Dragon's Wrath: The Cursed Returnee

After that check-up and having dinner with his family, Ethan went to bed. As expected, he had other nightmares, but those didn't bother him. He had decided that such memories won't hold him back anymore, after all. Regardless, a new day started, and for Ethan, it started with him running around the park at an incredible speed. His sole goal that morning was to train Vigor, and in just a few hours, he made the skill level up to level five.

"Not bad, huh," Ethan said while he was resting his back against a tree. "Today, I will also have alchemy lessons, so I guess I will feel weirdly satisfied with it."

Although it was a bit weird, and Ethan frowned when he felt like that, he felt quite disappointed that neither Emily nor Ian were attending those classes. It was probably because those were the first people that he met in a year that didn't threaten him like someone awesome who was worthy of praise. Friends or companions like that were hard to find.

"Somehow, it is weird when I think of them as friends. Ian is annoying, and Emily is a bit troublesome in her own way." Ethan thought.

Still, it looked like those two would be the only friends Ethan would make. When he entered the classroom, the place became eerily silent, and everyone who was already inside of it just stared at him. The silence only stopped when he sat down, but the students' talk only resumed to whispers, and it was obvious that they were talking about him.

"Well, whatever."

Ethan was there to learn Alchemy, not to make friends, so something like that didn't bother him in the slightest. In any case, the alchemy classes soon started, but Ethan couldn't help but frown. There wasn't much to learn there… the students just had to adjust the amount of the things they had to used to make potions. However, for some odd reason, the students couldn't use high-leveled materials. No matter what, unless they have some experience, the potion would fail.

"Mmm… it looks like alchemists need to have a certain amount of mana to make use of certain materials. That is weird considering that they don't use mana… at least not when using low-level potions."

In any case, Ethan learned that the alchemy classes were simpler than he thought. To complete the course, the students just had to make health, mana, and stamina potions that could restore fifty points of energy. Only that. However, they had to use materials of the lowest level: herbs.

"There are several methods to crease low-level potions with herbs… putting them in a bottle, filling it with water, and then waiting for a few days. Smash the herbs until they become a powder that is a bit faster, but it looks like we have to do it ourselves. We can even eat it, but to make it work and to pass the test, we have to plant the herbs and cultivate them."

Things were a bit more interesting than Ethan thought. Even though some are necessary for the students, for the roots and leaves, to terrain where the plants will be cultivated. That was nice, and all, but Ethan just wanted to learn the skill and make it level up as fast as possible, so he chose the second method of making potions.

Since he didn't have to pay for them, Ethan began to smash several herbs and turn them into powder. The only downside of that method was that the result would belong to the schools, even the potions that were so useless that they couldn't be commercialized. Fortunately, even though Ethan created a very low-quality powder and mixed it with water inside a small bottle of glass, he obtained some results.

Congratulations! You learned the skill Alchemy!

Effect: Increases the effectiveness of the potions you create by five percent and the potions you drink by ten percent per level.

Lv 01 – 0/100

Congratulations! For learning a new ability without help, you received one hundred coins.

Small Mana Potion (Trash)

Effect: Restores 15 points of mana.

Ethan couldn't help but frown after seeing that potion. It had been the first time he saw an item which the quality at the level of trash. That was even more shocking, given that he was the one who produced it. Still, given that Ethan did a half-assed job just for the sake of getting the skill as soon as possible, he couldn't complain.

"I probably can make some decent potions right now if I use my skill points… but I shouldn't cut corners right now. Besides, I need to keep some skill points stored for emergencies."

Since the whole alchemy class, the students didn't have to do anything but mess with potions and herbs. Ethan improved a little bit in making the powder, but even so, the best potion he created in an hour could only restore twenty points of mana. Fortunately, the skill leveled up in that hour.

"I guess I will stay here for a while longer. If I ask Ian, I bet he can give me a hand in finding the best method to increase my skill in creating potions, but I don't want to owe him any more favors."

Those were one of the few classes in that only a subject was taught in there, so the students could practice their skills as much as they wanted. The number of herbs nearby was plenty, so Ethan didn't have to worry about running out of materials. That was not only necessary given the extra effect of the Alchemy skill but because Ethan could tell that such a subject would be the hardest one for him to graduate.

Weirdly enough, even though Ethan wasn't good with his hands and he still had a lot of room to improve with alchemy, he didn't think the process was boring. In fact, it was kind of relaxing. For someone like Ethan, whose sole talent was to crush his enemies with brute strength, creating something that could help others was… strangely wholesome.