Apprentice Notes

"Roy, you actually know sorcery!"

The situation had changed so rapidly that Renion was left dumbfounded. It took him quite a while to recover.

Andov also muttered, "You rascal, you didn't say a word before. So you've been secretly studying all along!"

As companions who often spent time together, none of them had known about this. No wonder Potterning had been completely unprepared.

Once they came to their senses, they all found it utterly unbelievable.

Seeing someone around them suddenly rise to prominence without saying a word was far more shocking than hearing about some unrelated person making a comeback and working hard to improve.

Even though the battle had already ended, they still felt dazed and could hardly believe it.

That Roy...

Could he be aiming to become an Advanced Apprentice?

Renion, Andov, and the others exchanged glances before suddenly realizing this possibility.

By then, they might have to call him Senior Roy!

Roy recalled the Animate Chain, held it in his hand, dismounted, and searched Potterning's belongings.

After rummaging around for a while, he was greatly surprised. "How is this guy even poorer than me?"

Renion finally recovered and walked over to take a look. "Maybe he spent all his resources on various studies and experiments."

That was the guess he had formed based on what he had seen and heard. Many apprentices did the same.

The result was that they ended up so poor they could hear their own pockets ringing.

Roy nodded. "Looks like even old apprentices have a hard time getting by!"

According to the information he had gathered, Potterning had indeed mastered a type of Alchemy Witchcraft called "Elemental Refinement," allowing him to produce things such as Elemental Potions.

Next, he might even be able to refine simple Elemental Orbs and fire them as attacks infused with several degrees of energy.

But just like Roy's gradual development of all kinds of uses for his Mage Body, these things required resources, time, and effort.

Mediocre apprentices with poor aptitude relied even more heavily on money and resources.

They did not have convenient advantages such as Alchemy Talent.

Renion searched through the belongings and prepared to help drag the corpse to a nearby hill for disposal. Then a book that appeared to be an Apprentice Notes caught his attention.

"He didn't even forget to bring it while traveling. Could it be his insights into learning sorcery?"

Without a second thought, Renion picked it up and began flipping through it.

Roy frowned deeply. "Why didn't you check it first? What if it's poisonous?"

"Poisons are so expensive. How could he bear to waste one?

"Besides, who would go out of their way to poison something they carry with them?"

Renion really could not understand Roy.

This fellow was clearly powerful, yet he was overly cautious.

Roy ignored him. He stepped forward and carefully examined it with his Spiritual Power.

Only after confirming that it contained no Witchcraft Energy or toxins did he relax and stuff it into his robe without the slightest hesitation.

"We'll read it together after we get back!"

To prevent complications, everyone hurried up and began the return journey.

Potterning's group were not the only ones who would ambush other apprentices halfway there.

Quite a few other apprentices specialized in such underhanded schemes as well.

They did not even care who their target was. If they happened to run into someone, they would make a profit without investing anything.

It was much faster than scrimping and saving every day.

Fortunately, the journey passed without incident. They returned safely and did not even miss the cafeteria's closing time.

"Ah, that's wonderful!"

"We came back to hot food and didn't miss mealtime!"

After returning to a safe place and eating their cheerful meal, everyone in the team was so moved that tears nearly welled up in their eyes.

This encounter had actually been quite dangerous.

If Roy had not displayed such unexpected abilities, they would probably have ended up like the unlucky victims in the many rumors they had heard before—robbed and murdered.

After eating their fill, Roy asked everyone to stay. He took out the notebook Potterning had carried with him, and they began looking through it together.

Sure enough, it was a set of study notes he had copied down. It recorded many insights related to "Elemental Refinement," as well as research into the corresponding potion—the Elemental Potion.

The basic knowledge was universal, but everyone's insights and the things they developed from them varied greatly.

These things certainly could not be considered precious in the entire Wizarding World.

However, for apprentices with limited access to information, they could be said to be quite rare.

Roy had studied the Animate spell and knew how difficult it was to figure out such things on his own, so he read with particular seriousness.

However, in such a short time, he could only skim through it once and roughly organize the framework of Elemental Power.

"This actually originated from the knowledge of the mages in the Arcane World.

"The wizards extracted the four elements that were easy for them to understand and apply and commonly found in nature, then integrated them into their sorcery system, forming Elemental Wizards and related Mage Body Modifications.

"Those Four Great Elements are water, fire, ice, and lightning.

"Of course, there are various other elements as well. They belong to relatively profound advanced secret arts and are rarely learned during the Apprentice Stage."

Alchemy held that all matter was composed of the four great elements: water, fire, wind, and earth.

However, these elements were different from those elements. "Elemental Refinement" concerned an arcane attribute concept, not the material composition concept of alchemy.

Potterning was not an alchemist. He was instead a Spellcaster who leaned toward the "Artillery Mage" type, which was why he understood it this way.

If he had been a chemist, he would probably have recorded chemical element concepts such as Hydrogen, Helium, and Lithium.

"You can actually infuse ordinary Black Powder with the power of the Fire Elemental? These are insights into making Enchanted Gunpowder.

"The hearts or Magic Cores of certain fire-attributed magical beasts can also be refined into one-time Enchanted Items, unleashing attacks ranging from over ten degrees to several dozen degrees!"

After reading this, everyone was horrified and even felt a lingering fear.

"If I remember correctly, the power of a Level 1 Sorcery should be at least forty degrees.

"An apprentice using such an item could actually approach that level. That's terrifying."

But as they continued reading, they relaxed again.

Refining such things was indeed not easy.

Potterning's rough accounts showed that he had wasted money in one experiment after another. All his capital and luck had been spent mastering "Elemental Refinement," leaving him with no reserves.

The few experimental products he had made had also been used up during missions.

He had not even had time to return to the Witch Tower to replenish them.

Moreover, judging from the rough accounts, it was not hard to infer that he had only mastered ordinary Alchemical Bombs with a power of around ten degrees.

As for the "Fireball Crystals" refined from magical beast hearts or Magic Cores, whose power rivaled that of Level 1 Sorcery, he had not even dared to touch them.

Making Enchanted Gunpowder was risky. If an accident occurred, it could blow the maker to pieces.

Potterning's wretched appearance was not something he had been born with. He had been blown up.

But... with the Black Iron Rank Talent Skilled Worker and an Alchemy Machine, could Roy ensure his safety?

Holding the notebook, Roy suddenly thought of this.