Chapter 231 Chapter 52.1 - 'Reaping what you sow'
"Kindness does always return back, huh?"
I mumbled as I walked back from the training room. After all, the thing that I was holding in my hands was something that I wouldn't even dream of getting.
'Starbloom Essence, huh?'
It was a specific item that was very hard to get. It wasn't even an easter egg but an item for those pay-to-win players.
After all, what could be a better game for such players to become interested in? Not many people were talented enough to play the game Legacy of Shadows: The Hunter's Destiny. Therefore, there were many players who decided to take the overpowered path and finished the game with overwhelming stats.
To satisfy such players, there were many items that boosted the growth rate of the player, and Starbloom Essence was almost at the peak of one of those.
'To think Senior Maya would possess this item….'
Of course, I already knew what my weakness was. So, I have been searching for ways to increase my physical aspects and my physical talent limit.
My low endurance alone is already making things difficult for me; thus, I need something to cover it up.
However, this world doesn't work just like the game, and neither do I, the main character. I don't possess Ethan's background; therefore, I can't easily acquire such materials.
Especially considering even the lowest ranked ones cost around 100.000 Valer each.
'And they are not even that effective.'
Players could convert their real money to in-game currencies, so those prices in the game didn't matter that much for players.
But when that game becomes your reality, it suddenly becomes detrimental, and I have been suffering from that.
'Even though I had made quite a lot of money already, this is still not enough.'
In any case, the money problem would soon be solved, as the time for me to sell the stocks of Emily's guild is approaching.
'In any case, I should return back and consume the Starbloom Essence first.'
I thought. Senior Maya was incredibly generous with what she gave to me. Even now, if the students around me knew I possessed this herb, they would all attack me without hesitation and may even kill me.
After all, this herb cost around 10.000.000 Valer alone.
'I wonder what her background is.'
Since she didn't have an exceptional role in the game aside from being a nice senior and a good mentor with a tragic ending, she didn't have much of a role.
Thus, her background was actually not explained very well, and I also had no knowledge about it.
But from how she had easily handed me a Feywild Dreamplum and now Starbloom Essence, it was evident that her background was also far from being normal.
'Evergreen, huh? Why did I never hear about that name?'
It was weird. If such a huge family did exist, it was bound to create a name for themselves, but that didn't seem to be the case.
'I should message Horde for that.'
Things considering such general knowledge was Horde's job, but I also knew that trusting such people was not optimal. Especially considering the amount of information they would hold concerning me.
In any case, with those thoughts in my head, I reached my first location—the Arcadia Academy Store.
It was the place where I had bought the scrolls last time to hunt the MistWraith down. Normally, I disliked buying from this place as the prices here were too high compared to the Black Market, but I didn't want to wait right now.
"How can I help you?"
"I will buy some herbs."
"You may go to the right section of the store. On the fifth row, you will see Alchemy products."
"Thank you."
After entering the Arcadia Academy Store, I quickly made my way through the aisles, glancing at various items on display. The shelves were neatly organized, showcasing a variety of magical herbs, potions, and other mystical items.
Spotting the herb section, I selected two additional herbs that were ranked lower but were affordable – Whispering Willow Bark and Emberleaf Petals. I wanted to complement the effects of the Starbloom Essence, addressing both my low endurance and the need for enhanced mana absorption. These lower-ranked herbs would serve as catalysts in the preparation process.
Exiting the store with my purchases, I headed back to my room. The anticipation of using the Starbloom Essence was building up, and I was eager to implement my own method to maximize its effects.
Upon reaching my room, I meticulously prepared the herbs, crushing them to extract their essence.
"This method is still unknown to the world."
Normally, one would directly consume such herbs without even crushing them or boiling them. After all, any external effect could possibly cause a mismatch in the product, making it defective. This was especially true of mana herbs with high ranking, as their sensitivity and evolution would make them more specific.
The more one evolves, the more specific they become, which means they are also more prone to changes in the environment.
In any case, the method I was about to use was different from the general consumption method right now.
Rather than eating it directly and then meditating in a lotus position to absorb the effects, I was going to use a different approach.
The two herbs that I had bought from the store would perform now.
The Whispering Willow Bark would serve to open my mana pores, while the Emberleaf Petals would be crucial in closing them later. The combination of these herbs with the Starbloom Essence was my own concoction, a method that was known to make the enhancement process more effective.
The main idea was to make the Starbloom Essence directly anchored to your own body from the inside while using a specific bath heated to a specific temperature. When those specific conditions are met, the Starbloom Essence fragments to its most basic particles, and then it disintegrates into the water of the bath.
After that, if the person who consumed the Whispering Willow Bark entered the bath, those small particles disintegrated in the water would enter the body from the open pores.
However, there was a catch here. Since the Starbloom Essence was basically something that came out of the world and wasn't something that the body was accustomed to, it would be refused.
And the key part lay there. One needed to make sure that they were able to keep all the Essence entered in their pores while absorbing the remaining ones utilizing their mana to the maximum.
That was the catch.
Once you finished absorbing everything into your body, you would consume the Emberleaf Petals to close your pores, trapping the Essence into your own body to integrate it directly into yourself.
"Now, let's start," I muttered to myself.
The bath was already prepared, and its temperature was set to the specific conditions required for the disintegration of the Starbloom Essence.
Taking the Whispering Willow Bark in my hands, I carefully crushed it, releasing its essence into my mouth.
GULP!
The aroma was both soothing and invigorating, a stark contrast to the impending process. After all, what this herb did was make sure that your pores would open by exciting your body.
SHIVER!
I could feel my body shivering because of the sensations overlapping me.
With the crushed bark left on the ground, I stepped into the bath, the warmth enveloping me.
The pain was about to begin.
As I immersed myself in the water, I could feel the particles of the disintegrated Starbloom Essence reacting to the conditions. The water around me shimmered with a faint, ethereal glow.
"The Whispering Willow Bark should open the mana pores now." I reminded myself, focusing on the task at hand. The essence from the bark began its work, causing a tingling sensation as my mana pores started to open gradually.
The process wasn't without discomfort. The combination of the warm bath and the effects of the Whispering Willow Bark made my body feel unusually sensitive. It was as if every pore was awakening, ready to absorb the upcoming infusion of the Starbloom Essence.
As the mana pores opened, I felt a subtle connection forming between my body and the water. The essence in the bath and the essence within the Whispering Willow Bark were slowly aligning, creating a bridge for the next phase.
"Now, the Starbloom Essence."
With the mana pores open, I carefully poured the Starbloom Essence into the bath. The essence, freed from its physical form, mingled with the water. It was a breathtaking sight as the water transformed, pulsating with magical energy.
The pain surged, more intense than before. It felt like a thousand needles were simultaneously piercing every inch of my body. A searing heat enveloped me, and I could feel my consciousness waver as if teetering on the edge of a precipice.
"Grrrrrr...." I barely suppressed the agonized scream that tore through my lips.
The pain was beyond anything that could be classified as normal. It wasn't just physical; it felt as if the very essence of my being was being unraveled. Though, it wasn't my first time feeling pain in any case.
I bit my lips until they bled, desperate to ground myself in some form of reality. The metallic taste of blood mingled with the magical energies in the air, creating a surreal sensation. My muscles tensed involuntarily, and my vision blurred with each passing moment.
The process continued, the water around me becoming a conduit for the essence to enter my body. Every inch of my skin tingled with energy as I absorbed the powerful essence through my open mana pores.
'Not yet.'
The bathwater seemed to churn with otherworldly energy, responding to the tumultuous transformation taking place within me.
'Endure it.'
I clutched the sides of the bath, my knuckles turning white as the pain escalated to a crescendo.
'Endure it.'
For a moment, I felt like I was losing control. The room spun, and I could sense my insides turning out.
'You are still weak, endure it.'
Every nerve screamed in protest, and I wondered if I had underestimated the price of such enhancement.
'This pain is nothing….This pain is nothing compared to that time…..'
But deep within the chaos, a stubborn resolve anchored me. I had come this far, enduring the pain for the promise of strength.
The benefits, I reminded myself, outweighed the momentary suffering. To make those who had taken the world from my pay, such endurance was necessary.
'Until the end, I will endure every pain that is necessary.'
As the seconds stretched into an eternity, the pain reached a zenith, threatening to engulf me entirely.
'DON'T FUCKING LOSE YOUR CONSCIOUSNESS ON ME!'
I gritted my teeth, determined not to succumb to the overwhelming torment. It was a battle between my will and the relentless onslaught of the Starbloom Essence. But I knew that the more I endured, the more I absorbed, the stronger I would get.
Some people may have been born with the talent.
Some people may have been born with good backgrounds.
Some of them might be the main characters of the game….
The child of the plane….
The chosen ones….
For me, I didn't care about any of those. Even if those things weren't handed to me, so what?
Even if my body was lacking and weak, so what?
Even if my talent limit was lower, so what?
None of those matter. For me, there is one goal that is in front of me, and I am going to achieve it no matter what.
A surge of strength coursed through me, and I endured a little more.
Then, as if the universe itself acknowledged my tenacity, the water in the bath lost its vibrant color. The essence, once vivid and pulsating, had been completely absorbed.
"Haaaah….Haaaaaah....."
Gasping for breath, I clung to the edges of the bath, trembling with exhaustion. The pain, while still present, began to recede. I could feel the essence integrated into every fiber of my being.
GULP!
As I gulped the essence of the Emberleaf Petals to close my pores, I could feel the anchors inside my body.
The pain was still ongoing, but at this point, I no longer needed to retain my consciousness.
'Isn't that enough…..'
Just like that, I closed my eyes…..
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