Arrival

Holding the scroll Mentor Lilian had given him, Green hurried back to his room. He opened the door and immediately sat cross-legged on the bed.

He took the scroll from his arms. It was ochre-yellow, round, and cylindrical. A layer of parchment wrapped around its surface, while both ends were set with emerald-green gems. Green could clearly feel energy radiating from within them.

Following Mentor Lilian's instructions, Green closed his eyes and slowly released his Mental Power, delving deep into the scroll.

"What a peculiar perspective." Within the scroll, Green felt as though he were browsing an e-book.

"Chip, scan the contents. Record them, then transmit them to me."

[Entering data]

After using the Chip to rapidly transmit the knowledge into his brain, Green quickly discovered something unusual. The scroll Mentor Lilian had given him contained some private additions. It included not only the fundamentals of Alchemy, but also many of her personal insights and several practical little tricks for potion-making. Clearly, as the only apprentice the Extreme School had accepted in all these years, Mentor Lilian favored Green greatly.

Only after browsing all the knowledge did Green realize why Mentor Lilian had been so shocked by the Life Potion he had made!

According to the introduction at the beginning of the scroll, Alchemy, Formation Studies, and Witch-Tool Crafting were known as the Wizarding World's three great bottomless pits. Those who entered these three fields would ultimately choose to study one of their subsidiary disciplines. The most outrageous of them all was Alchemy. Because medicinal ingredients possessed different innate effects, every potion refinement contained subtle differences. These differences could only be observed through accumulated experience, causing the cost of training an alchemist to increase severalfold!

Even a skilled alchemist had only about a fifty percent success rate when refining a potion he was extremely familiar with. More often, an alchemist's success rate hovered around thirty percent. When refining a new potion, a five percent success rate was already cause for gratitude. More often than not, dozens of attempts would end in failure. For advanced and special potions, the success rate was even lower.

An alchemist was a profession built entirely by piling up vast resources. Every refinement required the alchemist's Mental Power fluctuations to match perfectly, extreme fine-tuning of elemental energy, precise control of the trace elements in the ingredients, and complete mastery of changes in medicinal properties and external energy. As a result, advanced alchemists were exceedingly rare, and advanced potions were impossible to obtain even at a high price.

The abstract experience alchemists required was extremely difficult to pass on. Everyone's perceptive ability was different, and the gap in talent between Wizards was enormous. Even teaching someone hand in hand was exceptionally difficult. This was also why potions were so expensive throughout the Wizarding World.

Of course, great difficulty and great risk also meant great rewards. A single advanced potion could even allow a Wizard to break through his current stage. Every advanced potion would stir up a bloody storm. Even lesser potions cost as much as a dozen Magic Stones in the Wizarding World.

Thinking of Magic Stones, Green felt a headache coming on. Among Wizards, currency was no longer something like gold coins, but Magic Stones mined from underground mineral veins. These Magic Stones emitted a peculiar radiating energy and could serve as energy sources, supplying power. They could also be used as experimental materials and incorporated into experiments. Magic Stones were conglomerations of elements and the finest hard currency. They had always served as the currency among Wizards.

"But if I can learn Alchemy and master potion formulation, Magic Stones won't be a problem for me. With the Chip, I can perform extremely precise operations. Coupled with its simulation function, as long as I minimize external interference while refining potions, my success rate should be very high." At this thought, another trace of a smile rose across Green's face.

"Even if that doesn't work, I can use the old method to make the Life Potion. No, that's not right—it should be called the Lesser Life Potion. That can solve my Magic Stone troubles too." Green's heart settled completely, and he devoted himself wholeheartedly to Alchemy.

In the time that followed, aside from eating, washing, and occasionally going up to the deck to bask in the sun, Green spent nearly all his time in his room studying Alchemy and meditating. At other times, no one saw even a shadow of him. Yet whenever he appeared on the deck, Green caused a commotion. Everyone only dared to gaze at him furtively from a distance, and no blind fool came looking for trouble.

Green was more than happy with that arrangement. It was best when no one disturbed him. Once, however, while on the deck, Green saw Robert with his left arm wrapped in thick plaster and an iron hook fitted to his right hand, though no one knew where he had obtained it. After Green's blow, Robert had matured considerably. He was no longer acting as though Heaven was first, Earth second, and he third. Instead, calm showed in his eyes. When he encountered Green, he even bowed specially to apologize. It was not an apology forced by superior strength, but one that seemed to come from the bottom of his heart. Green could even sense gratitude in his voice.

Time slipped away unnoticed.

During the days aboard the ship, Green had completely mastered everything concerning beginner potions. However, he did not show it. Instead, he planned to wait until they reached the Academy before asking Mentor Lilian for guidance. Green knew full well that he could appear as talented as a genius, but being too much of a genius might invite trouble.

Bang!!! A faint tremor came through. It was the sensation felt only when the ship was docking.

"We've reached the Pale Woods! All apprentices of White House Academy, pay attention! Take your personal belongings and prepare to disembark!" Bru's voice echoed throughout the ship, reaching the ears of every apprentice.

"Have we finally arrived?" Green gathered his things and left the room where he had stayed for three months.

"Ante, Robert, Gala, the three of you count the numbers!" Bru stood on the deck, holding a gigantic staff as he spoke to the leaders of the three factions.

"Yes, Lord Bru." The three nodded and began counting the people.

Over the past three months, the factions among the apprentices aboard the ship had continued to shift, eventually forming three large groups: Ante's Three-Eye Alliance, Robert's Guardians Alliance, and Gala's Marauders Alliance.

The Three-Eye Alliance and the Marauders Alliance were enemies of each other, while the Guardians Alliance had been organized by Robert. Its main members were those unwilling to join either alliance and become embroiled in their struggles.

The Academy was happy to see this sort of competition and naturally would not interfere. Although the White Wizard Organization did not advocate cruel competition, it still supported a certain degree of healthy rivalry.

After the headcount was completed, Bru led the group down from the deck. Green was among them. Lilian had already left, instructing Green to follow Bru to complete the new-student registration procedures before going to find her.