Adrian stopped on Von’s command. He felt stronger and the Phantom Flow was no longer just movements but a living force.
"Your mana isn’t infinite. Even though you can continue, save your strength for now."
"Thank you, Master Von," Adrian said with a slight bow.
Von waved him off. "Rest well, Adrian. You’ve made me proud, and you’ll make me prouder tomorrow. You’re dismissed."
Adrian left the dojo, the night air cool against his sweat-dampened skin as he headed back to the dorms.
On entering into his room, he noticed that Karl was absent, but didn’t dwell on it and quickly went on to refresh.
Collapsing onto his bed after changing his clothes, Adrian considered cultivating to recover, especially since he was able to do so now. But it wasn’t necessary, as his body felt surprisingly fine.
Closing his eyes, he muttered, "Visit System Factory," and the world dissolved.
[Access Time Remaining: 02:59:56]
Adrian entered the Factory, and approached the worktable where the Magic Cauldron stood, its sleek, metallic form commanding attention under the workshops powerful lights.
The device was a marvel of engineering, its rounded base etched with intricate mana circuits that pulsed faintly with latent energy.
A slot for a Magic Crystal protruded from one side, designed to fuel the internal mana flames with precision.
Beside it, a calibrated dial allowed temperature control in exact centigrades, its settings ranging from a gentle simmer to a searing inferno.
A newly added pressure mechanism, a complex array of valves and seals, ensured ingredients swirled uniformly within, maintaining stability during pill formation. The cauldron was nearly complete, a testament to Adrian’s ingenuity, though it lacked the transparent lid he envisioned.
Tonight, Adrian had no intention of tinkering with the design. Instead, he retrieved a small container from his [Inventory.
Inside were two pills, each vaguely spherical but irregular, glowing with a pale red hue.
They were his latest attempts at crafting Recovery Pills, the best of many failed experiments.
He activated [Analysis], but this wasn’t the skill he had relied on for months. At Level 11, he received an upgraded version as a reward.
The skill had stagnated at Level 9 for so long, and he had expected it to naturally ascend to Intermediate, as others had. Yet it remained Basic ever since until the upgrade came through the System.
[Recovery Pill (★): Restores injuries.]
Adrian noted the purity reading, displayed because he had focused on it during the analysis. T
he skill had always been intent-driven, counting contents or measuring dimensions when he willed it; but the upgrade made known some queries that were usually unresponsive.
He turned to the second pill, crafted with more potent ingredients for a 2-Star rating.
[Recovery Pill (★★): Restores Injuries.]
Disappointment settled over him.
He knew the root issue: without a transparent lid, he couldn’t monitor the cauldron’s interior during the process.
Most of his attempts had ended in failure. Either the pills dissolved into ash or it failing to coalesce.
These two were his best, yet they were far from ideal.
"I just need to know the exact temperature to mix the ingredients at and at what pressure," he told himself.
The challenge was pinpointing those values for consistent results, but stabilizing the process required dynamic adjustments, one of the knowledge he had gained from Instructor Lira’s explanation.
So, it was difficult to predict a fixed value if they didn’t correlate with subsequent values.
"Enough planning," Adrian decided, returning the container to his [Inventory].
He wanted to make some pills before he left the Academy tomorrow, but he needed to get the process right first.
The next day, the Exchange event unfolded on the Academy’s sprawling field, the air filled with anticipation.
The Knights, stood in a loose formation with their different attires, and varying weapons.
Across the field, the Mages mirrored them, donning their fancy uniforms, while adopting a disciplined and harmonious stance.
The two sides, nineteen on each, faced off, separated by a vast expanse of grass.
At the center stood a robed woman with a commanding presence.
Mrs. Georgina, the Year’s Head, who had addressed Adrian and the rest of the Knights on their first day at the Academy.
Behind each group stood their homeroom teachers; Master Von for the Knights and Xana for the Mages; flanked by the rest of the Mages who weren’t fighting seated on benches encircling the field.
Mrs. Georgina raised her hands and her voice carrier effortlessly.
"Good morning, fighters, Instructors, and spectators. Today is a momentous day... The Exchange.
This tradition pits Knights against Mages and it’s a test of skill, strategy, and spirit. It marks the beginning of your journey in the Academy, your opportunity to show what you’re made of. Fight with honor, and strive for victory."
She gestured to the judges.... herself, Von, and Xana.
"We will ensure no injuries occur. Now, the rules."
"Each side would send one fighter at a time, with the losing side replacing their defeated with the next."
"The match continued until one team’s roster was exhausted, the surviving side declared the victor."
"A fighter lost by forfeiture, incapacity, or clear defeat, as determined by the judges. Stepping out of the square marked in chalk resulted in instant disqualification."
Adrian studied the square and notice its 40-meter size favored the Mages, who could exploit range with their spells.
Master Von had arranged the Knights tactically: weaker fighters first, building to the strongest.
Adrian, deemed the most powerful by him, was last, with Karl slotted just before him.
The Mages, conversely, led with their strongest, likely aiming to crush the Knights early.
Adrian scanned their line, noting familiar faces. Serena was absent, as she’d told him. She hated fighting and couldn’t imagine facing him.
But the rest of his siblings were present.
Fabian and Diana were first and third in line respectively, and their posture radiated confidence like the other Mages.
Julian, meanwhile, was last and he could be missed with how invisible be appeared.
Adrian wondered internally, ’He could either be weak, or they think he’s weak.’
Julian’s reclusiveness would make his combat power a mystery, and Adrian was even surprised that he was present on the field.
Mrs. Georgina allowed a brief preparation period as they absorbed the rules and communicated with their teachers.
Master Von’s spoke to them for the last time: "Fight smart and exploit their arrogance."
The Knights nodded with resolve and confidence.
After a while, Georgina stepped back and her voice rang out loudly:
"Number 1 from the Knights! Number 1 from the Mages!"