Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 936

Among all the monsters and transcendents Lenok had faced, Anathema was the only one not bound by the shackles of ‘secrecy’.

The moment Lenok realized that Anathema’s name wasn’t bound by the ban, he also understood why that was possible.

It was likely because Anathema had been exiled from Ars Nova, branded as a traitor.

Having already been banished from reality, he was, conversely, free from the restrictions of the ban.

The contradictory cause and effect the commander had spoken of. The new meaning gained after the fall.

While Lenok was briefly silent at the sheer irony of this contradiction, Anathema nodded.

[Ars Nova has fallen, but the cause and effect that can change the fate of the fallen world still remains there. If you obtain it, you can gain a miracle that even the Ascended [beings who have transcended mortal limitations] could not covet.]

“…You.”

[Are you curious as to why I am telling you this?]

With a single question, Anathema silenced Lenok, his mouth stretching into a long, ghostly grin.

[That’s because… I also needed time.]

Crackkkkk!!!

Anathema’s mouth literally tore open, past his ears and up to the top of his head.

At the same time, his head stretched out backward, and thick scales of earth began to sprout between his blue scales.

Thud, thud, thud!!!

Strange noises as muscles, nerves, and joints twisted and stretched out anew.

In an instant, Anathema shed his human form, transforming into a massive dragon.

Thump!

Just by stomping one foot down roughly, destructive magic exploded, engulfing the surroundings.

Lenok immediately summoned a barrier of lightning, taking the brunt of the exploding magical wave.

[Lightning Wheel Cliff]

Kwaaaaang!!!

From the edge of the battleground, spears and swords of earth exploded, splitting to the left and right around the lightning barrier.

Anathema’s dark red eyes, standing on the spears and swords made of earth fragments, gleamed in the darkness.

[The moment I forcibly split my body to avoid your magic, I realized how to handle this body.]

The dragon, covered in earth scales like armor, whispered to Lenok.

[What’s important is not the form or unity of the body. As long as I exist as an Apostle [a powerful being empowered by a higher entity], this body will function as an avatar of the end in any form.]

“……”

[Then, forcibly transforming this body and shaping it to fit dragon magic is also entirely possible…!!]

Kugugugugu!!!

Eight pairs of wings made of earth fragments sprouted from Anathema’s back, and his scales bristled, turning into thorns.

He gathered dark, pulsating magic below his throat, and the moment he exhaled lightly.

The fallen Apostle’s thought energy exploded and fell upon Lenok’s head.

Dragon Command Authority: Chromatic Breath

[Annihilation Knot]

Kwaaaaaaaaaaaaaa!!!!

Dragon Breath. The ultimate technique allowed only to the dragon race, one of the four races considered the pinnacle of long-lived species.

It is a miracle and a destructive technique that reigns as a high-level authority, activated by a dragon of the Saint rank who has completed the hierarchy, consuming their own thoughts and images.

However, Anathema, protected by the cult leader, was drawing out such power without limit within the battleground.

Krrrrrrrrr…!!!!

The power of the Annihilation Knot was so intense that the afterimage of magic swirling within the battleground did not disappear, but continued to swirl.

The pure reverse field, exhaled by consuming images and thoughts, could not escape the battleground and remained, repeating destruction and regeneration.

And, beyond the endless waves of energy, there was a figure moving rapidly across the ground.

[He blocked it…!!! No, that’s not it.]

Anathema, who had unintentionally admired it, immediately denied his own words after confirming Lenok’s appearance.

[I smell the scent of the imaginary dimension from your body. Did you temporarily escape from reality!!]

“You’ve become a dragon and your nose has gotten better…!!”

Lenok smiled wryly and blinked rapidly towards Anathema.

Using the ability of the Phaigenbaum’s Eye, which he had obtained in the Infinite Labyrinth, Lenok had avoided the first breath by temporarily moving his body into the imaginary dimension.

[If you only showed that ability now, it must not be an ability that can be used at all times…!!]

Anathema raised his head and once again gathered his Dragon Command Authority.

[Then, I just have to shoot it again and again until it hits!!!!]

“No, I won’t let you.”

The fact that the battleground wasn’t large enough to avoid the breath also applied to Anathema himself.

This meant that it wasn’t difficult for Lenok to close the distance to Anathema either.

Lenok’s body, using up the remaining blinks as if shaking them off, slipped under the dragon’s leg in an instant.

The black magic threads clinging to Lenok’s body manipulated the mage’s body like a puppet.

He delicately controlled the acceleration and recoil to the extreme, rotating his body in a dazzling manner as if bouncing it.

[Wounding Thunder Punishment]

[Piercing Strike]

Drrrrrrrk!!!

A mass of electricity that burst from Lenok’s fingertips collided with itself thousands of times, splitting and dividing.

The electricity, scattered like an explosion, indiscriminately pierced, struck, and brought down the dragon’s legs, head, and belly.

The moment the dragon’s massive body lost its balance and staggered, a huge sphere of electricity rotated in a circle under the dragon’s belly, piercing and bursting its body.

[Constant Thunder: Immortal Training]

Kwaaaaaaaang!!!!

A single blow that not only brought down the earth dragon’s massive body but also pierced and burst its belly.

[Not yet!!]

However, one of the fragments of earth that exploded and scattered transformed back into a human form and rushed towards Lenok.

Hundreds of earth fragments transformed into Anathema himself, swarming from all directions of the battleground and wielding weapons.

Kagagagagak!!!!

Sharp lightning bolts cut through the countless earth clones.

Following Lenok’s gestures, moving at a speed that was barely visible, dozens of types of electric and ice magic were constructed.

They crushed the hearts of the clones wielding weapons, tore off their necks, and shattered their limbs.

Drrrrrrrrrrrk!!!!

It was inevitable that the combat power of each individual would weaken when the number of heads increased.

However, the clones that had met their end at Lenok’s hands did not simply return to the earth in vain.

The moment their hearts were ripped out and their necks were severed, they opened their eyes and mouths wide, exploding on their own and turning into pure waves of power.

Dragon Command Authority: Chromatic Breath

[Self-Destruction]

“…!!!!”

Kugwagwagwagwagwagwagwang!!!!!

In the explosion of magic colliding at the center of the battleground, a roar like a grinder turning echoed.

Lenok’s figure, pushed out by the explosion, crashed into the wall of the battleground.

Lenok, gritting his teeth and lowering his head, couldn’t help but exhale.

“Kuh…!!!”

[Is that the first injury I’ve inflicted on you since the battle began?]

Thump!

Anathema, transformed into a grotesque dragon-human hybrid, landed in front of Lenok and spoke.

[It is truly regrettable that I have to go this far to exchange losses on equal footing.]

“……”

[If I hadn’t been receiving protection, the match would have ended much more unilaterally.]

Anathema’s gaze, looking down at Lenok, held much more complex emotions than before.

He also knew that if it weren’t for the self-destruction he had attempted by utilizing the restoration of dragon magic and the operation of Apostle techniques to the extreme in the limited battleground, he would not have been able to inflict any damage on Lenok.

[I’ve made up my mind.]

The moment Anathema said that and lightly snapped his fingers.

The battleground that Lenok was leaning against began to shake madly and rotate.

Kugugung!!!

A sudden change in the battleground at this point, where the one-sided battle had been brought to an equal footing.

However, Lenok, feeling his senses diminishing in real-time, realized what Anathema was aiming for.

“…You plan to narrow the battleground.”

[The realization I gained from the battle with you was not only about the freedom of form.]

Anathema readily admitted.

[The battleground exists as a secret of the Apostle technique. Just like myself, I have come to understand that its size can be adjusted arbitrarily.]

Kugugugugugu!!!!

The battleground, which had been tens of meters in size, rapidly shrank.

Lenok’s figure, leaning against the wall, became closer to Anathema’s figure, who was standing far away.

After the clones that had self-destructed disappeared one by one, and only Anathema’s main body remained under the narrowing battleground.

Finally, it transformed into a prison where only two people could barely stand.

Kooong!!

A cramped battleground with a diameter close to 4 meters.

An area too small for even two ordinary humans to have a fistfight, let alone a high-ranking transcendent.

[Let’s settle this, great mage.]

Clank!!

Anathema, having discarded all his weapons and equipped only a thick gauntlet, stepped forward and roared.

[This Anathema will put an end to your life that has been walking on a knife’s edge…!!!]

Kooong!!

Anathema’s audacity in changing the vast battleground into a narrow one, proposing a one-on-one match with no place to escape.

However, Lenok did not erase his sneer even after hearing the bold declaration of the Apostle.

“You’re still not accepting reality even after spamming Apostle techniques like that. Do you want to pretend to be a proud noble now?”

Lenok, struggling to get up, smiled as he injected a painkiller into his neck.

“Whatever you were, now you are just an avatar of the end indulging in human sacrifice.”

[……]

Chik!!

Lenok, having injected the ampule above his shoulder, wore a cold sneer.

“The ramblings of a monster destined to go mad and become a beast are no longer audible to me.”

[…Haha.]

Anathema laughed and slowly raised his head.

His dark red eyes were already filled with blood vessels.

[That’s a decent provocation. For a human species about to die!!!!]

Dragon Command Authority

[Rejection Knot]

A wave of power condensed at Anathema’s fingertips struck Lenok’s solar plexus at an incredible speed.

A blow that would have broken the mage’s paper-thin shield, torn apart his bones and muscles, and ripped out his heart.

However, Lenok surprisingly chanted an electric spell on the spot, blocking Anathema’s preemptive strike.

The moment he struck the fist aimed at his solar plexus, holding a tiny lightning bolt the size of a finger in his hand.

[Fluttering Thunder]

Jjeoooooooong!!!

The Fluttering Thunder in his hand exploded, and with the sound of space shattering like glass, the two bodies were pushed in opposite directions.

Consecutive Chanting

[Treading Thunder]

The Fluttering Thunder that exploded and scattered, and the Treading Thunder that was created behind Anathema, collided as if they were attracting each other.

They fused, using Anathema’s true body as the center, and wrapped his entire body in lightning.

[United Wings]

Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzz!!!!!

The intense pain that even an Apostle would momentarily lose their breath from pierced Anathema’s mind.

[Kuh…?!]

“Did you think there would be no way to fight in close-quarters combat?”

Lenok smiled, shaking off his blood-dripping hand.

“If you reduce the power of magic and compress it to guide the direction of the explosion, you can fight as much as you want.”

Lenok was not unscathed by the explosion of the Fluttering Thunder.

No matter how much he suppressed the recoil, magic that exploded while being held and wielded would inevitably affect Lenok’s body.

His palm was torn, and blood was dripping, soaking the ground below.

However, Lenok, knowing this fact, raised his bloodied hand and extended it towards Anathema.

“Come, Anathema.”

Lenok whispered.

“You wretched turncoat.”

[Baaaaaaaan!!!!]

At the same time as Anathema’s roar, calling Lenok’s name for the first time, Lenok and the Apostle moved.

A close distance with no place to step. A secluded battleground where you would lose your escape if you took even one step back.

Lenok’s and Anathema’s arms crossed as if tangled in the air, and lightning and reverse fields exploded behind their figures.

Thud, thud, thud!!

Bones, of whom it was unknown, broke, blood splattered, and magic scattered.

Dragon Command Authority and electric magic surged and collided in the narrow battleground, breaking and bringing down the bodies of both the master and the enemy indiscriminately.

The desperate lightning and thoughts hammered the ceiling and walls of the battleground thousands of times as if in a fit.

Thududududududu!!!!

Blood flowed down and filled puddles below, evaporating in the heat of the ceaselessly exploding magic.

Blood mist filling the eyes and the fishy smell lingering at the tip of the nose.

He became not only numb to the pain that exceeded the limit but even delighted, following the movements based on instinct rather than the body.

He suppressed Anathema’s thoughts and magic, which were convulsing and exploding Dragon Command Authority as if trying to commit suicide.

He suppressed all of his actions and movements beyond the limit that his body could withstand.

Finally, the moment his image became so clear that it seemed to be caught in Lenok’s hand.

[Got you.]

The hands of the two people, their bodies touching as if leaning on each other’s shoulders, collided head-on in the air.

The thunder that burst from Lenok’s hand traveled through Anathema’s forearm and into his body.

It burst his abdomen like a balloon, destroying his internal organs and muscles, and splitting his upper body.

[Flesh Piercing Drum]

Bbeooooooong!!!!!

[…Cough.]

Anathema’s figure, trembling all over and spitting blood for the first time due to the pain that exceeded the limit.

His internal organs, muscles, bones, and nerves were all crushed, and all sorts of gruesome contents flowed down below his abdomen.

Even so, Anathema’s face was filled only with the joy of having won.

[I, won. Ban…]

“……”

Lenok could not answer and tilted his head back.

Sticky blood dripped from the mage’s lips.

At the moment of exchanging the last attack, Lenok also failed to properly avoid Anathema’s attack.

Although it was minor compared to the damage Anathema had suffered, the impact had clearly reached his internal organs.

Unlike the Apostle Anathema, Lenok was getting closer to death in this fight the more damage he took.

Anathema also confirmed this fact at this point and gave Lenok a confident declaration.

[I pay my respects to your talent for having come this far with a frail human body.]

Anathema said, leaning weakly against Lenok’s stiff body.

His internal organs were all burst, making it difficult to even stand, but it was an injury that could begin to regenerate soon.

It was a meaningless matter for Anathema, who had already secured his victory.

Rather, it was more important for him to have something to say to the great mage who had lost his chance of victory.

[Farewell, Ban.]

“……”

[At this moment, I, Anathema, have been reborn by drinking the blood of a more powerful adversary than anyone else… I will remember it until the moment this body becomes a beast.]

Anathema said that and raised his hand over Lenok’s stopped heart.

A noble’s consideration to cleanly end the life of this great archmage before the pain got worse.

However, the moment he placed his hand on Lenok’s heart, Anathema felt a strange eeriness and his face hardened.

[There’s… no magic?]

The body of Lenok that existed in this place was undoubtedly the mage’s own body.

Nevertheless, there was an unusual lack of magic within that body of the great mage.

It was not that he had used up all his magic during the battle, but rather a sense of incongruity as if he had used up his magic somewhere in advance and it had been depleted.

The moment Anathema raised his gaze, startled by the incomprehensible sense of discomfort.

“I told you.”

Lenok said.

“I was looking for a way to kill you for sure in this place.”

Crack…!!

Lenok smiled weakly, looking at the Apostle’s stiff, scale-covered face.

“With ordinary magic, I wouldn’t be able to kill you, who is assimilated with the earth throughout the satellite city and halves the damage. I also know that the assimilation won’t be undone just by forcibly dropping you from the ground.”

[…You.]

Pajijijik…!!

The sound of thunder resounded.

A grating roar that was clearly audible even to Anathema’s ears.

Absurdly, that sound was not coming from this narrow battleground.

It was coming from outside.

Bzzzzzzzzzzzzzz…!!!!

What did it mean that the thunder rumbling from outside the battleground, where space and time were isolated, was reaching this far?

Before Anathema could even comprehend that fact, Lenok muttered.

“So, I just prepared a magic that can evaporate the entire satellite city.”

[…That’s absurd.]

Anathema said.

[Don’t be ridiculous. You prepared such magic in advance and still tried to fight this Anathema with your bare hands?]

“The fact that I attached Gyulbaek and Paysha [likely magical artifacts or techniques]… Cough!! To you and bought time… was to hide the phenomenon of magic particle condensation.”

Lenok, coughing weakly, smiled.

“But, once… it’s completed, even an Apostle…”

[Don’t be ridiculous!!!!]

Kwaaaaang!!!!

At the same time as kicking Lenok away, the narrow battleground shattered into pieces.

The night sky, which had been hidden since the start of the one-on-one battle, unfolded above the two people’s heads.

However, what illuminated Anathema’s eyes was not the starlight shining in the darkness.

It was only the magnificent lightning that dyed the entire sky with blue lightning.

From one end of the horizon to the other, the entire world that his senses and vision could reach was glowing with blue thoughts.

[That is…]

Paaaaaaaat!!

Even though there were several turning points where victory or defeat could have been decided, everything that had been passed was for this moment.