Well, well, I returned to the laboratory. Finally, I could delve into [Alchemy]. Oh boy, it took a long time. In real time, I was just a day behind, but here, I was delayed by four days. Among the players who chose [Alchemy] within the character creation phase, I wondered if I had the lowest level. It made me sad to think about that.
But I must remind myself that I am me, and others are others. There were circumstances that couldn’t be helped, so I should just accept them. Now, let’s do alchemy!
First, let’s start with creating a potion using the simplest herb, the Yaru grass. First, I carefully ground the Yaru grass until it became a paste. Then, I gradually added water to it, stretching it slowly. Of course, the water I used was collected from the forest, not from the sewage.
Once the mixture had reached the perfect balance that wasn’t too watery, it could be distilled and allowed it to cool naturally at room temperature. That was the process of [Concocting]. However, in the case of [Alchemy], things were different. The process was the same for the two skill until the grass became a paste, and so following the [Alchemy] direction, I used magic to extract the medicinal properties from the paste and then mixed it with water to refine the healing potion. That’s how I made the healing potion in my hands.
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Basic Healing Potion – Quality: Fair Rarity: C (Common)
The least effective healing potion. It restores about 10% of the user’s health in one minute.
Can be consumed or applied externally for its effects.
※If used by an undead race, it will cause damage. Please use with caution.
Alchemical waste – Quality: Scrap, Rarity: C (Common)
Waste left after using alchemy. Its healing properties are mostly depleted.
No specific usage, but it may serve as fertilizer for gardens.
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The potion was completed effortlessly. Even though I had to use a vial to contain it, I had the privilege of using as much as I wished thanks to the countless empty vials available in the laboratory. After all, free things were meant to be used.
However, it struck me that this healing potion was exactly the same as the one given with the game’s starting equipment. It wasn’t because I was particularly clumsy or skilled. It was simply how things were designed.
Both the skills of [Concotion] and [Alchemy] possessed their own unique strengths and weaknesses. To begin with, [Concotion] allowed one to meticulously extract the full potential of ingredients, requiring patience and precision. However, the process itself was intricate, and even a minor misstep could drastically affect the quality of the final product. It demanded real-world dexterity and unwavering focus.
On the flip side, [Alchemy] boasted the advantage of simplicity in its approach. Nevertheless, the drawback was that the potions created through [Alchemy] were inferior compared to those crafted by masters of the [Concotion] skill. Although it wasn’t impossible to create something with [Alchemy], achieving a high-quality item necessitated leveling up one’s skills.
Essentially, there were two distinct paths to follow: [Concotion], which held the potential to produce high-performance and high-grade potions, and [Alchemy], which facilitated easy mass production of potions. Moreover, certain potions could only be created by mastering skills that evolved from [Concotion], while others were exclusively attainable through [Alchemy]. The two paths were clearly differentiated.
Oh, and there was another byproduct of [Alchemy]: the leftover alchemical waste resulting from extracting the medicinal properties of herbs. It was often utilized as fertilizer for farmlands, but since I didn’t own any land, it served as fodder for my inventory.
Now,let’s resume the work in the hope of improving the quality of the potions by even just a little. Perhaps I should use up all the Yaru grass I had on hand.
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The level of [Pharmacology] skill has increased.
The level of [Alchemy] skill has increased.
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Yes, I continued diligently practicing alchemy. Both my [Concotion] and [Alchemy] skills reached level 3.
I managed to produce only one potion of “Good” quality. The healing effect increased from 10% to 12%, but it wasn’t considered highly effective.
However, up until this point, this was merely an activity for me to gain experience. As mentioned in the description, healing potions didn’t bring me any benefits considering that I was a member of the undead race. The real significance lay in reaching level 3.
“Now it’s time for poison alchemy,” I thought.
Indeed, it was at level 3 that I could concoct the Doru grass and Mapi grass mixture. And once I reached level 5, I could even use the rat front teeth material, which was in abundance. I geared up and prepared to take on this challenge.
First, I had to turn the Doru grass into a paste, just like I did with the Yaru grass. The key was to grind it down without adding any water.
Next was the Yaru grass, which apparently gained effict through drying. However, I didn’t have a method to dry it at the moment, so I resorted to using the fireball produced by my [Fire Magic] skill to roast it over a controlled fire. It required a lot of concentration to ensure the fire didn’t ignite.
Once dried, it became incredibly fragile, crumbling with just a slight touch. I continued grinding it until it turned into a fine, powdery texture. After adding this powder to the Dol grass paste, I thoroughly mixed them together to ensure a consistent blend.
Up to this point, it was all the preliminary preparation for alchemy. The only thing left was to extract the mixture. Once that was done, all I had to do was pour it into an empty bottle… and it would be complete.
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Weak Poison Potion – Quality: Fair, Rarity: C (Common)
A poison potion with weak toxicity. It is commonly applied to daggers or arrows.
Inflicts 1% slip damage every 10 seconds for a duration of one minute.
There is a low chance of causing a 10-second paralysis.
Alchemical Waste – Quality: Scrap, Rarity: C (Common)
Waste left after using alchemy. Its toxic properties are mostly depleted.
No specific usage, but it may serve as fertilizer for gardens.
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Hmm, the potion was a bit underwhelming! Could it even be useful for boss battles? I thnk even in regular combat, my only hope seems to be for paralysis to take effect. As it stands, it’s merely a purple liquid that appears toxic and nothing more.
On another note, they’ve subtly altered the description of alchemical waste. It’s just a single word, but this game certainly pays attention to even the tiniest details.
Although the performance of the poison potion was disappointing, I won’t give up easily. I’ll persist in crafting more poison potions, driven by the desire to utilize those Rat front teeth! Let’s set our sights on reaching level 5!
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The level of [Magic Control] skill has increased.
The level of [Fire Magic] skill has increased.
The level of [Pharmacology] skill has increased.
The level of [Alchemy] skill has increased.
Newly learned “Drying” and “Combining“spells.
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Yes, I’ve reached level 5. I did it, but let me say this: I’m quite “Drying“up here…
I had worked so hard until just now… Putting in the effort to raise my levels in [Magic Control] and [Fire Magic]. But let’s think of it as a valuable learning experience and try to forget about it, yeah.
Also, there was “Combining“. It’s a technique where you combine the same items to improve their quality. Quite fascinating, I must say.
Among the items I had in abundance were rat front teeth and fur. Then there were the magic stones, I suppose. It might be worth combining these to enhance their quality. It would also be interesting to try combining herbs with poisonous plants and healing potions with toxic substances. With more options available, it was becoming increasingly overwhelming to decide what to do. What a delightful dilemma.
Anyway, now that I’ve reached level 5, let’s proceed with the creation of the poison potion using the Rat front teeth, just as I originally planned. Now, would it turn out well?
Firstly, the Rat front teeth were dried and crushed. Oh [Alchemy] truly simplified the drying process, making it remarkably quick and convenient. Due to their brittleness, akin to Mapi grass, it didn’t take long for the teeth to transform into a fine powder, thus completing the step of utilizing the front teeth.
Next, It was time for the weak poison potion made with Doru grass and Mapi grass. The powdered front teeth were added to it and thoroughly mixed. As a result, the color intensified, transforming into a deep purple hue. At this point, extracting any unnecessary components… and it was complete.
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Poison Potion – Quality: Inferior Rarity: R (Rare)
A poisonous concoction made by combining various toxins. It is commonly applied to daggers or arrows.
Inflicts 2% slip damage every 10 seconds for a duration of one minute.
There is a high chance of causing a 5-second paralysis.
The amount of bleeding damage is slightly increased.
※When applied to arrows, the usage count is around ten times.
※When consumed all at once, each effect will be tripled.
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Ugh, the quality was actually “inferior” This poison could be extremely useful against opponents without resistance skills. However, for undead monsters like myself with “Status Resistance,” it would prove useless, and even other creatures were likely to have some sort of resistance. So, it could never be a game-breaking ability.
I wondered if the effect of the Rat front teeth provided a bonus in the form of bleeding damage. After all, rats were known to transmit diseases, and their bites often led to infection and tetanus. Did they translate that into the game as bleeding damage?
As for the descriptions, some effects seemed ridiculously overpowered, like triple the normal potency. In that case, this poison potion could cause 6% damage and last for a three minutes instead; paralysis would last for 15 seconds, and bleeding would increase over time. It sounded intriguing, but it was unrealistic to expect the enemy to willingly consume all of the vial. I mean, that potion wasn’t just pitch black; it had a strong, pungent odor. It was probably meant to be used as a coating for weapons or poison arrows. It was a shame I couldn’t use a bow and arrow.
Well, then, onto the next step. I decided to try some “Combining” this time. Should I use the rat skin? I had plenty of it, and I wanted to reduce the amount if possible.
To use the combining spell, I just needed to gather the materials in one place. It was simple enough. First, I started with two pieces…
“Combine… huh?”
Oh? It failed? Why? I followed all the steps, didn’t I?
In times like these, it’s best to seek the wisdom of our predecessors. Let me reread the “Fundamentals of alchemy” book. Maybe I overlooked something related to ‘Combining’.
…There it was. I see, the reason for the failed “Combining” was probably because I didn’t have enough quantity of the said material. It seems turning things into higher quality items wasn’t as easy as it sounded.
So, with three pieces… Failure. Four pieces… That didn’t work either. Ah, this is getting tedious! Let’s just throw in ten pieces at once!
Oh, oh, oh? The rat skin glowed for a moment, and then it transformed into one large piece! Let’s use [Appraisal] it right away.
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Rat’s Large Skin Quality: Fair, Rarity: C (Common)
A large hide of a rat.
It has various uses due to its size, but it is not preferred as a material.
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So the item’s name changed, and its quality improved. Yet, it’s still is not preferred as a material… If someone were to ask if I could wear clothes made from rat skin, I would have to say no. Well, there’s nothing I can do about it.
Well then, onto the next step. Let’s try using magic stones this time. It may be fewer in quantity compared to the rat materials, but if I run out, I could always go slug hunting.
Let’s start with ten right from the beginning. Considering the game seems to be based on the decimal system, it made sense.
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Magic Stone – Quality: Inferior; Rarity: C (Common)
A stone generated within a monster’s body.It absorbs and accumulates the surrounding magic power.The absorption efficiency is proportional to the quality, and the maximum magic power capacity is proportional to the rarity.
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Oh, this time the quality has improved. A straightforward change.
And it seems that ten is still the right number. I tried using rat skin in five to nine pieces after the previous attempt, but they all failed, just like the magic stones. The future remained uncertain, yet I knew that the process of “Combining” typically necessitated ten pieces.
Speaking of ten, I currently possess more than ten basic healing potions and poison potions… Perhaps it’s time to test them out. Yes, let’s embark on this experiment!
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The level of [Magic Control] skill has increased.
The level of [Pharmacology] skill has increased.
The level of [Alchemy] skill has increased.
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Oh, a level up, huh? Impressive. It’s only natural considering the challenging tasks I’ve been tackling. And here we have the finished products after Combining them: a healing potion and a poison potion.
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Intermediate Healing Potion – Quality: Inferior; Rarity: C (Common)
This potion possesses decent restorative effects. It can heal 18% of your health in one minute.
Can be consumed or applied externally for its effects.
※ If used by an undead race, it will cause damage. Please use with caution.
Poison Potion – Quality: Fair, Rarity: R (Rare)
A poisonous concoction made by combining various toxins. It is commonly applied to daggers or arrows.
Inflicts 3% slip damage every 10 seconds for a duration of one minute.
There is a high chance of causing a 7-second paralysis.
The amount of bleeding damage is increased.
※When applied to arrows, the usage count is around ten times.
※When consumed all at once, each effect will be tripled.
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Alright, could I get straight to the point? Combining healing potions wasn’t cost-effective! Each item improved, right? They reached an intermediate level, right? But seriously, what was with the healing amount that didn’t quite measure up to the ‘inferior’ quality?
As for the poison potion… well, let’s say it was passable. Did it justify using ten of them for improvement? Well, it was the kind of efficiency that could vary depending on the person. It didn’t quite feel like the ultimate trump card for critical moments, though.
Oh no, was it already this late? I got so absorbed in my work that I lost track of time. This wouldn’t do. I need to be at the office early tomorrow, so after I log out, I should finish dinner, take a bath, and go to sleep. Let’s stick to the usual routine and leave the lamp on as I log out from my chair in my base’s personal room.
Well then, goodnight.
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Name: Isam
Race: Skeleton Lv8
Job: Apprentice Mage Lv8
Titles:
- Knowledge Seeker
- Title Earner
- Heretic
- Underdog
- Mastermind Strategist
Remaining SP (skill points): 112
Skills:
- [Staff Mastery] Lv10
- [Magic Control] Lv12 up!
- [Earth Magic] Lv7
- [Water Magic] Lv7
- [Fire Magic] Lv8 up!
- [Wind Magic] Lv7
- [Dark Magic] Lv9
- [Non-Elemental Magic] Lv8
- [Summoning Magic] Lv7
- [Enchantment] Lv4
- [Magic Circle] Lv6
- [Necromancy] Lv4
- [Curse Magic] Lv3
- [Trap Magic] Lv4
- [Archaeology] Lv6
- [Linguistics] Lv4
- [Pharmacology] Lv6 up!
- [Alchemy] Lv6 up!
- [Appraisal] Lv7
- [Night vision] Lv-
- [Stealth] Lv8
- [Sneak] Lv7
- [Ambush] Lv5
- [Status Resistance] Lv-
- [Light Weakness] Lv7
- [Blunt Attack Weakness] Lv10
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