Rather than rushing into action, Greene steadied himself through meditation, gradually calming his thoughts and emotions.
For sorcerers, meditation serves as both a means to convert spiritual power into corresponding magical energy and as the most fundamental method of honing and enhancing spiritual strength. This forms the foundation of the so-called sorcerer aptitude. Depending on their aptitude, some may gain a unit of spiritual power in a year of meditation, while others may require a decade.
After the time it takes for a sandglass to empty, Greene opened his eyes and concluded his daily meditation. Meditation is not a matter of duration but consistency, with a single sandglass's time being optimal. Exceeding this leads to mental exhaustion and diminished effects.
Exhaling deeply, Greene picked up a crystal sphere to assess his current state: Spiritual Power: 13, Magical Power: 125–137.
"Hm? My magical power ceiling increased by two points. It seems the insights I just gained were quite impactful."
With his emotions now stable, Greene's eyes reflected the wisdom of a sorcerer as he sat calmly at his workbench.
On the bench lay various specimens: a dissected frog preserved in a solution, a white mouse squeaking in its cage, seven or eight jars containing different insects, and a sealed container with a monkey brain submerged in a yellow liquid. There were also several mysterious vials emitting diverse scents—rudimentary fragrance concoctions Greene had crafted based on The Scent Atlas. Among the tools was a rare, low-grade microscope.
Greene pulled out his research journal, containing two years of notes on his Hunter's Nose Modification project. Through this study, he had managed to identify nearly 4,000 scent profiles, a capability tenfold that of an ordinary person.
Rubbing his temples, Greene began to ponder again.
"The Hunter's Nose Modification isn't a form of bloodline sorcery. I confirmed that six months ago after purchasing this microscope. Bloodline sorcery involves absorbing the essence of powerful creatures to evolve one's own capabilities through mysterious processes."
Lighting a piece of Soothing Incense, a calming fragrance he had concocted through alchemy and scent research, Greene mused,
"If it's not bloodline sorcery, nor any familiar system such as elemental, curse, spiritual, soul, alchemy, or mechanical sorcery, then what exactly is the principle behind the Hunter's Nose Modification? And why doesn't this grimoire have an author?"
Greene had scoured the academy's library for similar grimoires to cross-reference, hoping to advance his experiments. Yet to his astonishment, there wasn't a single book resembling Hunter's Nose Modification—a method that altered the sorcerer's body but didn't align with bloodline, alchemical, or mechanical sorcery.
Pacing in his room, Greene suddenly had a thought. He hurried back to the bench, grabbing the squeaking white mouse.
"If it's not bloodline sorcery, then what aspect of the organism is altered to induce this evolution? Perhaps an experiment is in order to determine what changes occur when the substance used in the modification is injected."
With newfound determination, Greene rummaged through his supplies and retrieved a vial of red serum. This was a synthetic dye harmless when ingested, as the stomach lining neutralized its toxic components. Injected directly, however, it caused mild poisoning.
As a sorcerer, Greene harbored no sympathy for his "test subjects." With some leftover low-grade materials from the Hunter's Nose Modification formula, he crafted a rudimentary injection that, while incapable of advancing a sorcerer's evolution, sufficed for observational experiments.
Half a day later, Greene completed the crude concoction. Fortunately, months earlier, he had extracted the mouse's cellular blood sample to create a neutralizing agent; otherwise, this step alone would have taken weeks.
Using a fine needle, Greene injected the compound into the mouse and patiently awaited the effects.
Two days later, under the microscope, an astonishing result appeared—one that left Greene incredulous yet elated.
"Impossible! The mouse's cells show signs of systemic poisoning, with every cell stained red by the dye. How can this be? The modification only 'evolved' the nose, so why does the substance alter every cell in the body?"
A mix of disbelief and excitement filled Greene's expression. This breakthrough marked significant progress. However, his low-grade microscope was insufficient to delve deeper, as it only allowed observation at the cellular level—knowledge commonplace among sorcerer apprentices. To examine intracellular changes, a higher-grade microscope was essential.
"I can't stop now!"
Resolute, Greene packed his materials and headed to Black Thorn Tower, the academy's central hub.
The tower's vast first floor served as a sprawling marketplace. Without delay, Greene rushed to the seventh floor, the highest level.
"I need to rent a high-magnification microscope," he said urgently.
The apprentice managing the equipment glanced at Greene indifferently.
"One magic stone per day. Any damage to the equipment will result in disciplinary action by the enforcement team."
The rental cost stunned Greene, but he gritted his teeth and handed over a magic stone. Entering the laboratory, he spent an entire day conducting experiments. Emerging later, he approached the manager with a grim expression.
"Does the academy have an even more advanced microscope?"
"More advanced?" The apprentice was startled.
"What could a mere sorcerer apprentice possibly be studying that requires such precision?"
Despite his skepticism, the apprentice suddenly recalled something.
"My mentor owns a more sophisticated microscope, purchased from the Seven Rings Holy Tower."
Greene's heart surged with hope. "Your mentor?"
The apprentice smirked mischievously.
"You wouldn't need to know who my mentor is. However, for twenty magic stones, I can let you use it while my mentor is away. Deal?"
"Twenty magic stones!" Greene exclaimed, his voice almost a shriek.
"That's outrageous for a single use!"
The apprentice shrugged.
"Your call. I won't risk my hide for less. By the way, my name's Varro. Look me up if you change your mind."
Grinding his teeth, Greene left in frustration. With only one and a half magic stones to his name, twenty seemed insurmountable.
"Think, Greene, think! How can I earn those damned magic stones?"
Pacing anxiously, his gaze fell upon the vials of fragrances he had casually concocted.
"Maybe... I could sell these scent formulas. Yes! I could create blends that naturally attract humans, using profiles from The Scent Atlas. Of course!"
One scent immediately came to mind—a pheromone blend from the Atlas categorized as a "stench," yet capable of subconsciously captivating the opposite sex.
It was, in essence, an aphrodisiac.
Inspired, Greene envisioned a complex formula requiring ten scent components: three top notes for an initial impact, three heart notes for a lasting impression, and three base notes for enduring allure over days. The final ingredient, the signature note, would dominate the blend, imprinting itself in memory.
For the signature note, Greene would use human pheromones, crafting two distinct blends tailored for men and women.