Myrna assisted Vale with the acceptance of the mission as she informed him to visit the Laboratory 4 to complete the task.

Laboratory 4 is on the fifth floor of the Academy, where the 5th-Year Dark Alchemists can be found.

It was quite a long walk but he didn't mind it. He passed over a few custodians wiping floors and windows as he ignored them and headed straight to the fifth floor's Laboratory.

Then, he noticed that he was about to pass a group of fifth-year students and decided to do something.

Well, he wanted to try his new Spell.

He activated his Divine Sense without entering his Phantasm State to check them.

There were a total of six people and they all ignored Vale, who was walking past them.

Divine Sense

Vale triggered his life force and swept his Divine Sense to the six people

Soon, he received feedback from his Spell.

Dark Arts Practitioner with 7 filled Spell Lights.

Dark Arts Practitioner with 6 filled Spell Lights.

Dark Arts Practitioner with 7 filled Spell Lights.

Mystic Arts Practitioner with 11 filled Spell Lights.

"What the heck?" Vale was surprised as soon as he analyzed the feedback sent by his Divine Sense.

His words attracted their attention, and they all looked at him simultaneously.

Vale immediately felt nervous. He believes that there is a spy among them but he can't reveal it!

He briefly glanced at the person he detected as a Mystic Arts Practitioner and confirmed that it was a male student who looked like a typical Dark Arts Practitioner. He looks gloomy with a scent of death around him as he seems to be practicing the Deathly Aura by Necromancers, or perhaps, he just finished creating a top-grade Deadly Poison.

"Are you alright, freshman?" One of the real Dark Arts Practitioners asked Vale in concern. She seemed to be a pure and gentle woman, but after using his Divine Sense in those few seconds, he found out that a part of her body was rotting. It seems to be a result of her failed Dark Arts Ceremony, and it was something he learned in Darkness Path class.

He felt a bit of pity for her as he glanced at her left breast, where it should be rotting now. She seemed to have noticed his action so Vale immediately waved his hand and answered.

"I'm alright, senior I was just looking for Laboratory 4. Do you know where it is?" Vale asked.

Thankfully, they accepted his reason as they pointed out where he could find the Laboratory.

After this brief encounter, Vale no longer encountered people and found the Laboratory.

As for the Mystic Arts Practitioner that he just discovered a while ago, he wasn't in a hurry to expose him as the Academy might even be aware of this. After all, this is still an Academy with several First-Class Practitioners. There are also several Formation Arts here that should detect his abnormality Lastly, how could a Mystic Arts Practitioner reach the 5th year without garnering suspicions?

How could he practice the Dark Arts, especially the Academy-Exclusive Spells and the Branch-Exclusive Spells? If he's using some tricks to do it, how come it was undetected for so long?

With such a questionable situation, the Academy might even be helping him hide his identity.

Anyway, he'd still mention it to the Headmaster later if he had a chance. After all, there could still be a chance that this guy is a spy and must be apprehended.

As for how he would explain how he detected the man's Arcane Path, Vale could just think of another lie Anyway, once the man was apprehended, it should be easy for the officials to make him confess.

He could either tell that he sensed it because the man used a Mystic Arts Ability while his Phantasm State was active or just blame Master Heinz once again for having a sensitive Phantasm State or something similar.

With this in mind, Vale felt more relaxed as he knocked on the door of the Laboratory.

Soon, the doorknob twisted as a familiar beauty appeared in front of him.

It was Maya Featherstar.

Both of them didn't expect the presence of each other.

Maya was the first one to recover and said, "You're the one who accepted the mission?"

Vale wryly smiled and nodded. "Am I not allowed?"

"It's fine. I was just expecting a third-year student. Are you sure about this? You will be drinking some potions that may bring harm to your body. Although you won't die from this, it can still affect your physique and cause internal injuries if you don't have the qualifications to withstand the effects of those potions." Maya sincerely warned Vale.

Right now, she was only feeling pity for this person who couldn't improve his Spirit Strand.

She can't believe that he would resort to this job of accepting dangerous tasks to have a chance to improve.

"Thank you for your concern I've already decided. Isn't it just Energy Burst Potion? I've read about it before I accepted this mission." Vale replied with confidence.

At this point, Maya knows she can't persuade him anymore, so she just smiles and allows him to enter the Laboratory.

"Have you also accepted the mission? I didn't know there would be two of us." Vale suddenly said, which almost choked Maya with her own saliva.

"What? I did not accept the mission. I'm Master Sherah's student." Maya replied succinctly.

"Hmm?" Vale was momentarily confused, but he quickly realized that she was referring to being a disciple of the Dark Alchemist.

The two no longer spoke with each other as they entered the core room laboratory.

Vale observed Alchemist Sherah and confirmed that although she was already old and in a wheelchair, she was not weak at all.

Vale briefly used his Divine Sense and confirmed that the amount of energy inside her was no joke.

After introducing himself, Alchemist Sherah pointed at the table. On top of it was a glass bottle of black potion.

The black liquid wasn't much, but it should be about 50mL.

Sherah then spoke in her old and weak voice.

"Get that potion and sit on this chair before you consume the potion. I need you to enter your Phantasm State before consuming it and tell me if any of your active Spell Lights will turn red."