The most shameless alchemist in history

“Ha, I didn’t speak up for him. I was just worried he would drag me down with him, that’s all,” Kelly raised her voice, reacting strongly.

“Durey, while most of what you say is correct, this is definitely wrong, you’ve definitely guessed wrong.” Lance was also eager to distance himself from Kelly, and the two would start arguing after only a few words.

"Okay, okay, then I was wrong. It seems we've already reached the fourth round of testing. Guess what kind of test it will be?" Du Lei pointed ahead, promptly changing the subject.

143 Keeping pace with the times

As the premier magical energy research academy in the Snow Kingdom, Maple Leaf Academy is renowned throughout the entire continent. As a result, students from all over the continent take the train to Maple City, hoping to learn enough magical energy knowledge here and become qualified graduates.

The most telling point is that just these three people—Durey, Kelly, and Lance—come from three different countries. When they first signed up, there were over four hundred applicants, but after three rounds of testing, only about a hundred people remain.

This means that three-quarters of the people have been eliminated, but the test is not over yet. Led by Charlotte, Dure and his group traveled through the academy and arrived at the training ground. On the way, Lance speculated about what kind of bizarre test would come next and put forward several possibilities.

But when he actually arrived at the training ground and saw what Charlotte had prepared for them, he realized that he had indeed been too naive.

"Hey, Dure, that Charlotte must have made a mistake. Why did she bring us to a place like this? And those things aren't for us to use!" Lance pointed at the items on display in front of him, astonished. This was very different from what he had imagined.

"Is it strange? Actually, this should be considered a basic, essential skill. Although I've never used it myself, I do know a lot about similar things." Dure didn't have the same strong reaction as Lance. He looked at the thing in front of him and accepted it with a cheerful attitude.

"Durex, we're students! We came to Maple Leaf Academy to study, not to be soldiers! Has that guy lost his mind? He's putting so many gunpowder guns in front of us! What is he trying to do?" Lance felt like he was about to collapse.

Because what lay before him were neatly arranged brand-new gunpowder guns, their black bodies gleaming with a metallic sheen, clearly fresh off the armory. As a novel product of the steam age, Lance had seen soldiers use gunpowder guns before, but had never touched one.

There were quite a few students like him, and they all stepped forward and formed a circle, looking at the gunpowder gun, wondering what Charlotte was up to.

"This is a gunpowder gun! It's the real thing. I've seen soldiers use them before, but I've never touched one. This is really impressive! Is it really okay to touch it? I heard that gunpowder guns are loaded with ammunition, and pulling the trigger can kill people. Is it alright to leave such a dangerous thing here?"

"Since Teacher Charlotte said there's no problem, then there must be no problem, haha. As expected of Maple Leaf Academy, they actually have so many real stuff. We definitely came to the right place. Are they giving it to us? Before, I was torn between studying magic power or joining the army. Now we have the best of both worlds."

"Hey, hey, that's not the problem. We're students, not soldiers. Why are you displaying gunpowder guns?" The students were bewildered by the gunpowder guns in front of them, offering various explanations and creating a noisy scene as they all looked at Charlotte in confusion.

"Ahem, quiet down. As you can see, these are the latest gunpowder guns. As you all know, Maple Leaf Academy is a leading academy, dedicated to cultivating outstanding magical talents for countries across the continent. Therefore, we have always kept pace with the times."

Charlotte noticed the confusion in the students' eyes. He glanced around, cleared his throat, and began to speak.

"Our fourth test is a shooting test. Everyone, please familiarize yourselves with it first. Once you're familiar, go over there. The instructors are already prepared and will count your hits. Those who pass will advance to the next round, and those who fail will be eliminated here," Charlotte explained the test content.

“What shooting test? I’ve never touched a gunpowder gun before, and I know absolutely nothing about it. We’re here to learn how to use magic energy in combat, not to learn how to use gunpowder guns,” Lance said, completely baffled, and stepped forward to question it again.

"Hmm, you're that kid from before. What, do you think there's a problem with my arrangement? Let me tell you, students of the new era must keep up with the times. A true magic warrior is a combat master who can use any weapon to fight, and gunpowder guns are one of them."

Charlotte frowned when she heard someone object, and recognized the speaker as Lance, who had previously contradicted her. She was very unhappy about this.

"But," Lance said anxiously, and was about to step forward to refute.

“Lance, Professor Charlotte is right. Gunpowder guns are indeed one of the most popular weapons nowadays, and in some Western countries, they have been combined with magical energy with great results. I don’t think there will be any problem with conducting shooting tests.” Kelly pulled Lance back.

She wasn't intentionally trying to flatter Charlotte; rather, after careful consideration, she expressed her agreement with the test.

"Is it possible to combine gunpowder guns with magic power?" Lance was intrigued; it was the first time he had ever heard of such a thing.

"The principle of a gunpowder gun is to propel the ammunition mechanically. It's not impossible to add magical energy to the ammunition. You can think of it as an enhanced version of a crossbow. The arrowheads of a crossbow can be added with magical energy, so it's probably based on the same principle."

After thinking it over carefully, Dure nodded in agreement. Although he had seen gunpowder guns on the train before, and Matthew and others had used them to fight the snow wolves, his weapons at that time were crossbows, hunting knives, and daggers, and he had never used a gunpowder gun.

“Since even you, Dure, say so, then I won’t say anything more. But I’ve never used it before, and suddenly having to test shooting feels a bit confusing. Dure, do you know any tricks?” Lance scratched his head, looking at the gunpowder gun with a headache.

"The trick is probably just aiming, I've never used it myself." Du Lei shook his head and walked forward. At this moment, many male students surrounded the neatly stacked gunpowder guns on the ground, looking at them curiously. Some of them squatted down and touched them.

"But aiming is awful! There's only a short preparation time? No way! I need to get familiar with it quickly, or it would be terrible if I got eliminated. Please step aside, let me pick one. Let me see which one I'm most compatible with." Lance hurriedly followed.

On the other side of the shooting range, the morning sunlight streamed in, illuminating the profiles of the young men and women, time passing silently.

144 Shooting Test

After a brief preparation, gunfire soon erupted from the shooting range. The noise startled the birds perched near the clock tower. After chirping, they quickly flew into the woods. At this time, the students began their daily classes.

The students, dressed in white uniforms with gold trim, were radiant. They were in twos and threes, some discussing recent classes, while others talked about the new students taking shooting tests at the shooting range. With the arrival of the new students, Maple Leaf Academy would soon be infused with fresh blood.

"Teacher Owl, why are you still here? You haven't been standing here all night, have you?" On the clock tower, Fant walked over with a smile. He saw the owl standing calmly at the edge of the tower, gazing towards the Misty Forest, and asked with a smile.

"How did you know I was here all night?" The owl didn't answer his question directly, but asked him a question in return.

“Because I went for a walk last night and saw you, Teacher Owl, on the clock tower. This morning I planned to come up and get some fresh air, but you were still there, so I was wondering if you had been guarding this place all night,” Fant answered her question with a smile.

"More or less." The owl looked away, turned back to look at Fant, and gave a nonchalant reply.

"Teacher Owl, you're as indifferent as ever. But the direction you're gazing in is probably the Misty Forest, right? The Misty Forest must have something special to attract your attention, Teacher Owl." Fant wasn't angry at the owl's indifference and continued to smile.

"It might have been special before last night, but after dawn, it's no longer special at all." The owl shook her head and started walking towards the steps, not intending to stay any longer. She glanced in the direction of the shooting range, where gunfire could be heard.

"The only difference I can think of between before dawn and after dawn is that students took entrance exams in the Misty Forest last night. This was arranged by Teacher Charlotte, which has caused quite a stir among the teachers."

Fant usually wears a smiling face, which, combined with his chubby face, makes him look like a harmless and kind uncle.

"What do their criticisms have to do with me? It's just about a vice dean's position. What a bunch of boring people." Although Owl was indifferent to the affairs of the academy, she was very clear about what this group, including Fant and Charlotte, were arguing about.

She yawned slowly, then turned and left down the stairs without even saying goodbye to Fant.

"Only someone as outstanding as you, Professor Owl, would not care about such a title. But ordinary people like us would do everything we can to get it. Sometimes I really envy you, Professor Owl." Fant shook his head slightly.

He watched the owl until it disappeared from his sight before returning to the spot where the owl had been and looking back.

"The Misty Forest before Dawn, this ordinary forest, was once the old headmaster's playground. Since his departure, the Misty Forest has been forgotten, and few people venture there. Now, Charlotte has suddenly brought her students to the Misty Forest. What could be the reason?"

Fant squinted, perhaps because of the fat on his face, even when he tried to open his eyes wide, he could only see a slit.

“Although it was only for a moment, the astonishing magical energy fluctuations that came from the Misty Forest last night, coupled with the attack that occurred the night before last, make the seemingly peaceful Maple Leaf Academy more and more interesting. And the reason that caused all this…” Fant pondered for a moment.

He slowly turned around, shifting his gaze from the misty forest to the shooting range where gunfire was emanating. Although he was usually all smiles, he was actually a thoughtful and meticulous person who could always notice details that others missed.

"It seems Charlotte must have noticed this among this year's freshmen, which is why she did this on purpose. Interesting, interesting. Looks like the days ahead won't be lonely or boring." Fant smiled and left from the other side of the clock tower.

The morning sun was still shining, birds were circling in the sky, and the crisp sound of gunfire echoed from the shooting range. Through the windows of the shooting range, you could see students with still childish faces holding cold gunpowder guns, pulling the triggers at the targets, and the air was filled with the smell of gunpowder.

"I'm still so nervous, Du Lei. What did you just say? I forgot. You said I could run twenty laps around Maple Leaf Lake, and I could even go through the Misty Forest, but what if I missed the target while doing something I know absolutely nothing about—shooting?"

Lance held the gunpowder gun in his hand. He watched the students next to him go up to shoot one after another, and he became more and more nervous. He was in front of Dure in line. Although a teacher had come over earlier to give a general explanation of the shooting techniques, Lance couldn't remember them at all, so he asked Dure again.

Dure gave him a detailed explanation, which Lance remembered and recited several times. However, when he actually stood in front of the target, ready to shoot, his mind went blank. He didn't want to fail at the shooting stage and ruin all his previous efforts.

"The secret can be summed up in just two words." Dure looked at Lance with a serious expression, noticing his nervousness.

"Which two words, Dure, tell me quickly, I'm listening!" Lance pricked up his ears and listened carefully, afraid of missing a single note.

"Relax. You're so tense, all your muscles are strained, which makes it easy to make mistakes. Also, your posture is too stiff. Adjust it, relax your body, look straight ahead, and casually pull the trigger. Don't overthink it. Let me correct you again."

Dure stood beside Lance, correcting his shooting posture and reminding him of details, while the staff member supervising him was getting impatient.

"Hey, hey, are you going to shoot or not? There are people waiting behind you. What are you doing, man, being so indecisive? Look at the girls, they're shooting so cleanly and efficiently." The staff member was a young woman, and judging from her armband, she was probably an upperclassman.

She was very unhappy with Lance's actions and pointed to the girl shooting next to her, who happened to be Kelly shooting now.

145. Aloof Senior

Although it was the first time for both Kelly and Lance to use a gunpowder gun, Kelly, being a girl, should have been less adept at handling this newly developed firearm than Lance. However, Kelly had a strong learning ability, and after a few attempts, she quickly and steadily pulled the trigger on the target.

Amidst the crisp sound of gunfire and billowing smoke, Kelly's shooting data was quickly obtained from the other side of the range. Kelly's score was within the eight-ring range, far exceeding the five-ring test standard. After learning that she had passed this round of testing, Kelly put down the gunpowder gun and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Actually, it should be more precise. It must be because you're not skilled enough. If you practice more, your results will definitely be better. But as long as you can pass the test, that's fine. Hey, Lance, why are you still standing there?" Kelly wiped the sweat from her forehead and turned to look at Lance.

Lance was extremely anxious. Even though Dure repeatedly reminded him to relax, he simply couldn't do it. The urging from the staff around him and Kelly's excellent performance only added to the pressure. Cold sweat kept dripping down his forehead, and his body was too tense.

"I wasn't spacing out, I was making my final aim. Even Kelly got an eight, if I didn't get that number, wouldn't I be worse than you? No way, I absolutely won't allow that to happen. Just you wait and see my amazing performance!"

Lance took a deep breath. Out of a man's pride, he absolutely could not do worse than Kelly, especially since the two of them disliked each other. If he did worse than Kelly, he would definitely be ridiculed by her. He raised his gun and prepared to fire.

"Time's up. Alright, you've exceeded the preparation time and are eliminated. Next." The aloof senior who had been urging Lance on glanced at her pocket watch and said expressionlessly, waving her hand to signal Lance to step aside. Her words plunged Lance, who had finally mustered up some confidence, into an icy abyss.

"What time is it? Is there a time limit?" Lance was stunned for a moment, then immediately questioned loudly.

"Of course there is. Otherwise, how can others test you if you keep dawdling from morning till night? So, a man like you who dawdles should leave as soon as possible. Maple Leaf Academy doesn't need someone like you." The aloof senior sister spoke without any mercy.

"I already told you I'm not dawdling, I'm just making final preparations, and the test is about to start. Give me one more minute, just one more minute, please?" Lance was very annoyed by her attitude, but since she was his senior, he couldn't lash out, so he could only plead in a low voice.

“Lance is a bit slow, but senior, give him a chance. Look, he has admitted his mistake. You know he went through a lot of hard work to get here. It would be too heartless to eliminate him here,” Kelly said, speaking up for Lance.

Although she often mocked and ridiculed Lance, when it came to eliminating Lance, she couldn't bring herself to kick him when he was down.

"You mean I'm heartless? Also, none of you have passed the test yet, so you're not members of Maple Leaf Academy. I'm not your senior." The aloof senior's face was like ice, and even with Kelly's pleas, her attitude remained firm.

"Hey, you're not a teacher at the academy, you can't eliminate me just because of what you say. I didn't do anything wrong, and Charlotte didn't mention anything about exceeding the time limit." Lance was furious and couldn't contain his anger, so he immediately argued with the aloof senior.

“Lance, say less, senior. Don’t be angry. Lance is just a straightforward person. He didn’t mean to hurt you. So please give him a chance and let him try. If he is eliminated because he doesn’t meet the requirements, he will accept it, right?” Kelly pulled Lance back.

She knew very well that arguing with the other party at this time would not do any good, so she kept saying nice things and trying to get the other party to change their mind.

"So you're saying you're not convinced because I eliminated you? Don't try to intimidate me with the teacher's name. When it comes to eliminating students, even Charlotte can't control me." The aloof senior snorted, addressing Charlotte by her first name with unwavering confidence.

"So, what exactly do you want in order to give in?" Dure stepped forward as Kelly and Lance continued to compromise.

"You think you can make me give in? You're dreaming!" The aloof senior seemed to have heard the biggest joke in the world.

"Why don't you suggest a possibility? If we can do it, you can let Lance pass. If we can't, just eliminate him. How about that?" Du Lei said slowly and deliberately. While Kelly was saying nice things, he had been observing this aloof senior.

"Then why don't I just eliminate him here? Why do something so unnecessary?" The aloof senior shook her head.

“Of course you can eliminate Lance directly. I believe you can do it. I’m just suggesting a possibility; the choice is yours.” Dure didn’t give up because of her rejection and offered the so-called possibility again, leaving Lance completely confused.

"Durey, ignore her. I don't believe she's that powerful, able to eliminate whoever she wants. I'm going to find that teacher Charlotte and have her teach this arrogant woman a lesson." Lance pulled Durey aside, indicating that he didn't need to get entangled with the aloof senior.

"Going to Professor Charlotte won't help. Trust me, leave this to me." Du Lei shook his head. He knew very well that the aloof senior's confidence was not just empty bravado. He stood on the opposite side of her. She was about 1.65 meters tall, slightly taller than Du Lei.

Her figure was slender and graceful, and she possessed a unique and extraordinary aura, as cold and aloof as a snow lotus.

"Du Lei, I trust you, so I'll leave it to you." Lance was still a little unwilling, but out of trust in Du Lei, he stepped down. He glared at the aloof senior with resentment. A single, casual remark from her could negate all his efforts, which made him very unhappy.

"You seem to be a bit smarter than your reckless companion, but do you think I'll let him off the hook just because of that? Be careful, or I'll eliminate you along with him." The aloof senior didn't have a good impression of Lance, even though Lance was nearly 1.8 meters tall, a head taller than her.

However, her attention was still focused on Dure, who was much shorter than Lance. She could tell that this unknown boy was the core of the trio.

146 Rest assured

The conflict between Du Lei and his group and the aloof senior student caused quite a stir, quickly attracting the attention of those around them. The students who had finished their tests looked over curiously, but they didn't dare to get too close and could only watch from a distance, whispering among themselves.

"Hey, look over there! What's going on over there? Why are they arguing? It seems to be students from our year's test, arguing with an upperclasswoman." Some students pointed at Du Lei and the aloof upperclasswoman from afar and whispered among themselves. This unexpected situation was quite novel to them.

“I know that guy. During the first round of testing, the suspension bridge was damaged, and we were able to get through it safely thanks to him. Speaking of which, he helped us before. What happened there?” One of the students recognized Du Lei. Many people had seen what Du Lei had done.

"It seems they got into a fight over something. Anyway, it's really not good to offend someone in the academy before even officially enrolling. Let's just watch from a distance and not get involved, or it'll cause a lot of trouble," a student advised from the side.