Gurgle~
Gurgle~
As Adam poured more mana into the solution, the once-clear alchemical liquid visibly clouded again. Then, like boiling water, it began to bubble violently.
Adam's eyes widened. He flung the water skin containing the solution into the air.
Boom!
The water skin burst midair, the explosion echoing through the jungle. A flock of birds took flight, their chaotic "caw-caw" cries piercing the sky.
Hundreds of meters away, Agu and two goblins, each carrying large woven baskets, froze nervously.
"W-what was t-that?" The stammering goblin asked, scanning their surroundings with wary alertness.
"It's not far from here." The other goblin said, looking toward the sound's origin, equally tense as he addressed Agu.
Agu glanced at the sky. "That noise wasn't caused by a monster or beast. It must be that human."
"Let's hurry!" Agu's voice brimmed with excitement.
The two goblins exchanged a glance, their expressions heavy with worry, but they followed Agu nonetheless.
Elsewhere, the Invisible Hound cub panted heavily, its black fur matted with twigs and leaves, fresh scratches from brambles marking its hide.
Its trembling limbs betrayed its exhaustion.
"Wrrf." The cub's gaze turned toward the sound, its ears twitching. Its dulled eyes reignited with purpose.
The jungle's scents were a tangled mess.
Despite its keen sense of smell, the cub had initially tracked Adam's scent, but as time passed and the distance grew, even its nose struggled to pinpoint his direction.
Now, the jungle's resounding blast gave the lost cub a new bearing.
"Wrrf!"
With resolute eyes, the cub pressed on, its shaky limbs carrying it deeper into the forest.
It didn't know why it felt compelled to follow this fearsome being. It only knew that, without its parents' protection, it couldn't survive the jungle alone.
Seeking a stronger protector was the jungle's fundamental law of survival.
Splatter!
Fragments of the water skin and droplets of the alchemical solution rained down.
"Argh!" Mugu yelped instinctively, clutching his head and curling up in the thicket.
Even so, he kept the half-eaten roasted rabbit clamped tightly in his mouth.
Adam ignored Mugu's panicked squeal, his gaze fixed on the shattered water skin, his brow twitching.
"Couldn't handle the mana infusion?"
"So, 5 mana points is the limit?"
Recalling the solution's behavior during the infusion, Adam mused, "No, it's like the iron sword. It's a material issue."
Strangle Spiders, common in the jungle's outskirts, were only threatening due to their numbers and pack behavior.
Individually, their level was low, and their venom sacs were hardly high-grade alchemical materials.
If a potion-maker's craft hinged on the type, quantity, and combination of herbs, an alchemist's success depended on the material itself.
Compared to the intricate knowledge of herbs, alchemy's focus on material properties was far simpler, which was why Adam had prioritized it.
"If venom sacs can be used as alchemical materials, could other monster parts serve the same purpose?" Adam wondered, a spark of enthusiasm lighting his face.
Of course, not all materials were viable. The bone chains from the Invisible Hounds, while magical, couldn't be made into solutions.
Perhaps they could, but Adam lacked the means to do so now.
He recalled that in both YGGDRASIL and this world, potions weren't limited to healing.
There were potions granting special abilities or enhancements, like "Minor Strength Potion" Or "Minor Agility Potion" in the New World.
In YGGDRASIL, players specializing in the Potion-Maker class could access advanced, unique subclasses, even infusing potions with up to sixth-tier magic.
Alchemists had similar specialized subclasses.
Adam's gaze shifted from the water skin's fragments, his expression devoid of regret.
Initially, he'd viewed Magic Swordsman as a mere stat-boosting high-tier class. Its magic-casting ability felt redundant, and Mana Slash was just another ranged physical attack.
But Mana Infusion, a seemingly auxiliary passive, had proven unexpectedly versatile!
Snapping back to the present, Adam looked at Mugu, who clutched the rabbit meat, trembling in the thicket. "Finished eating?"
Hearing Adam's calm voice, Mugu lifted his head, his fearful eyes cautiously scanning the surroundings before he relaxed.
He realized the commotion had come from Adam.
He'd grown accustomed to the human's habit of tinkering with incomprehensible things.
"Y-yes, finished." Mugu stammered. "L-lord, are we moving out again?"
As usual, they'd be off hunting monsters and those lowly goblins by now.
"Good." Adam nodded, lifting his sword and approaching Mugu with a serene gaze.
Unbeknownst to the goblin, a faint killing intent glimmered in Adam's eyes.
After all, with Mugu's broken legs, he couldn't move on his own. Adam always carried him.
But!
As Adam took two steps, he froze, then turned, his gaze locking onto the jungle beyond the hill.
Rustle!
Crackle!
The sound of snapping leaves and brushing branches echoed from the forest.
Adam's ears twitched. He judged that two medium-sized creatures were approaching.
No?
Three. A smaller one's sounds were masked by the larger two.
His time in the jungle had honed his senses, though it might simply be his heightened stats sharpening his perception.
"Interesting." Adam said, a curious smile playing on his lips.
Lately, whether due to the sheer number of goblins and monsters he'd slain or the aura his growing strength exuded, most creatures fled at his approach. Even the frequent insect attacks from his early forest days had ceased.
This was the first time in half a month that anything dared approach him.
He didn't wait long.
Amid the rustling of dense foliage, a goblin the size of a human child parted the bushes, revealing its pale green head.
The moment its eyes met Adam's, the goblin shuddered, stammering, "F-Found…"
"Agu!" Mugu cried from behind, his voice a mix of shock and panic.
At the familiar voice, Agu snapped out of the terror induced by Adam's presence. He turned toward Mugu, his voice still trembling. "Mugu-nii."
***
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