Sans rose from the floor with dead eyes and hot breath.

How long was I out for?

He let out a groan and crawled to his feet. The sun’s brilliance filtered through the window curtains, causing him to squint his eyes in hatred. It was the height of the day, and he had just slept the entire morning away.

Busy, busy, busy.

Sans shook himself awake and lightly pampered his cheeks with the palms of his hands.

“Lem said that I need a token from the Alchemist’s Association.”

He took a peek outside, watching the city folk migrate from every which way.

“Surely he’s there already, right?”

There was an individual in particular that he was interested in meeting—Elder Holpin. According to Lem, the man lost his family to Twilight Fel and has been working on a cure ever since.

Maybe he knows the secret ingredient that I’m missing.

Shrugging his shoulders, he promptly made for the door.

“Even if Elder Holpin isn’t there, does it even matter?”

What did he care? After all, he was only going there to obtain the most entry level of alchemist tokens—a feat he could achieve in his sleep. Even if he never met Elder Holpin, Sans had a feeling that the old alchemist wouldn’t be much help anyway.

It was an odd feeling of superiority, possibly brought about by Doctor Lazure’s memory fragment, but Sans couldn’t deny the egotistical blood that ran through his veins in regards to alchemy. For once in his life, he felt confident and in control.

Without a moment to lose, he set out for the Alchemist’s Association.

----

Sans looked upon the grand building with a perked eyebrow. The Alchemist’s Association was alone in its plot of land, and from the blatant opulence of its design, one could only imagine the amount of funding that had been injected into it.

“This place is massive…”

A steady flow of men and women passed through the entrance. Sans intermingled amongst them, listening to the different conversations around him.

“Because of his interruption, I messed up the refinement phase.”

“How did you recover the pill?”

“I couldn’t! All my efforts were wasted!

They spoke with a range of emotions. Some were animated with enthusiasm, while others raved in frustrated over their failures. However, each and every one of them maintained a hungry fire within their eyes for the future; a yearning to perfect their profession and reach the top.

Sans ducked his head down and entered the building. Despite his nonchalant actions, he still grew starry eyed as he took in the breathtaking architecture.

The interior was like a majestic cathedral, allowing Sans to gaze upward in awe. Beams of sunlight shot down from the ceiling and then scattered to the many floors that lined the walls. Sans could barely make out the methodical shuffle of alchemists that lingered near the guard railing on each floor.

I didn’t notice before, but it seems the color of their alchemist cloak determines their rank.

On the first floor, the majority of the cloaks he saw were dark red, but there were still other colors mixed within.

Each floor is dominated by a particular color in the following order: red, green, yellow… and I can’t see anyone on the highest floor.

He squinted at the fourth floor, trying to catch a glimpse of even the faintest sign of life. Although his curiosity was innocent, he was unfortunately standing in the middle of the walkway and wholly oblivious to his surroundings.

“Oof! What are you doing just standing there? Are you a fool?”

An annoyed growl sounded out from beside Sans.

Did that man accidentally bump into me? Or was it on purpose?

Sans brushed his shoulder off and glanced at the man awkwardly, which only seemed to infuriate him further. The man picked himself off the floor, his face beet red from his earlier tumble.

He bumped into me, expecting me to give way, but he fell instead. What an idiot.

“If you’re not an alchemist than what are you even doing here! Get out of this place!”

Sans formed a sardonic smile, but before he could respond, a closed first slammed against the back of the man’s head.

“What’s a novice like you spouting bullshit!”

A woman, donned in a green cloak, scolded the man with a heart of fury. The next moment, her anger melted away, revealing a smile as warm and comforting as a hot cinnamon roll.

“Oh dear, you must be here for the initiate alchemy exams, yes? Go on that way, down the hall. It’s the first room on the right.”

She pointed off to the side with one hand and grabbed the previous man’s collar.

“Let’s go you bastard, I saw what you tried doing back there. Bumping into him like that.”

The woman continued to chide the man as she toted him away like a bag of garbage. Sans merely stood off to the side and watch them disappear into the ongoing traffic of alchemists.

That man was wearing a red cloak and she called him a novice.

With his hands cradling the back of his head, Sans let out a small hum before walking toward the exam room in a relaxed manner. By now, he understood just how badly he stuck out from the crowd. Considering he wore all black, it was useless to try and blend in.

“You there, initiate, get in here.”

A burly man, this time armed with a yellow cloak, jabbed a finger in Sans’ direction.

If I go accordingly to the colors on each floor, then yellow would be higher than green.

Sans shuffled his feet over to the man and paused before entering.

“How does the exam work?”

“Huh? You don’t even know this much?”

The man snorted before continuing.

“You initiates are getting bolder these days. You think you can pass the exam by fluke? You’re all the same. Chasing the life of luxury while neglecting the road to get there. If a moron like you passes the exam, I’d eat my own shoe.”

Sans frowned and simply walked inside, resisting the urge to fulfill the man’s wish right this moment.

If you discover this tale on Amazon, be aware that it has been unlawfully taken from Royal Road. Please report it.

Oh well, it doesn’t matter what the exam is—it will be easy enough.

At the head of the room, there was a single pillar at about waist-height. Throughout the rest of the room, Sans found rows of square floormats, each positioned directly behind a basic cauldron and some ingredients. More than half of the floormats were already occupied by a nervous body.

Sans conveniently chose the nearest mat at the back of the room.

Faded Anise, Rejuvenating Bloom, Silver Rabbit Fur, Refined Aplite, and Earthen Ivy. These are basic ingredients to create a Lesser Healing Elixir. Good for healing surface wounds, but not strong enough to regrow any limbs.

He expertly pinched and felt each ingredient with his fingers as he inspected the quality.

The anise, bloom, and ivy are all younger than 100 years. The aplite and rabbit fur are merely auxiliary ingredients to help create the elixir.

Sans snorted in contempt before crossing his arms across his chest. This exam was far beneath him, but unfortunately it was a necessary process.

He closed his eyes while more initiates filtered in. Before long, most of the floormats hosted a body, and the exam door was closed behind the man in the yellow cloak.

“Listen up you rats. I, Advanced Alchemist Moro, will be leading the exam today. Consider yourselves in good hands.”

The man stood at the head of the room with a sneer on his face. His eyes roamed throughout the room as if he were looking for a challenge.

“U-Um… Where’s Elder Holpin. I was told he runs the novice exam.”

A squeaky voice called out from the front. It was a younger boy, perhaps not even 10 years of age, garbed in plain brown robes.

“Huh? Elder Holpin isn’t here today. Some business he was called away for. Why? Do you have a problem with me running the exam?”

Moro towered over the boy and eyed him sharply. In response, the boy merely cowered back stared at the floor.

“Then it’s settled. Anyone who has a problem with me leading the exam, you can leave early. Just remember, if you fail this exam, you won’t be able to attempt again for another six months. So choose wisely!”

He called me a moron when his name is Moro?

Sans concealed the smirk that threatened to grace his lips. He could see that Moro’s eyes drifted in his direction more frequently than the others, which didn’t bode well.

“Before you is everything required to make a Lesser Healing Elixir. You are to use the ingredients provided to craft a single Lesser Healing Elixir of the highest purity you can. You must achieve at least 40% purity in order to pass!”

Moro procured a candle and placed it on top of the pillar by his side.

“The exam ends when this candle runs out, which is approximately in one hour. If you finish early, then reflect on your alchemy until the candle runs out. Begin!”

He lit the candle with a snap of his fingers, immediately sparking a wave of movement amongst the initiates. Everyone grabbed for the ingredients, beginning the arduous crafting process.

Meanwhile, Sans watched the commotion in pure boredom.

I can craft this elixir in less than a minute.

He withheld the urge to sigh and merely watched the man beside him handle the materials as if they were precious stones. The man looked like a nervous wreck, but from the way he checked over the materials it seemed like he knew what he was doing.

It looks like this guy is ready to start. How will he do?

Sans hid a small smile and relaxed. At the same time, the man conjured a pale-yellow flame within the palm of his hand. With a smooth motion, he sent the flame into the cauldron and closed the lid.

He’s letting the cauldron rise to temperature. That’s a good start, but he’s way too nervous.

The man wiped the sweat from his brow with a loose sleeve. He took a deep breath and closed his eyes.

Oh good, he’s calming down.

After a few minutes of relaxation, the man’s eyes flashed open. He immediately reached for the first ingredient, Faded Anise, and threw it into the cauldron. His mouth grew taut as he peered into the cauldron with bent brows. The anise was swiftly consumed by the fire, with huge swathes of it turning to ash.

He needs to be careful not to destroy the essence of the anise. A bit more… and remove it!

Just as Sans pictured it, the man slapped the lid of the cauldron open and the remains of the anise flew out into a vial. The next moment, he mixed the Refined Aplite in with the anise essence.

If he let’s the Refined Aplite act as a catalyst, his next steps will be easier. Now he has to extract the essence from the Rejuvenating Bloom and the Earthen Ivy. Fortunately, this portion is much easier because of how durable those two ingredients are.

The man wasted no time and reached for the Rejuvenating Bloom, tossing it into the cauldron with a happy smile. From the man’s expression, it was obvious he knew that he had cleared one of the more difficult portions of the exam.

Once he’s extracted those essences, he’ll need to combine everything together. He can use the Silver Rabbit Fur to help with the binding process, which will then-

“Hmpf. Too stupid to figure out your own alchemy, so you’re trying to copy others?”

A snide remark rung out from beside Sans—it was Moro, who had never stopped watching him like a hawk. Sans let out a yawn before glancing up at the man.

“I don’t need to copy others.”

He spoke coldly, but confidently.

“Really now? Then I’d like to see just how you will finish the exam without following in their footsteps.”

Moro folded his arms across his chest and stood back with a smug expression. Despite his antagonistic behavior, Sans merely turned away and continued watching the initiate beside him.

He heard Moro’s comment, which riled him up. Hopefully he calms down again, otherwise he might lose control of the flame and burn the ivy.

Sans clicked his tongue in annoyance. If it weren’t for the initiate beside him, he would have already whipped together a Lesser Healing Elixir and shoved it in Moro’s face. Unfortunately, he was worried that he would disturb the initiate’s concentration if he acted now.

It seems like he’ll be okay.

Time melted away, and it seemed like the candle only had a couple sparse minutes left in it. Many initiates had either already given up or were waiting patiently with worried expressions. Different from the others, the man beside Sans wore a beaming smile as he sensed his elixir coming into existence.

Nice!

Sans mentally congratulated the man as they both watched the healing liquid fly into a clear vial. The man let out a much-deserved sigh of relief before slumping back, resting his weight on his hands.

“Not even an attempt? It seems you weren’t even worth that much.”

Moro scoffed, but just as he was about to walk away, Sans called out to him.

“Alright, I’ll show you, so watch closely.”

“Hmm? Show me what? You don’t have enough time for anything.”

Moro lingered with a mocking smile. At the same time, Sans flicked out three strings of yellow fire, which wrapped out three separate ingredients.

Faded Anise, Rejuvenating Bloom, Earthen Ivy. In reality, these are the only ingredients you need to make a Lesser Healing Elixir. With proper fire control, one doesn’t truly need to use the Refined Aplite and the Silver Rabbit Fur. In fact, using them only decreases the purity of the completed elixir.

With this in mind, Sans pulled the three main ingredients before him, neglecting to even use the cauldron.

“Huh. Trying to perform alchemy without a cauldron? Who do you think you are? A grandmaster?”

Sans didn’t respond, and instead formed a veil of flames that enshrouded the herbs.

“D-Do you see that guy? He’s trying to do alchemy without a cauldron!”

“My master can’t even do that…”

Hushed murmurs spread throughout the room. Moro narrowed his gaze once he realized that Sans was truly trying to attempt the technique.

Out of the three, the Faded Anise needs to be regulated properly since it doesn’t have the aplite. I’ll adjust the temperature to refine it in a flash, while the other two begin the binding process.

Sans manipulated the flames above his outstretched palm with a conceited grin. A small flash pulsed from within the fire, and the anise essence was immediately tossed together with the bloom and ivy.

Before Moro could fully understand what happened, the elixir was already completed, swishing about within a clear vial. In contrast to all the other initiate’s elixirs, Sans was clearly sparkling with an unnatural level of clarity.

“See? I didn’t follow their footsteps—did I?”

Sans lazily glanced up toward Moro, who slinked away with rigid steps toward the front of the room, refusing to respond. A minute later, the candle burned its last light, signifying the end of the exam.

“Exam is over. Those that did not finish, you may leave.”

Moro called out and, shockingly enough, over half the initiates walked out of the room with an air of melancholy.

“I will now be checking the purity of your elixirs. Again, you must have achieved at least 40% purity in order to have passed. We will start with the front row and work backward. If you pass the exam, you will be given a novice alchemist’s token that you may present to storage and receive your cloak.”

The next moment, he pulled out a small plate from his bag and started with the young boy who had spoken up at the start of the exam.

“Elixir.”

He retrieved the elixir from the boy and placed the vial on the plate.

“41% Pass… barely.”

The man clicked his tongue in annoyance and returned the vial to the boy, who scurried off with a bright smile.

“35% Fail. Get out of here!”

The next person, a woman, held back bitter tears as she was chased off. It was unknown the full extent of her emotions, but she wasn’t fated to experience them alone as many more people followed.

“28% Fail! 22% Fail! 39% Fail! 44% Pass! 12%... you call this an elixir?!”

Moro made swift work of the initiates until finally it was just Sans and the man beside him remaining. Snatching the vial out of the man’s hands, Moro placed it on the plate before revealing a shocked gaze.

“53%... That’s really good. Say, how do you feel about joining the king’s faction?”

Moro stooped down to eye level and revealed a knowing grin. The initiate glanced up with a hopeful expression, his face blooming with happiness and pride.

“A-Are you serious? Of course I’ll join the king’s faction!”

“Good choice! Fellow brother, we take care of our own. That, you can be sure of!”

Moro handed him back the elixir and patted him on the shoulder.

“Go on and meet with Elder Binks. Let him know that Moro sent you and he’ll take care of everything.”

The initiate nodded fervently before racing out of the room, leaving Sans and Moro alone to share a steely gaze.

“Elixir.”

Moro reached out, and Sans handed over the finished product. The next moment, Moro sucked in a quick breath and was struck dumb. Sans snorted at the reaction and stared at the man with a condescending smile.

“94%...”

Moro finally let out his breath. The next moment, his lips curled into a sneer.

“Fail.”