Chapter 471: Medical Examination (1)

Lennok looked up at Madame, who had shot to her feet, and she pursed her lips.

“……”

She silently sat back down in the armchair like a ghost, cleared her throat lightly, and spoke again.

“Ahem, I apologize for the commotion. I haven’t often received immediate consent in this kind of transaction…”

“No, it’s fine.”

“Are you serious about giving me the blood? I sincerely hope we don’t upset each other with idle word games. I was planning to let you meet Murphy anyway, even if it was at a loss because of the blood wizard boy, but changing your words like this to a vampire…”

“So the doctor’s name is Murphy.”

As Lennok replied with an indifferent expression, Madame’s voice finally sharpened.

“…A single drop of blood from an 8-level Peak of Extremes wizard. You know what it means to say you can give that to me right here, right?”

“……”

“It’s like publicly declaring to me that the Hierarchy of Adamant Thunder, which no one has ever been sure of until now, has already reached a level beyond transcending the Hierarchy—”

“Don’t get ahead of yourself.”

Lennok said this and slowly reached into his coat.

He watched Madame’s quietly lowered veil and slowly pulled something out.

Her gaze didn’t waver for a moment from the finger-sized object Lennok produced.

“I proposed the terms of the deal, and if you’re willing to accept, the specifics can always be adjusted.”

“……”

“I’m granting your terms because I also have my own concerns about this matter. I want a firm guarantee, even if it means taking some risks.”

Thud.

Lennok placed a small glass vial on the small round wooden table between them and spoke.

“A doctor from the Central City. An authority specialized in self-diagnosis fields like blood or genetic analysis. Are you sure?”

“…His name is Alejandro Murphy.”

Madame said this and quietly reached out to pick up the small glass vial.

“He’s a vampire, 47 years old, who has lived for over 100 years.”

“……”

“He was one of the very few who successfully escaped when Ars Nova fell, and he was a doctor with considerable skill in his field even in the Central City.”

She held up the vial, carefully lifted her veil, and slowly examined the contents.

From Lennok’s seat, her face was obscured by shadow and unknown magic, making it impossible to see properly.

Madame gazed intently at the single drop of dark red blood in the vial and murmured.

“His skill and experience go without saying, but the medical records he brought out from the Central City are nothing short of a supreme treasure. Just having a portion of the Central City’s medical records, which boasted the most extensive data on the continent, means there are more than enough people who desire his treatment.”

Central City’s medical records—this was information Lennok hadn’t heard from Jenny properly.

He had merely thought a doctor from Ars Nova would possess such skill, but he never imagined he would have data from his time working in that city.

Medical records stored in a city of that scale would undoubtedly possess a vast quantity and range of categories, vastly different from existing medical data.

It might even be possible for him to offer new or groundbreaking diagnoses that Lennok had never received before.

While Lennok was thinking this, Madame, who had set the vial down with both hands, nodded.

“I’ll contact Murphy for you. He’ll be waiting.”

“Was that a sufficient gift for the terms of the deal?”

“A promise is a promise. But I never imagined you, Adamant Thunder, would offer such an item as payment.”

Madame’s veil subtly wavered as she spoke.

“To possess the blood of an 8-level sorcerer, not your own… Were you perhaps anticipating this kind of transaction?”

“Of course not.”

Lennok said this and slowly tidied his coat, then rose from his seat.

What Madame had demanded as a condition for the transaction was not Lennok’s blood, but a single drop of blood from an 8-level Peak of Extremes wizard.

Strictly speaking, it didn’t matter much whose blood it was.

That’s why Lennok decided to choose a different method instead of rashly giving Madame a drop of his own blood on the spot.

The Clown’s blood, thickly infused within the fingernail that the Clown had gifted Lennok as a ‘passing mark’ at the edge of the jungle.

“I just happened to have it in my possession because an opportunity arose. If not for this, I wouldn’t have even thought of it.”

After all, The Clown was undeniably an 8-level Trait-type sorcerer.

Madame couldn’t possibly fail to recognize the special nature contained within that blood.

Moreover, since it was something The Clown had voluntarily given to Lennok, it perfectly met Madame’s conditions.

It seemed that voluntarily giving blood itself was considered special to vampires, so Lennok also needed to be cautious.

At least, it would be better to offer Lennok’s own blood as a gift when he next dealt with her, after he knew how Madame intended to use The Clown’s blood.

Madame, perhaps realizing that Lennok had no intention of drawing his own blood on the spot, sighed softly and rose from her seat.

“Very well… Although it’s in the form of blood, this overwhelming density, beyond typical bodily composition. It’s undoubtedly 8-level sorcerer blood.”

“……”

“This is Murphy’s clinic location and personal contact. I’ll notify him, so you can meet him immediately if you go.”

Madame picked up the fountain pen on the table, scribbled something into a small notebook, tore it out, and handed it to Lennok.

“It was a good deal. Next time, I hope you bring a problem big enough for me to demand your blood.”

Lennok chuckled at Madame’s somewhat sullen remark.

In the end, by not directly demanding Lennok’s blood, she had unintentionally received something else, hadn’t she?

Madame seemed to desire a drop of Lennok’s blood as payment even more than the 8-level wizard’s blood she had just received.

“Anytime, if you’re more helpful than this Dr. Murphy.”

“Hmm…”

Lennok picked up the note, leaving Madame who was humming, and was about to leave the room when he paused and turned his gaze.

“I broke some of the facilities in the castle on my way up. Please excuse it.”

He had broken not only the elevator’s power system but also all sorts of facilities due to mana overload, so shouldn’t he give her a heads-up?

But Madame just nodded, not seeming to mind Lennok’s words much.

“Ah, you mean the items from Torquepaz.”

“…Torquepaz?”

“Their culture is heavily influenced by the Central City, so they have quite a few novel amusements. They’re things that can be procured anytime, so don’t worry about it.”

“Novel amusements, you say…”

“You seem interested, don’t you? It’s a city obsessed with gambling and entertainment. They were the first to devise gambles and bets involving playing with power, like that elevator.”

The elevator installed in Madame’s castle.

That object, which only operated after consuming all the power of the castle’s internal facilities, originated from Torquepaz’s entertainment?

He hadn’t been interested when The Clown and Reya told him about it, but it certainly seemed to be a city with considerable character.

“If you have time, drop by sometime. There are all sorts of amazing people scattered about.”

“I’ll keep that in mind.”

If Madame mentioned it in this way, it meant there was something in that city impressive enough to leave a strong impression even on a vampire like her.

While images and scenes did come to mind, Lennok briefly set aside such thoughts and immediately left Madame’s castle.

Behind Lennok, as he walked through the lobby tapping his staff, there were only freelancers full of watchful silence.

Only then, confirming that the atmosphere had returned to the underworld he remembered, Lennok continued his steps.

“Davi, can you confirm the location Madame gave me?”

“It’s an underground cavern in District 44. It’s not far from here. It would take about 10 minutes by bike.”

“Any other specific details?”

“Judging by the lack of clear photos on satellite maps, it’s highly probable they’re using some method to generate powerful jamming throughout the area.”

Davi tilted her head in his arms and said.

“It looks like a measure to prevent internal data leakage rather than blocking external data.”

“……”

Lennok understood what Davi meant and nodded.

The Central City medical records that the doctor, Murphy, supposedly possessed. It was probably a measure to prevent that data from leaking externally.

Lennok immediately summoned his monster bike, slid his staff into the side of the saddle, and twisted the throttle.

Roar!!

Lennok’s figure accelerated rapidly and disappeared into the street.

As Davi had said, Lennok arrived near District 44 shortly after.

While looking around for a place to enter discreetly, his cell phone suddenly vibrated.

“I thought your appearance would be a mess after dealing with Madrich Onnion.”

A languid voice echoed over the receiver. A presence so strong, one could guess the opponent’s power just from the voice.

It was Olivera Ron Maize, the Chairman of Cartel.

“Are you still racking your brains over a single injury you haven’t resolved?”

At her words, Lennok let out a hollow laugh, still gripping the throttle.

“……Has the rumor spread that far already?”

“The executives were fussing because a Cartel external director appeared on the streets looking half-dead.”

Olivera said in a truly annoyed tone.

“I don’t think a wizard of your caliber wouldn’t consider the repercussions. However, try to lay low for a while. It’s not uncommon for presumptuous worms to seek a quick fortune.”

“Thanks for the advice. But it’s already too late.”

Lennok said this, glancing up at the building complex in the 40s district, which he was passing quickly.

“It seems everyone who needs to know, already knows.”

Over a dozen gazes poured down on the bike, which roared with a loud engine.

Some of them didn’t even try to hide their emotions or intentions.

Most were 7-level ranked ability users who had perfected their Hierarchy. The presence of military-rank powerhouses, particularly intense, could be occasionally felt.

A display of presence that was incredibly arrogant, considering the prestige Adamant Thunder had built in this underworld.

However, Lennok didn’t think this situation was surprising.

Although called a blood-crazed wizard, that was only possible because Adamant Thunder possessed formidable combat abilities unbefitting a wizard.

But if he was relying on a life-support system, wasn’t it obvious that his balance of power had been disrupted?

Even at the lowest estimate, his combat endurance would have significantly decreased, and it was clear he had gained another weakness in the form of the life-support system.

The mere fact that the meticulous Adamant Thunder had shown himself in this manner was proof that he didn’t have the luxury of weighing his options.

What if someone seized this opportunity to claim victory against the undefeated Adamant Thunder?

The bounty on Adamant Thunder’s head on the deep web was already unimaginably high, and capturing him alive would be like acquiring a living treasure chest.

The risks were undoubtedly high, but the returns were immeasurable.

If Lennok had truly been seriously injured and reliant on life-support, he would have had to avoid such situations as much as possible.

But Lennok, knowing the atmosphere of the underworld, had deliberately exposed himself like this, because ultimately, this situation was likely to be helpful.

It made it easier to make excuses even if he had to suddenly leave, and it made it easier to filter out those who harbored resentment towards Lennok.

It would also be easier to handle various suspicious matters naturally under the pretext of being sick.

Of course, all of these premises were based on the single fact that Lennok wasn’t actually that sick, but there was no reason not to use this unintentional information asymmetry, was there?

“We’ve arrived.”

“…They’re not attacking after all.”

Considering the intensity he felt while passing through the streets, he had expected a battle to break out at least once, which was unexpected.

Perhaps they intended to keep their distance for a bit longer and confirm whether the rumors were true?

Lennok thought so and immediately headed for the underground cavern below the commercial district of District 44.

In a dark, dusty corner of the warehouse, only a broken CCTV camera, devoid of light, hung shabbily.

But the moment Lennok stood before that camera, the warehouse floor seemed to sink, and a staircase leading deeper underground was revealed.

Clang!!

Passing through the dark passage and stepping into an open space, Lennok realized he was standing in the middle of a vast corridor.

A remarkably quiet corridor where no one could be seen walking around.

At the end of the space, illuminated by a row of pale lights, someone in a wheelchair was looking at Lennok.

“You’re much thinner than I thought.”

A sticky voice, as if something was caught in his throat.

The person slowly wheeled closer to Lennok, stared at him, and extended a hand.

“Alejandro Murphy. A vampire. It’s an honor to meet the most ruthless wizard in Vulcan.”

“……Has that rumor already been exaggerated that much?”

A gaunt young man who looked barely over thirty, with thick spectacle lenses and a body like a withered old tree, even thinner than Lennok, was striking.

But what was more noticeable was the subtle glow of magic emanating from his skin.

Lennok realized it was a trace of mechanical implants, including a life-support system, inserted into his body.

Murphy, who introduced himself, was a cyborg who had modified his own body with machinery, despite being a vampire.

Murphy turned his wheelchair without delay and moved, with Lennok following.

“Madame told me. That you need help.”

“She said you’re a renowned authority in this field, specializing in what I need. I heard you’re from the Central City.”

“It’s not difficult.”

Murphy casually replied.

“Unless you were a high-Hierarchy superhuman.”

Opening the iron door at the end of the corridor revealed the vast landscape of an examination room.

One wall of the examination room was made of floor-to-ceiling glass, but it was strangely blacked out, showing nothing.

“Many high-Hierarchy superhumans, 7-level and above, have bodily compositions that differ from ordinary humans. Are you aware of that?”

“Roughly.”

“That’s why, when a high-Hierarchy superhuman suffers from a serious illness or injury, it’s quite difficult to accurately diagnose the cause or symptoms.”

“……”

“But by the same token, such cases naturally become valuable specimens.”

Murphy smiled, looking back at the silent Lennok.

“You want to use the medical record database I brought from the Central City to find out how your body is deteriorating, don’t you?”

Murphy’s eyes moved to the staff Lennok was holding.

“Life-support system. It’s not bad for a customized item, but its performance is insufficient for a high-Hierarchy wizard. I can make you something much better than this.”

“Like what you’re using now?”

“If you want, I can make it in the form of a staff.”

Murphy chuckled, wheezing.

“However, to extract your physical information into the Central City’s medical record database and form a comparative group, a few procedures are necessary. This is my only condition.”

The vampire’s eyes shone sharply.

“Sharing the process of those procedures with my VIP clients. Do you agree?”

“I think I need to know what those procedures are first.”

“It’s nothing much. Just a few simple experiments repeated.”

At Lennok’s indifferent reply, Murphy immediately snapped his fingers.

At that moment, the blacked-out glass wall lit up brightly, revealing the scene beyond.

Over a dozen isolation chambers set up beyond the examination room. Inside each, different creatures were confined, looking their way.

Unknown plants and animals, human-sized monsters, and even more than five human figures.

The moment Lennok understood his intent and fell silent, Murphy spoke.

“I’ll extract your blood and inject one drop into each of them, one by one.”

“……”

“By comparing the numerical values derived from this and performing relative analysis, we can extract the most precise data. There’s no more effective way to reduce error and variables than this.”

“Human experimentation, you say…”

“Hmm, you’re not averse to this process, are you?”

Murphy’s lips twitched, slightly surprised.

“These are death row inmates pulled from special prisons with payoffs. Serial murder is basic, along with arson, terrorism, and cannibalism. These are individuals who would never see the outside world again if not for these experiments.”

“It seems Ars Nova dealt with criminals in this manner.”

“Even in such a grand city, there weren’t many opportunities for clinical trials on magic users.”

Murphy replied, tapping the armrest of his wheelchair.

“It was an impossible task to give up on, so we carefully selected those deemed beyond redemption and persuaded them to contribute to the city’s development.”

“…And your ‘VIP clients’?”

“Actually, I stopped being a doctor quite some time ago. I only occasionally treat acquaintances as a side business to expand my operations.”

Murphy said this and snapped his fingers once more.

At that moment, the examination room’s wall cabinets opened as if flipping upside down, revealing countless blood storage test tubes inside.

The test tubes looked like the display case in Madame’s room, yet somehow resembled ampoules.

Their size and shape immediately caught the eye, looking perfectly suitable for immediate injection with a needle.

“In the long history of doping, blood doping, where one’s own blood is drawn in advance and then reinjected into the body to gain an effect, has been widely favored.”

Murphy said.

“However, if one can reduce the rejection reaction to another person’s blood, it’s entirely possible to achieve the same effect using other blood, not necessarily one’s own. In fact, it’s much more stable and has fewer side effects than doping with drugs or narcotics. The chance of detection is also lower.”

“……”

“Everyone desires achievements beyond their own capabilities. I’m simply offering a fair deal to those who have such desperate wishes.”

At that moment, countless screens lit up above the isolated space beyond the examination room’s glass wall, and dozens of people began to appear via video call.

Men and women of all ages, clad in flamboyant clothing, makeup, and adorned with luxurious items, filled the screens.

“Doctor, if you’re ready, let’s start quickly.”

“I heard this item isn’t for sale. So there was no need to participate, was there?”

“Then you can leave, Manning. It’s been a long time since the Doctor invited anyone to a demonstration.”

All the clearly affluent people looked down at the isolation chambers with an anxious expression.

Some even peered around through the screens, unable to see Murphy and Lennok, and chatted amongst themselves.

“The champion title finals are in three days. I hope something good comes out of this.”

“I skipped my concert rehearsal, I absolutely have to order a set!”

“I have an important deal with the dictator of the Western Republic. I hope there’s a good gift.”

Businessmen, athletes, singers, as well as high-Hierarchy magic users, soldiers, and even figures resembling priests of a cult, were present.

Authorities from various industries, drawn by the results of Murphy’s business, had gathered from all over the continent.

“These people don’t know who the subject of the experiment we’re about to conduct is. Without your permission, the blood used in today’s reaction experiment will not be sold.”

Murphy laughed sharply. The mechanical device beneath his facial skin glowed, adding a fluorescent light to his smile.

“We’ll only share and show the process. Do you understand what this means?”

Only then did Lennok realize what Murphy was planning, and he let out a hollow laugh.

“…You intend to use my blood as a promotional board for your blood-selling business.”