Chapter 208: Promotions And More Promotions

Placing the sealed containers next to the equipment, Hazel first grabbed the one closest to her side and breaking the spirituality seal, opened it.

All the while her mind was calm and with a single thought.

'Sequence 8 Swindler Potion Formula

Main materials: All Firmin Rat's legs and The tongue of the Silver Tongue Serpent.

Supplementary Materials: 20 centimeters of Feysac Vines, 40 milliliters of pure water, 5 milliliters of the juice of an immature Pale Lime, and 5 of its seeds.' Repeating the formula in her mind, Hazel looked at the contents of the first container.

Inside was a 20-centimeter vine, orange in color and with an amber liquid coming out of the place where it was cut.

Looking at the vine with a calm expression, the noblewoman lowered the container onto the table. Putting on some gloves, she grabbed some tweezers she had ready, and with these, she grabbed them and placed them in the pot she had prepared earlier.

'The Feysac Vine is not dangerous per se, but the liquid it releases when cut is a toxin that causes respiratory paralysis if it touches the skin...'

The information of the ingredient ran through her head but despite what could happen if a drop touched her, the noblewoman's hand did not tremble at any moment as she placed the vine on the Pot.

Carefully removing her gloves, Hazel discarded them in a wastebasket she had ready while the tweezers were placed inside a vial filled with alcohol.

With that done, she grabbed the last small container and opened it. Inside it was a single object, a pair of small fruits of a pale green color, showing their immaturity.

This was the Pale Lime.

She with her bare hand grabbed the lime, grabbed a small knife, and cut it in half. Unlike the pale green outside, the inside of the fruit was a blood-red color, with a few blue seeds that couldn't add up to more than 3.

Seeing this Hazel just sighed in relief.

'Luckily I brought two. This fruit usually only counts between 1 or 3 seeds...'

She had researched everything about her ingredients while getting them. She'd had a habit since she was little to research things that interested her.

Putting her memories aside, she grabbed the simple yellow squeezer and placed half of the lime in it. She squeezed all the juice out into a small glass, and only a few not very big drops fell out.

She repeated the same with the other half as well as with the other Pale lime. With a new pair of tweezers, she took out the blue seeds and placed 5 of them in the pot.

Grabbing the glass, she poured the liquid into a test tube and measuring the 5 ml needed, she poured it in.

Finally, she poured the 40 milliliters of pure water and the contents began to mix releasing a brown vapor with an acid smell.

Wasting no time, she opened the last two containers. In these were all the Firmin rat's paws and the silver snake's tongue.

Unlike a normal rat, the Firmin rat had 6 legs instead of 4. And the silver snake was named not for the color of its scales but for the color of its tongue which was a shiny silver color.

Throwing the main ingredients inside, the liquid quickly turned from dark brown to a more copper-like color, with blue bubbles popping every so often.

Letting out a sigh, Hazel pulled a coin from her pocket and reciting 7 times in her mind, tossed it into the air. 

The coin landed in her open palm.

Hazel couldn't help but smile.

The potion was ready!

But controlling herself, the smile faded and she looked up at her teacher with a serious face.

Adryan smiled and listening to Flora's confirmation, he nodded.

The corners of the noblewoman's lips lifted slightly and she returned the nod. Returning her attention to the pot, she calmly poured the completed potion into a cup. As it should be, no trace remained in the Pot.

Looking at the cup in her hands, Hazel looked at the other 3 people standing there.

She gave a nod with decision shining in her eyes and raising the cup to her lips, she drank the entire potion in deep gulps.

She almost choked due to not only the horrible taste of it but how thick it was but she managed to drink it all.

Almost immediately, the ravings came and Hazel could feel her brain want to burst in her head.

"Urrgh." 

Gritting her teeth, she ignored the ravings and focused completely on the cogitation.

After a few minutes, the ravings faded away until finally, her ears could hear nothing more.

Opening her eyes and looking at the rest, she gave an elegant smile and grabbing the non-existent edges of a dress, gave a curtsy.

Hazel had now become a true Sequence 8 Swindler!

Sasha gave her classic toothy smile and moving quickly to the noblewoman, she hugged her tightly and began to move her from side to side.

"I am so proud of you! Sequence 8 at just 17 years old! You are quite the prodigy!"

"Miss Sasha p-please put me down" Hazel said embarrassed and with a blush but from the small smile on her face it was clear she liked being praised.

Sasha smiled at the noblewoman and put her down, with her large hand she patted the smaller woman's shoulder.

"Sorry~" It was obvious she wasn't sorry but Hazel just shook her head still with her smile.

She then turned to look at her teacher who was looking at her with a proud smile.

"I knew it would be a piece of cake for you." 

The man said as he placed his hand on the noblewoman's head and ruffled her hair.

Hazel smiled, dimples showing on her cheeks.

"Thank you, Teacher!"

Adryan nodded calmly and turned to look at Charlotte.

"Are you ready?"

The Mystery Prier let out a heavy sigh and after a few moments nodded.

"I'm ready."

Rising from his seat, Charlotte walked over to the table on the left and grabbing his containers with the ingredients, he carried them over to the table with the equipment.

To make things easier, they had prepared two pots. Not only would this avoid having to wash the other one, but it would also eliminate any danger that might have arisen from not having washed the previous one properly.

Charlotte let out another sigh and with a somewhat shaky hand opened the first container with the auxiliary ingredient.

This container had only one thing in it and that was a small vial with a strange thick, greenish liquid inside. 

'10 drops of the Jumping Horned Toad's saliva...' 

Almost all of this Toad's body was poisonous, especially its saliva and the horn that it used to defend itself against predators.

Putting on gloves, the young man carefully grabbed the vial and poured the entire contents into the pot.

Removing and discarding the gloves in the trash can. Charlotte grabbed another of the containers and opened it. Inside were several vials.

Grabbing the scale, he grabbed one of the vials and opening the lid, slowly poured the contents into it.

 When it touched 15 grams, he stopped. Grabbing the 15 grams of oxidized iron, he poured it into the pot.

He repeated the same thing with the Zync only instead of 15 grams it was 5.

These materials were extremely easy to obtain. Especially since he already had them as he used them for his rituals and making Charms.

Finally, he put in the last auxiliary ingredient which was 70 milliliters of water.

When all the water was poured, the ingredients were slowly combining.

Calming his breathing, Charlotte grabbed the last two containers with the main ingredients.

Opening one of them, he grabbed a new pair of gloves and another pair of tweezers. The 4 legs of the Jumping Horned Toad were introduced to the mixture which took on a blood-red hue.

Wasting no time, the young man took off the gloves and threw them in the trash, done that he opened the last container and threw in the last ingredient which was the grounded knuckles of the Magenta Lizard.

Unlike a normal lizard that hunted its prey with its long tongue and whose diet consisted mostly of insects and rarely a baby mouse. The Magenta Lizard hunted using its knuckle-like legs and ate mostly birds and small mice.

The second the last ingredient was placed, a huge bubble formed and burst releasing a putrid odor that made Charlotte gag, and even Adryan was caught by surprise.

'Fuck that's strong!' The redhead thought feeling his nose burn.

The newly promoted Hazel got a little dizzy and to keep from falling had to hold on to the dazed Sasha whose cheeks swelled but with a swallow deflated again.

"What is that shit?!" The older woman screamed as she coughed after having had to swallow her vomit.

Coughing, Charlotte looked extremely worriedly at the potion inside the cauldron fearing he had made a mistake and ruined his chance of advancing.

The color of the potion was still blood red but now emitted a putrid odor.

Resembling rotten eggs mixed with expired milk accompanied by spoiled chicken.

Charlotte swallowed the urge to vomit, took out a coin, and after reciting it 7 times in his mind, tossed it in the air and it landed in his palm.

Looking at the result, Charlotte wanted to vomit.

The potion was complete.

The man almost wished he had made a mistake in the preparation and had to remake it.

But swallowing that wish, he looked at the others who each gave him a nod with a forced smile.

"You can do it Charlotte! Just hold your nose and swallow, don't even try to taste it! Just swallow!" Sasha encouraged with a green face.

"Be Brave Charlotte." Hazel encouraged as she covered her nose and mouth with a handkerchief. Internally extremely grateful that she didn't choose the same pathway as the young man.

"I have nose plugs if you want." Adryan commented already recovered from the smell but was still extremely disgusted by it.

"I forgot how bad this smelled... Good thing I don't have a nose Hahaha." Flora commented with a laugh causing the red-head's eyebrow to twitch for a second.

"Good moral support. Really..." Charlotte commented with huge sarcasm.

"..."

"..."

"Boss give me the plugs please." 

"Me too."

"And me."

Adryan's face went flat and with a sigh, he handed his team all the plugs he had.

'Next time I'll prepare another 3...' The redhead added in his heart.

Already with his nose plugged, Charlotte poured the potion into a cup, and looking at the potion that resembled thick blood, he let out a shaky sigh.

Closing his eyes and calming down more. The man did not open them again and bringing the potion to his lips he drank as fast as he could.

Just as his brain fully processed the taste, the potion had already been drunk in its entirety.

Immediately he felt it. His hand let go of the cup which fell to the ground but he ignored this, he put his hands to his head and fell to his knees as he grunted.

"GRRRRRRRRRRRRRRR"

Veins swelled in his forehead, loud ravings in his ears and his vision became blurred.

The ravings were painful but strangely sweet... 

 He could feel the temptation to try to understand what the ravings were saying but before he could do so the strong voice of his boss rang out pulling him out of his trance.

"Charlotte stay calm and meditate! Focus on my voice and breathe."

Gritting his teeth so hard that veins appeared on his neck, Charlotte nodded vigorously and focused his whole being on meditating.

Slowly, painfully slowly, the ravings faded away.

After a few minutes, he could no longer hear anything.

Taking a breath so deep that it felt like he wanted to swallow the whole room, Charlotte dropped to four and began to cough loudly.

'I almost died!' the man thought in terror as he tried to catch his breath.

He almost tried to understand what the ravings were saying and if it wasn't for his boss, he was sure he would die or lose control!

Before he could continue thinking about his near-death experience, a hand patted his back somewhat hard.

Turning to look at who had done it, purple collided with crimson.

Smiling, Adryan extended a bottle of water to him.

"Congratulations on advancing to sequence 8 Charlotte."

Feeling his mouth dry, the man grabbed the bottle and drank and drank until he nearly drowned. 1 liter of water was gone in less than 5 seconds.

Cough! Cough! Cough!

Coughing from drinking water so fast, Charlotte took another 15 seconds to recover.

"Thanks, boss..." He said agitated.

Adryan smiled and held out his hand.

Charlotte didn't think twice and took it, the redhead helped him stand up.

"How are you? Are you feeling well? Do you need more water?" Sasha asked worriedly as she looked at the young man.

"You might want to sit down for a moment." Hazel recommended bringing a chair and offering it to the man.

But Charlotte declined and coughed some more.

"I'm fine. But shit that was close... I almost fell into the abyss." 

"Would you like me to start looking up the formula for your next sequence?"

Adryan joked earning a smoldering glare from the man.

Smiling at the young man, Adryan patted his shoulder with a smile.

Ignoring the look that threatened to burn holes in his back, Adryan stepped in front of his team and his expression calmed.

"Now you are all sequence 8. So I guess there's no better time than now to talk about a new mission."

Hazel and Charlotte's eyes widened. The noblewoman's brown eyes filled with excitement while the young man's purple eyes grew dazed.

"Mission?!" Hazel exclaimed excitedly like a little girl but quickly calmed down as she saw the amused looks from Adryan and Sasha and the stunned look on Charlotte's face as he looked at her as if she had grown another head.

Blushing, the noblewoman coughed into her hand elegantly and looked at the redhead calmly but her eyes still sparkled.

"What kind of mission Teacher?" Despite how hard she tried to hide it, it was impossible to hide the excitement she felt.

Finally a real mission! This would be her first beyonder mission! 

Acting as a Marauder didn't count as it was boring to her to just steal. She wanted something with more excitement!

Adryan smiled inwardly at the noblewoman's excitement but knowing that it would only put her in danger, he decided to cut the root.

"This will be a dangerous mission, Hazel. The likelihood of dying will be real, don't think of this as a game." He said in a gravelly voice making it clear how serious he was.

The green-haired girl's pupils shrank. She immediately understood what the older man was getting at so she gave a small bow.

"Forgive my outburst teacher. I let my emotions get the better of me and disregarded the seriousness of the matter."

Adryan looked at his student and nodded with a calm expression. He then looked at almost his entire team and continued.

"I'll say it again. The chance of dying is high, one mistake and you can kiss this world goodbye. That said, if you don't want to participate this is the best time to say it."

Sasha snorted and smiled sharply.

"Not even in your dreams Boss. I'll follow you to the end of the world."

Hazel already with a cooler mind, took some time to respond.

She thought of her family, of her mother and father who loved and cared for her. How it would hurt them if she were to die. Was it worth risking her life to participate in this mission? Was she ready?

But she then shook her head as she remembered when her Teacher introduced her Lord and his words.

'Prepare for the Apocalypse...'

Her eyes sharpened and looking into the redhead's scarlet eyes she smiled.

"Count me in Teacher."

Charlotte, watching his teammate's acquiescence, could only let out a heavy sigh. Remembering what he had agreed to by joining the team, he let out another sigh again.

"Count me in boss..."

Seeing that they had all agreed, Adryan smiled proudly at his team.

"It's good to have you all on board so don't worry. I'll see to it that you get home alive."

"And we'll see to it that you get back too, Teacher" Hazel replied earning a nod from the duo.

The redhead's eyes widened slightly and he felt his chest warm.

Smiling at his team. Adryan stretched out his arms.

" You warm my heart. Okay, for you two" he said as he pointed to Hazel and Charlotte "This will be your first mission so stick to the plan and you'll be fine."

They both nodded in agreement.

Charlotte raising an eyebrow, asked what everyone was thinking.

"But boss what is the mission?"

Adryan smiled sharply at the question. It was the smile of a predator.

"We're going to hunt down Pirate Admiral Qilangos..."

"Who?" Charlotte asked in confusion. And it was no surprise, he has been living all his life in East Borough so he never heard the sea stories.

While on Sasha and Hazel's side who did know who Qilangos was...

"Whatttt?!!!"