Jenny swiftly commenced the task of organizing the collaborative agenda for Cartel’s affiliated enterprises, aided by Lennok’s decryption skills.
Every aspect, from the logistics of meeting arrangements to the underlying reasons for these gatherings, became readily discernible.
In a bid to safeguard his own existence, Girard divulged crucial information concerning Cartel’s executive representatives to Lennok.
As Lennok perused the pertinent schedules, he stumbled upon a significant revelation and gestured towards the screen.
“Jenny, look at this.”
“What is it?”
“The frequency of business name transfers in the schedule is abnormally high. It’s evidence that the movement of businesses within the Cartel is constant.”
Upon hearing Lennok’s words, Jenny contemplated quietly, as if a revelation had dawned upon her.
“Does this mean there’s an intense factional fight happening among them? If so, it makes sense why the Cartel hasn’t been in open conflict until now…….”
“It most likely is. Also, considering they provoked us first even though they clearly knew about the power struggle within, there’s a possibility they’re trying to use the current situation for internal ranking adjustments.”
Lennok voiced his thoughts and then, lost in contemplation, spoke once more.
“Girard deliberately passed this information first, knowing I would recognize its significance… What could be the reason for revealing the Cartel’s internal discord first……”
Lennok slowly closed his eyes, revisiting his encounters with Cartel members.
He recalled their words, actions, the subtle hints in their expressions, and the circumstances surrounding Jordan’s kidnapping.
Lennok’s mental journey halted at the image of Virgil, a burly man sporting sunglasses, and he raised his head.
“Maybe it’s not just a simple factional fight.”
“…What?”
“If it were merely a power struggle within the organization, it would not be strange for an external issue to cause internal unity. But the fact that the chaos within the Cartel is accelerating instead… it’s evidence of a traitor inside.”
“…”
Jenny’s mouth slightly agape, she gazed up at Lennok.
“And Girard, by disclosing this information to me, must belong to a force that wouldn’t suffer repercussions… In a sense, he’s sided with those who betrayed the Cartel.”
Having arrived at this conclusion, Lennok swiftly stood up and declared,
“Find out who the executive-level member most closely connected with Girard is. It’s highly likely it’s not Virgil O’Reiden.”
“…What are you planning to do with the traitorous executive?”
“That depends on how he reacts. Given the circumstances, it’s likely that the faction who touched us first is the traitor’s… The outline of how this will end is becoming clear.”
Lennok’s eyes gleamed with a cold determination.
“Once we’re done cross-verifying the information from Girard, we’ll have to smash the Cartel’s business meeting on the 14th.”
* * *
Once the veracity of Girard’s information had been confirmed, there was no room for hesitation.
Lennok remained focused on dismantling the Cartel’s operations, sparing only a select few colleagues to guard the bar.
Acting proactively was essential before their information leak was discovered.
The Cartel, despite its colossal size as a corporate alliance,
Also harbored the vulnerability of having numerous expendable branches.
“Since Girard, there hasn’t been any significant movement from their side.”
Boom!
Transformed into a massive wolf over 2 meters tall, Killian delivered a devastating kick to an approaching mercenary, speaking as he did.
The mercenary was instantly dispatched by the powerful blow to the stomach.
With that, the battlefield entered a brief lull, and Lennok channeled his mana.
Fizzzzz!
Lennok successfully apprehended the last surviving business executive and erased any traces, responding,
“At that time, it was likely his own individual action. After such a skilled person was defeated, it’s not strange for them to become cautious.”
“That’s funny. You personally captured him and yet you talk like this?” Killian chuckled, revealing his teeth. However, Lennok paid little heed and continued,
“Moreover, considering your Dyke Corporation and the Antares Mercenary Group, it would be tricky for them to openly start a war… Especially, they’re likely very concerned about Antares’ movements.”
There was no need to expound upon Antares’ standing and influence in this realm.
Although Antares had not officially aligned with Lennok, it was evident that his mercenaries were leaning toward Lennok’s side.
It was entirely reasonable to assume that they were hesitant to act rashly, as doing so might expose them to Antares’ scrutiny alone.
Lennok acknowledged that Antares’ capabilities were on par with, if not superior to, the Cartel’s executives.
“Are you saying they are highly concerned about the connections you have…? Interesting. Do people normally talk about such things so nonchalantly?” Killian inquired.
“……”
Whack!
Lennok responded by delivering a focused magical blow.
“It must be because it’s well known that I’ve collaborated with agents for a while. Considering Evelyn Marcia could get involved in this mess, it’s understandable that they would want to see our hand, even at the risk of damage.”
“Hmm, I’m also not eager to see that woman’s face…” Killian grumbled, a sentiment that Lennok found entirely relatable.
Unlike Antares, who had never showcased his abilities, Evelyn Marcia, as an agent, had faced numerous formidable adversaries.
Considering her tenacity, even when confronted by the likes of Croken Asilus, it was conceivable that the Cartel, much like Killian, regarded the intervention of an agent as an unwelcome prospect.
Having meticulously eliminated all traces of their presence, Lennok rose to his feet and dusted off his hands.
While it was a precaution against unforeseen contingencies, thus far, no issues had arisen.
“If not that, it could be that the Cartel is preoccupied with rooting out its internal traitor, delaying administrative processes. In the worst case, they might be waiting for an opportunity to mobilize someone with exceptional skills… In that case, our to-do list will get a bit longer.”
Even as Lennok inflicted substantial losses, in the billions of cells, by disrupting the Cartel’s businesses, he remained vigilant, fully aware that the situation could shift at any moment.
The Cartel was not an organization bound by strict unity.
Strictly speaking, it was a corporate alliance, a vast entity formed by influential affiliated companies.
While the executives, loyal to the chairman, oversaw the major affiliates, the ties between these enterprises were often fragile at best.
This represented one of the few vulnerabilities of the Cartel, despite its extensive expansion and dominance in the underworld.
How to exploit this weakness rested entirely on Lennok’s judgment.
“……I hate headache-inducing issues. Why are there so many things to worry about?” Killian voiced his exasperation.
“That’s what I’m saying. It’s absurd.”
If only they could openly engage in warfare with the Cartel using the forces at their disposal, there would be no need for all this intricate calculation and deliberation…
But as long as the Cartel’s leader remained steadfast, it was an impossible endeavor.
The magnate who had divided and conquered the mega-city’s underworld into three territories.
A shrewd businessman, renowned for not appearing in public for decades.
The specifics were shrouded in mystery due to the prolonged absence of information, but the fact that he had managed this vast organization for decades indicated that he was an exceptionally formidable adversary.
Considering the capabilities of the executive Virgil, the chairman was likely even more potent.
Rushing in recklessly would be perilous.
Their strategy aimed to weaken the Cartel’s forces to the maximum extent by exploiting the internal turmoil while simultaneously expanding their own business interests.
Concurrently, they planned to uncover the Cartel’s traitor, engage in negotiations, and employ Girard to gauge the enemy’s strength.
For the time being, this was deemed the most prudent course of action.
However, even this plan had to be temporarily put on hold.
“I’ll be away for about three days. I might not be able to respond even if something unusual happens.” Lennok announced. “I’ve already talked to Jenny and Dray, but in case something happens, I’m counting on the others.”
Mad Manson was challenging to trust, and Dray lacked personal power.
Among their associates, Killian and Weian were the only individuals who earned Lennok’s confidence and possessed substantial strength.
Killian reverted to his human form and shook his head.
His clothes had been torn to shreds during the transformation, making him noticeably disheveled. However, he paid no mind and casually donned the clothing of a nearby person as he spoke.
“I don’t understand. Why do you need to leave at such a critical time… Is it related to that rumor circulating around?”
The Dyke Corporation, agents, the Antares Mercenary Office – when combined with the Cartel, one of the triumvirate of the underworld, and Lennok’s increasingly prominent role, a particular rumor had begun to circulate.
Rumors suggested that Lennok’s astounding magical abilities and combat prowess were not inherent but the result of rigorous training, and he had been dispatched to the mega-city as a prodigy.
The conflict between Lennok and the Cartel was speculated to be part of a larger scheme aimed at controlling the underworld, backed by an unidentified force.
Lennok responded with a wry smile to Killian’s puzzled expression.
While those close to him attempted to maintain a cautious distance, Killian, a rough-and-tumble individual with little interest in such matters, could casually inquire about the rumor.
“No,” Lennok replied. “I need to take some medicine.”
“What nonsense are you talking about… Who would believe that?”
Ignoring Killian’s grumbling, Lennok briefly raised his head to gaze at the sky.
The moon, ascending in the evening sky as the sun began its descent, appeared nearly full.
The time for Lennok to take the single-dose medicine prescribed by Yakson was drawing near.
* * *
Darkness enveloped Lennok’s residence.
His recent increase in wealth had made him realize that he could afford to move, but unfortunately, time was a luxury he couldn’t afford at the moment.
He had heard about some promising apartment listings near District 10, but until the current situation was resolved, he likely wouldn’t have the opportunity.
While contemplating this, Lennok stared at the full moon outside his window.
“Not even a werewolf…”
Wasn’t such melancholy more fitting for Killian, the werewolf, than for himself?
However, since Yakson had specified the timing for taking the medicine, he had no room for argument.
Moreover, it was highly likely that she had even forgotten she had prepared the medicine for Lennok.
Click.
Lennok slowly opened a weathered wooden box, concealed and safeguarded by various barriers and spells.
He selected one of the twenty pills at the edge and closed the box once more.
The effects of the medication would last for three days.
Yakson had personally examined Lennok and confidently asserted its effectiveness, so he had no reason to doubt it.
He still didn’t fully comprehend the concept of stimulating the nervous system and enhancing his constitution, but he would likely gain firsthand knowledge once he swallowed the pill, whether he liked it or not.
Despite being acutely aware of the pivotal juncture he stood at, he couldn’t prevent his hand from hesitating as it reached for the pill.
At this moment, Lennok was contemplating whether he could place his trust in Yakson’s prescription.
“…”
It was a self-assured thought.
Excuses that sounded plausible to his inner self began to surface, overriding his apprehension.
Isn’t everything fine as it is now?
Haven’t I managed well on my own thus far?
There’s no need to depend on others. I can handle things independently.
Introducing such an uncertain and potentially hazardous element into my body is no longer necessary—
Gulp.
Despite the inner monologue echoing in his mind, Lennok’s hand moved with determination.
He placed the pill in his mouth and swallowed it without chewing.
Then, he grabbed a pre-prepared water bottle and drank it down.
He recalled the very first time he had taken an elixir.
After hunting down a contaminant with Mila and sharing the earnings, he had scraped together a mere billion cells to purchase an elixir called ‘Stemmonia’ from an online auction.
Even that elixir, which he now occasionally used for recuperation and detoxification, had been ingested with trembling hands initially.
Despite possessing the mental fortitude and rationality of a powerful wizard, he found himself experiencing the same emotions and fears.
The realization that there was still a trace of humanity within him dissuaded him from prolonged hesitation.
He understood that he needed to act before everything he had painstakingly built up dissipated like mere bubbles.
Fweeing-!!
The symptoms manifested shortly afterward.
Just as he sensed a sharp pain in his temples, Lennok found himself sprawled on the ground.
Boom!
“….!”
A searing surge coursed through his entire body—arms, legs, fingers, toes, intestines, head, and chest.
The sensation transmitted to his convulsing limbs transcended mere stimulation and transformed into excruciating pain.
When he attempted to move his legs, his fingers spasmed; when he tried to turn his head, his waist twisted.
It felt as though the connections between the sensations throughout his entire body had been completely severed and then haphazardly reattached.
Lennok’s sharp, rational mind struggled to remember and make sense of these improperly linked sensations.
Amid the stark disconnection between his mind and body, he sensed a small fox spirit peering down at him with concern.
“Huh, huh…”
As he endeavored to twist his waist to the left, his head instinctively nodded.
Lennok offered Davi a reassuring gesture and began to assimilate the effects of the medicine into his body once more.
The first day passed by in a blur.
