Medicine King!

The one and only great figure on the Yalatika Continent, possessing fame, wealth, and power!

A great figure whose stature far surpassed even that of an Apostle of Authority.

And Li, the Medicine King, had long since become the richest person on the Yalatika Continent. No one knew just how much wealth he controlled—in fact, there was no one on the entire continent richer than him.

Some said that, if he wanted to, he could even buy an empire. But he didn’t care about that, and he never bothered with such unnecessary things.

Still, even Li—with wealth enough to rival a nation and a reputation known far and wide—had his troubles.

At this very moment, something was indeed giving him a headache.

“So even the greatest alchemist can’t create a universal elixir...”

He knew who’d written him the letter, but its mocking tone irritated Li to no end. In the past, he would’ve told one of his subordinates to beat the man senseless—and that man would’ve vanished from the Yalatika Continent for good.

But his old friend had gone to so much trouble over his affairs. Li ought to show his gratitude.

His friend had provided him with a crucial piece of information.

A Soma had appeared in the forest of the Abyss of the Underworld.

Li already knew about it. This was the second time he’d heard of Soma.

Soma was a magical beast that almost didn’t exist anymore. Its blood was said to be the key to creating a universal elixir, but... whether Soma truly still existed had long been a mystery.

Soma had existed in ancient times, but its numbers were very small. After being hunted for so long, no one had seen one in over a thousand years.

“Should I go...”

Li considered it.

But Li had a reason he absolutely had to go!

So...

“Teacher, it’s already late. Are you going to keep sorting through those documents?”

Li set the letter aside and looked up. It was his student, Phoebe Loris.

She had ordinary brown hair, worn long and with a slight wave. That was one of her distinctive features. Her hair color was common enough, yet somehow it gave people a sense of comfort. Her face was plain—not especially pretty—but her figure was incredibly alluring, curvy where it should be and flat where it should be.

“Mm, let’s call it a day. Phoebe, I’ll be away for a while starting tomorrow. Tell Luna to manage the Cromwell Merchant Guild while I’m gone.”

“Yes... Teacher.”

Phoebe bowed respectfully and watched Li leave the room. Only then did the corners of her mouth curl up in delight.

“At last, I’ve found my chance... Teacher Rufus!”

...

Getting home at eight o’clock sharp had become a habit for Li. His home was in the southern district of the Imperial Capital, an ordinary slum rather than an area for the wealthy and aristocratic. But Li had grown up here, and his younger sister Chloe liked the neighborhood too, so he’d never moved. He still lived in the house his master, Picas, had left behind.

His friends and others couldn’t understand why Li, arguably the richest person on the Yalatika Continent, continued to live here. Many said it was because of his younger sister, Chloe.

All sorts of rumors circulated across the Yalatika Continent. Li had several beautiful girls by his side, yet he was still single. Some suspected he had no interest in women, while others speculated that a princess and his younger sister Chloe had once fought over him, creating a battlefield of jealousy that left Li afraid of women.

Whatever the rumors claimed, and whether those things had really happened or not, Li never said a word about them. And no one would dare bring them up in front of him. Nobody wanted to offend this man who possessed fame, wealth, and power!

Once, after the Alchemist Rank Tournament, many alchemists refused to accept that Li had become the Medicine King at just twelve years old. But only a few hours later, those alchemists who wouldn’t acknowledge him had vanished from the continent.

Some said Li had done it; others said it was his master, the Ripple-Eyed Witch. No one knew who was responsible. After that, no one dared provoke Li so carelessly—and the incident also earned him the enmity of countless alchemists.

People tried to assassinate Li all the time. But several powerful Apostles of Authority protected him, and nearly everyone who dared come after him ended up dead.

When Li got home, he didn’t stop to do anything else. He went straight to the entrance to the basement and headed down.

The dim basement was filled with the rich scent of medicine.

At the end was a private workshop for making medicine. But that wasn’t Li’s destination.

Li walked to the center of the room, closed his eyes, and raised a hand. The ring on his right ring finger flashed red, and a black magic circle spread out beneath his feet.

When he opened his eyes again, he had arrived at his destination.

“Welcome home, Big Brother.”

Not far away, a girl enclosed in transparent liquid inside a crystal container smiled sweetly as she spoke.

“Mm... I’m home, Chloe.”