Jenny’s pub is a three-story building. From the outside, apart from the bar located in the basement, it appears that there are no hidden spaces, but the reality is different. On the opposite side of the passage leading to the office from the inside of the bar, an old mirror hanging on the wall reveals an emergency exit leading to an underground waterway when its back is pried open.
“With the help of the Dyke company, we’ve passed through their factory site several times. Ultimately, we confined him in District 49, but… there’s no chance his location will be physically discovered.” Jenny explained.
Jenny stopped in front of the dimly lit emergency room, walking along the extended corridor of the waterway, and nodded. Bald giant Ike, who was leaning against the door, yawned and then smiled upon seeing her.
“You’re here early,” he remarked.
“How about inside?” Jenny inquired.
“Killian entered first. Turns out, that guy is quite wild. I’m kind of envious.”
“……”
Well, he is a man who is half a hoodlum in character, not to mention in appearance.
Lennok entered the abandoned control room after sending Jenny up. Originally, there was a control room for managing the waterway and a storage room with discarded pipes inside the glass window.
Girard, with his limbs firmly tied and his head bowed, was sitting on a chair arranged in the storage room. The restraints tied to his limbs were specially made for mana users, interfering with the use of mana by tightening the limbs and burrowing into the veins. If worn for too long, the hands and feet could necrotize, rendering the limbs unusable in an instant, but it was a necessary choice to keep a powerful person alive while bound.
Killian, watching this scene with a bored expression from a distance, nodded at Lennok.
“Still no particular signs?”
“None. He seems conscious but doesn’t look like he’s planning to resist. But is that really the right thing to do?”
Killian said this, pointing at the syringe embedded in Girard’s shoulder.
“As you said, I just plugged in a regenerative ampoule that works on mana users, but there’s no reason to heal someone who’s dying.”
“It’s thought that his magic gains tremendous strength the more he’s injured. Rather than giving him a reason to exert power, it’s easier to treat him and make him talk,” Lennok explained.
“Huh, hard to believe. That such a grotesque change in properties exists…” Killian shook his head in disbelief, but Lennok turned his head, reading something else in his words.
“You seem to be aware of the changes in magical properties. Looks like you’ve been practicing on your own,” Lennok observed.
Certainly, Killian was ignorant of such realms when dealing with the Cigar Bang Gang with Lennok. If he could understand Lennok’s conversation so easily, it seemed that he too had accumulated a lot of experience.
“Well, yeah. Working in this field, I naturally hear things… Plus, there’s some overlap with the techniques I learned in my hometown.”
“So there’s a separate augmentation technique used by werewolves?”
“It’s hard to explain in detail, but it’s similar. Of course, I’m not saying I’ve reached that level… but I understand the fundamental principle of overcoming limits under certain conditions,” Killian responded. “I don’t want a self-destructive method like that… But maybe one day, I’ll have to become a monster in that way.”
“There’s no need for that. In my opinion, Girard is indeed a very unusual case.”
Lennok replied as he pushed open the glass door leading to the warehouse.
“Basically, the change in the nature of mana is just a starting point to reach the 6th level, a step that should naturally pass.”
“……”
“If you can’t overcome such limits and twist the nature of mana by imposing restrictions or conditions on yourself, you end up with similar results.”
“Only a monster child like you could say it so easily……”
Killian grumbled, but Lennok paid no heed and crouched in front of Girard, who hung his head.
“Even so, the way this guy amplifies his strength depending on the extent of his injuries is abnormal. Most people use mana for their aspirations or self-improvement, and the way it manifests is generally similar. Yet, achieving such a twisted change in properties with mana alone, without relying on other sources of energy like physical strength or mental power, is…”
At that moment, Girard, who had been hanging his head as if lifeless, suddenly lunged at Lennok’s neck with lightning-fast teeth.
Snap!
“…It’s impossible unless the basic mental imagery that forms one’s inner self is twisted.”
Girard’s magical-enhanced bite was formidable, but even this attempt was futile against Lennok’s protective barrier, and his front teeth shattered tragically.
Spitting out his broken teeth, Girard laughed.
“I wondered what you were saying when I came in, but you’re quite the philosopher. Should I join you in a serious contemplation about the purpose of human existence?”
Even with his mouth bloodied, Girard seemed unfazed by the pain, while Killian appeared disgusted.
“Not a bad idea.”
Lennok replied with a faint smile.
“To transcend oneself, one must confront oneself first. Facing a twisted human like you helps me to see myself objectively… as long as I don’t get swept away with it.”
“……”
For the first time, Girard fell silent in response to that composed answer.
Unperturbed, Lennok retrieved a rosary that loosely hung around Girard’s neck and placed it on his wrist.
Observing the rosary shrink to fit Lennok’s wrist, Girard burst into a sinister laugh.
“……Heheheh!!! This is why you shouldn’t deal with wizards for long. What a stupid mistake I made. I never imagined you would have such an absurd artifact.”
His point was valid.
After all, Girard was a Level 6 powerhouse who had achieved an unusual alteration in magical properties.
Yet, he was captured with little resistance because he never anticipated that Lennok would possess a potent restraining artifact like the Charm of Earth’s Embrace.
Certainly, Lennok had meticulously planned and succeeded in this endeavor, but without such a potent artifact, Girard would not have found himself in this predicament.
“If such an item had hit the market, it would have caused a stir here too, but there was no hint of it… It’s not an item that moved within Vulcan. It’s a rare item brought in from outside the city.”
Girard’s insight was keen, but Lennok disregarded it and waved a finger in front of him.
“I don’t want to hear much from your mouth. Just cleanly convey the information we want, and I might let you go, as long as you keep your life.”
“Ahahahahat!!!”
Girard erupted into laughter at Lennok’s words, tears streaming down his face. His heavy eye makeup smeared, creating a bizarre appearance rather than a comical one.
“That was the funniest joke I’ve heard from you.”
“First. The list and residence information of the board members who are treated as equals to you, Girard.”
“I guess I can let you handle one or two guys I don’t like.”
Girard replied casually.
Lennok raised his second finger.
“Second. The identities of the four presidents, including Virgil, who reign at the top of the Cartel.”
“Are you insane?”Girard burst into uncontrollable laughter. “Seriously, do you really believe you can beat the Cartel?”
“……”
“The board members have been founding contributors following the chairman for decades. They are all monsters who have transcended time, and only those who have successfully confronted themselves. It’s been at least ten years since a president-level officer was last deployed in combat… Do you really think it’s possible?”
Girard’s elongated eyes gleamed strangely.
“Let’s be honest and move on. All you can do is use your asymmetric power to negotiate with us about our business structure. Isn’t that why you’re running around so hard?”
He wasn’t entirely wrong. Even though Lennok had achieved extraordinary growth beyond common sense with his remarkable talent and wisdom, he was not yet capable of contending with truly monstrous beings who defied all norms. If even Virgil, a president-level executive, was someone Lennok couldn’t easily guarantee victory against, one could only imagine the level of power held by the chairman at the apex of the Cartel.
Realistically, achieving a complete victory against the Cartel was impossible for Lennok. However, he understood well that such formidable entities would inevitably face checks and balances from other organizations and agents, and it was only by exploiting these vulnerabilities that he could gain an upper hand in negotiations.
Instead of countering Girard’s words, Lennok gripped his hair and surged his mana.
Whooooosh!!
“A typical wizard’s approach,” Girard remarked. “Trying to suppress me with your control? Unfortunately, it’s not going to be that easy, is……”
The confident smile on Girard’s face vanished in an instant. Lennok’s mana infiltrated Girard’s body, taking control of his mana at the particle level and eventually spreading to his bone marrow.
“Grrr, uhk…!!!”
Unlike his earlier composure, Girard struggled fiercely, veins bulging all over his body, but Lennok responded by reversing the flow of mana within him.
Crack!!
“!!!!!”
Black blood oozed from Girard’s mouth as he stiffened, unable to even scream. Typically, altering the flow of mana wouldn’t cause internal injuries. However, Lennok caused a controlled explosion inside Girard by forcibly colliding his mana, a technique he had mastered from his teachings in Demonic Eye magic with Eolara.
Even without using the Demonic Eye, manipulating mana in such a manner was not difficult for Lennok. He knew precisely how to inflict excruciating pain that pushed the limits of a mana user. The immense pressure generated within Girard’s body crushed and ruptured his internal organs, wringing out blood vessels as if they were rags.
As bodily functions failed, the body’s vital essence leaked out.
“Kya, haaaah…!!”
At this stage, Girard’s body should have undergone a dramatic enhancement in physical capabilities due to the alteration in the nature of his mana as a result of his injuries. Even now, it wouldn’t be surprising if he shattered the restraints and attacked Lennok, but he could only tremble weakly, unable to move at all.
Lennok, seemingly able to discern Girard’s thoughts, muttered.
“Can’t do it, right?”
“……”
“Since I’ve burst the mana inside you, no change in properties, or anything else, can happen. I don’t know how twisted your will is, but without fuel, you’re nothing.”
Lennok lifted Girard’s head by his hair, making eye contact with him as he spoke.
“Discussing victory is not about entering negotiations. You really don’t know anything.”
“Cough!”
“To struggle and strive to win is what allows you to even consider negotiation. Killing you right here is for a similar reason.”
As Lennok dismantled the Cartel’s affiliated businesses, he gained a deep appreciation for how deeply the Cartel had infiltrated the streets. Even for a wizard and a broker, achieving a complete victory in such a venture was an exceedingly daunting task. However, regardless of the formidable opposition, one must have a clear goal in mind. Only then could they hope to seize at least some of the fruits that lay beneath.
Realizing that Lennok was genuinely prepared to kill him, Girard finally burst into insane laughter.
“Kehheheheheh!!!!”
Crack!! Snap!! Crack-Crack-Crack!!
Girard struggled frantically, as if attempting to break free from the restraints at any moment, his fingers contorting wildly. Desperately, he tried to amplify his physical abilities, even if it meant crushing his own hands to escape from the restraints.
Killian, who had been observing from a distance, stood up abruptly, but Lennok simply watched Girard’s final struggle with an emotionless expression.
Girard’s movements, as he attempted to free himself by twisting every finger, wrist, and joint in his limbs, gradually dwindled. Once Lennok recognized that Girard had depleted his remaining mana and completely lost his will to resist, he nodded and swiftly turned away, exiting the warehouse.
“…….?”
A bewildered Killian quickly summoned someone else to watch over Girard and then caught up with Lennok, who was heading back to the pub.
Killian inquired, “Van, was it okay not to kill him?”
“Why bother if he’s already talked?”
“Talked…? When?”
With an expression of disbelief, Killian asked, and Lennok responded calmly,
“A high-ranking official of an organization like the Cartel would almost certainly carry measures to maintain confidentiality. Considering the foreign mana I felt when I was manipulating his internal mana and the tattoo on his tongue, he likely had some specific ‘measure’ inside his body for location tracking and preventing the leakage of secrets.”
Even if location tracking could be countered by the Charm of Earth’s Embrace and the barriers set up in the vicinity, preventing secret leaks was a different matter.
“So you interrogated him this way, knowing that?”
“A skilled person like Girard would have many ways to communicate without speaking. Plus, Girard’s behavior suggests he thinks of the organization and himself separately. It was quite likely that this kind of threat would work on him.”
The fact that he, a board member of the organization, had come alone to face Lennok, his bold statement that even the chairman might not recognize his face, and his detached attitude all indicated a certain disposition. His eccentric tastes matched his highly personal and independent character. He appeared to hold little affection for the organization, treating relationships strictly as business and assessing mutual benefits accordingly.
For individuals like him, it wasn’t too challenging to coax organizational information out of them by applying the right amount of pressure while concealing one’s true intentions.
Girard only began to communicate in a way that Lennok could understand after hearing Lennok’s final words.
“The sudden intensity of his last struggle didn’t quite match the timing of my statement; it felt out of place. Compared to the mana I left in his body, it was rather clumsy and prolonged. Crucially, considering the certain pattern in the sounds he made while breaking all his joints….””
Only then did Killian grasp Lennok’s words, his mouth hanging open.
“So, you’re saying he used Herington code to secretly convey information?”
“……”
Is this how they refer to a code system like Morse code here? In any case, as Killian suggested, it was highly likely that Girard had opted to use a sound-based code for communication.
This method of transmitting information and engaging in negotiations had the advantage of being easily deniable. It could be claimed that Girard never verbally disclosed any information, and it was simply an act of desperation while he was attempting to break his own joints.
Even Killian, whose senses were significantly sharper than Lennok’s, became so engrossed in the fierce intensity of Girard’s struggle that he failed to pay attention to the actual sounds Girard was producing.
However, Girard took the bold step of leaking information, gambling that Lennok would decipher the pattern of the sounds, commit them to memory, and decode them.
“A sound-based code. Or, if you know the pattern, it’s not too hard to apply it to an existing code in the network.” Lennok remarked.
Lennok immediately joined Jenny at the computer in the office, recorded the sound patterns he had memorized, and then decrypted them using the Herington code, as Killian had mentioned.
“It’s done.”
“A meeting between businesses on the 14th, a shareholders’ meeting on the 16th, and a new office demonstration for business unit 89 on the 17th…” Jenny muttered, her voice distant. “My God, this is a schedule and locations for events involving Cartel’s businesses. That crazy bastard…”
* * *
“You couldn’t find any trace of Girard?
The bald man lowered his head in silence as he listened to the voice emanating from the communication device. His sun-tanned brown skin contrasted with his thick, rough fingers adorned with an array of flashy rings and bracelets that clinked together.
[Life signs ceased right at the scene of the battle. It must have been a high-level binding artifact. Anything less wouldn’t have been able to do it. Tracking using a spell seems impossible.]
Instead of replying, the man shifted his gaze to the hologram displaying the report.
“Having bypassed the outskirts multiple times with Dyke’s help… then the course of action is simple.”
With a flick of his fingers, the hologram in front of him flashed.
“Activate the execution squad. Send orders to Avid.”
[…Isn’t Director Yonsen currently occupied with other tasks?]
“Use my name; he’ll understand. It’s a matter of urgency.”
The man spoke decisively and then suddenly glanced down at his arm.
His body, adorned with various tattoos and jewelry, vividly represented a colorful past marked by both glory and defeat. However, as time passed, the skin bearing the tattoos wrinkled, and his precious treasures gradually lost their luster.
How long does it take to betray a lifetime of loyalty?
He had no interest in clinging to the vain hope of immortality; if he desired anything…
The man closed his eyes.
“This is a mission sanctioned by Cartel’s CEO, Parden McQueen. Track and secure the whereabouts of Girard Oje, captured by the wizard Van. If that proves impossible…”
[…You may kill him…]
Eliminate him permanently.
Although he had involved Girard in this affair to leverage his authority over the allied businesses, the man had never fully trusted him. Always smiling as if everything were a joke, but when the balance of power shifted, Girard was the first to jump ship.
He had initially thought the geas implanted in Girard would buy him time, but he couldn’t afford to be complacent. He must not let the chairman discover his betrayal yet. He needed more time.
