Genius Wizard Takes Medicine

After a brief moment of contemplation, Lennok swiftly found an answer and turned his gaze towards Manya.

"Manya."

"Yes?"

"I'm pretty sure I heard that you're only selecting new team members."

"…… Yes, that's right."

Upon hearing her words, Lennok furrowed his brow ever so slightly. Simultaneously, a surge of powerful mana erupted from him, filling the air around them.

"Then why is a member of the Cybrid Echo involved?"

Manya remained silent.

Despite pretending to be just another ordinary human, Lennok's senses couldn't be deceived.

That cold, metallic mana. The unfamiliar sensation distinctly differed from the slow and viscous flow of human mana.

It bore a striking resemblance to the mana he had sensed from the one who ran away during the last mission.

It seemed implausible for Dyke to be unaware of this fact.

A faint perplexity crossed Manya's face, and just as Lennok was about to stand up from his seat…

"Cybrid Echo has expressed their willingness to participate in our operation once again. They seem determined not to back down easily, especially considering the reward we've promised them this time," Panua interjected as she approached the platform after providing her explanation.

Silence hung in the air.

"Considering our side's mistake during the last operation and their claim of possessing a more capable force compared to the previous Echo agents, I am inclined to give them a chance."

Panua spoke with a detached calmness, as if discussing someone else's affairs, yet Lennok found her composed demeanor appealing.

It was better to rectify the awkwardness caused by their previous operation's failure through a straightforward agreement with the Cybrid Echo and focus on the task at hand, rather than dwell on regrets and lose control.

If they were to work together for a while, Lennok needed competent individuals. That was all.

Meanwhile, the physical assessment was progressing swiftly.

Contrary to his rogue-like appearance during their initial encounter, Killian displayed exceptional skill in managing the candidates.

He swiftly moved on to the next phase once he determined an average value, paying no heed to pleas for a second chance.

Once the quantification reached a certain point, he promptly divided the candidates into three groups based on their measurements and got down to business.

"Those six individuals in group 1, step forward. You will spar with me. The seven people in group 2, come to the front of the stage, and those in group 3 are free to leave."

Killian's audacious announcement, dropping around ten people at once, met with some resistance initially, but it was swiftly resolved.

Everyone seemed to understand that causing a disturbance would lead to nothing beneficial.

Lennok quickly grasped how Killian had sorted through the candidates and nodded in approval.

‘Group 1 is based on physical prowess, group 2 is on magical ability. It appears he intends to leave the second round of magical verification to me.'

Among the seven individuals in group 2, the Cybrid Echo woman had also made the cut.

Her unique modified body's magical aptitude seemed to have been recognized to some extent.

Considering one had been chosen as a team member in the previous operation, they surely possessed agents with individual capability.

The people lined up in front of the stage looked up at Lennok with apprehension.

The woman, too, seemed to recognize Lennok and regarded him with a slightly tense expression.

Lennok locked eyes with her unflinchingly, rising from his seat and making his way toward them.

As he surveyed the audience, he spoke slowly.

"Assessing the capabilities of wizards is a complex matter."

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"……….."

"There are many wizards who harness power sources other than mana, and it's true that judging their abilities solely based on combat prowess can be challenging."

Lennok plopped down on the nearest step of the stage and gestured roughly.

"First, each of you should introduce yourselves, mention your affiliation, and highlight your special skills. To determine if you have the capacity to work together, we'll need a slightly different approach."

Lennok had the urge to light a cigarette, but it felt somewhat inappropriate to emit smoke in front of these individuals.

While he wouldn't mind in the midst of battle, this was an underground public space after all.

Certainly, ventilation systems were in place, but considering basic etiquette, was it right to light a cigarette in this location…

As Lennok contemplated this rare moral dilemma, someone from the group took a step forward.

It was the woman from Cybrid Echo with whom he had just made eye contact.

With a slightly rigid expression, she glanced at Lennok and cautiously spoke in a measured tone.

"……Agria. Agria Noto."

"And your affiliation?"

Aware that Lennok already knew her identity, Agria responded calmly.

"Cybrid Echo. Through magical engineering, I can provide long-distance support via body modifications. I'm fairly confident in my basic physical abilities, but my primary role is support."

As she said this, she extended her hand toward a corner of the room.

Whoosh!

Her wrist suddenly opened, emitting a stream of blue light that transformed into a laser, reaching out to a less crowded area.

Crash!

With moderate noise and destructive power, she clearly demonstrated her control over her abilities.

Agria, as if feeling no need to elaborate further, lowered her hand impassively.

"I can also carry various cartridges, and while I may not match the proficiency of specialized forces with formal training, I can handle most tasks."

"So, in an emergency, you could easily make a swift escape, right?"

"………."

At Lennok's pointed remark, she flinched but remained silent, bowing her head.

Observing her lowered head, Lennok subtly tilted his chin to one side.

She wasn't the masked woman he had encountered before. There was no need to escalate things and provoke her.

However, it seemed the others witnessing this scene interpreted it differently.

"Hold on, this is getting out of hand."

A young man, his head adorned with a tightly tied hood featuring intricate patterns, spoke up.

He exuded a youthful impression, as if he had just transitioned from boyhood.

He appeared to be only a few years older than the boy Lennok had encountered in the lair of the blood mages.

"I agreed to take the test, but I didn't hear anything about having to bow down and comply like this. Who are you to treat us in such a manner?"

"What?"

It took Lennok a moment of contemplation to grasp his meaning.

The hooded man seemed to believe that Lennok was demanding the same level of respect from the others as he had shown in his conversation with Agria.

As they weren't told what had transpired during the previous operation, the rest of the group seemed to share similar sentiments, and their expressions showed their dissatisfaction.

Encouraged by the silent agreement among his peers, the hooded man stepped forward and began to speak.

"If you wish to test us, you should first demonstrate your qualifications. I'm sorry to say, but my hearing is quite keen, and I overheard that you're not a member of Dyke but someone hired for this job."

"…….I see."

Lennok, unable to comprehend the man's unwavering confidence, muttered in a daze. Panua, standing by his side, whispered to him.

"Mr. Van, should I handle this matter…"

"No."

Lennok rose to his feet as he spoke.

"I will deal with it myself."

The hooded man's assertion was absurd, but it contained a hint of truth that resonated with Lennok.

He was selecting team members whom he would have to work with for at least three missions.

He hadn't come to Dyke headquarters to merely observe. He was there to personally assess whether there were any mana users of value.

Bang! Kwang!!

Observing Killian, who had already begun the second test at the far end of the hall, Lennok grimaced.

It seemed there was no need for any other methods.

"Step forward one by one."

"……What?"

The hooded man, not fully comprehending Lennok's intention, retorted in confusion. Lennok snapped his fingers.

"I will demonstrate those qualifications directly."

After making it clear that he would personally handle the situation, things progressed swiftly.

Once he had made his decision, Panua refrained from further comment and did her best to accommodate Lennok. She quickly cleared the spacious area in front of the stage and erected a barrier around the space to prevent any harm from spreading.

Inside the barrier, Lennok and the hooded man faced each other side by side.

The hooded man appeared initially surprised, seemingly not expecting Lennok to accept his proposal so readily, but soon a satisfied grin spread across his face.

"See, I can tell you're confident, but you've made a mistake."

As he loosened the tightly wound hood around his head, a long, pointed ear emerged.

"…….."

Lennok narrowed his eyes and stared at him intently.

Pointed ears were characteristic of a Demi-human… but the other features were not as pronounced.

The visible mana emanating from him was closer to that of a typical wizard rather than a Demi-human.

‘Practicing a spell that can significantly enhance hearing… It makes sense.'

Unaware of Lennok's thoughts, the hooded man strode forward confidently and began to speak excitedly.

"Of course, being hired for a position like this implies that you are a competent wizard, but it doesn't necessarily mean you have the upper hand in a one-on-one battle. Instead, in such wizard duels, it often requires creative ideas that can overturn the usual power dynamics or employ unique spells."

The man paused briefly, then suddenly bellowed at the top of his lungs.

"…..LIKE THIS!!"

Zzzwoooom!!

With his words, a surge of powerful mana mingled with his bellow, generating a formidable shockwave that struck Lennok.

A distinct sound-based magic.

The spell employed by the man amplified his scream into a physical force, capable of inflicting damage and causing severe harm to the target's hearing.

If used on an ordinary person, the pressure crushing their eardrums could potentially cause their eyes to pop out.

Boom!

However, the wave of sound emitted by the man was intercepted by Lennok's shield, dissipating into nothingness.

The sound wave, unable to take form, scattered in all directions upon encountering an invisible barrier, leaving only an eerie resonance in the air, akin to the tolling of a bell.

"……!!"

Lennok began to advance slowly towards the man, whose eyes widened in surprise.

Thump, thump.

It was understandable why the man had spoken with such confidence.

Ordinarily, sound-based attack spells are challenging to defend against, and they are not easily negated by simply covering one's ears.

Against wizards lacking physical training, attacks targeting their vulnerable senses can be incredibly lethal.

If Lennok hadn't personally dealt with sound-based magic or possessed detailed knowledge of its effectiveness, he might have been caught off guard.

"This, this…!!"

The man, finally snapping back to reality, his face pale, attempted to gather his mana once more, but it was already too late.

Lennok's shock spell effortlessly twisted his left knee backward, almost to the point of snapping.

Crack!

"Ah, ahhhhh!!"

The subsequent scream that erupted from the man's mouth carried no trace of mana.

As he collapsed forward, clutching his injured knee and emitting a pitiful groan, Lennok seized him by the throat.

There was a faint hint of pity in Lennok's eyes as he gazed down at the man, although he remained oblivious to it.

In the realm of one-on-one battles between wizards, was it right to surrender one's senses and succumb to such excruciating pain?

Now he understood the rumors suggesting that there were few competent wizards among freelancers.

The battle had concluded.

Lennok's gaze had already shifted to the other candidates, observing their reactions to the scene before them.

As if waiting to hear what those who had questioned his qualifications had to say.

A surge of formidable energy crackled between his fingers.

[Bolt]

Zzzzap….!!

"Ugh… Ahhhh!!!"

As the man convulsed and foamed at the mouth, Lennok gradually released his grip and turned away.

A grin formed on Lennok's face as the lifeless body crumpled to the ground with a thud.

"Next."

Naturally, no one stepped forward to face Lennok in the second round.

(TO BE CONTINUED)