TRGMW 05

Chapter 5…

[Golden Dragon’s Heart]

The greatest mana-type elixir, the Dragon Heart, increased not only Intelligence and Wisdom, but also a person’s maximum mana.

And among all Dragon Hearts, the very best was this one:

Golden Dragon’s Heart.

After all, it was the ultimate elixir from First, obtainable only by defeating the game’s strongest boss monster—the Golden Dragon.

The other elixirs were no less impressive.

[Millennium Hasuo]

The Millennium Hasuo was a top-tier elixir that increased overall stats, making it beneficial for anyone.

[Elf’s Tears]

Elf’s Tears was one of the few methods capable of increasing Spirit Affinity and Animal Affinity, attributes that were otherwise extremely difficult to improve.

Besides those, there were countless treasures like Sky-Cleansing Stone Oil and Human-Faced Spider Venom Essence.

Luke’s subspace storage was filled with every kind of precious elixir I had collected during my time in First.

“…If I had it my way, I’d drink all of them right now.”

After thinking for a moment, I shook my head.

Hadn’t I just confirmed it earlier?

When you use an item that doesn’t meet its requirements, its effects are reduced to match your level.

Which meant that if I consumed an elixir whose requirements I didn’t meet, the effects of that priceless elixir would be drastically weakened as well.

The perfect example was this:

[Golden Dragon’s Heart]

(Cannot be traded)

Type: Elixir
Grade: Mythic

Requirements: Level 1,000 or above, Defeated the Golden Dragon

Description:
The Dragon Heart left behind by the greedy Golden Dragon that coveted not only mountains of gold and treasure, but the entire world itself. It is said that whoever absorbs it will obtain power rivaling that of a dragon.

Its level requirement alone was 1,000.

The maximum level in First.

On top of that, only the one who had defeated the Golden Dragon could consume it.

Of course, with my current abilities I could ignore those restrictions and absorb its power anyway…

But instead of receiving one hundred units of power, I’d probably only absorb one.

No…

Considering the enormous level difference, I might only receive one-tenth.

Granted, since the Golden Dragon’s Heart was a Mythic-grade elixir, even ten percent of its effects would still be tremendously powerful.

But…

I had no intention of wasting such a hard-earned Mythic elixir like that.

The same goes for the others.

I could become much stronger immediately if I consumed them now.

But if I waited until I broke each level restriction before drinking them one by one…

Their effects would reach their true potential.

There was no urgent danger, so there was no reason to accept such a loss.

“Luke, separate out only the elixirs that can be consumed at Level 1. Or ones without level restrictions.”

—Understood.

At my request, Luke reorganized the inventory.

The countless elixirs filling the air before me were drastically reduced.

Only five remained.

• [Red Apple of Abundant Vitality]
• [Small Mana Crystal]
• [Mandrake Sprout]
• [Windflower Extract]
• [A Sip of Fox Rain]

The red apple increased HP and HP recovery.

The mana crystal increased maximum mana and mana regeneration.

The mandrake sprout slightly increased overall stats.

The windflower extract raised Agility.

And the Fox Rain increased various resistances.

Compared to treasures like the Golden Dragon’s Heart, they were admittedly disappointing.

But for a Level 1 beginner…

This was an unbelievably luxurious collection.

“Let’s get started.”

Normally, elixirs were simply consumed as they were.

Eat one, gain its stat bonuses.

Simple.

But who was I?

Mir, Rank 1 in First.

I’d consumed countless elixirs.

Not only that, in pursuit of crafting every item in the game, I had mastered not just combat but numerous production skills as well.

Which meant…

I also knew how to maximize an elixir’s effectiveness.

“Luke, could you take out an alchemy kit?”

—Would you like the Great Sage’s Alchemy Kit?

—Or perhaps the Legendary Alchemist Paracelsus’ Alchemy Kit—

“No. These are only Level 1 elixirs. I don’t need something that extravagant. Just bring me a decent Rare-grade kit.”

—Understood.

I wasn’t refining the Golden Dragon’s Heart.

There was no need for an overly powerful kit.

In fact, using one would actually make the working time too short, making proper alchemy more difficult.

So I took out a Rare-grade Level 1 kit and began the process.

“I don’t have the skill…”

Normally, using alchemy required the Alchemy skill.

But I’d once stood at the very top of First’s alchemists.

Level 1 elixirs were child’s play, even without the skill.

[Using ‘Alchemy Kit of Profound Learning.’]

[Alchemy skill not found.]

[Alchemy success rate has decreased due to the absence of the required skill.]

Success rate?

Didn’t matter.

I didn’t need to rely on a skill bonus to successfully refine beginner-level elixirs.

“I’ll start with the ingredient that takes the longest.”

First, I fixed the Small Mana Crystal into the upper chamber of the kit.

Then I connected mana circuits and slowly extracted its mana.

Next, I crushed the apple into juice.

Diluted it with Fox Rain.

Removed the impure energies.

Purified the core essence using the Windflower Extract.

Finally…

I infused every bit of that energy into the Mandrake Sprout, allowing it to absorb everything.

Then I stabilized it into the form of a potion.

Simple to explain.

But temperature control.

Ingredient ratios.

Timing.

Without the aid of any skill, every single step had to be performed manually.

It demanded immense concentration.

Yet when the final process ended…

I knew.

I’d succeeded.

[Your first alchemy attempt has succeeded.]

[Evaluation: Great Success]

[Beginner’s Elixir Potion]

Type: Potion

Grade: Unique

Requirement: Level 1 or higher

Description:
A supreme beginner elixir potion created by combining five different elixirs with the Mandrake Sprout as its core ingredient.

A Great Success.

Was that why?

The result was a Unique-grade potion.

In First, item grades were:

Low → Common → High → Rare → Heroic → Unique → Epic → Legendary → Mythic.

Since I’d started with only High and Rare-grade Level 1 elixirs, even a successful refinement should have produced a Heroic-grade potion at best.

Apparently the Great Success bonus from my very first alchemy had pushed it all the way to Unique.

Which made sense.

After all…

[Achievement Unlocked: Talent for Alchemy]

Condition: Produce a Heroic-grade or higher result on your first alchemy attempt.

Reward: Alchemy Success Rate +10%

Bonus Reward: Intelligence +5

Even a Heroic-grade potion would have fulfilled the achievement requirements.

Instead…

I’d produced a Unique-grade masterpiece.

Thanks to that, I even received the bonus reward.

A whopping +5 Intelligence.

Taking the time to perform alchemy had definitely been worth it.

“Time to drink it.”

A Unique-grade elixir potion.

Ordinarily I wouldn’t expect much from a Level 1 potion.

But this wasn’t ordinary anymore.

It was Unique-grade.

That alone made it worth anticipating.

Gulp.

Gulp.

The potion was so concentrated it almost felt syrupy.

Unlike First, this game had fully implemented taste.

…Though, as the saying went, good medicine tasted bitter.

It certainly wasn’t delicious.

Fortunately, the apple juice kept it from becoming unbearable.

The moment I finished drinking it…

Warm power surged up from deep inside my body.

[You have consumed ‘Beginner’s Elixir Potion.’]

[Maximum HP has increased.]

[HP Recovery Rate has increased.]

[Maximum Mana has increased.]

[Mana Regeneration has increased.]

[Strength +10]

[Agility +20]

…

System messages flooded my vision.

There were so many that reading them one by one was impossible.

Instead, I simply opened my status window.

[Status Window]

Name: Mir

Level: 1

Class: —

Strength: 30

Agility: 40

Vitality: 40

Intelligence: 35

Wisdom: 30

“That’s insane.”

My stats had increased dramatically.

At Level 1…

These numbers were unbelievable.

Even to me.

And those were only the visible stats.

Looking deeper, my maximum HP, maximum mana, regeneration, and every type of resistance had also increased tremendously.

Based on stats alone…

I’d already surpassed the point most players wouldn’t reach until long after leaving the beginner village.

“Now I just need to consume the remaining elixirs as I level up.”

Even now, my stats had increased enormously.

But this was only the beginning.

Luke’s subspace contained an absurd number of elixirs.

Once I reached Level 10, I’d be able to consume the next tier.

That would boost my stats even further.

And if I eventually consumed every single elixir…

I’d obtain overwhelming power regardless of my level.

“Next…”

I lay back on the soft inn bed and considered my next move.

How could I make the greatest use of the items from First that Luke had brought with him?

The first thing I needed to decide…

Was my class.

This was the City of Beginnings.

The place where every player discovered their talents and chose a profession.

Which meant…

“I should go hunting first.”

Before anything else…

I needed to level up.

* * *

[Western Gate of the City of Beginnings]

The moment I’d made my decision, I left the city.

The western gate.

The very first hunting ground every player in Second would encounter.

The Beginner Hunting Grounds.

“The Beginner Hunting Grounds… It’s been a long time.”

Of course, this wasn’t exactly the same as First.

Still…

The overall layout hadn’t changed much.

Most importantly…

The beginner monsters happily roaming just outside the gate.

Their identity was…

Squish.

[Slime]

A slime.

An amorphous monster whose body appeared to be made entirely of liquid.

As its appearance suggested, it moved slowly and possessed pitiful offensive abilities, making it the perfect prey for beginners.

Its behavior was equally harmless.

It simply crawled across the ground, slowly dissolving and consuming anything it touched.

Its body was acidic, but the acidity wasn’t especially strong.

Unless you deliberately shoved your hand inside it…

It posed little danger.

“I hunted these things endlessly back then just to get used to full-dive VR.”

—Did you?

“Ah… I guess you wouldn’t know. We didn’t make our contract until the late stages of the game.”

—The master I knew was always the strongest being in the world.

In any case…

The reason I’d come here was simple.

To obtain a class in the beginner city…

You first had to reach Level 10.

There were many ways to gain experience.

But hunting was still the fastest and easiest.

Still… mindlessly grinding isn’t very efficient.

I’d always pursued the most efficient strategies while conquering First.

Even in a beginner hunting ground…

Efficiency mattered.

Which meant the fastest leveling method here was…

Quests.

And there was only one NPC in the Beginner Hunting Grounds who offered quests.

“Excuse me, Guard.”

“Oh! A new adventurer! Perfect timing! The slimes outside the western gate have become far too numerous lately!”

If Second truly resembled First…

Then simply completing the guard’s quest chain would get me to Level 10 in no time.

And if the hidden condition I remembered still existed…

Following that quest line should eventually lead me…

To a hidden monster.