Allen's words were like an invisible blade, piercing precisely into the most vulnerable part of Draven's heart.
Draven's face completely darkened. He stared intently at Allen, a dangerous glint flickering in his eyes.
"Such a sharp-tongued brat," Draven said, his voice low and hoarse, carrying a trace of suppressed anger. "Do you really think you've seen through everything? Do you think your little cleverness will allow you to sail through the academy unhindered?"
He slammed his hand onto the lab bench. The Crystal Bottle jumped from the vibration, letting out a crisp CLINK.
"You're right. My Magic Potion provides rented power.
"But power is power! When an apprentice struggles bitterly in Meditation, suffering from low efficiency and seeing no hope, my 'Focus Potion' can bring them an hour of miracles! An hour of miracles is enough for them to regain their confidence, to believe that they, too, can grow stronger!"
Draven's eyes filled with paranoia as he pointed to the area in the room enveloped by the Energy Shield.
"Do you see what's in there? That is the 'Soul Harmonization Potion' I am currently researching.
"Once successful, it will completely change the Wizarding World! It will allow an apprentice to resonate with specific Magic Power in a short period, drastically increasing their affinity in a certain field! That is true power, the true future!"
He was getting agitated, but Allen simply watched him quietly without interrupting.
"But do you know how many Magic Stones this research requires? Do you know that every single day, my workshop burns through what an ordinary noble family earns in a year?" Draven's voice rose with agitation, sounding somewhat shrill on the spacious second floor. "Without these new students as fuel, my research will stagnate! And you, Allen Wesren, you are diverting my fuel down another path! You are teaching them self-sufficiency, cutting off my foundation!"
He began pacing around the room like a beast trapped in a cage.
"I will give you a choice, a bestowal from an Advanced Apprentice to a new student. Either accept my proposal and become part of my grand blueprint. Your group will be the first beneficiaries of my potions, and you will receive my protection to smoothly navigate the academy. Or, refuse me."
He stopped, turned around, and his eyes revealed undisguised coldness.
"Then starting tomorrow, your mutual aid group will face over a dozen powerful competitors. They will use lower prices and more aggressive methods to poach your members.
"I will have my friends from the Alchemy School 'accidentally' mention to your members that your diagnoses are nothing but armchair theories, and that only real Magic Potions can bring substantial change.
"I could even submit a report to the academy's assignment office, questioning whether a new student is qualified to conduct large-scale 'teaching' activities. Believe it or not, within a month, your study group will fall apart completely."
The threats were specific and lethal. Every tactic Draven described struck precisely at the weak point of Allen's model—it was built on reputation and trust, two things that were most easily destroyed by rumors and power.
Faced with Draven's ultimatum, Allen made a move that completely exceeded his expectations. He stood up, ignoring Draven, and walked toward the Energy Shield emitting a purple halo.
"Senior Draven, did you just say you are researching the 'Soul Harmonization Potion'?"
Draven frowned, not understanding why Allen had suddenly changed the subject. But he still possessed absolute confidence in his proudest research. "That's right. What, do you want to dictate how I do my research?"
Allen reached out, his fingertips gently touching the cold Energy Shield. A slight numbing sensation transmitted back, preventing him from entering.
"Senior Draven, your problem isn't a lack of money." Allen turned around. The previous calmness in his deep blue eyes was gone, replaced by a piercing sharpness that saw through everything—the irrepressible instinct of a strategy player correcting a clumsy design. "Your problem is that your research direction has been wrong from the very beginning."
"What did you say?" Draven's pupils shrank. Like a cat whose tail had been stepped on, his hair stood on end. This infuriated him even more than Allen's rejection; this was a complete denial of his years of investment.
"I said," Allen enunciated each word, his voice clear and resolute, "your 'Soul Harmonization Potion' will never succeed. It's not a funding issue, but a logical one."
He didn't give Draven a chance to fly into a rage, speeding up his speech as his logical chain progressed layer by layer.
"Yesterday, I consulted the *Introduction to Soul Essence and Magic Power Form Alienation* in the library. The book clearly states that once promoted to an Official Wizard, everyone's Soul Mark becomes completely unique. The effectiveness of a generic Magic Potion will drop drastically.
"What you are doing now is attempting to use a 'Universal Key' to open countless 'unique locks.' This fundamentally violates the basic axiom of individual specificity.
"Your so-called 'Soul Harmonization' is merely forcibly twisting the unformed spiritual models of apprentices to imitate a standardized Magic Mark.
"You might see results in the short term, but the price is destroying their future possibilities.
"This is even more harmful than your 'Focus Potion.' That isn't a stepping stone to the future; it's a fatal quick fix—a dead end."
Draven was completely stunned. He opened his mouth but found he couldn't utter a single word. What Allen said was exactly the biggest bottleneck he had encountered in his research. He had expended countless resources and conducted hundreds of experiments, yet the best result was only a brief resonance in the subjects, followed by a severe Spiritual Power backlash.
He had vaguely sensed the problem and understood that even if this potion succeeded, it would only be useful to apprentices and a small fraction of Official Wizards. However, the massive sunk cost made it impossible for him to turn back; he could only continue to deceive himself.
"You burn through massive amounts of Magic Stones every day, only to repeatedly verify an erroneous theory," Allen said, taking a step forward, his aura completely suppressing the Advanced Apprentice before him. "Your workshop isn't conducting research, Senior Draven. It's just an expensive billboard built to prove that this path is a dead end."
Allen's words completely shattered Draven's final shred of pride. His face turned deathly pale, and his body swayed; he had to lean against the lab bench to barely steady himself.
"What do you know? Do you know how much blood, sweat, and tears I've poured into this? Do you know what I've sacrificed?!" Draven erupted. His illusions punctured, he lost all reason, looking like a fierce beast ready to devour someone. Dangerous Magic Power fluctuations brewed around him.
Just then, Allen spoke up. "I can help you. I can make your potion a success."
"What?" Draven froze.
"I said I can help you, Senior Draven, but we need to change the way we cooperate." Allen finally laid out his proposal. "Instead of me becoming your salesman to peddle these potions that merely treat the symptoms and not the root cause, I will become your partner."
"Partner? You? A low-level apprentice?" Draven muttered to himself, his eyes filled with mockery and disbelief.
"That's right." Allen's tone was indisputable. "I will help you correct your research direction and abandon this doomed 'Universal Soul Harmonization Potion.' We can pivot to a new field—'Individualized Spiritual Power Model Optimization Plans.'
"I will be responsible for the diagnoses and modeling, identifying the flaws and potential points in every apprentice's Spiritual Power structure, and constructing a unique optimization path for them.
"Meanwhile, you will use your Alchemy knowledge and workshop to provide corresponding, small-dose, non-addictive supplementary potions for these 'customized plans.' For instance, a 'Micro-Guidance Potion' targeting a specific Spiritual Power node, or 'Shaping Gel' used to stabilize a new model."
Wisdom flashed in Allen's eyes as he painted a brand-new research approach and commercial blueprint for Draven.
"We won't just be selling one-time 'quick meals' anymore; we'll be providing a long-term 'personal coaching' service. Our clients will no longer be mediocrities looking for a shortcut, but true elites with potential who are willing to invest in their futures.
"Our market ceiling will no longer be limited to the apprentice stage, but will extend to Official Wizards, or even higher. That's because every powerful Wizard requires a completely unique growth plan.
"I will provide the core technology and client channels, along with research material for you. As for the profits, we can negotiate."
Allen extended his hand. "This is what I consider a true partnership. Senior Draven, now, are you still going to use those underhanded tactics to ruin an opportunity that could get you out of your predicament and lead you toward true success?"
The entire second floor was terrifyingly quiet; only the monotonous hum of Alchemy Instruments echoed in the air.
Draven stared fixedly at Allen's outstretched hand, his gaze incredibly complex. It contained shock, anger, and unwillingness, but mostly, it held the wavering of someone who had been thoroughly seen through, and the struggle of seeing a glimmer of dawn amidst despair.
This new student had not only seen through his business and his predicament, but even through his core research. Not only had he dismantled his threats, but he had also turned the tables, offering a temptation that could not be easily refused.
This negotiation had already completely slipped out of his control.
Now, it was his turn to make a choice.