He slowly stepped backward, drifting toward Rowena’s direction. Then, as he passed Sylvandria, his foot slipped "accidentally," and his shoulder slamd straight into her.
Sylvandria staggered, her expression changing instantly as she rushed to stabilize the Potion cauldron.
"I’m terribly sorry," Reynard said casually, dusting off his robes before returning to his spot.
Jocelyn and Wymond watched in stunned silence.
This was the final thod they had considered—but lacked the nerve to use.
No matter what, they had been instructed to defeat the academy today. Still, such a shaless move was sothing they could not bring themselves to do.
Yet Reynard had done it without hesitation.
Zora did not matter.
Sylvandria was the true threat.
Even if Zora remained standing until the very end, it would change nothing.
Unfortunately, although Sylvandria reacted imdiately, the Black Rock Wood essence within the cauldron was already fragile.
By the ti she realized what had happened, it was too late.
"Chi—"
That faint, familiar sound rang out again.
The instant it echoed, the essence inside Sylvandria’s cauldron completely collapsed into nothingness.
Reynard’s lips curled upward in satisfaction. When his gaze shifted to Rowena, however, it turned icy with undisguised contempt.
Feeling that look, Rowena’s face stiffened. Reynard had wanted her to sabotage Sylvandria earlier, but she had never dared. She hadn’t expected him to act so decisively himself. Now that Sylvandria was out, the pressure on their side was suddenly much lighter.
"Useless," Reynard spat coldly, withdrawing his attention and resuming the refinent of Black Rock Wood.
Standing once more beside Zora, he wore a smug expression. Since she hadn’t interfered with him, he was convinced her earlier antics were nothing but empty bluffing.
When ti ran out and her cauldron still failed, she would beco the greatest joke of the day.
"Zora," Reynard sneered, "no matter what tricks you use, your academy is still destined to be last."
Zora rely raised her phoenix eyes slightly, her calm expression unchanged.
"That may not be so," she replied lightly. "Your speed isn’t necessarily faster than Sylvandria’s."
Sylvandria’s face was pale, yet she quickly steadied herself and began refining again. Even if she lost this round, she absolutely could not allow herself to be eliminated.
Wymond, on the other hand, felt a strange surge of relief. He had failed first, yet now Sylvandria had failed as well. In comparison, his own embarrassnt seed less glaring.
As for Zora?
He no longer paid her any attention.
In his eyes, she had no chance of winning.
Watching the expressions of Reynard and the others, Zora could only sigh inwardly.
So she was being completely ignored now?
She was still refining her Black Rock Wood, yet these people, obsessed with sches and calculations, seed to have erased her from existence entirely.
Reynard and the others glanced at her cauldron and chuckled inwardly. So this was all she amounted to after all.
"She really is just average," soone muttered.
Reesa clenched her fists in frustration. "These idiots are completely overlooking Zora. Just wait—they’ll regret it until their intestines turn green."
Although Sylvandria’s failure was regrettable, Reesa remained absolutely confident in Zora.
"They’ve made the most common mistake," Tiffany said slowly, eyes shining. "Zora has been distracted the most out of everyone here, yet she’s the only one who hasn’t failed."
At those words, several people froze.
Was it possible... that Zora hadn’t failed at all?
Malrick noticed Reynard’s move and allowed himself a faint smile. As long as Sylvandria was disrupted, today’s objective was achieved.
Reynard sneered inwardly when he saw Zora’s movents remain unchanged. He wanted to see just how long she could keep pretending.
Then—
A faint, unmistakable dicinal fragrance drifted out from Zora’s Potion cauldron.
The mont Reynard caught that scent, his eyes flew wide open, as if he had seen a ghost.
The mont that faint dicinal fragrance spread, not only Reynard but Wymond and the others froze where they stood.
That scent...
It was unmistakably the fragrance of successfully refined Black Rock Wood essence.
Impossible.
Absolutely impossible!
Black Rock Wood was notorious even among seasoned Alchemists. To refine it successfully required absolute focus, exquisite control of fla, and nerves of steel. Yet Zora had been speaking, provoking, even distracting others the entire ti—
And she still succeeded?
For an instant, disbelief rippled through their minds. Then ca a far more bitter realization.
They had ignored the most dangerous opponent on the field.
With calm, unhurried movents, Zora poured the pure, dark essence from her Potion cauldron into a porcelain container. The liquid shimred faintly, flawless and complete. Only then did she lift her gaze, smiling faintly at Reynard and the others.
That smile was gentle.
And devastating.
In truth, this was nothing surprising to her. She had refined Black Rock Wood countless tis. She knew its temperant, its rhythm, the precise instant when attention was required and when it was not. A little distraction ant nothing when familiarity had already been carved into instinct.
Sylvandria watched the scene, a soft smile forming on her lips.
Everyone had treated her as the true opponent, yet they never realized that Zora’s alchemy was just as profound.
This round’s first place clearly belonged to the Imperial Academy.
In contrast, the Alchemists of Thunderclap Academy and Lunar Academy looked as though they wanted the ground to swallow them whole.
Sylvandria’s mood, however, was light.
Earlier, Zora’s actions had been to help her. Before the contest, her master had even warned her that the opponents might resort to underhanded tricks. Unfortunately for them, Reynard had walked straight into the trap.
Thanks to everyone focusing their sches on her, Zora had refined in peace and finished cleanly.
Thinking of this, Sylvandria felt a surge of emotion.
She had never truly compared her alchemy with Zora’s before, but now she understood.
During the refinent, she could not afford even a mont of distraction.
Yet Zora could.
That alone spoke volus about the gap between them.
At that mont, Eamon, who had rushed to Thunderclap Academy in haste, happened to witness the scene of Zora completing her refinent. The three inscription masters exchanged glances, all seeing the sa disbelief in each other’s eyes.
"Isn’t Zora a Spirit Warrior?" Eamon muttered in confusion. "Why is she standing on the alchemy platform?"
Godfrey frowned, equally baffled. "Could it be... she’s also an Alchemist?"
The thought surfaced only to be imdiately rejected.
Ridiculous.
Wasn’t this girl clearly an inscription genius?
Anselm, however, waved his hand calmly. "Since she’s on the platform, let’s wait. She won’t be coming down so soon."
As long as Zora hadn’t left the imperial city, he was content.
Soon after, Mariette personally examined the results. After a brief inspection, she announced in a clear voice that Zora had passed directly.
The declaration fell like a hamr.
Wymond and the others wore faces darker than storm clouds. Only now did they fully understand...
From beginning to end, Zora had been playing the fool while sharpening her blade.
From this mont on, none of them dared to underestimate her again.
To successfully refine Black Rock Wood was no coincidence.
And for a Spirit Warrior to reach such a level in alchemy...
That wasn’t rely talent.
It was terrifying.
Seeing the outco, Mariette was now almost completely certain of one thing.
Zora’s alchemy was no accident.
"It seems this old man has been hiding a treasure," Tancred chuckled softly, his gaze resting on Zora with open admiration. "I never expected that, besides Colden, there would be such an outstanding seedling."
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