Seeing the game prompt, Luca didn't hesitate for a moment and said to Franklin, "Student Luca is willing to learn under Teacher Franklin and study the knowledge of the Witch Doctor!"
Upon hearing Luca's words, Franklin's face lit up with joy.
Having such a disciple would surely allow the Witch Doctor legacy to flourish!
[Ding! Congratulations on completing "Franklin's Legacy," gaining the hidden profession "Witch Doctor"!]
[Congratulations! You have become an Apprentice Witch Doctor!]
[You have gained the skills "Herbology (Basic)," "Herbal Extraction (Basic)," "Herbal Concoction (Basic)"...]
[Ding! Franklin's favorability towards you +500. Favorability level: Trust!]
Looking at Luca, Franklin couldn't help but laugh heartily, "Good, good, good! From now on, you'll stay here at the clinic and follow me to study. Once I've taught you everything I know about the Witch Doctor profession and you've gained sufficient strength, you can go explore the Kingdom of Clinton on your own, or even see the wider world!"
"Understood, teacher!" Luca nodded, smiling.
With the support of the Witch Doctor profession, his future path would undoubtedly be smoother!
Having accepted such a talented disciple with max-level perception, Franklin was in high spirits.
He swiped his ring, and a flash of light appeared in his hand.
Soon, Franklin held a purple-gold potion and a black gold-threaded robe.
He handed them to Luca, smiling, "Since you've chosen to be my student, I won't treat you poorly. Consider these as your apprenticeship gifts."
"Thank you, teacher!" Luca quickly expressed his gratitude.
[Ding! You have received a gift from Franklin: the item "Elemental Enhancement Potion (Platinum Grade)" and the equipment "Black Gold Robe (Gold Grade)"!]
[Elemental Enhancement Potion (Platinum Grade): Increases your elemental control by 20%, elemental damage by 20%, elemental energy absorption speed by 20%, and elemental perception by 20%!]
[Black Gold Robe (Gold Grade): No level restriction. Wearing it increases your Spirit attribute by 120 points, Agility attribute by 80 points, mana recovery speed by 150%, and grants the skill "Mana Barrier"!]
Looking at the two items, Luca's eyes showed surprise.
Both the Elemental Enhancement Potion, a talent-enhancing potion, and the Black Gold Robe, a gold-grade equipment, were priceless treasures for him at this stage!
If other players knew about these items, they would be drooling with envy!
Giving such valuable gifts as a greeting, his mentor was truly generous!
Seeing Luca's surprise, Franklin smiled proudly, "Follow me and study the ways of the Witch Doctor diligently, and you won't lack for money. Witch Doctors are one of the most lucrative professions, even more so than blacksmiths and alchemists."
Luca felt a surge of anticipation.
It seemed he had made the right choice!
With the Witch Doctor profession, his financial pressures would definitely be greatly reduced in the future!
Just then, a frantic female voice came from the clinic entrance.
"Franklin, come quickly! Kaman's dying!"
Luca turned toward the voice and saw a group of people hurriedly rushing into the clinic.
The speaker was a red-haired woman in armor.
She held a long spear, her red hair cascading over her shoulders. She was tall, with a beautiful face and an air of heroism about her, though her expression was now full of anxiety.
Behind the red-haired woman, several men were carrying a stretcher. On it lay a pale-faced young man in leather armor.
Luca glanced at him and saw that the young man had a large, gaping wound in his abdomen, bleeding profusely. It was clear he didn't have much time left.
"What's with the shouting? He's not dead yet!" Franklin snapped, reverting to his original grumpy demeanor as he impatiently retorted at the armored red-haired woman. He walked over to the stretcher to examine the young man's condition.
The red-haired woman, familiar with Franklin's temper, ignored his attitude and pleaded anxiously, "We were attacked by Dire Wolves outside the city. Kaman was poisoned by their venom. Please save my brother; he won't last much longer!"
"Dire Wolves? What's one of those doing outside the city..." Franklin muttered, starting to inspect the boy's wound.
Luca also stepped forward to take a look and saw a black liquid seeping from the young man's abdomen.
This substance was the venom, a toxin specific to certain monsters, and notoriously difficult to deal with. Dire Wolves were one such monster known to carry it.
Encountering Dire Wolves outside the city was indeed a stroke of bad luck for this group.
At that moment, Franklin's hands glowed with a grey light as he placed them on the boy's abdomen to stabilize the wound. He then turned to Luca and said, "This kid's in bad shape. On the third shelf to the west, there's a jar with a Detox Beetle inside. Go get it for me."
Luca nodded and went to fetch the Detox Beetle.
The group of onlookers was stunned by Franklin's words. One man asked in confusion, "Old man, since when did you take on a student?"
Another person chimed in, equally surprised, "Yeah, don't you hate teaching students? Didn't you turn down that promising kid from the Norton family who wanted to be your apprentice?"
The others also looked puzzled.
In Riverfall City, Franklin's skills were as well-known as his peculiar temper.
He was famously skilled but also famously eccentric and reclusive.
He had lived in Riverfall City for many years without ever taking on students, assistants, or apprentices. What had suddenly changed?
Franklin rolled his eyes and said, "I find this kid pleasing to the eye. Can't I take him on as a student if I want to?"
He was joking, of course. The talent of those previous wannabes couldn't compare to Luca's.
Franklin had previously refused them because their aptitude didn't meet his standards.
But Luca was different.
If he didn't take in a peerless genius with innate max-level perception, his ancestors would probably crawl out of their graves to give him a slap.
At this moment, Luca had already brought the Detox Beetle.
"Teacher, here's the Detox Beetle," he said, handing over the insect.
It was a plump, snow-white grub, about two fingers thick, squirming in Luca's palm while nibbling on a poisonous mushroom.
"Ah, good, good. Thank you," Franklin's face immediately softened.
His swift change in attitude left the onlookers bewildered.
Was this kid some sort of big shot's offspring?
How else could he make Franklin, the old curmudgeon, act so kindly?
The group eyed Luca, speculating.
Franklin then placed the plump Detox Beetle into the boy's abdominal wound.
This sight made everyone around flinch.
The red-haired woman, Catherine, seemed like she wanted to say something but ultimately held her tongue.
Luca, on the other hand, was unfazed, having seen much more gruesome and disgusting scenes before.
Once placed in the boy's abdomen, the Detox Beetle seemed to sense something, lifted its pudgy head to sniff the air, then eagerly crawled toward the black venom, starting to feast on it.
As the Detox Beetle consumed the venom, the boy's complexion improved slightly.
Catherine sighed in relief and gratefully said to Franklin, "Franklin, my brother Kaman and I will never forget this favor. If you ever need any help, just let us know."
Without looking up, Franklin replied, "Don't get too happy just yet. Venom is not that easily neutralized. The Detox Beetle can only slow its spread. To save your brother, you'll need the heart of that Dire Wolf."
Catherine's face fell, and she said, "But that Dire Wolf has already fled into the Beast Forest. It's impossible to find it now..."
Franklin frowned, "Then you'll just have to watch him die. Without the materials, I can't save him."
Hearing this, Catherine and her companions were at a loss.
They couldn't just watch Kaman die but searching the Beast Forest was like finding a needle in a haystack.
At that moment, a voice suddenly called out to them.
"Take me with you. I have a way to find that Dire Wolf."