Upon mentioning detoxification potions, aside from the low-tier antidote that Meili had pulled out, Sain immediately remembered that he still had half a bottle of intermediate antidote given to him by Master Mosido. However, that antidote was left back at his and Lina's home, and he needed to retrieve it quickly.
"We should head back now. Let's meet again in a while!" Sain said as he supported Lina's arm and addressed Boas and Meili in front of him.
At least Sain still had friends in Boas and Meili, alongside some acquaintances among the lower-tier apprentices. Meanwhile, Lina seemed entirely alone; aside from Sain, she had no one in the Dark Magic Academy with whom she could converse.
"Alright, if you need anything, just come find me in the eastern district. You know which shop I'm at," Boas replied first. Although he was quite intimidated by the powerful and usually cold Lina, he managed to maintain a better composure than Meili, showing no obvious signs of fear.
Meili, on the other hand, was visibly anxious. Stealing a glance at Lina, she quickly shoved three potions made by herself into Sain's hands, all of which were low-tier restorative potions.
Meili couldn't yet produce potions that restored mental or magical energy; that skill was still beyond her reach. The three low-tier restorative potions she offered could only facilitate the healing of minor injuries and speed up tissue recovery.
Still, that was no small feat considering how young Meili was. She had only recently begun her potion studies under Master Diris. In Mosbra City, the value of potions rivaled that of magical items. Even the most basic potions were not typically affordable for average magical apprentices; otherwise, Sain wouldn't have braved a confrontation with the saltwater giant crocodile without proper gear.
Sain glanced at the three potions in his hand and offered Meili a thankful glance. However, he couldn't afford to linger in conversation given Lina's dire condition; he guided her straight toward the dormitory.
Boas and Meili were just preparing to leave the training ground when Boas rubbed his plump hands together and grinned at Meili. "You did really well, little Meili, able to make low-tier detoxification and restorative potions!"
"Why not help me with my business? You'll earn some money, and we can split it fifty-fifty," Boas proposed to her.
Meili and Boas weren't well-acquainted; their relationship was mainly facilitated by Sain as a middleman. Boas once thought that Sain's kindness in looking after the little girl was just excessive sympathy. However, he now recognized that Sain had the foresight, and he himself had been somewhat shortsighted.
Meili rolled her eyes at Boas's flattering grin. Initially, she had indeed been an innocent girl when she first arrived in the dark realms, but after spending so much time in the Dark Magic Academy, even the purest of flowers had to adapt to some aspects of the underground world.
Not swayed by Boas's compliments, she shook her head and said, "My success rate for making low-tier restorative potions is only thirty percent, and for low-tier detoxification potions, it's just ten percent."
"If you can provide the corresponding materials for making the potions, I might consider collaborating with you."
Meili's negotiation skills showed that she was gradually maturing within the Dark Magic Academy. Upon hearing her conditions, Boas's expression briefly darkened. Yet, when he learned the names of the materials she required, his mood clearly lightened.
"Those materials you mentioned are quite basic and wouldn't cost much black gold; however, I imagine you'll use quite a lot of them."
"So we'll need to discuss the specifics of the potion profit sharing," Boas said.
After a moment's consideration, Meili nodded in agreement.
Given the harsh environment of the underground world, fights were perpetual, and various toxic substances were abundant. Once her detoxification and restorative potions were ready for market, they would surely find demand. The only uncertainty for Boas was how long it would take Meili to produce these potions and if her claimed success rates were accurate.
While the interaction between Meili and Boas progressed, Sain had already assisted Lina back to their home. To help her feel better, he had given her the low-tier detoxification and restorative potions he had and also placed his strong acid staff in her hands. The slow restoration of mental and magical energy would help her feel more at ease.
"Don't worry about me. Honestly, my injuries aren't as severe as you might think," Lina reassured Sain. "Tomorrow, when we see my mentor, I can ask for a purification potion, and this death aura should be entirely expelled."
It seemed that Lina's mentor genuinely valued her; aside from what she had mentioned, Sain also knew that the bracelet on her wrist was a gift from Master Felina. Besides enhancing her recovery of dark elemental magic, it also assisted Lina in casting a spell called Shadow Assault.
This was a token of mentorship from Master Felina, indicating that such formal dark sorcerers were quite affluent.
"Alright, you should rest and meditate for a while. I'll go cook," Sain said, nodding.
When Sain returned to Master Mosido's workspace, the busy master still took a moment to acknowledge him and expressed approval for Sain's receipt of the academy award. It was clear that Sain's senior sister, Phyr, had informed him of the event.
Humbly accepting the praise, Sain maintained a posture of respect and gratitude. "It is your teachings and magical notes that have benefited me greatly, and Senior Sister Phyr has also guided me in many fire-element magic techniques," he replied.
Nodding, Mosido said, "Make sure to advance to an intermediate apprentice soon. Once you reach that level, you will be able to assist your seniors in some experiments we conduct."
"This will help you immerse yourself in this knowledge faster and explore the path to truth," Mosido encouraged.
After watching Master Mosido return to his laboratory, Sain made his way back to what felt like his own private room. Clutching the strong acid staff in his left hand, he held a small crystal ball in his right, which contained the initial meditation method given to him by his mentor.
"Here I come, Intermediate Apprentice."
Taking a deep breath, Sain began meditating on his mental energy, leveraging the slow magic recovery effect of the strong acid staff and the rich concentration of elemental energy in the room. He repeatedly pushed to break through the limits of magic capacity within him.
The string of battles, combined with his imminent breakthrough, made entering the ranks of intermediate apprentice a natural progression for Sain. Achieving this at sixteen certainly qualified him as a prodigy.
In Mosbra City, many lower-tier apprentices were over twenty-five years old. Yet there were few surpassing thirty. Not all magical apprentices were gifted enough to achieve intermediate status by thirty. The academy's dark sorcerers had a tendency to weed out those who could not advance by that age.
The academy did not support idleness; with limited resources, those with less aptitude would inevitably face grim outcomes.