54: Rank 3

After the whole year of maintaining a low profile of some standard but still keeping up with his knowledge accumulation had lead to the current time.

The potion which he was making the one required during his Rank 3 Apprentice breakthrough, the Mana stabilising potion.

Even though to the outside world it may look like he had given his all in the dedication of potion-making which may have resulted in him not being able to keep up with his meditation, it was exactly opposite.

In this time his speed of locating and building the basic nodes had and not slowed down but instead increase, this may be because of the gathering of all the knowledge that he had done in this year.

It may not seem like much but as Abby slowly absorbed more of the knowledge about Sages she had been able to not only increase the data of the Apprentice path but also increase its capability to locate the basic notes

Even though according to Abby's calculation it would take around one year for him to break to the third rank of apprentice stage it was dependent on the basis that he places all his attention on meditation.

Still, after diverting his attention to gathering knowledge about making basic potions, learning about Alchemy forging. He was still been able to reach the stage of breaking through the third rank.

Now not only did he know the needed precautions and steps to break through the third rank. He also had together with him all the required information while braking through the fourth rank and through some hints and research of his own he found out some of the basics for fifth rank itself.

Yesterday night he had built the last basic node before making the third rune. Today he had started making the Mana stabilizing potion required for his breakthrough.

In this year his practice of basic potions had reached the stage where is mentor stood. Which lead him to another conclusion, that if he did not reveal his true mastery of potion-making his mentor really didn't have much to teach him.

As the more advanced knowledge about potion making would require to reveal his progress which was unacceptable.

In this year he had gone out twice with Sam and his group for the clearing missions.

During these missions, he had come out and asked the various places that Sam and his old team had been to.

This was so that he could grasp the nature of the more advanced missions but that was just a facade he had put up, the real reason behind it was that he had still not given up on his wish to go out to find a black market to sell the stock of potions he had been hoarding.

In this almost two years that he had stayed in the academy, his stock of potion has always been increasing.

At the beginning, it was just elementary potions but as time went by he was able to sell off this potion but in this year as his practice of the potion making had taken the importance for his future he had focused more on it leading to the current predicament.

It may not seem like much to others even if he sold 2 potions of the elementary level but the basic potions are much harder to make as even some times the Potioneering mentors would only come out with 1 potion if they have 10 sets of ingredients much less an apprentice.

So I'm this year even though he had a huge amount of basic potions enough for him to sit by and still be able to reach the fifth rank he couldn't do so and that lead to a huge frustration.

It was like sitting on a well when you are really thirsty but you cannot get the water out of the well no matter what.

On top of that as he had to keep all these potions locked up and safe because if anybody found out about it his peaceful low profile life would come to an end.

.....

As Wade chanted the final phase of the incantation.

The various colours in the beaker continued to fuse together as he chanted. The substance finally turned into a faint blue colour liquid and emitted a fragrant and alluring scent.

"It's completed! I successfully brewed the Mana Stabilising Potion!" Wade sighed with relief.

After making sure that the potion was really alright he set it aside and went inside his washroom to freshen up as he had been trying to make the potion for the last 8 hrs before he succeeded.

After taking a refreshing bath and relaxing his mind he looked at he potion before giving Abby command.

"Abby! Bring forth my current stats!"

[Beep! Wade, Rank 2 Apprentice. Strength: 2.5, Agility: 2.5, Vitality: 3.3, Spirit: 6.1, Magical Power: 6 - (Mana is in synchronisation with Spirit). Status: Healthy]

Abby projected the data in front of Wade's eyes. Apart from him, nobody else could see it.

Wade closed his eyes, yet his mind was rapidly processing and thinking.

"En! My Vitality has increased by 0.7 and my strength and agility have also increased about the same which should be related to the use of the Resonance potion.

Also, not only did my Spirit increase to 6.1 in this year, I can feel that my Spirit is brimming with more energy as compared to before.

My perception towards energy particles in the air has increased too, so casting Rank 0 spells should now be easier than before which means I have all the necessary steps to start my breakthrough!"

After thinking so Wade took the test tube containing the potion and went to sit on his bed cross-legged.

'The best method for breakthrough is to take the potion and then start meditation." saying so Wade unplugged the cork over the test tube and downed the potion and started his meditation.

After a few minutes.

[Beep! The Host's Spiritu has some change and is more lively. The Host has advanced into a Rank 3 Apprentice! Spirit increasing….] Abby's voice intoned.

Following which, Wade felt dizzy, and his Spirit increased at a rapid speed.

6.2

6.8

7.5

...

9.1