"Hoo! Over twenty people died in one day? Things really aren't peaceful outside."
As night fell, Arya, having portioned out her potions and poured the medicine and alchemical ingredients for her dagger into a wooden barrel, sat down at her desk with Gang Emima, eating the food Rogers had sent, all while watching the regional channel.
She noticed immediately that the population in the region had dropped by more than twenty, prompting her startled exclamation. Fortunately, her current home setup was practically self-sufficient. Apart from venturing out every night as the mysterious "Green Ghost" to collect treasure chests, she didn't need to leave at all.
Even if the world outside was a chaotic bloodbath, what did it have to do with her, a weak Alchemist?
Beep! Beep! Beep!
A message arrived. It was from Roy.
Roy: "Can you make bullets?"
Arya froze.
She blinked at the screen, utterly bewildered. "No… what do you take me for? I'm an Alchemist! I brew potions, concoct magical remedies… bullets?"
But then she paused. Actually… maybe it wasn't impossible. Alchemy dealt with minerals, didn't it? Perhaps bullets were within her realm, even if she'd never made them before.
She replied cautiously:
"I'll need knowledge on the subject, sample dimensions, and the proper tools—and success is not guaranteed."
Roy: "What exactly do you need?"
Arya listed:
"Basic Mineralogy, measuring tools, and minerals."
Roy frowned slightly. Judging by her reaction, it was clear his expectations had been too high. She didn't have access to firearms back on Blue Star, so even as an Alchemist, crafting bullets would be challenging. Yet, for his team's survival, this was a necessary investment. Just like the measures he had taken against Mickey before—protecting oneself in an unknown world was paramount.
Roy: "Alright. I'll prepare them. Assuming you have all the materials, how long will it take?"
Arya: "If it works, three to five days. If not… perhaps firearms aren't compatible with this world."
She left some leeway in her estimate. Roy nodded silently, then began mobilizing his connections. Meanwhile, Arya sat at her desk, pleased. Free resources were always welcome.
"Chirp chirp—"
Gang Emima seemed to sense her good mood. The little creature had already polished off half a catty of meat. Arya picked him up and rubbed him against her face, enjoying the softness of his fur. Gang Emima purred in contentment, pressing against her in return. For a moment, it was impossible to tell who was comforting whom.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
Another message came through, this time from Natasha.
Natasha: "The obsidian I promised you is ready, along with a hundred catties of flame bells. Also, I opened two books today."
Arya accepted the trade request. Paying upfront clearly had its benefits. She eagerly examined the books:
Basic Herbalism
Karim Continent Monster Illustrated Guide
Although Arya already knew Herbalism well, the Monster Guide was exactly what she needed. She had been struggling to figure out how to hatch an Elf Butterfly Chrysalis—and now she had the guidance.
But when she read the description, she sighed. Beautiful and gentle though they were, each Chrysalis required a magic crystal to incubate. Neither unscrupulous merchants nor explosive-minded adventurers like Natasha had ever seen one. Finding a crystal here seemed impossible. For now, Arya decided to set it aside. Timing could be everything, and perhaps the right opportunity would appear eventually.
Turning to the hundred catties of flame bells, she noted that some were mixed with weeds and water droplets—Natasha's harvesting was a bit rough. Yet Arya didn't complain. They had been given freely, and fifty catties of weeds didn't diminish her happiness. She would simply wash them herself later.
While cleaning and sorting herbs, Arya planned her next day's work: crafting offensive potions such as the Explosive Potion, Flame Potion, and Fire Resistance Potion. Soon, she would be a true bomber. The Fire Resistance Potion, she realized, would be particularly useful for Natasha, who seemed to inhabit a volcanic-like environment to find so many flame bells. Arya even calculated the price in her mind: two bottles per catty of flame bells. With Natasha's output, she could craft enough to stockpile her own supplies.
Beep! Beep! Beep!
At last, Roy replied. Arya opened the message with anticipation.
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