Genius Wizard Takes Medicine

“… Alright.”

Avid raised his head slowly.

His countenance, having been deprived of all his subordinate units due to a momentary error, bore an inexplicable sense of relief.

“I made a mistake.”

“…….”

“It’s been too long since I faced a talented wizard like you. In my arrogance, I forgot that. I should have prepared more thoroughly, calculating every possible move with relentless persistence…”

Immediately thereafter, the blood that had permeated the surroundings coalesced around him, forming a substantial vortex once more.

“Considering it made me realize this, the lives of my subordinates were not in vain.”

The blood that had seeped into the earth and the dried stains of it across the factory premises liquefied and swirled behind Avid.

Lennok finally grasped Avid’s intentions and expressed his disapproval with a click of his tongue.

“… Using the blood of dead subordinates as fuel. Considering how little you were disturbed, were you planning this from the beginning?”

“Blood steeped in pain and despair naturally contains more potent mana.”

Whoosh!

Within the swirling tempest of blood, Avid’s countenance gradually lost all expression.

Managing the multitude of calculations in his mind made controlling his own body a challenging endeavor.

“From now on, there will be no errors in my judgment.”

The spell, crafted by artfully manipulating the surroundings and drawing upon the blood of his fallen subordinates, required no calculations for a sorcerer of his caliber attempting it for the first time.

Avid raised both hands and formed a mystical gesture, his mouth opening.

“Domain Expansion.”

Whoosh!

Splash!

Instead of the usual colorless wave accompanying the field’s expansion, thick blood suddenly surged from beneath Lennok’s feet.

Blocked by his protective shield, the blood flowed around him, swiftly enveloping the space.

A river of blood began to inundate the old factory site, vanishing within moments.

In that instant, Lennok comprehended Avid’s actions and let out a hollow chuckle.

“So this is how blood magic expands its domain… It’s not always the same, I see.”

“Ah, you recognize it?”

Bam bam bam!

Despite Avid’s casual words, dozens of spikes shot out from the river of blood, assaulting Lennok’s shield relentlessly.

Crack!

Lennok dispersed bolt magic around him, cleansing the area, and proceeded forward without hesitation.

“A physical phenomenon has already been created, so it’s not an ordinary domain. But if the proper mental imprinting was completed, it would have been much larger and more intense than this.”

“…….”

Lennok’s incisive words silenced Avid, and Lennok drove his point home.

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“Having a complete inner vision but failing to project it into the field… Is this the result?”

This stood in stark contrast to Aris Richellen’s situation.

Aris possessed enough individual talent and qualifications but had been unable to finalize the desired vision, failing to attain level 7.

Conversely, Avid had succeeded in forcibly manifesting a meticulously crafted inner landscape, using the blood of his subordinates as a sacrifice.

In that moment, Lennok’s mind harkened back to a memory of encountering a wizard at the Blaiver Tower.

Wizards who would unhesitatingly sacrifice others and even resort to drugs to reach the magnetic field.

It was no different.

The reason why level 6 sorcerers were so desperate to attain the domain was simple.

Their desperation stemmed from the immense challenge posed by merely unfolding the domain.

A shift in the nature of mana was one thing, but an entirely distinct barrier lay before them.

Lennok regarded Avid with a faint smirk.

“Indeed… magic is fascinating. Even walking the same path, the differences in interpretation and implementation depending on the individual are remarkable. Or is this just… reaching a limit?”

Seeking an alternative path when faced with an insurmountable obstacle is not an unusual choice. Sorcerers encountering the level 6 barrier often begin to interpret magic in their own unique ways, imbuing it with their individuality amid their struggles.

Lennok believed that such endeavors were not inherently misguided. After all, magic involves interpreting the laws of the world through one’s own perspective. Ultimately, it’s natural to return to one’s own criteria.

However, it was evident that Avid had not found the correct solution in this process.

Unable to contain his frustration, Avid shouted, “What are you blabbering about so arrogantly!!!!”

Roaaar!!

A geyser of blood erupted around Lennok, and a massive hand made of flowing blood enveloped him and struck down. Simultaneously, using the striking hand as support, a crimson giant emerged from within the bloodstorm.

Crack…!!

Shortly afterward, the giant’s arm burst open from Lennok’s lightning strike, but the liquid blood transformed into sharp arcs that flew toward Lennok like spikes.

Bang bang bang!!!

The relentless onslaught of blood magic pounded against Lennok’s shield, targeting the sorcerer’s vulnerabilities. While blood, with its viscosity and potent magical reactivity, might lack the versatility of water-based magic, its manipulation skills far exceeded those of sorcerers at the same level.

Particularly when a sorcerer expanded their Domain, enhancing their control over the spell, every thought in their mind became an attack.

Under the river of blood, created through the sacrifice of his subordinates’ lives, Avid believed he could stand on equal footing with Lennok.

With this conviction, Avid unleashed his mana to its fullest.

Boom boom boom boom!!!

As the two sorcerers locked eyes, they gestured, and their respective forces of magic violently swirled, transforming into a tempest of lightning and blood.

In a fleeting moment of eye contact, dozens of blood bullets homed in on Lennok’s vital points, charging at him.

Lennok countered by simultaneously employing concentration, compression, and the art of rotation within his shield.

Ratatat-tat!!

In this precarious balancing act, a single moment’s error could prove fatal.

However, Lennok didn’t stop there; he scattered the lightning he held in his hands into the sky, creating a massive barrage of electric shocks.

The lightning spread across the rainy sky, intricately splitting and branching at Lennok’s command, forming long spear-like shapes that rained down.

[Swift Net of the Earth]

[Multiple Extremes]

[Flying Azure]

Boom boom boom boom!!

These lightning attacks struck the blood-red giant’s body, causing powerful explosions.

Despite this onslaught, the giant, in its determination to shield Avid, contorted and collapsed, flailing about. Even amidst the chaos, it persisted in launching punches and blood-made projectiles, desperately attempting to breach Lennok’s defenses.

Lennok’s eyes gleamed with a vivid blue light as he continued to command the torrent of lightning cascading from the heavens, setting the ground ablaze with searing heat.

Rumble rumble rumble…!!!

The destructive aftermath of the two wizards’ spells sent shockwaves through the factory site, causing it to tremble perilously, slowly sinking into instability.

In this intense standoff, engaged in a battle of sheer magical firepower, it was Avid, rather than Lennok, who made the first move.

“Ughhhhh!!!”

Avid gritted his teeth as blood dripped from his nose.

His hands, which had been constantly weaving intricate magical sigils, began to shake uncontrollably, and his mind, which had been tirelessly calculating coordinates and magical flows, grew hazy.

This was a confrontation between two level 6 grand sorcerers, both adept at manipulating magical nature and expanding their fields through their unique talents.

It was a rarity for sorcerers, who typically shied away from direct combat, to engage in a relentless battle of spells. However, Lennok’s extraordinary ability to dominate the battlefield had made it possible.

Avid had chosen to gather the blood of his subordinates to expand his Domain for a reason. Lennok’s initial large-scale area magic had consumed a significant amount of mana, and spontaneously adapting and manipulating such unique magic would have demanded immense mental effort.

Furthermore, Lennok had invested considerable effort into creating an illusion to aid Kilian’s escape, showcasing his sharp insights as a high-level wizard.

Under these circumstances, Avid had calculated that by expanding his Domain first and pressing the advantage, he could secure at least a fifty percent chance of victory.

Shockingly, however, Avid Yonsen, who had initially expanded his Domain, found himself being relentlessly pushed back in this battle of magical firepower against Lennok.

Despite the mana readily available at his fingertips, mixing seamlessly with the swirling blood around him, the giant he had summoned obediently unleashed powerful shockwaves as commanded.

Yet, Lennok’s defenses remained unyielding, while the blood under Avid’s control dwindled rapidly, evaporating in the face of Lennok’s overwhelming magical onslaught.

Shiver shiver shiver…!!

Realizing this, Avid’s hands trembled uncontrollably.

His mind recognized that there was still time to change the course of the battle, but that also meant Avid himself needed to introduce a variable.

This moment of vulnerability starkly highlighted the divergence in the paths taken by Lennok and Avid.

The time Avid Yonsen had spent as the leader of the Cartel’s execution squad, eliminating his enemies, contrasted with the time Lennok had devoted to pushing his limits by confronting and surviving against formidable opponents.

The gap in their experiences was now glaringly evident.

What did it mean to face a wizard who had encountered countless enigmas beyond human comprehension at the precipice between life and death?

The answer was not discerned by Avid Yonsen’s intellect but rather by his very being.

“Huff, huff…….!!”

Yet, Avid remained an undeniable level 6 grand sorcerer.

One of the seasoned veterans who had unwaveringly stood their ground in the field for decades.

Though his body struggled to adapt to the current crisis, his mind continued to methodically weigh the costs and benefits, searching for a solution.

As he slightly eased the tempo of his offensive and defensive maneuvers due to his strained mana, he delved his hand into the veiled mist of blood beyond.

What he clutched with trembling fingers was a dagger as thick as a wrist.

Merilda’s Fang, a secret inheritance from his superior, McQueen.

Using its magic-resistant tooth could shatter Lennok’s shield in a single stroke, piercing his heart.

But to achieve this outcome, Avid had a few sacrifices to make.

Bloodline-specific magic: Enhancement.

[Inverse Blood Gate]

Creeeak!!!

“Arghhhh……!!”

The most potent blood magic involved the use of one’s own blood in a sacrificial incantation.

Avid orchestrated a reversal of the blood flow throughout his entire body, simultaneously harnessing all the latent potential within his frail form and converting it into kinetic energy.

For an ordinary wizard, such a maneuver would constitute a deadly forbidden art, resulting in a gruesome demise as blood erupted from the seven orifices. However, for a blood wizard like Avid, it represented a trump card reserved for moments of absolute desperation.

As an immense surge of power coursed through his veins, he tightly clutched the fang in his hand.

With his blood running in reverse, the centers of fear in his mind malfunctioned.

His trembling hands steadied, and with a serene calmness enveloping his thoughts, he took a decisive step forward, and then…

Avid’s physical form vanished from its position.

Swoooosh!!

In that fleeting moment, a miraculous display of physical prowess, typically unrelated to a wizard’s abilities, came to fruition.

Simultaneously, the colossal entity inflated its form and initiated a sequence of magical sigils with its enormous limbs.

‘Using a summon to perform a chant on behalf of oneself? I knew it was theoretically possible, but it’s my first time seeing it in practice.’

Lennok momentarily hesitated as he prepared to unleash the lightning in his grasp to fend off the giant’s appendage, closely observing the unfolding spectacle.

“There’s much to learn from a high-level sorcerer…”

“Dieeeeeee!!”

Swoosh!!

Avid, bursting forth from within the giant’s chest, brandished the Merilda’s Fang clenched in his hand.

The giant’s act of spellcasting had merely served as a diversion. The true assault was concealed within the giant’s body, Avid’s lightning-fast thrust, too rapid for Lennok to perceive.

It was a desperate gamble, a gamble that Avid had staked everything on, forsaking the painstakingly built-up mana for this single strike.

The extent of Avid’s desperation required no words to convey.

However, the moment Lennok discerned Avid’s emergence from the giant, his mind reacted ahead of his body.

The mana flowing through his hand instantaneously solidified under a singular intent, transmuting into a new spell.

From the maelstrom within Lennok’s inner realm, a harmonious blend of common magic, unique magic, and alchemy converged, shaping a singular concept that emanated from Lennok’s fingertips.

Zzzzzip!!!

The brilliant blue flames that surged from Lennok’s hand flickered with a sound that defied reality.

Unique creation magic: Alchemical application.

Double Refinement.

[Azure Flame]

It embodied a contradiction, a principle that should not exist within this world, forcibly manifested for a fleeting moment.

[Azure Flame] represented the forced fusion of two wholly opposing spells – [Construct Fire], a spell rooted in heat, and [Ice Ring], a frost-based incantation, accomplished through the forbidden alchemy of World 1.0.

Traditionally, alchemy was employed to combine distinct substances, but here, it was wielded to merge two separate magical streams.

This miracle, an achievement that even the past Lennok might not have confidently executed even with the full expansion of his Domain, now flowed effortlessly from his rain-drenched fingertips.

Under Lennok’s innate talent, a principle that defied existence was forcibly materialized, causing space itself to subtly warp.

It manifested as a frigid fire.

As the boundless, azure flames, which consumed nothing and froze all in their path without the need for air as fuel, struck Avid’s forehead.

Crashhh!!!

Everything that had teemed with frenzied motion in this space ground to a sudden, complete halt.

Silence descended upon the factory site, where tumultuous sounds had recently resounded incessantly.

“Gah…”

Avid’s cry that had begun to escape his throat found no continuation.

Frozen in the same stance as when he burst forth from the giant’s chest, even the colossal figure, which had been feigning the formation of magical sigils, became immobile.

Crackle crackle!!

Unable to withstand the pervasive cold that pervaded the space, the raindrops descending from the heavens froze in mid-air, transforming into hailstones.

With the dull thud of hailstones impacting the surroundings, the frozen blood giant began to disintegrate slowly.

Rumble rumble…!!

Like a shattered statue, the giant’s fragments collided with the ground, shattering into pieces.

With the impact, Avid, who had fallen to the ground, finally raised his gaze weakly to meet Lennok’s.

Lennok wordlessly bent down and retrieved the fang from Avid’s grasp.

Avid managed a feeble laugh.

“Heh, heh…”

“It was a good fight.”

Though it might not have offered much solace to Avid, Lennok genuinely believed it.

“It’s rare to encounter a sorcerer of your caliber and engage in such a battle. It wasn’t until I got here that I realized that.”

Lennok lowered himself to Avid’s eye level.

Despite Avid’s willingness to utilize the blood of others, including his own subordinates, for his magic, the innate magical talent he possessed was undeniable.

For the first time in a long while, Lennok felt that he had genuinely confronted a wizard of such prowess, someone willing to risk it all in a life-or-death struggle.

He had once measured his skills against Grisha in the autonomous region, but that had been a test of qualifications.

How long had it been since he had faced a high-level sorcerer who, in a life-or-death scenario, had poured their heart and soul into a desperate battle?

Avid Yonsen’s mastery of blood magic and the various stratagems he had employed to navigate this dire situation had offered ample inspiration to Lennok.

It had also provided Lennok with a clearer understanding of his own position.

“To combine, such different schools… it’s insane…”

Avid strained to lift his frozen lips.

Even as the light of life rapidly dimmed in his eyes, Avid did not cease speaking.

He was an unapologetically ruthless and unsympathetic villain, yet he was also a wizard.

He knew that, even in the face of death, there were still insights to be gained.

“So, that’s how… already reached… such a state… heh, already…”

His eyes mumbled aimlessly, no longer reflecting Lennok’s presence.

The chill of death gradually enveloped his consciousness, ushering him into a realm unknown even to Lennok.

Lennok silently watched over him, bearing the weight of the falling hailstones on his shoulders.