Chapter Eighty-Two: The Beginning

Obtaining the branches of the Calamity Tree had spared Hughes a great deal of trouble, relieving him from the tedious inquiries he would otherwise have had to make. “Now, I can begin attempting to craft the Guidance Guardian,” he thought. With the open lectures still some time away, Hughes resolved to use this interval to forge the Guidance Guardian.

He carefully laid out the materials he had gathered on the table. Over the past year, Hughes had used his chip to amass a wealth of knowledge in both alchemy and enchantment. The intricacies of alchemy proved particularly vexing; its branches were numerous, each as vast and deep as the sea. Even his specialty, potion-making, was but one major branch of alchemy, as referenced in many tomes on the subject.

Nevertheless, the resources he had collected were sufficient for the creation of the Guidance Guardian.

The origins of alchemy were as its name suggested: a quest for gold, the ultimate wealth. People experimented by blending various non-metals and base metals, hoping to produce gold—a futile endeavor, as it turned out. They soon realized that the heart of alchemy lay in “equivalent exchange.”

“Decomposition, restructuring, and reconstitution, breathing new life into matter!” This was the essence of alchemy.

In its infancy, it was merely called alchemical technique. As practitioners refined their methods and the discipline matured, it became apparent that every substance—from a stone to the human body—possessed unique properties. These properties made it difficult for one material to merge with another, but once fusion occurred, transformation was inevitable. Experimenters began combining more materials and employing varied techniques, yielding new substances. These transformations were meticulously recorded, and as the scope of alchemical practice widened, numerous branches emerged, transforming alchemical technique into the comprehensive science of alchemy.

“Chip! Transfer all data pertaining to the Guidance Guardian!” Hughes composed himself, achieving a state of optimal focus to begin crafting the low-level magical artifact.

“Beep! Transmitting!”

He exhaled deeply, feeling the influx of data within his mind, preparing to commence.

“Let’s start with the Starlit Dark Gold.” He picked up the piece of Starlit Dark Gold gifted by Anke. The crafting process would not require the entire ingot, so Hughes divided it into three portions.

Guided by the alchemical formula transmitted by the chip, Hughes began to decompose the Starlit Dark Gold.

“Beep! Estimated twenty minutes until Starlit Dark Gold transforms into liquid form!”

“So long?” Hughes hadn’t expected that even a single piece of Starlit Dark Gold would require so much time, but considering its hardness, the duration seemed reasonable. The process had begun, and regardless of how long it took, Hughes was determined to see it through.

Twenty minutes later, the Starlit Dark Gold began to shift into a liquid state. Wisps of black smoke emerged from within, drifting out of the fluid; Hughes recognized these as impurities within the metal.

The purified liquid hovered in midair, and without the impurities, its starlike radiance was all the more vivid and beautiful.

“Good! That’s settled—onto the next!” With the Starlit Dark Gold dealt with, Hughes hurried to the next material.

Time ticked away, and Hughes dared not relax, painstakingly decomposing each ingredient. The quantities were limited; a failure would mean a long wait for replenishment.

He hung a “Do Not Disturb” sign outside his door, stating he was occupied with important work and wished to remain undisturbed.

“So exhausting!” After decomposing several materials in succession, Hughes felt his mental and physical reserves rapidly depleting. He drank a vial of natural potion to recover.

But the crafting of the Guidance Guardian could not be delayed. Hughes had to rely on repeated doses of restorative potions to sustain himself.

“This really isn’t something ordinary people can do!” He glanced at the empty potion vials beside him. Thankfully, he was an apothecary; anyone else would have been finished.

While Hughes was fully absorbed in crafting the low-level magical item, outside the Shadow Ring, near the swirling gate, a meter-long dark red serpent fixated on the portal.

“Unexpected—the pace has quickened. Well, that suits me; I can accelerate my own progress as well.” A flash of red light sparked from the serpent’s body, and it slipped through the swirling gate.

With the Shadow Ring unsealed, the two raven statues that had always guarded the gate resumed their vigil. They seemed unchanged from before, save for their increased chatter.

The dark red serpent boldly slithered past. The raven statues paid it no notice, engrossed in their conversation, oblivious to Hughes right under their noses.

“Hm? This gate is intriguing!” Gegaliel—likely an incarnation—examined the sealed gate of the Shadow Ring. It seemed troublesome; were his true self present, it would be less so, but as a mere avatar, though possessing some power, the prohibitions on the gate posed a significant challenge.

Without the two raven statues, he might have managed to break through, but with them present, exposure would mean certain retribution from the inhabitants of the Shadow Ring. Enlisting the ravens’ help was clearly out of the question.

Gegaliel’s avatar was troubled, unsure of how to proceed.

“I am willing to pledge my soul to the shadows!” Just then, as Gegaliel fretted, a returning apprentice caught his attention.

“I can follow this one inside!” Gegaliel immediately moved to the apprentice’s side.

As the apprentice recited the incantation, the two raven statues inexplicably began to quarrel, ignoring the apprentice and simply opening the gate.

The apprentice, seeing the gate open, hurried inside, fearing the ravens’ argument might spill over onto him.

“A perfect opportunity!” Gegaliel seized the moment, slipping through the open gate into the Shadow Ring.

“At last, I’m in! Not bad!” Within the Shadow Ring, Gegaliel surveyed the interior architecture.

“How will I find him?” He gazed at the vast expanse, sensing Hughes’s aura, but with so many people and buildings, locating him would be no easy task.

“Looks like I’ll have to trouble you again,” Gegaliel thought, eyeing the apprentice who had unwittingly led him inside.

The apprentice walked ahead, Gegaliel following discreetly behind.

“Strange… I feel like something’s watching me!” The apprentice, upon entering the academy, sensed a persistent presence, but found nothing after looking around—even his spiritual senses yielded no clues.

“So odd!” He dismissed the thought, eager to reach the task hall and submit his assignment.

“Now is my chance!” Gegaliel, trailing behind, saw that the coast was clear.

He floated in the air, twisting his serpentine body swiftly to confront the apprentice. A flash of light revealed his concealed form.

Mid-stride, the apprentice suddenly saw a black-and-red snake before him, its tongue flickering, cold eyes fixed upon him.

“Stop!”

The apprentice, terrified, was about to cry out when Gegaliel’s command halted him, his eyes dull, rooted to the spot and motionless.

Gegaliel regarded the now docile apprentice, his crimson eyes glowing faintly.

A red light filled the apprentice’s eyes. After a moment, Gegaliel concealed his serpentine form once more.

“So that’s it—a once-in-a-century talented apothecary! Quite the achievement!” Hidden, Gegaliel closed his eyes, gradually assimilating the apprentice’s memories, familiarizing himself with the Shadow Ring and all information related to Hughes.

“What remarkable talent!” Reading the memories about Hughes—the gifted apothecary and more—Gegaliel couldn’t help but marvel at his abilities.

“How did I get here? Just now…”

“Where did that snake go? It was flying!” The apprentice awoke, looking around in terror.

“No, wait—I came to submit my assignment. Was it my imagination?” Finding no injuries or missing belongings, the apprentice decided to proceed to the task hall, still puzzled by the strange encounter.