A few minutes after the strange voice echoed in Finn's mind, an ordinary-looking mirror emerged from his body and hovered near his feet. Moments later, the mirror suddenly grew until it was as tall and wide as a door. It faced the young man as though it possessed a will of its own.
It emitted a dazzling light that enveloped his bloody body. When the light faded, it became evident that his wounds and cuts were gradually disappearing; even the large gash on his chest had healed. His breathing returned to normal, and now, if anyone were to look at him, he merely resembled a beggar asleep in his dirty, tattered uniform.
Aside from this miracle, a small creature covered in black fur suddenly appeared in front of the mirror. It had a pair of golden eyes and tiny wings. It briefly gazed at the unconscious youth before entering the mirror.
Before the portal closed, the Green Lone Wolves family, who had been watching from the sidelines, swiftly followed the little black creature. The wolf father carried his cub in his mouth, and together, the family entered the portal.
As soon as they passed through, the mirror shrank back to its original size and shape. It quickly reattached itself to Finn's body, leaving behind a mark on the left side of his chest—the same design as the mysterious mirror.
The young man, still sound asleep, remained completely unaware of everything happening around him. He snored softly as if he were merely napping in his own room.
--
Sacred Dragon Institute
"I've done what you commanded. By now, that boy's corpse is probably being feasted on by the Vicious Beasts," said the man in the purple uniform to the youth dressed in white, whose clothes suggested he was a student.
If Finn were here, he would have immediately recognized the two speaking—Seve Marren and the old man who had tried to kill him. Even more shocking, the old man wore a purple uniform that symbolized an Inner Instructor!
"Instructor Xuan, you have been a tremendous help to us. Do not worry—once our Black Tiger Family officially becomes a Noble Clan, you will also benefit," Seve Marren promised with a smile.
Seve's gaze shifted curiously to one of the instructor's ears. "Where is your other earring, Instructor Xuan?"
Upon hearing this, the old man quickly covered the ear Seve was looking at, puzzled. "Perhaps it got caught on some small tree branches while I was combing through the training ground."
--
Training Ground
Inside the training ground, the sounds of insects, rustling small animals, and chirping birds filled the morning air.
Finn still lay on the ground, his uniform damp—likely soaked by the morning dew. But now, it looked as though he were about to wake from his deep sleep.
'Am I dead?' he wondered silently, eyes still shut.
He opened them, only to squeeze them shut again, blinded by the bright sunlight.
'I'm alive!' he thought joyfully.
Slowly, he opened his eyes again and propped himself up with his arms. Inspecting himself, he was stunned to find no wounds or cuts anywhere on his body.
He pressed his hand to his chest, even more astonished to find no trace of the stab wound.
'Was it all just a dream?' he wondered—but then he shook his head. It had been too painful to be a mere dream.
He was about to leave when a searing pain suddenly shot through his head. An overwhelming flood of information rushed into his mind, forcing him to sit back down and meditate to organize it.
The more he sifted through, the brighter and happier his expression grew.
'Alchemy!'
He paused, having fully processed the knowledge of alchemy. He already knew what alchemy was—the blending of herbs and precious ingredients to create medicine, soul-enhancing pills, or poisons.
Adventurers who studied alchemy were called Alchemists, and they were among the most respected professions in the entire Sacred Dragon Kingdom. Even the king himself treated renowned Alchemists with reverence.
Like Adventurers, Alchemists were ranked based on their skill:
Newbie, Apprentice, Elite, Master, Grandmaster, Legend, Alchemy Lord, Alchemy King, Alchemy Emperor, Alchemy Ancestor, Alchemy Saint, and Alchemy God, each divided into five levels, from One Star to Five Star.
Filled with excitement, Finn Doria realized that if he could become an Alchemy Grandmaster, he would no longer need to fear the Black Tiger Family.
For now, recipes weren't a problem—he had plenty, though he didn't know how he had acquired them. He didn't care. What mattered was that he finally had hope and a means to save his clan.
But after a moment, the smile faded from his lips. The ingredients he needed were far too expensive for his current wealth.
He thought carefully, searching his mind for the cheapest but still effective potion he could create.
"Rank 1 Body Strengthening Potion. Effective for those at my—huh? 6th Level Bronze Rank?! My level increased!"
So much had happened that he hadn't noticed his advancement. He could hardly contain his joy.
"I only have 10 bronze coins… nowhere near enough," he muttered.
But then his face brightened with realization.
"That's right! I collected many First Grade Magic Crystals. Those should be enough to buy ingredients for at least five sets of the Rank 1 Body Strengthening Potion!"
--
Meanwhile, when a guard saw a young man emerging from the Training Ground, he quickly opened the gate and looked him over.
"Oh? You're the boy from five days ago. Glad to see you made it out alive," the guard greeted.
Inspecting Finn, the guard was surprised.
"Your rank increased? Remarkable! Only five days in the Training Ground and you already advanced. Hahaha. I rarely witness something like that."
Hearing this, Finn realized something.
"I was asleep for a day and a half," he whispered to himself.
After thanking the guard, he hurried off to his dormitory. He was filthy and needed clean clothes.
It took him half an hour to reach the dormitory for new students. In front of the row of buildings were young men and women training.
Before he could enter, a blond-haired boy with bright green eyes—so clear they looked like crystals—approached him. Like Finn, he wore the uniform of a new student.
"You're Finn Doria, right? I'm Isake Reeve from the Golden Lion Family. Instructor Kiden asked me to tell you that when you returned, you should go straight to the Contribution Hall. He has something important to discuss," Isake explained with a friendly smile.
"Golden Lion Family? So you're from an Aristocrat Clan?" Finn asked carefully.
"Mhm. Haha. Don't worry, I'm not like that arrogant Seve Marren. I don't like him either. If you ever need help, just find me. See you around," Isake said, waving before he left.
'If only all aristocrats were like him…' Finn muttered to himself, shaking his head.
--
After washing up, Finn hurried to the Contribution Hall to see Kiden and thank him.
"You've returned—and it seems your training was effective," Kiden praised with a smile.
"It was all thanks to your—"
Finn fell silent, recalling the attempt on his life in the Training Ground. He hesitated, unsure whether to tell Kiden.
"Is something wrong?" Kiden asked, noticing the hesitation in Finn's eyes.
Finn shook his head. Kiden's influence was too limited, and involving him might only endanger him further. Kiden was just an Outer Instructor, likely only Silver Rank, while the attacker was a powerful Gold Rank Adventurer.
Finn took out the Training Ground map to return it, but Kiden stopped him.
"Keep it. It has no more use for me. Now that you're back, you should know that six days from now there will be a competition among all new students—your group included. You'll need to do well if you want to earn rewards from the instructors," Kiden explained.
"Thank you so much, Instructor Kiden. I promise I won't disappoint you," Finn said, bowing respectfully.
Kiden nodded.
"Mhm. You may go."
Finn did not linger. He left promptly after saying goodbye.
Once he had exited, an elderly man appeared beside Kiden.
"I still don't understand why you pretend to be an Outer Instructor, Institution Master Kiden Sylveria," the old man said in disbelief.
If Finn had heard them, his eyes would have bulged in shock. The man everyone thought was just a low-ranking instructor was actually the Institution Master himself—the leader of the entire institute!
"Grand Instructor Isaac, I simply enjoy observing the new students in the Outer Institute. It brings me satisfaction. Hahaha!" Kiden replied, laughing.
"You admire that boy's character, don't you? Why not take him as your personal student?" Isaac suggested with a smile.
"Haha, Instructor Isaac, you know as well as I do that character alone isn't enough to succeed in this world. Besides, I'm not taking personal students at the moment," Kiden said firmly.
Something crossed his mind, and he added, "Ah, yes. I remember—the four factions will visit again next year to select new candidates worthy of joining them."
--
Heavenly Sky City
Finn Doria had now left the Sacred Dragon Institute and arrived in Heavenly Sky City. He was searching for a shop where he could sell his collected items.
Aside from the capital, Heavenly Sky City was one of the largest cities in the Sacred Dragon Kingdom. It housed many establishments such as the Heavenly Auction House, where rare and valuable items were sold, and the Adventurers' Guild, where missions and information could be acquired.
After hours of wandering, Finn finally found a small shop. Though modest, it displayed all sorts of items—potions to heal wounds and cuts, antidotes for minor poisons, and more.
As Finn approached, an elderly man with a broad smile greeted him. Immediately, Finn sensed a powerful aura emanating from the old man—one exactly like the aura of the man who had tried to kill him.
'Gold Rank!'
His hair stood on end at the realization.
The old man intentionally let his aura be felt by all the Adventurers who came to buy—also as a deterrent against possible thieves.
"What can my little shop do for you, young man?" the shopkeeper asked with a wide smile.