"You seem rather easygoing about this, Apothecary Rygar. Ah, that’s right. Isn’t it common knowledge that in the Right of Challenge, the weakest Apothecary is chosen? Can it be that out of the three of us, you seem to be the easiest target?" Mirael comnted with a smirk.
"You-! Stop speaking such nonsense! It’s obvious that this young brat is here to cause trouble!" Rygar scowled.
Avia glared coldly at Rygar.
At the sa ti, Izroth stepped forward and said, "Whether or not I am here to cause trouble or not—won’t we find out soon? Since I have other things to attend to, I’d like to start without wasting any ti."
"I agree. The longer we delay, the longer those who ca to partake in the promotion test will have to wait. Since Apothecary Avia was thoughtful enough to help judge the Right of Challenge, we should not keep her and others waiting." Kian stated calmly.
"Hmph! Good...! Very good! Then, ’Apothecary’ Izroth, I look forward to seeing what kind of pill you craft. As the one being challenged, I have no right to refuse to the Right of Challenge. Otherwise, I wouldn’t waste my ti entertaining your nonsense." Rygar said with disdain in his voice.
Bang!
Out of nowhere, Izroth’s Dark Abyssal Armlet transford into its cauldron state and slamd into the ground in front of Izroth.
"Shall we begin?" Izroth asked in a carefree manner.
"This guy is so arrogant...! Where did he co from?" One of the nearby Apothecaries comnted.
"I don’t know. But, doesn’t Apothecary Mirael have a point? Isn’t it usually the weakest Apothecary that’s challenged? Then, does that an Apothecary Rygar looks like the easiest target in his eyes?" Another Apothecary chid in.
"Honestly, it doesn’t matter who he challenges, personally, I don’t think he stands a chance of winning."
"Maybe he’s going to rely on that strange cauldron? I’ve seen a lot of cauldrons before, but... For so reason, that cauldron feels so oppressive."
"That’s..! Why does he have that...?!" Kian exclaid as he stood to his feet with a look of shock in his eyes.
Mirael also seed taken aback by the appearance of Izroth’s cauldron and could not hide the surprise on her face.
"It’s just a cauldron, why make such a fuss over-" Rygar frowned at Kian’s abrupt outburst; however, when he took a mont to actually look at the cauldron Izroth called forth, his eyes widened in disbelief.
"Dark Abyssal Cauldron...!" Rygar gasped.
In the observer area, Pierce stood to his feet when the Dark Abyssal Cauldron appeared as he clenched his fists.
"Soone like him has managed to obtain the Dark Abyssal Cauldron...!" Pierce thought to himself with a darkened expression.
"Dark Abyssal Cauldron—is it really that impressive?" Van asked with a frown as he observed the cauldron from near the front of the promotion test area.
"Idiot! Have you been living under a rock?! The Dark Abyssal Cauldron is an item that stirred up the Apothecary Guild a several years ago! It’s said that the current Head and Vice-Head of the Apothecary guild located in the old capital city of Amaharpe found it during their ti as adventurers. Many people tried to get their hands on it. So relied on money, while others even went so far as to try to steal it. But those two stubborn guys kept a tight grip on it. They wouldn’t budge saying they were waiting to hand it over to a worthy owner." Korzon explained.
"I see...! Then, if they handed it over to him, it must an that they acknowledged him as being soone more worthy than all those who aid to claim it for themselves..! How bold to show it so publicly! Isn’t he afraid of the trouble it’ll bring?" Van said with furrowed brows.
After the appearance of the Dark Abyssal Cauldron, the Apothecaries began to whisper among themselves.
As for Izroth, he was unbothered by their reactions. If soone wanted to forcibly take the Dark Abyssal Cauldron from him, they would have to be prepared to face the consequences.
"I apologize for my sudden outburst." Kian said as he returned to his seat and regained his composure.
Kian’s reaction was to be expected. After all, he was also soone who aid to obtain the Dark Abyssal Cauldron. He was only twenty years old and already a grade six Apothecary who was just a few steps away from becoming a grade seven Apothecary. He could accept it if the cauldron went to soone who was more talented than him, but how could it go to a grade three Apothecary who looked to be around the sa age as him?
Rygar walked down from the judging area as he waved his hand outward.
Bang!
"If you want to rely on a cauldron to show off your skills, then it will only further show how inexperienced you are." Rygar stated as also called forth his cauldron.
The cauldron had a deep jade green outer layer with patterns that resembled serpent scales. These scales constantly changed and shifted into a myriad of colors that contained strong elental energies under a delicate state of control.
’Oh? It’s not a bad cauldron.’
Izroth used his Appraisal skill to inspect Rygar’s cauldron.
Na: Seven-Shaded Cauldron(Magical Item)
Rank: A
Durability: 150,000/150,000
Current Fire Core: Seven-Flad Serpent(A )
Usage: A cauldron crafted using the fine tals and the thin yet durable scales of a Seven-Flad Serpent. The user can channel up to seven elents to aid in their pill crafting. It can be used by apothecaries to create pills that are grade eight or lower.
Obtaining a cauldron and fire core over A-grade was no easy feat and required a heft amount of resources. Additionally, even if one possessed the resources, finding a pair that were compatible with each other and the Apothecary using it was another demanding task. It was one of the reasons why there was a saying among Apothecaries—"A good cauldron should be treated as if it’s your life."
"I will act as the head judge overseeing the Right of Challenge. Are there any objections?" Avia said.
"I, Apothecary Mirael, have no objections." Mirael replied.
"I, Apothecary Kian, also have no objections." Kian followed up.
Avia gave a small nod and said, "As there are no objections, I will now explain the rules. Both of you will have exactly ten minutes to craft a grade four pill of your choice. If the pill exceeds that grade, it will be considered an invalid entry. When ti has expired or both Apothecaries have declared that their pill is completed, myself, Apothecary Mirael, and Apothecary Kian will judge which of the two pills is superior. As for the winner and loser—I am sure both participants already understand well enough. Whenever the two of you are ready, we shall begin."
"I am ready." Izroth stated without hesitation.
"Hmph, ready!" Rygar scoffed.
"Right of Challenge Apothecary Izroth versus Apothecary Rygar—begin!" Avia declared.
Rmmmble! Woosh!
The flas from Izroth’s and Rygar’s cauldrons erupted simultaneously as both began to heat up their cauldrons.
...
At the sa ti, sowhere near the front audience of observers, Celia watched on anxiously.
"Just what the heck is going on here...? Wasn’t he here to take the promotion test?" Celia muttered to herself.
Celia arrived in the observer area not long after Avia stepped forward to volunteer as a judge for the Right of Challenge.
"Since he can craft a pill like the Hundred Death Poisoning, he should be fine, right? Still, that’s a grade seven Apothecary he’s facing. That’s on the sa level as the Holy Maiden...!" Celia thought to herself with a troubled expression.
"If he loses, then... No, I guess since he’s a player, the downside isn’t as severe as it would be for the residents of this world. Still, he doesn’t even have Natural Energy yet. He’ll be stuck making zero progress for an entire year with the current ti ratio." Celia said to herself.
Celia let out a small sigh as she tried to wrap her head around Izroth’s actions. Soone like him would pass the grade four Apothecary test with no issue. Why did he have to risk so much just to save a bit of ti? She could not understand it. Either way, it was too late to do anything about it. Now, there was no choice but to silently hope for his success.
...
Izroth stared into the flas of his cauldron as they receded back into the cauldron and beca rather ta compared to the initial outburst.
’A grade four pill... Undoubtedly, that man will make sothing that’s infinitely close to being a grade five pill. After all, a grade seven Apothecary can craft a high quality grade four pill in their sleep. But—even if he makes sothing one step away from a grade five pill, then I just have to make a pill that’s half a step away.’
Izroth closed his eyes. His actions caught the attention of the spectators.
"What is he doing? Don’t tell he has already given up before even trying?" Van said with a frown.
"After causing this commotion, he’ll beco laughingstock, if that’s the case." Korzon sighed.
A few seconds later, Izroth’s eyes shot open as the energy in the atmosphere shifted and pulsed outward from Izroth’s location before converging above his cauldron.
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