Potioneering Tournament

A week and a half later, Leylin had already sorted out his deal with Nyssa, having given her a crate with 50 bottles of his medicine in exchange for 110 magic crystals.

Furthermore and since Neela was reportedly killed whilst trying to flee during the war, Nyssa was now a de facto spy for Leylin. She always kept her ear to the ground for anything of interest and always made sure to inform her friend.

In Leylin's eyes, her money and service were practically free since he bought the materials required to brew the painkiller tonic on the cheap.

More significantly, these past few days Leylin had also completely taken over the languishing potion trade in Abyssal Bone Forest Academy. He had rented out and then refurbished Woox's store. It was now the Farlier Elixir Dispensary.

Given that Leylin had the experience of running a parallel business in Extreme Night City, as well as the capital necessary to hire shadow slaves to do most of the labor, he managed to open it to the general public within a single day.

Less than three hours had gone by since he welcomed his first customer and his entire strength potion, hemostatic potion, and painkiller potion stock had run out.

Be it level 2 or level 3 acolytes, they did not even bother with the haggling process and skipped right to handing over their crystals and snatching as many bottles of precious elixirs from Leylin's shelves. He even had to limit the number of potions each client could buy, but he still sold them out at lightning speed.

However, the potioneering entrepreneur was not stupid. In the specific case of the painkiller tonic, he had been careful not to sell the modified formula to the other students. Otherwise, he would be continuously harassed by addicts, and he did not want any such headaches. A single junkie, on the other hand, was quite easy to sort out.

Having obtained roughly 2,300 magic crystals in net profit, Leylin used part of that sum to buy the last disposable magic artifact that could boost his casting time. It was similar to the one he used to defeat Alfonse; a small bronze ring. Unfortunately, Leylin did not possess a source of energy like the emotionally-infused soul of the mutated forest sprite, and he would be forced to activate it using his own Mana Energy. This meant that the casting buff would be a lot weaker.

'Overall, I have been doing everything I can to improve my odds before to the magnificent Bloodbath.' -Leylin concluded, as he watched in fascination how his dark tendrils gently handled his cross blade like a feather.

[But now, your reputation has far exceeded what you initially regarded as safe. Using an extremely rare Void Flower in a Reactive Elixir of your own creation is already enough for you to be called a genius by many. Plus the booming success of your market store, and the fact that you survived an encounter with a Mankestre Snake... People are beginning to talk about you, Doctor.] -Aralis pointed out.

'I don't care. It was bound to happen at some point, considering the full extent of my abilities. My plans will proceed as they have been. Without interruption and without delay.'

[So, are you going to fully employ said abilities in the Bloodbath?]

'The deathmatch will most likely be monitored externally by the neutral host, the quarreling factions, or the four of them. Should I abuse my innate reptile and/or demonic powers, those individuals will see me regrowing an arm or sucking the living essence out of my victims. Naturally, I am not about to reveal my true self to the entire Magus World over a simple breakthrough technique.'

'Which, by the way, is a pity given that I originally hoped to test the limits of my Dark Absorption using acolyte souls.' -Leylin clicked his tongue as he retracted his tendrils and then sheathed the cross blade with his regular hand.

A complete hush followed that. Leylin sat down on his bed.

'That doesn't mean I shall not use my ordinary powers to murder dozens of soon-to-be puddles of organs, though. It just won't be as flashy as I would've wished for.' -Leylin released a disappointed sigh.

[Since we're on the topic, I would advise you to take the opportunity of the upcoming potioneering tournament in order to curb your growing fame. A second-place reward should not be lacking either, I imagine.] -Aralis told.

'No. I have already displaced Merlin from the general potion market, so it would look suspicious if I lost to him in a duel of alchemy. Moreover, I still plan on satisfying the ever-present demand for my products, and not winning first place in that competition would heavily impact my patronage volume.'

[You already have a substantial reserve of cash. Is it worth risking your dwindling cover just to get more?]

'There's still time until the Bloodbath, and I will not stop peddling my elixirs as long as there is someone with money and the intent of parting with it. As for that other issue of my cover being jeopardized, I will still put on a good show out there. I will allow that idiot Merlin to save face amongst our peers and academy staff, all whilst preserving my public image.' -Leylin disclosed his scheme.

[And in following this course of action, you would be garnering the attention of your enemies in the Bloodbath.]

'You said it yourself earlier: I am known as the acolyte who survived a fight against a Mankestre Snake. Who do you think Whitewoods and Gotham's will look for on the battlefield? A proficient alchemist or a battle-hardened magician? As it stands, I might as well be both.' -Leylin smirked.

Just when he was in deep thought adjusting his battle strategy, a patterned knocking on the door of his room sounded out.

"Come in." -Leylin stood up and straightened his expensive-looking gray robes before he spoke.

The wooden door was pushed open, and at that moment, Bicky who wore a green dress walked in.

"Hi, Leylin! I heard from Professor Kroft that today is the registration for the alchemy competition and that you're going to participate! Is it alright if I accompany you to sign up?" -Bicky asked eagerly as she grabbed Leylin by the arm.

"It would be my pleasure." -Leylin replied with a fake smile.

Previous to the Bloodbath, Abyssal Bone Forest had spared no hesitation in nurturing its acolytes. The prices of various ingredients and spell models had plunged, and they had also hosted many other competitions prior to the deathmatch.

Only with participation, there would already be generous prizes such as magic crystals, spell models, etcetera. As for the podium winners, they were even given the best items such as combat potions, scrolls, and even low-grade magic artifacts.

As for Leylin, he did not lack in arcane items for the Bloodbath.

Regardless, he could not neglect to take part in the main tournament the academy was holding. After all, it was vital to his business that he win the alchemy competition for obvious reasons. No one would want to buy overpriced elixirs from a second-place loser. But if he claimed first place, he could charge the masses twice the normal cost, and they would empty his shelves anyway.

Forthwith, Leylin strode out of the dorm with Bicky, both preferring to remain silent.

She decided to lead the way, and Leylin did not object to this. It gave him the opportunity to really notice the way Bicky's ass had developed. After not seeing her for 3 years, the girl from before had turned into a beautiful young lady.

'I might want to strangle her with her own intestines for being so annoying, but she would still make for a good fuck. And judging by the way she currently swings her hips around me excessively, I guess she would not be troubled by the idea.'

[Are you perhaps thinking of making her your girlfriend?] -Aralis inquired in an amused tone.

'Nonsense... Having her as my cocksleeve though? That is an idea I would certainly entertain.'

Some minutes went by, and now both acolytes were moving across the garden zone. It was then that Leylin was suddenly pushed to the side by a tug on his sleeve.

The one responsible was Bicky, who only smiled and said: "Leylin! You know what? Senior Fayle has agreed to let me be his girlfriend!"

Once she said that, Leylin acutely discovered a peculiar expression from within Bicky's eyes. It was a sort of hesitation mixed with regret.

'Hahaha, this is going to be easier than I expected. She's as good as mine.'

"Oh really? Congratulations." -Leylin knew full well of Bicky's crush on Fayle since the very first day he joined Kroft's lab. Hence, the manner in which he spoke denoted the kind of happiness one would experience when a friend achieves their goal.

Bicky was obviously fooled and smiled somewhat reluctantly at Leylin. She inwardly craved a jealous reaction from him. Since his return from his quest in the Poolfield Kingdom, the boy she had once seen as a mere junior was now a man that evoked an intense yet mysterious feeling in her heart.

"The registration area is just ahead." -Leylin brought Bicky out of her reverie, and it was him that dragged her away this time. Only that he did so by grabbing her hand, provoking her to blush unwittingly.

After walking through the garden zone, Bicky took the initiative to familiarize Leylin with the registration area. She wanted to forget what had just transpired.

The front of the gardens leading to the Academic Hall was lined with several black desks. The giant red banner behind them had the words 'ABF: Potioneering Tournament' written in the Byron language.

Lots of acolytes were crowding the area, and a few were queuing in order to register. Looking on, it seemed like the majority of these students had recently gotten back to the academy.

Leylin decided to examine every candidate before directly registering for the Potioneering duel. He did not want to meet with any surprises once he was in.

When he saw that nothing was out of the ordinary, he quickly filled out the registration forms, and soon it was his turn to submit them.

"Hold on to this card. Your assigned number is 32. The competition will start tomorrow afternoon at 3 o'clock. Please be punctual and come to the large auditorium in Experiment Zone 13. Bear in mind that if you arrive even 1 second late, you will be instantly disqualified by the judge." -The administrative staff member took the registration papers from Leylin, and then routinely gave him a numbered card.

"Next!" -With the impatient voice of the grey-robed person sounding, Leylin retreated from the area and rejoined Bicky.

"Since I'm all done here and our Professor has exempted us from our duties until after the Bloodbath, let us go to the Dining Hall to celebrate your success in love, dear Bicky." -Leylin said to the girl beside him.

"As your senior, it is only appropriate if I pay for our lunch. This can also be our celebration for meeting again after such a long time." -Bicky's face revealed a joyous expression, though she still bit her lower lip unconsciously.

'Good. I won't even have to pay for this bitch.'

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On the next day, Leylin arrived 5 minutes earlier than required at Experiment Zone 13. He was calm and his expression unreadable as usual.

Many potioneering acolytes were already waiting there. All of them recognized Leylin, but whereas some of the students greeted him with various degrees of courtesy, other more unfamiliar faces were extremely cold and seemingly ignored his presence.

This was not strange, as the average magician tended to be quite envious of others and did not prioritize social skills. The years of relentless studying and inner rivalries within the academies eroded their noble upbringing, and they were left as introverts and pariahs.

At this moment, Merlin also entered the arena, nodding curtly at Leylin. On her part, Bicky waved and cheered at them from the stands.

With a crisp bell sound, a black-robed figure emerged from the crowd with his arms extended. He was silencing the clamoring audience.

'An official Magus will be the judge of the contest and not one of those failed level 3 acolytes? The rewards had better be great then.' -Leylin mused. Given that this was the main Abyssal Bone Forest competition, the prizes had been kept a secret.

"Welcome everyone, to the Potioneering Tournament. I will spare you the introduction since you already know that this is the most important event before the Bloodbath. Whoever wins today shall receive the best prize yet, and he will likely be one of the champions of our honorable academy, along with the winner of the Fighting Tournament we held days ago!"

The crowd went loud again, and the black-robed man once more silenced them before continuing.

"Competitors, go to your allocated workstations as indicated by your card numbers. I will only wait for a couple of minutes. Those who are not ready by then will be immediately kicked out of the tournament." -The black-robed figure's voice was extremely hoarse and unpleasing to the ears.

After finishing his speech, the black-robed Magus shook his robe, and his body split apart, turning into innumerable bats which flew away.

The 50-odd participating acolytes that were present looked each at other in equal parts nervousness, determination, and disdain. All except for Leylin. He simply adjusted his robe figuratively and moved with serenity and confidence towards his workstation.

The number 32 was scribbled on the corner of a pristine white stone table. There were also a variety of alchemy instruments, fresh reagents, and a piece of parchment paper on top of it.

Leylin then smirked imperceptibly. With just a glance at these materials, he already knew that these were the ingredients for a basic healing potion.

This formula was only slightly better than the hemostatic potions in treating injuries, but they had the advantage of providing a painkiller effect. There was also the fact that it could be drunk instead of having to be applied over the wounds.

Leylin himself had no use for these elixirs given his current powers, but he had been planning to start brewing them so he could offer them in his store. It was quite lucky for him that the spectating acolytes were now about to witness his mastery in elaborating this potion.

"The two minutes are up. Any acolyte who has not found their place is deemed unfit for competing." -The black-robed Magus' voice sounded again. At the same time, there were cries from many acolytes.

Leylin saw an unlucky fellow beside him, who was just one step away from his table, grabbed by a black bat and thrown outside of the hall.

'Pathetic.'

"As the first challenge in this tournament, you will now face a relatively simple task: you must brew a healing elixir within an hour. The necessary formula and ingredients are on the experiment table. You only get 1 of each reagent, so do not waste them or mess up the concoction. Do not forget there's a time limit either. Also, every participant must stay near his workstation. Last but not least, attempting to disrupt a fellow competitor's brewing is strictly prohibited."

"Failure to comply with any of the rules means you are disqualified..."

After dealing with the group of disqualified acolytes, the black-robed Magus' voice sounded yet again.

"Beware, competitors. Your every move is under my vigilance. Do not try to cheat your way through. Otherwise, I shall educate you on a lesson of blood!" -The Magus' announcement caused even people from the audience to shrivel in fear.

Leylin picked up the parchment on his table and gave it a once-over. It was indeed the healing potion formula.

[In comparison to the optimized version I developed for you, this seems pretty obsolete. There are even a few ingredients listed here that are completely unrequired.]

'That is part of the test. Obviously, they would not expect us to come here without knowing this recipe, to begin with. It is just a way to sort out the weeds.'

Leylin skillfully picked up a transparent beaker and then put it in the fire he had previously ignited using a minuscule arcane spark.

'I can effortlessly mass-produce these elixirs in batches of 15 vials every 30 minutes. However, I ought to at least appear like I'm trying my best... Aralis, set a timer for 48 minutes. I believe it is reasonable enough.'

[Done.]

Even to an outsider who did not know the next thing about potioneering, Leylin's every motion was textbook standard. His hands were firm, and they did not quiver. His back was straight, and his face was free of perspiration or worry.

During the process of his brewing, each step he took was filled with a unique aesthetic movement. He did not flaunt with the audience, but he was clearly in absolute control of the situation. This in turn made for a good spectacle.

The other acolytes, including Merlin, regularly peeked at Leylin's workstation, and their faces contorted with many negative emotions ranging from anxiety to outright hatred. Whenever they tried to break his concentration to slow him down, Leylin remained unfazed.

One of the dumber acolytes even tried to throw a small piece of equipment at him and was instantly disqualified. His pained screams echoed the hallways surrounding Experiment Zone 13, and no other competitor dared to interrupt Leylin.

Forty minutes later, Leylin carefully poured a drop of a greenish liquid into a crystal test tube that had several ground reagents inside. He then stirred gently, and the whole test tube soon turned bright red.

"It is finished." -He muttered, causing the audience to go wild. His potion was done before anyone else's. The second-fastest competitor was Merlin, who was still struggling with concocting the green liquid.

[Time of completion: 47 minutes, 58 seconds.] -Aralis notified.

'Excellent. I see I have not lost my ability to precisely calculate time.'

A black bat then immediately flew onto Leylin's experiment table and scrutinized the appearance of Leylin's potion, as well as that of his workstation. In this challenge, every detail counted towards victory, not just the potion itself.

"Sir, please inspect my results." -Leylin hurriedly bowed. He knew that this creature was a familiar of that Magus judging the tournament.

"I recognize you, Leylin Farlier. The supposedly genius pupil of that old geezer Kroft... The Heavens are truly unfair. He already had such an outstanding apprentice in Merlin, yet, now he has a younger student who has surpassed him..."

"Or have you? I'll be the judge of that." -The bat seemed to telepathically relay the words and voice of its master.

Leylin maintained his silence throughout, his hands behind his back and his expression blank. At this point, the people in the stands had become quiet to avoid incurring the wrath of the judge.

"Alright, enough dawdling about. Let my bat sniff the potion." -The voice mentally said.

Leylin opened the plug on the test tube and placed it below the bat's head. A few seconds later, the bat cocked its head to stare at Leylin directly.

"You call this a healing potion?! It is so pure I can barely smell the secondary ingredients! The quality is just marvelous! Kiddo, you have passed the challenge with flying colors!" -The judge intoned as the bat extended its wings.

Thusly and once the Magus had personally announced to the public that Leylin was cleared, the bat flew away and returned to him.

But not before it let off that unpleasant voice one last time. "Mister Leylin, why don't you consider abandoning Kroft and joining me as my personal apprentice? You're wasting your time with that geezer. I'll even go as far as paying your contract rescission fee..."

At this, the brown-haired acolyte could only smile wryly under his mask, as he bowed at the audience and marched to the resting area for competitors.