Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 968

The dark cathedral, devoid of the shattered Anathema temple and the cascading earth, was silent.

The scene was of a tranquil chapel with rows of lit candles and wooden chairs lined up neatly around it.

Suddenly, a scream echoed through the space.

“It’s gone!”

Bang!!

“It’s not here!!”

Bang bang!!

“I said it’s gone!!”

Ermong, who had been frantically searching between the wooden chairs of the chapel, wailed.

“Uwaaaah! My cursed toad, which I obtained after rolling around like a dog for two days!!!”

“…Just give up, Ermong.”

Soryu, who was sitting slumped on a chapel chair, replied listlessly.

The ring on his finger had also vanished without a trace.

However, unlike Ermong, Soryu’s expression, despite losing the Ice Artisan [a powerful magical artifact], seemed much calmer.

“It’s absurd that Kyunroe managed to steal the artifact in that situation. You still haven’t given up hope.”

“Damn it, don’t act so detached. Do you want to maintain your princely dignity in this situation?”

“Well, do you think you could have thought that far ahead when a black hole was falling right in front of you?”

A cold chill emanated from Soryu’s pale lips as he leaned back in his chair.

Crack…!!

The chair and his body were turning into cold ice, and parts of his body were melting away as they turned to ice and crumbled.

It was as if he was clinging to the chapel chair, somehow enduring the collapse of his own body.

The overuse of his ice-type bloodline ability to survive the battle with Kyunroe.

Now that he had lost the Ice Artisan, he was bearing the full brunt of the ability’s backlash.

Soryu, his brow furrowed in pain from the cold that was eating away at his entire body, spoke quietly.

“The fact that we only realized it after escaping means we weren’t worthy of having that artifact. For now, we should be satisfied that the forbidden weapon has come to our side.”

“No way!! I absolutely need that cute toad to properly use black magic!”

“I have no idea what’s cute about that grumpy toad…”

Highlea shook her head next to Ermong, who was clutching his cheeks and wailing.

“To me, it just looked ominous, like it would transfer its curse at any moment. Have your eyes rotted from living too long?”

“Highlea. How can you say such things? The venomousness that looks like it’s about to bite its owner is its charm!”

“…”

It was difficult to empathize with the aesthetic values of a black magician who had lived for hundreds of years.

Sighing, Highlea adjusted her eyepatch and immediately turned her gaze away.

“Ugh, toad, toad.”

A madman crawling on the floor, searching for a toad, and Soryu, leaning on a chair, catching his breath.

Maiya Lensrit, silently leaning against the back door of the chapel. The figure of Hyulno, squatting next to the organ and muttering to himself.

A heavily depleted and worn-out atmosphere, as if a great storm had swept through.

That meant that what had happened in the underground temple was a considerable burden for the members gathered here.

“Ugh, my stomach hurts. What is this? In the end, we worked like dogs for two days, only to do a good deed for that guy!”

[Even if your mouth is crooked, you should speak straight.]

At that moment, a cold voice echoed from right behind Ermong.

A figure in a shadow robe stood with arms crossed in the center of the first-floor chapel of the old church in District 21.

[If I hadn’t been there, you all would have died on the spot.]

“…Victor.”

The obsidian mask’s glow flickered faintly under the hood, and red light leaked from within the mask.

Lenok, surrounded by the Pandemonium members, raised his head.

[Not only were you struggling against one magician, but you were also thinking about how to escape, yet you still have the nerve to talk.]

“…”

[I solved your problems for you, so shouldn’t I be receiving a reward instead?]

Swoosh…!!

As Lenok said that, he rolled up his glove sleeve, revealing the glass-colored sutu [a type of magical artifact].

A beautiful glass-colored glow illuminated the chapel, accompanied by a soft resonance like the ringing of a bell.

The forbidden weapon, which had been shaking and rampaging throughout the space, was now as quiet as a lamb in his hand.

However, the expressions of the other members as they looked at the gauntlet were subtly hardened.

“Victor. I haven’t heard anything about you in this plan.”

Soryu, who had been leaning against the chair with a tired look, raised his gaze.

His expression was so stiff that he looked pale from exhaustion, but his eyes were cold.

“How did you find out about this operation and come here?”

[I received a message from Highlea.]

Lenok replied leisurely with his arms crossed.

[I heard there was something urgent to take care of near Vulcan.]

“No. Highlea didn’t explain the plan to us verbally.”

Soryu said in a cold voice.

“That’s because, after Sabrina fell into a catatonic state, we’ve been avoiding communication through language or text for the time being. There’s no way you could have found this place with just that message.”

“…”

“Where did the information leak from? Did you follow one of the members?”

At the same time as Anathema’s death, Highlea devised a plan to retrieve the artifact from his residence.

She selected the members of Pandemonium who could move immediately and summoned them to Vulcan.

The doctor’s role was to prepare the items and means necessary to attack the temple.

However, no one had heard that the special-type sorcerer would participate in the operation.

It would be a lie if they didn’t have doubts about Victor’s presence, who had appeared at the most crucial moment of the plan and taken only the important items.

However, Lenok was not fazed by Soryu’s sharp questions and let out a cold sneer.

Given Victor’s identity and nature, there were plenty of ways to get away with being questioned like this.

Because he was known for his arrogant and self-righteous attitude, he had no qualms about giving emotional motives and reasons.

[It’s only natural that I, a manipulation sorcerer, would recover an artifact of a related type. It’s a power that should have been mine from the beginning.]

“…”

[I was just moving with the intention of stealing Anathema’s artifact, based on the information I had obtained.]

Victor, who let out a cold laugh from behind his mask, said as he stroked his left hand.

[I didn’t expect that the operation Highlea mentioned would be this.]

“Highlea.”

“It’s not a lie that he didn’t know about the operation.”

Highlea, who had taken off her eyepatch, switched her personality and answered Soryu’s words.

“At least to my eyes, it doesn’t seem like he’s making up a false story.”

“Are you sure about that?”

Ermong, who had been searching the chapel floor and found a snack box instead of a toad, asked.

The black magician, who was dejectedly throwing snacks into his mouth, tilted his head.

“I’ve never heard that our nun can act as a lie detector.”

“This entire plan was devised and managed by me from the beginning.”

Highlea replied calmly.

“It’s not about reading his inner thoughts, but about confirming the variability of the plan that has been carried out so far.”

“…”

“I don’t know how the result will change, but it’s possible to sense whether the plan could have actually ‘changed’ if Victor hadn’t intervened.”

“I have no idea what you’re talking about?”

Highlea is a dual personality with the talent of duality, an ability that allows her to see both sides of all things simultaneously.

She was reading whether one side changed according to Lenok’s testimony, while simultaneously seeing when the plan ‘succeeded’ and when it ‘failed’.

Only after hearing the explanation did Ermong understand Highlea’s words, and he made a dumbfounded expression.

“…Isn’t that much more amazing than a lie detector?”

“It’s not an ability that I can use at any time. To use it like now, I have to be aware of and lead the entire plan.”

Highlea’s expression changed complexly as she glanced at Lenok.

“And the variable must be something that even I didn’t expect at all.”

“…”

“By the way, can you stop eating those snacks? They’re what my surface personality takes out and eats whenever she’s depressed. She’ll be very sad if they’re all gone.”

“Eek, they’re more delicious than I thought, can’t you just buy a new one?”

“It’s a top-quality product sent by Freya from Tokerphuz. Not only is it expensive, but even if I ask for express delivery right now, it’ll take at least two weeks-”

“In short, Highlea’s ability is not meant to be used like this in the first place.”

Soryu, ignoring the two who had suddenly started arguing over snacks, opened his mouth.

“It’s only in special situations like now that we can confirm whether the other person is not lying.”

“…”

“If the plan wasn’t leaked, who gave you the information? Who else knew about the existence of this forbidden weapon?”

[Prince. You’re mistaken about something.]

Lenok laughed as he tilted his head back.

[I’m not here to report my actions to you.]

“…”

[Why should I tell you that? You couldn’t do anything until I got my hands on the weapon.]

Click…!!

As he raised his left hand and slowly moved his fingers, the glass-colored sutu emitted a faint light and vibrated.

An alien sensation, as if the dark chapel space was being blurred and turned into glass, while illuminating it with a brilliant glow.

The other members, who had already realized that Lenok was freely wielding the power of the forbidden weapon, hardened their expressions.

Clack!

Lenok, who had instantly removed the glass-like sensation of the space, said.

[I know this weapon is Anathema’s relic, but I don’t fully understand its power or how to use it.]

“…”

[I understand that the doctor helped. Bring all the information he provided for this operation.]

“Victor. The doctor-”

Just as Highlea was about to answer with a tense expression, Maiya, who had been leaning against the chapel door with her eyes closed, opened her mouth.

“If you’ve worked with the doctor, you’d remember.”

All eyes in the chapel turned to Maiya as she walked forward.

Maiya, who had walked to the center of the chapel, faced Lenok with a blank expression and said.

“He’s a person who thinks of knowledge as currency and a unit of trade. He gives meaning to the act of exchanging information and forces the rules on himself as well.”

“…”

“If you want to get the information you need, he’ll tell you to bring information of equal value, just like during the settlement.”

Maiya said, gesturing to the glass-colored gauntlet Lenok was wearing.

“The power of that weapon or the amplification of the manipulation formula would be enough.”

[I see. So, I should give the doctor information and secrets about my sorcery?]

Lenok turned his body and flashed a cold light in his eyes.

[Wouldn’t it be more helpful to send him the corpse of an executioner who was pierced by magic power?]

“Maybe.”

Maiya nodded with a blank expression.

“That’s how I’m explaining that your proposal itself doesn’t make sense right now.”

Goo…!!

The magic power of Lenok and Maiya, who were facing each other, flickered coldly.

A sharp intent that made it seem like they could cut each other down on the spot.

Crack, crack…!!

The wooden chairs of the chapel were splitting from the heated magic power, and the marble floor was slowly being torn apart.

At the moment when the other members unconsciously raised their magic power due to the two superhumans’ aura that was instantly devouring the surrounding space.

[Stop it.]

Whoosh!!

Lenok sneered as he looked at Maiya’s left hand, which was convulsing.

[It doesn’t seem like it would be fun to fight an executioner with a broken arm.]

“…”

Even Lenok, who had mastered manipulation sorcery, had to feel the backlash of his soul shaking the moment he wore the forbidden weapon.

That was because of the bloodline of the Ascended being used as the material for the forbidden weapon. Their soul was rejecting and pushing away the wearer.

As for Maiya, who was not a sorcerer, she would have suffered considerable damage just by enduring the backlash for a short time.

Although she didn’t show it, it wouldn’t be strange if the sensation in her left arm was so damaged that she couldn’t use it at all.

[Whatever you say, I’m taking this weapon. You’re not going to complain now, are you?]

“There’s no objection to the ownership of the forbidden weapon. It wasn’t our property in the first place.”

Maiya said as she raised her face.

“For now, it’s enough that the weapon has come to our side.”

As a result, it was Victor’s own ability that allowed him to steal the forbidden weapon from Kyunroe and escape.

Regardless of how Kyunroe would react later, it was a given that Victor would take the weapon.

“It’s time. Glen’s airship will arrive soon.”

Maiya looked at the clock in the chapel and turned her gaze away.

“Let’s just say our last words and finish. It’s about the subjugation operation that Deimus proposed.”

“…”

At that moment, the sharp atmosphere of the chapel turned into a stifling silence.

Ermong whistled and averted his gaze, and Soryu, half of his body melted, gave a wry smile.

Even Hyulno, who had been muttering to himself, ignoring the surrounding commotion, momentarily closed his mouth and only flashed a blood-red light in his eyes.

Most of the members gathered here were those who had faced that magician and escaped just a moment ago.

They had experienced firsthand how monstrous that magician they had faced in the underground temple was.

“It was unexpected that we had to face Kyunroe in this operation, but on the other hand, it’s also true that we confirmed some of his power.”

Maiya looked around and asked.

“I’d like to hear each of your impressions on that. At least, I want to confirm your intentions before Deimus’s operation is officially planned.”

“Well… I’m not sure.”

A rare moment of hesitation from Soryu, who was usually clear-headed.

He leaned back in his chair, emitting a cold aura, and shook his head.

“I didn’t know that man could handle ice magic so well. I heard he was a multi-attribute user, but it seems he has reached a level where he’s not bound by any system.”

“…”

“None of the abilities and techniques I use worked. Even if I had used the royal family’s artifacts, the result would have been the same.”

Soryu had brought the artifacts from the Kabahim royal family’s vault, but he didn’t take them out during the battle with Kyunroe.

If he had taken out various precious items like the [666th Binding Artifact], a relic from the 1st world, it wouldn’t have been strange if Kyunroe had snatched them away right in front of him.

In fact, even the Ice Artisan he was wearing had been taken away so easily.

“He’s a powerhouse even among level 8 magicians. It wouldn’t be strange if he was challenging ascension, as the rumors say…”

“No, more than that, he’s not crazy yet.”

Ermong protested as if he was wronged.

“He was the most composed person I’ve ever seen, so who keeps spreading the false rumor that he’s gone mad?”

“Ermong, it’s not normal for a magician of that caliber to be there in the first place.”

Highlea calmly retorted.

“Why don’t you know why the plan failed in the first place? He’s a being that far exceeds our expectations, since he’s searching for spoils of war instead of resting after subjugating an apostle.”

“…”

“He may seem fine on the outside, but his insides are already rotten.”

Highlea shrugged her shoulders at Ermong, who was groaning.

“You know what usually happens to a magician who has reached that point.”

“…Hahaha.”

At that moment, Ermong’s laughter subsided.

He tilted his head back, covering his face, and said quietly.

“Come to think of it, I don’t really want to know.”

“We were just lucky this time, but if we fight Kyunroe again next time, the situation will be completely different.”

Maiya said as she unconsciously stroked her left arm.

“Kyunroe’s true value lies in his output and martial prowess, which far surpasses that of a sorcerer of the same level. This time, we were able to limit his output and fight him because the timing and location were fortunately aligned, but-”

“It would be different if we fought in the tower’s domain?”

The reason Maiya was able to compete with Kyunroe while holding the forbidden weapon was because Lenok had refrained from using high-level magic and engaged in combat.

Decisively, he didn’t even use the lightning of thought that he had used to subjugate Anathema.

This was the result even after restricting the environment and conditions of a magician who specialized in spamming wide-area magic.

If they fought in the tower’s domain, where the restrictions of the location would disappear, it wouldn’t be strange if a thunder god descended from all directions.

“Besides, he had that Peisha Grisburn under his command. As you know, the noble lady is not someone who would bow her head to anyone like that.”

Maiya said with her arms crossed.

“From the moment the commander of the legion is cooperating with Kyunroe, we can’t ignore the possibility that Deimus may have other purposes-”

[You’re getting too long-winded.]

Victor retorted indifferently.

[What are you trying to say?]

“…Even considering various situations and reasons, Kyunroe is a dangerous being that surpasses all those situations and assumptions.”

Maiya’s eyes flashed.

“A difficult restriction that limits his sorcery or magic power. We can only discuss the chances of victory if at least his mind is not intact.”

“…”

“Well, you’re not saying we should just wait for him to go crazy now, are you?”

“Well, at least if those conditions are not met…”