That's right—most of those unaware of what truly transpired during the competition at the Cloud Soaring Sect couldn't understand why Finn wouldn't just use the Advance Scarlet Pill for himself. After all, if it wouldn't benefit him personally, why not let someone else from his group use it instead?
It was a wise decision. Not only would it increase the overall strength of the Soaring Seven, but it would also prevent other factions from gaining the upper hand by getting their hands on the pill Finn had crafted. Still, there was one thing that puzzled them—why didn't he give it to Lore?
Everyone knew that Lore was currently the strongest among the Soaring Seven, with Ashe trailing just behind. So why choose Ashe over Lore?
Of course, Finn had his reasons. Ashe had a habit of constantly pestering him, and Finn thought that by gifting her such an extraordinary pill, it might finally smoothen their rough relationship. What kind of Scarlet Gold Rank adventurer would turn down an Advance Scarlet Pill?
None. Every adventurer in the room dreamed of becoming stronger.
Besides, Finn had no real connection with Lore—why would he give such a treasure away for free to someone who wasn't even close to him?
The other four members of the Soaring Seven couldn't help but feel envious. Even Lore felt a mix of jealousy and frustration. He had feelings for Ashe and didn't like seeing another man—especially one from an ordinary background—getting close to the girl he liked. Even so, he held his tongue. He had no right to complain.
Leo, too, felt a twinge of envy. But unlike the others, he had already received a gift from Finn, and to him, that was more than enough.
The four faction masters turned their attention to Ashe. Each of them offered the girl a respectful smile, and said no more. They had already made their offers to Finn and had chosen to respect his decision.
Finn began walking toward Ashe, who stood silently with her striking red dress and piercing eyes. When he reached her, he gave her a warm smile and extended the small bottle containing the pill.
Without hesitation, Ashe snatched the bottle from him, her eyes gleaming with a mischievous grin. She looked into Finn's eyes and spoke in a soft voice only he could hear.
"Since you're giving this to me, I'll accept it wholeheartedly. But don't expect me to stop trying to uncover your secrets."
Finn winced and gave her a forced smile. The others around them glanced curiously, wondering what Ashe had whispered to make him react like that. But her words had been too quiet to be heard by anyone else.
Still, Finn didn't feel any annoyance toward Ashe. She hadn't done anything malicious—she was simply being true to herself. And honestly, Finn admired that kind of personality. She could tease him all she wanted, so long as she never harmed him or his clan.
While all attention was on Finn and Ashe, an irritated voice suddenly tore through the room.
"Finn Doria!" Brien shouted. "You may have won today, but the day will come when I'll stand victorious. I'll prove once and for all that I'm more talented than you! Just you wait until the Seven Great Faction Games! When we face each other there, I won't hold back—and I'll shatter your confidence beyond repair!"
Many of the adventurers barely even acknowledged him. The spotlight was already on Finn and his victory. Brien couldn't accept defeat. He simply refused to believe he had lost to a mere 1st Level Scarlet Gold Rank Adventurer.
Still, some silently agreed with what he said. They knew that if the two were to face each other in a real battle, Finn would almost certainly lose. A clash between a 1st Level and a 6th Level Scarlet Gold Rank? The outcome seemed obvious. If Finn was truly at 1st Level, Brien could likely end the fight with a single blow.
There was a five-level gap between them. Brien may have lost in the field of alchemy—but in combat, there was no way he'd lose.
Finn calmly turned toward Brien. His gaze was cold, his voice low and steady.
"It seems you still can't accept your defeat, Mister Brien. If that's the case, there's nothing I can do. But let me give you a piece of advice—as a fellow Adventurer: never insult my clan again. The next time you do, I'll make sure you suffer another bitter defeat… at my hands."
The hall fell silent.
Then, laughter erupted.
"Is that brat losing his mind? He thinks he can beat someone at 6th Level Scarlet Gold Rank while he's stuck at 1st Level?" one youth from the Immortal Sword Pavilion scoffed.
"What a joke. He probably thinks that alchemy flame of his is going to help in a real battle," a girl from the Ancient Darkness Island sneered.
Mockery rained down on Finn—but he didn't flinch. He couldn't care less about their ridicule. His eyes remained locked on Brien, who, surprisingly, did not laugh along.
In fact, Brien's expression was deadly serious, as if trying to measure the depth of Finn's capabilities. This surprised everyone. Brien was arrogant by nature. He should've been scoffing and belittling Finn like the rest of them.
But instead, he stared at Finn and muttered coldly, "Hmph. I want to see with my own eyes… how someone at 1st Level Scarlet Gold Rank could possibly defeat me."
With that, Brien turned and stormed away, his group following in silence, their disappointment heavy in the air. They belonged to a faction that prided itself in alchemy—and yet their most talented young Alchemist had been publicly defeated by a boy from a humble clan.
Finn didn't say another word. A secretive smile curved on his lips as he turned his gaze toward Noah and Marcus. He noticed that Sheeha had already left Noah's side, so he walked up to the two men and gave a slight bow.
"Sect Master Noah, Elder Marcus… Please forgive me for hiding my abilities as an Alchemist," he said softly. "I had to keep it a secret for the sake of my clan. I knew that once my enemies discovered the truth, they'd stop at nothing to eliminate me."
That was the true reason why Finn kept his identity hidden. But now that the Cloud Soaring Sect had publicly declared their protection over the Azure Wood Family, perhaps it wasn't too bad to reveal some of what he could do.
"We understand," Noah replied with a nod. He glanced around cautiously before lowering his voice. "Still… it's a shame. If we had known three months ago that you could concoct something like the Advance Scarlet Pill, we might've had a better chance in the upcoming Seven Great Faction Games."
Finn forced a smile.
In truth, he had millions of Advance Scarlet Pills at his disposal—but he couldn't say that now. Just earlier, he claimed he lacked ingredients to concoct even one, so suddenly pulling out more would only raise suspicions.
Even if he wanted to supply the Cloud Soaring Sect with the pills, he couldn't afford to. This world was filled with greed and ambition. He didn't know whom he could trust. Better to be cautious than to regret it later.
As for why he hadn't grown stronger despite possessing so many high-grade pills—that was because they no longer had any effect on him. What he needed now was not pills, but experience: real battles, real knowledge, and mastery over his strength.
--
All around the hall, Adventurers chatted among themselves. Some were catching up with old friends from their clans. Despite being in different factions now, the bonds of youth still lingered. Others, like Lore and Ashe, kept to themselves, preferring silence over small talk.
Finn, standing near Noah, didn't know anyone outside the Cloud Soaring Sect, so he kept to his own space.
As he scanned the crowd, his gaze landed on Lore, who was glaring intensely at a silver-robed boy. Lore's fists were clenched, his expression dark.
Finn followed his gaze and noticed something—there was a faint resemblance between Lore and that silver-robed youth. He had green hair and deep, black eyes.
'Could it be... Azur Lilytel? Lore Lilytel's cousin—the one he never got along with?' Finn thought.
His hunch was correct.
That boy was Azur Lilytel, the most gifted young adventurer among all seven factions.
Azur noticed Lore's glare and turned toward him, offering a smug, teasing grin. Lore's scowl deepened in response.
Suddenly, the entire room fell silent as a dignified old man entered the hall. All faction masters and elders bowed slightly and greeted him with respectful smiles.
The old man walked slowly, hands behind his back, eyes calmly sweeping over the room. His hair was snow-white, his long beard and mustache equally so. He wore flowing golden robes, embroidered with the emblem of a dragon on the left side of his chest.
That dragon was the crest of the Sacred Dragon Family.
This man was a member of the Royal Clan.
Finn focused his attention on him—and no matter how hard he tried, he couldn't sense the man's power.
Which could only mean one thing—he was a Sky Rank adventurer… just like the faction masters.
"Finn," Noah whispered beside him, "that is the honorable Lord Helbram Vildar, the King's right-hand man. And more than that, he's the second strongest adventurer in the entire Sacred Dragon Kingdom."
The King's right-hand man… and the second most powerful in the kingdom.
Hearing that, Finn couldn't help but feel a deep sense of awe. He thought to himself, 'If only I had that kind of power and influence… I wouldn't have to keep gambling my life just to survive.'
Helbram wielded authority second only to the King himself. His word was law. If he wished, he could command any faction to destroy a clan that broke the kingdom's rules. All respected him—for his strength and his authority. No one dared to cross him.
"It's good to see you again, Lord Helbram," Morris greeted with a warm smile.
Morris, who could speak directly with the King, was naturally on familiar terms with Helbram. He didn't need to act overly formal.
Helbram returned the smile with a slight nod.
"Association Master Morris. I heard you've taken in a new student—congratulations. But…"
His expression darkened slightly.
"…I received a report. And I'm not pleased about what happened inside the Auction House."