Alan brought Isabella into the city, and they felt like country folk stepping into a metropolis, marveling at all the sights.
Enormous trains thundered along multiple tracks, spellbeasts carried various goods under command, and mages in peculiar attire bustled about, adding to the lively atmosphere.
Although Alan and Isabella knew this place, as the transportation hub of the Plantagenet Kingdom, was bustling, they couldn't help but be captivated by the sheer scale of its activity.
Soon, Alan found a trading guild, sold the horned steed and carriage, restocked some provisions, and then they boarded the enormous train bound for the imperial capital.
The train, known as the Charlie No.1, was the latest massive locomotive, stretching as far as the eye could see and resembling a small town in its own right.
They were in the middle section of the magic train.
Their room was private but cramped, with a double bed that barely allowed them to stretch their legs.
There were no windows, and a variety of pungent odors lingered in the air.
Despite the discomfort, Alan had paid an extra two hundred gold coins for this "medium-class room."
Alan frowned; he didn't mind it for himself, but he didn't want his sister to suffer.
Isabella, noticing his expression, smiled and said, "Brother, this place is already nice!
At least we have our own space; it's far better than the lower-class rooms or standing tickets, where there's not even room to stand."
The trip to the capital would take a few days, and the tickets were clearly ranked by class.
Without status or privilege, securing a medium-class room was already the best they could get.
Alan cast a glance up toward the top level of the magic train.
The rooms there were few, luxurious, and spacious, resembling villas with elegant maids attending to them.
Faint orchestral music floated down, mixing with the air of lavish indulgence.
This was the deluxe room section—unavailable to the general public, reserved for the powerful and the influential.
Alan clenched his fists.
He still lacked strength!
He then asked Isabella to get familiar with their surroundings, and once the train departed, he'd show her around this colossal train.
Isabella nodded obediently.
Rumble!
After half an hour, the thunderous sound of departure echoed.
The Charlie No.1 bound for the capital finally set off with a slight shudder.
Once underway, Alan shut the door and continued his focus on his Element Fusion studies.
He had already developed some ideas through various experiments; now, he only needed to practice and consolidate, without needing to plunge into hellish efforts.
While Alan became immersed in his upgrade attempts, Isabella took out a level 1 mana stone, ran it over her storage ring, and retrieved several vials along with a Snow Lotus.
Though Alan had repeatedly told her to stop making potions, she felt that, with an essence stone, there shouldn't be any issues.
She had a strong feeling that if she could make the Snow Lotus Potion, it would definitely help her brother.
After all, the Snow Lotus Potion could greatly enhance perception for a short period.
Carefully, she used tweezers to pluck the petals of the Snow Lotus and soaked them in a solution. Her movements were slow and intensely focused, fully absorbed in her work.
Gifted in potion-making, her skill allowed her to work quickly when fully engrossed.
Two hours later, a rich medicinal aroma began to drift from the vial of vibrant green liquid in Isabella's hands, filling every corner of the room.
Deeply absorbed in his Element Fusion practice, Alan inhaled the scent, feeling a sudden wave of mental clarity, as if his confusion was melting away.
"Whew!"
Isabella wiped the thin layer of sweat off her forehead, let out a long breath, and looked up at the green potion in her hands with a satisfied smile.
"Snow Lotus Potion, complete!" she murmured excitedly.
The quality was high—normally, she could finish other potions in about ten minutes, but the Snow Lotus Potion had taken her a full half hour.
Its potency far surpassed any potion she had made before; even just the scent exceeded her previous concoctions.
Just as she was about to proudly present the potion to her brother, the door that Alan had firmly shut was suddenly kicked open!
Bang!
Startled by the noise, Isabella looked toward the doorway and saw three burly men barging into the room.
Each had tattoos of various magical beasts, with the leader sporting a scarred face and a massive blade slung over his shoulder, making him look fearsome.
As they entered, their eyes fixated on Isabella and the potion she held, their greedy gazes filled with red veins as they sniffed the air.
"Who would've thought we'd find such a high-quality potion on this magic train? Lady Luck sure favors us three brothers!"
"Hand it over nicely, little girl," they sneered as they pushed into the cramped room, their bulky figures blocking out the light.
Isabella's face turned pale with fear.
Clutching the potion to her chest, she stood her ground despite her terror, and said firmly, "This potion is for my brother. You can't take it!"
"Oh, we'll be your brothers! We're the Bronze Tier Three Brothers—quite well-known in Railway City.
Having us to look after you would be a blessing," the scarred man said with a sinister laugh.
"Yeah, call me second brother!" another chimed in.
"And I'll be third brother! Want some candy?" the last added, laughing as they continued to taunt her.
As they advanced, Isabella had nowhere left to retreat.
She moved the vial behind her and warned, "Stop! Fighting is forbidden on this magic train; violators are executed on the spot.
If you come any closer, I'll destroy the potion before letting you take it!"
Her voice caused the men to fall silent, their faces darkening.
"Are you threatening us?" the leader hissed, stepping forward with a murderous glare.
The men exchanged a glance, their eyes revealing a brutal intent.
The leader lunged forward like a charging bear, his massive hand wrapping around Isabella's throat. The other two conjured water-element hands to snatch the potion from her grasp.
But just as the water-element hands neared Isabella, a sudden flash of a sword sliced through them. Alan, seated at the back of the room with his eyes closed, opened them sharply.
The three men froze in shock, their hearts gripped by fear as they looked into Alan's eyes.
The murderous intent in his gaze was something they had never seen in anyone his age.
Realizing the danger, they hesitated, but it was too late—Alan moved like a raging storm, positioning himself behind Isabella as a terrifying roar echoed through the room:
"Who gave you permission to touch my sister?!"
In an instant, the leader's arm went limp and dropped to his side, blood spurting from his shoulder. He screamed, his scarred face contorted in agony as he clutched his severed arm.
The other two men stepped back, glaring at Alan with murderous intent.
They hadn't expected him to sever their brother's arm with such ease—especially given that he was only a tier-iron mage, while they were mid-tier-bronze.
"Kill him! Kill him!"
The agony and fury robbed the scarred leader of words, leaving him howling in rage.
He clutched his severed arm, pressing down on the wound to staunch the bleeding, and charged at Alan with bloodthirsty intent.
"Whoever this young man is, he must die!"
At his command, the other two brothers exchanged vicious looks, then moved in from both sides to surround Alan.
Beneath their feet, strange glowing patterns flickered—the Hidden Wolf Formation they had set up before entering the room.
This formation not only masked the scent of the potion but also amplified their power and concealed the battle's energy fluctuations.