Earth's Greatest Magus

The conclusive stage had finally arrived.

Maksin, a renowned figure hailing from Canta city, was the first to put his work on display. He exuded an air of confidence as he strutted towards the stage, a tightly gripped vial clutched in his hand. This dark green potion, birthed from the annihilation of several mutated creatures, glinted mysteriously under the radiant lights of the competition ground. When he revealed his creation for the world to witness, a triumphant grin swept across his face.

[Potency Strength: 33%]

[Failure to cleanse Toxin]

"Genius at work!" Spectators couldn't help but yell out in admiration, their awe-filled cries further inflating Maksin's already high-held ego. However, the emergence of a rival talent soon replaced his triumphant smile with a grimace.

Liandrin, a respected female apothecarist with a reputation as refined as her potions, stepped onto the stage. The vial she presented was an evident challenge to Maksin's work.

[Potency Strength: 35%]

[Failure to cleanse Toxin]

In a sour tone, Maksin couldn't help but voice his resentment, "Huh, with the kind of support she gets, I'd have managed a potency strength well above 40%!" But his bitter words only earned him a stern gaze from Liandrin. With a cold warning, she shot back, "You're setting yourself up for disgrace, Maksin."

Her attention, along with the audience's, was diverted to the approaching third participant. It was Callon, a humble wood elf apothecary master hailing from a backwater Vanyar colony. Despite his modest background, Callon was well-known for his expertise in creating disease-specific potions. This reputation garnered him high expectations from the crowd, and he rose to the occasion.

[Potency Strength: 38%]

[Failure to cleanse Toxin]

The potency of Callon's concoction sent waves of awe throughout the crowd, "38%!!!" Even the esteemed Maestro stepped forward to scrutinize Callon's potion, and his nod of approval spoke volumes about the elf's achievement.

Excitement and anticipation swept through the arena as the Grand Maestro moved to the center of the stage to announce the winner. He spoke eloquently, expressing his deep admiration for this year's talented geniuses, promising a bright future for the art of apothecary.

However, before he could pronounce the winner's name, an unexpected booming sound, an explosion was heard from one of the enclosed alcoves. The alcove, currently separated by a protective barrier, was instantly engulfed in panic as spectators nearby feared a viral outbreak.

As the smoke cleared, an imposing figure clad in an armor of plants stepped forward, effortlessly tearing through the barrier as if it were made of paper. The man was none other than Merlin Meryddin, His bold, calm demeanor in the midst of chaos forced a hush over the frenzied crowd.

As he strode towards the stage, hundreds of startled onlookers hastily retreated, their fear apparent. Without a word, he approached the Grand Maestro, presenting his green vial and simply requesting, "Grand Maestro, please examine mine."

####

Rewinding time back by twenty minutes, the scene cuts to a disheartened Emery. His first attempt at crafting a potion had ended in failure, but defeat was far from his mind. Determination had hardened his resolve, fueling his decision to forge a new potion despite the time constraint. His options, however, were limited, and coming up with a new recipe was out of the question.

In the midst of his struggle, the Khaos Guardian appeared to him. The entity's visit sparked an idea in Emery's mind, prompting a swift nod and a determined proclamation, "Alright, it's worth a shot!"

The creation process began in haste. Emery swiftly concocted a base potion of Panacea, a tier 5 he created previously. Afterward he swiftly created the seven essences, a process he had carried out before with meticulous precision. Half of his remaining time was consumed in these preparations.

With all items in hand, Emery paused, taking a deep sigh of anticipation before mentally commanding, "Give it to me." A response came in the form of a tiny spatial gate that opened in front of him. Using his spirit energy, Emery summoned a liquid from the gate, an unknown essence crafted by Chututlu.

The unique essence was a product of a powerful alchemical process, created from a multitude of viruses that had once invaded Emery's body and absorb by the poisonous Mythical creature. It had been refined under the formidable influence of the Khaos Gate of Pestilence, resulting in a highly controlled version of Virulent Blight poison.

Now, with the clock ticking away relentlessly, Emery threw the essence into the cauldron with all the other ingredients, commencing the process of fusion. The Panacea potion and the seven essences, all sources of positive energy, were pitched against the destructive negative energy of the virus.

Emery's experience in manipulating opposites played a vital role here. His seasoned expertise allowed him to unleash his skill, the [Dao Divine Technique]. Harnessing this divine power, Emery separated the opposing energies, slowly and meticulously weaving them together. The effect was significant, the potency of the potion surging drastically.

[Potency Strength: 34...35...38%]

Despite the progress, the procedure proved challenging. The volatile mixture was far from easy to control, threatening to spiral out of his control at every step.

"The virus is still too strong!" Emery bellowed, his brows knitted in consternation. The powerful pathogen was disrupting the delicate balance within the cauldron, its violent energy threatening to cause another explosion.

Just as despair was beginning to cast its long shadow over Emery, he felt a familiar surge of energy seeping into the mixture. The source was none other than the plant creature perched on his shoulder. Its unique energy signature was one of light and vibrancy, providing a much-needed counterbalance to the overpowering negativity of the virus.

"Kuang... Ku ku!" It squeaked in encouragement.

"Thank you, Twik!" Emery responded with gratitude, as the creature's energy breathed new life into his endeavor. It stabilized the dangerous fluctuations, allowing Emery to regain control. Now he just needed to fuse the polar energies together, crafting them into a unified whole.

[Potency Strength: 38...39...40%]

With his newfound control, Emery began the slow and arduous process of merging the conflicting energies, tempering the potion layer by layer. The intensity of the mixture magnified gradually, pushing the concoction towards completion.

However, a new obstacle surfaced.

There was actually one other reason why the competition had imposed a limit on the tier 5 ingredients. It was because to create a high tier potion that could match a tier 7 Panacea created by the Maestro would need a specialized cauldron, a special furnace with a much intense flame.

Emery's predicament deepened further. He needed an extra surge of heat to enhance the potion's potency. Moreover, the cauldron he prepared, was proving to be a weak link in his efforts. It was barely able to withstand the extreme conditions, as was evidenced by the hairline fractures that began to surface on its body.

[Potency Strength: 41...42...43%]

As the potency strength reading inched up, the urgency of his situation became even more apparent.

"Ugh!! I cannot let it fail now!!" he growled in sheer determination. His mind raced as he plotted his next steps, his resolve not letting him give in to the daunting task at hand. His brows were furrowed in concentration, the gravity of the situation reflected in his eyes.

In a desperate bid to salvage his efforts, Emery made a decisive move. He pressed both of his palms onto the cauldron when a powerful surge of light enveloped him as he channeling all of his spirit energy into executing his newly acquired divine skill, the [8 Elements Transmutation Technique]. This was a technique he had painstakingly honed over the past two years, a prize for his accomplishments in the Privilege class.

Utilizing the element of light, Emery could harness and manipulate the other elements at will. His right palm erupted into a tier 5 flame, providing the necessary heat to temper the potion. Simultaneously, his left hand took on the properties of metal, fortifying the rapidly disintegrating cauldron with its resilience.

His daring move bought him the crucial few seconds he needed to complete the potion. However, just as he finished, the strained cauldron could hold no longer and exploded into a flurry of shards.

Pain coursed through Emery's body, but his features were relaxed into an expression of profound relief. This was, without a doubt, the most intense potion he had ever concocted.

Ignoring his injuries, Emery gathered the completed potion and staggered towards the podium, presenting it to the Maestro.

"Grand Maestro, please examine mine."

All eyes were fixated on the testing machine as it began its analysis, the anticipation in the grove palpable.

And then, the results appeared:

[Potency Strength: 61%]

[Successfully cleansed the Toxin]

The grove fell into a deafening silence, as if time itself had come to a halt. Tens of thousands of experts drew in sharp breaths, their eyes wide in disbelief. The moment hung in the air, a stunning testament to Emery's unprecedented achievement. The outcome was nothing short of extraordinary, rendering the assemblage utterly speechless