Chapter 3

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Translator: MadScientist

Chapter: 3

Chapter Title: Perfect Body Potion #1

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"...Huh?"

The materials are... what...?

Mythical creature? Fragment of the World? Water from the Abyss?

No, more than that.

Do things like that even exist in this world?

"...This is insane."

Does the top floor of the tower really have stuff like that?

It feels like I've learned something I shouldn't have.

"This must be because of the word 'perfect'..."

The perfection I wanted wasn't anything like that.

I just wanted a perfect body to match my handsome face.

I had zero desire to become some entity far beyond humanity!

"...Alright. Let's pretend I didn't see this?"

From now on, I'd be extra careful with what I input for synthesis.

I'll bury this memory deep inside.

Sometimes the world has truths it's better not to know.

And right now, that was exactly the case.

"Alright! On to the next one?"

Pushing it aside like that.

The next recipe appeared.

"Yeah... at least a dragon is better..."

I haven't even cleared the first floor yet, but still.

A dragon was way better than some unknowable mythical creature.

Better an unobserved unknown than the strongest existing monster with subjugation records.

"Well, still can't make it either way."

Leaving the dragon I'd oddly grown fond of behind.

I moved to the next recipe.

"Humanoid monster...?"

Hmm... this might actually be doable?

Goblins count as humanoid monsters if you think about it.

And I've heard there are plenty of human-like monsters in the tower even beyond goblins.

Compared to the previous ones, this seems feasible ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠enough.

"The problem is where to get them..."

Obviously can't go into the tower myself to hunt them.

And buying them? I've lived a normal life so far—no connections for that...

"...Oh right, didn't the gallery have a trading post?"

I vaguely remembered seeing it in Tower Knowledge PhD's post.

To check, I grabbed my phone and logged into the gallery.

I spotted the three-line menu bar in the top right ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠and tapped it.

Among the sliding menus, I found [Trading Post] and selected it.

"Ah, right. Needed verification."

I didn't know how it worked, but I tapped [Yes] and waited.

I have no idea how it read my status window.

But the gallery automatically verified me as a climber.

Issued the gallery card and unlocked all features.

"This gallery is pretty suspicious if you think about it...?"

It appeared with the tower, so they're connected somehow.

But why does it take the form of a gallery? That's the real question.

"Whatever."

That's not important right now.

I set aside my curiosity about the gallery.

And tapped into the trading post.

I typed [Humanoid Monster] into the search bar at the top.

From cheap ‍‍‌‌⁠​​⁠‌​​‍​​‍​‌​⁠‍‌‍⁠⁠‌⁠‌‍‌‍‌‌‌‍⁠​‌​‌​‌‍‌‌‌⁠‍​​‌‍⁠‌‌⁠⁠goblin, kobold, orc materials to pricey ogre, doppelganger, vampire ones, they all poured in.

"Whoa... these prices are brutal..."

Common ones like goblins or kobolds were in the tens of thousands.

But powerful rares like ogres or vampires easily hit hundreds of millions.

"Let's see... I've got about 1.2 million in the bank..."

With what I have, even stretching it, only goblins or kobolds are options.

"Hmm... making the potion with goblin or kobold materials feels off..."

It's for transforming my body, after all.

Using goblin or kobold stuff? No thanks.

"Ah, I wanna synthesize something."

I'd love to use Synthesis to make hair growth potions or heals, copy money.

But my [Synthesis (EX)] is way too out of spec.

One click with roadside materials and I got Beauty Potion (B+). That says it all.

What if I seriously mass-produced elixirs and potions with this skill and sold them?

"Men in black suits would drag me off immediately."

Even with the gallery's (Private) feature, I'd get caught.

Listing items confesses my existence in Korea.

I don't know how they'd track me, but they'd comb this small country eventually.

Then I'd end up in some underground labor camp for some bigwig, slaving away making potions forever...

"...Yeah, better hold off on selling directly."

Not forever, of course.

I know nothing about this climber world yet.

Until I have ways to protect myself or reliable backing, it's best to lay low.

"Sigh... being too good is a problem."

Wow, that sounded obnoxious.

But what can I do? The world made me this way.

Anyway.

So in the end.

I need to squeeze max value from my 1.2 million.

But 1.2 million is too little. Any other way?

"Hmm... maybe search the gallery?"

Grasping at straws.

I searched [Alchemist] in the gallery search bar.

And tapped the most eye-catching post.

~Perfect understanding achieved.~

"Alchemists get treated like shit, huh?"

Super hard difficulty, but materials cost so much even labor isn't covered.

Makes sense. My skill handles recipes, cooking, everything—no hassle.

But doing it all manually, milligram precision from start to finish?

"I'd quit alchemy and prep for a job hunt right away."

Who'd do that? Not even for billions.

"Thank god my skill rank's high."

Anyway.

That aside.

"Gallery has a commission board, huh?"

The comments mentioned a separate commission board.

Maybe I can make some money there for what I need?