Chapter 33

In spite of the disorder, the pair successfully entered the warehouse without harm and now stood before Lennok. It was likely that they became aware of Lennok's existence as soon as he employed Chain Lightning.

The two individuals proceeded towards the warehouse, gradually trapping Lennok within. Soon, three pairs of eyes met with an air of tension.

The man with a buzz cut, who had been gazing down at Lennok with a sense of enjoyment, addressed the wizard.

"Grime. You didn't mention someone like this."

"I didn't know either."

The wizard responded in an emotionless voice.

"With Amnac Pharmaceutical's capital and connections, it would have been impossible to hire a wizard like this. We already confirmed that on our side."

"Then who is this bastard standing in front of us? Look at his eyes, all slanted."

"........"

Lennok responded with a sarcastic smile.

The man looked down at him and gave a cold laugh.

"Heh heh heh... This one's interesting. Hey, you're not crazy, are you?"

"Why would I be?"

Lennok said, holding the filter and exhaling smoke.

"Why don't you worry about your subordinates dying over there instead?"

Despite appearing outwardly composed, he was inwardly pushing his mind to the limit.

He found himself in a challenging predicament, outnumbered two to one, and unaware of the capabilities of his adversaries. This was unlike any other encounter where his foes had solely relied on their physical prowess.

Moreover, this time, a wizard was also present in the mix, further complicating the situation. A single misstep or error in judgment could result in his demise, a possibility that he couldn't discount.

"Ah, that? I don't care. They're just disposable trash anyway. I'm just gonna clean them up here for good."

The buzz-cut man, Guile, showed a cruel smile.

"Those bastards had their own desires and clung to me. It's about time to get rid of that burden and fly far away."

"Guile. Stop babbling."

"Why? He looks weak anyway. What difference does it make to chat a bit with a guy who's gonna die soon?"

"If you keep doing this, we'll have to reconsider recruiting you."

"......."

As they exchanged silent glances, Lennok roughly understood the situation.

'That wizard isn't originally a member of this gang.'

It appeared that Guile, who seemed to be the group's leader, had plans to abandon the gang and join forces with the wizard.

Regardless of how much violence and physicality was at play, their discussions remained focused on this goal.

In that fleeting moment, Lennok felt as though he could sense the humanity of those around him and let out an inadvertent laugh.

Guile, who didn't miss that, pointed at Lennok and said.

"Look at this. This guy's been giggling like a lunatic the whole time. So damn arrogant. Let's just kill him quickly and find the sample."

".....You're not wrong. There's no need to stare at an obstacle for too long."

With a gleam in his eye, the wizard slowly began to gather his mana.

Lennok focused intently on the movement of the mana, trying to grasp its principles by observing it closely.

Surprisingly, just by observing the quality, movement, and flow of the mana, Lennok could somewhat discern the purpose of the wizard's spell.

Thin and elongated mana, with a strong rotational force and a dull hue.

'A barrier-type. He intends to block my escape route.'

He wasn't planning on just standing there and watching.

The moment the wizard swung his staff and began to chant something, Lennok didn't hesitate to pull the trigger on his revolver.

Bang!

"Chamber...!"

At that instant, a blue curtain that was about to spread out from behind the wizard quickly moved in front of him, deflecting the bullet.

Although no damage was inflicted, the barrier magic the wizard originally intended to cast naturally failed due to its role as a shield.

The wizard looked at Lennok with wide eyes, seemingly not expecting a counterattack.

Guile chuckled, clutching his stomach in laughter.

"Hahaha! What are you doing, idiot?! No matter how weak that guy looks, who would just stand there and watch?!"

"......"

Lennok was taken aback when his offhand taunt unexpectedly disrupted the wizard's incantation. He silently scratched his head in bewilderment.

Being accustomed to performing spells through intense physical effort, Lennok found it challenging to comprehend how easily the wizard's magic was disrupted.

The wizard's face flushed with embarrassment, rendering him a laughingstock. Even in the dimly lit surroundings, his contorted expression was plainly visible.

"How dare you, mere mana user, block my spell?!"

"....Is being a mana user an insult?"

Lennok replied, pulling back the hammer and raising his revolver again.

The wizard, now staring down the barrel of the gun, flinched and quickly raised his staff to assume a defensive stance.

He appeared extremely tense, as if expecting a bullet to come flying at any moment.

Breaking out in a cold sweat, he rapidly spoke to Guile.

"Don't you know the basics when fighting a wizard? Protect me quickly!"

"Why should I?"

Guile smirked with a disgusted smile.

"He hasn't even cast a spell yet, and he's only fired one bullet. Why are you so scared? As if you're going to die from a mistake."

"He might cast a spell first!"

At Grime's words, Guile frowned and shook his head.

"That guy obviously specializes in lightning or light magic. Don't you know how much they flash when they use their mana?"

"......"

Observing Grime's acceptance of Guile's words, Lennok finally comprehended why they had been acting so relaxed in his presence.

Light-based spells were known to have potent effects but were also highly visible in the process.

Having witnessed Lennok's use of "Flux Light" and "Chain Lightning," the duo assumed there must be a precursor to his magic.

Although Guile appeared nonchalant, he would quickly intervene if Lennok made any indications of spellcasting.

Lennok shook his head inwardly at the poor teamwork exhibited by the pair.

While apprehensive about dealing with a gang, he realized his efforts were futile. A gang leader wanting to abandon his gang and a wizard at odds with him. They may have impressive names, but they were no different from thugs who fight over their pride in front of an enemy.

The current scenario seemed tailor-made for a wizard like Lennok.

"When he seems about to use magic, just rush in and bite his throat," Grime said.

At that moment, Lennok didn't miss the flash of fangs at the corner of Guile's mouth, prompting him to recall Jenny's warning about the gang leader being a peculiar mixed-blood.

Despite sensing an unmistakable murderous intent, Lennok sensed there was a reason behind it. Acting swiftly, Lennok decided to taunt Guile in an attempt to provoke him.

"I didn't notice because it's so dark around here. But now I see you're from a mongrel lineage."

"What? What did you just say?"

As Guile turned his head incredulously at what he'd heard, Lennok spoke in a mocking tone.

"Your dirty fur stinks all the way here. How about taking a bath?"

There was no verbal response. Instead, Guile's eyes began to emit a bright blue light, causing Lennok to realize that his words had struck a nerve with the gang leader.

"You... this motherf***er..."

Crack! Creak!! Shiiik!!

Amidst the eerie sound of bones snapping, Guile's body, concealed beneath his tracksuit, began to swell rapidly.

Soon, he revealed himself - long, pointed fangs dripping with saliva, accompanied by a disheveled coat of gray fur and a vivid, untamed aura.

Transformed into a fearsome creature, Guile snarled menacingly at Lennok.

"Don't, don't even think about dying with all your limbs intact."

As he gazed upon the werewolf, poised to attack at any moment, Lennok gave a slight nod.

Werewolves were a species that existed even in WORLD 2.0, and Lennok was familiar with some of their characteristics. Born with the primal instincts of the wild and the body of a beast, they possessed innate ferocity and an inclination to rely heavily on their instincts, rendering them unmatched in strength.

However, the hybrid werewolf before Lennok was different from the typical werewolf he knew. Guile's transformation was flawed, with excessively bloodshot eyes and uncontrolled biting force causing saliva to dribble from his mouth. His legs were twisted, with claws piercing his flesh, and fur falling out, creating a disheveled appearance. In contrast to the perfectly sculpted form of Croken Asilus, Guile's physique was a mess, a result of his impure and inflamed lineage.

Feeling a pang of sympathy for the stuttering Guile, Lennok regarded him with a compassionate gaze.

"You probably can't think for long in that state. Come."

SHIIIK!!

A strange sound, resembling air leaking from a single point, filled the air.

In an instant, Guile disappeared from view like a wisp of smoke.

Boom!!

Suddenly, he reappeared, standing motionless with his mouth gaping before Lennok's nose.

Crunch......!!

The sound of flesh and tissue rending filled the air as Guile's mouth twisted in an unnatural direction.

Despite his powerful charge, Guile's body crumpled before Lennok's shield, and a trickle of crimson dripped from his moist nostrils.

"Th-this...!!"

Guile stared in disbelief at his nosebleed, gritting his teeth and twitching.

After disappearing from Lennok's sight, Guile circled around and charged once more. His head-on attack was not a result of stubbornness but a meticulously crafted psychological game.

However, the outcome remained unchanged.

Crash!

Although the sound of Guile's attack shattering a shield could be heard, Lennok paid it no heed. He had no option to dodge and had to rely on his magic to confront the attack head-on.

In his focused state, Lennok could momentarily block a heavy weapon with five overlapping shields. He was confident in his ability to survive even in the explosion that had destroyed the factory and escape.

Guile and Grime's faces turned pale, clearly shocked that Lennok could withstand their attacks.

Without giving them time to understand the situation, Lennok turned his revolver towards Guile, who had hardened like a stone after ramming his mouth into the shield.

"My turn?"

The Werewolf's chest, devoid of any content, with a clear target at the center.

[Recoil Control]

[Shock Enhancement]

[Shot Acceleration]

There was no need to use aim correction at such a close distance.

Bang!

With pinpoint accuracy, the bullet containing three auxiliary magic struck Guile's chest in a single instant.

Boom!

As if struck by a colossal fist, the werewolf's body was violently hurled backward.

"Eek...!"

Guile fell to the ground, writhing in agony, and emitted a primal scream befitting that of a true beast.

Despite having incapacitated Guile with just one strike, Lennok did not let up.

The cold rationality of the merciless wizard urged him to keep pressing on, to never relinquish his grasp on the initiative once attained.

As someone who couldn't guarantee mobility during combat, Lennok regarded this as the most crucial method of battle.

Zap...!

Lennok inserted two blue currents directly between Guile's agape mouth, without the need for an incantation.

Crack!

"Aaaarghhhhhhhhhhhhh!!"

As the sickening stench of charred flesh filled the air, Guile let out a shrill, agonizing scream.

Lennok regarded the contorted face of his victim with indifference, before delivering a swift kick, shattering Guile's reverse-jointed legs. He then channeled mana once again.

[Thunder Calling]

Kaboom!

A blinding flash illuminated the darkened sky, followed by a flicker.

The lightning bolt, which had torn through the roof of the warehouse, struck with pinpoint accuracy just above Guile's head.

(TO BE CONTINUED)