Chapter Fifty-Nine: Apprentice of the Third Rank

The atmosphere in the room instantly dropped to freezing point. Linsey was momentarily at a loss for words, unsure how to answer Hugues’s question. Hugues noticed this as well, and without another word, the two sat in silence, the quiet between them growing heavier.

Finally, after a long pause, Linsey managed to speak. “All I can tell you is that the Vitality Potion is the key for a level-three apprentice to advance to a full-fledged sorcerer.”

“Mm,” Hugues replied, sensing that anything related to becoming a true sorcerer was a taboo subject within the Shadow Ring.

“When does the evaluation take place?” Hugues didn’t want a simple issue to sour their relationship. Besides, it was clear Linsey had her own difficulties.

“There’s one month left. The assessment lasts five days. But it’s a shame that only apprentices like you can participate. Those of us who’ve been stuck at level three for years have no chance.” As she spoke, Linsey even pretended to wipe away tears from her eyes.

“Then I still have time!” Hugues felt confident he could take part in the level-three apprentice assessment. In half a month, his mental rune would be fully outlined. With his extraordinary spiritual power, it shouldn’t pose much trouble.

Having obtained the information he sought, Hugues left Linsey’s shop. The once-bustling trading area was now eerily quiet, as if everyone had gone to prepare for the assessment a month away. It made sense; after the recent secret realm incident, only level-two and level-three apprentices remained in the Shadow Ring. This assessment would see all of them participate.

“Hm?” Just as Hugues was about to return to his dorm, he saw several people standing by his door—including Jessica.

“Is there something you need?” Hugues approached, his tone cold and direct.

He knew well enough what they wanted: to ask where Jessica’s potion had come from, and now they’d come with her to buy potions from him.

“I… they… Hugues…” Jessica, standing behind the group, heard his tone and realized it would be hard to ask him for favors in the future.

“So you’re Hugues? The prodigy alchemist said to appear once in a century?” A silver-haired youth among them spoke with an air of arrogance, his sharp, cold eyes fixed intently on Hugues.

Hugues met his gaze calmly, unperturbed.

“I don’t know about being a once-in-a-century prodigy, but if you’re looking for Hugues, that’s me,” Hugues replied, arms folded, leaning casually against his door.

“Very well. I am Karsonla, of the Pinot family—you must have heard of us.” As he mentioned his family, the youth proudly displayed his family crest for Hugues to see.

Hugues remained leaning against the door, waiting for Karsonla to continue.

“I hear you can brew Nature Potions. I want you to make a batch for our team. As for the price—”

Before Karsonla could finish, Hugues cut him off. “Sorry, I don’t have time. If you want potions, go to Linsey’s shop—he handles all my sales.” Without waiting for a reaction, Hugues opened his door and stepped inside.

With a bang, the door shut behind him, leaving Karsonla standing outside with a sour expression.

“Hugues!” Karsonla spat the name through gritted teeth and stalked off with his entourage.

Entering someone’s dorm without permission was strictly forbidden in the Shadow Ring. Considering Hugues’s reputation, if things escalated, the academy might not even take Karsonla’s side. He had no choice but to let it go.

“Boss, that Hugues is too arrogant! How could he treat you like that?”

“Yeah, boss, should we get someone to teach him a lesson?” Two of Karsonla’s lackeys couldn’t contain themselves.

“Hmph! No rush. He won’t get away. I just hope he doesn’t end up in my hands during the assessment.” Karsonla had never been treated this way before—people usually showed him only the utmost respect.

After sending Karsonla and his group away, Hugues returned to his dorm and hung a “Do Not Disturb” sign on his door.

He wasn’t afraid of Karsonla. His chip’s analysis showed Karsonla was just a newly advanced level-two apprentice. Such a person was no longer worth Hugues’s concern.

In the days that followed, Hugues left his dorm only for meals and once to deliver potions to Linsey. Otherwise, he kept entirely to himself.

Linsey’s shop, thanks to Hugues’s potions, saw a surge in sales, becoming the hottest spot around. Word soon spread that all the potions in Linsey’s shop came from Hugues’s hand, cementing his reputation as a once-in-a-century prodigy alchemist.

People who’d once doubted the rumors about Hugues could now see the array of potions in Linsey’s shop—including some rare Nature Potions—causing all skepticism to vanish. Many admired his alchemical talent, while even more began to scheme how to draw him into their own factions.

Over just a few days, people continually sought Hugues out, hoping to recruit him with generous offers—all of which he declined.

Linsey learned of this and enlisted several families to help fend off those seeking Hugues.

Seeing Linsey’s family had become involved, the others gradually left Hugues in peace.

“At last, some quiet!” Hugues sighed. He’d been so harried by various factions and teams that his advancement to level-three apprentice had been delayed.

He opened his drawer and took out a vial of Focus Potion, setting it in his palm.

His advancement had already been postponed a few days beyond his original plan. He decided today was the day to ascend to level three.

Without hesitation, he uncorked the vial and drank the potion, crossing his legs to begin meditation.

“Chip! Transmit the final mental rune!”

“Beep! Transmitting!”

As the chip’s mechanical voice sounded, Hugues began outlining the last mental rune in his mind.

Time slipped by, minute after minute, as the final rune gradually took shape.

At last, a streak of violet light flickered in his mind.

Hugues’s consciousness arrived in a misty gray space.

“Where am I? Wasn’t I meditating and outlining the mental rune to advance to level-three apprentice? How did I end up in such a strange place?” Hugues opened his eyes, studying this bizarre environment.

“What’s this?” As he looked around in curiosity, he noticed eighteen symbols floating overhead.

He recognized them immediately—they were the eighteen mental runes he had painstakingly meditated upon.

The eighteen runes formed a circle above him, spinning slowly. One, however, glowed violet, while the rest appeared translucent.

Hugues realized the violet rune was the final one he’d just completed.

As he pondered why it was violet, the rune suddenly flared, bathing the space in purple light.

The brilliance was so intense Hugues had to shield his eyes.

After three minutes, the light slowly faded. When he looked up again, half of the eighteen runes now glowed violet, the rest still translucent.

He glanced around—the once gray space had taken on a faint purple hue.

While he was still wondering where he was, darkness fell over his vision. He lost consciousness for a moment, and when light returned, he found himself back in his room.

“Beep! Host’s spiritual power has changed. Host has advanced to level-three apprentice; spiritual leap in progress.”

The moment he opened his eyes, Hugues heard the chip’s mechanical voice.

“Beep! Host’s spiritual power increasing!”

Before he could speak, a wave of dizziness struck him, as if someone had knocked him out.

Even so, through the haze, Hugues could feel his spiritual power steadily growing.