Chapter 24: Alchemy

After the classroom ended, Alex, as usual, went to his teacher.

Today was the promised day, his teacher finished his cauldron.

"Teacher" Alex greeted him.

"I have finished your cauldron, your cauldron was in my workshop" He pointed at his workshop door.

"Thank you teacher"

"I want to see Alchemy too, can I?"

"Very welcomed" Alex smiled.

They come inside the workshop. The workshop was spacious, there's a big rusty anvil there. It's must be his teacher's anvil. Beside the anvil was a red cauldron.

Alex carried the cauldron to the other side of the room. He recalled the ingredients used for the grade 1 pill regeneration pill, according to the Pill manual this pill was the most perfect for newbie practice. He put the ingredients inside the cauldron.

He tried to channel his mana out, the mana started forming a palm-size flame. The flame gently burns the ingredients, Alex tried to slowly increase his mana output to raise the flame's temperature. But suddenly he stopped.

The dean surprised. "Why are you stopping?"

"I forgot I need to burn them at different temperatures. If I use my flame just then, won't they be burnt if I raise the temperature to the maximum"

"..." The dean then asked "You can't separate your flame? I thought you can separate them in the arena yesterday?"

Alex shook his head, "I can't. Yesterday I can split the flame ball because I only programmed them with A single command. But for this, I need to control my flame continuously."

"How about you burn them one by one?" The dean advice.

"I will try" Alex nod, he put the ingredient one by one according to their specification.

This time he burns the first ingredient, Mea Leaf. He carefully burns the ingredient with a specific temperature. After Mea leaf was done, he does the second, third, and fourth.

"I already prepared them, now I will mix them together"

The dean nod. Alex continued to burn the ingredients with high temperature, melt them to liquid form. Then he mixed all the ingredients and forming the pill. This time was success.

The pill formed successfully, the pill was a blue colored, but there are many black spots on the pill's surface.

"Is this the pill?" The dean was curious.

Alex nodded "But according to the manual, the pill should only have blue colored. But this pill has many black spots in it." He looked at the Dean.

"Then It's failed?" Alex thought for a while then shake his head. "It's should be a success. How about the teacher try too?"

"Sure I want to try too"

The dean repeats what Alex has done, until performing pill. The pill was almost the same as Alex's, but the black spot was fewer than Alex's pill.

"This pill has fewer black spots than your pill"

Looking at the pill, Alex speculated "It seems my control of flame was the problem. How about teacher make another one, but this time teacher prepared each ingredient at the same time? Can teacher do this?"

"Can I do this? Hey brat, you underestimated me too much. With my control, preparing them together was easy" he snorted and make another one.

After the pill was formed. True, the black spots were much fewer than before.

"Now, it doesn't have many black spots"

"It seems, the ingredients must be prepared at the same time for a better result" Alex nodded.

"let us summary, in short, you need to prepare the ingredients at the same time. This required a great control of our own flame, that means we need to improve our control in magic" The dean sum up.

"The process must consider each ingredient characteristic" Alex added.

"That means you brat must learn to control your magic. Well, it's only a few weeks after you awaken your element. To tell the truth I really envied your talent." The dean sigh.

Alex still silent looking at his teacher.

"But, is Alchemy in the legend this easy?" the dean curious.

"Of course not. According to the manual, the pill just now was the easiest pill to make. Its purpose was to heal a minor wound by amplified the body's metabolism. But even the effect was not that significant. That why this pill generally for newbie training. If you can make the pill without black spot which means without impurities, then you qualified to become alchemist" Alex explained.

"Impurities?"

"Yes, the black spot was the impurities. Impurities in the pill consist of techniques, ingredients, and control. For alchemy, the hardest wasn't to make a pill, but to take a pill without impurities. For pills that have above 40% purity called low-grade pill, for pills that have above 60% purity called mid-grade, for those above 90% called top grade pills, and for no impurities called peak grade pill."

"Hoho, this alchemy was intriguing." The dean was excited.

"But, I need to improved my mana control first."Alex a bit down-cast.

"Haha. Don't mind, how about you learn mana control first, I will search for the ingredients" The dean suggested

After thinking a while Alex nodded "I will write a few recipes, then I will send it to teacher tomorrow"

"Good. With my fortune, there should be no problem to buy in massive quantities."

"Then I will excuse myself"

"Sure, don't forget to practice!"

Alex nodded and left. The night spent, as usual, he buys many food ingredients, he went back and practice a bit, then he sleeps.

The week went by like that. Practice, classes, practice, and sleep. Alex's mana control improved greatly, now he can even cook with only his mana control.

Next week come, today was the day for class ranking. Everybody from class E to S stood in the arena. The dean got in front of the podium, he gives his speech.

"for these three days, we will hold a class ranking tournament. The rules were simple, each class will have a one-on-one to choose rank 1 to rank 10 each respective class. The selected 10 can challenge the higher class. That means if you are from the selected 10, you can challenge those from top 10 from other classes"

"If you manage to defeat other classes, you can move to that class. Please remember, the class you are in after this tournament will determine the resources you can get. Naturally, those from S-class was had the best resources from the academy, while those from the E-class get limited resources. 'My talent should be placed in a better class, you, teachers are wrong placing me in this class' If you have this kind of thought, If you are not satisfied with your current classes. Please make us know we are wrong placing you in your current class. Show your talent, show your might. My student"

Then the dean ends his speech. The cheer erupted. The students feel their blood boil hearing the dean speech. 'I will make sure to get to the higher class' they are determined.

One teacher got to the podium. "With this, This Year challenge ranking tournament, officially start!"

The cheers erupted once more.

The academy's great arena this time replaced with 10 mini arenas within to conduct the battle faster. The battle started from E-class to S-class. In the E-class, all students still yet to reach rank 1. In the D-class there is one student who reaches rank 1. While C and B-class have many ranks 1 in their class.

The surprised came from the battle of A-class. Surprisingly this class has one rank 3. Many people flabbergasted.

When the person in question went up to the arena.

"Munta, Rank 1 Warrior, please to meet you"

"Hmm, Commoner with a power of rank 1 warrior. You are not my match, just scram from here."

Munta was angered, "The matched started"

As soon as the match start, Munta charges at him. But that person blows him away with his greatsword, leaving Munta seriously injured.

"What rank 3?" Many teachers surprised by the student's strength.

Even the dean asked, "Why is he not in S-class?"

"His name is Garu Tekuis, the son of count Tekuis. He has rank 3 even though barely, but he almost 20 years old. Adding he still not awaken his element, so we put him in A-class.

The dean nod after hearing the report. The current class was distributed from their potential. So Garu's potential was so-so since he almost 20 years old.

The battle continued, with Garu become number one in A-class. Now the battle for S-class started.

"Igu Vs Joshua". Igu was a 17 years old rank 1 warrior, while he has awakened his element, he still can't use it. While Joshua was a rank 2 earth mage.

"You better surrender" Joshua look down on Igu.

"I will try my best, Please guide me" Igu shook his head.

"Don't say I didn't warn you" Joshua enraged, this Igu was also a commoner. Alex who was a commoner become Igu's inspiration. So he at least wants to stand up against the nobles too like Alex.

"Earth below me, hear my command. Awaken and bite my enemy. EARTH SNAKE". 4 snake golems come charging at Igu.

Igu tries to dodge and parried the snake attack. But Igu didn't have many experiences in a fight. So Igu can only fight the golems just barely. Suddenly one of the snakes succeed to attack his hand, Igu flesh was splattered because of the bite.

"Aaargh..." Igu Screamed.

The other golems use this chance to attack Igu again. Igu's blood and flesh were splattered on the arena. Igu fainted.

Looking at this, The referee immediately stops the match with Joshua win.

"I already give you a chance to surrendered but not taking it, fools" Joshua snorted

Alex frowned. It seems after losing to him, Joshua becomes more ruthless. He looked at Alicia's pale face,

"Princess" He worried.

"Ah..Alex" She gasped, her face was pale. Though she often followed Alex to kill monsters. She used to see blood and flesh. But the one she sees now was human flesh and blood. Though when the other class fighting, there will be wound and blood on their bodies. But what Joshua did was different, he was cruel and merciless.

"Alex.." She turned to Alex grabbed his hand, not wanting to see the arena. She buried her face in Alex's hand, trembling.

Looking at Alicia, Alex wanted to console her but don't know what to say. So he just maintains his silence.

Firia was looking at Alicia and Alex too. She wondering if she should copy what Alicia did. Eventually, she rejected the idea.

Not long after, Firia's turn comes. She said goodbye to Alex.

"Firia Vs Lina"

Lina Elrifa, the first daughter of baron Elrifa. She is 1 year older than Firia who is 17 years old. Both have awakened the same element which is fire element.

"The fire in my body, hear my command. Manifest your self as a ball to burn my enemy" As soon as the match start, the two of them chant the same spell.

"FIREBALL" soon 2 fireballs crashed, but Faria's fireball was stronger. Lina was caught off guard when she sees Firia's fireball still charged at her. She underestimated Firia. She pushed herself to the side, barely dodging the fireball.

"The fire in my body, hear my command. Manifest yourself as my spear and strike my enemy. FIRE SPEAR" not giving her opponent chance, Firia immediately chants another magic.

Before the fire spear hit Lina. The referee got in front of her and erected a shield. He then announced. "Firia Win"

Firia got in front of Lina, she helps her up.

"Nice Match" She smiled.

"Thank you" Lina took her hand. The cheers erupted. Firia as one of the capital goddess has many fans. Many fans of her started cheering 'My goddess' 'beautiful' and many others.

After Firia's match, now it's Alicia's turn.

"Alex, it is my turn"

"Please be careful Princess"

"Yes!" Hearing Alex response, she left while grinning happily