"Logan!"
Ian called out at the departing figure.
The blond figure turned around as well, looking over with a delighted expression.
"Ian!"
Logan strode forward and clapped Ian hard on the shoulder, smiling broadly.
Compared to a few months ago, he carried himself with far more maturity, and there was now an extra scar on his face.
"Logan, you've changed quite a bit!"
After they let go, Ian looked at Logan with a smile.
"Haha, compared to three months ago, so have you!" Logan grinned, showing his teeth.
Ian smiled.
In the blink of an eye, three months had passed. It was time for the Mutual Aid Society's agreed gathering.
"Let's go inside and wait. The others should be here soon."
Ian pulled Logan inside.
Sitting beside the table, the two shared what had happened over the past three months.
"Coro and I were assigned to a White Crystal Mine within the academy. Every day, we patrol the area and drive away wandering Wizards and Magic Beasts from the forest," Logan said.
"White Crystal Mine? Magic Beasts?"
Curiosity flashed through Ian's eyes.
Most of the Magic Beasts he had seen had been the pet beasts of Wizards within the academy, along with Mickey.
"What is it like outside?" Ian asked curiously.
Logan said, "Veridian Forest is a true forest where magical power gathers, so there are many powerful Magic Beasts within it. Many of them even travel in packs."
"The scar on my face came from a Wind Wolf pack attacking the mine. Their leader had even reached Zero-ring Middle Grade.
"The scar on my face was left by a Zero-ring Lower Grade Wind Wolf. I was lucky not to die, but two of the people who went with me did."
He touched the scar on his face, as if the lingering fear still remained.
Ian, meanwhile, felt a surge of emotion.
The so-called Zero-ring Lower Grade and Zero-ring Middle Grade corresponded respectively to First-class Apprentice Witches and Second-class Apprentice Witches.
If he encountered a Zero-ring Middle Grade Magic Beast, he was afraid he would not be a match for it either.
Choosing the Potions Department had indeed been the right choice.
"But compared to the Combat Department, this is nothing!" Logan said with a laugh.
"The Combat Department is even more dangerous?" Ian was somewhat surprised.
"You'll understand once you see William!" Logan shrugged.
At that moment, another knock sounded at the door.
Ian went to open it.
"Boss, long time no see!"
Coro was as flamboyant as ever.
"Come in."
Ian smiled, but then suddenly noticed that Coro was not alone.
"William, Emily, Alfie."
Ian looked at the three emerging figures in delight.
William wore a full suit of plate armor, Emily carried the scent of sulfur and Alchemy Products, while Alfie hid his eyes beneath his hood.
Very soon.
Everyone sat around the table in a circle.
At that moment, Ian felt as if his entire body had relaxed considerably.
Since entering the academy, the group had formed the Mutual Aid Society and spent nearly eight or nine months together.
There was no need to say more about the bond between them.
"It still feels best being with everyone. It's nothing like the front lines." William sat in his chair and let out a breath.
"Yeah. Every day in the Alchemy Department, I just help those Junior Alchemists process materials. I'm practically soaked through with the smell."
Emily stuck out her tongue and complained.
Alfie, beside her, nodded as well.
Ian then turned his gaze toward William and asked curiously, "William, what are the front lines really like now?"
William drew a deep breath, his voice muffled.
"The combat squad I joined was stationed at the edge of the battlefield, but among the teammates who joined with me, I'm the only one still alive. Even my captain, a Second-class Apprentice Witch who had only recently advanced, has already been replaced once."
William did not say much, but he fully revealed the battlefield's brutality.
"But according to Wizard Vivian, this is only the beginning!"
Ian felt somewhat dazed.
He realized that he had still underestimated war.
It was nothing less than a meat grinder.
If one wanted to stay safe, the best way was not to get involved at all.
So I have to enter the Cultivation Sequence!
Ian thought to himself. Only the Cultivation Sequence could probably offer a relatively safe guarantee.
Just as Mickey had said.
Those who did not enter the Cultivation Sequence were nothing but cannon fodder.
"But while there are many dangers, there are just as many opportunities. Although I'm only in an ordinary combat squad, between killing enemies and completing missions, I can probably earn five or six Magic Stones a month," William said.
"That is indeed not bad." Ian nodded.
The compensation truly was good!
It had even surpassed the core departments and was nearly comparable to what he earned as a Junior Potion Master.
The benefits in the core Combat Department were probably even better.
But Ian was not tempted in the slightest. This was completely exchanging one's life for money.
He had the panel and the talent system. As long as he advanced step by step, he could grow stronger. Why take such a risk?
Seeing Ian's uninterested gaze, William's mouth twitched.
Their boss truly had not changed one bit in three months.
"What about you, Emily?" Ian turned to look at Emily.
"I'm just an alchemy assistant right now. I haven't even had the chance to work with anything myself. It'll probably take several years before I have a chance to become a Junior Alchemist!"
Emily sounded helpless.
It was much the same as the Potions Department. Alchemy was also something that required time, especially since she had only just begun learning.
"Ian, how are things with you?"
Emily turned toward Ian, and everyone's gazes finally focused on him.
"Everything's normal. I just advanced to Junior Potion Master!"
Ian did not hide it and answered frankly.
"Junior Potion Master?"
Emily's eyes widened. Only then did she notice the single star on Ian's chest badge.
She drew in a sharp breath.
She did not know how difficult it was to become a Junior Potion Master, but she knew exactly how hard it was to become a Junior Alchemist.
Potion-making was no easier than alchemy.
Hiss!
Coro and Logan were equally shocked.
At the mine, there was only one Junior Potion Master, who strutted around like an old master every day.
They still had to beg him to help prepare potions.
"Ian... you really pulled off something huge without making a sound. Potion Masters are incredibly scarce on the front lines!"
William's teeth ached as well!
The fighting at the front lines was intense, and people were injured every day. Many of them had to rely on Potion Masters, yet there were far too few Potion Masters at the front.
They had originally thought that they would improve more at the front lines, while Ian remained in the safe rear, and in the Potions Department at that.
His development should have been slower, but reality was completely the opposite.
It was simply outrageous!
In an instant, everyone's gaze toward Ian changed once more.
It was as though they had returned to several months ago.
Ian was still Ian. He still firmly held them beneath him, still the head of the Mutual Aid Society!
The Mutual Aid Society gathering lasted through the night.
Only then did everyone disperse.
Before parting, Ian also agreed to prepare some potions for each of them, charging only the cost of materials.
Thus, over the next three days, he prepared one bottle each of the four potions he knew and gave them to the group.
Ian did not feel that it delayed his time.
In this cruel Wizard World, having a few friends one could get along with was more important than the time spent on them.
However, after they left, Ian's schedule became even tighter.
Through their conversation, the brutality of war had been laid bare before him, dripping with blood.
If he did not want to live in constant fear on the battlefield in the future.
Then entering the Cultivation Sequence was essential.
Whether it was becoming an Intermediate Potion Master or a Second-class Wizard, he had to achieve both.
In the blink of an eye.
Another week passed.
"Lesser Sedative Potion breaks through to Master level. Talent +5." "Talent: 195→200." Talent breaks through 200!
Before you continue