Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 920

The Meeting (4)

It was the afternoon of the day the meeting, mentioned by the necromancer, was scheduled.

The deepest part of the lowest level of the 49th District’s Impregnable Magic Tower.

Lenok and Davi were huddled together, deeply engrossed in a discussion while looking at a large tablet.

[Master, are you sure this will work?]

“Yes.”

[No matter how much I think about it, it feels like there will be too many bugs…]

“We’ll drastically lower the access permissions and reduce the performance. If we limit the information processing speed, the function itself should still be usable.”

[Hmm, I see. Oh, I get it, like this…]

A strange exclamation escaped the giant fox as it busily moved around in the underground chamber.

Lenok silently watched Davi’s back as she focused on her work, her six tails swaying.

The search engine of Ars Nova, which he had obtained through a 500-round match on the Deep Web [a hidden part of the internet], had broken down due to overload while searching for information on the Leader and the Cult Master, but Lenok hadn’t given up on the search engine.

Recovering the search engine through Deep Web administrators like Raktaasha and restoring it using Davi’s abilities had gone smoothly.

However, what troubled Lenok was not the search engine itself, but another issue.

‘Kundara’s orbital period…’

The [Barrier] blocking the path to the central city.

The fact that the inviolable barrier, which no one had ever penetrated, was actually the work of an outer city.

It wasn’t hard to guess why Oliviera had told Lenok that fact.

She must have recognized, through some means, that Lenok was planning to visit the outer city and decided she could use that method as a bargaining chip.

Moreover, she had also sold other information about the outer city in connection with the central front, so her business acumen was still astounding.

Nevertheless, the series of advance payments she had given him were undeniably useful information for Lenok.

Oliviera Ron Maze was a mage who had once traveled all over the continent, engrossed in the study of magic and truth.

Only she would know how many secrets the head of the cartel, who had settled in a megacity after a long journey, held.

‘I think I know why she specifically used the term orbital period, but…’

However, if Lenok’s guess was correct, the very existence of the city called Kundara would become strange.

It was astonishing to even think about what the long-lived species of the outer city were attempting to do to avoid destruction.

To turn his speculation into certainty, he would eventually have to agree to a deal with Oliviera.

Above all, he needed to confirm what the cartel’s chairman was dreaming of and why she was aiming for the Anathema’s causality [the cause-and-effect relationship of something considered cursed].

Why was a person who had been so deeply involved in the Black Consumer Project now trying to manipulate causality again?

Lenok lifted his gaze as he thought that.

“How is it? Do you think you can do it?”

[Hmm, when I first heard the explanation, I thought it was just nonsense…]

Davi took a step back, lay down on her back, and looked up at Lenok.

[It’s much easier than I thought since we’re starting with the performance lowered? If it’s like this, it could be operational by today.]

“Let’s start right away.”

Lenok said that and immediately began to draw up his mana.

Whoosh!

Davi’s magnetic field was overlaid in the underground chamber of the magic tower. A cybernetic space was constructed by physically materializing the tower’s domain.

Lenok grabbed the tail of the giant fox floating in the realm of the Dream Battle and pulled her down, standing in front of a huge cybernetic screen.

“Set the address. Establish the digital network. Engrave the language circuit.”

[Yap, yap, yap.]

Following Lenok’s words, Davi rubbed her front paw on the screen, and a site was created on the Deep Web’s network in an instant.

A simple design with only a blank white input box on an empty screen.

“Good.”

Lenok nodded in satisfaction as he checked the site where only the cursor for entering words was slowly blinking.

“I think this is enough. The portal site, using Ars Nova’s search engine, is complete.”

The search engine software that had broken down due to overload after searching for information on the Cult Master and the Leader.

However, Lenok had not abandoned or forgotten the search engine even after he was done with it.

He had set Davi as the AI managing the search engine, restored the algorithm, secured the permissions, and then created a site with the search engine on the Deep Web.

“We’ve limited the performance to prevent overload, but it’s still a more powerful search tool than any community or site that existed on the Deep Web.”

Lenok said, looking at the completed site with a satisfied expression.

“If word gets out about its performance, users will gather, and if it goes well, we might even be able to secure big data from Deep Web users.”

He had made contact with the Deep Web administrators and become acquainted with them, but Lenok had no intention of relying on them to find or collect information.

Since he had acquired and was storing the search engine’s permissions, there was no reason to leave it idle.

Lenok was planning to operate the search engine himself and attract traffic and users from the Deep Web.

“Okay. Then let’s test it right now-”

Although he had completed the site, he needed to check if the search engine was working properly.

As Lenok said that, he immediately summoned a remote keyboard and was about to enter a search term into the portal site’s search box when a series of search histories suddenly appeared below the search box.

“…Hmm?”

[Cute Spirit Voting Ranking]

[How to Give All Votes to the Fox Spirit]

[Spirit Creature Community]

Unfamiliar keywords that Lenok had never searched for.

[Spirit Body Cruise Package Companion Trip]

[Actions Pets Take to Get Their Owner’s Attention]

[Collection of Sightings of the Lavatenon Fox Spirit]

“…”

Just as Lenok was about to scroll down the search history with a strange expression, Davi frantically waved her front paw in front of Lenok’s eyes.

[Uwaaaah! Uat!!]

Davi, unable to even speak properly, was twisting her body while making bizarre screams.

[Uwaaaaah!! Uwaaat!!]

“…”

Only then did Lenok realize who the owner of this search history was, and he cleared his throat and subtly stepped back.

Lenok said, watching Davi frantically scratching the portal site’s search history with her front paw to erase it.

“Ahem, well… it wasn’t intentional.”

[Hoo, hoo!!]

“Come to think of it, a spirit body package trip sometime for a break would be-”

The giant fox, breathing heavily, turned her six stiffly raised tails and looked at Lenok.

[It’s nothing.]

“What?”

[It’s nothing, I said.]

“…Okay. I’m sorry.”

The search history Lenok had just seen was nothing.

Davi’s records of diligently trying ego-searching on the Deep Web were not left in anyone’s memory at this place.

Lenok, having decided to accept that, quickly turned the topic, looking at the now clean search box of the portal site.

“Anyway, if we sort out and organize the parts where search volume is gathered on the Deep Web, we can immediately recognize the topics or trends that are receiving real-time attention in Balkan.”

[Y-yes, I see.]

Lenok calmly explained, pretending not to notice Davi’s forced response.

“If we start securing search data properly, it will be a great help for future business or information acquisition.”

[If users gather, we can get a lot of ads and make money!]

“No, I hadn’t thought that far…”

Lenok cleared his throat and nodded to Davi.

“Of course, we can’t just sit still and wait for customers to come. I’ll ask you to do some active promotion.”

[Master, don’t worry.]

Davi, suddenly becoming passionate, confidently placed her front paw on her head.

Lenok chuckled as he recognized that it was a gesture imitating the human salute.

[In about three days, there won’t be any organisms on the Deep Web who don’t know about the search engine we made!!]

“Okay. I’ll leave that part to you… hmm?”

Come to think of it, the way Davi was causing trouble on the Deep Web was…

Thinking that far, Lenok quickly withdrew the domain deployed in the chamber and walked out.

Sometimes, there are things you have to turn a blind eye to for the sake of the greater good.

He ignored the magnificent sight of Davi logging into dozens of accounts on the Deep Web community at the same time and headed towards the back gate of the tower.

‘The remaining time… about three hours from now.’

Considering the scheduled time for the meeting, he would have to leave the tower and depart in a few hours.

He had been preparing for the meeting for two days after making a deal with Oliviera, but there was one last thing he needed to prepare.

Clang, clang!!

A huge temporary workshop made of steel frames located at the back gate of the magic tower.

The sound of roughly hammering metal could be heard, along with the intense heat emanating from within.

The rising heat haze was so intense that it felt like it was scorching his skin.

Lenok, having cast a simple common magic to protect his skin and face over his shield, immediately walked into the workshop.

“Palmer?”

“Hey, mage!!”

Clang, clang, clang!!

A middle-aged man with a stubby nose and a thick beard replied while hammering away like crazy.

Every time he hammered, sparks poured out like a waterfall, but he had no protective gear.

The artisan, Palmer, who was taking the flying sparks directly to his face, shouted.

“What do you think you’re doing, calling someone and then showing up now!”

“I’m sorry. I was a bit busy with something.”

“Well, I kind of like the workshop you’ve set up here.”

Palmer said proudly, throwing the hammer over his shoulder.

“I’ll be using it for a while. No complaints, right?”

“I don’t mind since I asked you for this favor, but… did you fight with Dyke again?”

Palmer was a blacksmith Lenok had known for quite some time, an artisan he had become acquainted with while fulfilling commissioned requests from Dyke.

However, after a falling out with Dyke, he had been repeatedly quitting and working with them.

It was not unusual for Palmer, who had an outstanding talent for modifying and manufacturing firearms and industrial tools, to try to collaborate with Dyke, who had entered the weapons business.

“It’s not like that this time.”

Palmer replied bluntly.

“It’s been a while since you asked for my help. I just came out for a little outing.”

“I never imagined that Palmer the artisan would have such a warm heart.”

“Of course. When else would I get to show off to a great mage?”

Palmer puffed out his chest and shouted at Lenok’s absurd reply.

“It’s so easy working with high-level mages. They have a lot of rare materials and pay well, but their standards are so low that they’re satisfied even if I make something roughly!!”

“…”

“I’d just do a few hammer strikes and add some flashy techniques, and they’d fall for it and become regulars. Hehehe, I miss those days…”

“I’m trying not to miss Palmer’s skills right now.”

“I’m just kidding, you brat.”

Palmer chuckled and patted Lenok’s shoulder.

“Well, anyway, the modification is done as you wanted, so check it out. The custom ego sniper rifle from Akinshuer, the Gespenst.”

Click!!

A dark black barrel with a faint, ghostly glow, like a will-o’-the-wisp.

In terms of size alone, it easily surpassed Lenok’s upper body, and the entire streamlined firearm was smooth and sleek, as if it would slip away.

It was a modified weapon that had been modified to load by pulling the lever and eject the spent cartridge immediately after firing, allowing for reloading.

If there was anything unusual, it would be that the part where the scope’s lens should be was dented inward.

“It’s made of Graham V alloy, so there won’t be any deformation of the barrel due to firing recoil. The built-in Elber spring condenser is one of the Gearsides parts made to condense and explode mana to its limit.”

Palmer explained, lifting the rifle with both hands.

Click! Clack!

“The rifle’s barrel has been modified with the mana isomer ‘Thorium,’ so the width of the muzzle can be freely adjusted according to the caliber of the bullet. The particle crystal used in the trigger is extracted from the gall of the demonic Crimson Oni, and it’s been praised by enthusiasts for having both hardness and cushioning.”

As he spoke casually, every part of the rifle quickly disassembled and reassembled, revealing its structure.

The magic of disassembling and reassembling the rifle on the spot while holding it in his hands.

The dexterity with which he did not leak any of the mana charged in the magazine during the process was delicate, unlike Palmer’s appearance.

“Decisively, the retinal capture dynamic response system built into the rifle is the masterpiece that brought Akinshuer to its current position. There’s a limit to the system’s performance depending on the accuracy of the scope, but there are only three firearms in the entire continent, including this one, that provide aiming correction even after the trigger is pulled.”

Thud!!

Palmer, placing the heavy rifle on the workbench, asked.

“I acknowledge your insight in choosing this weapon and asking for it to be modified, even though you have no interest in the firearms industry… but what are you going to use this for?”

“Are you curious about that now?”

“I’m just wondering why a guy who’s a great mage is looking for an imported firearm now.”

Palmer said indifferently, crossing his arms.

“It’s not something I should say, but it’s not cost-effective. If you’re going to modify a rifle and use it, wouldn’t it be more efficient to just pack it with magic from the start?”

“That’s not something Palmer the artisan should be saying.”

“I don’t know about someone who’s born with a talent for handling firearms, but you’re definitely not a natural gunslinger.”

Palmer’s eyes momentarily turned serious as he looked at Lenok.

“You don’t have the obsession of those who risk their lives for a single bullet. You’re just playing with a toy you like with your overflowing talent.”

“That’s unexpected. Is that how you saw me?”

Lenok chuckled.

Even after becoming a level 8 great mage, Palmer’s attitude towards Lenok hadn’t changed much.

Perhaps it was because he still saw Lenok as the kid who struggled to modify even an old pistol.

But because of that attitude, Lenok occasionally visited Palmer to have his firearms repaired and modified.

“I don’t deny it.”

Lenok said, reaching out towards the rifle that Palmer had already modified.

“Unless you have the talent of a magic gunslinger, firearms ultimately rely heavily on materials and parts. It’s not strange that it looks like I want a toy in Palmer’s eyes.”

“…”

“But that also means that the performance increases honestly as the materials and parts get better, right?”

“What?”

Ignoring Palmer’s question, Lenok took out a small sphere from his pocket.

Something small, about the size of a human eye, surrounded by a pure white glow and shining faintly.

A strange artifact that looked as if a human eye had been carved out of a dazzling jewel.

“You…”

“And I have quite a few preparations to make up for my lack of talent.”

Palmer’s face hardened as he recognized at a glance that it was no ordinary object, and Lenok raised his hand.

He inserted the eye-shaped artifact into the place where the rifle scope’s lens should be.

Click!!

With the crisp sound of the parts fitting together, the eye rotated on the rifle’s barrel.

“…You’re out of your mind.”

Only then did Palmer mutter with a sullen expression.

“That’s a relic-level artifact. You’re going to use that as a scope lens for a rifle?”

The Eye of Heavenly Wisdom.

A spell weapon used directly by the Ascendant Cheongyeon, Madrea Palsier.

It was a gift that Lapis had given him before leaving, in exchange for retrieving the authority of the fifth lighthouse.

He had slightly altered its appearance to deceive Palmer’s eyes, but its ability itself was intact.

The shape of an eye. The lighthouse keeper’s spell weapon. A relic-level artifact.

Beyond just seeing something, it had reached a transcendent level of performance as a scope component in that it induced a specific field of vision.

“I have a lot to do at this meeting.”

Lenok smiled.

“I think this much preparation is necessary.”

“Who are you going to kill to make these kinds of preparations?”

“It’s not so much about killing someone… it’s more like there’s someone I need to meet.”

There wasn’t much time left until midnight.

This firearm modification would be the last preparation he could complete before the meeting.

But the reason Lenok had left this task until the end was not for any other reason.

Lenok’s eyes sank deeply as he stroked the smooth barrel.

“I can’t go around with embarrassing equipment in front of a real magic gunslinger.”