Silence fell over the crowd, the previous chatter ceasing in an instant. A solemn atmosphere enveloped them, the air feeling heavier with each passing moment.
Three minutes later, the recruitment instructors led their respective new students to the coffins, where they gazed at the deceased inside. Some had met horrific fates, their bodies severed in half, while others bore expressions of fear frozen on their faces, their gray eyes wide open as if they might leap from their sockets at any moment.
Finally, one new student couldn’t hold back and rushed aside to vomit.
After everyone had looked, a middle-aged man standing at the podium continued, “Allow me to introduce myself. My name is Jamie, the principal of the Genosha branch.”
“Everyone here undoubtedly possesses the talent of a Beast Master and is among the fortunate. The unfortunate ones now lie in their coffins.”
A deep silence enveloped the gathering, an oppressive stillness hanging in the air.
Principal Jamie continued, “There’s not much more to say. You face three choices: first, drop out and become an ordinary Beast Master, one who cannot control their own destiny.
Second, remain in the academy and do nothing, unwilling to strive towards becoming stronger. The outcome of this path will either be expulsion or death in some unfortunate accident!
Third, unleash your talents to the fullest, adjust your mindset to one of fearlessness, and work tirelessly to elevate your strength, becoming true warriors!”
“Tell me, which path do you wish to take?” Jamie turned the microphone towards all the new students, and they shouted in unison, “The third path! The third path!”
“Excellent. It seems there are no cowards among you. Next, I’ll leave you with some important details to be explained by your recruitment instructors,” Jamie said before turning and leaving.
—
“Remember, today there’s nothing else to do. Tomorrow morning, we’ll have class division battles. Out of the forty-two of you, only the top fifteen will enter Class A; the rest will be in Class B,” Hale reminded them after finishing the announcements.
“Teacher Hale, what’s the difference between Class A and Class B?” Jace asked. freewebnoveℓ.com
Hale thought for a moment before explaining, “The educational resources and benefits differ between classes. Class A has stronger teaching staff, all of whom are seventh-tier Beast Masters, and Class A students can use all equipment and facilities without limitation.”
In reality, Cyber Academy had abundant resources and wasn’t lacking in educational support for the twenty or so students. The class battles were just a way to better simulate real-world competition and differentiate among students.
“By the way, students in Class B can challenge Class A students every two weeks. If they win, they can move up to Class A; if they lose, they’ll have to drop down to Class B,” Hale added.
Charles, Catherine, Sadie, and Jace nodded, making sure to remember the rules.
With no further announcements, Catherine immediately headed to the training rooms, while Sadie and Jace also departed.
Charles was left alone, planning to spend some time at the alchemist guild to get certified as a mid-level alchemist. He wanted to do this because achieving that level would grant him various benefits from the guild, including the ability to purchase alchemical materials at prices lower than market value.
At the Genosha Calivia alchemist guild, after filling out the necessary forms and paying a hefty sum of silver coins, he signed up for the assessment. Now he sat in the alchemy room, waiting for the examiner to arrive.
“Hey, look, that guy is really young. He must be here to certify as a low-level alchemist,” some others in the alchemy room murmured.
“Getting certified as a low-level alchemist at such a young age shows some talent,” one of the Beast Masters remarked.
“Wait, look at the materials in front of him; they seem the same as ours!” another chimed in.
“Let me see… You’re right! Could he also be here for the mid-level alchemist certification?”
One of the older Beast Masters, with a shifting expression, said, “Maybe he’s just here to test the waters. I’ve seen plenty of young people who think too highly of themselves.”
“True, at his age, he’s more likely to be a low-level alchemist. He might still be far from mid-level,” the other agreed.
“Silence!” a commanding voice echoed, and the alchemy room fell silent.
All the alchemists turned their attention to the figure standing on the podium. Some were so excited they could barely keep their balance. The examiner today was none other than Owen, the president of the Genosha Calivia Alchemy Guild—a master-level alchemist!
“Since I have some free time today, I’m here to observe the alchemists taking the exam and see what their levels are like. Don’t be nervous; just proceed as you normally would,” Owen, in his fifties, said while stroking his beard, his demeanor kind and reassuring.
His gaze swept the room before landing on Charles. He announced in a clear voice, “The rules remain the same. Today’s assessment miracle drug is the regenerating potion. The one who produces a high-quality potion in the shortest amount of time will successfully pass the certification.”
“Now, the assessment officially begins!”
With that command, all the alchemists sprang into action.
Charles, however, took his time, carefully observing the materials in front of him. One onlooker couldn’t help but mock him, saying, “That kid clearly doesn’t stand a chance. Does he really need to look at the materials? Aren’t they all the same?”
Just as his words left his mouth, a plume of black smoke erupted from the alchemy apparatus in front of him, completely destroying the materials he had just separated!
“What’s happening? Is there something wrong with my materials?” He stared in disbelief at the chaos in the alchemy lab, then raised his hand to say, “Examiner, my materials are defective! I request a retake!”
The warmth on Owen’s face vanished, replaced by a stern expression. “As an alchemist, you should at least check your materials first. If you can’t even manage that, perhaps you should go back and review the alchemy apprentice manual!”
“Wha—this…” The man left the alchemy room, looking dejected.
The remaining alchemists, seeing this, began to emulate Charles, meticulously checking their own materials to avoid a similar fate.
Meanwhile, Charles had already started separating his materials to brew the regenerating potion.
“It’s fine; he looks so young, he must not have much experience…” One person was still speaking when Charles summoned a cold flame, causing the temperature in the alchemy room to drop noticeably.
The alchemists who had been focused on their material checks lifted their heads in shock, exclaiming, “What! How can his flame temperature be so low?”
“The lower the temperature, the better the effect. Could this kid really be an alchemy genius?”
“Look at his separation technique—so skilled, there isn’t a single mistake. He could be a textbook example!”
Not only were the other alchemists stunned, but even Owen, the president of the alchemy guild, paused his beard-stroking to watch Charles closely as he crafted the regenerating potion.
Separation, low-temperature flame, fusion… Each step was executed flawlessly, the entire process remarkably smooth.
Owen couldn’t help but think that Charles’s alchemy level was already nearing that of a high-level alchemist!
Eventually, some alchemists snapped back to reality and hurriedly began working on their own regenerating potions. By the time they were halfway through, Charles had already completed his.
The two alchemists who had mocked him initially considered giving up, but the others urged them, “Wait! His regenerating potion might not be effective. There’s still a chance!”
Owen approached Charles, carefully taking the regenerating potion from him. He examined it closely before pouring a small amount into his mouth to taste.
His eyes lit up, and he announced, “The assessment is over! Charles has successfully completed the mid-level alchemist certification!”
Ignoring the despondent alchemists, Owen smiled at Charles and said, “Congratulations on becoming a mid-level alchemist! Your alchemical techniques are outstanding. Which alchemist trained you?”
Owen’s question hinted at a desire to take Charles on as a disciple. An eighteen-year-old mid-level alchemist was rare, especially one with such meticulous technique.
However, when Charles mentioned he had no teacher and was a student at Cyber Academy, Owen’s smile faded. He realized that another master within the academy surpassed him, and their relationship was strained.
With that thought, Owen dismissed the idea of mentorship and proceeded with the certification process, knowing he had other commitments, including arranging for his granddaughter to visit the Forging Masters Guild the next day.
A few hours later, Charles held a brass badge embossed with the alchemist guild’s symbol, marking his official status as a mid-level alchemist. He reflected on the costs—despite the alchemist’s discount, he’d spent a substantial amount on materials for the revival pill, estimating he could attempt the crafting thirteen times.
“I refuse to believe I can’t succeed at least once with those thirteen tries!” Charles was determined to secure that emerald-quality mystical beast egg. Originally, he intended to check out the Forging Masters Guild to seek certification as a high-level forger and find materials needed to upgrade his black gold long knife.
However, the day was drawing to a close, and he needed to prepare for the class battles scheduled for tomorrow.
Charles decided to head back to Cyber Academy for a good night’s rest. Tomorrow’s class division battle was approaching, and he was eager to see just how strong the geniuses of Genosha really were!