"Dark Orchard, you really managed to refine it?
I thought you were just saying it casually, but I didn't expect you to actually pull it off, and so quickly."
At noon, Roy went to the third floor to find Sophia.
Upon learning this, Sophia couldn't help but show a hint of surprise.
A small intermediate apprentice achieving this level is definitely a talent.
"Alright, I'll let Celine give it a try. This kind of thing might be useful for maintaining brain cell activity and increasing the success rate of brain transplants."
She then provided Roy with some directional guidance.
And also...
Ordered 100 Magic Stones for Dark Orchard!
She said to Roy, "This is just the first batch. If this potion really helps me, I will procure more in the future."
Roy had already calculated this and immediately agreed.
Ordinary people would never have the chance to earn such a sum, because normally, refining these relatively obscure items is quite difficult, and success is not guaranteed.
The wasted materials, vessels, and the time and effort spent would all be losses.
Those also need to be accounted for in the costs.
But with his black iron-level talent, Proficient, the success rate of his refining was greatly increased, which raised the profit margin.
Every little bit adds up; for a high-level apprentice like Sophia, it might not mean much, but for him, it equated to a steady income of several dozen each month.
This was even more profitable than refining Magic Stones!
If she continued to place stable orders, the turnover speed would be comparable to that of refining Magic Stones.
...
A few days later.
"Yela..."
In the void, silver light outlined the contours of the Willpower Rune, gradually solidifying as meditation progressed.
"The twelfth Willpower Rune...
Successfully manifested!"
Roy confirmed this, his face showing a look of satisfaction.
"The effect of this Nightmare Potion on refining the mind isn't particularly strong.
But its cost-effectiveness is extremely high, far surpassing the previous Screech Potion, Meditation Potion, and Mental Enhancement Potion.
More importantly, after optimizing costs, multiple potions can be rotated for use, even enhancing each other! I can control my training progress to about one Willpower Rune every month or two with very little expenditure!"
The combination and rotation of multiple potions is a matter of strategic planning.
Potions or enhancement schemes with different mechanisms can complement each other.
Some can even mitigate side effects, giving the body enough time to rest and recover.
Over time, this creates a significant gap between sustained development and chronic stagnation.
Roy increasingly felt the benefits of the Proficient black iron-level talent.
Without this Alchemy Talent, he would never have considered this; he would have been forced to consume some cheap, low-quality potions like Renien and the others.
"Besides that, related byproducts have also emerged..."
Not long after, Roy's gaze fell on the Alchemy Table, where a row of colorful potions emitted a faint glow.
These were the byproducts of developing "Dark Orchard," which he named "Orchard's Doom," a highly volatile potion.
"If you break this test tube, the liquid inside will quickly evaporate and spread, resembling the rotting fermentation of Nightmare Serpent Fruit, creating a mental illusion.
Of course, it can't compare to the large-scale illusions enhanced by ley lines, but even for high-level apprentices, it has a certain degree of hallucinatory effect.
If caught off guard and inhaled suddenly, one could easily fall victim!"
This was the strongest method he could currently refine.
If he could successfully daze an enemy, even a high-level apprentice could be shot down with a single arrow.
Of course, that was a very ideal scenario.
If used in a relatively spacious area, or if the enemy sensed something was off and held their breath, they could easily escape.
Overall, the upper and lower limits fluctuated greatly.
"The next step is to disguise it as a corrosive liquid or other poison to mislead their defenses...
Perhaps I could imitate certain beverages and add a bit of carbon dioxide to see what happens?
Oh, and caramel coloring..."
Roy decided to be a bit cunning and play tactics against his enemies.
...
After the sky was fully bright, Roy got up, washed up, went to the cafeteria for a meal, and then attended his elective general knowledge class.
He had now focused most of his energy on the alchemy course, but some necessary common knowledge was still indispensable.
In the classroom, the team members gathered again, and Niya looked somewhat resentful.
"Renien, you were too harsh!"
Her meager income was insufficient to purchase high-quality healing potions; she only drank those diluted concoctions and still hadn't fully recovered.
Andov also had a deep gaze, making Roy feel a bit guilty.
He had successfully replaced one of his eyes with a cheap one, but to take care of it, he still wore an eye patch, temporarily becoming a one-eyed man.
As for his face and neck, he could only let them remain shriveled for now.
If he wanted treatment, he would need better ointments or skin grafting methods, and he didn't want to waste money on that.
Fortunately, the two didn't dwell on the matter for long and soon shifted to other topics.
Renien asked about Botning.
Roy replied, "Don't worry, I have a plan."
He had gradually begun to understand Botning's background and started to see through the facade.
"Just an average old apprentice, relying on a few more years of training to bully the weak.
If he really had high talent or strong power, he wouldn't need to personally fight for such trivial gains."
Renien agreed but still cautioned, "If possible, try to avoid the times he leaves the tower and don't easily engage in direct conflict."
"Even the most mediocre old apprentice has more accumulation than us."
"Who told us we were equally mediocre?"
Andov and Niya also expressed their concerns.
While chatting, Trides entered the classroom.
Seeing that the class hadn't started yet, he walked over and said, "Roy, why are you doing this? Angering the senior won't do you any good. If you want to make money, let me help you. Just talk it out.
As long as you give me some kickback and promise to supply the senior obediently..."
"Get lost!" Roy dismissed him with disdain.
After a brief investigation, he had already confirmed one thing.
Botning hadn't noticed him at first; it was indeed this guy who reported him! Trides, embarrassed and angry, retorted, "Unappreciative! When you go out and someone pulls a dirty trick on you, don't blame me for not warning you!"
Roy sneered inwardly at this.
However, he didn't waste more words with this person, as from the very beginning, he had a vague thought that if someone wronged him, he would retaliate, and he couldn't let malicious people live well.
He just hadn't found the right opportunity yet...
Roy had already made up his mind; when the opportunity arose, he would strike first!
As if he were the only one who could play dirty.
You can do it, and so can I! (End of Chapter)