Skill: Pharmacology
Cost: 1 MP
Description: Can refine herbs into powders, granules, etc., enhancing their effects (scales with the level of the "Apothecary" class).
...
Skill: Alchemy
Cost: 1 MP
Description: Produces alchemical solutions and alchemical materials with different effects depending on the ingredients used (scales with the level of the "Alchemist" class).
———
Seeing the new "Class Skills" line appear under the Ability Sheet, Aaron understood.
Production-job skills were treated as a type of "class skill." They felt somewhat similar to special classes.
He had put all 3 of his newly gained levels into Sword Saint.
For now,
it was the only intermediate class he had that increased his base stats.
This leveling process, Aaron noticed, was basically the same as in YGGDRASIL: players could freely assign gained levels into whichever classes they chose.
Reality worked differently.
In this world, if someone wanted to raise a warrior class, they had to keep honing their martial techniques and training their body.
If they wanted to level a magic class, they had to study, read grimoires, meditate, and so on.
In short, to advance a given class, they had to actually learn its abilities.
Hearing Nfirea's question,
Aaron pulled his eyes away from the status panel and pretended to snap back to himself. "This is my first time seeing potions made like that. It's a bit surprising."
"It's nothing, really."
"I'm still not that good at it," Nfirea said modestly, then looked at Aaron with some excitement. "Compared to recovery potions, healing magic is actually stronger."
"Recovery potions rely on herbs to treat injuries. Whether low-grade or high-grade, all they do is accelerate natural healing."
Aaron's eyes showed genuine interest as he lowered his voice and began discussing healing potions with Nfirea.
Nfirea did not hold anything back. If anything, he was delighted to talk shop with him.
As the grandson of Lizzie Bareare, the best apothecary in E-Rantel, and someone who would one day be called a genius apothecary,
even now—four years before the main story—Nfirea's understanding of recovery potions already surpassed that of most apothecaries in the world.
In YGGDRASIL, there were really only four deciding factors in player-vs-player combat:
Information, level, gear, and resources.
Information was first, and its importance was self-evident.
Ainz's fight against Shalltear had showcased the power of intel to the absolute limit.
Shalltear was a combat-specialist NPC with a build tailored to counter undead, yet Ainz, through information advantage, still managed to plan around and defeat her—
and even got to show off in front of the other Floor Guardians.
Of course, if they had clashed in a true surprise encounter, Shalltear would probably have been favored to win.
Level and gear needed no explanation.
With the Player trait, Aaron could, in principle, reach level 100. Gear, however, was another matter entirely.
At the technological level of this world, there was no way to produce divine-class equipment. The few existing divine-class items were all legacies of the Six Great Gods and the Eight Greed Kings, and getting hold of any of those would be extremely difficult.
As for resources, that covered things like recovery potions, magic scrolls, crystals, jewels, accessories, and consumable items of all kinds.
In that area, Aaron could not possibly compete with the entire Great Tomb of Nazarick.
His constant discussions with Nfirea about recovery potions all had one aim: to be able to produce his own.
After everyone had rested,
they set out once more.
Bask carried Dosari on his back, while the twin brothers, after drinking recovery potions and Nfirea's alchemical solutions, were able to walk on their own again.
In the days that followed,
Nfirea continuously used herbs to concoct powders and healing alchemical solutions, speeding up the party's recovery.
At the same time, he observed how the adventurers' injuries healed, verifying the actual effectiveness of his mixtures.
Once Aaron's mana regenerated, he would use healing magic on Dosari's shattered leg.
For a while,
Rock had basically become the ones being carried.
Two days later,
a massive city finally appeared on the horizon.
E-Rantel.
Three thick rings of walls surrounded it, making this "border city" look far more like a fortress.
In fact,
as the central border city between the Re-Estize Kingdom, the Baharuth Empire, and the Slane Theocracy, E-Rantel had been built to fortress standards from the start.
Ever since they had crossed into the border region,
Aaron and the others had not seen many people on the road, perhaps because they had come by a shortcut. Now, nearing E-Rantel, the number of caravans and adventurers increased sharply.
Creak, creak.
The wooden wheels of the wagon rattled as they rolled over the ground.
Lizzie drove the wagon up to the city gates, where soldiers stepped forward to stop them for inspection—only to break into respectful expressions at the sight of her.
"So it's Lady Bareare. Let them through!"
The gate guards hurriedly turned and shouted toward the rear.
As a border city, everyone coming in from outside had to be checked for infiltrators and troublemakers from other countries—primarily the Baharuth Empire.
Smack!
Lizzie gave the guards a small nod, then snapped the whip lightly on the horse's back.
The wagon, loaded with herbs and carrying Nfirea, slowly rolled into the city.
Aaron and the Rock party followed behind and were waved through without inspection, though each of them had to pay a 2-copper entry fee.
E-Rantel did, in fact, charge for entry.
Within the Re-Estize Kingdom, E-Rantel was one of the busiest trade hubs, rivaled only by the port cities and the imperial capital.
Its proximity to the Great Forest of Tob and the Katze Plains—both extremely dangerous regions—meant the city was packed with adventurers and mercenaries.
Commerce thrived accordingly.
Once inside, the first thing that greeted them was the sight of countless wagons queued up to enter or leave the city.
Aaron could clearly feel how large a share of the crowd was made up of adventurers.
Even back in the royal capital, he had not felt it this strongly.
Compared to the slight oppression and rot he had sensed in the capital, his first impression of E-Rantel was that the very air felt alive.
______
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