Reincarnation Of A Swordsman: The Omni Mage

By the time they finished, Kyle felt much more confident in his understanding of runic circles. He leaned back with a satisfied sigh. "Thanks, Lora. You're a lifesaver."

Lora blushed faintly and her gaze dropped to her notebook. "It's nothing... I'm glad I could help."

"Don't sell yourself short. You're amazing at this."

Her cheeks turned a deeper shade of pink, but she didn't reply. Instead, she busied herself packing up her things.

They exchanged some thoughts with each other before they left the classroom together and parted ways.

'Hopefully, I'll be able to dabble in runic circles in two weeks,' Kyle thought to himself as he walked out of the hall. He was very grateful of the session as he had benefited alot from it, for him it was more fruitful than classes even.

As Kyle walked back to the dorms, a certain dragon came up to his mind and he began to tease him a little. 'Hey, Void, you hungry?'

As expected, Void's response was instant and dramatic. [Of course, I'm hungry! Do you have to ask? I haven't eaten in hours! I'm practically wasting away here!]

Kyle chuckled at the exaggerated rant. "Alright, alright. We'll be home soon. Try not to starve to death before we get there."Nôv(el)B\\jnn

[Walk faster, then!] Void demanded before cutting their telepathic link.

***

In a building near the Rune making hall, Milo who had just left his Beast Making hall, stood silently, watching as Kyle walked away with a confident stride.

"How do I deal with you without causing myself any trouble?"

His main goal remained to kill Kyle, but he couldn't think of any way that would happen. His mind went through a series of scenarios, but none of which seemed viable. After a few moments, he let out a frustrated sigh.

"Not yet," he muttered to himself and his grin almost faded. "Your luck won't last forever. Thank whatever god you worship because you've just survived... for now."

With that, Milo turned and walked away, his figure disappearing into the fading light as he plotted for another day.

Experience new stories on empire

***

Back home, Kyle had just finished having his dinner, but Void was still happily devouring a comically large pile of food.

Kyle leaned back in his chair, watching as Void licked the last crumbs from his 10th plate with a satisfied growl. "I wonder how you manage to eat so much?"

"What can I say? A growing dragon needs his energy," Void said with a lazy stretch, earning Kyle a chuckle.

Kyle waited for some time before heading to the bed, but as he lied down, boredom began to surface.

'I can't just lie here and sleep,' Kyle thought. 'I have to do something meaningful at least.'

He began thinking of what he could possibly do before a certain thought came to his mind.

"I've always been curious about Alchemy," he mused aloud. Although he hadn't chosen it as one of his primary disciplines, he figured it wouldn't hurt to learn the basics. He also had plans to explore forge mastering in the future.

Deciding to act on the thought, Kyle got up and waved goodbye to Void. "I'm heading to the library. Don't destroy the house while I'm gone."

Void snorted but didn't bother replying, as he was already half-asleep.

***

Kyle stepped into the grand doors of the Academy's library, observing that it was busier today, as many of his year mates were found near the index.

He quickly got in line to use the index and when it got to his turn, he searched for the section with books on Alchemy, "Section 8A, row 07."

Kyle located it easily and on reaching the particular row, he scanned the shelves, his eyes moving over titles like The Art of Transmutation, Herbal Alchemy, and many other philosophical books on Alchemy.

Eventually, Kyle's eyes landed on the book he was looking for, he needed a book that would help him with the basics and found just that: Introduction to Alchemy. It was large-sized volume with a plain green cover. He pulled it from the shelf and tucked it under his arm.

Satisfied with his selection, Kyle turned and made his way to the reading area, which was occupied with multitude of students as usual.

Even though that one could borrow a book and read at home, it seemed like his year mates, just like him preferred reading in the library, where they could cross-check with other books if the need arises. eaching the reading area, Kyle found an empty seat at a corner table.

Kyle found a table and used his mana to activate the orb, making the once silent room become a graveyard.

Kyle opened the first page to begin reading and was greeted with the system's all-too-familiar notification:

[Would you like to learn the book, Introductions of Alchemy, for 10 Skill Points?]

[Yes] [No]

"I wish," Kyle muttered with a sigh, dismissing the notification and deciding to read the book the normal way.

The text began with an elaborate explanation of Alchemy's origins, framing it as an ancient discipline that bridged science and magic.

The book described Alchemy as the art of understanding the essence of natural ingredients and using mana to transform them into something greater.

Potions, pills, elixirs, and tonics, all those were products of an alchemist's skill and creativity.

Kyle absorbed all of the information and read deeper, with the book emphasizing on the versatility of Alchemy next:

"A skilled alchemist can create a healing potion to mend wounds, an enhancer to amplify one's strength, or even an antidote to counter the deadliest poisons. The possibilities are endless, limited only by the practitioner's knowledge and resources."

"This is why I decided to study it, and it seems like I made the right decision," Kyle said before flipping the page.

As the pages continued, the book introduced a key distinction between potions and pills. Potions were described as liquid solutions, easier to craft and faster to use, but less potent than their solid counterparts.

Pills, on the other hand, were highly concentrated and as such required more skill to craft.

"The process of pill-making demands precision, patience, and a deep understanding of ingredient properties. Unlike potions, pills are consumed for prolonged or enhanced effects, making them invaluable in prolonged battles or dire situations. However, their creation is fraught with challenges."

Kyle nodded slowly. It made sense why pills were considered premium items compared to potions.

The text then shifted to the cauldron, a very essential tool for Alchemy. Kyle learned that a cauldron wasn't just a mixing pot but a conduit for mana. It stabilized volatile reactions, amplified the alchemist's control, helped in hear control and ensured the final product was safe to use. Without one, the chances of failure, or rather disaster, were more higher.

"An alchemist's cauldron is their most treasured tool. It is made from mana-conductive materials, it allows for precise manipulation of reactions, preventing dangerous imbalances."

Kyle kept on reading, discovering many other facts about Alchemy. He had gone through almost half of the book but he closed it and rubbed his temples.

'It's nice and all to know about Alchemy, but that wasn't what I came for.'

The book has said nothing about the actual process on how to make a portion but he opened it back and continued.

This time, Kyle skimmed through the chapters, in a search for practical instructions. But the book continued explaining Alchemy's principles, delving into ingredient classification, mana infusion techniques, and historical breakthroughs in the field.

While the information was undoubtedly valuable, it wasn't needed for someone like Kyle, who wanted to get his hands dirty and experiment.

After going through the book and gaining nothing meaningful, Kyle snapped the book shut with a sigh and returned to the shelves, deciding to scan for other books.

He met alot of others and took them to his table to go through them, but soon realized that they were all like the others.

"Damn. What's with all these?" Kyle muttered as he continued.

After almost an hour of skimming books and searching for practical guidance, Kyle closed the last book with loud thud. His patience had worn thin as he had not gained anything meaningful from his stay in the library.

"Guess I'll need to find a teacher," he muttered. The book had been informative, but it was clear that practical knowledge would only come through hands-on experience.

A name already came up to his mind—Riya. If anyone could help him navigate the complexities of alchemy, it was her.

"Looks like I've got some begging to do."