Vile Evil Hides Under The Veil

"I also know that you are looking for a rare C-Rank ingredient called Malva Hibiscus."

Eren said that and lightly smiled at Levine before continuing:

"And I know where to find it! I'll get it for you to commemorate our master-disciple bond."

Eren waited for Levine to answer patiently. He knew he was reaching it with the Adapt potioneer in front of him but he wanted to give it a shot anyway. The latter narrowed her eyes and carefully looked at Eren. Then she spread her mana sense and carefully inspected the guy:

"Oh? You are very close to breaking into the mid-stage of the Novice rank. And what do we have here? Hmm! Element of lightning and there's something else as well. Element of time?

It seems You have dual derived elemental affinities, Eren Idril. And both are rare as well. Let me pull up your file next."

Levine requested LA's administration to send her a file on Eren via her spectral screen. She carefully read his history to verify his claims of being taught by a C-Rank potioneer from a young age.

Only after confirming all this did she speak to Eren:

"Eren, I don't know how you know that I was looking for that ingredient but you are right. I'm desperate enough to find it through anyone even if I have to take you as my disciple.

I hope you know how difficult it is to find Malva Hibiscus. It is one of the most sought-after ingredients in the C-Rank. Unfortunately, it is also very rare to find and locate.

Most importantly, it'll almost always be protected by a C-Rank beast. You'd need a D-Rank party or higher to even steal something like this without duking it out with the beast.

Plus, you'd need to cross Lionhearts Beast Sanctuary and enter Thymiscira's Amazon to even have a chance of finding it. You on the other hand are only F-Rank. I saw that you've completed so many missions from Besanc but this expedition won't be like any other you've faced so far.

How do you propose to achieve what you claim to do even IF I were to consider that you know about its location? And there are so many risks involved for you in that expedition. You can even lose your life. Why don't we do it this way? You tell me about the location first and I'll reward you with…."

"Miss Levine, I thank you for being magnanimous enough not to ask about the source and authenticity of my intel. And thank you for worrying about my well-being as well.

Rest assured, I don't have suicidal tendencies. I know how to get my hands on that ingredient without harming myself. But I'd need confirmation from you that you'd take me as your disciple if I were to deliver the ingredient to you."

Eren completed his proposal with an air of stoicism around him. He knew the risks involved in gathering a C-Rank ingredient. It was located at the edges of Themyscira Amazon after all.

In Eren's previous timeline, the same ingredient was found and retrieved by a 5th year LA student whose feats got famous along with him after he was accepted as Levine's disciple. The butcher was going to take the page off from that guy's page without being the wiser.

"*Sigh! Alright. But you'd have to perform well in upcoming potioneering lab tests and prove your skills first. From your records, it is apparent that you are a good fighter. But how good are you as a potion master? I'd like to see the answer to that question myself.

I'll give you a go if you pass that test. You can prepare for your trip during this time.

Of course, there won't be any official binding contract from my side. You'll just have to take my word for taking you as my disciple. Because I don't want my name to get dragged in case you die, get injured, or go missing during the retrieval.

It'd be hard for me to convince your C-Rank guardian it wasn't my fault if you don't come safe and sound from your trip. I know rankers need to maintain discretion among themselves. Everyone has secrets after all. So I won't ask you about the source of your information.

But I'd give you a suggestion anyway. Make sure that your information is solid. I've seen far too many rankers falling into the trap of running after secret treasures only to get robbed by the ones who spread the rumours about such treasures in the first place.

Lastly, here. I'll lend these Novice potions to you. They might help you if you are in a pinch. You only have to pay for them if your retrieval trip turns futile. Otherwise, you can have them for free."

Levine gave Eren a set of Novice potions that were worth thousands of Merit Points. The latter didn't show any reluctance in taking the same. He knew he'd succeed. So he saw those potions only as freebies.

"Thank you, Miss Levine. I'll be going now."

Eren bowed slightly before taking his leave. Levine didn't think much about Eren after the conversation. She was taking a gamble without any risk involved to her. She'll think about taking Eren as her disciple if and when he comes in one piece with that ingredient with him.

*************************

"Hello. I'd like to purchase a Beast Contract spell."

Eren came to Novice Treasury after he had his lunch with his teammates. He assigned them their post-lecture training schedule and appointed Steve as an overseer. Renita wasn't happy that she was being bossed around by a berserker who was weaker than her.

But she didn't argue in front of Eren. The scrooge didn't like to take second opinions on his decisions. Of course, he told his team they can set a betting amount for their respective practice duels. That way, they'd all be serious even if they were conducting a practice session.

Eren's teammates were happy after knowing that they wouldn't have to pay a cut to the scrooge because he would not be present with them. Whatever they gain during their practise sessions from their opponent will be theirs to keep.

Eren skipped practise with his teammates and came to Novice Treasury to finally get his hands on a Beast Contract spell. Reen's problem needed to be addressed after all. He couldn't make her stay as a pendant or a coffee mug all the time.

"Your name is Eren, right? The kid who converted all his Extols just a few days before the auction event. You were very lucky that time, weren't you?

What I find strange is your friends also had the same idea as you and liquidated all their wealth in exchange for Merps just at the right time. We can only call that a coincidence now, right? Haha!

Anyway. About the Beast Contract spell. It is a rare, element-neutral spell that can be used by anyone. Plus, it doesn't have a specific rank in the sense that it is dependent on who is using it on whom.

It's one of the most popular and most used transcendent spells out there among rankers. But most-used doesn't mean easily available, kid. You need to say goodbye to 25K Merps all at once to have that spell."

Eren knew the spell's price was going to be astounding so he was mentally prepared. Thankfully, the E-Rank Mana Blessing had earned him a hefty amount. Plus, he kept on winning big in his ranking battles. He also placed external bets on himself through his friends to gather more Merps. Plus, he didn't even spare his teammates and collected Merps from them for providing guidance every time.

That's why his account balance had reached a staggering amount of 26,320 Merps. The butcher knew the Merps were only a way to gain better results. They don't hold any real value after all. That's why he didn't feel reluctant in parting with the amount he had earned through various means.

Eren bought the spell as easily as someone buying vegetables. This was a special spell that needed an array sheet to work in conjunction with the incantation. Thankfully, the amount of 25K covered all the necessities for him to cast the spell on Reen.

Author's Note: Countdown to the 100th chapter begins from this release. 3! ;)