The Alchemist's Workshop
[Exiting the 5th Floor of the Tower of Myth!]
[Entry condition for the 6th Floor of the Tower of Myth: Clear the 45th Floor of the Tower of Despair]
As soon as he came out, Jin-hyeok opened the system window.
He hadn't misread it.
The synchronization rate had gone up.
"Master, my overall combat power's gone up a little—did you do something?"
"Same here. It's not like I leveled up or unlocked a skill, though."
Seira and Dark tilted their heads, examining their own bodies.
Kancho and Momo were bouncing around, saying their bodies felt lighter.
"The synchronization rate went up. I thought it wouldn't rise past 100%."
He rubbed his chin.
Level-ups and stat gains were nice, but they didn't compare to increasing the synchronization rate.
An increase meant a simultaneous boost to the strength of everyone, Jin-hyeok and all his heroes included.
That was priceless.
'Super lucky.'
He decided not to dwell on why it could still rise past 100%.
There probably wasn't a single precedent for it anywhere in the world.
In any case, super nice.
Step.
Jin-hyeok approached Elia to clear up another question.
"I've got something to ask you."
Why the constellations in Elia's world were the same as in Jin-hyeok's world.
Why Sirius's stone, used in the disc, had been here and not in the Tower.
"Is there somewhere we can see the stars?"
They left the building and went up to the rooftop.
After making sure no one was around, Jin-hyeok manifested his companions.
"Hmmm."
Elia flopped down flat on her back and stared up at the sky.
Then she turned her head and looked at Jin-hyeok.
"It really is the same? That's amazing."
'So even Elia finds it strange.'
It didn't seem like he'd get a satisfying answer.
Elia rubbed her chin this way and that, then snapped her fingers.
"Oh? You figured something out?"
"No. I don't know, so I just snapped my fingers."
She got up and shrugged.
"To say 'it's the same world!' based on just the night sky is a stretch. But don't be disappointed yet, okay? We still have one other clue, right? What was that necklace called again?"
"Necklace of the Stars."
"Where is it now?"
"It disappeared when we entered the Star Workshop."
Sirius's stone and the disc, which had served as entry conditions, had vanished after fulfilling their role.
"That's a shame. It might've been a good piece of evidence. Master, I think you can be disappointed now."
"No. The necklace is gone, but we can still look into where it came from."
Since it had appeared at auction aboard the New Cali, there would definitely be records.
If he followed those, he might be able to find its origin.
"Did you make the Star Disc, Elia?"
"Heh heh. So you've fallen for my disc. I just made it as a pastime while stargazing. It may look ordinary, but all the principles of the night sky are in there."
"Are you really 3,271 years old?"
"I don't know. Coco keeps track, so it's probably about right. That is, unless it broke down somewhere along the way. Anyway."
Elia inhaled deeply and swept her gaze across the Seoul nightscape.
"It's beautiful. The way the buildings are constructed is unique, too. This height, with such an open view—excellent."
"Land is expensive, so the higher you build, the more profit you make."
Elia stared straight at Jin-hyeok.
"You're so unromantic, Master."
"Sorry. One more question, if that's okay?"
"Ask a hundred, a thousand. I'm a Sage of the Stars, you know? I know everything except what I don't know."
"What kind of nonsense is that, grandma?! I also know everything except what I don't know!"
"Heh heh, you little raccoon. I'm curious just how tiny the knowledge inside that little brain of yours is."
"Wanna pop it?!"
With Kancho completely ignoring any concept of respecting elders—
Jin-hyeok pushed him aside and spoke.
"You have a unique skill called Star Workshop—so it's like a subspace?"
"Exactly. Only those I permit can enter. It's full of precious things, you know?"
"Oh? Like what, for example?"
"Potions that permanently increase strength, or jerky that doesn't burn even if you touch something hot?"
At the word "permanently," Jin-hyeok's eyes lit up.
"Can I eat some?"
"Of course. You're always welcome, Master."
Elia stood and put on her Star Gauntlet.
With a light wave of her hand, a door appeared on the once-empty rooftop.
"Go in first. I'll close the door and come in last."
Jin-hyeok glanced back at Elia.
He suspected there might be some alchemical trap waiting inside.
"That kind of distrust is excellent. It'll keep you alive longer, Master."
Swallowing, he stepped through the door.
Saaaah…!
The moment his foot touched the floor, fresh air wrapped around his skin.
The workshop was filled with a cool, pristine atmosphere.
It was nothing like the 5th Floor of the Tower of Myth from earlier.
"Wow."
The broad space was packed with all sorts of equipment and books.
Elia guided Jin-hyeok to one side.
When she opened a massive door, cold air poured out.
Inside were at least several hundred bottles of potions.
"I've been making them ever since I started alchemy. Some are from 3,000 years ago."
"Are they still okay to use?"
"What's that?"
Sweat beaded down his back.
It seemed the concept of an expiration date didn't exist in Elia's world.
After spinning in place once, Elia extended a hand.
"Then drink as much as you like. It's your privilege, Master. And it'd be best if you drank them all. Your friends are high-level, so the effects will be minor for them. You're the lowest level here, Master. Of course, they can drink too if they want."
Seira quickly waved her hands.
"I don't need it."
"I don't care to put that near my mouth either."
"Captain! Be careful! Everything this hag makes is dangerous!"
"Hey, it's fine, Kancho. Looks like an edible fridge, doesn't it? So, Elia, which ones raise stats?"
Every bottle looked the same, only the colors differed.
How did she tell them apart?
"Hm? Who knows? But they're definitely in there, so don't worry about it. And make yourself comfortable. You're immune to status effects, so you won't die."
Jin-hyeok looked back at the fridge.
Would food poisoning or an upset stomach count as a "status effect"?
He wasn't sure, but he couldn't really refuse either.
He reached out and grabbed the best-looking potion.
Gulp.
"Ugh."
"You're really drinking that?"
"The captain's gonna die!"
"No!"
His companions recoiled in horror.
But Jin-hyeok, who had just downed the potion, smiled—the taste wasn't as bad as expected.
[You have consumed a mixture of the neurotoxin of the venomous reptile Tsuryka and the Lyad fruit, which causes deadly hallucinations! Your body will become paralyzed, and you will experience horrific visions!]
[Resisting status abnormality! Immunity effect activated!]
Jin-hyeok turned to Elia.
"I thought I picked it well because it tasted good, but it was super poison."
"Of course. The deadlier a poison is, the better it should taste—so the victim drinks it all. Well? What do you think? My attention to detail?"
This had nothing to do with level.
Anyone without status resistance would've crossed the River of No Return at the first sip.
This time, Jin-hyeok grabbed the most horrible-looking potion.
"Captain! Not that one! You'll melt if you drink that!"
Closing his eyes, he tipped it back.
A potion with a taste and texture as awful as its color.
"Gghweeehhh...."
He gagged, but forced it down anyway.
I'm dead. I'm really dead this time.
Ding!
[This is a tonic made from ground dried dragon heart and the crushed eyes of a frost tiger! A potion only a peak alchemist can create! Strength and stamina have each increased by 8!]
'Whaaaaat?!'
His eyes nearly popped out of their sockets.
With his SSS+ Ultra-Fast Growth trait, Jin-hyeok's stats rose at an overwhelming pace compared to other players.
Even accounting for that, a jump of sixteen points at once was absurd.
"To take that and not throw up—impressive."
Elia came over and placed a hand on his shoulder.
"As expected, Master, you're worthy of these potions!"
"Haah… haah… haah…"
Jin-hyeok panted and wiped drool from his mouth.
He wanted to rest, but after seeing a sixteen-point boost, stopping was impossible.
Better to take it all in one go.
So he would—right now.
All of it.
A few hours later.
Thud!
Jin-hyeok collapsed.
Seira, Dark, Kancho, and Momo all stood at a distance, wearing identical "ugh…" expressions.
Only Elia, a little ways off, poked Jin-hyeok with a stick.
"Master, are you alive?"
"Mm… I'm alive… but I feel like I'm dying…."
"Made it again, huh."
Elia clicked her tongue and looked toward the fridge.
Once packed with hundreds of potions, it was now completely empty.
Jin-hyeok had actually polished them all off in one sitting.
"Tough one. Really tough. To drink all that…"
This wasn't about status resistance.
Even if each bottle didn't contain a huge amount, most of them tasted like something from beyond hell.
Downing them without throwing up was almost impossible.
In fact, even Elia herself had sampled one bad batch long ago and never touched the fridge again.
"Momo… candy…."
"Okay! Here—ugh!"
Momo rushed over, then recoiled in horror.
A stench beyond description was rising from Jin-hyeok's body.
"Is the potion's essence being expelled through his pores as it's digested? Disgusting."
At some point, Elia had put on the mask she wore on the 5th Floor of the Tower of Myth.
Meaning the smell coming off Jin-hyeok now was on par with that floor's poisonous fog.
Tap. Tap. Tap.
Unable to come close, Momo tossed candy from afar.
"I'll unwrap it for you."
Elia picked them up, peeled the wrappers, and placed the candies into Jin-hyeok's mouth.
"Heh heh. How is it, Master? The kindness of an older sister?"
He wanted to say she was way too much of an "older" sister, but he didn't have the strength.
He just trembled and weakly raised a thumb.
"Making potions without anyone to drink them was getting pretty lonely. It's nice, after so long. So, Master? Your review?"
"They were… great…."
Munching on candy, Jin-hyeok lifted both thumbs.
He wasn't lying.
His stomach still churned and the stench still wafted from his body, but when he looked at his system window, he couldn't stop grinning.
Strength, stamina, and every other stat had risen by over forty points each.
Maximum mana had jumped from two thousand to five thousand—more than double.
Various resistances had also increased significantly; he figured he could now survive the 30th-floor zone without heat-resistant gear.
'There really was everything under the sun.'
There were even potions that made you smarter, though they didn't show up on stat screens.
He'd probably have to try memorizing some English vocabulary later to see the results.
Anyway—
He turned and looked at Elia Possein, who was still poking him.
An extraordinary alchemist had just joined the party.
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T/N:
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