In almost six hours, he had produced a map. Atlas lived in a part of the empire considered the 'mother country'—the place where the empire was first established. The Epsilon Empire covered almost 90 percent of a continent and had territories on others.
This alone explained why the northern part of the empire was enormous. In short, there should have been dozens of treasure marks in the places Atlas remembered; the map covered a vast area.
After finishing the map, an idea came to him. Atlas knew his sister would be staying home for a week, which meant he could ask her for something. Maybe tomorrow, he could get some items from her.
At the beginning of this plan, there was something that needed to be done—the [Potion of Mana Development].
This potion had helped Atlas immensely in his previous life. Although, by the time he used it, the potion no longer had much effect on him, it was still enough to officially push him to the next level.
The potion could be used exactly four times before losing its effectiveness. However, he even knew how to enhance it, which meant he had the potential to surpass his previous life.
The alchemy professor who created this potion was Frank Adley. He was such a kind-hearted man that he publicized the ingredients of the potion for the entire world. This revolutionized the development of magic.
"We're in a boat, and it's taking on water. We have dozens of buckets, but everyone hides them out of selfishness. I'd rather use the bucket I have for everyone than wait idly and sink."
Frank once said, and these words were seen as a turning point for many.
In short, humanity became a more decent race after this event.
Of course, not everyone was perfect.
Atlas put on his most presentable clothes. In one of the inner pockets of his coat, he placed a mask that would cover his entire face. In another pocket, he carried the magic bag his sister had given him on his fourteenth birthday.
"I'll give you your gift tomorrow," his sister, Eva, had said.
Atlas could do nothing but nod and smile.
With that, he left the house, feeling his sister's curious gaze on him. He knew exactly where he was going.
As soon as he stepped outside, the biting cold hit his face. This was the north—a land where only the resilient survived.
In many parts of the north, monsters roamed freely outside the dungeons. The harsh weather affected everything, which explained why so many treasures remained undiscovered on the map Atlas had drawn.
No one dared to explore.
He started walking through the city, and after about ten minutes, he arrived at a pharmacy. Before entering, he put on his mask.
The pharmacist greeted him kindly. "Welcome."
Atlas remembered this place well. Black markets existed in every region of the empire—north, south, east, west, and the center. One of the largest was in Ilanos, the city where he lived.
It was clear what he intended to do now. Perhaps Frank Adley, one of the greatest alchemy professors and a hero of the 12th Grade, had never even considered improving the formula.
This meant Atlas could create a potion that would drastically enhance his magic rank and potential.
"The sun embraces even the darkest bloom, dear sir," Atlas said suddenly.
The pharmacist nodded and pointed to the entrance behind the counter, signaling Atlas to pass through.
The moment Atlas stepped beyond the door, it felt like entering another world. The familiarity of it overwhelmed him, and he tried to recall the last time he had seen so many people gathered together.
It was an eerie feeling. Everyone here knew they were engaging in illegal activity, yet no one spoke of it.
His previous sense of 'justice' seemed distant, replaced by something else.
In wartime, the only other time so many people gathered was when bodies were piled together.
The shouts of the shopkeepers, the haggling of customers—it all painted a strange but lively scene.
Living in the north, he rarely saw crowds. Outside of Globe Hero Academy and the city centers, even seeing a magic-core-powered heater was uncommon.
That made people cautious. Still, with temperatures dropping to a maximum of -10 degrees Celsius, survival wasn't impossible—just difficult.
As he turned back, he saw, for the first time in years, hundreds of people gathered in one place. They were of different races and appearances.
Atlas quickly navigated through the crowd. He knew exactly where he was going. He had enough money and was well aware of the materials he needed to buy.
Alchemy was perhaps his weakest skill. He would make mistakes, and the potion would likely fail several times. That was why buying herbs in bulk from the black market was the best choice.
That was the thing only for hard potions and pills.
Truth be told, he had come a long way in alchemy. He was still not as skilled as a seventh- or eighth-grade alchemist, but he had improved.
After all, he was a warrior first.
Before long, he gathered all the necessary herbs. Seeing nearly half of his gold vanish from his magic bag pained him, but he had no choice. He wouldn't ask his sister for money—not when she worked so hard.
Now, it was time to head home. With everything he needed, he could begin the first phase of his plan.
He had to be at his best before attending the academy.
As he prepared to leave the black market, a sudden shiver ran down his spine. He didn't understand what was happening, but he was certain something was calling to him.
It was a strange sensation—familiar yet distant, weighing heavily on him.
He followed the feeling, walking for nearly ten minutes before entering a dark alley. As he proceeded, something caught his eye, forcing him to shield his face with his hands.
He couldn't believe his eyes.
There was no way he could have found something in a place .