Chapter 25

-----------------------------------------------------------------

Translator: penny

Chapter: 25

Chapter Title: I'm Dying

-----------------------------------------------------------------

One month.

I had holed up in the workshop for a full month, churning out nothing but potions.

The musty smell of dust mixed with the bizarre odors of all sorts of ingredients. Stacks of material crates with not even a foothold between them, and boxes of finished potions waiting to be shipped.

The inside of the workshop was a total disaster zone—no, a pigsty.

And at the center of all that chaos.

"……."

I was buried in the sofa like a corpse.

My ash-gray hair, which I hadn't properly washed in a month, was a tangled mess, and my unfocused eyes stared blankly into space.

The Healers' Union was as good as collapsed already. My potions had taken over the market without any interference, and hunters sick of the healers' arrogance were flocking to buy them.

The problem was that I was handling all that demand single-handedly.

"One… just one more…."

I squeezed out the last of my mental strength. Stumbling like a zombie, I headed to the workbench.

Just one more potion, then sleep.

Please, just one.

I instinctively tried to draw up my mana. But my mana, already depleted, barely responded.

Looks like that was it for today.

…Why isn't it increasing?

A sudden question popped into my head. It was common knowledge among hunters that mana increased the more you used it. Even if only by a little, it should definitely grow.

Yet after a month of making potions every day until my mana ran dry, there was no change. I was stuck in place.

"Ah. Whatever."

Even thinking was too much of a hassle.

I shoved Chun-sik, who had climbed onto the workbench and was sniffing the remaining ingredients, back into his cage, then flung myself onto the sofa again.

Yeah, tomorrow.

The plushness of the new sofa gently enveloped my exhausted body.

Tomorrow….

Just as my consciousness began sinking into the depths.

Bzzz—

My smartphone by my head blared noisily.

It was Yuna.

"…He…llo…."

- What the hell's wrong with your voice? You still alive?

"Wha…t's… up…."

- Calling to say the settlement's been deposited. If you're tired, we can do it tomorrow?

"No… it's fine…."

Overcoming my laziness, I blankly opened the banking app. The number on the screen felt unreal.

7.4 billion.

Money earned in about two months since starting alchemy.

But I didn't even have time to spend it. No, not even the energy.

"…Yuna."

- Yeah? What?

"I… I'm gonna… die from… overwork before I can even… spend this ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠money…."

Thud.

The smartphone slipped from my hand and fell under the sofa.

My consciousness went black.

Yuna had swept through the workshop like a storm.

When I passed out mid-call, she thought something major had happened and rushed over.

"Thought you were dead and freaked out. For real."

After unloading a tirade of nagging, she left a conspicuous bag of porridge on the table and took off.

‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠

Even in my drowsiness, the porridge smelled amazing. After forcing it down my throat, my mind cleared a bit.

"……."

This can't go on. I need to find a way.

There were two problems.

First, that I had to make them myself. Second, that aging was impossible in Earth's environment.

I could accept having to do it myself, but using the mana contact induction method every time drained all my mana and focus. Even relying just on fingertip sensation felt like my head would explode.

"…Gallery."

I pulled up the gallery in my hazy mind. Maybe the seniors would have a solution.

Even after reading the comments, no clear solution stood out. There was a resonance synthesis system, but it all boiled down to it costing too much.

As I scrolled down in despair, a new comment caught my eye.

"Alchemy inside a gate…."

I stared blankly at the comment. Something sparked in my mind.

"…Fixed gate."

My heart started racing. This was it.

I hurriedly replied.

Use the high mana density inside gates for aging, and power the resonance synthesis system with a mana reactor.

"Oh…."

Theoretically perfect. Of course, I didn't understand it myself—the gallery folks had explained it in detail.

I immediately searched the internet for fixed gates.

[Search Results: 1]

[C-rank Fixed Gate Auction in Progress]

No reason to hesitate. I called Yuna right away.

Hunter Association Auction Hall.

Hundreds of hunters and guild officials held their breath, watching the auction board.

"5.5 billion! Iron Guild bids 5.5 billion! Anyone higher?!"

The auctioneer's booming voice filled the hall.

The auction for the C-rank fixed gate was reaching its climax. For an empty shell gate with no monsters or resources, the atmosphere was strangely heated.

"Going once at 5.5 billion!"

Right then.

Clank.

The auction hall entrance opened, and Choi Yuna rushed in, phone to her ear.

She alternated between the auction board and her phone, frowning in distress.

"As fast as possible? It's at 5.5 billion now? Just do it?"

Choi Yuna sighed incredulously at whoever was on the other end. But soon, as if resolved, she looked up and shouted at the auctioneer.

"7 billion."

The entire hall fell silent in an instant. Even the auctioneer stammered in shock.

"O—one moment! Normal Operations Guild! From the Normal Operations Guild…."

The auctioneer checked the board's buyout price and yelled in disbelief.

"Buyout! 7 billion! 7 billion!"

Bang! Bang! Bang!

"Sold! C-rank fixed gate to Normal Operations Guild for 7 billion!"

Amid the murmurs, Choi Yuna muttered quietly so no one else could hear.

"What the hell is he gonna do with a junk C-rank gate…."

I left the auction to Yuna and asked the security guard grandpa… no, Senior Yoon Hyun, to take me straight to Old Man Hwang's forge.

Old Man Hwang grumbled as I strode through the wide-open door.

"Hmph. What now? Want me to make you a herbal medicine brewer this time?"

With my hood pulled low, I handed over a stack of papers.

"…Ma… make… this… please…."

Blueprints for the resonance synthesis system and mana reactor. Knowledge beyond my comprehension. Actually, since I'd emptied my mind and just copied it, I finished quickly.

Old Man Hwang took the blueprints with a grumpy expression.

Then, as he scanned them, his eyes began to widen.

"Hmph. What's this now…."

He muttered without taking his eyes off them.

"Replicating mana flow and synchronizing physical movements? Who the hell came up with this…."

He paused and stared straight at me, his gaze asking if I'd really done this.

"……."

I just stayed silent. No way he'd believe it was copied from the gallery.

Old Man Hwang turned back to the blueprints and let out a hollow laugh.

"Good grief… making this would cost a fortune."

I pulled out a small potion vial from my pocket, as if I'd expected this.

Clink.

It was the curse dissolution potion I'd developed independently.

I set it on the workbench and reminded him of our previous deal.

"You… said you'd… take it as… payment… for new… potions… I bring…."

His eyes lingered on the vial briefly, then looked at me troubled.

"No, that's separate from this. The scale here is…."

He had a point. The fabrication difficulty of this equipment wasn't something a few potions could buy.

But sometimes, you need to be shameless.

"Thanks… to potions… hunters aren't… dying much… lately…."

"Well… true."

Old Man Hwang grudgingly admitted it. My potions had skyrocketed hunter survival rates—it was undeniable.

I didn't let the chance slip.

"If you… make this… I can make… hundreds of potions…."

"……."

"Then… we can hire… more people… If you don't… make it…."

I slightly lifted the hood covering my face, revealing my haggard features.

Dark circles down to my chin, looking like I'd drop dead any second.

"I'll die… from overwork… and everyone… dies…."

Old Man Hwang stared at me with an exasperated expression.