper slid very naturally under the door.

“This is an official document sent by the district office.”

“…”

Looking back, Lapis nodded and quietly hid in the closet.

Lenok immediately bent down, picked up the paper, and said.

“Well, I have no idea what kind of format the District 21 office uses when sending official documents.”

“We checked just in case, and it has the district mayor’s seal on it. It’s definitely a real seal.”

“Ah, I see. The seal seems to be real. But-”

As Lenok said that, he raised his magical power and lightly brushed his hand over the paper.

Swoosh!

The letters that had been densely written on the paper all blurred and scattered like faint ink.

A piece of paper that had become blank except for the district mayor’s seal.

Lenok chuckled and crumpled it in both hands, saying.

“The document isn’t real.”

“…Haa.”

A light sigh echoed from beyond the door.

At the same time, a fierce barrage of gunfire that tore through the eardrums rang out.

Ta-ta-ta-tang!!!

In an instant, dozens of bullet holes were punched through the hotel door, mercilessly riddling Lenok’s body.

As Lenok, who had been helplessly hit, fell backward, the door was smashed open, and someone burst inside.

Crash!

A man holding a small brush in one hand and a submachine gun in the other.

The man, dressed in a simple uniform like a waiter, strode into the room and said.

“After putting in this much effort, shouldn’t you have noticed and accepted it?”

Ta-ta-ta-tang!!

He fired the machine gun directly at Lenok’s head as he passed by.

“Enough of that, just hand over the girl. The competition is fierce, and I need to get my incentive alone, so time is tight.”

Clack!

As he swung the brush, the ink that had formed at the tip exploded like a bomb, indiscriminately stirring up the hotel room.

“Where is she? No, I don’t even need to ask. It’s obviously in that closet!”

“That’s right.”

Thump!

Lenok grabbed the man’s shoulder and turned him around just as he was about to open the closet without hesitation.

“…!!”

The man’s expression changed, and he turned to stab the tip of the brush into Lenok’s eyeball.

Crack!

The man’s foot was crushed by an invisible pressure, and blood spurted out from between his shoelaces.

“Kkyaaaak!!”

Even as he screamed and staggered, he somehow managed to aim the machine gun at Lenok and pull the trigger.

Ta-ta-ta-tang!!

The stray bullets riddled the ceiling and walls, creating dozens of bullet holes and filling the air with the smell of gunpowder.

Just as the machine gun, which had been firing wildly as he swung his arm, was about to naturally aim at the closet and fire, Lenok grabbed the barrel.

Chiiik!

The hot barrel and handle melted instantly, fusing the man’s fingers and trigger.

Lenok turned the gun, making the man shoot himself with his own weapon, and he quickly died.

The man’s body, riddled with bullet holes from his own weapon, fell with a splatter of blood.

Thud!

“It’s been a while since I’ve killed a mercenary.”

Lenok, frowning as he rotated his stiff wrist, opened the closet, and Lapis looked up at Lenok with a slightly surprised expression.

“Evan?”

“We’ve been tracked. Let’s move.”