Ren barely managed to drag himself back to the Gray Wing.
Each step to the room was torture, and when he finally reached his bedroom, he only had strength to collapse on his bed.
♢♢♢♢
He didn't know how long he slept until the door noise woke him. The pain in every muscle reminded him of Lin's brutal training.
"It was better than expected!" Min's voice came from the hallway. "Thanks for showing us the best spots, Liu."
"The deposits near the surface are the easiest to identify," replied Liu as they entered. "The trick is recognizing the crystallization pattern in the rock. With time you'll learn to distinguish promising veins from depleted ones."
"Oh, you're awake," Taro noticed Ren. "How was training?"
"Can't move anything without it hurting," Ren tried to sit up and immediately regretted it.
"Just basic exercises. Though they didn't feel so basic after the first hour."
"How did it go in the mines?" he asked, trying to divert attention from his pitiful state.
"Liu taught us the basics," Min dumped his bag on his desk. "I got ten iron crystals! They're not very big, but for the first day..."
"Twelve," Taro smiled, showing his own collection. "Though they're quite small."
Liu displayed his findings more calmly: fifteen iron crystals and one bronze. "Experience helps identify the best veins."
"Though don't get too excited," Liu began organizing his findings. "Crystals are just the beginning. For a complete cultivation you need processing materials and sealants, for example..."
He listed components, each more expensive than the last.
"To process your snake's crystals," he pointed to Min, "you'll need maybe marine coral extract and moon algae. For the final sealing, probably mermaid scales."
He turned to Taro. "And your beetle will require metal powder or mana-rich earth from the depths for processing. For sealing, you might need pulverized magical obsidian crystals."
He began listing other possible components and their costs. "For processing you'll need those specific materials according to your beast. And the final sealing..." he shook his head, "that's usually even more expensive."
"Actually," Ren sat up with difficulty, "processing can be simpler than you think."
"Oh really?" Liu arched an eyebrow, his tone between amused and skeptical.
"Min's snake is a freshwater one, not a sea one, it will only need night water lily extract, not marine coral or moon algae. And Taro's crystals..." he looked at his companion, "only need to be processed under the correct moons' light. It's just the final sealing that will be more complicated."
"Only moonlight?" Liu gave a short laugh. "The records are quite clear about processing requirements. Centuries of research..."
"The records also said the beetle couldn't pass Bronze," muttered Taro, remembering the morning class.
Liu shook his head with both amusement and pity. "I understand you want to help, but processing isn't something you can simplify like that. Each component has its function."
"My beetle does respond better at night," Taro intervened thoughtfully. "Even the books mention its nocturnal nature..."
"A beast's nature is one thing," Liu sighed, "and crystal processing is quite another. But I suppose," he looked at the mushrooms in Ren's hair, "that after what the guys told me about your demonstration today and being trained by Professor Lin, you're entitled to some peculiar theories."
Ren held back a smile. The real challenge wouldn't be processing, the correct moonlight was free, after all. The real problem would be getting the sealant for the final evolution in a hundred days.
"As I see things," Liu began storing his crystals, "it will be an interesting semester. Though I suggest focusing on proven methods before experimenting with... alternative theories."
The mushrooms in Ren's hair pulsed softly. He didn't expect them to believe him immediately, especially Liu who had spent a year studying traditional methods.
But when Taro's beetle evolved correctly...
Taro looked at his crystals thoughtfully. After seeing Ren defeat Kai using knowledge no one else seemed to have, maybe alternative methods were worth considering.
"By the way," Min changed topics while storing his crystals, "what other exercises did Master Lin make you do?"
Ren groaned, the mere memory making his muscles protest. "I'd rather not talk about that."
♢♢♢♢
The next morning...
Ren stopped in front of the crystal processing classroom.
Wei taught two classes, and although the professor had been clear about the bet, he wasn't sure if he meant both classes...
When he entered the kid's laughter started immediately.
"Look who came!" Jin smiled from his seat. "Didn't the expert have anything better to do?"
Wei stopped his explanation about processing methods, raising an eyebrow at seeing Ren.
"Ah, Mr. Patinder," Wei smiled with false cordiality. "I didn't expect to see you here. Shouldn't you be busy preparing your... demonstration?" his voice dripped with amusement.
"I... thought I should attend to make sure anyway."
"Nonsense," Wei waved a hand dismissively.
"The bet included both classes, right?" asked Ren, ignoring the giggles.
"Of course. As I said yesterday, you have much to do helping Mr. Taro with his beast and preparing for your other classes." Wei smiled with false kindness.
"Don't worry about attendance, you'll have it perfect if you win the bet. And if you lose..." his smile turned sharp, "well, attendance will be the least of your problems. So you can go awa…" he stopped, correcting himself with exaggerated courtesy, "retire quietly to work on it."
Ren nodded slowly and left the classroom.
The laughter increased as he left. He could hear someone comment "Did he really think he could come?" before the door closed.
The mushrooms in his hair pulsed while he considered his options. Free time before battle class.
The library wouldn't be much help, at least not in beast topics, most texts just repeated the same limited information.
And though Mei's economics class was fascinating, for now he had all the basic concepts clear so the library was excluded for today.
'I could take advantage to collect some crystals,' he thought while heading toward the practice mines. 'If I start now, before other students finish their classes...'
"Oh! But look who we have here!"
Ren froze mid-step. That cheerful voice...