Chương 18: A New Alchemy Skill

"Alchemical Nether seems like a no-brainer," Gryg said.

"It is the best option so far. Your Nether could essentially become your own personal cauldron. If you master this power, it will eventually let you synthesize on the go and do all kinds of crazy things. I have never seen a skill like this before. Infusing the very essence of alchemy into your aura… that is truly impressive."

"Is that so?" Alex wondered.

"Hm… Concoct Poison and Toxicology seem mildly appealing, but Bone Synthesis is what I have been looking for. The ability to absorb materials or even items into my own bones and evolve them infinitely, in addition to absorbing other bones through Bone Crafting… this could be the best choice."

"Hmmm, yeah," Gryg nodded.

"Damn, you have a tough decision there. Both Alchemical Nether and Bone Synthesis are insanely strong and offer excellent long-term potential."

"Do you think I could learn the one I did not choose later?" Alex asked.

"Oh yeah! You will have the chance to choose them again once you reach Level 10 in your Profession!" Gryg replied.

"It will take you a while though, even if you make hundreds of potions."

"Hm," Alex nodded.

"I see." Knowing he could select the other skill once he reached Level 10, Alex chose the first option. [You have learned the Profession Skill: Alchemical Nether – Tier 1!] [Alchemical Nether – Tier 1] You are a unique type of Alchemist who has learned to masterfully combine Nether with the concoction and brewing of potions. By infusing your Nether Aura with the essence of alchemy, you can greatly improve its effects on alchemy-related creations.

This also grants your Nether the ability to be imbued and synthesized into compatible objects, enhancing their affinity with you.

Nether of this nature can be shaped and molded in more ways than usual, boosting its power, effectiveness, and regeneration. At Tier 1, you can infuse the power of your Alchemical Nether into your equipment to reinforce it and temporarily transform it into Nether Equipment, granting various powerful effects. Consumes Mana and Nether. Duration: 30 minutes to 1 hour.

"Incredible." Alex was genuinely surprised by what this single ability could do. He immediately tested his new skill, releasing his Nether Aura and feeling its power surge. Then something deep within it began to awaken. Multiple colors emerged. Green, red, gold, blue, purple, and many more blended together into a beautiful, swirling vortex of magical energy.

His Nether Aura then burned like flames, shifting into alchemical flames before transforming into will-o'-the-wisp-like nether fire that burned with the intensity of hell itself. Phantasmal forces surged forward, resembling screaming ghosts. Finally, his Nether Aura manifested as laughing, burning skulls now imbued with newfound power.

"Let's test this." He infused his aura into his old sword, which was badly scratched and covered in cracks, nearly broken. The weapon repaired itself instantly.

"?!" It gained a sleek obsidian color, a skull decoration on the hilt, and blazed with phantasmal flames. The transformation shocked Alex more than he expected. [You have used Alchemical Nether – Tier 1 on the Common Great Sword (E Grade)!] Stolen novel; please report. [The Common Great Sword (E Grade) has absorbed the Alchemical Nether and temporarily evolved into the Obsidian Nether Sword (D Grade)!] [The Obsidian Nether Sword (D Grade) has gained the following new abilities: Nether Sword Flame Aura, Umbral Slash, Phantom Blade.] [Duration: 10 minutes.]"What?!" Gryg exclaimed in shock as she stared at the transformed blade.

"W-What did you do to that old sword?! It completely changed!"

"I know," Alex replied.

"It temporarily transformed once I infused it with my Nether, but now I am almost completely drained. From what I can tell, the stronger the item, the shorter the duration and the higher the cost." Alex swung his blade against a pile of golem stone, unleashing Nether Sword Flame Aura. An explosion of accumulated nether flame erupted from the sword after a twenty-to-thirty-second charge. The attack was explosive and powerful. Next, he used Umbral Slash.

His body and sword synchronized into a blade of darkness that sneaked behind the target and split it apart in a single strike. This ability also required roughly thirty seconds to recharge. Finally, the Phantom Blade ability turned his sword intangible, allowing it to strike directly at a foe's soul. It too carried a cooldown of about thirty seconds.

"Not bad at all," Alex said, feeling satisfied. After some time the effect wore off and his sword returned to normal, though many of its cracks had surprisingly healed.

"I also obtained this much larger blade… I will test its full power later. For now, I wonder if I can cultivate my Nether Core like this." He sat down to meditate, allowing Gryg to finally rest. She lay on the floor and fell soundly asleep after eating a bizarre meal that any human would find disgusting, yet she did not mind in the slightest. Alex controlled his Alchemical Nether and infused it into his Nether Core. Although no visible transformation occurred yet, his heart overflowed with power.

The more he performed this infusion, the more Nether spread through his soul and bones. Using Self-Binding, he gave himself a new task.

"Continuously perform this refinement process passively." This allowed him to refine his core automatically while his mind focused on other matters. While Gryg slept peacefully in the corner, Alex picked up the intact Golem Cores and began analyzing what he could do with them. Because he had already set the automatic order, he spread his Nether Aura into the cores to examine their composition in greater detail.

"Interesting. Every core is made of crystallized Mana and Spiritual Energy, and contains a large quantity of contained Soul Essence. Or rather, an actual soul. Golem Cores, at least in this dungeon, are Soul Containers! When they break, they lose all their magic and simply become Magic Stones, which I can use as materials to craft more potions or pills…" He grabbed one core and infused it with his Nether Aura, focusing especially on its Alchemical Variant.

The core suddenly turned pitch-black as it absorbed his power and overflowed with new strength. [You have used Alchemical Nether – Tier 1 on the Stone Guardian Golem Core (C Grade)!] [The Stone Guardian Golem Core (C Grade) has absorbed the Alchemical Nether and temporarily evolved into the Nether Guardian Golem Core (B Grade)!] [The Nether Guardian Golem Core (B Grade) has gained the following new abilities: Nether Soul Anchor, Spectral Body, Soul Binding.] [Duration: 5 minutes.]"It only lasts for five minutes. Is there not a way to make the result permanent?" he wondered. Then the golem core lifted from his hands and manifested a large spectral body. Its violet eyes shone brightly as its lower jaw opened wide. The soul within the core emerged, taking the shape of a giant man over three meters tall. He looked muscular and strong, yet old and tired, with a long white beard and flowing gray hair. Empty white eyes stared at Alex. The ghost wore worn-down armor and carried a broadsword.

"Fascinating! It seems the evolution of this core has made the soul inside strong enough to manifest outside of it. Is this the power of the Spectral Body ability?" he wondered.

"Can you speak?"

"Hmm… Uuuh… Oooogh…" The ghost groaned like a zombie, unable to form proper speech. He did not seem hostile and appeared to view Alex as one of his own kind, though not as a master.

"Let's see what I can do with you." In the five minutes he had left, Alex tried everything. He attempted to bind the soul using Self-Binding combined with his Soul Threads, but the fusion did not work as expected. Later, he tried using his Authority as a Necromancer and the power of Death Magic, yet it proved ineffective as well. Strangely enough, he had no affinity with Death Magic. Alchemy was next.

He had not fully grasped it yet, but he ordered himself to use its power at full strength and attempt to permanently bind the specter and its core to him. Nothing worked… until he wove his Alchemical Nether Aura together with Soul Threads, piercing the core's interior and using it all as material to create a potion through Concoct Potion inside a bubbling cauldron.

"Will this work?"