Lightlord Dragon

"Alchemical explosives..." Robb recalled the scattered references he'd come across in the library.

According to the records, alchemical explosives were first discovered by a wizard named Herman, entirely by accident.

While attempting to fuse mana crystals with specific minerals, he triggered an unintended explosion that nearly leveled his entire laboratory.

The destructive force of even a standard alchemical explosive could rival the offensive spells of a full-fledged wizard, and in some cases, it was even more terrifying. Unlike traditional magic, these bombs didn't rely on a caster's magical power; once activated, they detonated with consistent and devastating force.

Robb remembered a field test Andrey had once described.

He had witnessed a High Apprentice casually toss a small, inconspicuous silver orb toward a target, only to be met with a blinding flash of light and a deafening boom.

When the dust settled, a hill over ten meters tall had been reduced to fine powder, leaving behind nothing but a massive crater in the earth.

"The price is just... too high," Robb sighed.

That terrifying explosive had supposedly cost the apprentice several months of savings. A single one would sell for the equivalent of several complete mana stones.

Still, with the proper magical fuse, even a novice apprentice could unleash a strike equivalent to a wizard-level spell. Just thinking about it sent chills down his spine.

"Andrey initially dabbled in the alchemy path..." Robb also remembered how the thirteenth prince once mentioned his setbacks in that field.

"Now that I've become a professional potion master and reached mastery in Basic Alchemy..."

Robb began planning in his mind, his fingers unconsciously tracing the runes etched on the crystal's surface.

"...I no longer need to pour all my experience into potion crafting. I can finally devote part of my focus to exploring alchemy as a new path."

Potion crafting and alchemy in general shared many overlaps, especially in material processing and energy control.

Thanks to his formal training as a potion master, Robb had already developed a deep understanding of the properties and reactions of supernatural materials. That knowledge would drastically shorten the learning curve for alchemy.

Besides, the system that gave him unlimited class slots was tailor-made for multi-path development.

"I'll ask Andrey later, see if he's willing to share his alchemy books with me."

Robb could already envision himself setting up an alchemy workstation in the corner of his workshop.

"Developing across multiple professions doesn't just increase my strength, it also creates synergies that boost all of my stats."

He had already experienced the power of synergy between [Potion Master], [Knight Apprentice], and [Wizard Apprentice].

…

As he walked out of the academic district, the sunset over the Black Mist Forest bathed the sky in a blazing orange hue. The shadows of trees danced like an Impressionist painting.

Robb strolled down the stone path, deep in thought about the day's lessons and the upcoming assessments.

Passing by the dorms of the apprentice candidates, he noticed the entire area was unusually quiet.

Gone were the usual sounds of laughter, arguing, and magical practice.

"Why's it so quiet?" Robb frowned, then suddenly remembered what day it was, Purge Day.

The annual day when those who failed to advance in time were either expelled or claimed by others.

At that thought, he subconsciously quickened his pace. A wave of indescribable emotion welled up in his chest.

"If it weren't for my system, I might have been one of them."

Exactly a year ago, he had been a confused boy brought to the Black Mist Forest by a white-robed wizard. With mediocre potential and a bleak future.

Back at his room, Robb began packing the last of his belongings. It was time to officially move out of the dorms.

He'd already been assigned his own workshop, but had delayed the move due to a pile-up of responsibilities.

"Let's make it official today."

He looked around at the cramped room that had housed him for almost a year. His fingers brushed over the weathered windowsill, worn from being constantly left open.

A wave of sentiment hit him.

This tiny space had witnessed his struggle and growth. He had burned countless midnight hours here under candlelight.

Over and over, he had practiced the Fundamentals of Meditation, and risked mental contamination while studying Whispers of the Star-Eater.

His copy of Basics of Alchemy was dog-eared and annotated to death.

Just then, a knock at the door snapped him out of his thoughts.

Robb opened it to find Andrey, holding a cloth bag.

The blond youth looked tired. Dark circles hung under his eyes.

"Perfect timing," Robb said with a smile, stepping aside to let him in. "I was just about to move everything to the workshop."

Andrey looked uncharacteristically stiff. He quietly helped Robb pack, with none of his usual casual charm.

His back was straight, movements unusually cautious, like a subordinate reporting to a superior. He avoided eye contact, his gaze always shifting away.

"Hey, what's up with you?" Robb asked, trying to lighten the mood. "You possessed by a ghost? Or just had a nightmare?"

Normally, Andrey would've shot back with a smart remark. But today, he merely gave a forced smile and said quietly:

"Nothing... I just saw something today. Made me think."

Robb paused, sensing the shift. "Was it about the purge?"

Andrey nodded, a trace of bitterness on his face.

"Yeah. I saw how they... handled those who didn't advance in time."

"I ran into a few... who used to be from my homeland."

Andrey's voice trembled.

"They begged me, on their knees, to ask you to take them in as servants. But I... I said no."

He looked up, eyes conflicted.

"Robb... did I do the right thing? Maybe I should've-"

"You did exactly the right thing," Robb cut him off.

"I do need assistants, but not people with no unique skills. Resources are limited. Every extra mouth we feed dilutes our effectiveness."

Andrey's face changed slightly. He hadn't expected Robb to be so blunt, so cold.

Robb had always been rational, but rarely this harsh.

"But..." Robb's tone softened.

"If we encounter someone with real potential, background doesn't matter. I'll give them a shot. That's the reality of this world: talent is the only currency that matters."

Andrey nodded slowly, visibly relieved.

"Don't overthink it."

Robb gave his shoulder a pat.

"Now help me move that box of books to the door. We've got a new workshop to set up. And I've got something new to discuss, about the bloodline activation ritual."

Andrey perked up, his old curiosity returning. "What is it?"

Robb began explaining while carefully placing books into the bag.

"I've been digging into old texts about bloodline activation. Found some interesting leads."

He pulled out a tattered notebook and flipped to a page.

"Did you know? Bloodline activation potions were originally developed for non-human slaves, to enhance their natural supernatural traits. But by the Second Era, people started trying them on humans, to awaken ancient bloodlines buried deep inside."

Andrey was instantly intrigued. "Really? I've never heard of that."

"Because most of those attempts failed."

Robb turned to another page filled with cramped experimental notes.

"The early versions were crude, poorly adjusted to human physiology. Most subjects mutated horribly. Success rates were abysmal, barely 1%."

He pointed to a section of the text.

"But with time, the formulas improved. By the early Third Era, stable human-specific bloodline potions had emerged. That's what your royal lineage is based on."

"And your new idea is...?" Andrey looked hopeful.

"I think traditional bloodline rituals rely too much on external stimuli, resulting in uncontrollable awakenings."

Robb's eyes gleamed with conviction.

"But if we use a tailored potion formula, we might be able to precisely guide the awakening process, possibly even trace it back to a more ancient, purer source."

He closed the notebook, face serious.

"The Farwynd royal bloodline carries traces of the Lightlord Dragon. But traditional rituals can only awaken 'Fire Lizard' or 'Wyvern' traits. With the right directional activation potion... we might target the Lightlord Dragon directly."

Andrey's breath quickened. "Can that actually work?"

"In theory, yes. But the risk is huge."

Robb didn't sugarcoat it.

"Straying from the standard path always brings unpredictable dangers, especially with older, purer bloodlines. The rejection reaction could be fatal."

Andrey went quiet, fingers drumming on the table as he weighed the pros and cons.

Then, determination lit his face.

"I'll go first."

"The Farwynd bloodline is stable. Most of us awaken as Fire Lizards or Wyverns. Low chance of mutating."

He took a breath, shoulders squared, voice firm with resolve bordering on desperation:

"And more than anything... I want to grow stronger. To be worth keeping around."

Robb met his gaze, then slowly nodded.

"Alright. I'll start preparing tomorrow. For now, help me move the rest of this, and go gather the materials on this list. We'll discuss the formula in detail tomorrow."

The two of them each grabbed a bag and left the humble dorm behind.

The hallway was eerily silent. The entire apprentice dormitory was shrouded in an oppressive stillness.

The occasional distant shout only made the tension worse.

As they stepped out of the zone, Robb turned back one last time, looking over the place that held all his memories of his first year in Black Mist Forest.

His gaze swept across the familiar buildings. Every stone, every window, seemed etched with his journey.

Yes, his meteoric rise was due to outside help, but the pain and sweat had been real.

"Goodbye... no, never again," he whispered.

Then he turned and walked away.