Reincarnation Of A Swordsman: The Omni Mage

The East Wing's was more quiet than the north. Adrian had followed the signs, each one pointing him closer to the Alchemy Hall.

The Academy's sprawling layout was intimidating, but the clear directions kept him on track.

A final sign read Alchemy Hall, Straight Ahead, and he quickened his pace, the corridor opening into a wide chamber. Double wooden doors stood open, a plaque above them etched with Alchemy Hall in elegant script, flanked by symbols of vials and flames.

Stepping inside, Adrian was struck by how empty the hall was. Only three students were present, their special blue cloaks marking them as Mages.

They sat at separate tables, their focus unbroken by his arrival.

'It's early after all,' Adrian concluded, glancing around. No Instructor was here, and he didn't know how far it was from the fourth bell.

The hall was massive, its high ceiling lined with stained glass that cast green and gold patterns across the floor.

Long tables stretched in neat rows, each cluttered with glass vials, burners, and piles of dried herbs.

Shelves along the walls held jars of strange ingredients. Adrian chose a table near the center, setting his bag down and sitting.

The silence was heavy, broken only by the faint rustle of the Mages' parchments.

More students trickled in as time passed, their footsteps echoing. Mages dominated, their cloaks swishing, but a few Knights appeared.

Thirty Mages and Three Knights,' Adrian determined from [Analyze].

The hall had grown noisy already, as the students already begun socializing with their peers.

Adrian, meanwhile remained quiet. He had waited for so long already that he wondered if he should've gone to the cafeteria first, but the thought of missing the start of class kept him rooted.

Minutes dragged, and Adrian's patience wavered. But as the time neared 1 PM, a deep chime rang out — the fourth bell of the day.

Almost instantly, the doors swung wider, and a woman strode in, her presence silencing the room. She was tall, her dark hair pulled into a tight bun, her long coat lined with pockets bulging with tools.

A silver pendant shaped like a vial hung at her neck, glinting under the light. Her eyes were sharp, scanning the students like a predator sizing up prey. Everyone stood, chairs scraping, a reflex of respect.

"Sit," she said, her voice clear and commanding. The students obeyed and the hall fell silent. She stepped onto the platform at the front, standing beside the cauldron.

"I'm Professor Lira, your Alchemy Instructor. You're here for one purpose: to concoct pills and brew potions with magical effects. You've chosen well — Alchemy is power, transformation, life itself. But I won't waste time on those who can't keep up. This isn't a game. You need intelligence, precision, and discipline. If you're not capable, I'll drop you without hesitation."

Her words hung heavy, the threat unmistakable. She pointed at a Knight sitting near the front, his face paling.

"You. What's Alchemy?"

The boy stood, his voice shaky. "It's… mixing herbs and stuff to make potions?"

Lira nodded, but her eyes narrowed. "Basic, but not wrong. Alchemy is more than tossing ingredients together and hoping for a pill. It's a science and an art as well. You work with unique herbs, animal parts, minerals — each with distinct properties. A leaf might heal in one ratio, poison in another. A beast's claw could strengthen or burn if mishandled. As alchemists, you must know every ingredient, its effects, the exact proportions, the right preparation, the best application. One mistake, and your potion fails."

She paced the platform and continued. "Alchemy's history stretches back centuries. Ancient scholars burned their lives to map the properties of a single root.

The first alchemists were outcasts, branded heretics for bending nature's laws. Yet their work built this Kingdom, gave us potions to heal, to empower, to destroy. You stand on their shoulders, but only if you prove worthy."

The hall was silent, every student hanging on her words. Lira's presence was magnetic and everyone seemed drawn to what she was going to say next.

Lira stopped, her expression softening into a faint smile. She reached into a drawer on the platform and pulled out a massive book, its leather cover worn but sturdy.

She dropped it onto the table with a thud that echoed, dust puffing into the air.

"This," she said, "is The Compendium of Alchemical Ingredients, Volume One. You'll find it in your Year 1 library, Section 3, Row 12. It contains all the basic ingredients you'll need at this stage. Your first step is here."

The students stared, some wide-eyed, others swallowing hard. Lira's smile vanished.

"There's no real Alchemy class until you've memorized at least 25% of this book. You have one week. I'll test you then. Don't bother returning if you're not ready."

She turned, dusted her coat, and strode out, leaving the hall in stunned silence.

For a moment, no one moved. The weight of her words pressed down, a mix of dread and challenge.

Some students exchanged glances, unsure whether to complain or be happy that they were left for free.

Slowly, the hall stirred — some students stood, gathering their bags, while others resumed the noise, discussing with their friends.

Adrian remained seated, his mind still surprised with how their first class had come to an end.

'I wonder how the other students would fare with this assignment.'

The goal was achievable, but it would require one's dedication to fulfill and that's if you have a good memory, but he didn't need to stress himself since he had a trump card.

"Guess I'll hit the library now," he muttered to himself, a smirk spreading across his face. "Learning that book won't be a problem with [Lore Grasp]."

He stood, grabbing his bag, and navigated through the crowd of students spilling out of the halls.

It only took him few minutes to get to the Main Wing, where the library was located. Some students moved past him, some entering the library, others leaving with book in hand.

'Non-Alchemy students,' Adrian figured, their timetables likely clear until later bells.

The library's entrance was a grand arch, carved with symbols of scrolls and quills. Inside, the chamber was immense, its high ceiling supported by stone pillars.

Shelves towered over long tables where students sat, heads buried in books.

Adrian approached the front desk, where a librarian with a stern face glanced up. He flashed his Academy Badge, its gemstones catching the light, and the librarian nodded, gesturing him inside.

He made a beeline for Section 3, Row 12, as Lira had directed. The Alchemy section was a small nook, its shelves holding a handful of books types, with copies dominating.

Most were average size, but the Compendium of Alchemical Ingredients, Volume One stood out.

Adrian touched one of the copies and as expected, a notification appeared:

[Assimilate 'Compendium of Alchemical Ingredients, Volume One'?]

[Yes/No]

Adrian's smile widened. 'Just like before,*' he thought. This skill was magical, but he paused, checking with the System. 'Tech Core, can my head handle this?' he asked inwardly.

[Affirmative] the System's voice replied.

[Assimilation is within capacity, but you will reach your cognitive peak. Further assimilation may cause strain.]

Adrian nodded. 'Good enough.' He selected [Yes], and a flood of data surged into his mind. Images flashed. Names, descriptions and availability followed.

By the time the process finished, his head throbbed faintly, a dull ache spreading behind his eyes. He'd hoped to assimilate more books, but the System's warning was clear.

"Guess I'll be back," he said under his breath, rubbing his temple.

He turned to leave, noticing a few students watching him. They'd seen him enter and exit without a book, their curious stares lingering.

Adrian ignored them, his mind buzzing with the Compendium's contents. 'Hundreds of ingredients, and they're mine,' he thought, the ache easing.

With some time before the Fifth bell, Adrian decided to arrive for the Rune Making class on time.

The Rune Making Hall was close, located at the East Wing with the rest of the Electives. Inside, the air was cooler and there were more students present than when he had first come to the Alchemy Hall.

It was still a small number though, as 5 Mages could be seen spread out on chairs across the Hall, each minding their own business.

He heavily anticipated this class, as he was more than skilled in Runes already. But his skill set bordered on another aspect of Rune Making, and he'd like to see how similar they were with the norm.

Having nothing to do, Adrian decided to rest his head and enjoy a short sleep. He still didn't feel at one hundred percent after the assimilating and some rest would really help.

After over 30 minutes of near deep sleep, Adrian was finally woken up when the fifth bell rang, its chime echoing through the hall.

The doors opened, and a man entered.

"I'm Professor Toren," he said with a calm voice as he entered. "You've made the right choice by being here, and I can assure you won't regret it."

He then pointed at the long table stretched at the back of the class. "Go grab a runic paper and some ink. Let's begin."