Among Chosen Ones, it was common for those of the same path to suppress one another by rank. When Chosen Ones belonged to the same path, the strong usually suppressed, dominated, and controlled the weak. This was especially true for the Origin Path. Once there was a gap in level, that suppressive force was practically absolute.

The Ember Path needed even less explanation. A work that an apprentice had poured his heart and soul into could fall into the hands of a craftsman and be reverse-engineered and analyzed in minutes. No secrets would be left.

In more extreme cases, when the gap between them was more than an entire realm, the stronger craftsman could even seize control of the weaker one’s alchemical work and force it under his command.

Who the hell did this guy think he was?

With a trembling hand, Dalton put on a pair of glasses and analyzed him again. He observed carefully and thought it over seriously, but no matter how much he stared, this was clearly some brat in the Resonance Realm. He hadn’t even touched the threshold of becoming a craftsman. For all Dalton knew, he could be an independent Chosen One who had barely...