Returning to the 40th district,
A vibrant place teeming with nightlife and clubs.
Inside a guest room at the Realta Club,
Lennok updated Raul on recent events.
The intervention of city government agents, the illicit funds possessed by Reisen, and the unholy alliance between the terrorist organization Falcon and the dark wizards.
These were weighty matters that couldn’t be easily dismissed.
Although discussing the ongoing operation in detail was difficult, it was evident that progress had been made.
“Such a thing has occurred.”
Raul, listening intently to Lennok’s account, nodded in solemn agreement.
His pensive expression conveyed a weariness that made him seem considerably older.
“It’s not a problem that can be solved easily. The leader of those dark wizards… his name is Craig. And it’s become even more problematic now that he has joined forces with Falcon.”
“I’m well aware of Falcon’s nature.”
The terror organization Falcon was infamous, even Raul had heard of them. Their reputation extended to the citizens of Vulcan as well.
Nomads who never settled in one city but instead roamed uncharted territories.
They gathered criminals who thrived on pillage and murder, forming a formidable organization. They were a grave threat to those planning intercity travels.
Especially their leader, Jaun Odys, was a notorious figure, even known in the deep web—an extremely high-risk criminal equivalent to an A-class warrant.
Observing Raul’s conflicted expression, Lennok patiently awaited a response.
They had hoped to salvage the reputation of the dark wizards and had entrusted the task to Lennok. However, the moment they joined forces with Falcon, the situation had spiraled beyond their control.
Considering the recent oppression against the Enchantment faction’s dark wizards, they couldn’t simply wander aimlessly, and their own power had its limitations.
Ultimately, Raul’s choices were limited.
Either surrender and wait for the situation to resolve itself or actively cooperate with the city government to find a way to survive in Vulcan even after the inspection.
As an elder leading a faction, his decision was clear.
“Follow me.”
Raul rose from his seat with a determined expression.
Lennok silently trailed behind him.
After passing through a corridor adorned with various artifacts, they arrived at a spacious warehouse labeled “storage room.”
Originally intended for staff to manage the rooms, when they opened the warehouse door, they were greeted by an unknown space filled with multicolored strings.
The flow was subtly different from the negative mana saturating the corridor.
Even before Raul explained, Lennok sensed the secret concealed within this space.
‘It’s as if boundary magic has been reversed and fully deployed. Is it to shield the outside from the contents within? This seems more like…’
It resembled a sealing spell.
As if affirming Lennok’s intuition, Raul, who had been leading the way, spoke up.
“I’ve organized and stored items that are too dangerous to be displayed. It would have been exceedingly challenging without the club’s assistance.”
As they ventured deeper into the warehouse, their eyes were drawn to an assortment of peculiar objects.
A blood-red wooden box, a necklace crafted from wriggling fingers, a crystal fashioned from pitch-black eyes.
Perhaps due to the usage of magic that thrived on negative energy and emotions, these artifacts were far from aesthetically pleasing.
Although they claimed to be moderate in temperament and non-combat-oriented, they were undeniably dark wizards.
‘These are not the kind of artifacts I would prefer to deal with.’
It’s not merely a matter of aesthetics; these objects have a tendency to erode the owner’s mental strength, making it easier for them to falter.
Although it held no significance for individuals like Lennok, who possessed an inherent resistance to the effects of alcohol and food, it was only natural for him to feel repulsed.
“We’ve arrived.”
In the deepest corner of the warehouse,
Resting within a large glass case were the neatly preserved remains of a human arm.
On the slender, wrinkled right ring finger sat a ring.
Its transparent red crystal caught the eye immediately, emanating an aura so foreign that even Lennok couldn’t ignore it.
Compared to everything he had seen and encountered thus far, it possessed an entirely different power. It was both hard and intricately calibrated, resembling a precious gem.
The ring seemed to perfectly encapsulate the essence contained within.
In an instant, Lennok recognized it.
An ancestral legacy of an ancient lineage of wizards.
This was the treasure Raul had spoken of, now before him in the form of a ring.
“I know this wasn’t part of our agreement, but I’m giving it to you now.”
“You want something in return.”
“Yes. After hearing what you just shared, I’m certain of it.”
Raul’s scarlet eyes glinted with determination.
“I will cooperate with the city administration’s hunters. Can you help me establish contact with them?”
? ? ? ? ? ?
Informing Evelyn Marcia about the dark wizards’ cooperation was relatively straightforward.
The alliance between the Practical faction of dark wizards and the terrorist organization Falcon posed a significant challenge, and the Enchantment faction’s cooperation could potentially provide an unexpected breakthrough in this situation.
However, it remained unclear how those who had been under the protection of the Croken would secure the crocodile’s permission…
“That’s not my concern.”
Lennok pondered while fingering the ring concealed within his coat.
His sole purpose for cooperating with Raul was to gather clues about the obsidian brooch and other legacies.
The safety of the Enchantment faction of dark wizards was a matter they needed to address themselves.
It was their responsibility to tread the tightrope between the agent and the Pandemonium.
“The legacy of an ancient wizard lineage…”
Lennok could discern the extent of Raul’s determination by entrusting him with this carefully preserved item.
Once the transaction was complete, the best Lennok could do was strive to fulfill his own objectives.
Returning home immediately, Lennok ventured into his laboratory and began dissecting the ring.
Manipulating various forms of mana, striking, pressing, scratching, and exerting pressure.
As anticipated, the ring continued to emit its unique, unyielding mana without any change.
But Lennok refused to give up and persistently projected his controlled mana towards the ring.
He couldn’t stop here…
He knew that the mana flowing within this ring was special.
Either a highly skilled wizard had crafted this treasure through transformation, or it bore the mark of an individual born with a distinct talent from the very beginning.
Lennok understood why other wizards hadn’t detected anything remarkable about this ring.
But Lennok didn’t consider his own talents to be the same as those of other wizards.
He wasn’t one to lose his way over such obstacles.
If he couldn’t create, he would follow.
The tendrils of mana extending from Lennok’s hands skillfully interpreted and absorbed the mana flow surrounding the ring, leaving no trace behind.
Transformation of magical properties.
He had already succeeded once in the process of deciphering Eden’s research diary.
While he hadn’t been able to fully incorporate its power into his magic for practical combat, it was enough to attempt a new transformation like this.
Fizz…!!!
Hard yet intricate, with not a single gap in the weave of mana particles.
In Lennok’s mind, a blueprint of mana particles grabbing and connecting with one another manifested in an instant.
Naturally, his fingers on both hands twitched and adjusted the mana accordingly.
Lennok’s flexible mana, akin to flowing water, gradually solidified and emitted a crimson glow.
Subsequently, the ring resting on the desk began to vibrate ever so slightly.
With the precision of tuning a radio, he meticulously adjusted the particles, attempting to change their properties.
As if finding an invisible keyhole, the moment his hands touched it perfectly, Lennok’s mana dramatically solidified.
Exposed to that mana, the ring began to emit a brilliant red light, conjuring an unknown specter in the air.
Whooosh!
“..It worked.”
What would Raul’s expression be if he were to witness this sight now?
Could one be deemed a true wizard by merely imitating mana patterns and characteristics after a brief observation of its properties?
Even when considering the level of magic itself, the ability to manipulate mana at the particle level was exceeding Lennok’s expectations and limitations.
Knowing that such mastery was only achieved by great wizards at level 8 and above, it meant that Lennok was on par with them, at least in terms of mana manipulation ability.
In this city where he couldn’t see an inch ahead, that alone became a guiding light illuminating Lennok’s path.
He could become stronger.
He could rise even higher than his current state.
Lennok’s usually impassive face was now ignited with excitement. But the moment he turned his head and saw the phantom projected by the ring, that excitement instantly cooled.
The phantom hovering above the ring took the form of a gigantic tree root.
Lennok recognized this pattern, seemingly alien yet strangely familiar.
He remembered seeing the same pattern as a tattoo beneath the eyes of Craig, the leader of the Practical faction of dark wizards he had first encountered on TV.
As the term “heritage” was something he had learned from the dark wizards, Lennok knew that he had to delve deeper into it, but he didn’t expect the connection to extend to the leader of another faction.
In the end, it seemed that to find a clear clue about the heritage, he would have to seek answers from Craig.
“Haaa…”
The road ahead was long, but it seemed he hadn’t been wandering lost for too long in search of a direction.
After roughly organizing his thoughts on what he needed to do, Lennok sighed deeply and sank into his chair.
His thin body, which seemed particularly frail today, stood out beneath his T-shirt.
Perhaps he should pay more attention to his health… but he was too busy fending off the exhaustion that struck him every time he returned home.
Eventually, Lennok sat up and swallowed two sleeping pills before lying down.
? ? ? ? ? ?
Evelyn had mentioned that there was still time until the next operation, but Lennok had no intention of staying idle at home.
As he made his way through the cold morning air, headed towards Jenny’s bar, Lennok furrowed his brow slightly.
‘…It’s been 10 minutes already.’
Someone had been following him.
To be precise, a single person had been stealthily tailing him since he entered District 49.
The surprising fact was that even with Lennok’s mana perception, it was not easy to discern the identity of this individual.
As he walked and pulled out a cigarette from his pocket, Lennok quickly delved into thought.
The inability to identify his pursuer was not an unexpected turn of events.
Mana perception merely expanded the range of information that Lennok’s senses could perceive.
There were countless ways to block or hinder perception itself.
Thus far, Lennok had not felt any remorse because he had successfully nullified such disruptions with his powerful mana suppression ability.
If the other party possessed an artifact or stealth ability as potent as Lennok’s, it was not implausible for them to interfere with his perception like this.
Chewing his cigarette with an irritated expression, Lennok reached a decision.
‘It would be best to shake them off here.’
After all, today he had to retrieve the shotgun left with Palmer, and he also needed to make a stop at Jenny’s bar.
He didn’t know who the other person was, but it seemed necessary to ascertain their intentions here and now.
With his mind made up, Lennok vanished from the street like smoke in an instant.
Then, the individual who had been tailing him rushed into the street in a panic.
It appeared that the person had relied more on mana perception than their own senses to track Lennok, as they frantically looked around for him.
A rather naive response. An action that didn’t seem to harbor ill-will.
And above all, a face that Lennok already recognized.
Sighing, Lennok emerged from his hiding spot and tapped the shoulder of the person who had been stalking him.
“Gasp…!”
“Weian, long time no see.”
Lennok spoke, pulling out the cigarette he had been biting.
Weian, frozen in shock as his shoulder was grasped, finally raised his gaze to Lennok with a slightly pale face.
Seeing his trembling eyes, Lennok spoke, pointing towards Jenny’s bar.
“Shall we go inside and talk?”
(TO BE CONTINUED)
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