Elixir (2)
Elixir (2)
Recklessly consuming a natural elixir invites disaster.
A natural elixir has absorbed nature's energy over a long period. It is a massive cluster of mana.
Shove it down your throat and the torrent of energy will shatter you.
This is doubly true for ordinary people who cannot handle mana, and even most superhumans end up crippled.
Natural elixirs therefore require an extremely strict ingestion method. Even when the method is followed, a powerful superhuman remains on standby during ingestion, ready for the worst.
The risks of natural elixirs can be mitigated through specialized processing.
Not the art of turning ordinary ingredients into elixirs, but the art of rendering dangerous elixirs safe.
It involves handling high-grade materials, not low-grade ones, and demands far more advanced techniques.
Natural elixirs are dangerous because their efficacy is so exceptional. Processing them preserves the efficacy while eliminating the risk.
It's a crude analogy, but it is like deboning a fish.
Before ingesting it, I scanned my surroundings with Spatial Perception. I found no potential danger. Even though I had the dorm to myself, I shut the door and drew the curtains.
Judging there was nothing dangerous nearby, I settled down, calmed my mana, and took out the elixir.
A pill-shaped elixir so charged with energy that merely unsealing it tinted the air with mana.
If I recall correctly, the main ingredient is the root of the Fairy Tree. It is practically nature's energy itself. That must be why it possesses such dense mana.
I cautiously held the elixir in my mouth. I could not taste the elixir on my tongue. I don't know if it naturally has no taste or if I simply could not perceive it.
The elixir slowly melted. Like sticky mucus, the dissolving mass swirled and gradually slid down my throat on its own.
My mouth filled with mana. The mana spread out, following the elixir. The moment the elixir passed my throat and touched the core near my heart, mana exploded and surged through my entire body.
- Thump! Thump! Thump!
My heart pounded violently. As if in sync, my core heated up. A tidal wave of mana cascaded through every circuit in my body.
From my head to the tips of my fingers and toes. Even after reaching my extremities, the mana did not stop. It hit the edges of my body and rebounded, stirring everything up again.
My body heated up. The areas stirred by mana grew hot, then cooled once more as another wave swept through.
'Oh...'
Sensing my body's internal state in real time, I let out an awed sigh.
A contradictory sensation of heat and coolness. Every sweep of mana deposited pure mana in my core, and the circuits it passed through creaked and solidified.
Natural elixir. In the original work, it merely increased stats and provided a timed buff, but experiencing it in reality showed it could not be explained that simply.
The timing was right, too. I am currently in the middle of my growth period. In other words, now is the perfect time to take it.
I was pleasantly observing the changes in my body, letting out exclamations of delight.
The bloated feeling hit suddenly. Something surged up from inside.
'Huh?'
It was a sensation somewhat similar to the nausea I felt last time. But it was different. Before, I had a chance of holding it back. Now, I absolutely could not endure it.
In the end, something rose to my mouth and trickled from the corners of my lips.
It was blood closer to black than red.
Wait.
Huh...
What?
'Shit?'
My momentarily frozen thoughts clumsily pieced themselves together.
Blood had come out. It is rare to live without seeing blood; even a small wound on the body shows it.
Blood from the mouth. It is usually hard to see, but I have experienced it. If you take four or five full-force kicks in the stomach, blood comes up mixed with a cough.
- Drip, drip...
The case of blood gushing from my mouth like this... it happened when a sword was stabbed into my gut. I still do not know how I survived that.
No, that is not the problem.
Why is blood leaking from my mouth right now? I was not kicked in the gut or stabbed.
If there is a cause in this situation... the elixir?
'Why?'
A natural elixir. Eat it recklessly, and your body explodes. That is why the elixir I received from Hong Yeon-hwa was processed to reduce that risk.
No matter how much the risk is reduced, it is still dangerous for ordinary people. It is meant for superhumans.
I am a superhuman who already awakened mana. A superhuman who accepts and operates mana. So why is blood pouring from my mouth? And the amount is increasing.
A handful of black blood already stained the floor. I tried to calm my confused head.
Was there poison? I could not tell through Spatial Perception.
Did I think Hong Yeon-hwa would try to kill me? Not for a second.
Did the maker add it on purpose? I do not know. But in my gut, I felt that was not it.
The elixir was definitely working properly.
...So the problem is my body?
'Ugh...'
Just then, my consciousness dimmed. It felt like being swept away by an irresistible current.
'Ah, this.'
If I lose consciousness, isn't that bad...?
Before I could finish that worry, my awareness finally cut off.
.
.
.
The forest was brimming with life.
In the night sky, dark as drawing paper, countless stars were densely packed, illuminating the ground.
Starlight reflected on the clear river made it look as if the stars were spread equally across the earth and the sky.
Straight trees grew densely around the lake. Their thick trunks seemed as though no storm could fell them, and their vigorously spreading branches and leaves were full of vitality.
The vitality of the grasses spread across the ground was noticeable too, full of a vibrant aura as if proving they were all alive right now.
It was a forest with a dreamlike atmosphere. I thought, if one were to imagine the most beautiful forest in a dream, it would probably look like this.
- A friend?
- A new friend?
- I don't know! A friend we've never seen before!
Suddenly, countless light clusters flew in. Green, yellow, blue, lime...
From under tree roots, behind large rocks, from the starlit lake, from the undersides of countless leaves...
Colorful light clusters popped out from everywhere and flitted about, as if welcoming a new figure.
- A friend...? No, it's not.
- It's not a friend.
- Huh. Then what is it?
The light clusters, swimming through the air, buzzed around as if confused. In the midst of that, one light cluster flashed and dashed out.
- Family! Not a friend, but family!
- Family? Is that so?
- That's right! It's family!
At the cry of one light cluster, the others seemed puzzled before gradually agreeing. Then they stirred all around as if putting on a fireworks display.
- Family! It's a new family!
The light clusters chattered away, utterly delighted. In response, the surrounding tree branches stirred. The leaves fluttered as if dancing, and a refreshing breeze blew.
The grasses danced in the wind, lying down and rising up. Amidst them, the light clusters rode the wind and danced together.
It was a beautiful, dreamlike sight. It felt as if they were celebrating the arrival of a new family member.
- Let's play!
A lime-green light cluster came up and said.
- The hill over there is really nice!
A yellow light cluster said.
- And let's go over there too! The starlight twinkles and it's awesome!
A blue light cluster said.
- Don't just go there! Let's all go to the forest too...!
The voices of the colorful light clusters echoed in my ears. Yet it was not noisy at all; instead, it was a sound that stabilized my mind and body like a song.
- New family! Let's all go over there!
A red light cluster... red...
Red. Red. Red... fire, flames...
Calamity Flame, Hong Yeon-hwa, evening sunset, warm embrace, elixir, black blood...
'Wait.'
My hazy consciousness pulled back into focus. My mind sharpened.
'Where am I?'
The moment that question arose, my consciousness sank. The forms of the light clusters disappeared into the distance.
Inside the fading light clusters, I glimpsed something small.
Thin, soft wings, like flower petals. Every time they fluttered gently, a beautiful burst of light spread out.
.
.
.
"......"
My cheek, pressed against something, felt sticky. No, my entire body was sticky. My mind was blank.
I was lying facedown somewhere.
I opened my Spatial Perception just enough to scan my immediate surroundings.
It was my room, where I had been just before collapsing. The difference: the floor was soaked in blood, and I was lying facedown on it.
I cautiously pressed my hands against the floor. A strange texture coated my palms. I could not smell it, but the presence felt odd and unsettling.
Putting strength into both arms, I carefully pushed myself up.
- Schlp
Dried black blood was firmly caked onto my face, which had been against the floor.
'...What the hell.'
As I was trying to gather my dazed mind, my smartwatch vibrated. I checked it out of curiosity and saw a pile of unread messages.
I pulled up the hologram.
▶Hong Yeon-hwa: Did you get back safely? (Yesterday 19:41)
▶Hong Yeon-hwa: Ha-yul? (Yesterday 19:55)
▶Hong Yeon-hwa: You're asleep... (Yesterday 20:23)
▶Hong Yeon-hwa: Sweet dreams! (Yesterday 20:23)
.
▶Hong Yeon-hwa: You remember the explanation I gave you yesterday, right? (Today 10:51)
▶Hong Yeon-hwa: Even if it's processed, it takes time to adapt, so if you took it yesterday or today, try not to do anything and rest well (Today 10:51)
'Yesterday?'
I checked the current time. It was 3 PM on Saturday. I had taken the elixir on Friday around 7 PM.
...Had I really been sprawled out for nearly an entire day? In a pool of blood?
Frowning, I pushed myself up.