Wizard:Start as a Potion Master

Inside the tower's attic, Su Nan reactivated the virtual interface to test his transformation into a werewolf.

He took a deep breath, his body feeling unprecedentedly powerful. His form rapidly grew larger, with muscles swelling into metal-like hardness and his pupils shifting into golden rings.

These rings mirrored the moonlight during a lunar eclipse—the source of the werewolves' imperfect immortality.

Standing by the castle window, Su Nan could now see what was usually hidden from view. Far below, tenant farmers worked diligently on the sloped fields surrounding the castle.

His estate and castle were perched atop a small hill. Fields stretched across the slopes and down to the base, all part of his territory. Managing these lands, however, was a task left to the old steward, Warwick, who oversaw their distribution to tenant farmers.

This enhanced sensory awareness was incredible. Su Nan could clearly discern the textures on a tree leaf 50 meters away. His golden-ringed pupils adjusted, zooming in and out, granting unparalleled visual clarity.

Simultaneously, his heightened hearing allowed him to detect sounds throughout one-third of the castle. Each footstep revealed whether a maid or butler was moving about, based solely on the weight and rhythm.

With proper training, he could pinpoint someone's identity just from the sound of their steps.

His olfactory senses also received a significant boost. Breathing in lightly, Su Nan seemed to "smell" emotions, perceiving the toil and fatigue of tenant farmers a hundred meters away.

"Data panels don't fully capture the nuances," Su Nan mused. "The sensory enhancements of a werewolf, especially in smell and hearing, far surpass those of a Storm Knight."

He realized a werewolf's heightened sense of smell extended to detecting hormones and pheromones dispersed in the air, offering a rudimentary understanding of emotional states.

---

Remaining in his werewolf alpha form, Su Nan activated the Wolf Pack Effect.

Unlike when using it as a pureblood human—a simple mental connection facilitated by weak magical links—this form significantly amplified the effect.

He could now perceive the emotions of every member in his wolf pack—rage, joy, and more. These emotional links enabled non-verbal communication.

Testing further, Su Nan attempted to channel his magic power to another werewolf courier stationed at the estate's edge. Surprisingly, the energy transfer was nearly lossless. The recipient, still in canine form, had their golden-ringed eyes deepen in hue and intensity.

The Wolf Pack Effect also demonstrated automation. When Su Nan willed a transfer of magical power, it naturally flowed to the werewolf courier in the poorest state. Conversely, drawing power from the pack prioritized the strongest members.

Thanks to the optimizations introduced by the neural interface, Su Nan's use of the effect was smooth and effortless, eliminating unnecessary complications.

He experimented further, consolidating the magic power of three couriers into one. The enhanced courier displayed roughly a 50% boost in strength and greatly accelerated recovery rates.

"Brain, calculate the consolidated stats for a strengthened courier."

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[Enhanced Werewolf Courier]

Strength: 1.7

Speed: 2.6

Constitution: 1.7

Skill Enhancement: Triple-layered partial immortality increases resistance to destructive forces like fire or silver.

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Su Nan nodded, understanding that while the base stats didn't skyrocket, the survivability and resistance of the enhanced werewolf couriers had tripled.

He then glanced at his left hand. Even in alpha werewolf form, his Hand of Sacrifice retained full functionality. This meant his proposed combination of werewolf immortality and the sacrificial abilities was not just theoretical but feasible in practice.

"I wonder how my current strength ranks within the true world of sorcery?" Su Nan pondered.

"Brain, calculate my pack's odds against two knights in combat, factoring my command and use of the Hand of Sacrifice, as well as my stockpile of Slumber Bug potions."

Gus Pasha, the rival knight, likely had allies and gathered unusual talents under his command. He was treated as a quasi-baron by others due to his growing influence.

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[Combat Odds]

Against Gus Pasha alone, with full werewolf support: 89% victory chance.

If facing him and a modest military force: 78%.

If he discovers fire and silver as werewolf weaknesses: 57%.

If joined by a second Storm Knight fully supporting him: <35%.

Assumptions: No unique abilities beyond a Storm Knight's standard physical enhancements.

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Su Nan deliberated.

He lacked sufficient intelligence on Storm Knights, as Warwick was only familiar with the basics, and Robert remained just a knight squire. The other knights and townsfolk actively obscured information from him.

"Storm Knights likely lack sorcery or mystical abilities," Su Nan speculated. "This world parallels a medieval era where supernatural power remains the purview of sorcerers alone."

"Still, it's better to ensure absolute safety. Reckless actions are unnecessary."

Strengthening his forces through research and preparation remained the wisest course.

---

"Brain, calculate how to further enhance the werewolf army."

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[Enhancement Possibilities]

Adapt elements of the Hand of Sacrifice into a new potion tailored to werewolves.

Design a "Berserk Potion" enabling werewolves to exchange vitality for temporary boosts in strength and speed.

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Su Nan smirked. "Berserk Potion, huh? Begin research."

He also instructed the neural interface to continue refining the formula for Mental Strength Enhancer +2.

Downing a vial of Mental Strength Enhancer +1, Su Nan noticed a peculiar sensation as he set the empty bottle on the table. The glass seemed to phase through the wooden surface, blending into it.

"What's happening?" Su Nan asked. "Brain, analyze."

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[Analysis]

Your mental strength has reached 10.

The surge in activity may be triggering visual distortions, possibly linked to phenomena unique to sorcerers.

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Su Nan suddenly felt a distant force summoning him. The surrounding space twisted, reality itself seeming to layer and overlap.