End of the Magic Era

Agalon had already mentioned that the Hexagonal Array would be needed in the end. However, the alchemist to be picked here couldn't be just about setting up the Hexagonal Array.

Lin Yun had a speculation, but he couldn't confirm whether it was true just yet. He had to win this contest. The problem was how he could win it.

The other people had been working for a long time, but Lin Yun was still standing in front of his materials.

Agalon looked at Lin Yun, as if he wasn't worried at all that Lin Yun might lose the contest. Nobody except Agalon and Alonzo knew the criteria in the contest.

After all, everybody here had a different field of expertise. If someone made a bottle of potion, someone made a magic tool, and someone set up an alchemy array, then which of them would be the best?

Sven was making a magic tool. He had already picked and polished the materials. The rest was a lot easier. Obviously, Sven had already made a plan in his heart. All he needed to do was carry it out.

Three hours passed. Most people had half completed their products, and reached the most critical phase. After all, the materials here were all of a low level, and it was impossible to make anything too fancy out of them. It was natural that they were fast.

Sven's magic tool was taking shape. He only needed to attach runes to it, and melt the materials to transform it into a complete magic tool.

Of all magic tools, staffs were the easiest to make. Normally speaking, staffs wouldn't be considered magic tools, because it was much more difficult to create other magic tools than staffs.

It was highly difficult to create a Spiritual Magic Tool with those low-level materials. It would be quite remarkable just to make an ordinary magic tool.

Sven wore a confident smile. After he completed a critical step, he finally glanced at Lin Yun, only to find that Lin Yun was still not doing anything. Earlier, he had been standing before the materials, and he was squatting before them at this moment. He looked so serious as if the low-level materials were a problem that he needed to solve.

Seeing that, Sven put on a mocking smile.

Is he truly Agalon's only disciple that he has ever recruited in such a long time? What a shame…

In terms of personal strength and alchemical expertise, Sir Agalon can compare to my teacher. Even my teacher has to admit that Sir Agalon is as good as him.

However, Sir Agalon is truly not an expert when it comes to picking disciples. That guy may be more talented than me, but he's just a level-5 Heaven Rank mage right now.

Level 5 of the Heaven Rank is just the beginning for the Heaven Rank mages. We cannot truly make use of the power of laws until this moment. The difficulty of advancement from here is much greater than before.

To reach level 7 of the Heaven Rank and become as strong as me, he will have to wait hundreds of years.

His alchemical expertise is even less remarkable. It's already been three hours, yet he hasn't even started working yet. He must have no confidence in himself at all.

Usually, it only takes six hours to make a product out of such low-level materials. If you cannot do that in six hours, you'd better not call yourself an Artisan anymore. Just go back to the Starry Sky College, and study for another 100 years while you're young.

Wearing a cold smile, Sven glanced at Lin Yun and stopped paying attention. He focused on completing his product.

As time went by, nobody had the time to care about anyone else. However, when they briefly paused, all the alchemists in the contest noticed Lin Yun's strange behavior.

He stood still at the very beginning. Then, he squatted still in front of the hill of materials. In the end, he threw many of the materials away as if they were garbage, but he had not started working yet…

All the contestants looked at him in disdain.

Sir Agalon is so strong, and yet he has found such a cowardly disciple. It's fine even if he loses the contest. He's a young man who's no older than 100 anyway. For the Heaven Rank experts, he's just a newborn baby. There's still a long life ahead of him.

However, he has given up because he's afraid of losing the contest. It's truly a disgrace for Sir Agalon. He's shown that he's a coward in front of so many people…

I heard that Sir Agalon and Sir Alonzo are very competitive in every aspect. But for years, neither of them had really been the winner. The competition between their disciples is also their competition in a way.

Yet, Mafa Merlin doesn't even dare to do anything. How disappointing…

***

They didn't dare to say anything out loud, but their eyes were already expressing what was on their minds.

As time went by, five hours passed in the blink of an eye. Someone had completed their product an hour earlier, but they simply waited quietly.

Six hours passed. Nobody told them to stop, because the contest had no time limit. However, Alonzo began to comment on the completed products.

What he commented on first was a potion made by a level-6 Heaven Rank Artisan.

"This Bloodthirsty Potion is not bad. Although only low-level materials are used, all their qualities have been carried out. Unfortunately, you lack creativity. Those materials could've been made into two potions, the Bloodthirsty Potion and the Bloodsucking Potion, with a 50/50 rate. Then, the potions would be twice as effective. It's an embarrassment for an Artisan to create a product that a Great Alchemist could've made…"

Alonzo eliminated the alchemist that he commented on directly without any mercy. Agalon didn't say anything, and simply gave a silent yes.

"This Spring Stone is actually made quite standardly. Something else has been added to make the water from the Spring Stone sweeter. But your idea is dumb.

"You might know that the Spring Stone was one of the low-level magic tools that I developed when I was young. But you forgot that it's only meant to prevent the travelers in deserts from worrying about water. The water that's condensed with mana is too pure and incomplete. Human beings don't need just water. It's pointless to make it sweeter!

"You think I'll let you pass if you please me? Idiot.

"Is this the Angel's Hand? In terms of its performance, it's not a bad magic tool. It's not only capable of healing, but also can drive away the power of the undead…

"However, before I fly into an outrage, go away! Idiot, do you think I'm a fool who wouldn't notice the piece of the light gem that you added to it? Dumbass!"

Alonzo roared, and the mage who made the Angel's Hand was flung away with a miserable cry, disappearing from everyone's sight.

The Angel's Hand required the light gem to be activated, but the light gem wasn't among the given materials.

All the alchemists were scolded by Alonzo for their works. The first few alchemists were better. As he examined more and more products, he became progressively meaner and nastier…

"Idiot, go back and review the basics of alchemy. Have you forgotten the Silvio's Equation?

"Moron, what kind of alchemy array is this? It's surprising that you are an Artisan. Even the apprentices in the Arcane College know that adding three energy circuits will make the transmission of energy faster. Don't show me such eyesores.

"F*ck off. Your garbage stings my eyes."

Like a cranky drunkard, Alonzo yelled at all the alchemists, claiming that their products were absolutely worthless. Agalon remained silent because their works were indeed unqualified. They were not just picking the champion, but none of the alchemists had met the minimal requirement yet.

One alchemist was eliminated after another until there were only Sven and Lin Yun left in the end.

Sven's product was a white crystal with 24 facets. It looked quite plain, but when it was laid on the table, Alonzo put on a smile despite his usual fastidiousness.

"Sven, not bad. It seems that you have truly not wasted your time on alchemy. This salt crystal is not bad. You're very close to becoming a Saint Alchemist. As long as you keep your current momentum, you will get there in another 500 years.

"Of all the people here, you're the only one who meets the requirements. Not bad, not bad at all.

"Agalon, what do you think?"

Alonzo was in a great mood. He proudly glanced at Agalon.

Agalon waved his hand, and grabbed the crystal that had 24 facets. He transmitted a bit of mana into it, and the crystal glittered and emitted light on the grasses.

Instantly, the grass in the range of five meters turned white. Under the gentle breeze, the white grass suddenly collapsed into grains of salt.

"Not bad indeed. Sven is almost as good as a Saint Alchemist now," Agalon remarked with a smile. Before he finished, Alonzo had burst into laughter.

"Alright, now that the game is over, the last spot will be Sven's. Sven will be the last member on the team."

Alonzo announced the result of the contest, and Sven couldn't hold back his ecstasy any longer. He smiled and glanced at Lin Yun again, with disdain and pride in his eyes.

I won, just as I expected. It's not challenging at all. Sir Agalon's disciple isn't qualified to be his disciple at all. Was Sir Agalon really so senile as to pick a disciple that's even more stupid and dumb than a Slime?

Every person in the Arcane College is better than Mafa Merlin, yet he's going to lead the Starry Sky College someday?

Hehe. I'm even starting to feel that it will be boring to lead the Arcane College to surpass the Starry Sky College. The victory of beating an opponent that's too weak won't grant enough delight at all…

Facing Alonzo and Sven, who were delighted, Agalon shook his head with a smile, and pointed at Lin Yun.

Lin Yun was squatting on the ground, with mana spreading out on his skin like ripples. The hill of materials had been thrown across the grass in the radius of several hundred meters like garbage.

Lin Yun was solemnly staring at the ground. He hadn't started to make anything yet.

Alonzo put on a mocking smile.

"Agalon, your disciple is truly… creative. However, this matter is of critical importance. We don't have time to play with your disciple.

"Give your disciple a better lesson after you go back. After all, a real strong man can lose a contest, but should never lose courage…"

Alonzo was suddenly unable to continue, because Agalon, who had been wearing a casual smile, suddenly laughed as if he had finally beaten Agalon after so many years of efforts.

Immediately, Alonzo's heart palpitated, and he had a bad feeling.

"Alonzo, you've always been competitive since many years ago. In the beginning, you thought arcane alchemy was real alchemy, and elements and mana are for mediocre alchemists to study.

"Alchemy is nothing more than a method to pursue the truth. Everybody adopts a different method. In terms of alchemy, you are not as good as me."

Alonzo glanced at Lin Yun gloomily, and countless strange runes surfaced in his eyes. Immediately, his eyes turned half black and half white. After a quick glance, he looked even more awful, and struggled to announce.

"The last spot belongs to Mafa Merlin."

What Alonzo said unexpectedly froze the smile on Sven's face. He turned his head rigidly, and blurted out a question with shock and confusion in his eyes.

"Why, sir? Why is this guy who has never done anything the winner?"

Sven was absolutely shocked and infuriated. His face was stiff.

No, this isn't right. This guy who hasn't done anything, and hasn't even polished his materials is the final winner. Can you win the contest just by staring at the materials?

If the victory is so easy, then what's the point of the contest? They could've just picked Mafa Merlin without holding the contest at all.

Damn it, Sir Agalon must have some sort of secret that he threatened my teacher with to announce the result against his wish so that Mafa Merlin will gain the victory.

What a shameful cheater. Such a victory is a disgrace for every alchemist. A real disgrace…

Sven didn't dare to argue with his teacher. He simply gritted his teeth, and stood with anger and frustration. Everybody could tell that he found the result unacceptable. Not just him, the other eliminated alchemists burst into fury too.

They could accept being scolded by Alonzo, who was one of the best alchemists in Noscent, for their products. His criticism was harsh but straightforward and constructive.

There were a lot of alchemists who hoped to be scolded by experts such as Alonzo. He might sound mean, but his enlightening remarks might point a new way forward for the alchemists who hadn't been able to make progress.

They didn't argue when they lost to Sven. At least, they didn't think that they could've made the 24-facet magic tool with those low-level materials. They accepted their defeat with delight. They got Alonzo's pointers anyway.

But they couldn't accept losing to someone who hadn't even polished the materials yet?

"Sir Agalon, we admire your capabilities, but we don't know much about your disciple. Even though we have lost the contest, please tell us why we lost. What are the criteria?"

"Yes, Sir Agalon. Please tell us what the criteria are in this contest."

Those people didn't dare to ask Alonzo, who was obviously angry. They could only ask Agalon, who had a better temper.

Agalon glanced at Alonzo, and didn't say anything. Alonzo remained silent too. Gradually, Agalon became angry.

When other people started asking questions, Sven couldn't hold back any longer. He summoned his courage, and furiously asked, "Sir, please tell me why I have lost!"

How did the man who has thrown all the materials about like a kid win? He isn't even as good as an apprentice alchemist? That's impossible. This contest is rigged!

I have to reveal the truth. I will let the man who won the last spot by cheating keep his head lowered for the rest of his life. He doesn't deserve to live in the world of alchemists!

Agalon was silent, and Alonzo became even angrier. He turned around and glared at Sven.

"Shut up, Sven. Don't be a sore loser!"

Agalon hadn't opened his mouth yet, and Alonzo looked more peaceful than before. However, he still wore a complicated expression.