38
Before heading to the black market, there were things to prepare.
To have Han Se-wool copy items from Eternity, I needed to bring the corresponding “original” along.
What I wanted to copy was Eternity’s “potion.”
An item that permanently or temporarily boosts the body’s stats. But these were disgustingly expensive.
Especially the top-grade potion that provides a permanent boost was better off projecting a gift instead.
Of course, I didn’t even consider such potions. I couldn’t even afford the lowest grade at the moment.
【Red Elixir】
– Eternity’s lowest grade potion that increases stamina stat by ‘5’ for 10 minutes.
* Required Materials: Low-grade mana stone x1, Floatgrass x1, Vitality potion x1
[Required Points: 500 SP]
Just a disposable item, and it only boosts stamina for 10 minutes.
The efficiency was at its worst, using materials going into the worst category, and the price was unreasonably high.
It was inevitable because the status window system was implemented the same as in the game, where it was very easy to obtain the materials or SP needed for the potion.
In the game, items like low-grade mana stones or vitality potions were easily obtainable by just defeating a few monsters.
On the other hand, in the current situation where such resources had to be obtained with limited availability, acquiring those materials alone posed a tremendous challenge.
Moreover, even if you managed to acquire them, making a consumable item that could only be used for a mere 10 minutes was simply insane.
However, since I planned to copy it as the ‘Flame Board’ through the alchemy company Hanseul, I needed to obtain a sample.
*Required Materials: Low-grade Mana Stone x1, Floatgrass x1, Vitality Potion x1
“Only the Floatgrass is left.”
The low-grade mana stone was rolling around the room, and I received the vitality potion from Nicolai, so the only remaining item was the Floatgrass.
By the way, although the vitality potion was for increasing stamina, its effect wasn’t that high, and after a few drinks, it wouldn’t increase anymore. It might be good to drink it immediately, but if you wanted to mass produce the red elixir, you had no choice but to consume it as a material.
Even though the red elixir was short-lived, if mass production became possible, it would be much more useful than the vitality potion.
Anyway, the remaining material, Floatgrass, could be found in the fields of Eternity, specifically on the hills of Hojo.
Hojo, a creature with spikes all over its body like a hedgehog, was very aggressive.
Of course, it was impossible for me to go alone and collect Floatgrass from there. But all I needed was a pair of sturdy legs.
That’s why I hired top-notch guides.
Two of them, to be exact.
***
······Sunday morning at 9 o’clock.
The two guests I invited and I agreed to meet in front of the dormitory.
“Hey, did you arrive? Good morning.”
Rubbing my sleepy eyes, I came out to see Han Seyeon smiling and waving her hand in front of the entrance.
“Did you come out early?”
“Yeah, the magic is clear in the morning. I was savoring some magic.”
Even though Han Seyeon didn’t bring up the reward, she readily agreed to accompany me to the hills of Hojo as per my request.
It seemed like she was looking forward to hunting the creatures regardless.
She seemed to consider hunting creatures like catching fish as a hobby.
In fact, if Han Seyeon could summon Mordo, she could easily collect Floatgrass alone.
However, the fields of Eternity were a zone managed by the academy.
If by any chance Han Seyeon revealed Mordo and got caught, it would be a headache. So, using Mordo was out of the question.
Of course, even without Mordo, Han Seyeon alone could easily collect Floatgrass.
I was bringing her along because it was dangerous.
Although I had accelerated physical abilities, using it about four times would exhaust me.
If the creatures attacked, I would be defenseless alone. That’s why we were going in pairs.
“Oh, sorry. Looks like I’m a bit late.”
Late to the scene, the other disciple rushed out of the dormitory entrance in a flurry.
Short silver hair. Blue eyes. Petite figure. A teddy bear clutched to the chest.
It was Elaine Diaz.
Why did I call her?
“Because she’s a scammer.”
In the place crowded with stray horses, Elaine shone the most brightly.
Among her magic were as many as 10 wide-area spells, and the generally low-intelligence horses were particularly susceptible to her ‘curse magic.’
By the way, repairs on this side are free.
There’s still a long way to go to repay the ‘debt of the heart’…
Just two days ago, it was awkward, and we couldn’t even look each other in the eye, but now, things seem to have improved somewhat, and we can at least talk.
It was Kim Ju-hyuk who helped me avoid getting expelled, but it felt ironic that I was the one benefiting from it.
“Even without that, it’s right for her to work for free.”
Elaine, weaker in stamina than me in the superhuman domain. And just like the main ingredient of the red potion, Floatgrass, when consumed, lightens the body for a short period.
There were Floatgrass on the hills of Hojeo, so whether I went to pick it or Elaine did, it was fine.
To be frank, it was me, not Elaine, who was adding to the conversation.
Today, there was no need for me to engage in battle.
At best, it’s the ‘Leftover Cleanup Team.’
Why is that? You’d understand if you went there.
***
From the start of the field to the hills of Hojeo, we encountered a considerable number of horses. However, Elaine and I had nothing to do.
In the first place, the turn didn’t come.
Thanks to Han Se-yeon, who shot at the horses as if playing a shooting game, within a radius of 50m, the horses couldn’t even twitch.
Indeed, at this distance, there was no weapon that could match a gun.
While my whip moved as I willed, its range was shorter than a gun.
“By the way, the gun has changed again.”
Is it a Smith & Wesson?
When did she get that?
True to her title as a ‘Pistol Enthusiast,’ Han Se-yeon’s gun changed frequently.
During breaks, you could often see Han Se-yeon cleaning her firearms. Perhaps there were different types of pistols in her room.
‘Study’ and ‘Guns.’
A combination of extremes that didn’t seem to match, yet strangely suited Han Se-yeon.
“I had fun after a long time.”
Han Se-yeon smiled as she holstered her gun.
Around her were countless bodies of horses scattered.
It was questionable whether calling that fun was the right expression…
“So, this is it. The hills of Hojeo.”
“Yeah, that’s right.”
The hills spread out before us. Thanks to Han Se-yeon’s efforts, we could reach the hills of Hojeo as if taking a stroll.
On the hills, Hojeos covered in thorns like armor wriggled.
“Don’t shoot that. It’ll be a headache if they swarm over.”
“Got it, I won’t.”
I gave a warning just in case Han Se-yeon decided to shoot, as if the Hojeo would cause a real mess if caught with my whip or Han Se-yeon’s gun.
The fierce and grumpy Hojeo, once caught with my whip or Han Se-yeon’s gun, would attract the others in a rush, so there was no way to catch them one by one.
If you catch them, catch them all, or just don’t even look at the kind of horse that Hojeo was.
Thus, Elaine was brought in preparation for such a moment.
“Can you do it?”
“Don’t worry. It shouldn’t be too difficult.”
Elaine carefully took something out of her school uniform pocket.
It was a white envelope that looked like a medicine packet, containing a transparent powder like ice.
An item carried by all of Diazga’s people, known as the ‘Curse Mist,’ a magical powder used when casting a wide-range curse.
Elaine sprinkled the powder towards the hill where the mana was swirling.
A colorless and odorless powder flying on the wind.
Any living being touched by the curse powder, regardless of what it is, becomes extremely vulnerable to curse magic.
Especially fatal to mana with low intelligence and aggressive nature like boars.
Indeed, as the curse mist spread, the boars immediately reacted. Boars running around the hill in frenzy.
Elaine cast the wide-range curse magic.
As the spell unfolded, the cursed boars stood still.
From Noble mtl dot com
And then.
【Kill each other.】
Elaine’s command imbued with magical power resounded.
What followed was a frenzy of indiscriminate slaughter, where bloodshed became indistinguishable.
This was why Elaine was a morale booster when the mana were in a frenzy.
Without needing every mana to be cursed, even if only a few were cursed, the unruly ones would drag even the peaceful mana into the fight.
Of course, there was a limit to how quickly higher-grade mana were affected by the curse, but once a riot broke out, it continued even after the curse was lifted.
It was enough to sort out the boars on the hill.
They were so aggressive that they were nicknamed lunatics.
Even in normal times, these boars would fight among themselves, but now, cursed, it was chaos.
As time passed, the hill where the battle took place was filled with boars bleeding and wounded.
It was not a neat conclusion. But this was the development I had hoped for.
“It’s time for the Cleanup Team to move out.”
“Cleanup Team?”
“There’s such a thing.”
Responding vaguely to Han Seyeon’s question, I stepped forward.
Unlike the people in this world, for whom catching mana and gaining experience is difficult, my leveling up condition is ‘experience points.’
Whether hunting mana alone or taking the final blow, as long as I accumulate experience points, that’s all that matters.
The boars lying in the mud, broken thorns, and blood-drenched, battle-worn boars.
I put an end to the lives of the boars groaning in agony under Gram’s blade.
[······Affinity with Gram has increased.]
[······Affinity with Gram has increased.]
[······Affinity with Gram has increased.]
[······Affinity with Gram has increased.]
[······Affinity with Gram has increased.]
[······Synchronization rate with Gram has increased.]
[······Synchronization rate with Gram has increased.]
[······Synchronization rate with Gram has increased.]
[······Synchronization rate with Gram has increased.]
Experience points increase messages filled the status window in an instant.
This is truly a feast.
***
“I managed to gather everything.”
Returning to the dormitory after collecting Floating Grass, I looked at the materials and nodded satisfactorily.
【Crimson Elixir】
– Eternity potion that boosts stamina stat by ‘5’ for 10 minutes.
*Required materials: Lesser Mana Stone x1, Floating Grass x1, Vitality Potion x1
[Required points: 500SP]
I coincidentally obtained the Vitality Potion through Nikolai, and the Lesser Mana Stones were abundant enough to roll around the room.
Now that I’ve acquired Floating Grass, all the ingredients for the potion have been gathered.
It was a consumable item that would only take 10 minutes to make, but…
[You have enough points to project a Lesser Crimson Elixir. Would you like to project it?]
“Yes.”
Without hesitation, I projected the Crimson Elixir.
A flash of white light, and a round crimson elixir appeared in my hand.
The Lesser Crimson Elixir of Eternity.
“In the old days, I used to carry hundreds of these around…”
It was absurd to think that I had to gather ingredients just to make one of these, but oh well. That’s how my body is.
With the acquisition of the sample, preparations for the production of the Crimson Elixir were all done.
All that remained was to bring it to Han Seyul for research.
There was no need to worry about not being able to make it.
Han Seyul’s nickname in the game was ‘Potion Replicator.’
So, it was time to break free from this damn SP exploitation system.
Status window monopoly. It was a scam from the start.