Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 888

The Eye That Sees Fate (25)

“The 8th floor staircase of the Magic Tower. There’s a subtle collision at the point where the barrier splits. It seems likely to wear down after approximately 300,000 repetitions.”

District 49. The Adamantine Magic Tower.

As Adamantine had said, Jenny didn’t completely restrict Lapis’s movements.

She merely assigned a mercenary escort to watch over Lapis.

However, instead of struggling to escape, Lapis was doing something completely different.

She was going around the Magic Tower, pointing out the security system’s flaws and collision points to the mercenaries.

“The elevator on the 7th floor staircase. The mana flow is wearing down. Unless it’s equipment installed with damage in mind, it would be better to replace it.”

“Mana is leaking out of the barrier in the office on the 10th floor staircase. It’s likely an inside job.”

“…Impressive.”

Suryeon, who was taking notes of what she was saying, was amazed.

“The points you just indicated are all areas that the tower is aware of or are actually problematic.”

“……”

“Especially the issue on the 10th floor staircase, we hadn’t even identified it yet. Considering that the branch of the relevant partner company has been changing frequently, there must have been a problem. You’ve been a great help.”

“I have good eyes, that’s all.”

Lapis gave a faint smile.

“It’s nothing special.”

“No, it is special.”

Suryeon stated firmly.

“The current system protecting the Magic Tower is so complex that no one except the tower lord, Van, and Professor Bylon can fully understand it.”

“……”

Suryeon, not noticing the smile disappear from Lapis’s face, continued.

“Only a great mage’s intuition or a genius scholar’s insight could achieve what you can see with your eyes.”

Suryeon smiled gently.

“As much as that ability, the Lighthouse Keeper [A person with exceptional insight or foresight] must bear a heavy mission.”

“…I heard you’re from the Six-Point Fortress, Suryeon.”

Lapis quietly changed the subject.

“You left your hometown to help the Magic Tower, have you had any inconveniences?”

“Hmm, are you interested in me?”

Suryeon gave an awkward smile.

“It’s embarrassing to say, but I didn’t like my hometown. I actually wanted to leave the fortress, so I accepted Van’s offer.”

“……”

“The fortress I lived in maintained an isolated society for some reason… Of course, it wasn’t the fault of the heads of the families, but I wanted to leave.”

Suryeon, who had turned to walk towards the staircase that Lapis had newly pointed out, said.

“I think this city isn’t much different now, but I don’t regret it. It was something I couldn’t have known without experiencing it myself.”

“Is that so…”

“That’s why, though it may be presumptuous, I hope this incident will be a valuable experience for you.”

Suryeon’s expression turned serious as she looked back at Lapis.

“Van is not a bad person. Rather, he tends to be like a mirror when dealing with people.”

“……”

“I’ve never seen anyone among the high-ranking transcendents who tries so hard to maintain their humanity.”

“That’s…”

“Of course, it wouldn’t be strange if my words sounded like nonsense to you.”

Suryeon smiled at Lapis, who didn’t deny it.

“But I’m sure you’ll be able to leave Vulcan safely. Van won’t kill you.”

“……”

Even if it meant incurring Lapis’s hostility, it seemed Suryeon had to say what she wanted to about Adamantine.

From her rigid tone and neat demeanor, it was clear that Suryeon was a more upright warrior than Lapis had thought.

“Ah, you said you wanted to stop by the records archive last? Let’s go right away.”

Suryeon didn’t wait for Lapis’s reply and headed straight for the records archive.

Thick books and completed request documents were densely packed on dozens of bookshelves.

It was a place that felt like an entire floor had been turned into a library, quiet and filled with the scent of paper.

“Ah, I’ll wait here.”

Suryeon let Lapis into the records archive and stopped near the entrance.

“All the exits and entrances on this floor are connected to the passageway. If you find any problems, call me right away.”

“I will.”

Watching Suryeon’s back as she turned towards the reading room, Lapis’s expression darkened.

Her clear sky-blue eyes looked beyond the silent bookshelves, where no one was present.

It had been several days since she started spending time in the library under the guise of wanting to read books.

And Lapis hadn’t come here just to read books.

“Where should I start looking today…”

She passed by the literature, history, and academic journal sections, and then the magic formula section where grimoires were kept.

She pulled out the latest weekly magazine, which mainly covered current affairs, economics, and social issues.

Shwaak!!

The scent of paper wafted out, and the vivid photo printed inside immediately caught her eye.

Lapis’s trembling eyes naturally read the article below.

[Evan Bylon, officially appointed as the director of the Bylon Research Institute.]

[Despite the technology alliance that Lavatenon Magic University officially made with Adamantine, they announced that they will continue their research in an independent direction…]

“……”

Evan Bylon. A doctor and full professor at Lavatenon Magic University.

A genius researcher who had gained fame throughout the academic world with three thesis presentations.

Currently, he was a prominent figure in the field of mana theory research in Vulcan, and a genius whose achievements were being noted and whose derivative research was being conducted in other cities.

However, the Evan Bylon that Lapis knew was definitely-

“Why…”

Flap, flap!!

Lapis’s hands moved faster as she searched through the books, magazines, and files in the archive.

There were plenty of plausible reasons. If she tried to accept it, she could accept it.

But Lapis already knew.

The reason why Evan Bylon had joined hands with the most insane mage in Vulcan.

The reason why he was wandering around the city, growing stronger and fighting, trying to get Lapis back.

The reason why Evan Martinez had said sorry to Lapis at the last moment.

“……”

There was something more, a secret beyond that. Perhaps something beyond what Lapis could imagine-

Thump!!

Lapis’s hand gripped a booklet, but she slowly put it down as if giving up. At that moment,

A low voice came from behind her.

“Have you seen enough?”

“…!!”

Lapis turned her head sharply and saw Jenny with her arms crossed.

Leaning against the bookshelf, she was watching Lapis search through the books.

Seeing Lapis’s stiff expression, Jenny shrugged.

“No matter how much you look, you won’t find the information you want. All the really important news and secrets are kept separately.”

“……”

“This archive is a place that people from partner companies often visit. We can’t keep important secrets in a place where outsiders can wander around, can we?”

“You…”

“You’re interested in Van, aren’t you? Or, to be more precise, in his collaborative relationship with Professor Evan Bylon?”

Jenny smiled.

“If you were trying to ask for help from the most famous outsider in this city, I understand. Professor Bylon wouldn’t refuse Van’s request. You’ve chosen a good option.”

“……”

“I don’t know what method you used, but you must have overheard the conversation in Dylan’s hospital room. Your attitude makes it even more certain.”

Did Jenny already suspect that Lapis had overheard their conversation?

Seeing Lapis slowly backing away with a wary expression, Jenny slowly tilted her head.

“What should I do… It’s hard to overlook the fact that you tried to drag Professor Bylon into this… ”

“…Do you really know about the mage named Van?”

Lapis asked quietly.

“Don’t you want to know why Adamantine is doing this?”

“……”

Jenny was an exceptionally intelligent and shrewd person among the people Lapis had met in this city.

Then, perhaps she could be persuaded.

If she explained the relationship between Evan and Adamantine that Lapis had vaguely grasped and asked for her understanding-

“If necessary, I can find out. Maybe, this whole incident is actually…!!”

“So what?”

Jenny asked with a smile.

“What will change even if you find out the details?”

“What…?”

Jenny started walking slowly, leaving Lapis speechless.

Only Jenny’s voice echoed quietly through the silent archive.

“Why Van is moving, why he came to this city with such talent, why he is trying to find answers… Does that matter?”

“……”

“Even if, just maybe, perhaps…”

Jenny smiled bitterly and raised her gaze.

“Even if Van is living a different life somewhere, does it really matter?”

“…You.”

“Lapis, we’ve come too far.”

Jenny put her hands in her pockets, looking at Lapis, who was frozen in place.

“So far that even suspecting each other has become meaningless. It’s even a little scary now.”

“…That’s.”

“You too, right?”

Jenny asked back, as if she knew what Lapis was thinking.

“Because you felt the same thing. Because you have the same worries in your heart, that’s why you want to know, right?”

“……”

Lapis couldn’t answer.

Jenny’s words, thrown out with such certainty, seemed to pierce her heart so accurately.

Jenny seemed to already know the motive that Lapis hadn’t been aware of from the beginning.

“I’m tired… aren’t you?”

Jenny muttered, closing her eyes slightly.

“It’s more tiring to pretend not to care than to care about something. Pretending not to know, and then looking away… That’s why you couldn’t stand it and were searching the archive.”

Jenny slowly gestured with her chin towards the silent Lapis.

“Go back, Lapis. I’ll let it slide this time.”

“……”

“Instead, I’ll ban you from entering the records archive from now on. You understand, right?”

Without waiting for Lapis’s reply, Jenny smiled and raised her phone.

“The Eyes of Azure contacted me. After discussing with Van, we’ll try to finish things before the Watchers return to Vulcan-”

“No. It’s okay.”

At that moment, Lapis quietly interrupted Jenny.

It had already been several years since she founded the Eyes of Azure and reached her current position.

From the time she started with a few Watchers, to leading thousands of members and entering the central front.

She wasn’t a child who had to rely on others for her own decisions.

Lapis smiled, raising her gaze to Jenny.

“I probably won’t be visiting this archive again.”

“…What?”

The moment Jenny’s expression changed, having gleaned a deeper meaning from Lapis’s words.

Whoosh!!

All the lights in the archive went out, plunging the area into thick darkness.

Thump!!

“Damn it…!!”

Jenny, who had lunged forward the moment the lights went out, yelled as she realized she couldn’t grab anything.

“Suryeon, are you there!!”

“Jenny!! What happened!!”

Suryeon, having also noticed the anomaly, entered the archive, wielding a heavy glaive in one hand.

Click!

Jenny turned on her phone’s flashlight, illuminating the spot where Lapis had been standing, and bit her lip.

“Lapis Palshier escaped. We have to catch her before she leaves the tower.”

“E-escaped?!”

Suryeon’s eyes widened as she tried to sense magical energy, only to look frustrated.

“It’s true. There’s no trace of her at all. Why a power outage at this exact moment…!!”

“It’s not a coincidence. She must have tampered with the tower’s internal systems beforehand to time it perfectly.”

With a cold expression, Jenny left the archive and headed down the stairs.

Suryeon belatedly followed her out of the archive, blaming herself.

“I’m sorry. It’s my fault. I should have been watching her more closely…”

“It’s not your fault. It was my request to have you leave so I could talk to Lapis. Rather, it’s more like…”

Jenny, having quickly made her judgment, bit her lip.

“I deliberately lured her to come to me. She was waiting for the moment to be alone with me from the start.”

With the power of Lapis’s ‘eyes,’ she would have known that Jenny was the closest to an ordinary person among the Magic Tower officials.

That’s why Lapis, even with the means to temporarily cut off the tower’s power, had waited for the moment when she would be left alone with Jenny.

Even if Lapis disappeared immediately after the blackout, Jenny, with her lower rank, wouldn’t be able to easily find her.

“She wasn’t leading the Eyes of Azure, a massive force, carelessly. Perhaps even searching for Professor Bylon’s data was a bluff to pique my interest.”

Jenny muttered as she quickly sent a message to the tower officials via her phone.

“Internal system recovery complete.”

Whoosh!!

At the same time, the lights in the tower, which had been out, began to come back on.

The stairs were brightly lit, and the signs of the businesses located in the outer corridors sparkled.

While the mages who had been outside due to the sudden blackout gathered between the stairs, whispering,

Click!

Jenny looked down at the first-floor lobby from the bottom of the stairs and raised her phone.

“Close all the entrances to the Magic Tower. From now on, we must focus all our efforts on securing Lapis Palshier.”

* * *

[Regarding the unidentified arsonist, Evan Martinez, who has been roaming the outskirts of the city recently, the city council has issued guidelines…]

[The city government will officially withdraw the wanted order and announce the suspension of the pursuit soon.]

[There is a lot of criticism for withdrawing the wanted order while Deputy Mayor Weinstein remains unconscious, but it seems unlikely that the policy will change…]

[Some are criticizing it as a hasty measure to prevent the spread of damage.]

[Meanwhile, in the outer districts, the number of copycat crimes following the perpetrator is rapidly increasing, causing headaches…]

Chiiik!!

“Everywhere I go, I only hear about this crap.”

A mercenary, listening to the news coming from near the entertainment district in Sector 48, cursed.

“When they were urging us to kill him and bring his head, now they’re saying not to even approach him?”

Other mercenaries, sharing drinks, tried to calm him down.

“That just proves how dangerous that Watcher is, right? You know.”

“The officially confirmed casualties are over a thousand. Considering they were all magic users, that’s an absurd number.”

“Did you hear? They call him ‘The Trampler of Ashes.’ He just steps on and burns everyone he encounters.”

“For a Watcher following the Eyes of Azure to have such a bizarre nickname… it’s quite ironic.”

The Trampler of Ashes, Evan Martinez.

For those who only know by rumor what kind of secret society the Eyes of Azure is, it’s a laughable statement.

It was also proof that the number of outlaws Evan had burned to death in a short period was unrealistically high.

“He must have completely lost it after losing his master. How could he be sane after losing his head?”

“Maybe that’s why he’s become stronger. It’s well-known how much of a shackle psychological constraints are for a mage.”

“How strong is he now? At least a military-grade? Maybe even a Saint-grade?”

“Well, if anyone had observed his domain during a fight, it would have been all over the place by now…”

The question of how strong the supernova that suddenly appeared in the shadows of Vulcan was, was a hot topic both in the light and the dark.

On the deep web, they often compared him to famous superhumans, and

Even the mercenaries sitting around in bars often made it a topic of conversation, comparing the strengths of powerful individuals.

Among them, the self-manifested domain (自成領域) [a mage’s personal reality or area of influence], which reveals the mage’s core essence, was a topic that was never left out of the discussion.

A symbol of a completed rank that anyone who handles spells, regardless of their lineage or talent, must reach.

Because it reveals the core essence as it is, it is often the case that it is not helpful or useless in actual combat.

Nevertheless, the fact that the domain reveals the mage’s essence in the most primal way remains unchanged.

That simple yet difficult power to create an environment solely for oneself had an aspect that even those who were not mages were drawn to.

“Did you know they’ve already started taking bets on the deep web? If you’re interested, you can put some money in.”

“What, on whether the Trampler of Ashes is actually a Saint-grade mage or not? That looks like a bad debt.”

“No, you idiot. The bet is obviously on the Trampler of Ashes versus the Adamantine. Can’t you understand what I’m saying?”

“Well, if the Adamantine were to die, we wouldn’t have to be afraid of that crazy bastard anymore-”

One of the mercenaries sitting at the table, frustrated, was about to tilt his glass when he tilted his head.

“Hey, who drank the liquor that was here?”

“You’ve been holding it since a while ago, what nonsense are you talking about?”

“Bruno, did you get drunk from just that and start making mistakes? You’re such a lightweight!”

“No, damn it… am I just tired these days?”

The mercenary called Bruno grumbled, refilled his glass, and brought it to his lips.

“…”

Bruno’s expression, having taken the glass away from his lips without drinking, changed blankly as if he had seen a ghost.

“…It’s gone.”

“Hey, what’s wrong with him?”

“Hey, snap out of it!!”

Bruno muttered in a trembling voice.

“The liquor, it evaporated before I could even drink it…”

“…Evaporated?”

The other mercenaries’ gazes all turned to the glass they were holding.

Chiiik…

Only after seeing the contents of the glass disappear at a rapid pace did the mercenaries’ faces change drastically.

The heat was so intense that the liquor in their glasses evaporated. But their senses didn’t feel the heat at all.

A combustion phenomenon manifested purely through thought, without even using magic.

They knew from experience that they were already too late at the point they felt this sense of incongruity.

“Hey, this is…!!”

“Pull up your magic power. Cover your ears and nose!!”

“Hold your breath and endure. Just think you’re dying of suffocation!!”

“Damn it, damn it, damn it…!!!”

The mercenaries who had thrown down their glasses flattened themselves on the spot, covering their ears and noses with their hands.

They closed their mouths tightly, held their breath, and barely protected their eyes with magic as they looked up.

Whoosh!!

A tremendous heat, as if searing their flesh, swept in from the far side of the entertainment district.

If they hadn’t pulled up their magic power beforehand to protect their features, it wouldn’t have been strange if their internal organs had been cooked.

Even with the protection of magic, it felt difficult to even keep their eyes open.

They instinctively knew that if they couldn’t endure it even a little and took a breath, their lungs would be completely cooked.

Chiiik!!

“…!!”

Other people who were drinking in various parts of the entertainment district also seemed to have grasped the situation, giving up on the idea of escaping and taking similar postures.

They knelt down, lifting their bellies to prevent the heat from reaching their internal organs.

The moment everyone in the nearby streets barely raised their heads while lying down.

Whoosh!!

Someone slowly began to approach, along with the flames flickering from the far side of the street.

A thin, lean physique. An expressionless face that was difficult to read. The shape of a thick coat and thick exhaust pipes attached to his forearms.

But what stood out most of all were the six dazzling fireballs rotating behind the young man.

As if drawing a huge mandala with his mere presence, they left afterimages as they rotated erratically in different orbits and directions.

Kugugugugu…!!!

They were unconsciously captivated by the bizarre sight they had never seen before.

Everyone on the street stared at the fireballs circling around the young man, forgetting even the current situation.

A magnificent scene as if several planets were rotating and dancing around the sun.

The flames that the man had ignited were constantly amplified and emitted heat, pressing down as they followed six different orbits.

Six magical cores (魔力爐心) [a concentrated source of magical energy], created by compressing the flames, which were raised to the extreme using the mind as a material, with the barrier technique of Jundun [a defensive magic technique].

The pinnacle of amplification and emission, where he made himself the center of a planetary system, rotating and emitting all his power at full force.

Only a handful of people in this place recognized that it was one of the points of arrival of the bias that flame magic pursued.

“Alright.”

The young man smiled as he looked at the people who were lying down, covering their noses and mouths, and staring up at him as if they were possessed.

“Keep your heads down like that, and wait until everything is over.”

“…!!”

Without paying any attention to the twitching reactions of the people, the young man quietly moved his steps.

Following his silent steps, where not even the sound of footsteps could be heard, eight suns blazed and lit the path of fire.

“It won’t take long.”

Lenok’s gaze was directed towards the huge magic tower that soared far above the sky.

The Adamantine’s Magic Tower, located in Sector 49.

The domain of the great mage, which embodied extraterritoriality, was now close enough to be seen with the naked eye.

Not far now.

Chased by the Vulcan wanted order, dealing with all sorts of mercenaries and freelancers, and finally, after not sleeping and nurturing the embers.

He was reaching the edge of the conclusion that people had been anticipating, predicting, and fearing so much.

Whoosh!!

Rotating six flame cores simultaneously, he reached out his hand over the boiling asphalt.

With a vibration that shook the ground, the shape of the clouds distorted and evaporated, and the atmosphere twisted and warped.

Jjeojeojeok!!

At the same time as an eerie noise as if cracks were forming in the air, a small spark descended as if squeezed into Lenok’s hand.

Slowly, very carefully, Lenok, who had grasped the spark, brought his hand to his mouth.

Kurururung…!!

Thunder rumbled from beyond the dark clouds on the opposite side of the city, and a faint flash of lightning flickered.

On behalf of the thousands and tens of thousands of people who would be watching this place from now on, he set off a more splendid firework than anyone else.

The moment everyone’s gaze was directed towards the lightning in the dark clouds far away.

Lenok swallowed the spark into his mouth and muttered.

“Shall we begin?”