Extra's Fate
Chapter 43: Alchemist

Chapter 43: Alchemist

’Damn it...’

I kind of expected this but...

I’m currently being eyed by half of the students in the training grounds like I’m some kind of weirdo.

As I was practicing Shadow Current, I couldn’t help but notice that some of my classmates were openly staring, some even pointing fingers at me.

Even Aveline, who was shooting her bow quite a distance away, paused from time to time to glance in my direction with an unreadable expression.

This made it quite difficult to focus on my training.

’I should’ve gone to the gym...’

Sighing internally, I just lowered my head and continued to train in silence.

In the end, I spent one hour practicing the same move, over and over again, until professor Zane finally dismissed us.

"Attention! That’s enough for today, you all can go!"

He announced in a bored tone and simply walked away. Thus, ended the first training session of the semester.

***

On the way to the dorm, I spent my time scrolling through my phone.

After training for an entire hour, I had worked up quite an appetite, so I decided to order some food directly to my room, as I didn’t feel like going to the cafeteria.

However, it wasn’t the only reason why I was scrolling through my phone.

Ever since I retrieved the Ring of Blood, I was on a timer.

Although I hadn’t mentioned it before, the item’s ability to devour attributes from slain enemies was powerful, but its downside, removing my ability to level up, was far more severe than it seemed at first glance.

Not many players knew this, but leveling up didn’t just grant status points to allocate into attributes, it also strengthened the body, allowing it to accommodate those increased stats.

If someone grew too strong without their body adapting, they would collapse under the sheer weight of their own power. It was like pouring molten metal into a fragile glass mold. Pour too much and it would shatter.

And I was currently on that path.

With no way to level up naturally, I had to rely on alternative methods to increase my constitution.

Right now, everything seemed fine, but I knew there was a hard limit to how much my body could withstand. Eventually, my body would reach a breaking point and when that happened... well, I didn’t intend to find out.

Luckily, I already had a plan.

The first step was creating a potion that would strengthen my blood vessels.

That might sound ridiculous.

Who the hell worries about blood vessels when training to become stronger?

But it was more important than it seemed. As my attributes increased beyond the natural limit, my body had to endure immense strain and the first things to suffer would be my veins and arteries. The stronger I became, the more force my heart had to exert to circulate blood and if my blood vessels couldn’t keep up, they’d rupture under the pressure.

It wasn’t an immediate concern, but if left unchecked, it could turn deadly.

To prevent that, I needed a potion specifically designed to reinforce my circulatory system.

The problem?

The ingredients were outrageously expensive.

Even with the Academy’s monthly stipend of 100,000 gold, I’d have to be extremely careful with my spending.

The main components I needed were:

Phoenix Feather Ash - 30,000 gold per gram.

Dragon’s Blood Resin - 25,000 gold per vial.

Starroot Essence - 20,000 gold per drop.

Ethereal Crystal Shards - 15,000 gold per shard.

Every single one of these ingredients was a high-tier alchemical material and together, they cost nearly my entire stipend. But if I wanted to survive in the long run, this was a price I had no choice but to pay.

"Order..."

Swiping my finger across the screen, I placed the order for the ingredients and put my phone away.

Upon arriving at my dorm, I was surprised to find the food already waiting for me by the door. The academy’s delivery service was fast, though I barely spared it a thought as I picked up the bag and stepped inside.

Setting the food down on my desk, I quickly washed up before digging in.

The meal was simple, some grilled meat, a side of roasted vegetables and a small loaf of bread but it was exactly what I needed.

After an intense training session and the mental exhaustion of dealing with my unique circumstances, I savored every bite.

Once I finished eating, I leaned back in my chair, staring at the ceiling.

Today had been stressful and it was all starting to pile up. My body ached, my mind was sluggish and I knew there was only one solution.

Sleep.

Dragging myself to bed, I barely had time to set an alarm before exhaustion took hold and I drifted into unconsciousness.

***

Ding... Dong...

I jolted awake, blinking blearily at the ceiling as the doorbell rang again.

Ding... Dong...

Rubbing the sleep from my eyes, I hurriedly got out of bed, slipping on my shoes as I made my way towards the door.

Opening it, I was greeted by a sleek, humanoid robot standing before me with a medium-sized package in its mechanical arms.

"Delivery for Ash Morningstar."

The robot stated in a flat, monotone voice.

I nodded and reached forward as the robot extended its metal hand. A small scanner lit up on its index finger, awaiting confirmation.

Pressing my thumb against it, a soft beep echoed in the hallway, and the robot promptly handed me the package before turning on its heel and walking away without another word.

Shutting the door behind me, I immediately carried the package to the kitchen table, grabbing a knife to slice through the thick tape securing it.

The box popped open with a satisfying tear, revealing neatly wrapped vials, jars, and small pouches containing the ingredients I had ordered just hours prior.

Phoenix Feather Ash. Dragon’s Blood Resin. Starroot Essence. Ethereal Crystal Shards.

I stared at the contents of the box.

They actually came fast. Faster than I had expected.

"They didn’t lie when they said that the delivery was very fast..."

Muttering to myself, I carefully extracted each item from the box, laying them out on the table to inspect them more closely.

The fiery red phoenix feather ash glimmered under the light, the fine powder almost shimmering as I ran my fingers through it.

The dragon’s blood resin was a deep, viscous crimson liquid that seemed to pulse with an otherworldly energy.

The Starroot Essence was a delicate, golden-hued liquid, contained in a slender glass vial that gave off a faint, ethereal glow.

And lastly, the Ethereal Crystal Shards were razor-sharp fragments of what appeared to be pure crystallized mana, glinting with an inner light.

"Okay..."

Rubbing my chin, I began to mentally map out the alchemical process for creating the potion I needed.

Then, after taking a deep breath, I grabbed a sturdy glass cup from the kitchen shelf and placed it on the table. My hands were steady as I reached for a bottle of water, pouring a measured amount into the cup.

First step, Phoenix Feather Ash.

Carefully unsealing the small jar, I took a pinch of the shimmering red powder between my fingers. It felt almost weightless, like fine dust, yet carried an undeniable warmth.

Slowly, I sprinkled it into the water.

The reaction was immediate.

As soon as the ash touched the surface, tiny embers flickered and danced, dissolving into the liquid with a faint hiss. The water took on a faint golden hue, swirling as the remnants of the ash merged completely.

Grabbing a small stirring rod, I began to mix the solution, ensuring the ash was fully incorporated. The golden color deepened, becoming a soft amber.

So far, so good.

Once the Phoenix Feather Ash had dissolved, I moved to the next step.

I uncorked a small vial of Dragon’s Blood Resin and carefully added a single drop into the mixture. The liquid thickened slightly, darkening to a rich crimson.

Next, I measured out a precise amount of Starroot Essence, pouring it in slowly while stirring. The potion shimmered, releasing a faint, earthy aroma.

Finally, I took a single Ethereal Crystal Shard and gently crushed it into a fine powder before sprinkling it over the surface.

The mixture pulsed with energy before settling into a steady glow.

The potion was complete.

"I didn’t mess this up..."

Looking at the concoction I smiled.

Honestly speaking, there was about 60% I’d ruin this entire process. That’s precisely why I only used a part of each ingredient to test the formula.

Fortunately, even with my limited alchemical skill, I somehow managed to create a viable potion. At least something that looked like it.

Although it is probably around a quarter of the strength of the original from the game I’m basing this on, the effects should still be noticeable. Since I was no brewer this was bound to happen.

"All right, time to test this, bottoms up!"

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