Chương 29: A New Potion

[What's better: Explosives or Poisons?] Author: BinLover Personally, I'm team explosives. But, what do you alchemy misters think? → [EfficiencyLord: They can both be used more efficiently for different things; If you wish for immediate high damage to both enemies and the environment, explosives are the way to go. But, if you want long lasting deadly damage that can last for longer periods of time, poisons are the best. Not to say that poisons are slow, but that for efficiency, the intent of the potion matters more.] ↳ [BinLover: So, what's stronger?] ↳ [EfficiencyLord: Again, it is a matter of the creators intent. Anyone here can likely create a 'stronger' version of either potion. If you want what's more efficient, it depends on the intent behind the potion.] ↳ [BinLover: So, what's stronger?] ↳ [Juxtaps: Poisons. They have more versatility and can be properly adjusted. Explosions are too predictable and have limited adjustments to power.] → [SlimeLube: Slime is the best!] → [CauldronBro: As EfficiencyLord said, it depends on what you want your potion to do. In most cases, poison can be adjusted and made specifically for what you'd like. However, if you want nothing more than destructive power, explosions are second to none.] ↳ [BinLover: So, explosions stronger? Got it.] ↳ [Love Fusion Mix Hands: Cutie, I think you just want explosions to be stronger.] ↳ [BinLover: (Shifting raccoon eyes icon)] → [✪Potions Are Easy: Are you interested in creating a recipe for one of them? Is that why you're asking? If so, explosions are harder to create for amateurs and I'd recommend starting with poisons. It's not a matter of which one is stronger, but a matter of skill. Though it might not seem like it, alchemists all have their own specialties—Including us. I, myself am not quite familiar with explosive potions but can still create one because I have skill and experience.] ↳ [CauldronBro:?] ↳ [Juxtaps:?] ↳ [Love Fusion Mix Hands:?] ↳ [Meditation Is Medicine:?] ↳ [ObsidianTier:?] ↳ [SlimeLube:?] ↳ [HomunculusTheBest:?] ↳ [EfficiencyLord:?] ↳ [Juxtaps:???: I'm not familiar with explosive potions.???: Huh? Yeah, I've made a bomb that can blow up a continent.] ↳ [BinLover:???] ↳ [BinLover: So explosions are better, got it!] ↳ [✪Potions Are Easy: No, that's not—] After getting the answer I wanted, I closed the gallery and sunk deeper into the bath.

Explosions are definitely stronger, there's no personal opinion in that statement whatsoever. However, I recognize the hassle it takes to create them. Even the dynokali potions I make are complex—using a whole bunch of chemistry stuff I hadn't even learned in school. I realize it was made like that because I wasn't a proper alchemist at the time and couldn't even manipulate the properties in materials, but even if I were to try and create a new recipe for it now, I don't think I could.

As the gallery manager said, it's a matter of skill and experience. It's not a race, but a marathon. I'll make a recipe for explosion potions eventually, just not soon. But when I do, I'll make the best darn explosive potion I can—I guarantee that. For now though, I'm quite happy at these beginner stages. I haven't even tested the limits of my creativity yet. In fact, I've barely used it at all. Buff potions? Combat potions? Yeah, anyone can make those.

I want to create something fun—Something I can drink and have a good time with. With those thoughts, I stepped out of the bath and dried myself clean. Even though I know experimenting and testing things out should wait until I at least buy a cauldron, I couldn't help myself. It's not like Pottie—the steel pot I've been using—doesn't work. It's just a hassle. Of course, that didn't mean I'd neglect my income—mana potions. I'd just create them first and theorize the recipe for the new potion after.

After brewing and selling the mana potions, I sat at my computer desk and pondered. What kind of potion did I want to make? Did you know this story is from Royal Road? Read the official version for free and support the author. Something fun… But, how exactly did I want to make it fun? Did I want it to be fun in the sense that it's fun to play with? Fun to use?

"Maybe a mix of both…?" I mumbled, jotting it down in my notebook. Then, what would be 'fun'? Fun is different for everyone. Some people may read books for fun, others may exercise. Everyone has a different classification of fun. So, what do I think would be a universal 'fun'? Did it matter? I'm not pandering to the masses. If people have a similar taste to me, they'll find the potion I make fun and buy it for themselves. So, what do I think is fun?

I like a lot of things: Brewing potions, gaming, trolling, talking to Mouse, browsing forums, reading… But could making a potion for any of those be fun? For gaming, wouldn't a simple concentration potion or reflex potion be enough? And I'm not sure that'd even be fun—it'd be more like doping to gain an advantage over the competition. For trolling… Let's not even talk about that. Talking to Mouse? I could make a potion that tastes different every time you drink it.

But other than a few cheap laughs, it's not long-term fun. Forums? Hm… A potion that either tastes heavenly or tastes like trash. But that's similar to the last potion. Reading? A potion that helps imagination and visualizes the scenes as if they're right in front of you? That'd be fun. It'd be like a holographic novel you can read. But, it's too complex. It'd be a hallucinogen that allows you to see the scenes you read from books; I can't make that with my current level of skill.

I'll keep a mental note of it for when I'm more experienced.

"Haah…" I sighed, after shooting down all my hobbies, what's left? I needed a physical hobby. The only problem is, I'm a potion-making shut-in who only goes out when with Mouse.

"Hm…" I leaned back in my chair, bouncing a little.

"Hm?" I leaned forward then back again.

"Hm??" Again. And again.

"Hehe…Found it." Something I could do whether home or outside. A classic fun activity that all kids did—bouncing. Some did it on trampolines, others did it on couches and beds. Even now, I still flop and bounce on my bed. What if…What if I could make it bouncy anywhere? What if I could make anything bounce?

"Elasticity Potion…" The name came to me almost instantly. But, rather than being a drinkable potion, it'd be similar to the gluetrap potion where you apply it to surfaces or objects. The idea was in mind, so, without hesitation, I immediately started surfing through my [Material Knowledge] skill.

"Bendy…Elasticity…Rubber…Bouncy…Hm…Do I really have to use that ingredient…?" I searched through pages and pages of materials but the only one that fit all the properties I was looking for was one I really didn't want to use.

"Ugh…" I groaned, "This is going to make a certain member of the gallery very happy…" I mumbled in displeasure, already thinking of the replies I'll get. Yes, it was slime. … With the primary material set, next, I needed to amplify particular effects and properties. But then came the next problem. There was too much. Although I don't want to admit it, slime is a highly versatile and useful material. It's extremely adaptable and can take on different kinds of properties based on how you treat it.

You can even fit multiple properties into it. So, there were too many materials to aid the slime. Any of them could be effective and help amplify what I want, but I wanted to use the best one possible. There were two ways I could solve this. Either test each and every material separately, take notes and then compare them all at the end. Or…

"Haah…" I opened the gallery. [Using slime for the first time.] Author: BinLover Reluctantly, I'm forced to use slime for my next potion. It is the primary ingredient used. The problem comes with the fact that I need to use another material to amplify the 'elasticity', 'bounciness', 'rebound', properties of the slime. I've already thought of how to set the slime's properties to these, but I can't figure out what material to use to amplify them. So… Please help? → [SlimeLube: Slime!!! Wooo!!!! Slime!!!!] → [CauldronBro: Creating a new recipe? What are you looking to make?] → [HomunculusTheBest: Homunculus' next?] → [Love Fusion Mix Hands: Interesting properties you're going for, cutie. I have an idea of the potion you're looking to create. I'm interested in the results.] → [✪Potions Are Easy: Slime is definitely a hard material to get into. It can be daunting to see how much other materials can affect slime and how they affect it. However, once you start learning each combination and effect, slime can be more useful than any other material.] → [SlimeLube: You finally understand the greatness of slime?] ↳ [BinLover: … Yes. Do you know what kind of material I should use?] ↳ [SlimeLube: Yes! However, rather than tell you directly, I'll guide you to the answer. First, you want to amplify those properties you mentioned, right?] ↳ [BinLover: Yes.] ↳ [SlimeLube: Why?] ↳ [BinLover:? Because I'm looking to make things more bouncy.] ↳ [SlimeLube: Is there a need to amplify all of them?] ↳ [BinLover: Well…] ↳ [BinLover: Hm…] ↳ [BinLover: Maybe? It'd be strange to focus on amplifying only one of the properties and let the others lack.] ↳ [SlimeLube: Then, do you need to amplify all of them with a single material?] ↳ [BinLover: …] ↳ [BinLover: Do you mean to isolate all three properties and then choose specific materials to amplify each property?] ↳ [BinLover: Is that possible?] ↳ [BinLover: … First I'd need to draw the properties out of the slime and then separate them from one another. I can section off the water into three different areas—elasticity, bounciness, and rebound.] ↳ [BinLover: There I'd have to add materials that amplify or aid each property into the proper sections… Hm…] ↳ [BinLover: Then, I'd need…] ↳ [BinLover: Yes… That could work? Then, what about the kickback? To neutralize it I could use…] … ↳ [BinLover: … Then that would allow me to just pour it on any surface.] ↳ [BinLover: Ah, but absorption… I'll have to add…] ↳ [BinLover: I see, got it.] ↳ [BinLover: gotta go, ty.] ↳ [SlimeLube: …] ↳ [SlimeLube: But… What about my teachings…?] ↳ [Juxtaps: LOLOLOLOL] ↳ [ObsidianTier: LOLOLOL] ↳ [Love Fusion Mix Hands: LOLOLOL] ↳ [EfficiencyLord: Not very efficient, but it was interesting to read their thought process through the creation process.] ↳ [CauldronBro: They really are talented, they only needed one hint and then figured out the rest themselves. As EfficiencyLord said, I quite enjoyed seeing their thought process. It allows us an easier gauge to their current skill level. They've come quite far in just 3 months.] ↳ [SlimeLube: But… But… My teachings…] … After closing the gallery, I immediately got to work and purchased the materials I'd need from the exchange. I'd be using my pot like a cauldron again, but, I wouldn't be making the potion in a batch. This would be the most materials used in a single potion I've made yet.

Over time, I'd slim down the recipe and perfect the ratios. But, for now, even if it's over-engineered, as long as it works, that's enough. And so, I turned on the heat and got to brewing. …

"Have you confirmed the mana signature used on the alchemy lab?" A man asked.

"Yes, sir. I've confirmed that the same mana used for Raccoon's potions was used on the alchemy lab." The man replied.

"Good. How about team 2? Have they searched through the security feeds yet?"

"No, sir. There's simply too much unknown about Raccoon other than their height and hair length. They're searching for possible matches but it's unlikely to find them."

"Hm…Still, continue searching." The man said after a moment, "Now that we've reduced the search range, it should be possible to find them. A new awakener should make some kind of slip up."

"Yes, sir." The man replied with a bow before leaving the room.

"Haah…I'm too old for this." The last remaining man in the room sighed, "Raccoon, couldn't you just reveal yourself already? Or, at least confirm that you're not working to harm this country? That's all we want to know…" Staring out of the moonlit window, he wondered what that little alchemist—the source of his recent headaches and overtime hours—was doing at the moment.