Dark Magus Returns

Picking up the pestle off the ground, Raze then chucked it to the side. It made a clanging sound as it hit the floor and rolled across until it touched the large pile of many other pestles.

"I haven't been counting how many times I've done this now, but the crate is looking pretty empty."

Raze was a little frustrated, he had to admit. So far, all he had created were Elite grade items. There wasn't a single one that was at the unique or mythical level. A ten percent chance of it not coming out as an Elite grade item, and it seemed his luck wasn't working with him.

Originally, he thought maybe if he created two items at least at the unique grade, then he would be able to keep one for himself. Yet even that wasn't happening.

"Ten percent, shouldn't that mean at least 1 in every 10 would be a higher grade than Elite, and I've been pouring my Dark Magic into the item creation process, and yet still no luck. Maybe those research papers were right, and it really doesn't make a difference after all."

As Raze continued with the next item, he continued to condense and pour his Dark Magic into the creation, though. Because if it did increase his chances, and he had been this unlucky, then what if he did the same thing without it? Then he would never get a unique grade item at all.

The process continued once more, and the pestle fell to the ground. Immediately, from the way it shined, Raze could almost immediately tell that it was another Elite Grade item.

"I'm sure there are some mages that would be happy to even accomplish enchanting one Elite grade item, but I'm not one of them," he sighed.

Raze had been so focused on the item process that he didn't even know how much time had passed. With him condensing and flowing his Dark Magic into the item, it was taking a lot longer than the original enchantments, at least fifteen minutes per try.

"Not even a single one is a sealed item either. Was all my luck used on Simyon's earring and that statue? I guess that might be the case after all," Raze thought.

Alas, he continued the process, making Elite grade item after Elite grade item, and now it felt like he was down to the last few that were in the crate.

"Will they be satisfied with an Elite Grade item? Probably not," Raze continued the process.

He closed his eyes, trying to focus even more as he poured his Dark Magic. Rather than just condensing it, he thought of other ways in trying to improve the enchantment. The magic circle determined how the power stone and the item would be used together.

The magic circle used the power from the power stone to enforce the magic circle's instructions, giving it a certain type of effect. Yet, mages knew the type of magic used would influence the enchantment, giving them different effects.

At times, some magic circles were specific attribute enchantments as well. In this case, Raze would also be able to use two types of magic to create an even better effect.

This was how he had created the special enchantment on the sword because it was one that used and needed the user to have ice magic, a specific ice enchantment effect, then using his dark magic the item was cursed, making it more powerful than it would have been.

However, right now, he was just using a basic enchantment, along with Dark magic.

"Maybe because it's a basic enchantment, I need to use even more magic. If I dilute the output and condense it down even more, that will help increase the chances."

At this point, Raze was willing to try anything.

It had been a few hours since both Kizer and Reno had left the Dark Magus to his own devices.

"So you aren't a bit curious about how he makes those things?" Kizer asked.

"Curious, yes, but to the point where I wish to sour our relationship, not quite," Reno replied. "That man, he reminds me very much of the poisons that I deal with on a day-to-day basis. For me, they are a great tool that allows me to live on, giving me strength. For others, it can be deadly."

"But even I have to treat the poisons I deal with, with respect; if I don't, they can harm me as well. And that is how I feel about the Dark Magus; we need to know how to deal and handle him; otherwise, we could all suffer from his poison."

"Right?" Kizer replied. "From that, I just got that you think there's a chance he might do more harm to us than good, and for that I agree. You know having him in the group is getting pretty dangerous as well."

"I've been hearing a number of clans have been looking for him. Sure, quite a few are put off when they hear our name, but you know that won't be the end of it. There will be those clans that will be willing to still try anyway."

"And I believe that is a risk that Alba has calculated," Reno replied. "I think Alba believes that we, as a clan, have stagnated, and there are only two options for us to grow in power. Either operate more like a normal clan, taking in more talent and raising students trying to get stronger for the future generations."

"Or to take a risk and become something even greater."

A knock was heard at the door, and they could only assume it was one person since they didn't tend to get visitors.

"Come in!" Reno called.

To that, Raze had entered the room. He looked exhausted to the two of them; his hands were down by his side, and his body was almost slumped over as well.

"Your item, it's…done," Raze informed them.

The two Crimson Crane members looked at each other, just waiting to see what the Dark Magus had cooked up.

They followed Raze, entering his private room, to which they could see a pile of pestles laid out on the ground. The first thing Kizer did was take a peek inside the crate.

"Wait, you used all of them!" Kizer said, lifting up the crate with one hand. He could feel how light it was and could tell that he wasn't imagining things.

"I know there were at least fifty in there, and you used them all up. Do you know how much we could have sold those crystals for!" Kizer shouted.

The pile of pestles didn't give him much hope as to what they were used for, but Reno did notice something, a singular pestle that was laid out on the table. He picked it up, and as he did, he could immediately feel a strange power drawing to him.

Something that he had never felt before, Raze then, with a slight movement of his finger, allowed magic to move in order to display the information to him.

[A Unique Grade Cursed Pestle]

[Using this item in the creation process will allow for the item to have a 10 percent stronger effect.]

Reno's eyes nearly popped out of his head when he read this. Could it be possible? Could just using a single item increase the effects of everything he worked on by ten percent just like that, with the flick of one's fingers, just like it was some type of… magic?

It seemed impossible; how could such an item exist? Alchemists worked years and years just trying to increase the effectiveness of their creations by a single percent, never mind by 10!

All of the poison recipes he had created before, now by just doing the same thing again, but using the item he held in his hand, he would grow in strength. He had essentially become ten percent more powerful.

Not only that, Reno was already implanting finding recipe's created by other poison art's users. Even if he followed all of their instruction and used the same items down to the last mark, he would always create something superior then they could by using this item.

"That item is not for you," Raze said.

"What!" Kizer shouted. He didn't know the effects of the item, but seeing how speechless Reno was, he thought it was something great, and now he knew it was a catch.

"Did you create something so great that now you don't want to give it to us?" Kizer said.

"No, that's not it," Raze replied as he pulled out another pestle. "This is for you."

The item was practically glowing as Raze pulled it out, nearly lighting up the whole area.

[A Mythical Cursed Grade Pestle]