Legacy of the Dark Sage

Leif and the rest of Ogen's representatives stared at Kyran with mixed feelings. This was especially true with Leif, who wanted to recruit him. The reason behind her reaction was that the latter took almost two days to complete the concoction of what was considered an elementary potion— Transformation.

Typically, a Transformation potion could be concocted in three to five hours. But it took Kyran almost two days, and the potion's color was different. Which likely meant it was a failure.

In any case, the Transformation potion was not something an Alchemist would waste their time concocting. After all, most Sovereigns would realize if someone was using one.

This was the reason Leif felt a little disappointed at Kyran's Alchemy level. Then again, Alchemy was one of the branches of Magic that was hard to master. Even among the few Overlords in the Higher Realm, there was only one who could be considered an Alchemist.

"I'm so sorry, Null," Leif started while watching Kyran transferring the concoction into ten small vials. "I didn't want to break your bubble when you first started to work on your potion because I thought you'd only take a few hours to finish it, but now... the potion you were working on is a little..."

"I know what you want to say," Kyran replied as Leif's voice trailed off. "Don't you think it is way too late to share your thoughts now that I've succeeded?"

"That is true... but..." Leif stopped short, realizing something was off from Kyran's response. "Wait, what? Succeeded?"

Kyran nodded and grinned before looking at her, "Yeah. I only need four different drops of blood, and we're good to go."

"..."

"..."

"..."

"...huh?"

All four representatives of Ogen gaped at Kyran in confusion.

On the other hand, the latter ignored them as he secured all vials with a cork before placing them in his space pouch.

"What drop of blood...?"

"We don't have much time," Kyran stopped Leif from asking any questions and made his way out of the portal's vicinity. "I need to find targets as soon as possible.

Irving frowned at him, "You don't get to call the shots here, Null."

"That's right. Lady Leif has been kind enough to indulge your whims but will not tolerate such things," Cove added. "You've already wasted two days of our precious time just to fail in your concoction."

Maren looked at Leif sideways, wanting to see how she would act to the latter two targetting Null. It was obvious that the two young men disliked Leif and Overlord Oceanus's favorable treatment of Null and wanted to pick on him for taking advantage of it.

For the record, Maren did not approve of their action. Because, to her, the two young men were being immature. She did find Kyran's attitude toward Leif and Overlord Oceanus a little disrespectful, but as long as he did not say anything against them, she did not care about his attitude.

Maren raised her eyebrows in surprise upon seeing Leif's smile. It appeared that she did not intend to stop the two young men and decided to let them settle their differences themselves.

Kyran looked at them with raised brows, "Did I ask you to stay and watch while I concocted my potion? No. Don't say I wasted your time."

"You—!"

"Besides," Kyran shrugged off Irving's attempt to tell him off and continue. "Did you not hear what I said? My concoction is a success. I just need blood to complete it."

With that, he started to walk once more.

Leif followed while asking, "Where are we going? The transmission array might open anytime."

Kyran sighed, "Did you not hear me? I need blood."

"I did hear you, but... why would you need blood?"

"Without it, my potion will randomly transform our features," Kyran patiently explained. "If that happened, we'll only draw unwanted attention."

Leif's eyes widened as she gaped at him incredulously.

Maren was equally shocked but did not say anything and only followed them from behind.

Cove and Irving also followed suit but could not help but snicker at Kyran's words. They were obviously convinced that his concoction failed and did not believe anything he said.

"Wait, you..." Leif picked up her pace to match Kyran's and asked, "... you mean to say that you plan on finding other clan representatives, taking their blood, and using them for our disguise?"

"You can't possibly show up on the platform looking like Ogen's representatives, right?"

"True. But where will you find a representative here? As far as we know, the locations of every portal are far apart. They are also in places that are hard for anyone to reach alone. This is another reason other clans would not risk looking for another portal to use as an exit.

"In any case, we know we can't show up on the platform looking like Ogen's representatives. That's why we dyed our hair black!"

Kyran's brow twitched slightly at Leif's admittance that they did not care about using a disguise that would implicate him or his imaginary clan— well, at this point, they were a mystery from Leif and Oceanus's perspective.

Leif continued, "We also plan on changing our features so no one will recognize us—."

"No one will probably be able to recognize you, but what about the other three?" Kyran pointed his thumb toward the three behind them. "The average mage level of every clan representative is likely around Maren's, and the level of the other two is lower than that. Do you think if they changed their features, no one would notice they are in disguise?

Besides, black hair stood out like a sore thumb even outside Ogen. Moreover, that woman back there would have already alerted the clans under The Council that can enter the tower about me. If we don't properly plan our disguise, we'd be found by them and cornered."

"... true," Leif replied after a short pause. "We did think of that. But the only other thing we can do is dye our hair differently again and hope that other clans that are not part of The Council have found their portals and will take part this year. We can then mingle with them and avoid suspicion."

"I'm surprised you and Overlord Oceanus settled for such an uncertain plan."

"Stop being disrespectful of Lady Leif and Overlord Oceanus!" Cove and Irving growled at Kyran.

Kyran ignored them and continued talking to Leif, who also seemed to ignore Cove and Irving's reactions.

"Not that I can really blame you. Since I've claimed the portal ahead of time."

"That you did," Leif agreed with a sigh. "Our plan is to allow Cove and Irving to increase their level and experience before the time to enter the tower happens. But the portal opened way ahead of time. Still, we commend your decision to claim the portal the moment you found an opportunity. As a matter of fact, you're pretty lucky to have stumbled upon the portal when it opened early."

"..."

Kyran retained an indifferent expression and veered the conversation away from the portal's early accessibility.

"Because the portal opened ahead of time, I've been thinking of ways to ensure your clan can safely mingle with the other clan representatives when we gather on the platform outside the tower."

"And this is what you've come up with?"

"Yes," he replied. "Don't worry. No one will notice you've taken a potion and disguise yourself from my concoction."

"..."

Leif was still in doubt, but Kyran's confidence was so infectious that she decided to wait and see just how powerful his Transformation potion was. In any case, if he failed, then they could just do their initial plan.

"How do you plan on looking for another clan representative then?" Leif asked. "We are in an isolated floating forest, you know."

All of them knew this because they had already scanned their surroundings using their senses after entering the portal. Apart from the presence of beasts near the floating forest's edges, they were practically alone.

"Don't worry, I've already seen another portal at a nearby floating forest."

"The nearby floating forest you're speaking of is five hundred meters away!" Maren could not help but blurt out. "Besides that, the gulf separating the two... there is no telling what horrors are lying in wait there! It is too dangerous."

"I agree with Maren," Leif also said. "And even if there is a portal there... we don't know if it has been claimed."

"It is claimed." Kyran ignored Maren's warning and replied only to Leif's concern. "I saw one token on the tablet beside it."

Irving scowled, "You've yapped on about seeing the portal and now the tablet when Ms. Maren clearly stated there is a gulf separating the two floating forests! There is no way you could have seen those things!"

"Side characters should stay quiet when not spoken to," Kyran commented with a deadpan expression and tone.

"You—!"

"Do you know a way how to go over the other floating forest?" Leif asked Kyran before Irving could say anything.

"I do," Kyran answered. "Though, I'm not sure why you're asking when you're already aware of what I am capable of."

Leif realized that Kyran knew she and her father had been watching his encounter with Alta and felt somewhat embarrassed. She gave him a sweet smile and said, "For the record, my father is the only one who saw what you did. I barely witnessed what was happening at my level."

"I see."

"...Lady Leif?" Maren, Cove, and Irving looked at her quizzically.

Leif smiled at them and said, "It's fine. With Null's abilities, we can cross the gulf with no problem."

"... I didn't say I'm taking you with me."

"Huh?"

"I'm going alone."

*

The discussion that happened along the way took longer than when Kyran acquired the blood he needed to complete his potion.