Magic

A massive crowd gathered around the academy laboratory, which flickered with faint blue runes...

The sweet scent of alchemical potions and the hum of metallic magical energy filled the air. Everyone held their breath, waiting to witness Lizer prove himself.

A faint silver glow flowed from his fingertips. His technique was as precise and practiced as those recorded in ancient alchemical tomes.

Surprise flashed in the eyes of several wizard apprentices at the academy who specialized in alchemy:

That was a trait unique to those who had mastered the art of channeling magical energy.

They could catch a hint of an unusual magical fluctuation in Lizer's technique:

His metal smelting seemed like a conversation with the elements.

Every strike during his forging perfectly aligned with some ancient rhythm.

This unique charm gave the synthesized materials a faint, stardust-like luster.

These little tricks of integrating magical energy channeling significantly increased the hardness of his synthesized materials.

Imperceptible runes of sturdiness flowed across the surfaces of the components.

The quality far exceeded the works of ordinary apprentices; it was nothing short of a miracle in the field of alchemy.

Their hushed conversations were mixed with speculations about "mechanical alchemy."

These discussions spread like a fine magical web into the ears of the surrounding teachers and students.

Everyone held their breath with rapt attention, their eyes locked tightly onto Lizer's every movement.

The magical energy particles in the air seemed to cheer for his operation. This silent resonance made them completely believe in his alchemical talent.

Lizer crafted with intense focus for two hours...

The magical energy at his fingertips never ceased, and the teachers and students watched with bated breath for the entire two hours.

No one wanted to miss this brilliant demonstration of mechanical alchemy.

It wasn't until Lizer placed the final bullet, engraved with a "Sharpness" rune, onto the crystal tray.

The red glow on the bullet's surface slowly faded, and only then did he signal the dean to arrange for someone to test these alchemical items born of his blood, sweat, and tears.

The dean summoned an instructor skilled in energy testing. The instructor took Lizer's revolver, its barrel wrapped in wind-cyan "Hurricane" runes.

He aimed at the academy's special energy-level testing target (the target's surface was carved with a rune array capable of displaying attack intensity) and pulled the trigger.

"Bang!" The revolver spat out a tongue of flame laced with purple lightning.

The sound of the bullet tearing through the air was mingled with the hum of magical energy as it accurately struck the core marker in the center of the target:

"Energy level 4.7!"

The runes on the target's surface instantly lit up with a dazzling blue light, and the adjacent crystal counter projected the floating numbers.

This value made everyone present gasp in shock.

"Oh! By the Magic Energy! How did he do that?

A junior wizard apprentice actually managed to create a Rank-Zero mid-level magical tool combination!"

An old instructor excitedly gripped the book in his hands, his voice full of disbelief.

This was even more shocking than a wizard apprentice fighting above their level to challenge an official wizard.

Fighting above one's level relied on the power of witchcraft, but this kind of alchemical breakthrough relied on a profound understanding of witchcraft and alchemical knowledge.

The latter was obviously much harder!

The field of alchemy was one of the disciplines in the wizarding world that most tested one's accumulation of knowledge.

It required absolute mastery over elements, runes, and materials.

Many junior apprentices couldn't even stably craft a Rank-Zero low-level magical tool, let alone leap to the mid-level.

A senior instructor specializing in alchemy closed his eyes, retracing every detail of what just happened in his mind...

Continuously recalling the trajectory of the magical energy flow and the rhythm of material fusion, he finally caught the key:

"No! It's not a mid-level magical tool!"

He didn't craft a single mid-level magical tool.

Instead, he used a combination of two low-level magical tools to amplify the attack effect through magical energy resonance.

The revolver was a Rank-Zero low-level magical tool, and the bullets were also Rank-Zero low-level magical tools.

But through the cooperative magical energy resonance of the two, he allowed their energy levels to stack and break through the mid-level threshold.

Oh!

So the bullets were magical tools too!

He had engraved miniature alchemical runes on every single bullet.

This was simply taking alchemical precision to the absolute extreme!

What a guy, daring to burn through gold coins like that!

Engraving miniature runes required a massive consumption of mental strength and witchcraft crystal powder.

The cost was enough to buy a normal low-level magical tool!

However, this concept was simply a miracle of witchcraft!

Combining two ordinary low-level magical tools into a weapon capable of reaching mid-level energy.

This line of thinking completely shattered the framework of traditional alchemy!

This analysis spread through the academy like magic crows with wings, and Lizer's reputation as a "mechanical alchemy genius" instantly resounded throughout Gele City.

Meanwhile, Modi and the inspection team he brought stood in the corner with pale faces, looking as if their souls had been drained away, wishing the ground would swallow them whole...

Lizer had used his true strength to prove his innocence.

The Department of Education's supervision of the unified examination was extremely strict, with "Recording" rune arrays covering the examination venues.

It was almost impossible to cheat in the exam room, unless one tampered with the test questions in advance, like the deputy director.

Since Lizer didn't cheat, the sudden investigation by the Department of Education's inspection team seemed highly suspicious.

Lizer's earlier words about the "unified examination conspiracy" echoed in the minds of the teachers and students once more.

Combining this with the facts before them, everyone finally understood:

This wasn't just an accusation of cheating; it was a suppression aimed at a genius...

It was as if they could see the true faces of the principality's elites through the fog of magical energy.

Using "educational fairness" as a guise, they were secretly engaging in dirty tricks of power-for-money transactions and suppressing geniuses.

Perhaps this unified examination had always been a carefully orchestrated performance.

The elites wanted their own children to "stand out," but they never expected this "accident" named Lizer to ruin their script.

It was just that they had underestimated Lizer!

This apprentice of humble origins, relying on his acute perception of magical energy and heaven-defying alchemical talent, forcefully broke their monopoly.

He became the first perfect-score top scholar in the history of the principality!

The provincial top scholar!

And a perfect-score provincial top scholar at that!

This title tore through the principality's dreary educational sky like a bolt of lightning!

This was simply a legend composed by magical energy!

The story of an ordinary apprentice turning the tables on the elites and tearing apart a dark conspiracy was enough to let all lower-class wizard apprentices see hope!

The inspection team slinked away in disgrace, like a scattered pack of magic rats.

But the story of what happened here spread throughout Gele City at an unimaginable speed, via "Message" witchcraft and the word-of-mouth of wizard apprentices...

The next morning...

Lizer's "Voice Transmission Crystal" suddenly lit up with a soft blue glow.

Larys, the managing editor of the Gele City Commercial Daily, sent a communication:

"Oh! Lizer! Is it really you? The mechanical alchemy genius who broke the unified examination conspiracy!"

Larys's voice came through the crystal, carrying an unconcealable excitement.

"An unprecedented perfect-score top scholar!

By the Magic Energy, I never thought anyone could get a perfect score in the unified examination!

A genius wizard apprentice of the mechanical alchemy department!

Your story has already spread throughout the entire Monte Province via 'Message' spells!

Tearing apart the provincial Department of Education's years of dirty conspiracies with an ordinary mortal body!

Do you know? Your story has brought hope to countless suppressed apprentices!"

Are these legendary-novel-like stories your friends are telling really your personal experiences?

The magical nature of this story simply surpasses all the novels I've ever edited!

Can I do an exclusive interview with you?

My old friend! Ever since I saw you at the factory last time, I knew you were no ordinary person!

You really are the miracle-making Lizer!

Lizer, while enjoying the joy of being recognized, rubbed the surface of the voice transmission crystal with his fingers and asked curiously:

Aren't you a commercial newspaper that focuses on business news?

Why would you pay attention to an exam incident in the academy?

I thought you would only report on the prices of witchcraft crystals or alchemy material trades.

Larys complained, pretending to be angry, her voice coming through the crystal with a hint of playfulness:

Oh, damn witchcraft crystals!

I can't believe you see our commercial newspaper that way!

Larys's complaint carried a trace of grievance, which made Lizer unable to hold back a laugh!

It seems you really haven't read much of our Gele City Commercial Daily.

We are not some boring newspaper that only reports on witchcraft crystal trades and big-shot merchants.

Our commercial newspaper does indeed focus mainly on business content.

But as long as it's a major event that can cause magical energy fluctuations, like your perfect score and the shady conspiracy, we will report it immediately!

Those copper-stinking advertisements are just our side business.

In fact, yesterday, as soon as your story spread, our magical energy journalists were already gathering material.

We are one of the fastest news media outlets in Gele City.

Ha, so are you agreeing to my request?

Then wait for me. In three hours, I will come to you with a witchcraft crystal camera and a dictation pen!

Larys's voice came through the voice transmission crystal, carrying a hint of eager excitement.

Three hours later...

Felina straightened Lizer's coat, which was embedded with a cleaning witchcraft, the air still holding the faint scent of magical plants from her body...

The impatient blonde office lady, Larys, had already pushed open the doors to Lizer's factory.

She wore glasses inlaid with miniature witchcraft crystals, a new high-level item she acquired after being promoted to editor-in-chief.

Holding an auto-recording magical dictation pen in her hand, she excitedly rushed toward Lizer to ask about the entire course of events.

And upon hearing the true version of the story, Larys's pupils suddenly shrank.

The magical dictation pen danced automatically in her hand to record, and the magical energy in the air seemed to ripple slightly due to her astonishment, just as she herself had said:

By the magical energy!

You truly are a miraculous Lizer!

To maintain the freshness of the news, after finishing the interview, Larys used the witchcraft crystal camera to take pictures of the magical machinery in Lizer's factory.

Only then did she reluctantly step onto the witchcraft hovercar returning to the newspaper office.

Both Lizer and Felina could feel it:

When this blonde woman left, the interest in her eyes toward Lizer was as thick as an impenetrable magical fog.

Even the magical energy particles in the air seemed to be pulsing for her curiosity.

That night, the headline of the Gele City Commercial Daily spread throughout the city via the magic net distribution system, and even spread to the entire Monte Province through witchcraft communication.

Every newspaper flashed with faint witchcraft image-retaining runes:

Magical Energy Shock!

The First Perfect-Score Top Scholar in History Emerges!

Mechanical Alchemy Genius Tears Apart the Century-Old Behind-the-Scenes Conspiracy of the Provincial Unified Exam!

The headlines were printed in glowing witchcraft ink, clearly visible even in the dark.

The witchcraft images used in the newspaper were secretly purchased by Larys for 5 witchcraft crystals from a mentor in the Gray Fog Mountain Town:

That mentor was an eyewitness to the event, and the recording even carried his thick northern accent.

When the 30-second witchcraft recording was played through the witchcraft crystal projection, the screen was filled with a faint purple mist, and the content was:

An apprentice wizard holding Lizer's revolver.

The gun body flashed with Sharpness runes, firing an attack of 4.7 energy levels, and the magical energy counter on the target instantly lit up with a blue light.

And observing all this, the high-ranking officials of the Department of Education, Modi and his group, were completely pale, their Department of Education uniforms seeming dimmed by their shock.

The content of the newspaper was basically true, but the language carried strong mental suggestions; every word was like a hook grabbing the readers' attention.

At the end, it advised the government and the Ministry of Education in bold witchcraft fonts:

Strictly investigate the invisible corruption and conspiracies existing in the provincial unified exams, and let the sun shine again on the path of educational fairness!

A single stone stirred up a thousand waves!

This report struck like a lightning bolt into the principality's dull education system, resonating with countless apprentice wizards!

For Lizer, this was an accidental counterattack, but for the principality's education system, which had been monopolized by wizard elites for nearly a thousand years, it was an inevitable storm.

If it hadn't been for Lizer miraculously achieving an unmatched perfect score.

Perhaps this conspiracy hidden behind the mist of magical energy would still be covered up, continuing to devour the hopes of bottom-tier apprentices.

If left to vanish into the rolling river of history...

It would only make the principality's education system like a machine that has lost its magical energy, becoming increasingly silent and ultimately decaying.

Lizer originally didn't want to become famous.

He knew the consequences of expanding public opinion, but he was also well aware that this ignited public sentiment was like a prairie fire, completely beyond his ability to stop.

Moreover, he felt that he should use his own situation to sound an alarm for the principality's education system.

To make those high-and-mighty elites reflect on their actions!

He was truly disgusted by the shameless behavior of the Department of Education.

They actually dared to slander him with the stigma of cheating just to embezzle the rewards meant to encourage geniuses!

How dare these elites treat the principality's public educational instruments as their private property?

Did they think the masses were blind?

Having proven his strength, Lizer enjoyed a hero's treatment at the academy.

Teachers and students greeted him with looks of respect, and even the magical energy chefs in the cafeteria gave him a double portion of magical plant roasted meat.

The dean publicly handed over the first-place reward to Lizer.

It was a wooden box inlaid with ancient runes, containing a treasure the old dean had kept for a long time, the Spirit of Swiftness.

This treasure had already exceeded the old dean's maximum usage limit, and he hadn't been able to trade it for his desired witchcraft crystal core.

So he took it out to encourage the academy's most outstanding student.

Jackson, Little George, and the others stood below the stage, looking at Lizer on the high platform, who was enveloped in the radiant magical energy light of the sun, their eyes filled with complex emotions...

In just a few short months, Lizer had actually become a legendary figure they could never catch up to again.

This was truly a miracle composed by magical energy!

Even the academy's magical energy record board had marked him as a Legendary Apprentice!

And Lizer, having received the reward, was even more delighted, just as he had anticipated before the final exams.

The Pay-to-Win ability in his mind suddenly lit up with a light like a witchcraft crystal:

Contact with a new potion, Spirit of Swiftness:

Permanently increases agility by 0.5 points. Limited to use when the attribute is below 15.0. One person can only use 2 vials.

Consume 10,000 energy points to analyze the Spirit of Swiftness formula. The analysis process will consume the potion.

Lizer felt a surge of joy in his heart. Only 200 gold coins, plus the consumed potions, making it a total cost of just 300 gold coins.

This was simply a massive perk granted by his Pay-to-Win ability!

Potions capable of permanently increasing attributes were incredibly scarce in the wizarding market.

Even official wizards found them hard to come by, and their formulas were strictly hoarded by those in the know. No one had ever even seen one!

Forget 240 gold coins, even for 1,000 gold coins, it was a complete unknown whether anyone in the wizarding black market would be willing to sell it!

The latest profits from the Little Wizard Donkey and the second batch of funds from Rice had just arrived, providing more than enough to cover this expense.

He was not in a hurry to upgrade his attribute points or research other mechanical alchemy projects right now. He decided to analyze this precious formula first.

The interface of his Pay-to-Win ability quickly surfaced in Lizer's mind, his eyes flashing with a light like that of a magical crystal.