Half a month later, several enormous airships flew through the sky.
Ian watched Elemental Mysteries recede farther and farther behind him. This was the first time in years that he would be stationed outside for an extended period.
The last time dated all the way back to the Earth Fortress.
Back then, he had only been a mid-stage Wizard, and his alchemy level had merely been Intermediate First Ring.
But now, he was already Late Second Ring, with only a small distance left before reaching Advanced Second Ring as an alchemist.
His gaze swept to either side.
Ahead of him stood Augusto, the person in charge of this Alchemy Base operation. On his other side were Chandler and Isaiah, the two project leaders. Together with Ian, a senior specialist, they were more or less the high-end Wizards dispatched by the Academy Alchemy Department.
Besides those alchemists, there were several low-level Second Ring alchemists, as well as members of Ian's project team.
Turning slightly to one side, Ian saw Xia standing to his right. Behind her were Ulysses, Hayden, Finny, Hugo, and the others.
That was right.
Ian had brought all the alchemists under his command. In fact, he was not the only one; every alchemist had brought some subordinates along.
It was nothing unusual.
"I really didn't expect this."
Ian looked toward the other side, where a gloomy-faced Wizard caught his attention.
Jasper.
A Wizard of the Winston Family.
Sensing Ian's gaze, Jasper looked over as well and bared his teeth in a smile.
It was not a friendly smile, but one steeped in malice.
Several Second Ring Wizards stood beside him, along with quite a number of First Ring Wizards.
These Wizards were members of the Alchemy Fortress guard unit.
They had also been recruited from the Academy.
"The