Chapter 56

"Urgh....."

Lennok's stomach still bore the bruising from the impact he had endured.

He applied a purchased ointment to his skin, but he didn't anticipate a swift recovery.

Carefully reclining to avoid exerting pressure on his stomach, Lennok delved into deep thought.

"From now on, I should refrain from attempting daring escapes in such a manner," he reflected.

It had been a reckless choice to employ the shotgun's recoil as a propulsion mechanism when his shield was on the verge of shattering.

Especially considering that he had spent nearly an entire day in agonizing pain, unable to eat once the drug's effects had subsided.

Although he had prepared multiple countermeasures for when the shield would fail, at that moment, not only was the shield breaking, but he was also nearly buried in the ground and unable to utilize them.

Certainly, given Lennok's combat skills, it might have been the most logical decision in that circumstance... but Lennok didn't need a rationale that caused him physical distress.

The utmost priority was finding a way to restore his weakened body.

"........"

After pondering the shield's usefulness for a while, Lennok let out a sigh and straightened himself.

He set aside the worries for later.

There would be ample time for contemplation once his body had recuperated.

As always, the present moment called for rest and attending to essential matters.

Paaaah-!

Spreading his mana in all directions, Lennok conjured magic in his hands.

Fizz...!!

Blue sparks danced from his palms.

The common lightning-based spell, [Bolt].

Until now, he had solely focused on channeling this energy in his hands and unleashing it upon his adversaries... but now, Lennok concentrated his mind and gradually halted each flickering strand of lightning with his mana.

Fizz..zz...

Exhibiting utmost finesse in controlling his mana, he restricted the lightning's range of activity and brought it to a complete stop.

Lennok, freezing the current of lightning in his hands as if time had halted, extracted the intricate magic deployment pattern from within.

Woong!!

As the magic circle suddenly materialized in the air, the magic that had coursed through his hands dissipated entirely.

Similar to what he had done in the factory previously, he successfully reversed the process, extracting the formula of the magic circle from the magic itself.

"Hmm...."

Carefully observing the slowly rotating magic circle in mid-air and the pattern of mana flowing between its arcs, Lennok began jotting down notes on a nearby memo pad.

His handwriting appeared crooked, likely due to him writing while lying down, but it made little difference. Lennok had always possessed subpar penmanship, so the outcome was expected.

"Multiply by three, rotate seven times, compress twice... Should I illustrate the pattern separately?" he muttered, scribbling down a series of illegible letters and numbers while keeping his gaze fixed on the magic circle.

In his recent personal research, Lennok had been engrossed in quantifying each component of the common magic he utilized, according to his own standards.

In truth, modifying common magic posed little difficulty for Lennok. Enhancing known spells to optimize their efficiency was always within his capabilities. However, the true challenge lay in augmenting the sheer capacity of magic while simultaneously reducing its consumption—a task that proved far more intricate.

His ongoing research represented an endeavor to push beyond those boundaries.

Amplifying the power of [Thunder Calling], for instance, was a matter of simply infusing additional mana to broaden its range and firepower. However, Lennok's ambition extended beyond that. He yearned for a means to significantly enhance the spell's potency while curbing its mana expenditure.

If he could eliminate the precursor that occurred just before casting, a drawback inherent in the lightning magic series, it would be the crowning achievement. But such a feat was far from simple.

The realm Lennok currently explored marked the threshold from common magic to unique magic—a gateway he yearned to cross.

"Eventually, I may have to create magic of my own," he contemplated.

Lennok was no fool; he painfully understood the arduous and convoluted nature of discovering a unique magic system. It was an undertaking that could not be accomplished through wealth or by tackling arduous requests alone. Unless he amassed greater renown and power than he currently possessed and established numerous connections, he wouldn't even glimpse such elusive treasures.

Advancing further within this world was not a matter of choice for Lennok; he advance until he acquire what he desired. It was his sole path.

‘I can't make a groundbreaking improvement right now.'

However, it made no difference to Lennok, who knew her true occupation. He couldn't discern whether her comment about meeting later was a potential collaboration or a predator's invitation.

Observing Lennok's composed response, Evelyn crossed her arms and appeared deep in thought. "Hmm... This is information I probably shouldn't reveal, but I'll give you a heads-up."

"I'm not sure I understand," Lennok replied.

"We will soon have a large-scale inspection in the lawless zone soon. In particular, we plan to extensively crack down on the sneaky wizards in the 40s districts who exploit taxes for their own gain."

".........."

Though her words seemed absurd, Lennok refrained from laughing at what appeared to be a jest. From his perspective, with knowledge of Evelyn's true workplace, it was no laughing matter at all.

Despite Lennok's composed demeanor, Evelyn managed a faint smile.

"If you're connected with them, you'd better lay low for a while. Not sure if your name is on the deep web... but you're not doing that kind of work, are you?"

"What do you mean by the deep web?"

Lennok pretended not to know and accepted her words, and Evelyn brushed it off easily.

"I'm just telling you because I like you. It would be awkward if we run into each other, wouldn't it?"

Naturally, if Lennok were to truly be caught in a crackdown conducted by an agent, it would be far more than just awkward. However, there was no need to discuss such matters here.

Perhaps deeming it sufficient, Evelyn deftly changed the subject.

"I'm Evelyn. Evelyn Marcia."

"I'm Ed... Ed James," Lennok replied without hesitation, crafting a lie on the spot.

There was no need to mention the name Evan Vylun, especially considering that Evelyn was an agent of the city government. Lennok certainly didn't want her to trace the name and uncover the vulnerabilities of his poorly forged identity.

Evelyn chuckled deeper upon hearing Lennok's pseudonym.

"Ed James? Good, I'll remember."

"I'll try not to forget as well."

"If you can't tell me the same name next time we meet, be prepared. Understand?"

".........."

Lennok nodded nervously, sensing that she may have realized his name was a pseudonym the moment he uttered it. However, Evelyn's continued banter, even after grasping the truth, indicated that she was no ordinary individual.

Leaving the market, Lennok felt as if her gaze lingered on his back, but he maintained his composure effortlessly. It was only after a considerable time had passed, as he made his way to his one-room apartment, that Lennok let out a sigh.

"Do I have to find another market...?"

Having already switched markets once before, he hadn't anticipated encountering her again in this new location. At this point, he harbored suspicions that she was running a vegetable store in various markets across the city.

‘I don't need to be close to someone who knows I'm a wizard.'

Even in their second meeting, she continued to send shivers down his spine. Regardless of whether she was an ally or an enemy, Lennok wanted to avoid any future entanglement with her. He had no knowledge of her true skill level, nor did he wish to find out.

He had to prepare himself for any eventuality, but he could only hope that the city government's agent, true to her reputation, would pursue the major criminals of Pandemonium.

As Lennok's phone screen displayed Jenny's incoming call, he answered and started walking.

Beep-beep-beep-beep

Yet again, upon receiving a call from an unknown number, Lennok promptly ended the call without hesitation. The phone rang repeatedly, with all the calls coming from Dyke Corp.

Since Lennok hadn't responded at all to the rewards they offered, they must be growing impatient. They had already deposited an amount exceeding the initially promised success fee into his account, but that was far from satisfactory.

If Dyke Corp believed that was enough to silence him, Lennok was ready to sever ties with them. If they couldn't establish trust from the outset, how could they ensure it wouldn't happen again in the future?

In the end, it was Panua who gave in first.

[Dyke Corp contacted us. They asked to come to the headquarters in a week. I'm trying to figure out if there is any last-minute adjustments in the meantime. If you have time, why don't you come and see me?]

Lennok anticipated it would take some time for them to determine the incentive to entice him, but he didn't expect them to request a week-long grace period. Panua must have realized on some level that time was not the issue.

By now, she likely intuited that she needed to offer Lennok something more than just money. If that was indeed the case, waiting for a week was a minor concern.

With these thoughts in mind, as Lennok opened the door to the bar, he immediately sensed an unusually tense atmosphere within.

".........."

Jenny's bar was usually lively, but now it was the opposite. Gone were the usual clamors of drunken patrons. In the midst of the unsettling silence, someone sat near the door, quietly nursing a glass of alcohol.

(TO BE CONTINUED)

/chapte