Chapter 51

Alex watched as the hologram took form as a powerful Adept class snake. 'Killing it quickly determines the strength of the next phase.' He thought as he watched it shoot towards him only to get sliced once again. The glow once again showed up and the area near the arena quieted down.

"So fast."

"How many potions has he consumed?"

"It's not just strength how can he even control a weapon like that so well."

"He is just lucky that his parents were able to get that for him. Imagine all the runes he must have on that thing to keep it stable."

The murmurs quieted as a peak Expert level snake appeared. A scythe appeared and it's head shattered into light particles.

No one seemed to notice but the crowd around the arena seemed to grow larger and larger. The once loud corner of the room seemed to be quiet after short bursts of noise.

Alex's face grew grim as he felt something interfering once again, the runes controlling the hologram flickered, but he wasn't able to see what had changed. Before him stood a normal peak Master class Serpent.

The crowd expected him to attack directly but when it charged at him he dodged. Alex was waiting, waiting so that he wouldn't have to fight a peak level serpent. He had a feeling that if he hadn't waited he would regret it.

So he ran, and jumped and dived, the dirt from the arena had ruined his outfit in just a few minutes. But he kept running waiting longer and longer. Holes appeared in his clothing and his breath became ragged as he exerted to much energy, much more than he needed to. Everywhere he went the serpent was also there, waiting for him to tire out. But Alex's attention was on the runes he was waiting for the computer to change the difficulty of the next fight.

The snake dove in at Alex as he got back up onto his feet. Unlike before Alex jumped directly above the large serpent, his arms flinging down as his scythes shot towards the top of its head a dark aura coating them as they collided with a barrier of fire that the serpent had summoned.

But even with the added protection for the snake it wasn't enough. A loud slam was heard as the heavy blades embedded within the serpent and pinned it into the ground.

Alex retrieved his blades and backed up as a bright light filled the arena, the core sunk into the arena and was replaced by another once. Alex felt a more pure energy get released by the orb.

'The Noble class. It's like having a permanent domain.'

The light faded and a humanoid serpent stood in front of Alex. It's eyes fluttered around scanning the area before locking onto Alex. When it saw him it screamed and rage filled its eyes. Alex jumped back and tried to hold it in place but it neared his position within moments. Flames surrounded its limbs and burned away his darkness as it attempted to grasp it.

"What is that? Is it a new Noble class beast?"

"I don't know, I haven't seen it before. It's so much smaller than the last beast but, so much faster at the same time. It feels like it's just at the beginning of the Noble class, but why is it so strong. The real question is how did he manage to get even faster, that thing should have caught him by this time."

Their question were soon answered as a large shockwave sent dirt into the air enshrouding the arena in a cloud of debris and also messing up the hair of those nearby.

Alex closed his eyes as his view became cloudy. He leapt as his spacial energy dragged him several meters away from the reptile chasing him. Even with the increased speed the beast was keeping up, but buying enough time was all he had to do. In front of him he was compressing the air and shaping it into a spear. When it had fully formed, a rune covered band glowed beneath Alex's sleeve and hoodie he activated his light affinity and distanced himself from the lizard before turning.

Alex rapidly rotated the spear and sent it to the lizard. The lizard sensed the object and dodged but the spear also changed its trajectory and pierced through it.

The dust settled and Alex was seen sitting in one corner of the arena. The fading light from the hologram was seen on the other side of the arena and some who were closer were able to see a massive hole in its chest.

Alex wrapped his weapon and packed it up before hopping out of the arena. He lifted his hoodie over his head an wiped the sweat and dirt from his face before wrapping it around his waist. He could tell a lot of people were looking at him in expectation, but he had gotten everything he had needed from this room.

'No reason to stay here anymore. Although if I had the time, it is a very cool place to see so many different people gathered into the same room.'

After scanning the room Alex headed over to the entrance of the room while noticing a few people following him with absent expressions.

"I'll be leaving, how has your sparring gone?" Alex asked Taylor as he looked at the sulking students next to Taylor.

"Going really well, I'll be leaving in a few hours myself. Before you head back to the cabin, you should grab some soothing crisps if you see any. They are really good for recovering mana after tiring yourself out."

"I'll keep my eyes open for them, I'll even grab you a bag." Alex said as he tried remembering where he had seen the vending machines.

At this point all of the students stopped following him.

"He'll be back tomorrow, at that point I wanna spar against him."

"Yeah right, tell you what if you can beat me I'll let you ask him first."

Taylor looked around in awe as he watched several fights break out before smiling and joining in on a few of them.

Alex stood outside and brushed himself off before looking at the map of the compound. There were two areas for sleeping, males were placed on one side of the dome while females were on the other side. In the center was the main coliseum, the training center he had just exited was in the northern area, and potions was on the eastern side just north of the girls cabins.

'Potions are scheduled for tomorrow I'll go there first and then to the runes area. The hunting area isn't listed so I'm guessing we are going off campus.'

He folded the map and sighed a small cloud of vapor filling his vision after doing so.

'It's pretty cold out.' Alex thought while looking at the setting sun.

He secured his bag and started jogging off to the potions building noticing a bunch of random people randomly enjoying the scenery.

He paused for a moment before smiling and jogging over to a man reading a newspaper.

"Excuse me sir, I'm sorry to ask this but I've seemed to have gotten my shoe covered in some type of animal… uh fecal matter. You aren't using that newspaper are you indeed something to clean them." Alex said making his voice slightly deeper.

"Sorry Alex but I'm highly invested in this story. I mean look at it, two, not just one, two cartoons." Daniel said while showing Alex the newspaper.

"So they got you on lookout duty along with all of these other guys." Alex said after chuckling.

"Yeah, tough work out here. I'd expect some better housing for instructors, but I guess this bench will do. Where are you headed off to?" Daniel asked.

"Checking out the potions building and then the runes building. I won't be too long, I just came from a bit of training."

"Alright, just don't stray to far from the potions building, us adults don't take kindly to young love." Daniel said in a mocking tone.

"Oh and if you happen upon a warm drink while your out I'd greatly appreciate it and reimburse you, if you decide to bring me one that is." Daniel continued with a wink.

Alex nodded before turning and continuing of to the potions building. After a while he stopped jogging and sniffed the air.

'Even in this frigid and cold air I can smell all the herbs, how strong is the smell going to be inside?' He thought as he walked up to the front door.

Alex entered and saw what he could only describe as a luxurious and highly decorated room. Gilded chandeliers were seen hanging from the ceiling every once in a while. Several random seats looked like they were imported from another continent entirely. Everything around Alex was full of detail, even the doorknobs were not plain, but even with all that, the rooms were completely empty

After a moment of wandering around he could hear a faint murmur within the building.

'I guess I'm not the only one here.' Alex thought while rubbing his nose which was stinging from the strong assault the smells from herbs had brought.

"Do you have any fire sprouts?"

Alex looked up.

'A market?'

He had yet to give Lockhorn all of the ingredients from the list, so the thought of finding some here was a good start.

Alex walked in further, following the voices that spoke about different plants and materials. He came up to a door and frowned.

'The potions guild emblem.'

Alex fished his hand into his pocket before pulling out a familiar badge.

The same one Lockhorn had given him several months ago. He held it up to the door and heard a click before putting it away.

Alex pushed the door open and entered the room. Immediately noticing he wasn't dressed correctly, everyone here was wearing clothes that costed a fortune.

"Hello welcome to the market. Which instructor are you here on behalf of?" A man asked as Alex entered.

"I'm here on behalf of myself." Alex answered.

"Dalifield, you must've been sent by Lockhorn. I thought I told that looney to make sure his students knew the proper etiquette."

"I wasn't sent by Lockhorn." Alex said before looking around.

"Is that a lightning toads leg? And that, is that a solar monarchs wing?" Alex asked after recognizing a few ingredients he had searched up because he couldn't find them anywhere.

"They are. Kid you…" the man was cut off as Alex pulled out a small list.

"If you can bring me all of the items on this list I will be happy to chat with you after paying."

"Oh wait!" Alex pulled the note paper back and added 'hot chocolate or coffee' to the list.

'Does he think I'm a waiter or something.' He thought before looking at the list.

"Kid this is a big list, are you sure you want to get all of this?" He said before looking up at the boy in front of him.

Alex nodded.

"Alright. Before I go what, what is the name I should put this order under." The man asked before taking out a pen and copying over the list.

"Alex." Alex told the man.

The man froze as if pondering.

"It's spelt ??-???-?-??." Alex said noticing the man lost in thought.

"I know how it's spelt. How could I not know? Why wasn't this the first thing you told me?" The man asked in a hushed voice while studying the boy in front of him.

"You didn't ask." Alex answered.

A faint outline surrounded Alex as the man stared at him. "You really are his student. It's like I'm speaking with him while he is wearing a mask." The man said with a sigh.

"Very well just wait here I will be back with your order." The man said before walking away.

"Hey Jimmy, prepare a pot of coffee and hot chocolate. Oh and spice them up, this is an important guest."

A younger man nodded before leaving through the door Alex had just entered. Glancing at the important guest his instructor had just spoken to.

Alex looked around at all of the potions around him. Busying himself as a few people went around gathering the items on his list.

'If I weren't saving up some money I am sure I would have spent a fortune here. Man half of these aren't even listed in the recipes book.'

The basic potions had to do with the elements, and strengthening every aspect of a mage. However many of the potions Alex saw here had tactical uses like the Flames last breath which would grant a fire mage insane power for a short amount of time and most importantly for a cost.

'Potion of the abyss.' Alex pondered as he looked at the dark affinities awakening potion. 'It's cost quadruples the cost of the light affinity awakening potion and the possibility of awakening are almost zero.'

'No ordinary mage or in general human, would be able to buy the many of these potions needed to awaken an affinity.'

'Skin of stone, that sounds insane.' Alex thought while reading its description.

'Through the creation of a earth mage and earthy ingredients, a mage can temporarily transform the top layer of their skin into a stone-like coating.'

Alex looked on in this section, every potion was just as mind blowing.

'Reptilian Claws, transforms ones hands into a scaly and sharp set of claws. Potion of Weightlessness which just granted temporary flight that a wind mage had.'

'Maybe there was a reason that I could have been a potion brewer. If my brain could salivate like my mouth when seeing delicious food it would definitely be doing that now.'

There was no limit to what Alex could see. If there was a magic beast, then there was a potion that would allow one to partially take its appearance. If a high level mage could do certain things like fly, then they could somehow imbue that power into a potion.

Alex paused as he reached a new section, recipes. He reached out and flipped through the countless names of recipes. Each cost more than ten times the amount of money Alex had made the last few months. He regretfully turned away from the recipes now behind him.

"These aren't the only ones." The man from before said as he walked up behind Alex. "You have access to the door over there if your name truly is Alex. The recipes within are much more impressive, and show a small glimpse of what the potions guild is capable of brewing."

Alex looked over to the gilded door he had been ignoring while browsing. Before he had even realized it he was in front of the door unlocking it with his badge. He shut the door behind him as he stepped through.

"Oh I didn't expect to see anyone else in here welcome." A voice called out from the side of the small room.

Alex looked over to see an elderly woman browsing through the smaller section of recipes that were present. Despite having graying hair, she looked to be as healthy and young as a middle aged woman.

"Are they good?" Alex asked after nodding towards the woman.

"These? Hehe, they're some of the best and yet in my opinion don't even come close to breaking the realms of possibility." She said with a small smile.

She looked at the young boy in front of her before speaking again. "I just came to drop off another recipe. I have crafted many in my days on earth, but every day I draw closer and closer to drawing my last breath. It would be a shame for all that I had been working on to be lost forever would it not?"

Alex seemed to understand now as his eyes reflected his understanding. "It would be a shame."

She nodded before speaking again. "You're the first to enter this room in a long time, and the first of your age to enter at all. I was wondering whose sparse veil of energy was enshrouding this entire building, but seeing you here it it is easy to guess."

Alex froze for a moment before releasing the thin spacial energy that he was using to scan the building. "Sorry about that, it's not much of a use when it's that thin I was simply using it to keep my bearings."

"I think you've forgotten the main point already, all magic is blocked by the dome meaning you have an new affinity."

"Oh." Alex said getting quiet.

He then looked up while spreading out his full spacial affinity. When he noticed that the pressure from the dome was not present in this room he once again released the energy.

"They can't spy on us in here." The woman said while studying Alex closely.

"I'm guessing nobody knows about your affinity, and that's why you are so guarded. It seems very useful nonetheless, you are able to feel the domes presence are you not?"

Alex nodded while feeling uncomfortable as the woman looked at him like a lab rat.

"Very well I won't pry any further, come have a look at my recipes. You probably won't be able to afford them any time soon, but maybe they will be able to entice you to visit in the future when you can afford one."

Alex slowly walked up to where all of the recipes were kept in the room. Trying to keep his calm as he had just met the second most attentive person in his life.