In the laboratory.
The alchemical lamps cast their light slowly downward, and everyone thought they must have misheard.
An Advanced Alchemist?
Ian was about to qualify as an Advanced Second Ring Alchemist?
"You're joking."
Jonah swallowed, unable to believe his ears.
An Advanced Alchemist.
The Academy currently had only three: Darwin, Augusto, and Dante. Darwin's skills were superior even to theirs, of course, so people usually called him a Top-tier Alchemist.
Strictly speaking, though, that title did not exist.
So the Academy had only three Advanced Alchemists.
And Ian?
When Jonah had first become a Second Ring Alchemist, Ian had already been on the verge of qualifying as an Intermediate Alchemist. Years had passed, and Jonah had only just grown comfortable at the intermediate level. Yet Ian was saying he was ready to qualify as an Advanced Alchemist?
Even Dante, an Advanced Alchemist himself, felt a little dizzy.
He had witnessed Ian bring his project to completion and could tell his skills were exceptional.
But he had thought that even Ian would need several more years to qualify as an Advanced Alchemist.
After all, how long had it been since Ian qualified as an Advanced Alchemist?
As for the other three, which of them had not spent decades working toward it?
"That's our lord."
Ulysses gazed at Ian with admiration in his eyes. Beside him, Xia's eyes lit up too.
As alchemists who worked at Ian's side, they understood his alchemical skills better than anyone.
Especially over the past few years.
Ian's progress had been astonishing. Every so often, they could feel the project picking up speed.
Without Ian, the project might have taken several more years to finish—and that was without even considering the core problems. They had discussed his progress, too.
Ian had previously devoted most of his