Pierce was well prepared for the formidable difficulties of learning alchemy. It might be arduous at the beginning—like climbing a mountain without ropes—but once he successfully brewed his first stable potion, everything would become much easier.

  Seeing Pierce's determined expression, Yuna offered a faint, approving smile. She said no more but pulled out a piece of parchment and handed it to him.

  "This is the recipe for the Brute Strength Potion. I have already memorized it, so it is of no use to me anymore. Consider it a gift."

  Pierce was slightly taken aback. To become an alchemist, beyond having sufficient resources, acquiring potion recipes was the most crucial step. At the Spire Academy, general books on alchemical theory were free to borrow from the library. However, recipes—even basic ones for unranked potions—were never made public for free. To obtain them, one had to either purchase them from the logistics department or become a direct disciple of an alchemist.

  Even then, the latter usually required payment. Arcanists lived by the iron principle of Equivalent Exchange; even mentors rarely gave knowledge or resources for free, offering at most a discounted price. A Brute Strength Potion recipe would cost at least 200 to 300 Credits at the logistics office, making Yuna’s gift immensely valuable.

  "Senior..." Pierce hesitated, feeling the weight of the parchment.

  Yuna interrupted him before he could finish. The girl smiled brightly and said, "I have high expectations for your growth. Think of this as a small investment in a future powerhouse. You are a man, Pierce—do not be so indecisive."

  Since she had put it that way, further refusal would seem pretentious. Pierce no longer hesitated and took the recipe. He could always find a way to repay Yuna in the future.

  "Thank you, Senior."

  Seeing him accept the recipe, Yuna’s eyes crinkled slightly. "By the way, Junior, though your learning ability is impressive, I still suggest you find a teacher. With a mentor’s guidance, you can avoid many unnecessary detours and explosions."

  Pierce felt a stir of interest and asked, "Senior, what rank of alchemist is Master Mowen?"

  "My teacher is a Rank 5 Alchemist."

  ...Rank 5? Pierce immediately extinguished any thought of asking Master Mowen to be his teacher. A Rank 5 Alchemist was among the undisputed top tier even within Aurora City. Unless one’s talent was utterly exceptional, it was impossible to be taken as a student by such a figure. Pierce was self-aware; at least for now, he hadn't the slightest chance. Still, he wondered why an alchemist of that caliber would stay at the academy teaching apprentices.

  Leaving the academy, Pierce headed straight for his apartment. He planned to finish reading The Encyclopedia of Familiars, settle the familiar situation, and then begin his alchemical studies. A competent familiar could assist an Arcanist in battle and prove quite useful, especially for apprentices with limited combat methods. Once the contract was successful, Pierce’s combat strength would undoubtedly surge.

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  By the time he reached his apartment, the sky had turned dim with twilight. A massive murder of crows still circled above the district, their hoarse caws echoing through the darkening air.

  Pierce looked up at the crows with a slight sense of regret. It is a pity the probability of a crow awakening spell-like abilities is so low. Otherwise, turning a crow into a familiar would be ideal.

  With a sigh, Pierce was about to open his door when a flash of inspiration struck him like lightning.

  The probability of a familiar awakening spell-like abilities depends on the individual differences of the creature and the caster’s spiritual level. Could I use the Eye of Omniscience to analyze these two points and calculate the probability beforehand?

  Pierce’s eyes instantly lit up. It was absolutely worth a try!

  Moving as soon as the thought occurred, Pierce looked around and quickly spotted a crow perched atop a streetlamp. He flicked his hand and threw a Daze spell. The poor crow didn't even have time to react before it stiffened and fell headfirst from the lamp, landing right in the palm of Pierce's hand as he rushed over.

  "Eye of Omniscience, analyze the probability of this crow awakening spell-like abilities after contracting and transforming into my familiar."

  [Analysis requires 0.2 Spirit. Proceed?]

  It actually works!

  Pierce was ecstatic. This wasn't just a hypothesis being verified; it opened a brand-new door for him. If the Eye could analyze a crow, it could surely analyze other creatures. In the future, he could use the Eye of Omniscience to scout an enemy's strength, weaknesses, and hidden abilities in battle!

  This was undeniably a convenient tool. He should have thought of it earlier; if the Eye could analyze his own stats, it could certainly be used on other living beings, provided he was willing to spend the Spirit.

  Excited, Pierce initiated the analysis. After only three or four seconds, the Eye of Omniscience returned the result.

  [This individual has a 0.13% probability of awakening spell-like abilities after transforming into a familiar.]

  ...As expected, it’s incredibly low.

  Pierce sighed and opened his palm. The little creature, having regained consciousness, immediately flapped its wings and fled into the night as soon as it was released.

  Looking at the sky full of crows, Pierce frowned. Though he had a Knight-level physique, catching flying crows was still difficult and time-consuming. Using spells would be too taxing on his mana; he could only analyze thirty or forty a day. At that rate, who knew how long it would take to find a suitable target?

  Wait. Pierce slapped his forehead and laughed at himself.

  I am overthinking this. I do not need to do this myself.

  Most Arcanists employed followers to handle mundane tasks like gathering materials so they could focus on meditation. Although he wasn't yet eligible to recruit Knight followers, he could simply pay commoners to catch crows for him. He could stay at home and analyze the crows one by one as they were delivered to his doorstep.

  If he didn't have to spend Spirit on spells to catch them, he could analyze at least a hundred crows a day. He should be able to find a suitable target within a week or two!

  With that thought, Pierce's lips curled into a smile. Aurora City was teeming with crows, leading to the emergence of "Crow Catchers" as a lowly but necessary profession. He remembered there were several operating nearby.

  He acted immediately, and the process went smoothly. Several crow catchers agreed without hesitation, promising to fulfill the task. The price Pierce paid was a mere 20 copper coins per crow—a pittance for an Arcanist, but a feast for them.