A flutter went through my stomach, rising deep in my chest and spreading through my veins like an electric current. Charred corpses littered the tunnel everywhere in front of me, barely leaving any spots of ground visible, the smell of cooked chitin and burned meat hanging thick in the air.
I looked down at my hands, turning them over and flexing the fingers a few times. It only stung a little, like I'd slammed my hand against a desk too hard. Not even close to the screaming agony from back then.
I clenched my left fist. The grayish skin caught light from the smoldering embers at my feet, gleaming with a metallic sheen.
A grin broke all over my face.
Oh yeah, baby. Now we're cooking with gas.
My eyes drifted back to the massacre scene, idly tallying the kill count. Thirty? Maybe more? Hard to tell when some of them were just chunks and scattered pieces now.
Too bad this potion was kinda pricy to make. I still couldn't reliably farm my Magic stat with our current funds...
My smile dimmed, gaze flickering again to my hands. Maybe I could make a lesser variant, even if it meant risking a few burns from the explosion? As long as I didn't have to worry about injury too much, I could really play around with this.
Ripping off the Kamehameha was all nice and everything, but there had to be other ways I could cast bomb—
"That was crazy, bruddah." Ravi sidled up to me, still carrying that head on a stick, the mandibles slack and those red eyes dull and lifeless. "You took out all those ants in one blast!" A shame it died already. Seeing the reactions as we walked back like this would've been fun.
"Thanks for the help, bro."
This might've been a bit tricky on my own. I could've managed, but having Ravi hold the bait made everything smoother.
He was such a reliable dude.
"Anytime, bruddah," he said, taking another look at the toasted ants. "I had no idea you could use magic, though."
Yeah, about that...
"Well, it's not really a normal spell." I shrugged, wiping the sweat off my face with the back of my hand. "I just took an Ignis Fatuus and focused it in a cone."
Ravi stared, brows rising a fraction as he blinked a couple times. "You can do that?"
Again, this reaction?
"Yeah. But it fucks my hands up real bad."
Did nobody ever think to try something like that? Was my Ignis Fatuus just built different?
Ravi grimaced, eyes darting to my hands. "You okay, brudda—"
He paused, mouth opening with a quiet sound. "Ah... That's why you made this potion!" He smiled, looking me up and down.
"Yup. Now I can blow things up without needing a High Potion to heal myself." A much more cost effective strategy for a tougher fight, too. Making a small batch of Stoneflesh Elixirs had only cost me about the price of three High Potions.
Prevention was really cheaper than treatment.
"That's great. We could try this with orcs the next time."
A smile worked its way on my face at the thought. Great idea. Grilled bacon should smell better than these ants, too.
"Sure," I said, adjusting the straps of my backpack. "Let's call it a day for now and get out."
"Alright." Ravi nodded, scratching at a spot on his back. He threw away that bait stick, the wood clattering against stone, and took out his canteen, draining the last of his water in a couple gulps.
I took one last look at my handiwork, nodding in appreciation. This was some top tier carnage. The only part that sucked was the acrid smell—
"Brudda, look!" Ravi pointed at something behind me, face lighting up in recognition. "It's lil' Lili!"
What?
I turned around, brows shooting up.
True to his words, the midget was standing just a stone's throw away, head peeking from around the corner like a startled deer. She closed her eyes and took a deep breath, her mouth pressing into a tight line. Then, with small, cautious steps, she walked out into the open, that comically oversized pack slung over her back.
The corner of my lips quirked upwards.
Heh. Must be fate.
"Hey Lili." I lifted a hand in a lazy wave, shooting her a wink. "Fancy meeting you here."
Her left eye twitched a little. She pushed a bright, innocent smile on her face and took a few steps closer. "Hello, master Jack. Master Ravi."
"Just call me Jack. I'm not your boss or anything."
Lili shook her head, her ratty hood fluttering with the motion. "That would be incredibly rude of Lili."
Uh-huh.
I gave her a flat look, fighting back the urge to roll my eyes. This whole submissive act was kinda annoying.
"Do as you like."
"Thank you, sir. Lili appreciates your understanding."
And this third person talk was weird, too.
My eyes flickered across her small frame, lips drawing a thin line. Anyone would have their work cut out with this midget, but I guess Bell was just built different. A few more months and he'd set her straight. Probably.
Ravi looked past Lili, brows furrowing as he stared intently at that corner.
"Did you come down here alone?"
A frown twisted Lili's face, her jaw clenching before she quickly smoothed everything out. "No." She shook her head, voice pitching with a low, harsh note. "The brave adventurer who hired Lili ran away the moment he saw the ants."
Coward. He could've at least stayed to watch the show.
"What a craven." Ravi spoke, barely opening his mouth, his tone cold and full of disdain. This must've rubbed him the wrong way.
I could understand running for your life from an unwinnable fight, but not roaching out like this. Not when you brought someone with a third of your stats on a Floor where they might die if something poked them too hard.
"Lili is used to this," she said, hands tangled in the dirty fabric of her cloak while her shoulders hunched. "She's just a lowly supporter."
"You shouldn't think like that, lil' Lili. A supporter is necessary to any party worth their salt. If someone doesn't treat you right, they're not worthy of your time and effort."
Lili's head snapped up like Ravi had just slapped her across the face. She stared at him for a long moment, something flitting across her eyes, before she looked away again, grabbing her elbow in an awkward gesture. "Thank you, but there's no need to try and cheer Lili up. I'm glad enough that I survived this."
Ravi opened his mouth, then closed it with a frown. His jaw worked, but he didn't say anything else.
I could understand the frustration.
Supporters had it pretty rough. And those who could barely fight for themselves like Lili, even worse. It sucked but that's how this world worked. Dog eat dog, might makes right.
My eyes drifted to charred corpses of the Killer Ants, skimming through them. Ten. Twenty. Thirty... six?
Times two hundred... that was a fair chunk of money, wasn't it? Should cover a full day's of work for a level one.
I shared a look with Ravi, gesturing with my gaze at the ants. I wasn't sure if he got the message, but in the end, he just shrugged, his face saying he didn't care either way.
I glanced back at Lili, gesturing with a thumb over my shoulder. "You can take the magic stones if you want."
Her gaze snapped towards me, brown eyes wide. "...eh?"
"We'll watch your back while you're at it. We're done with the dungeon for today."
Ravi nodded along, a faint smile on his face. Yeah, he was cool with it.
"Wait! I couldn't possibly—"
"We're just gonna leave 'em here if you don't."
That did the trick.
"A-alright." She nodded, her voice small. "I'll get to work. It won't take long."
I shook my head as she adjusted the straps of her backpack. C'mon girl. All this charade when she clearly wanted every single penny.
Lili's gaze flickered towards me one more time, and then she got moving. She had a look on her face like she was walking to the gallows, but that greedy gleam in her eyes gave her away. I knew a loot goblin when I saw one.
"She's having it rough."
My eyes flickered to Ravi, following his gaze. Face somber, the big guy was watching Lili while she worked her way through a particularly crispy ant.
"Most adventurers don't know to appreciate supporters like her."
"It ain't right, brotha…"
A deep sigh escaped through my nose. "I know. But what can we do about it?"
He didn't answer.
I didn't have an answer either. Changing something that was deeply rooted in adventurer culture wouldn't be easy. In a world where might made right, most people looked at supporters like they were freeloaders, even if that often wasn't true. Lili was good at her job and knew her way around the murder pit better than most, but none of that mattered when the guy holding the sword saw her as little more than a walking loot bag.
knife scraping against blackened chitin with a dry, peeling sound
The dry, peeling sound of knife scraping against chitin filled the tunnel. I rolled my shoulders, then stretched my neck with a satisfying pop. My eyes flickered to my hands, and I paused. The skin had already gone back to its normal color.
My lips pursed. Five minutes. Felt like nothing, but it should be plenty in a real fight.
"Say," Ravi broke the silence. "got any more of those potions for sale?"
I cocked an eyebrow towards him. "Which ones?"
"The cat person thing."
Ah.
"Sure." A smirk tugged at my mouth. "You can come with me to the pharmacy. I'll give you a nice discount."
Someone got hooked, huh?
Or maybe Anya was into that stuff?
The grin on Ravi's face told me everything I needed to know. "Thanks, bruddah."
We lapsed back into silence, though it didn't weigh down on my shoulders as heavily this time. Ravi busied himself with some advanced stretches while I waited patiently for the loot goblin to finish her thing. True to her word, it didn't take long. The squelching sounds of knife against flesh quieted, ending with the crunch of a magic stone being pried free.
Bagging her last crystal, the midget sat up and shuffled back to us. Her gaze stayed pinned to the ground the whole way, her shoulders hunched. When she stopped in front of me, she just stood there for a beat, lips pressed together, eyes somewhere around my navel.
Did she switch to depresso mode now?
She looked up after a moment, that hollow smile already back on her face like a well-practiced mask. "Lili is thankful for your generosity," she spoke, the words coming out rehearsed and flat despite her chipper voice. "But why did you gather all those monsters if you weren't going to take the magic stones?"
I shrugged. "To test a potion."
Lili blinked, something shifting behind those brown eyes. Her gaze dropped to my hands, then flickered back up. "Is that why you looked like you were made of Mithril?"
"Mm-hmm." A smile twitched on my lips. "And I didn't just look like it. I was also just as tough." In theory, at least. I haven’t gotten around to fully testing it yet.
A beat of silence passed. Her brows knitted together, mouth parting slightly. Then her eyes went wide, and it looked like she forgot to breathe for a second.
"That's amazing!" She leaned forward, hands balling up at her chest, her voice pitching up before she reined it back in. "I had no idea a potion like that even existed. The things it could—"
"Eh." I made a so-so gesture with a hand, cutting the wind out of her sails. "It's not that great. Pretty expensive to make, and it probably wouldn't save you from something like a Minotaur. Maybe a few hits, but it'd break. Mithril isn't that tough."
Another beat of silence. The fake smile slipped off Lili's face as she stared at me like I was crazy.
"For the average level one to even survive one hit from a Minotaur would be a miracle."
Well, yeah, but that wasn't the point here.
"I guess?" I raised a hand in a vague gesture. "I still don't think it's that amazing, though." Mid potion at best. It'd fall short fast on the lower floors.
Lili kept staring. She opened her mouth, then closed it, giving a slow shake of her head. Something flashed across her face, and she let out a faint sigh.
I wasn't sure why she was getting so worked up, though. This was a Tank potion. It'd be useless for her, except as a last resort kinda thing. And even then, she'd be screwed anyway if she couldn't run or fight her way out of it.
"How much would this potion cost?" she spoke after a while, a strange gleam settling in her eyes.
Was she seriously thinking about buying it?
Eh. Whatever. It wasn't my money.
I shrugged. "Haven't thought about it." Adding that Mithril really jacked up the price. "A hundred thousand, maybe?"
I could go down to eighty and still come out ahead, but I doubted Naaza would agree.
Lili went quiet, her brows pulling together as her gaze drifted to somewhere past my shoulder.
"Anyway." I shared a look with Ravi, scratching the back of my neck. "We've stayed here long enough. It's time to head back."
"Aye." The big guy nodded, already pushing himself up off the cave wall with a grin. "I could go for an earlier dinner."
A knowing smile tugged at my lips. That eager to see Anya again, huh?
"Lili?" I glanced down at the midget, an eyebrow arched.
She jolted upright, eyes snapping wide. "O-of course!" She took a step back, bowing her head with a little too much force, chestnut hair falling across her brow. "Thank you again for your generosity. Lili will stop bothering you now." She flashed me one last fake smile and walked past, shuffling away with small, careful paces.
"Hold up."
The midget froze mid-step like someone just hit the pause buton. One foot hung in the air for a fraction of a second before she set it down, her shoulders curling inward. She turned around, slowly, and the look on her face made something in my chest tighten.
Dude...
Crazy how much trauma could fit in such a tiny package.
"Is there something you need of Lili?"
"No, but why leave on your own when we're already here? You can tag along with us."
Maybe she knew a shortcut or a safe path or whatever, but why tempt fate?
"Great idea, brudda!" Ravi threw his own five cents with a nod.
Lili's eyes flickered between the two of us, something shifting in her gaze as she searched my face. The tension didn't leave her frame, but her shoulders loosened a little. "There's no need." She shook her head, lips pulling with a hasty smile. "You've already done more than enough for Lili."
"And? I'm not keeping count," I said, gesturing with a hand for her to follow. "C'mon, Lili. Let's go."
Like hell I was letting her get robbed like a chump after going out of my way to help her.
The stare-off continued for another beat. Then she gave a small nod, her shoulders droopping with a quiet sigh. "Yes, sir."
A smile settled on my face.
Atta girl. If you can't fight 'em, join 'em.
<[]>
<>
Jacob Brewer
Lv. 1
STR: D579 → C660
END: C648 → B741
DEX: E495 → D566
AGI: E499 → D573
MAG: I27 → I77
《Magic》
《Skills》
【Rule of Cool】
Yours is an impossible existence. Inspire awe, and the world is willing to suspend its disbelief. Act to impress. Impress when you act. It Just Works.
【Hissatsu Waza】
Increased odds of achieving a Limit Off. Allows the user to unleash the entire power of a Limit Off as a single strike. Active trigger.
【Alchemy】
The user can create Magic Potions and alchemical effects. While practicing alchemy, the user gains the development abilities Mixing, Mystery, and Alchemy, depending on their level.
<>
Aw, hell yeah!
"It seems the potion was a complete success."
I looked up with a grin, the crisp paper crinkling against my fingers as I shoved it in my pocket. "Yeah, not even a single scratch."
"I'm glad to hear that." Miach smiled. It looked a little strained at the corners, though. "But I wish you'd be a little less reckless."
Yeah...
I tilted my head, lips pursing as I glanced away. I grabbed my shirt from the back of the chair and pulled it over my head, the fabric snagging briefly on my shoulder before sliding down. "I could've thought it through a bit more."
But it wasn't that bad. I'd brought a High Potion with me, just in case.
"Something to keep in mind for the future."
Agreed. I'd rather not worry Miach... too much.
"I still have a couple potions left." I gestured vaguely towards the workbench. "I think I should test and see how it fares against some sharp and blunt objects." Just to make sure. Magic backlash was one thing, but a club to the face was another.
Maybe I could get Ravi to whack me with his axe or something?
Miach's lips pursed, so brief I almost missed it. "As long as you're careful about it."
I flashed him what I hoped was a reassuring smile. "I will."
"I'll see what I can do about the Mithril," he said, moving to a nearby cabinet and looking through its contents. "We'll need a steady supply if you're planning to sell this potion with the rest."
Yeah, about that...
"I'm not sure if we can sell this just yet."
Miach paused, his hand hovering over one of the jars. He turned back to face me, a firmness creeping in around his mouth and brows drawing closer together.
"Why not? The sheer number of deaths among level one adventurers it could reduce..."
If they could afford it...
My jaw worked silently for a second, gaze sliding away to the cluttered workbench and its scattered vials. "It's not quite cost efficient."
And that was putting it mildly.
This was the kind of potion you'd pop for a raid boss, not when fighting the trash mobs.
"When it comes to safety, no price is too high."
The words hung heavy in the air. More sat even heavier in my throat, stuck behind my lips. I wanted to agree, but...
We had about sixty million in debt. We needed a good, steady income before I could blow money like that on expensive potions.
"Unless I can replace the Mithril with something else, I don't see many level ones affording this potion."
Miach's lips thinned, two small furrows carving themselves between his eyebrows. "No other metal has the same magic conductivity as Mithril," he spoke, slow and each word measured. "You'd have to find something else to grant a similar property and then another reagent to transfer it over to the imbiber."
Which could end up with an even more expensive potion.
Unless I downgraded.
"I'm planning to make a less potent but much cheaper alternative."
It wouldn't have to hold up against a Minotaur. Just enough to stop my hands from turning extra crispy. And save some rookie dumbass from dying on the first ten floors.
Miach nodded, and his face softened, a faint curl forming along his lips. "That would be a good compromise."
He moved to the large shelves that covered the far wall, fingers trailing along the rows of reagent jars as we lapsed into silence. Glass clinked softly as he shifted containers aside, checking each label.
I drummed my fingers against my thigh, gaze trailing from one cabinet to the next before settling back on Miach.
"I've had this idea recently."
He turned around, a jar full of dried, yellow herbs in hand. "Let's hear it."
"There's this sweet, refreshing beverage from my world." The memory rose like foam, and I could almost taste that sharp, fizzy burn that came with a mouthful of cold soda. "I know most of the ingredients, but I have no clue about the ratios. I was wondering if you could help me with the recipe."
A smile bloomed across Miach's face, lighting up his features like the sky at dawn. "Of course." He moved over to his desk with quick, eager steps, and took a seat. "Tell me what you can remember," he said, reaching for a blank sheet of paper from the stack at the corner. His other hand dug into his pocket, pulling out a charcoal pencil. "I'm sure we can figure something out."
A smile worked its way onto my face as I grabbed my chair and carried it next to Miach. I sat down, resting my arms on the desk, and began listing off what I could remember.
With a bit of luck, I'd get to taste some good old soda once more.
<[]>
Ravi pushed through the entrance of their home, shoulders squared and chin held high. His new ears twitched at the sound of voices deeper inside, and strode towards the small common room, his tail swishing behind him with every movement. He slipped inside with quiet steps and paused by the doorframe, pulling off his scarf while taking a look around.
Dench and Vido were playing cards on the floor, hunched over their hands with intense looks like they were trying to disarm traps. Dench's tongue poked out as he squinted at his cards, lips moving silently as if counting something. Vido sat across from him, dark hair falling into his eyes, one hand hovering over the small pile of coins between them.
Modaka sat in the cushioned chair near the wall, watching the game unfold while eating his way through a bowl of peanuts.
And Ilta—she lay sprawled over a mound of pillows in the corner like the empress of lazy cats, one arm propped behind her head, scarlet hair spilling over her shoulders in messy waves. Her other hand rested on her stomach, fingers tapping an idle rhythm against her bare skin.
Her eyes flickered towards him, and she raised a hand halfway in greeting, barely lifting it off her stomach. "Hey, lil' bro. Had fun?"
"Sure did." Ravi smiled, walking closer. "Killed a lotta orcs."
A lazy grin pulled at her lips, revealing a glimpse of pearly teeth. "Keep going, and you'll get to level two in no ti—"
She stopped mid-word, mouth hanging open. Her eyes widened a fraction, and she pulled herself upright in one smooth motion, pillows tumbling to the side as her brows climbed up her forehead.
"The hell happened to ya?"
Ravi planted his feet apart and threw his arms wide, one hand splayed in front of his face while the other stretched out to the side. He arched his back, muscles flexing as he flashed her his biggest smile.
"Drank a fabulous potion!"
Ilta tilted her head, brown eyes narrowing as she leaned forward. Her brows climbed even higher, disappearing beneath her messy hair. "A potion?"
"Aye—"
"Wha—you're a cat person?"
Ravi's head swiveled around as a voice suddenly cut in.
Dench was staring in his direction, hand frozen over his cards and jaw slack.
Vido twisted around from where he sat, eyes going wide. His gaze bounced between Ravi's ears and his tail like a ball. "Are those real?"
"'Course they are. See for yourself."
Ravi turned sideways, giving them a proper view. He twitched his cat earsand flicked his tail in a lazy arc to the side.
Dench leaned forward, abandoning his cards entirely. "Whoa..."
"A potion, you said?" Modaka spoke up, setting down his bowl with a soft thunk. He shifted in his seat, elbows resting on his knees as an intrigued gleam flickered in his eyes. "From where?"
"My bruddah at the Miach Familia. He made it himself and—"
"I am Ganesha!"
A loud, familiar voice boomed across the house, and they all turned towards the entrance.
Lord Ganesha stood in the doorway, hands planted firmly on his hips and elbows touching the wooden frames. A wide grin sat on his face and his presence filled the room like the sun.
"I hope you're doing well tonight, my children—"
He paused mid-sentence, and even through that mask, Ravi could feel the moment Lord Ganesha's gaze locked onto him.
"What manner of sorcery is this?" The god spoke again, his voice dropping from that booming confidence to something lower and uncertain. "Have you run afoul of some wicked mage?"
"No." Ravi grinned so wide his cheeks hurt. "It's just a potion."
Ganesha's head tilted slightly to the side. "A potion?"
"'S what he said, boss." Ilta chimed in from her pillow throne, stretching her arms over her head with a yawn that showed all her teeth.
"How peculiar."
Lord Ganesha strode forward, each step slow and measured. His footfalls echoed in the sudden quiet, and the room seemed to shrink around him as he approached. He stopped in front of Ravi and leaned closer, hands on his hips.
"Is it permanent?"
Ravi shook his head, tail swishing behind him like it had a mind of its own. "Lasts only a couple hours."
Lord Ganesha straightened up, a thoughtful hum rumbling in his chest like distant thunder. He brought one hand to his chin, lips drawing a thoughtful line. Then he turned and gestured towards the door with a broad sweep of his arm. "Why don't you come along and tell me more about it," he said. "It's been a while since you had a status update."
A jolt rushed through Ravi's chest like lightning, his lips pulling with a grin. A status update. It had been a month since the last one.
He couldn't wait to see how much he'd grown.
"Aye," he said, following Lord Ganesha deeper into their home, the smile refusing to leave his face all the while.