Chương 174

The courtyard of the Witches' Island was completely dead silent. Leader of the Witches, High Witch Elara stared at the wooden plate. The wooden fork had slipped right out of her fingers and clattered onto the stone floor. She was breathing heavily. Her silver eyes were wide with shock. The glowing [True Vitality Elixir] her coven had just brewed was sitting on the table. It was completely forgotten. Rudra's simple dish of grilled fish and cabbage had utterly crushed it.

The raw stats, the healing effects, and the sheer emotional comfort of his cooking blew their alchemy out of the water. At the same time a couple of notifications were present in front of him. [Your understanding of the [True Vitality Elixir] has reached 46%] [Your understanding of the [True Vitality Elixir] has reached 79%] [Your understanding of the [True Vitality Elixir] has reached 100%] [You have grasped the formula of [True Vitality Elixir]!] [True Vitality Elixir] [Rating: Rare~ Unique] [Rare] [- Upon Consumption 30% of your health is recovered instantly. - Health and Mana Recovery is increased by 35% for 10 min. - Speed is increased by 10% for 10 min. - Strength is increased by 10% for 10 min. [Epic] [- Upon Consumption 40% of your health is recovered instantly. - Health and Mana Recovery is increased by 35% for 15 min. - Speed is increased by 10% for 15 min. - Strength is increased by 10% for 15 min. [Rare] [- Upon Consumption 50% of your health is recovered instantly. - Health and Mana Recovery is increased by 35% for 20 min. - Speed is increased by 10% for 20 min. - Strength is increased by 10% for 20 min. Acquisition Condition: Advanced Alchemy Level 9 or higher, Intermediate Arcane Mastery Level 5 or higher] [You have ignored the restrictions.] [You have learned the formula 'True Vitality Elixir'.] This content has been misappropriated from Royal Road; report any instances of this story if found elsewhere. [The effect of 'Endless Learning' has triggered. You have acquired Unique Knowledge.] [All Stats +5] [Wisdom +5] Rudra was quite excited at the level and effects of this formula but the one thing that bothered him was the requirement to actually create the Elixir which required Arcane Mastery which he could only think was the chanting that they made as they created this Elixir." So," Rudra said. He crossed his arms and offered a relaxed smile." Does Alex get to pack his bags, or what?" Elara opened her mouth to speak. She wanted to argue. She wanted to say it was a fluke. But she couldn't. The food had literally healed a lingering ache in her shoulder. Before she could concede the bet, the air in the courtyard suddenly changed. The wind stopped blowing. The bubbling cauldrons around the courtyard instantly went quiet. A heavy, warm, and entirely overwhelming presence crashed down on the stone courtyard. It felt like the presence was converging together." What is happening?" Seris, the Witch Knight, gasped. She gripped the hilt of her curved blade, but her hands were shaking. At the back of the crowd of purple-robed witches, a young priestess stepped forward. Her movements were entirely rigid. She didn't step on the ground. She floated slightly above the cobblestones. When she looked up, her normal brown eyes were gone. They were glowing with a blinding, pure golden light. A system warning flashed in front of Rudra's face in bright red. [Warning! An overwhelming divine presence has descended!] [The Avatar of Althea, Goddess of Alchemy, has manifested!] [You have an overwhelming need to submit!] [You have resisted!] [All your stats are decreased by 90%!] [You have resisted!] [You are in the presence of a Goddess, Health and Mana Recovery is stopped!] [You have resisted!] Rudra didn't react too intensively. He stood his ground. He had the [He Who Knows the Truth] title, so the heavy divine pressure didn't force him to his knees like it did to the surrounding witches, not to mention his [One who Became a Legend] Title which helped him resist her debuffs which she gave just by existing. The young priestess stopped in front of Rudra. She tilted her head, observing him with a strange, deep fascination." You are not affected by my status," the Avatar of Althea asked, though it didn't seem much like a question. And her voice didn't sound like a young girl. It echoed with the voices of a thousand different women speaking at the exact same time. It was loud, melodic, and strangely calm." I'm somewhat capable," Rudra replied." And you aren't exactly that scary." The witches gasped in pure horror. Seris looked like she was going to faint. But Althea didn't smite him. The Avatar actually smiled." You are a very strange mortal," Althea said softly." I have watched humanity for countless years. Every blacksmith, every cook, and every alchemist chases the same dream. They hoard those legendary materials and fixate on them. They rely on bringing out the potential of those legendary materials to build their legends instead of using their own potential to create legendary items and build their legends." The golden eyes locked onto Rudra's face." But you do not," Althea continued." I felt the ripples of your cooking all the way from my sanctuary. You took a completely non-magical item and made it into a magical dish. You elevated them. You are walking the path to reach us. The path of a Production Saint."" I'm trying," Rudra nodded." It takes a lot of practice."" It takes understanding," Althea corrected him. The Avatar raised a glowing hand." I am deeply fascinated by your journey, human. I wish to see how far you can push the mundane. I can offer you a blessing. I can give you the roadmap to reach the legendary alchemy techniques" Rudra's eyes widened. The Legendary Alchemy Techniques. If he got that, his production skills would completely break the game." I'm listening," Rudra said." But a gift from a goddess is never free," Althea said, lowering her hand." You must prove your will to me. Right here. Right now."" Prove it how?"" Create a miracle," Althea challenged." Cook a dish that surpasses anything that can be cooked using mundane materials. You cannot use a single magical herb. You cannot use monster meat. You must use only the non-magical ingredients and I will provide those ingredients. If you succeed, the path is yours. If you fail, the offer vanishes forever."