Time passed unnoticed within the tower, and before they knew it, the New Year had arrived.
The apprentices had gradually abandoned their mortal habits and no longer celebrated festivals like the New Year.
At this moment, everyone gathered together to discuss a more pressing topic—the recent tests.
"We're really done for this time!"
"We've failed consecutively and are going to be assigned mandatory tasks!"
Renien, Niya, and Andov hung their heads in despair, feeling both pained and helpless.
Roy felt somewhat speechless.
From July last year until now, nearly half a year had passed.
They had barely managed to manifest the ninth Willpower Rune.
If they weren't doomed, who was?
In the following days, they were indeed assigned various tasks within the tower, starting to take on responsibilities.
Most of these tasks were tedious and time-consuming, such as managing junior apprentices, registering tasks, and cataloging books.
As Renien put it, it was a waste of life.
But if they couldn't even handle these tasks well, they might be sent off to perform dangerous missions!
Thus, they could only complain while dutifully accepting their assignments.
...
January 20th.
Second floor of the Wizard Tower.
In the residential area, inside a room.
Roy closed his eyes in meditation, sketching the outline of a Willpower Rune in his mind.
Aiwaz...
Streaks of silver light filled the lines, and the thirteenth Willpower Rune successfully manifested.
"Good, the progress is still on track!"
Roy opened his eyes, a gleam of brilliance flashing in his pupils.
His previously somewhat ordinary appearance now seemed to undergo an indescribable change, beginning to exude a certain aura.
Not long after, he went outside for his usual meal, while Renien and the others arrived late.
"These mandatory tasks are so annoying, they're such a waste of life!"
"Sigh, we almost missed dinner!"
They complained incessantly, while also casting slightly envious glances at Roy.
"You're so comfortable, always passing every test, eating and sleeping well, steadily improving!"
"After all, people are different."
Roy chuckled inwardly, but upon comparing himself to them, he realized that without his Alchemy Talent, his current situation would likely be the same as theirs.
He couldn't help but feel a sense of relief.
As they ate and chatted, they touched on some daily trivialities before discussing what would happen after intermediate apprentices successfully manifested sixteen runes.
According to the tower's rules, at that point, they could begin learning Spell Models.
Renien said, "In our Okmi Wizard Tower, we can also choose Alchemy formulas.
From then on, the tower will provide a complete inheritance of either a Wizardry or Alchemy formula, along with resources for Wizard Body Modification.
But the prerequisite is to sign a service contract with the tower and enter the inheritance sequence under the guidance of our respective mentors..."
"Sigh, who knows when that will be!"
Upon hearing this, Roy felt a stir in his heart.
"When will that be?
I seem to be getting close...
By then, the public knowledge will be too shallow and no longer sufficient.
More knowledge and skills will have to be negotiated with mentors or earned through tasks assigned by them."
However, he suddenly recalled a rumor he had heard before.
In June last year, many people died in that Forbidden Experiment, including Wizards of formal rank and even Grand Wizards...
In the short term, it probably won't be easy to find mentors capable of managing the apprentices!
...
After the meal, Roy temporarily set aside his worries and went to the library to continue his exploration.
Roy had been researching adrenaline for some time now, gradually clarifying various knowledge points and developing a clearer plan for its refinement.
Ultimately, only the specific ingredient ratios remained.
He scribbled in his notebook, filling several pages with various knowledge points and alchemical symbols.
The precise formulas derived from these calculations and the mathematical results of various dosages determined the potential changes in the body's capabilities and the functioning of various physiological mechanisms after ingestion.
However, such meticulous materialism was the domain of arcane arts.
Roy eventually chose a blood essence extracted from a bull as the catalyst for the wizardry part of the alchemical ritual.
After attempting to simulate and deduce the process, he finally nodded in satisfaction and returned to his residence to get busy.
Soon after, he obtained a small pile of white crystalline powder.
This was adrenaline, the result of Genesis Studies on the human body.
The Black Iron-level talent [Proficient] once again played a crucial role, ensuring a certain degree of success.
With such assurance, he could easily proceed with the formulation, even precisely diluting it to quantities that would typically require sophisticated instruments to handle.
This could already be considered the level of an advanced apprentice, something that originally required Spiritual Materialization to achieve!
...
A few days later, in the training ground.
Roy took out a self-injection device the size of a little finger, opened the protective cap, and jabbed it into his arm.
In a moment, a strange sense of excitement surged through him, and his entire body's strength erupted.
Whoosh, whoosh, whoosh...
He picked up a heavy two-handed greatsword and swung it with a speed and ferocity that a low-level knight would find difficult to achieve.
In a few strokes, several targets in front of him were shattered into pieces.
Immediately after, Roy focused his energy, lifting a 300-pound barbell with one hand.
This was originally a training tool provided for intermediate-level knights and above. Roy, being only a low-level knight, shouldn't have been able to lift it with one hand.
But under the influence of the special potion, he managed to do it in one burst.
However, after just a few minutes, he suddenly stopped, his body trembling slightly, cold sweat pouring down, and a slight nausea, feeling the urge to vomit.
"This is a symptom of low blood sugar..."
Roy originally didn't have much muscle or fat reserves, relying entirely on the energy generated by the metabolism of magic combined with glucose.
Their utilization rate was very high, but the consumption rate was also very fast.
Fortunately, he had prepared for this.
He quickly took out a few pieces of candy from his pocket, chewed, and swallowed them.
"It seems necessary to adjust the formula, preferably pre-loading a certain amount of high-concentration glucose for direct intravenous injection.
Also, in actual combat, the enemy won't just stand by and watch me inject the potion.
They will definitely find opportunities to interrupt or, upon noticing, temporarily avoid confrontation, using various tactics to drag out the potion's effect..."
After recovering, Roy rested while contemplating, continuing to adjust and improve the plan for utilizing this substance.
...
A few more days later, at the end of January, the monthly exam results came out.
"Trides failed consecutively and was punished with a mandatory mission?"
Roy was delighted to hear this.
Upon inquiring further, he discovered that Trides planned to team up with several other intermediate apprentices in similar situations.
The economic status and learning progress of those people were at most similar to that of Re
nien and his peers.
This time, the Wizard Tower did not arrange for senior apprentices to lead the team.
Being assigned a punishment task, there was no such thoughtful guarantee.
"The opportunity has finally come!"
Roy's eyes lit up.
(End of Chapter)