Taking his time to browse through the whole book, Heat ended up buying 3 Lesser Healing potions, 2 Ice Wall potions, 2 Corrosive Bile potions, and 1 Petrification potion. Altogether, everything left Heat with 45 gold coins.

The Ice Wall potion creates a 10-meters wide, 4-meters high, and 1-meter thick ice wall after being thrown on the ground. The Corrosive Bile potion explodes on impact and dissolves anything that the liquid touches. The Petrification potion turns the target into stone if thrown at a target. All the potions were kept inside a small glass test tube sealed with a cork.

Returning to his room in Pebble inn, Heat took out the High-grade neutral crystal.

With some worry, Heat began to slowly infuse his energy into the neutral crystal.

Slowly, Heat saw a faint deep black emerge from the center of the grey crystal. The black shine spread and created a deep black glow on the neutral crystal.

Before Heat could take a closer inspection, the neutral crystal cracked in many parts and fell apart in Heat's hand. The tiny pieces of crystal quickly dissolved into dust.

"That's... Weird..." Heat muttered.

Before Heat left the alchemy shop, he asked the attendant how he could tell if the High-grade neutral crystal were to indicate multiple elements or hidden elements.

The attendant said that for multiple elements, the crystal's shine would divide itself into separate colors indicating more than one elemental affinity.

For hidden elements, the crystal would first shine in the basic element's color, then crack into many pieces before dissolving into dust indicating that the basic element evolved into a hidden element.

Heat's neutral crystal test just cracked into multiple pieces before dissolving, indicating a hidden element according to the attendant at the shop, but it glowed a deep black color. Water is blue, fire is red, wind is yellow, earth is brown, and wood is green, so what does black mean?

Since he didn't know, there would be no point thinking about it. Heat decided he would go back tomorrow morning and ask the attendant at the alchemy shop regarding the neutral crystal shining black.

The Mercenary Guild D Rank test was tomorrow in the afternoon, Heat has decided to attend the test. With his potions, he might have a chance at passing.

The worst case scenario would be that he has to retreat and fail the test, it would be better to fail than lose his life.

This content has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere.

. . . .

Before the sun rose the next day, Heat had already left Pebble inn. He is currently standing in front of the alchemy store waiting for it to open.

"Oh young man, you're back." The attendant from yesterday walked over.

"Yes, I am looking to ask you about the High-grade neutral crystal that I bought yesterday. It shone a deep black glow, before cracking and turning to dust. What does that mean?" Heat asked without reserve.

"Black? I've never heard of that before. I'm sorry but I have no idea. Would you like to buy anything, I'm about to open the store." The attendant said while unlocking the store's doors.

"Ah, well is there anyone here who might know?" Heat persisted.

"Sorry, but the store's manager is currently not in Rock Edge city and won't be back until next week." The attendant had a helpless expression since he sold Heat the High-grade neutral crystal but truly has no information on what a black glow from the crystal means.

Since no one at the alchemy shop could help Heat right now, he left and made his way over to the Mercenary Guild.

He arrived a couple of hours before noon and saw that he was not the only one early.

Quickly rushing over to Heat's side was a chubby young man.

"Quanye! I didn't expect you to be here." Cho Mun was delighted when he saw Heat. Ever since they snuck over the Mels' mansion walls together a couple of nights ago, Cho Mun has been looking for Heat to compensate him for his help.

He took a liking to Heat and thought that he should take him into his family as a paid servant. Unexpectedly, who knew that after Cho Mun sent out a notice to his house servants to find Heat, he would actually bump into Heat at the Mercenary Guild.

Looking at Heat's clothing, Cho Mun realized that Heat must not be a peasant and might be a noble that he is unfamiliar with. As for why Heat was wearing rags the other day? Who cares!

Cho Mun felt that he could trust Heat because they climbed over the Mels' mansion wall together in secrecy and he never got into trouble for it.

"You must also be here to take the D Rank test, what power level are you?" Cho Mun inquired as he hoped that Heat would be stronger than the teammate that his father prepared for him.

Since he is only a level 1 Mortal Warrior, Cho Mun knew that his chances of passing the test alone would be almost non-existent.

He didn't even want to take the test but his father told him that being in the Mercenary Guild would help pave the way for his future and that the test this time allowed you to team up with someone else taking the test. Thus, when his father told him that a hired level 3 Mortal Warrior would come to take the test and be his teammate, he signed up without hesitation.

Even though a level 3 Mortal Warrior would usually be able to pass the D Rank tests, Cho Mun knew that the test's difficulty varies and if it was very difficult, even a level 3 Mortal Warrior would be in trouble. Hence, even if Heat was at the same strength as the teammate his father prepared, he would rather team up with Heat and tackle the test with someone he trusts so that their retreat would be better coordinated if they run into trouble.

"I'm a level 1 Mortal Warrior," Heat replied slightly embarrassed. Heat knew that everyone who took the D Rank test would be a level 2 Mortal Warrior at least if they wished to survive.

There are only some special circumstances like Chi Mels taking the test at level 1 Mortal Warrior if they had someone strong supporting them during the test.

Cho Mun nodded his head in understanding. He thought that since Heat is a level 1 Mortal Warrior, he must have his own hired teammate that is much stronger to help him pass the test. Even though Cho Mun was a bit disappointed that he would be unable to team up with Heat, he started to feel even closer to Heat because he thought that they were both in the same situation.