In an undisclosed hospital’s emergency room,
The vast expanse could easily accommodate dozens of individuals.
Despite being designed for 24-hour operation, the emergency room was staffed by just over five medical professionals, with one individual named Eolara present.
The mere fact that they could casually access an unfinished hospital’s emergency facilities indirectly highlighted the extensive influence of the cartel.
“Ugh…!!”
Eolara, writhing in pain, was restrained on the cot by the visibly perspiring medical personnel.
“AED, quick!!”
“The heartbeat keeps trying to stop, we need to hold it…!!”
“That’s wrong. We can’t do it without paralyzing the nervous system!”
“Insert the potion ampule and quickly turn on the magic stabilization resonance device, what are you doing!!”
Despite the medical staff’s desperate efforts, Eolara’s convulsing limbs wreaked indiscriminate havoc on the surrounding equipment. This was the lingering aftermath of a direct hit by [Swift Thunder], an ordeal from which she had yet to fully recover.
Lennok’s exclusive lightning-based magic had been meticulously researched and refined for the sole purpose of annihilating opponents. It was designed to leave residual effects that extended beyond the initial penetration, systematically dismantling the target from the inside.
This potent magic sacrificed the sheer firepower of lightning spells in favor of precision, becoming a razor-sharp stiletto that drastically increased localized destruction and lethality.
Lennok’s magic, permeating Eolara’s body, continued its relentless assault on her cells without relenting.
When Virgil made his appearance, he refrained from immediately ending Eolara’s life, for he knew the outcome of the battle had already been determined. Yet Eolara remained ensnared in the aftermath of the conflict, rendering such confidence seemingly in vain.
A doctor, removing his mask, muttered as he wiped away the sweat streaming down his face.
“It’s unbelievable. How can such mana exist…”
“It’s incredible to think she was defeated by just one wizard. It would be more plausible if she had gone through a mana fusion reactor.”
“It’s like the cells are necrotizing as if exposed to radiation… Are we really safe to be here?”
“That should be fine. If it was a type of magic that affected the surroundings, we all would have been dead by now.”
The doctor who responded shook his head in awe.
“A method that targets only the aimed target so precisely… What kind of magical system is being handled to manipulate mana in such a sophisticated way…”
“Stay focused and don’t get distracted. Shouldn’t we at least keep her conscious for now!!”
“Move aside.”
The medical staff startled at the commanding voice from behind, shifting aside. A burly man strode in, immediately placing his hand on Eolara’s forehead and channeling his magic into her.
Whooooosh!!!
“Uh, ugh…”
Finally, as the pain began to subside, Virgil narrowed his eyes while gazing down at Eolara, who was slowly reclining on the bed. He had attempted some rudimentary first aid using his mana during the transport to the hospital, but had a seizure occurred while they were preparing to use the emergency room?
Even now, inside Eolara, whom Virgil was forcibly stabilizing, the full extent of Lennok’s lingering mana had not yet been suppressed.
“Hmm…”
Virgil was keenly aware of the existence of beings beyond his realm. Throughout his time in this realm, he had encountered many talents that even surprised him. But the concentration of mana surging in his hands at this moment…
As Virgil lost himself in thought, his expression hardened, and Eolara struggled to open her eyes.
“Virgil…”
“Yes.”
“You, shouldn’t have retreated from there… The fight should have been finished…”
Without uttering a word, the medical staff surrounding Eolara widened their eyes in astonishment as she miraculously regained her ability to speak.
Eolara, unaffected by their stares, continued, “Whooo… He adapted my eyes on the spot after seeing my Demonic Eye. Surely, if he can intervene in my own transformation to such a degree beyond just handling mana well…”
Someday, he might become a being surpassing even a monster. That was the warning Eolara issued.
However, Virgil slowly shook his head. “Even using your death as a leverage, I couldn’t confirm the opponent’s death on the spot. It’s a useless thought.”
Eolara had no retort to that and closed her mouth.
His capacity to forcibly alter the nature of magic using the power of her Demonic Eye was on a different level. He possessed the ability to manipulate properties and activate magic with a time delay on the spot, potent enough to kill Eolara in a single strike. If Virgil hadn’t intervened, she would have perished there with her eyes gouged out.
“A wizard of that caliber wouldn’t be surprising if he had some kind of artifact hidden away. Plus, the composure he maintained even when I appeared is unusual… He must have had a means of saving himself, without a doubt.”
“That is…”
“Worst case scenario, he might have waited for you to die before escaping, right?”
Virgil chuckled as he looked down at Eolara, who was left speechless.
Adjusting his lifted sunglasses, he swiftly retrieved a cell phone from his coat and began typing rapidly. The phone looked unusually small in the hands of the towering man.
After sending the message, Virgil stood up and removed his hand from Eolara’s forehead.
“Ah…”
Unlike the flustered medical staff, Eolara’s body did not convulse as before.
“Rest up until you’re ready to return to duty. I’ll be handling the cleanup until then.”
“I am without honor.”
Virgil gave a slight chuckle and then turned to the medical staff.
His red eyes, surveying the individuals present, remained eerily composed.
“Forget everything you heard here today, got it?”
“I don’t know what you’re talking about.” the lead doctor replied, his brow drenched in sweat.
“You two didn’t say anything.”
“Good.”
Quick to grasp the situation, the medical staff complied.
Virgil smirked and exited the emergency room, slipping his hand back into his pocket.
As he walked the streets with a pensive expression, he suddenly withdrew his hand from his pocket.
Zzzt…!!
The consequence of directly neutralizing the residual mana left by Lennok to improve Eolara’s condition.
If this much lingering aftermath wasn’t easily dissipating, how much pain must Eolara have endured?
“I have no idea where such a guy came from…”
While the cartel executives might still perceive it as a mere business rivalry, Virgil viewed it as an entirely different type of problem.
Even in an incomplete state, the potential of that capability was boundless.
The possibilities for a wizard of this caliber acting alone were limitless.
The choice of target and timing. If there were issues with both, it couldn’t be mere coincidence.
Someone was manipulating things from behind the scenes.
Virgil, his fist clenched as if ready to crush something, reached into his back pocket and retrieved his cell phone. As he dialed a number, the call immediately connected, a privilege enjoyed only by an organization with a stable network amidst the chaotic communication.
“Edith. It’s me. I’ll personally attend the regular report meeting for the chairman. Make arrangements for my seat.”
[……]
“No, keep it a secret from the others. It’s been a while since I visited in person. Where is he now?”
Virgil’s eyes remained composed as he listened to the voice on the other end of the phone.
“Still engrossed in their game… Got it. I should prepare myself mentally. I’m heading there soon.”
Despite the bustling crowd of over twenty people passing by, no one noticed the chilling air of determination permeating the nocturnal streets.
***
“Ugh…”
Lennok grimaced, clutching his throbbing left eye and bowing his head slightly. Though he didn’t hesitate to use magic for physical enhancement in dire situations, his growing mastery of magic had reduced such crises.
Lennok’s approach to combat involved meticulous battlefield preparation, minimizing the need for direct physical exertion. Consequently, he rarely encountered situations with excessive violence or danger, reducing the likelihood of physical strain.
Now, he was reminded of the discomfort of mana poisoning, a sensation he hadn’t experienced in a long time. While it was an inevitable part of acquiring the Demonic Eye, the eyeball was an exceptionally sensitive area.
He reached into his coat and swallowed a painkiller, a precaution he took for managing the aftermath of mana poisoning. It was doubtful whether it would effectively alleviate the pain in his optic nerve.
‘But it’s better than nothing…’
While his eyelids had lost sensation, Lennok gradually turned his head to regain control over his facial expressions.
Outside the dilapidated old church where the battle had taken place, Jordan, looking pale, was providing first aid to Weian, whose arm was broken.
“Ugh…!!”
“It’s going to hurt, but try to bear it. Your left arm’s joints are all twisted from that woman’s attack. I need to set the bones and joints in place before pouring in the potion.”
“Ah, okay. But, I think I might cry a bit…?”
Without responding, Jordan tore strips from Weian’s clothing to fashion a makeshift bandage and tied up his left arm. Then, he began manipulating the broken arm, eliciting a series of cracking sounds that mirrored Weian’s screams.
“Kkrrack…!!”
“Don’t twist your body.”
Jordan spoke calmly as he adjusted Weian’s convulsing arm, aligning the joints.
Lennok observed the scene with a queasy expression before locking eyes with Weian.
“Sa, save me…”
“It’s because you rely too much on your mana sensitivity that you end up like this.”
Lennok clicked his tongue and crouched down to meet Weian’s gaze.
“I told you to find a way to utilize your mana sensitivity, but how did you come up with the insane idea to throw away all your senses and depend solely on sensitivity?”
Weian, drenched in sweat and under the weight of Lennok’s sharp rebuke, managed an awkward smile.
“Did you notice?”
“Is that something to say? If you’re going to fight like that, at least don’t make it obvious that you’re not using your senses. Wobbling your head around like you’re possessed just blatantly reveals you’re relying on something else.”
Anyone with the ability to discern magical movements, such as Lennok, or those possessing a Demonic Eye like Eolara, would immediately see through Weian’s method. For those with abilities like the Demonic Eye, which could interfere with an opponent’s magic, Weian’s combat style was as detrimental as poison.
The moment Eolara paralyzed Weian’s mana sensitivity with her Demonic Eye, Weian would have met his demise if Lennok hadn’t swiftly erected a protective shield. In light of this, Weian had no retort and simply clicked his tongue, admitting defeat.
“Well… I knew I was a bit clumsy, but I couldn’t stop when my skills grew so much in such a short time.”
Indeed, the fact that Weian’s skills had dramatically improved, even with such an extreme method, attested to his true talent. Considering how his combat instincts and reaction times had increased substantially, it would have been challenging for him to abandon this path. Perhaps even someone like Dray Krimgal would have struggled to offer proper advice, as it was difficult to interfere with a talent possessing such heightened mana sensitivity.
Lennok clicked his tongue and assisted the now-treated Weian in getting back on his feet. Naturally, lifting a person was no easy feat for someone of his strength. Pretending to lend a hand, he used a levitation spell to raise Weian, who was taken aback.
“Wow, aren’t you too strong? This almost feels like I’m floating in the air.”
Lennok couldn’t be bothered to respond and simply ignored Weian’s comment. Jordan seemed to catch on and intentionally changed the topic.
“I’ll contact Jenny and let her know things are settled here. Even if there’s a problem at the bar, we shouldn’t be the ones holding things up.”
“Sounds good.”
Lennok handed his cell phone over to Jordan without hesitation. Of course, his call log and message box were password-protected. There was no reason for Jordan to delve into Lennok’s secrets.
Jordan, with no intention of prying, promptly dialed Jenny’s number. After conveying his voice and explaining the situation during the call, a faint smile appeared on his lips. However, his expression soon turned puzzled.
“……?”
“What’s the matter?”
Handing the cell phone back to Lennok, Jordan spoke with a bewildered look.
“While Killian was away, the bar was also attacked…”
“Attacked by…?”
“A lunatic with a mechanical head appeared and caused a ruckus.”
“……”
“It seems Mad Manson has business with us.”
