The unexpected interlude earlier did not disrupt Pierce’s schedule. After parting ways with the members of the Astral Spirit Society, he headed straight for Garden No. 8. He performed his routine check of the designated area and watered all the magical plants as required.

  Once the labor was finished, he approached the cottage where Yuna usually spent her time and knocked gently on the wooden door. Moments later, the door creaked open, revealing Yuna’s refined and beautiful face. Upon seeing Pierce, a smile blossomed on her lips.

  "It’s you, Junior. Do you need something?"

  "There are a few things I would like to ask you about, Senior."

  Yuna nodded slightly and stepped aside. "Come in first."

  Stepping into the cottage, Pierce immediately smelled a scent that was a complex mix of pungent spice and sweetness, layered with a clinical aroma similar to high-grade disinfectant. In the very center sat a massive laboratory table that occupied nearly half the room’s area. It was cluttered with glass vials, test tubes, beakers of all sizes, and various sophisticated tools that Pierce didn't even recognize.

  It was obvious that this was where Yuna conducted her alchemy. Just as Pierce had suspected, she was indeed an Alchemist—or at least an Alchemical Apprentice.

  Seeing Pierce curiously eyeing the apparatus on the table, Yuna chuckled. "Interested in alchemy? Once you advance to a Rank 2 Apprentice... wait?"

  Mid-sentence, Yuna realized something was off. Her silver, jewel-like eyes narrowed as she scrutinized Pierce for a moment, her face blooming with genuine shock.

  "You have advanced to a Rank 2 Apprentice?"

  Pierce nodded. "I just broke through yesterday."

  Yuna gave him a long, meaningful look and sighed. "Junior, you truly possess a knack for surprising me."

  Having walked that arduous path herself, she understood perfectly what it meant for Pierce to advance so soon. Pierce didn't come from a wealthy family—if he did, he wouldn't need to take on gardening missions for Credits. For him to break through so rapidly without a massive influx of resources meant his aptitude was nothing short of staggering.

  Pierce got straight to the point. "Senior, I came today to ask for your advice on familiars. I plan to contract one, but I am not sure which animal to pick. Do you have any suggestions?"

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  Yuna snapped out of her daze and composed her thoughts. "It primarily depends on what you want from a familiar. Different species grant different abilities after the transformation. For instance, cats usually awaken stealth abilities, and if trained well, they can even master Shadow Jump. Toads are typically venomous. Bats provide long-range sonar location. Frogs usually grant massive size increase."

  Yuna listed over a dozen animals in one breath. "Of course, those are just the common outcomes. Depending on the creature’s constitution and the caster’s spiritual level, the final awakened ability can vary. In very rare cases, they might even develop unique powers. In a sense, contracting a familiar is a form of gambling."

  Pierce thought of the murder of crows he had seen that morning. "Senior, what kind of abilities do crows usually have as familiars?"

  "Crows?" Yuna tapped her chin with a slender finger, a gesture that was inadvertently playful. "I would not suggest choosing a crow."

  "Why not?"

  "Because the most common ability for a crow familiar is 'Corvid Command'."

  "Corvid Command?" Pierce paused, a bad feeling rising. "Does 'Corvid' just mean... ordinary crows?"

  Yuna nodded with a mischievous smile.

  "It really is useless, then." Pierce’s mouth twitched. That ability seemed practically worthless for an Arcanist in combat. He couldn't exactly expect a swarm of ordinary birds to do much in a real fight against magic.

  "Do they not have any other, more useful abilities?" he pressed.

  "It is not impossible. For example, they could generate mist, fire attacks similar to Magic Missiles, or perform Shadow Stealth. Mages collectively refer to these as 'Spell-like Abilities'. A crow that awakens such powers is an exceptional familiar with high potential. However, the chance is incredibly low—less than one in a thousand. Given that contracting a familiar permanently consumes a portion of your spiritual ceiling, few mages are willing to take that gamble."

  Pierce felt a wave of disappointment. Yuna flicked her wrist, and a book appeared in her hand: The Encyclopedia of Familiars.

  "Do not rush the decision. Take this book home, study it carefully, and then decide," Yuna said as she handed it to him.

  "Thank you, Senior." Pierce took the book without further ceremony.

  After tucking the book away, Pierce glanced at the lab equipment again. "Senior, if I wanted to learn how to craft potions, what would I need to do?"

  Yuna thought for a moment and began sketching on a piece of paper. After a while, she handed it to Pierce. "This is the reading list for what you need to master before you even attempt to brew."

  Pierce looked at the paper; it was covered in dense titles, including Basic Alchemy, Medicinal Botany, Advanced Material Identification, and over fifty other subjects. He was secretly stunned—all that just for an introduction?

  "Aside from the knowledge, alchemy requires a massive amount of resources. Every qualified Alchemist is built upon a mountain of gold coins."

  Pierce nodded solemnly. It was common knowledge that the four major professions were financial black holes. A novice apprentice would usually fail dozens of times before producing a single successful vial.

  However, Pierce was different. With the Eye of Omniscience, he could precisely analyze chemical compositions, significantly increasing his success rate from the very start.