Genius Wizard Takes Medicine [EN]: Chapter 995

The First Gate (6)

“So, if you had sent the signal faster, we could have responded…”

“What’s the point of the 3rd Corps assault unit if they can’t even help us fight?”

“Ah, Evan, sir!!”

Central Front Gate City, residential district. Search Team ward, emergency room.

The search team members, who had been chattering while covered in bandages, jumped to their feet when they saw Lenok.

“Sit down.”

Lenok stopped the team members, who were trying to salute in awkward postures, and looked around, saying,

“You seem to be doing alright.”

“We have broken bones and burns, but where else can we be if our limbs are intact?”

Ulurik, the search team member who had been guarding Lenok, chuckled, patting the bandage around his shoulder.

“We were lucky to come back alive after meeting those crazy bastards from the Corps.”

“That’s right. We’ll be fine after just a week of rest!”

“Harken. We almost died, so let’s rest for at least two weeks, please.”

“…….”

The search team members laughed, hitting each other’s bandaged areas.

Lenok looked at the team members and took out two small ointment bottles from his pocket.

“This is a very effective pain reliever. It’s precious, so share it among yourselves.”

“Oh my, you shouldn’t have…”

“Isn’t it the thought that counts when visiting someone in the hospital?”

Even as they said that, the team members eagerly accepted the ointment that Lenok had given them.

They knew that the medicine given by a high-ranking mage like Lenok was not ordinary.

“There was an accident in the middle, but it’s a relief that no one died.”

Lenok looked around and said, getting to his feet.

“I’ll be going. If we have the chance, let’s meet again.”

Having been guided to the gate by the search team for three days, he needed to check if they were safe.

Fortunately, no one seemed to have died, but all the team members who had fought with the 3rd Corps assault unit would need to rest for a while.

Once he started moving to enter the Grafting Artificer’s operating room, it would be difficult to make time.

Perhaps this moment was the last bit of free time he would have in the gate city.

Lenok thought so and was about to leave the emergency room without any regrets when.

“Evan, sir.”

Ulurik, who was re-tying his bandages and applying ointment, threw something towards Lenok.

Lenok reached out to catch it, but it missed and fell to the floor.

“…Huh?”

“What is this?”

Ignoring Ulurik, who was tilting his head, Lenok picked it up.

It was a small key, like a car key.

Ulurik, who belatedly came to his senses, answered.

“It’s the ignition key for the mechanical warhorse, Armis, that is given to the gate search team members.”

“Mechanical warhorse?”

Was he referring to the mechanical bikes that the search team members rode?

“You haven’t had a proper ride since you came to the front lines, so you’ve been riding on the back of a bike for the past three days.”

“…….”

“It’s made of shape-memory alloy produced in the central city, and it has armor magic built in, so it can also be used as armor to protect the wearer in case of emergency.”

Ulurik smiled at Lenok, who was lost in thought.

“I don’t have any operations for the time being, so I’d like to give it to you, Evan, sir, as if it was lost during an operation.”

“Ulurik, are you allowed to embezzle military supplies like that in front of us?”

“If you’re not happy, return all the ointment you’re using to Evan, sir.”

Lenok put the car key in his pocket, watching the team members fighting again.

“I’ll retrieve it on the way back. I’ll take it.”

“Ah, and this is a story I heard from another search team battalion patrolling inside the gate…”

Ulurik hesitated, looked at the ointment Lenok had given him, and then opened his mouth with difficulty.

“There’s a rumor that another Dead Rise legion is stationed near the front lines.”

“Another legion?”

“Yes. I don’t know why, but they suddenly moved their base near the gate a few days ago.”

“……”

If another Dead Rise legion was suddenly moving near the gate, what could be the reason?

At the very least, it would not be unrelated to Lenok’s whereabouts after defeating Roberaid of the 3rd Corps.

Ulurik also seemed to feel that no further explanation was needed, and nodded with a firm expression.

“Please be careful. If you need help, we’ll be there anytime.”

“Evan, sir. Thank you so much for saving our lives!!”

“Always stay healthy!!”

“…Yes. Thank you.”

Everyone fighting on the central front could die at any time and be found as a corpse.

Saying they would meet again was a luxury, but they still remembered the words wishing for each other’s well-being.

Lenok walked out of the emergency room, leaving behind the search team members who had risen from their beds and were saluting in unison.

As soon as he stepped out of the emergency room door, the medical staff waiting outside bowed their heads.

“Thank you for helping the gate search team, Martinez, sir.”

“May God’s blessing be upon all the work of the Azure Eye…”

“If you need any medicine, please contact this number. There are rare medicinal herbs that only grow in the gate.”

They put their hands together and conveyed their wishes to Lenok as if they were praying.

The undisguised feelings of admiration in the expressions and gazes of the ward staff.

Was it because they were impressed by the fact that Lenok had saved the search team in the battle with the 3rd Corps and had not forgotten to visit them?

It wasn’t something he did to consider his reputation, but it wasn’t bad for the name of Thousand to spread in this direction.

The more Evan Martinez’s name spread in a direction opposite to that of the Immovable, the more things Lenok could do using this identity.

As he turned out of the dark emergency room corridor, Bernard, who had been leaning against the wall, nodded at Lenok.

“To take time like this for the search team members you’ve only been with for a few days, you’re as kind as I’ve heard.”

“…….”

“And you don’t even respond to anything outside of your interests. It seems that there are surprisingly few false rumors among the rumors in the Central.”

“Is that all you have to say?”

When Lenok completely closed his mouth and ignored Bernard’s words, he shrugged without a care.

“Well, it’s none of my business how you spend your last preparation time. If you’re ready, shall we go right away?”

Bernard said, gesturing lightly to Lenok.

“Let’s go straight to the black market. Let’s start by meeting the Watcher there.”

* * *

“This way.”

Clunk, clunk!!

After passing through a dark corridor without even a lamp, a splendid night street with twinkling stars came into view.

Colorful lamps and ear-splitting music. The pungent smell of strong spices.

The night street was so lively that it was overwhelming just to stand there.

Was it a delusion that the heat of this black market felt particularly hot even within the gate city?

“A black market that was created by remodeling an outer mining site. It’s the place where the most people and money come and go in this city.”

“What kind of items are mainly traded in the black market?”

“What would there be if it’s an item that can’t be officially shown in the Central?”

Bernard shrugged and pointed to a corner of the underground space.

Bernard said, looking at the humans who were tightly trapped between rusty bars.

“Humans. Beastmen. Hybrids. And the slave industry that deals with various other rare demi-humans.”

“…….”

“Prisoners who lost in war, or shields to be used in war. The big powers are deeply involved, so the search team can’t easily touch it.”

Bernard shrugged and gestured to Lenok.

“According to the information we obtained here, there was news that the Watcher who is about to have surgery will visit the black market tonight.”

Bernard pointed to a blue glowing ziggurat at the end of the black market street.

“The meeting place is the Hwacheong Pavilion, located in the central commercial district of the black market. It has many rooms and good security, so it’s a place favored by big shots who want to avoid surveillance.”

“Hwacheong Pavilion…”

“I’ve reserved the room right next to the top-floor private room reserved by the Azure Eye Watcher. After entering the Hwacheong Pavilion, we need to make direct contact after timing it.”

Bernard turned to Lenok and said.

“A closed organization like the Azure Eye won’t even listen to you unless you’re from the same Watcher background. It’s the best way to minimize their resistance.”

“…….”

The commercial district where high-rise buildings were gathered in the black market.

Lenok, who had been looking at the blue ziggurat that stood out among them, immediately moved his feet.

“I’ll go ahead.”

“Are you sure you don’t want to look around the black market during the remaining time? There are some items that are only traded here.”

“As I said, we need to find out who the Watcher is first before we can come up with a plan.”

Lenok replied as he passed through the lights of the black market’s glamorous commercial district.

“Depending on the Watcher, we may have to change the way we persuade them. In the worst case, they may start a fight with us.”

“…It seems that the process of leaving the Azure Eye ended with a worse ending than you thought?”

“Well…”

Lenok chuckled at Bernard’s question.

“I don’t know what they think.”

Lenok remembered many high-ranking Watchers of the Azure Eye, but their personalities were all different.

Some were hostile to Evan, and some were loyal only to Lapis.

When Evan, who had left the Azure Eye, met the Watcher with the leaflet, it was impossible to know how that Watcher would react.

Therefore, it was important to check the other party’s face first and think about how to persuade them.

“If that’s what you think, I’ll guide you to the Hwacheong Pavilion right away.”

Bernard nodded with a wry smile.

“Come this way. We have to go a little further to get to the room I reserved.”

“I don’t mind walking…”

Lenok said, glancing around the area.

Since he had come down to the middle of the black market night street, he had been feeling a strange gaze sticking to his face.

“…….”

At first, it was subtle, but as time passed, the gaze became more blatant.

At the same time, whispers towards Lenok began to be heard from all over the street.

“Look over there. It’s Evan Martinez.”

“It’s true. That Flame Heat mage…”

“He’s exactly the same as when he burned down Vulcan. He hasn’t changed at all.”

It seemed that more than half of the transcendents who came to the black market saw Lenok and clearly recognized his existence.

They didn’t speak directly to Lenok, but they were whispering from a distance.

“I heard he left the Azure Eye, but why did he come to the gate?”

“Isn’t he trying to have a meeting with a big power?”

“Did you hear the rumor? As soon as he arrived at the central front, he… Lieutenant General Robert Roberaid…”

“Be quiet. It’s just a rumor. Who knows who’s here?”

“…….”

Curiosity and interest. Admiration and caution.

Every time he took a step through the street, gazes were focused on him, and they disappeared as if washed away the moment he turned his head.

It wasn’t that they were afraid of Lenok, but rather a curious gaze as if they were watching a very famous person.

Only then did Lenok realize the identity of the gaze and emotions, and he smiled wryly to himself.

‘I never thought I would realize that the name of Thousand had become famous on the central front in a place like this.’

He had heard that the reputation of Thousand had changed dramatically as the events in Vulcan became very famous.

He never thought that other powers or transcendents in the Central would be so curious about Thousand.

A treatment that was very different from when he was walking around with the infamy of the Immovable.

Bernard shrugged and headed towards the entrance of the blue glowing ziggurat.

The receptionist who received the business card that Bernard handed over covered his mouth with a surprised expression.

“Ah! The Pioneer’s…”

The receptionist, who had been looking back and forth between Lenok and Bernard’s faces, soon returned to a smiling face and bowed his head.

“You have reserved VIP room number 3 at 9 p.m. I will guide you.”

They took a luxurious elevator in the center of the ziggurat to the top floor.

Angel, who was leaning against the elevator, asked as if he was dumbfounded.

“How did you reserve a place in such a high-end restaurant so easily? You sold the name of the Pioneer?”

“To be precise, I sold Odin’s name.”

“Odin?”

“He’s talking about Odin Meyers, the leader of the Pioneer.”

Angel answered instead.

“A level 7 Ranger and a level 8 Pathfinder. A hero of the Holy War called the Pathfinder. I heard that he disappeared after the dissolution of the Pioneer…”

“Odin liked the food at this Hwacheong Pavilion a lot, so the name of the Pioneer is still on the reservation priority list.”

Bernard said, stepping towards the far end of the top floor corridor.

“It’s a name that no one uses anymore. I have to make good use of it so that I don’t forget it.”

“…….”

Although he said that, it was clear that Bernard was attached to the explorer organization called the Pioneer.

They passed through a corridor decorated with blue and gold silk and headed to a large room with a folding screen.

The round table was already set and waiting for the food to be served.

There were stairs next to the corridor, so the stage on the top floor was designed to be clearly visible.

Judging by the microphone and speakers, would they call in performers to add music or songs?

“The room that the Watcher reserved is room number 2. The reservation time is 9 p.m., the same as ours.”

As soon as they arrived at VIP room number 3 on the top floor, Bernard turned his gaze to Lenok.

“The local time is 8:55 p.m. Considering the time it takes to come up in the elevator, they must be somewhere in this Hwacheong Pavilion.”

“…….”

“How is it? Can you detect the Watcher’s location and identity from here?”

“…No.”

Lenok, who had closed his eyes and was using magic detection, said.

“I can’t feel the presence of the Watcher in this Hwacheong Pavilion.”

“What?”

“At least inside the ziggurat, there is no magical reaction that is presumed to be from the Azure Eye.”

“That’s…”

Angel turned his gaze to Bernard with a troubled expression.

They had not considered the possibility that the Azure Eye Watcher would not come to this black market at all.

“Was the information wrong from the beginning?”

“…It’s unlikely. I directly secured and checked the reservation list managed by the manager of the Hwacheong Pavilion.”

Bernard said with a thoughtful expression.

“There was no customer name, but it was certain that the Azure Eye side had reserved room number 2 today. But the fact that the Watcher didn’t come means…”

“You said there were easy and difficult ways to enter the Grafting Artificer’s operating room.”

Lenok said, continuing to use magic detection.

“Tell me about the difficult way.”

“There’s no point in discussing the difficult way now…”

Bernard shrugged.

“The Grafting Artificer shows great interest in those with unique techniques or talents, so they invite such people to have direct conversations. And in most cases, they kill them and make them a subject for dissection.”

“…….”

“It’s not that no one has ever survived being invited to the operating room. However, most of those who survived either went crazy or became deformed monsters and died soon after.”

“Even after investigating the Grafting Artificer’s work so thoroughly, why hasn’t the Vanguard taken action yet?”

“Most of the core forces of the Ability Awakening Vanguard are currently deployed in the depths of the Veil. It’s to secure the path to the Paradox Red forward base secured by the Vanguard and the ‘Four Heavenly Demon Mirrors’ in that area.”

Bernard explained.

“Apart from the war with the Alliance and the Order, the atmosphere inside the front lines is extremely fierce. If the balance is broken, one power could be devoured immediately. Especially the Fallen Paradise of Jinwa, which is spread out on the outskirts of the front lines… Oops.”

Bernard, who had covered his mouth as if he had made a mistake, nodded with a wry smile.

“From here on, it’s something I can’t say directly. You understand, right?”

“…….”

The Fallen Paradise of Jinwa.

Lenok also knew what that meant and why he shouldn’t say those words out loud.

If the Vanguard’s power and operations were intertwined to that extent, it was natural that he couldn’t explain the specific circumstances.

As he was thinking that and was about to say something, Lenok suddenly turned his gaze.

“Someone has arrived in room number 2.”

“…The Watcher has arrived now?”

“I don’t know exactly who the presence is…”

At least it was clear that the being who had arrived in that room was someone directly related to the Azure Eye.

If so, they should contact them right away and ask for an explanation as planned.

Lenok opened the door to room number 2, which was right next door, without hesitation.

Bang!!

Behind his back, a red robe fluttered, and a faint heat wave swirled along its edges.

The guest, who was sitting calmly in the seat of honor in the room, stroked his chin with one hand and stretched out his arm.

He picked up a teapot and poured tea into the cup in front of him, then opened his mouth.

“To come in without permission, I must teach you manners again.”

“…….”

“Even though I gave you enough warnings, you were not prepared, so I had to take action to close my ears.”

A middle-aged man with fiery red hair swept back, tilted his head leisurely, and spoke to Lenok.

“Or, do you still have questions about this situation?”

The other party was throwing words that made no sense as soon as he entered the room.

However, as soon as Bernard and Angel saw the man’s face in the seat of honor, their faces turned cold.

A tone that felt stiff and overbearing. The heat that wrapped around his whole body just by breathing.

Despite his pale complexion and tired expression, the overwhelming presence that could not be hidden.

They were clearly realizing the fact that he was a powerful person who scattered his actual magic in the form of an attribute.

“No way…!!”

Even Bernard couldn’t hide his agitation and stepped back, while Lenok stepped forward.

“I have a mountain of questions.”

Lenok pulled a chair to the opposite side and sat down, pouring tea into his own cup.

“But I don’t know if you’re the one I should be asking.”

“…….”

Lenok slowly lifted his teacup and looked at the man’s face, his eyes shining coldly.

“Blayver, Master of the Magic Tower. What are you doing here, the former manager of the First Gate?”

The visit appointment to the Hwacheong Pavilion that the Azure Eye’s high-ranking Watcher had secretly made.

The one who appeared at that place was not the Azure Eye Watcher that Lenok knew, but an 8th-level Flame Heat mage.

It was Blayver, the Master of the Magic Tower himself, who had been the manager of the First Gate before the Grafting Artificer.

“If you are aware of my whereabouts, then the story will be faster.”

However, the Master of the Tower did not waver at Lenok’s words and smiled gently.

“Well, a mage like you is capable of that. That’s why I came here today.”

“…….”

He nodded to Lenok with a smile that seemed kind and said.

“Sit down. As a mage who walks the same path of Flame Heat, I have some advice for you.”