Chapter 393: Pruning (1)

[I get that you’re trying to do something, but first, get rid of that.]

Manson grumbled, pointing at the vortex of mana swirling around Lennok’s head.

[Otherwise, this idiot might get enchanted by your mana and go crazy.]

“Hmm, that’s certainly… not wrong.”

Lennok rubbed his chin, lost in thought.

Weian was born with an exceptionally talent for mana sensitivity, comparable even to Lennok’s.

The problem was that as his own level rose, his sensitivity also amplified uncontrollably, causing unwanted side effects.

While Lennok perfectly controlled his excessive sensitivity through other aptitudes and abilities commensurate with his sensitivity, Weian’s case was different.

His extremely sensitive mana sensitivity, almost akin to precognition, allowed Weian to rapidly grow to the Commander Wizard level.

Conversely, Weian could no longer control the excessively inflated sensitivity.

Concerned about this, Jenny had assigned Weian only minimal tasks and business trips, instructing him to focus on training to control his sensitivity, but there seemed to be little progress.

‘Aris seems truly remarkable now…’

Even with a talent developed to an extreme in one area, like Weian, reaching Level 6 only after his mid-twenties is still an abnormally fast pace.

Yet, Aris, at a similar age, reached the pinnacle of Commander Wizard, imprinted her Mind Imprint, and was on the verge of completing her Hierarchy, wasn’t she?

It’s just hard to fully grasp because it’s overshadowed by her kind nature. She wasn’t called a prodigy and widely known for nothing.

Separate from being born with talent, perfectly controlling that talent was also a type of inherent qualification and aptitude.

Lennok, lost in thought, opened his mouth.

“Alright. Considering that, I’ll begin the adjustment. Let’s start.”

Lennok raised his index finger to the center of Weian’s solar plexus and drew a circle in the air.

Whirrr…!!

Following his gesture, mana layered upon the air formed a clear circle, transforming into a single barrier formation.

Once the formation’s shape was complete, filling it with rules was merely the fruit of countless branching paths based on intent and knowledge.

And finding the most suitable possibility was something Lennok was incredibly familiar with.

“Done.”

Lennok, who had meticulously filled the coin-sized barrier formation with patterns and characters, pushed the formation directly towards Weian.

The barrier formation, upon touching Weian’s body, extended its outline, encircling his neck and beginning to etch itself onto his skin like a tattoo.

Sizzle!!

“Ugh…!!”

Weian faintly furrowed his brow from the burning pain, and Lennok immediately placed a hand on the crown of Weian’s head.

“Stay still. It hasn’t even properly begun yet.”

“Hoo, hoo…!!”

Though he was breathing heavily, Weian only squeezed his eyes shut against the burning pain. He offered no resistance.

Even without truly understanding what magic Lennok was about to cast, he trusted that there was a reason for it.

Lennok’s expression naturally turned serious in response to the strong trust he felt from Weian’s attitude.

‘It starts with the spinal cord and weaves up to the pituitary gland. Even a slight failure in adjustment could lead to significant side effects.’

Mind Imprint, mana, body. Of the three elements represented as mind, ki, and body, there wasn’t much Lennok could directly interfere with.

Touching Weian’s incomplete Mind Imprint was out of the question.

However, Lennok interfering with Weian’s already sensitive mana sensitivity itself also carried a high risk of burden.

What needed to be adjusted through barrier magic was Weian’s physical body itself, which was relatively tough and possessed resistance to stimuli.

Through the barrier magic placed on his neck, mana was carefully infiltrated into Weian’s spinal cord.

Rumble!!

Manson grabbed the back of Weian’s neck, steadying his swaying body.

[He looks half out of it. Do you really have to do this while he’s standing like this?]

“It’s most suitable when all his senses are sharpened to the extreme during a spar. Missing this moment would make the work more difficult.”

Lennok, focusing intently, glanced back at Manson and said.

“I’m artificially adjusting the thresholds of relatively sensitive sensory receptors, all while ensuring no abnormalities in the mana circuit’s operation.”

[…Are you really doing that while chatting with me?]

Ignoring Manson’s somewhat exasperated remark, Lennok slowly began to remove his fingers from the crown of Weian’s head.

Whirrrrr…!!

As Lennok lifted each finger, the tattoo etched on Weian’s neck vividly changed and began to glow.

Finally, Lennok gently stroked the back of Weian’s neck, who had his eyes closed and mouth agape, then dusted off his hands and nodded.

“It’s done, you can open your eyes now. You should be coming to your senses.”

“…You knew?”

Lennok chuckled, watching Weian open his eyes with an embarrassed smile.

“That will dull your senses for a while. Mana sensitivity is essentially the ability to detect foreign sensations of mana through your mind, so by targeting specific body parts and regulating hormones, you can buy time until you can properly control your sensitivity.”

[It’s a level of human body adjustment that’s hard to believe even with my own eyes.]

Manson examined the patterns of the barrier formation etched on Weian’s neck up close, clicking his tongue in amazement.

[It’s not just a tattoo on his neck; it’s completely dissolving into his body. Even most healers can’t do this.]

“By targeting the circuits near the spinal cord and applying a filter, I can regulate the direction of hormones secreted by the pituitary gland.”

Lennok replied in a casual tone.

“At the same time, by transferring the function of those adjusted sensory receptors to other senses, his five senses themselves will become even more acute, just like his mana sensitivity.”

[…]

“For a superhuman who controls their body, this is an unexpected blessing. How he utilizes it is up to Weian himself.”

He resolves the excessive reactivity of his mana sensitivity, which Weian’s current level cannot handle, by connecting it to his other five senses.

It’s an adjustment of talent and reactions that shouldn’t ordinarily be possible. It means changing the direction of a vessel he cannot control himself, guiding its reactivity toward a more improved state.

From the moment he learned to apply Jindun’s barrier magic, which defines domains and redefines laws, Lennok had intuitively known that such a thing would be possible.

While it might not apply to Lennok’s own vessel, whose limits he couldn’t even guess, it would be possible to grasp the total capacity of another’s vessel and adjust its direction.

It wasn’t merely to help Weian grow or solve his problems.

Once he confirmed the extent to which barrier magic could affect the human body this way, he could apply some of those effects to his own body.

In the long term, Lennok had even considered using barrier magic to alleviate the after-effects of mana addiction.

Considering he would soon have to confront the Cartel’s Third Director at Virgil’s request, now was the only time he had available.

Only then did Manson, realizing what Lennok had done, rattled his head.

[You crazy bastard… Where in the world is there a wizard who handles spellcraft like this-]

“It’s a similar aura to what I saw in the Palgung Fortress’s rift.”

Soo-ryun, the female spear wielder with long indigo hair tied back, approached Lennok and said.

The eight families of Palgung Fortress.

As the head of the Oryun Family among them, she would remember the rift and the barrier within it.

She looked up at Lennok with a clear gaze and asked.

“Van, have you found the answer to the secret?”

“…To some extent.”

Lennok lifted his gaze.

“But it’s not enough yet. To that end, I must successfully conclude this task and meet the Cartel Chairman once more.”

Lennok’s eyes, gazing at the darkening sky, shone with a brilliant blue light.

“I came back to this city for that very purpose.”

“I see…”

Soo-ryun, watching him from the side, nodded.

“If you’ve decided, then so be it. The will of the Palgung Fortress will now be with you.”

[I’m curious if the Cartel Chairman will make an appearance this time. If she sees it as a power struggle between you, Van, and a director, we might get to see Olivera Ron Maize’s face for the first time in a long while.]

While other people, who had approached Lennok belatedly, chatted amongst themselves.

Weian, touching his neck with a wry expression, muttered.

“No, it’s all good, but… doesn’t this look too much like a dog collar…?”

Dududududu!!

A torrent of applause. Yet, no cheers proportional to it were heard.

This gathering today was strictly to assist the decision-making among the Cartel’s top executives.

The employees’ ceremonial applause was necessary, but fervent cheers anticipating the preceding battle were not appropriate for an occasion honoring the Chairman.

Virgil confirmed that his instructions to the secretarial office had been followed precisely and turned his gaze to the side with satisfaction.

“Chairman, how was it?”

[There were no screams, so it wasn’t very exciting. Was that your order, Virgil?]

“…”

The woman scoffed lightly, leaving Virgil speechless, and shook her head.

The long veil draped over her face swayed, faintly revealing the light of her eyes beyond it.

Even though her prime had passed and her power had waned, the brilliant light of her Mystic Eye did not waver in the slightest.

The Seven Debts Jewels Mystic Eye, symbolizing the sorceress Olivera Ron Maize.

Virgil felt a faint sense of relief at the fact that her power, appearing in public for the first time in years, was still intact, and said.

“Since you moved around after such a long time, I asked the employees for their understanding, for the Chairman’s health.”

[Hmm… Whatever.]

Olivera, leaning against the side of her chair with a graceful gesture, spread her magical presence.

[Where is Van?]

“…He’ll be waiting for the upcoming demonstration. It will be conducted on the Undeveloped District private land owned by headquarters and will be broadcast to all employees above management level.”

[If preparations are complete, start quickly. I’m not in the mood to wait long.]

At her sharp words, Virgil immediately nodded.

“Indeed. At Third Director Ayoon’s request, both of them were informed of their respective demonstration locations and given a day’s leeway. If it’s the Chairman’s directive, we can start immediately.”

[A day’s leeway?]

At those words, Olivera, who had been listening to Virgil with a bored expression, subtly lifted her head.

“Yes. Is there a problem…?”

In response to Virgil’s cautious question, Olivera, who had been staring at him, let out a small laugh.

[Seeing that you granted that request, it seems Ayoon hasn’t fully revealed his true capabilities yet.]

“…Pardon?”

[Never mind. I thought this was just a dull ceremonial event, but it seems it will be more interesting than I expected.]

At the top of Virgil’s headquarters’ CEO office. With satellite screens filling the walls behind her, she turned her gaze out the window.

As if merely observing from there was sufficient to grasp the current situation.

Beyond the veil, her Mystic Eye, mixed with seven hues of light, slowly began to flicker.

As if sensing her gaze, Lennok, tens of kilometers away, suddenly looked up and muttered.

“An inauguration ceremony, huh… They’re making a plausible excuse.”

Wasn’t it said to be a celebration for Third Director Ayoon’s inauguration into his new directorship?

Even though it seemed like a plausible pretext on the surface, for Lennok, who knew the truth, it was enough to make him chuckle wryly.

What did it mean to request a demonstration only from the Third Director, while leaving out the Fifth Director who was newly promoted from the board of directors?

And to entrust this task to Lennok, an outside director, in the middle of such an Undeveloped District.

Not only Lennok and Ayoon, who were directly involved in this matter, but even the Cartel members observing this demonstration couldn’t possibly be unaware of its meaning.

“It seems different rumors have already started circulating within the company.”

“What do you mean?”

While Lennok slowly checked his condition, Yerien, the registered director, who was checking the time behind him, spoke.

A demonstration pitting two top-tier Cartel executives against each other. She had personally taken charge of preparing the venue and overseeing the field.

“There are people who think this matter will proceed similarly to when Van stepped forward during former First Director McQueen’s time.”

“…”

“They’re even saying that Van staying in his outside director position is actually because he’s taken on the role of an executioner to manage the executives…”

“…What?”

While rumors tend to inflate endlessly if left unchecked, Lennok had no intention of becoming a gardener pruning the Cartel.

Lennok’s attitude of simply observing, to avoid bothersome involvement with the Cartel executives, seemed to be causing even greater misunderstanding.

Lennok glanced at Yerien, who was subtly trying to gauge his reaction and ascertain the truth, and chuckled.

While he checked his equipment and artifacts, a signal seemed to have arrived for Yerien.

“Ah, you can go out now.”

As Yerien, looking tense and staring at her phone, nodded, the attendant standing behind her slowly began to clear the way.

Lennok, adjusting his coat and rising from his seat, walked out, following the staff member who was guiding him.

The gazes of those watching the sharply refined wizard’s back were uniformly complex.

Yerien, too, swallowed hard, instinctively sensing that this moment would be a turning point for the Cartel’s executive hierarchy.

‘I hope things go well…’

Rumors were rife among the board of directors that Third Director Ayoon was not only obsessed with entertainment but also importing drugs into Cartel’s subsidiaries.

At this rate, it wouldn’t be strange if the giant ship that was the Cartel began to falter because of a single troublesome individual.

Yerien didn’t even doubt that the wizard who was now leaving the building, with her behind him, was the most suitable person for this task.

Adamant Thunder of District 49, who single-handedly confronted and killed former Director Parden McQueen, who betrayed the Chairman.

Because the wizard standing right there had accumulated anecdotes difficult to believe even when heard, yet had never been defeated.

Whoosh!

Lennok stepped out of the building, shielding the pouring sunlight with one hand.

What met his eyes was the scene of a quiet street.

A street scene so perfectly finished it looked as if people could appear at any moment. But there was no sign of human presence anywhere nearby.

This Undeveloped District was part of an outer city that the Cartel had invested heavily in manpower and capital to complete in the past.

It was a trace of the forced investments made by underworld magnates in undeveloped zones, following a city expansion development plan that existed decades ago.

Lennok and Third Director Ayoon had agreed to hold their demonstration in a section of this newly completed Undeveloped District’s street.

Whoosh!!

As he stepped onto the wide four-lane road, facing the wind, the figure of a young man waiting for Lennok could be seen on the opposite side.

A unique appearance with mixed black and white hair. A somewhat leisurely demeanor.

However, the young man, Ayoon, did not look particularly pleased as he gazed at Lennok.

Instead of the silent Lennok, Ayoon subtly looked around and spoke first.

“So you are the famous Adamant Thunder. I’ve heard rumors of an outside director who hasn’t engaged in any activities since his appointment.”

Though no cameras were visible nearby, this scene was undoubtedly being broadcast to all Cartel employees, including those at headquarters.

Ayoon knew this and tried his best to display an appearance and dignity befitting a new director.

“Thank you for readily lending your hand for this demonstration. I’ve been busy with various matters and found it hard to find a suitable opponent, but it seems the Chairman took an interest.”

Even if the one standing before him was a cold audience that wouldn’t accept any words.

“After today’s demonstration, I will generously reward y—…”

“You talk too much.”

…!!

Lennok, interrupting Ayoon with a bored tone, lifted his gaze.

As if meeting the eyes of the gaze looking down upon them from the Cartel headquarters.

Olivera, who had been clearly observing the entire scene through her Mystic Eye, burst into admiration at Lennok’s reaction, as if he had met her gaze.

[Oh-ho.]

“Virgil made a promise, so you must keep it.”

Lennok said, fixing his gaze on the unseen Seven Debts Jewels Mystic Eye from his location.

“There’s a lot I want to hear from you.”

A solution for the Mystic Eye, which had begun to crack since the labyrinth.

Even the new project succeeding the Black Consumer Project, and the inside story about Madrich Onnion.

That powerful figure, who might hold all those truths, was watching Lennok from afar.

If he had succeeded in drawing out the Cartel Chairman, who never appeared unless it concerned the board of directors, only one task remained.

Turning his gaze towards Ayoon’s face, distorted with displeasure right before him, Lennok unreservedly unleashed his mana.