At first, no one believed in the Blood Boiling Powder.
Despite being stocked at Daniel Medical Clinic, most warriors scoffed at its bold claims—doubling one's strength for thirty minutes? Too good to be true.
Even Daniel had struggled to sell the first pill.
But then fate intervened.
A warrior, desperate during a skirmish, decided to risk it all. He was a mere fourth-level Physical Training facing a fifth-level opponent. Outmatched, overpowered and then he took the powder.
The result? A clean, brutal victory.
Word of the fight spread like wildfire.
From skeptics to fanatics in a single day, warriors began swarming the clinic. Blood Boiling Powder wasn't just medicine—it was a weapon, a secret ace in the hole.
Demand exploded overnight. Warriors hoarded it. Even Luis's emergency stash twenty powder refined in preparation—vanished into eager hands.
In Anyu Town, strength was survival.
And now, everyone was thinking the same thing: If a fight breaks out, and the other guy has the powder but I don't… then I'm the one who dies.
It became a silent rule. Every warrior kept at least one dose on them whether they'd use it or not was a different matter. But no one wanted to be caught unprepared.
In just six days, Luis had sold dozens of units through Daniel, and the trend only grew stronger.
Blood Boiling Powder wasn't a fad, it was a foundation.
A business.
And Luis? He was already planning the next breakthrough.
"It's time," he muttered, eyes gleaming with ambition. "Let's begin with real life experiment."
------
After a long rest in the Second World, Luis returned to the modern world with one goal in mind—experimentation.
Together with Mia, he had been working on something special: a unique sap he'd brought back from the other side.
Inside the lab, the air was thick with anticipation. Dozens of trials, failed reactions, broken compounds and now, finally, a breakthrough.
Luis stared at the screen, eyes shining. "Experiment 34: pH stable. Molecular structure intact."
He turned to Mia, breath caught in his throat.
"Mia... we did it."
The results were clear: the sap's natural compounds resembled polyphenols, tannins, and antimicrobial terpenes—components found in cinnamon, clove oil, and natural resins.
Together, they created a fully organic preservative, something capable of replacing chemical additives like sodium benzoate and sulfites.
"A natural preservative with no synthetic chemicals," Luis whispered, before shouting, "We actually succeeded!"
Overwhelmed with excitement, Luis grabbed Mia by the waist and spun her in the air.
"Mia! We did it!"
"W-Wait—Luis!" Mia's voice trembled in surprise. Her body stiffened in his arms. From childhood until now, aside from close relatives, no one had ever hugged her.
And now she was in the arms of an overly excited lunatic.
"P-Put me down!" she snapped, trying to push him away, cheeks burning bright red.
But Luis was too caught up in the moment to realize what was happening. It wasn't until he looked down and saw her flushed face, wide eyes, and trembling lips that it struck him.
"Ah—!"
Realizing his position and his hands, Luis immediately released her, nearly stumbling back.
"S-Sorry! Mia—I was just excited! I didn't mean to—!"
Mia glared at him, her face redder than ever, and turned around without a word. She stormed out of the lab, heels clicking against the tile floor.
Luis panicked. "Mia! I didn't mean it! I swear!"
He ran after her, shouting apologies, but Mia didn't slow down. In fact, she walked even faster, disappearing down the staircase.
On that floor, there weren't many labs, only a few students working on their graduation theses. Everyone had heard the scream, followed by Luis shouting. Naturally, curiosity got the better of them.
Doors creaked open, and heads peeked out.
And then they saw it Mia, the cool, untouchable goddess of the biology department, leaving Luis's lab with her entire face glowing red.
A collective silence fell over the hallway.
Hearts broke.
For four years, many of these students had admired Mia from afar, cheering for her quietly while keeping a respectful distance. And now just like that she had been taken by Luis, the returnee oddball who was always buried in his laboratory.
Someone even whispered, "It's over... the goddess has fallen."
Meanwhile, Luis stood frozen at the door, unsure whether to chase after her again or sink into the floor and disappear.
"I really screwed up, didn't I…"
"Ah… I'll explain to Mia later."
Luis sighed, rubbing his forehead as guilt crept in. He knew he got carried away. His heart was still racing—not from the success of the experiment anymore, but from the moment he'd lost control and hugged Mia without thinking.
He shook his head and muttered to himself, "Document the data first. Apologies can wait."
Suppressing the embarrassment, Luis locked up the lab, left the experimental building, and made his way back to the dormitory. On the way, his mind wandered back to the scene, Mia's shocked expression, her flushed face, and the sudden distance she created.
"How do I even begin to explain that?" he muttered under his breath, dragging his feet.
Meanwhile, Mia had already dashed out of the building. The cool breeze outside greeted her flushed cheeks, offering some much-needed relief.
Standing at the bottom of the stairs, she pouted and crossed her arms.
"How could Luis do that…" she mumbled. "That was so… so reckless."
But no matter how much she tried to convince herself to stay angry, her thoughts betrayed her. She could still feel the warmth of his arms around her waist. The way he spun her, his excited laugh in her ear…
Her fingers curled slightly as she whispered, "It felt... nice."
Her face flushed again.
"Addictively nice…"
Suddenly, her eyes widened. "Ah! My petri dish!"
She had left it in the drying box before running out. It was a bacteria culture she'd been preparing for two weeks!
Without a second thought, Mia turned and rushed back to the lab, her white coat flapping behind her like a cape.
Back in the dorm, Luis sat at his desk with his laptop open. He cracked his knuckles and pulled up a blank document. The numbers, steps, and observations from the experiment were still fresh in his mind.
Since this project had been mostly his own work, he had memorized every stage, the chemical breakdown, reaction times, temperature stability, even the scent profile.
His fingers flew across the keyboard.
"Experiment 34: Sap Compound Analysis—Stability at room temperature confirmed. Reaction complete at pH 6.8. Natural preservative potential verified..."
He paused, smiled faintly, and continued typing.
Success felt good—but there was something else lingering in his chest.
He glanced at the message app on his screen.
Should he text her?