[Recipe]: Formula for the Mental Energy Activation Potion
[Ingredients]: Poison Worm Powder, Gem Tree Fruit, Snow Mountain Water, Crystal Sugar, Yun Fruit
[Mixing Method]: ----
[Effect]: Keeps mental energy active, accelerating a mage's training speed.
...
Following the recipe's instructions, Fron concentrated fully, maintaining his focus as he carefully and cautiously brewed the elixir.
Time passed in a blur. Unlike the adventurers, citizens, and decadent fellows who wasted their days in drunken revelry, Fron's routine days carried their own rhythm and weight.
Compared to the thrill and danger of dungeon exploration and combat, these calm days were exactly what he longed for.
Immersed in the vast ocean of mysterious knowledge, he swam happily, gradually building his own system like stacking blocks, distilling the essence, and filling his foundation with refined substance.
After half a month of steady study, Fron absorbed the advanced knowledge of the alchemist profession into his treasury of wisdom and began practice and exploration based on his rich theory.
"Gululu…" In a dry cauldron, as soon as he tossed in three pieces of crystal sugar, they acted like catalysts. The previously dormant mixture suddenly surged, releasing a powerful medicinal aura.
Gradually, under Fron's focused gaze, the deep blue potion transformed. In the end, it became crystal clear, completely transparent.
But if one looked closely, one would see beautiful star-like specks flicker occasionally within the clear liquid.
[Mental Energy Activation Potion], also called [Meditation Elixir], was complete.
"Phew… it took 49 sets of materials just to succeed once. A success rate of only 2%, that's way too low."
Calculating the amount of experimental funds he had burned in less than a week, even as a level 6 veteran, the sheer consumption of resources was beyond what Fron had expected.
Money flowed like water; valis vanished as soon as they came.
The second-tier weapon he forged earlier had sold for 90 million valis, but now those funds were nearly gone again.
Looking at the freshly brewed elixir in his hand, made with his own effort, the young man's face instantly darkened.
Ninety million valis? For this? Out there, one of these potions sold for only 20,000 valis. And never forget, mages were rare resources no matter which familia or faction they belonged to. To improve a mage's abilities, no superior would ever be stingy about such resource consumption.
So… the potion was indeed good, but the cost was crushing.
"Haah… forget it, just consider it tuition fees."
Massaging his aching forehead, Fron placed the elixir into the cabinet, exhaled, and lazily sprawled across the sofa, his gaze unfocused as he contemplated his next research subject.
Swordsmanship, spear techniques, unarmed combat, these three close-combat skills he had already mastered nearly to perfection given his current stats. To push further would take endless grinding, or perhaps a desperate battle might bring a slight breakthrough.
His strength could still increase a little, but when it came to raising his ability values, the effort-to-reward ratio was simply unbalanced.
In terms of development, he had made progress in Blacksmithing, Mystery, and Alchemy.
"Blacksmithing" and "Mystery" had advanced side by side, he had nearly finished absorbing both basic and advanced knowledge, even summarizing the unique techniques of others. To go further, he would need either deeper research or knowledge from some yet-unknown new world.
As for "Alchemy," his foundations were solid, he had learned advanced theories, and even in practice and application, he had already explored much.
Half a month in the library, a week of practice, and some rest in between, over about a month of peaceful days, while others may have stagnated, Fron's strength had indeed grown significantly.
"Next, the mission is to collect as many keys as possible, then storm the Man-made dungeon Knossos, deal with Enyo, and as for those gods… that's Loki's problem."
Knock knock knock…
Just as he was laying out his future plans, the workshop door was knocked upon rhythmically.
Fron didn't need to look to know who it was. In the familia, the only ones with keys who could freely enter his magical workshop were a very small number of people.
Sure enough, the dazzling golden hair that appeared confirmed his guess.
"Fron, something's happened." The slouching young man, hearing the girl's emotionless words, abruptly opened his previously closed eyes. His gaze met hers, brilliant golden irises shining.
He didn't speak, silently waiting for her to continue.
"The Kingdom of Rakia has declared war on our Orario."
"…" Rakia Kingdom? What the hell is that?
Seeing his utterly dumbfounded face, Ais knew right away. Though his knowledge surpassed the entire familia and perhaps even ranked among Orario's greatest scholars, he had a small… flaw.
To people and forces not close to him, he often gave them only a dismissive label in his mind.
Perhaps it wasn't forgetting, he simply couldn't be bothered to waste the effort digging it out of his vast memory palace.
Of course, it might also be… that he just outright ignored it.
"The state once served by Crozzos, the blacksmith family. Though nothing compared to our labyrinth city Orario, historically, the Kingdom of Rakia launched many invasion wars, sweeping across half the continent. At its peak, it shone brilliantly in history. Even the homeland of the closed-off elves was destroyed by Rakia using the Crozzo Magic Swords."
At the mention of Crozzo Magic Swords, Fron instantly remembered that country.
"So it's that kingdom… Wait, wasn't the Crozzo family forbidden from ever forging magic swords again by the gods? How could Rakia still…"
"Loki and Finn can't figure it out either. But one thing is clear, there are plenty of spies in Orario. Our Loki Familia has most of its fighting power occupied searching for entrances to the artificial labyrinth and the remnants of the Evilus. We barely have spare manpower. That may be exactly why they chose now to launch war."
"So they're trying to tie us down, huh. I thought that war-god was just a musclehead, but turns out he's got at least a bit of brains."
The youth sat up, rubbing his smooth chin as he thought.
"Wait… Crozzo's magic sword… the Crozzo family… Rakia Kingdom…"
"A sudden, pointless war…"
Everyone knew, war always served a purpose. Rakia's upper echelons couldn't possibly be ignorant of Orario's terrifying might.
Hardheaded? Reckless? Impossible.
"I see now. Their true goal isn't the war at all, it's to shift our gaze to the battlefield outside the city. Their real target is Welf!!!"
At those words, Ais also realized the truth.
"Come to think of it, the fact that your friend can forge 'Crozzo's Magic Sword', that news is already practically an open secret now."
Fron let out a cold laugh.
"Well played, an open feint with a hidden strike."
Of course, that wasn't the whole story. There was one more thing he didn't tell Ais…
The Evilus might also seize this chaos as their chance to search for that missing Key.