The Mimic

On Thursday, Lynch arrived at the security company first thing in the morning.

He also brought Rozanne a huge pile of breakfast food, startling her so much that she almost thought he'd brought her enough to eat for the whole day.

Fortunately, Lynch said he'd eat whatever she couldn't finish. He hadn't eaten breakfast.

He was so excited that he couldn't eat in the morning. He hadn't even slept the night before.

"There's another portion of breakfast for me here. I'll eat it after I take the Potion."

Lynch was beaming.

Rozanne, however, looked a little worried. "Do you really have to become a Beyonder? Isn't things being the way they are good enough?"

She'd already heard what happened the day before, and it had really frightened her. Lynch had nearly died, yet he still wanted to become a Beyonder.

"You know what happened yesterday. I experienced it firsthand. If I had the ability, I could protect the Captain instead of risking my life to help him. I think I'd be safer as a Beyonder. Don't you?"

"Maybe, but..."

Rozanne still wanted to say more, but Lynch covered her mouth.

"All right, I've made up my mind. I won't regret it!"

After saying that, he hurried down the stairs to find Dunn in the basement.

Dunn was on duty at Chanis Gate today, so he definitely wouldn't be in his own office.

Sure enough, when Lynch went over, Dunn was already in the small office beside Chanis Gate.

Seeing Lynch arrive, he put out the cigarette in his hand.

"Sorry, I'm just used to doing this."

Lynch quickly waved his hand. "I don't mind, really, Captain. Go ahead and smoke."

Dunn laughed.

"You don't need to be so restrained, Lynch. You know you're one of us now. We're teammates. If there's anything you're uncomfortable with, you can say so."

Lynch said he wasn't uncomfortable, but Dunn didn't believe him.

He thought Lynch was always selfless, and that he only said he didn't mind because he didn't want to make things awkward for a teammate.

After all, Dunn had never seen anyone quit smoking and still be able to tolerate other people smoking.

"Captain, I really don't mind... All right, I mind a little. I just want to become a Beyonder, so I've been overlooking that."

Lynch didn't want to keep arguing with Dunn, so he quickly explained what he really thought.

Saving Dunn yesterday had been unavoidable. If that black-robed man hadn't attacked Dunn, Lynch definitely wouldn't have gotten involved. But the man had attacked Dunn in a dream, practically offering himself up to be caught by Dunn. Of course Lynch had to find a way to make him understand the situation.

Otherwise, if the man got caught by Dunn and accidentally revealed their plan, Lynch would be done for.

It just felt like Dunn and the others treated him better now.

Before, they'd considered him a good teammate. Now, it felt like they treated him like a little brother.

Lynch felt a little guilty.

But he quickly pushed that guilt aside. Thinking about the Beyonder he was about to become, he excitedly rubbed his hands together.

"Captain, when can I take the Potion?"

Dunn's expression grew heavy. He looked at Lynch for a long while before asking seriously, "Have you really made up your mind?"

Lynch nodded vigorously.

He couldn't have been more serious.

"All right. I'll have Brazier watch Chanis Gate for a while. Come with me. I'll prepare the Potion for you. Old Neil is off today."

Lynch: ...

What the hell?

Why was Old Neil off today?

He'd been planning to use this as a chance to expose the eyes on Old Neil's back!

And could Dunn really prepare a Potion?

What if he got it wrong?

Dunn could tell Lynch's reaction was a little over the top. He shook his head with an amused smile.

"Preparing Potions below Sequence 7 is very simple. You could do it yourself. I'm just worried you'll be too nervous and mess it up. Don't worry. I've taken a Potion before, so I know the process."

Lynch: ...

If I've eaten pork, does that mean I can butcher a pig?

Those are two different professions, all right?

"Of course, you can wait until tomorrow and have Old Neil prepare it for you."

Dunn said with a laugh.

Lynch thought it over seriously for a second, then refused.

He couldn't wait until tomorrow.

"Let's go! There's still one set of Sleepless Potion ingredients left, so I found it for you last night and brought it out this morning. We can start right away."

Dunn opened the box and took out a sheet of parchment.

He unfolded the parchment and set it beside them.

Lynch immediately leaned over to look.

He needed to memorize the Sleepless Potion formula. Then he could sell it at the Tarot Club or some other Beyonder gathering.

Main ingredients: one Midnight Beauty Flower, a pair of eyes from a Six-legged Owl.

Auxiliary ingredients: 80 milliliters of strong liquor, 10 drops of Night Fragrance Herb essential oil...

Lynch went over the ingredients in his mind again and again as he memorized them. He especially couldn't forget the main ingredients.

Of course, he shouldn't forget the auxiliary ingredients either. If he did, he'd lose a lot of money!

As Lynch memorized the formula, he watched Dunn put the ingredients into a large pot one by one. Dunn stirred them a few times, then poured the mixture into a cup.

"That should do it. This is about the same color as the Potion I took."

Dunn sighed as he pushed the cup of foul-smelling, dark liquid toward Lynch.

Lynch looked horrified.

Could this thing really be drunk?

"It's drinkable. Give it a try. It shouldn't taste too bad?"

Then why did you say that like it was a question?

Lynch really wanted to smash the cup, but he couldn't bear to. He could only fight back his disgust and pour the liquid into his mouth.

Blech!

This stuff was like slop.

And it was especially sour and bitter.

At the same time, the Potion he'd swallowed began spreading through his limbs and body. He could see lines made up of all kinds of colors appear before his eyes.

He couldn't touch the lines, and they quickly faded into colors.

At the same time, his field of vision rose. He saw his own bent-over figure on the ground, Dunn's worried expression, and the Stone of Myriad Phenomena floating before his eyes.

He reached out and touched the Stone of Myriad Phenomena. At once, he felt a closer connection forming between them.

Before, he and the Stone of Myriad Phenomena had seemed like partners. Now, he sensed that he had gained a little control over it.

He blinked and looked at Dunn again.

A Mimic could imitate the ability of a Sequence 9 they had come into close contact with. They might also take on habits from someone of that Pathway.

For now, he could imitate only one Pathway: Sleepless. It was clearly Dunn's. Imitate!

Lynch closed his eyes, then opened them again a moment later.

He reached out and touched the Stone of Myriad Phenomena. His gaze softened.

The Stone of Myriad Phenomena rubbed against his Spirituality, then slipped into the space between his brows.

The colors before his eyes quickly faded. Lynch's thoughts returned to his body, and the scene in the alchemy room returned to normal. He immediately felt refreshed, vigor filling his whole body.

His mind, which had been somewhat tired before, now felt sharp and full of energy. He looked toward the dark corner, and the place that had been a little blurry quickly became clear.

Then he looked toward Chanis Gate. He could sense danger lurking there.

That was only natural. There were many Sealed Artifacts inside, so danger was to be expected. He just hadn't sensed it before, and its sudden appearance made him a little uncomfortable.

Fortunately, he soon found he could control the sensation freely.

Lynch turned and took another quick look at the Sleepless Potion formula.

Oh no. He'd forgotten the entire formula.