Chapter 83: Chapter 81: Brain Extraction Technique "Ron?" Cynthia frowned. "Are you talking about the new assistant hired by Lady Allen?" "Not just that." Oliver turned around, his expression turning serious. "I’ve heard from intelligence channels that he has applied for the Alchemist certification exam." Cynthia was taken aback at first, then burst into a sharp laugh: "Alchemist certification? He has been working under Lady Allen for barely three months, if you count all the days, right? Even if he had some foundation before, it’s impossible to reach that level." "Don’t underestimate anyone." Oliver shook his head, "I’m particularly interested in him. Whether he passes the exam or not, acting against him now will attract special attention from the School. After all, Lady Allen’s support for him has far exceeded the norm." Cynthia squinted her eyes, pondering, "So, are you asking me to hold off for now?" "Of course, that’s the wise choice," Oliver nodded. "After he fails the Alchemist certification, he’ll naturally be assigned to field tasks next month. By then, we’ll have plenty of opportunities..." "This time, I’ll give you credit for being reasonable." Cynthia retracted the scorn from her face and turned her gaze to the orc, who had been hypnotized into a sleepy stupor, a hint of pathological anticipation flashed in her eyes: "So, do you mind if I try out this new toy right now?" "Please, feel free to use it." Oliver gave a slight bow, "My laboratory is well soundproofed; no one will disturb your interest." With that, he walked toward the door, but as he touched the doorknob, Cynthia suddenly spoke up: "Oliver, don’t think I don’t know what you’re up to." Her voice was low and dangerous, "You want to know my secrets, yet you always fear being influenced by me; be careful not to play with fire." Oliver paused but didn’t turn around: "Everyone is playing with fire, Cynthia. The difference is, some people get burned, while others... become the fire itself." 𝓯𝓻𝒆𝙚𝒘𝓮𝙗𝓷𝒐𝓿𝙚𝒍.𝙘𝓸𝙢 As the door closed behind him, the perfect smile on Oliver’s face gradually faded. A flicker of disgust appeared in his eyes, as if discomforted by something filthy. "Cynthia, you’re underestimating Ron," he murmured to himself. "Pleasure, emotion manipulation... these are just trivial tricks in the face of a true talent." Oliver gazed at the scattered lights in the Black Mist Jungle’s night, his thoughts involuntarily drifting back to memories from a few years ago. Back then, he was just a candidate apprentice with a sixth-class star talent, not much different from Ron’s initial talent on arrival. It was his first year in the Black Mist Jungle when Holt, who arrived at the same time, came with an outstanding fourth-class star spiritual talent, garnering attention from all sides. And he could only hide in the corner, silently watching that star-like dazzling figure. "Another success, Holt Apprentice has fully mastered the Basic Meditation Technique in just three months, advancing to an Elementary Apprentice." Barely managing to afford paid courses with magic stone fragments, now all he remembered were the praises echoing in the classroom: "Such understanding and control ability is rare even among fourth-class star talents. Now, please share your specific meditation experience with everyone." In the back row of the classroom, Oliver clenched his fists tightly, his nails digging deep into his palms. His eyes were fixed on Holt’s figure, basking in appreciation, filled with endless jealousy and longing. "Why can’t it be me?" he cried out countless times in his heart. "Why is fate so unjust?" Until the night that changed everything, he accidentally discovered a fragmentary ancient book mentioning an ancient magic concept called the "Brain Extraction Technique": "Every being’s talent and intelligence are hidden within specific regions of the brain..." The words within were like the devil’s whisper: "With the right method, one could extract them for personal use." This discovery kept Oliver awake through the night. He began secretly researching this forbidden craft, starting with experiments on small animals, later "collecting" from failed slaves. Every step came with enormous risks and pain, but also brought astounding rewards, and it was in this process that he awakened his talents in curse magic and biological transformation. The first complete "extraction" success occurred in the latter half of his first year at the Black Mist Jungle. He secretly captured a child from an alien race village, who possessed a rare natural affinity. The process was extremely bloody, but the result was thrilling; his spiritual power actually increased, and his perception ability toward natural elements also grew. This success radically altered his path. In the following years, he gradually perfected this craft, continuously "collecting" abilities from various special talents. Each "collection" advanced his power further, while his mind grew increasingly twisted. Three years ago, when he successfully advanced to Advanced Apprentice, his once indifferent Master finally looked at him seriously. "Sometimes I really doubt if you’re the untalented boy you once were," The Master marveled, "Your rate of progress is simply remarkable." Oliver merely smiled slightly, "Everyone has their path, Master, I just found the one that suits me best." Today, he stands out among the candidate wizards, only a step away from achieving Official Wizard status. All of it built upon the pain and death of countless "collections." "Ron..." Oliver murmured softly, a glimmer of enigmatic light in his eyes, "I will uncover the secrets you hold." The black mist outside the window thickened, as if responding to the darkness deep within his heart. Oliver knew he had ventured too far to return. But he didn’t care, for at the end of this path lay the power and status he had longed for. As for the brains he "collected," they were merely stepping stones toward the pinnacle. ......... The day after submitting the application, Ron fully immersed himself in preparing for the Alchemist certification exam. He covered the desk in his dormitory with various notes and materials, organizing all possible magic potion formulas for the exam into a special notebook, densely filled with his notes and improvement plans. "According to Lady Allen’s hints, the exam usually randomly selects three out of these ten magic potions." Ron murmured to himself, flipping through his notes: "Stimulant Potion, Healing Potion, Awakening Potion, Magic Recovery Potion, Star Dust Liquid... each one needs to be at a level where I can configure it with my eyes closed." He picked up the silver pocket watch and focused his consciousness into it. The black gem on the watch immediately emitted a faint glow, absorbing his fatigue. [Negative state successfully reset: mild fatigue, Energy - 1] After the fatigue faded, Ron quickly continued his work, using small refining tools to practice the most difficult parts of the magic potion formulas. Upon completing a practice, he would examine the product, note any issues, then use the watch to reset his state, and begin a new round of practice. That near-frenzied pace of practice continued for three days, until a gentle knock interrupted his focus on the fourth morning. "Ron, it’s me." A familiar voice came from outside the door. Ron opened the door and saw Andre standing there, a rare look of worry on his face: "Good morning, Andre, what’s the urgent matter this time?" "It’s the latest news from my investigation."