"Welcome, lad. How was it?" Aodhfionn asked as he saw Ezio walking in.
Ezio just pulled out the token and showed it to his master with a grin.
"Ah knew ye could do it." Aodhfionn smiled genuinely as he patted Ezio's arm. He couldn't reach his shoulders now that Ezio grew taller than him.
"It is all thanks to you, Master," Ezio said with all seriousness. In the last three months, Aodhfionn held nothing back and taught him everything he could.
"Yer a good seedling. Ye have a nice head on yer body." His master walked away with a smile. "Get some rest."
Ezio walked into the hut and fell on his bed. As he was about to fall asleep, his consciousness pulled into the Mysterious Room. He looked around and saw the shutter that was closed three months ago was opening slowly.
"Welcome back, Alcy, Blacky." Ezio smiled as he looked at his avatars.
"No time for chit-chat. Give me the samples." Alcy said excitedly. Ezio shook his head helplessly as he handed over the samples he took months ago.
"Congrats on your exam, Main." Blacky was more civil.
"Thanks, mate. It was also thanks to you." Ezio smiled.
"Such low-quality products. How wasteful they are." Alcy spoke as he was inspecting two medicines with disdain.
"Can you find the formula?" Ezio asked in hope.
"Easy. Just give me a week." Alcy answered as he pulled out a paper and wrote down some herbs and crystals. "Get me these so I can start experiments."
"Got it." Ezio nodded and left the room. He decided to sleep later and walked outside of the hut.
"Where are ye running, lad? Ye just arrived." Aodhfionn asked as he looked at the excited boy.
"Going to the market, Master. I want to buy some herbs to work on my Alchemy skills." Ezio answered honestly.
"Come here for a second," Aodhfionn called him over. "There will be a banquet in a week. Ah was invited as an honor guest and people are curious about ye too. Ah will take ye with me."
"What banquet, Master?" Ezio asked with a tilt of his head.
"Little Ezio, it is time to learn ye the powers of capital," Aodhfionn said as both of them sat. "There are four big sects in the capital. They are all Duke II tier powers, challenging the Kingdom but still, not as strong.
These sects are, Prometheus's Suffering, Demeter's Virtue, Zeus's Fury, and Poseidon's Kiss." Aodhfionn said with all seriousness.
"Pfft." Ezio gasped when he heard the last name.
"What happened, little lad?" His master asked with a frown.
"Sorry, Master. The last name sounded funny." Ezio couldn't help but say.
"Huh?" Aodhfionn looked puzzled. "These sects are all in check, and the Kingdom is troubled because if they can overpower the Kingdom, the balance will shift to something horrible."
"Is it that serious?" Ezio asked in worry.
"Aye, it is." Aodhfionn shook his head. "Crystallization Realm is helluva different from other Realms before it. Its layers are also hard to overcome that is why even a single layer can separate power from Duke II to Duke I tiers."
"But Master, aren't you at the peak of it, how come the kingdom is still Duke II tier power when you are here?"
"Little Ezio, Ah am not part of this kingdom because Ah refused to serve it. The rankings of the regions are not something trivial. I support the King and his Kingdom but I cannot be part of it, if I do, I cannot affiliate myself with any other region.
Ah came to this Kingdom 10 years ago when Ah learned mah friend got ill. But Ah am part of another power, far far from here." Aodhfionn explained with a sad face. "Although Ah am at the peak of the Realm, the Kingdom rankings will not change. Ah do keep other powers in check and the reason why the Kingdom still stands is me but it is still something worrisome."
"Is the King really poisoned, Master?" Ezio asked after a while.
"Aye. Ah am sure of it." Aodhfionn nodded as he looked into Ezio's eyes. "Little lad, be careful if ye come face to face with Prince Consort. He is a snake."
"How strong is he?" Ezio asked in worry. He had the power to even threaten Aodhfionn and the authority to decide the lives of every subject in the Kingdom.
"His power is already at the peak of the Qi Solidification Realm, but Ah saw him battle and beat with a powerhouse at the peak of the First Layer of Qi Crystallization Realm. Ah don't know if he can win against those at the Second or further, but still, he is a genius.
But what troubles me is the man behind him. That man gives me goosebumps whenever I see him." Aodhfionn said with a shiver.
"Can he be beyond the Realm of Crystallization?" Ezio asked in disbelief.
"Ah have seen enough people at the Qi Ascending Realm, lad." Aodhfionn shook his head. "He is definitely in that realm. But what he does in this Kingdom, Ah don't know."
This was Ezio's first time hearing about the following realm, also about layers of the Crystallization Realm. He only heard that beginning from that Realm, the layers increased to 9. But he didn't know the details.
"In the banquet, people from the Kingdom will be there as well. Don't act servile or overbearing. Ye are mah disciple, so show yer pride. But don't antagonize anyone unnecessarily." Aodhfionn reminded. "They may ask ye to fight or forge depending on the situation. Just do whatever ye want, but don't embarrass me."
"Got it, Master." Ezio sheepishly smiled. "I will show everyone how great your teaching is. I will make sure all of them are awestruck by my and your awesomeness."
"Cheeky brat." Aodhfionn shook his head with laughter. "Take this. Ah found this manual when Ah was traveling. Use it if ye need it, lad."
Ezio took the manual and looked at the introduction and soon, his eyes were opened to the limit.