[WN] I Became the Genius Bastard of a Noble Dark Clan Chapter 60

 Chapter 60

It didn't seem like she intended to harm him.

The attack just now wasn't meant to kill; it was merely to stop his steps by scattering something on the ground.

Still, it’s annoying.

"Speak."

"...Aren't you going to apologize to me?"

"..."

"I still can't stand the humiliation you put me through."

Chris was silent.

Christian, what massive mistake did this guy make, really?

The girl’s emerald eyes were brimming with venom, glaring at him. It was a look of deep-seated resentment, not just a minor grudge.

I’m busy. Should I just apologize briefly and get it over with? Even if it wasn't my fault.

But then, a thought suddenly struck Chris.

Wait, Marisa is fated to be framed and sacrificed this time, isn't she?

During this expedition, the Dark Demonic Sect's exploration team would be wiped out. Marisa would be the one framed. Her hands would be severed, and her eyes and tongue gouged out.

Well, it’s none of my business what happens to her.

Still, considering the future events between the Dark Demonic Sect and the Extreme Poison Demonic Sect, it would be good to put one of the Extreme Poison Demonic Sect's key figures in his debt, turning her into his pawn.

To that end, Chris spoke, digging at his ear with the most nonchalant attitude possible.

"Apology. Satisfied?"

"..."

Marisa's face turned red.

"You... you truly are the worst."

"You asked for an apology, and I gave one. What more do you want me to grovel about? We’re already over; are you perhaps still mistaken about our engagement? Anyway,"

Chris smiled chillingly.

"Didn't you underestimate me too much?"

"...What?"

"To dare come looking for me alone. If I take you down here, this expedition will be our side's victory, won't it?"

Marisa's expression changed. Chris was saying he'd subdue her right here!

If I subdue her, she won’t be framed.

The way to prove Marisa's innocence during this expedition was simple: create an alibi. How? By subduing her, tying her up tightly, and locking her away.

Chris considered it a rather magnanimous gesture of consideration, but Marisa trembled with rage. Then, she let out a hollow laugh.

"Fine, we're enemies now. I'll make you regret this."

Marisa's gem-like emerald eyes gleamed coldly.

"Including the humiliation you inflicted upon me last time."

Sizzle, crackle.

Poisonous energy began to surge from her body. It wasn't a single color. A chaotic kaleidoscope of colors swirled upwards. This signified the many types of poisonous energy she could wield.

She truly lives up to her moniker, 'Little Myriad Poisons.' [TN: A person who can handle countless poisons.]

Chris whistled inwardly. It was a nickname given to her because she could freely control countless poisons. This was the reason she was acknowledged as a direct descendant and a promising successor, despite being born an illegitimate daughter.

"I'll give you one last chance."

The color of her emerald eyes shifted. For a fleeting moment, they turned murky red, then white, then black, and then green. Her gaze changed moment by moment, reflecting the rising poisonous energy.

"Kneel and apologize to me now. Otherwise, you'll turn into a puddle of bloody water from my poisons."

A chilling warning.

Chris merely continued to pick his ear.

"So much talk. Does the Extreme Poison Demonic Sect fight with their mouths? Just like those noisy Alliance bastards."

"!!"

Marisa's face twisted into a fierce scowl.

Swoosh!

Demonic energy burst forth from her hand. It wasn't just any demonic energy. The dark blue demonic energy swiftly transformed into a hazy mist. This was the 'Demonic Poison' [TN: Demon Poison], a state where intangible demonic energy was converted into poison! It was a realm that mirrored the Dark Sword, achievable only by those who reached 3-star or higher.

Marisa's attack didn't stop there. She then pulled out small glass bottles from her pouch. They, too, contained deadly poisons. And not just ordinary poisons. Each one was considered an extreme poison. She couldn't yet manifest multiple poisons into demonic poison simultaneously due to her current realm, so she resorted to throwing them as hidden weapons.

Crash!

The glass bottles she threw shattered in mid-air, turning into gas that immediately engulfed Chris. Chris was enveloped by no less than five different types of poison.

Marisa spoke coldly. "Now you will suffer hellish torment."

The poisons Marisa used weren't the instant-death kind. Instead, they were cruel poisons that would make one writhe in horrific pain over time, slowly leading to death. Having been hit by not one, but five types of poison, Chris would undoubtedly experience unimaginable, dreadful agony.

"Apologize to me now. Then I'll give you the antidote."

"...Apologize, huh. No thanks."

The same answer. Marisa's face instantly creased into a frown.

"Apologize now! Otherwise, you'll die!!"

"Hmm. I don't think so."

"Even if you bluff...!!"

Just then, the mist of poison began to dissipate. And Marisa's eyes widened so much they looked like they would tear as Chris's figure was revealed. He should have been writhing in pain on the ground, but he was perfectly fine, without a hint of discomfort. He wasn't pretending to be calm. The poisons hadn't worked at all!

"Wh-why?"

"Ah... that's why."

Chris let out a small chuckle. "I took an antidote I made beforehand."

"Im-impossible!!"

It wasn't just one type of poison, but five. And how could he possibly get his hands on the secret antidotes of the Extreme Poison Demonic Sect and take them beforehand?

"Have you ever heard of a panacea?"

"W-what?"

"Something similar, like a universal antidote that works against any poison, I just tried making one, and it seems to work pretty well."

It was an outrageous explanation. But it was half-true.

It’s easy to make an antidote for physical poisons like these, not ones imbued with intent.

The Extreme Poison Demonic Sect's poisons were categorized into several realms:

 * 'Physical' poisons.

 * Poisons imbued with 'magical' effects.

 * Poisons imbued with 'intent'.

 * Poisons that cause 'anomalies'.

Among these, the poisons Marisa had created were physical poisons. Although they were among the highest level of physical poisons, in Chris's eyes, they were child's play.

It was only natural.

"I actually have some talent in medicine too."

In the past, Chris had countless professions. He was a former comrade of the Hero. He was also the leader of a massive organization. And among his many titles, there was this: a doctor.

No, to be precise. He wasn't just a doctor. His medical skills were extraordinarily brilliant. He was called a divine physician and even revered as a saint. It wasn't like that from the beginning. Originally, he was just an ordinary master physician, but a fateful encounter during the era of ruin granted him unparalleled medical expertise.

The ultimate family among countless medical families, and one of the Seven Great Families of the Alliance. Also, a family considered the natural enemy of the Extreme Poison Demonic Sect.

The last disciple and 27th sect leader of the 'Medical Immortal Family'. [TN: Literally 'Physician Immortal Family', implying medical prowess so great it's almost divine.] That was one of Chris's past titles.

 * You’re truly insane.

This was what the Hero's party often said to him in the past. And not just the Hero's party. Everyone who knew Chris and saw his talent said the same thing. Because his talent was truly insane.

 * If you had learned swordsmanship or magic, the fate of the world would have been vastly different.

They lamented countless times. But Chris, unfortunately, didn't learn swordsmanship or magic. It wasn't a cruel coincidence. Due to his circumstances, Chris absolutely could not learn swordsmanship and magic. If he had, his original family wouldn't have stood by. They would have hunted him down and killed him. Thanks to that, Chris intentionally shut his eyes and ears to swordsmanship and magic throughout his life.

This cursed bloodline.

Chris let out a self-deprecating chuckle. In truth, in the past, Chris was born into an incredibly noble bloodline. Across the entire continent, it would be difficult to find a nobler lineage than his. Yet, it was a cursed bloodline, a wretched one.

Instead, he mastered countless miscellaneous skills. It wasn't particularly intentional. He wandered the back alleys and somehow learned them. He could quickly perform with expertise beyond a professional just by watching others do something over their shoulder.

Medicine was one of them. He delved deeper into medicine than other skills.

Healing people makes money.

It was a profession where he could live a respectable life, without being scrutinized by anyone. If the First Great War hadn't happened, he might have even settled down completely as a doctor.

However, the First Great War, instigated by the Bloodlust Demon King, plunged his life into a terrible maelstrom. He experienced countless events, and then he met a fated connection by chance.

 * ...Crazy. Ha, why did I only meet someone like you now? I don't have much time left to live.

The sole survivor of the Medical Immortal Family. The Medical Immortal Family was once called one of the Seven Great Families of the Alliance, a family that commanded the respect of all people in the world, but they could not escape the Bloodlust Demon King's slaughter.

The 26th sect leader, she was nearing the end of her life when she met Chris. Indeed, she died exactly one week after meeting Chris. She entrusted Chris with a burden, or rather, a legacy.

[...Now you are the 27th sect leader of the Medical Immortal Family.]

She handed him medical texts containing the Medical Immortal Family's secret arts. It wasn't a complete set. The original consisted of 45 volumes, but they were lost during the family's annihilation, and Chris only received 15 of them. Less than a third of the total. Furthermore, there was no master to teach him the secret arts. For a week, she had been ailing and hovering between life and death, so she barely imparted any teachings. He had to learn everything on his own.

But despite these harsh conditions, Chris gained tremendous abilities.

Though I failed to obtain the Medical Immortal Family's unique healing power, the Medical Immortal Qi Art.

Instead, what he gained was medical knowledge. Chris now possessed the greatest medical knowledge on the continent. The Extreme Poison Demonic Sect's poisons? No matter how outstanding Marisa was, being called Little Myriad Poisons, her poisons were still confined to physical limitations. He could easily neutralize them.

However, although it was only for physical-level poisons, creating an antidote on par with a universal antidote was incredibly expensive in terms of ingredients. He easily solved that problem by raiding Luina's money pouch.

"Im-impossible..."

Chris casually lowered his gaze. Marisa was tightly bound and subdued by a magical rope.

...She must be in shock.

Since her specialty, poison, didn't work, the outcome of the duel was obvious. Of course, the Extreme Poison Demonic Sect's power wasn't limited to poison. They also possessed hidden weapon techniques of the highest caliber on the continent, but it was still too much to contend with Chris.

"Wh-what trick did you use?!"

"Hmm, nothing much."

Chris rummaged through Marisa's belongings, answering nonchalantly. "Anyway, the principles of physical poisons don't really go beyond irritant, paralytic, neurotoxic, hemorrhagic, hypersensitive, corrosive, necrotic, and so on. So, it's simple to make an antidote that antagonizes all of these principles at once."

Marisa's face was blank. What the hell is this crazy bastard talking about?

Is such a thing even possible?

From a human physiological perspective, it was absolutely impossible. In fact, the Medical Immortal Family's secret texts didn't contain the antidote Chris had used. It was an antidote Chris had newly created, drawing upon the Medical Immortal Family's secret texts.