After staring at Baron for a few seconds, the apprentice joyfully opened the door and chattered away. 𝙛𝒓𝓮𝒆𝔀𝒆𝙗𝓷𝒐𝙫𝒆𝙡.𝒄𝓸𝓶

"Master Michael has finished crafting your Alchemy Weapon! He’s been eagerly hoping you’d complete the Periodic Table of Elements for him, and maybe explain the relationships between the elements again, just like last time..."

’Easy enough. I’ll just have to rattle off a few definitions and principles from Junior High School Chemistry when the time comes.’

Baron followed the apprentice to Master Michael’s forge and was surprised to find the small room packed with people—a crowd that included a group of Dwarves.

As a black man with a shiny, bald head, Master Michael was the most striking figure in the crowd.

Unlike the tense atmosphere of their first meeting, upon seeing Baron arrive, he cordially shook his hand and congratulated him on his performance in the Hunting Competition.

He also introduced the people in the room, explaining that they were the most distinguished Alchemists in Fude City, and that even most of the members from the Dongcheng District’s Mechanical School were present.

They were all extremely interested in what Baron called "Chemistry" and the "Periodic Table of Elements."

As he shook hands, Baron cut to the chase. "That’s all well and good, but where’s my Spear Sword?"

Michael grinned. "We just finished the final Alchemy Enhanced Enchantment a moment ago. Plus, the mechanism connecting the blade and the barrel was custom-made by the folks from the Mechanical School."

"They were also very interested in that Feinan-made Python revolver of yours, so they did it free of charge."

Hearing this, Baron grew even more eager. "So, my Spear Sword..."

Michael chuckled. "Mr. L, we had an agreement. As part of our Exchange, all the forging and processing on my end would be free, and in return, you were to give me the complete Periodic Table of Elements."

’The Alchemist certainly wasn’t getting the short end of the stick.’

Baron took a pre-written sheet of paper from inside his coat. "This is the Periodic Table of Elements, or at least, all of it that I can remember. There are also a few equations for extracting elements, but I can’t guarantee they’re correct. This is as much as I could recall."

"I understand. The work of that Mr. Mendelev, I presume."

Upon receiving the papers, a wide grin split Michael’s dark face. He quickly tucked them inside his coat, as if afraid the other Alchemists might see and try to steal them.

He cleared his throat and announced that he and his colleagues would review it first. He added that he hoped Baron would be available to answer any questions they might have, and that he would be back shortly.

He then had the apprentice take Baron to the testing area out back, a place used to gauge the performance of new Alchemy Weapons.

The "testing area" was just an open clearing, with several metal dummies arranged in the center.

After a short wait, Michael hurried over, his forehead beaded with sweat. He was carrying two long mahogany cases.

His dark face was flushed with excitement. He placed the mahogany cases on the ground and opened one, releasing a brilliant flash of silver light.

The body of the gun, forged from Snow Pattern Steel, shone a brilliant silver. The barrel was long and slender, and attached to it was a blade as thin as a cicada’s wing. Both the gun and the blade were engraved with ancient, arcane patterns. As Baron’s eyes fell upon them, he had the strangest illusion.

It seemed as if the patterns were alive, twisting like snakes, waiting to entwine themselves around the one who wielded the weapon.

Michael opened the other case. Inside lay a short, dark-gold dagger. The gleam from its edge gave the illusion it could sever anything.

He handed the dagger to Baron. "Blood," he said. "Until it fills the patterns on both the gun and the dagger."

"It’s to bond with its master and forge its spirit," the master Alchemist explained, seeing Baron’s hesitation.

Without a word, Baron slashed the palm of his hand with the dagger.

The next moment, he froze.

It wasn’t because of the faint, scattered fluorescence that bloomed on the weapon as his blood dripped onto it.

It was because he realized the blood flowing from his palm... was blue.