It wouldn't be enough to catch the eye of the academy. One little street battle was nothing worth reporting. I would have to go a lot further to hedge my bet with getting into the academy.

It was enough to get the baker's daughter to give me a little more attention when I went to get breakfast. I never had the luxury of going to a bakery for breakfast before, always saving every penny in the hope of a better life.

I was a little more carefree now, while I still could. I had to remind myself to appreciate life; otherwise, there was little point in starting again. I could be happy. I had nothing to worry about for several years beyond the yearning for my lost potential everything was going very well.

It was almost lucky I hadn't awakened in the past. The knowledge of my elemental affinities would have crushed me. I would never have progressed far in the academy even if they had let me in. I would still have been stuck learning how to use magic when the walls fell. I wouldn't have had close to the strength required to escape or fight back.

Now I just might. I would have to help Sammy get more power within the streets and the bloody blades. Along with that, I could use the resources I had received from the alchemists to empower myself even further.

There were a few resources that I would be able to use to empower myself immediately. I wanted to wait until I was at a higher level before performing any long-term changes to my body.

Focusing on my foundation and my notoriety for the next few weeks would be the only way to ensure long term success within the academy. I would have to get the attention of the nobles and the teachers within the academy. Gaining the protection of one of the heavyweight mages in the capital would help achieve the soft power needed to make a difference in the future.

There were many secrets within the capital that I would be able to use in the future. That wasn't very helpful if I didn't have any backing in the short term. There were many foreign powers within the capital with far too much power over a rogue mage from the outskirts for me to gain a lot of power in the short term without any backing.

For now, I would enjoy my breakfast while strolling down the run-down streets of the outskirts. My mage sight was continuously looking around for any threats. I had already made a few enemies in the outskirts with the fight, I doubt any of them would make a move so soon, but there was no point giving up the chance I had been given to make a real difference.

Moving towards the inner rings once again, this time, I would be buying rather than selling. I had more wealth than I had ever thought possible. So I was going to use it.

I had always been envious of the nobles who had been able to leap ranks and face far more powerful mages solely due to the quality of their enchanted gear and runic tattoos. There was little need for them to be proficient as a mage. It would ultimately prove their detriment when the mage breakers came down upon the empire. At the moment, however, they would be a great help for my survivability. It would also give the illusion that I had a powerful backer willing to bankroll an unknown from the slums. That should put off a few people from killing me outright.

Plus, the extra power and protection that such things would grant me would more than makeup for the cost. I had changed my thoughts considerably towards wealth after my experience with the alchemists. I had far more lucrative information stored in my head that would earn me a tremendous amount of money in the future.

It wasn't such an out of control entity far from me. Now I could have it work for me. Spending any money meant far less to me now. I could make far more within a few days of work than many prominent merchant families could make in years. I would have the privilege of paying my way over any competition I had, with maybe a few exceptions within the academy. A few children of the upper nobility attending the school had made waves while I was in the scholar's academy. They certainly had no shortage of wealth.

There was also the child of Archmage Pardone who had torn through the rest of the students, graduating far earlier than anyone in living memory. Victoria Pardone, the youngest archmage in the history of the empire, would be one of the school's bastions. If I could get her father to support me in any way, then my journey throughout the academy would be smooth sailing. I had many advanced magical theories that would soon be developed that might get his interest in me if I came up with some facsimile to them first.

Yet that might as well send him far from supporting me, thinking that I had equally as powerful being behind me in the shadows. It was a careful balancing act I would have to work with.

Now I could go shopping. I didn't look that I was a big spender, so I was pretty much ignored when perusing the stores. Some stores tried to kick me out as soon as I went in. Those stores weren't worth my time anyway. I had a destination in mind.

A simple illusion got me past the guards at the gate to the inner ring once again. This time I was going much further than the market district where I had found the Cilka alchemists. These enchanters were far more prominent than the Cilkas, with much the same temperament. They were more than willing to supply to rich and poor alike.

My visit to their sister shop within the market square had gotten me the credentials I needed to peruse their more costly and powerful wares. I wouldn't be relegated to the typical adventure gear that I would have killed for in the past. Now I could be the envy of even grand mages with what I would be wearing.

Overkill for my situation at the moment, certainly. Still, with a little deception and illusions, anybody below a certain level would only see some basic if high-quality clothing and armor. Not the enchanted armor that could block an attack from an archmage.

I wasn't sure I could even afford something like that with my wealth. Such things, even money couldn't buy.

The smile on the receptionist's face didn't waver as I stepped through the door, much the same reception as the Cilkas as well. That smile wouldn't change whether it was a beggar or a king. That professionalism was something I greatly appreciated. Their discretion was also part of their high prices; news my visit would never leave the shop.

"Hello Sir, how can I assist you today?"

"Yes, hello, I am looking to outfit myself for the coming term in the academy. Please only the best items you have on offer. There is no such thing as overkill for me, don't worry about price either."

Her eyes widened at my words. Even my stellar acting and oration couldn't make up for the fact I came into the shop looking like a beggar from the outskirts. Not some well to do mage looking for protection and more power.

I would also be able to change that here. It was relatively simple for a true enchanter to be able to attune illusion spells onto the gear. That way, I would never have to change clothes again. Simply willing the cloth and armor to appear whatever way is best for the situation.

I had never worn such luxury before. I was sorely looking forward to it.

"Ah sir, that is great to hear. What exactly are you looking for?"

"High-level enchanted mage armor and any appropriate under gear, along with several defensive and offensive charms. If you could throw a potent stave into the mix, that would do me nicely."

Her eyes rose even higher with that, the rest of her face keeping to the cool demeanor.

"That is quite the list you have there sir, are you sure that you are capable of buying such an array of costly goods? I do not mean to offend, but I have to ask such questions to the big spenders, you understand."

Flashing two of the mana crystals was all it took for her demeanor to shift drastically towards me. It was not a currency easily obtained. My store of crystals would be more than capable of buying any manner of gear I could want in the shop.

"Certainly, sir, follow me, and we will meet with Sir Johans, our resident enchanter, to discuss what you might like."

They were having me talk with someone of the direct line, that would be interesting. Who knew splashing some cash would get me into the top ranks so quickly. It probably had to do with my youth mixed with my wealth. Someone this young that was capable of spending such amounts probably had far more as back up. As well as some serious backing.

Like that, we walked up the tower to get what was needed to survive the coming months before I gained the necessary skills to craft something of my own.