There were times in history where the incessant battles between humans and elves were eclipsed by threats far greater, threats that transcended species rivalry and instilled fear in the hearts of every sentient being. One such threat was the Virulent Blight - a viral menace that was not only deadly, but its outbreak patterns were unpredictable, and its gene continually mutated. Its capricious nature meant that although some of the gathered participants may have researched the virus previously, it was highly likely that the strain introduced by the Maestro at this moment was unique and unknown. This means the first objective of the challenge was to understand and identify this particular strand of the virus. This task itself presented an unprecedented trial as the sample of the virus lay protected within a glass fortress. The gathered crowd bore witness to Vandill's decisive action. His assistant, a young wood elf ensconced in a protective suit, entered the hazardous environment. The crowd watched, breaths held, as he successfully scraped a piece of the contaminated tree bark and secured it in a specialized storage container. It was a small victory, but it was enough to spur the other participants into action. One by one, the competitors began to send their assistants to gear up in their own protective suits, prepared to follow the path blazed by Vandill's assistant. Their confident strides towards the garden, however, faltered as they beheld the horrifying transformation of Vandill's assistant. His face, once flushed with the thrill of the task, turned a ghastly blue, and blood began to trickle down his nose. The sight sent a wave of dread rippling through the crowd. Unfazed by the loss of his assistant, Vandill remained focused on the task at hand, his gaze firmly set on the sample in his possession. This indifferent reaction served as a grim reminder of the high stakes of the competition. Logain, representing the eighth colony, surprised the assembly with his unconventional approach. Instead of sacrificing a living being, he sent a miniature flying construct into the garden. The small machine, a marvel of technology, navigated the hazardous environment with precision, collecting fruits from the dying trees. Maksin, on the other hand, couldn't hide his disdain for Logain's reliance on technology. He sneered, "An elf depending on technology? You've brought shame upon us all!" Maksin, known for his innovative use of evolution potions, summoned a golem-like creature. The stone-like being was an impressive testament to Maksin's alchemical prowess, lumbered into the garden, gathering samples from the dead and dying fauna. Liandrin, a female apothecary of considerable resources, had a Grand Magus for an assistant. Unlike the others, the Grand Magus casually strolled into the garden, seemingly unconcerned about the lurking danger, and collected samples of the tainted water from the river. Of all the participants in the challenge, the young wood elf called Callon arguably took the boldest stance. In the first round, he had wowed the judges and audience with a disease potion that garnered him a laudable second-place finish. However, his strategy for the current challenge was what made him truly stand out. The young wood elf, looking somewhat apprehensive, consumed a potion and decided to face the threat head-on. He geared up and stepped into the glass box, filled with an atmosphere of virulent blight. There was an air of quiet tension that hung over the audience as they watched Callon. With a courage that belied his anxiety, he plunged into the poisonous environment to gather his samples. He bent over to pick up some grass and carefully dug out its roots. The silent witnesses couldn't help but admire his brave albeit risky move. The thought of a single mistake leading to such a promising apothecary facing quarantine or, even worse, death, sent a shiver down many spines. And yet, Callon was not the only audacious soul willing to risk it all. As if following an unspoken cue, another figure geared up to enter the virulent environment - the human participant, Merlin Myriddin. Just moments before, Helena and Twik, Emery's trusted companions, had offered to venture into the infected garden on his behalf. They understood the perilous nature of the task, and perhaps hoped to shield Emery from the potential risks. But Emery, displaying an earnest sense of responsibility, declined their generous offers. Emery was not driven by reckless courage or an inflated sense of self-importance. Rather, he felt an innate responsibility to shoulder the risk himself. It wasn't just about preserving his companions' lives; Emery firmly believed he needed to directly experience the deadly blight within the garden to truly comprehend its virulence. This first-hand knowledge, he reasoned, was crucial for finding an effective remedy. Armed with this resolve, Emery donned a protective suit to shield himself from the virus's harmful effects. His robust vitality served as his best defense against the toxic environment he was about to enter. Even so, the moment he stepped into the garden, he was met with an overpowering wave of intoxication. The toxicity seeping through the glass enclosure was so profound that even Emery, with all his vitality, recognized it as a place one shouldn't linger in for long. Without wasting any time, Emery quickly invoked his spell, [nature grasp]. This allowed him to tune into the heart of the environment, to sense the dying aura within the glass enclosure. The enchantment provided him with an unsettling clarity. He could sense the tainted water, its purity sullied by the relentless virus. He felt the corruption spread through the once fertile soil, now bereft of its life-nourishing properties. His senses reached out to the pitiful creatures wracked with infection, their vitality rapidly ebbing away. The plants too were succumbing to the poison, their green vitality fading to the deadly hues of disease. Emery carefully collected some of them, one of which showed resistance to the blight. Surveying this dire tableau, Emery couldn't help but utter, "This indeed is a terrifying poison." The weight of the situation was evident in his voice. He heaved a deep sigh before leaning in to whisper a question into the silence around him, a question meant for a unique entity, "What do you think, Cthulhu?" The response was almost immediate, a chuckle rippling through his mind, resonating with an undercurrent of excitement. The voice belonged to Cthulhu, a mythical being whose wisdom Emery often sought. Cthulhu's enthusiasm, given the gravity of the situation, was a peculiar contrast. Yet, it lent a strange sense of assurance to Emery. With a determined nod, Emery replied, "Alright, let's do this." To be aided by a mythical being, an indisputable master of toxins, was indeed a privilege. While some might consider it cheating, he dismissed the idea. After all, was it any different from having a garden magus assistant? Besides, this was an actual matter that involved the lives of many, he has no need for room for personal pride. Emery ventured back to his workstation, bearing his acquired samples. As he did, the Maestro wasted no time in fortifying the protective measures around the alcoves and sample storage. This was a scenario where a single lapse could lead to catastrophe, and no precaution was too much. In a situation like this, the Maestro can't help to shake his head as he saw the human participants bring multiple samples to his alcoves "Is this wise? You won't have the time to study them all" "I understand Grand Maestro, I will be careful" 𝙛𝓻𝒆𝒆𝒘𝙚𝓫𝙣𝙤𝒗𝙚𝓵.𝙘𝙤𝙢 The audience, holding their collective breath, could only watch as the participants began their experiments. Emery, in particular, stood out, having returned with four samples to analyze. He immediately used his [Fragmentation] skill to dissect the essence within each sample. [Three essences found] [Four essences found] [Two essences found] [Three essenced found] Each sample haves its contaminated essences within plus one [Unknown essence] [Warning its a highly dangerous essence, handled with care] Even the [Universal flora knowledge rank 5] that would allow him to analyze up to tier 7, unable to identify the dangerous essence. However, Emery still had a total of seven contaminated essences to work with. As he began studying the characteristics of each essence, he started calling out specific names to Helena. The Wood Elf girl swiftly cataloged all Tier 5 ingredients associated with the named essences and made haste toward the storage room on his behalf. [2 hours 32 minutes] Less than half an hour had passed when an incident erupted in one of the alcoves. A Master apothecary and his two assistants had to be promptly whisked away for quarantine, and their workspace was swiftly sterilized by the Maestro. While one participant struggled against a single sample, Emery, who was contending with four, could sense something sinister infiltrating his veins. His unique ability, [Undecaying Flesh], could only repel some of the virus. Realizing the situation was escalating, Emery turned to Twik and uttered, "I need your help, buddy." "Kuang.. Ku,.. ku," Twik responded. Understanding the severity of the situation, Twik reached out and laid his hand on Emery's back, activating his special ability. [Fusion] A surge of intense light energy coursed into Emery's body, lending him the power to combat the insidious virus.