Elixir
Elixir
A potion that consumes zero Capacity.
And the Zero-Calorie Alchemist who could craft it.
Though thought to be nothing more than a rumor, his existence was confirmed by the ranker Lee Sol.
Broadcasting stations as well as Noutube began pouring out related videos.
The Awakener Gallery was no exception.
[Awakener Gallery]
[General] Hey, has anyone gotten a reply from the Zero-Calorie Alchemist?
I'm sending my fifth message right now, but I haven't gotten a single reply.
ㄴYou've only sent five, what are you talking about lmao
ㄴㄴReal lmao I sent thirty messages and still nothing
[General] No, but seriously, not a single person has gotten a reply so far
How on earth did Lee Sol even meet the Zero-Calorie Alchemist?
ㄴAre you really comparing yourself to a ranker?
ㄴHonestly, why would he reply to random nobodies he doesn't even know? I wouldn't either.
ㄴAnd even if she wasn't a ranker, with Lee Sol's looks, even I'd reply. Peace out.
For the most part, the posts were about people attempting to contact the Zero-Calorie Alchemist, only to fail.
[General] But has anyone seen Zero-Calorie Potions on the Exchange since then?
Aside from that one person who bought a Low-Grade Recovery Potion at the beginning, none have ever shown up.
ㄴNope. I keep refreshing the potion category, but it's never been put up.
[General] Ah, I'm so fucking jealous. I wish I had an ability like that
I'm just a regular Alchemist so even after awakening I barely make any money, but that guy is gonna make a fortune selling potions on the Exchange, right? So damn envious, seriously.
ㄴReal lmao
ㄴBut considering that, it seems like he's not selling them much on the Exchange
ㄴㄴIt's not just "not selling much", he hasn't sold any except that very first time.
ㄴㄴIf you listen to what Lee Sol said, he can even make Low-Grade Mana Potions, but those haven't even been put up on the Exchange either.
Because he had initially sold a Low-Grade Recovery Potion on the Exchange, people expected that if they waited, he would eventually sell Low-Grade Mana Potions on the Exchange as well.
However, far from mana potions, not even recovery potions appeared on the Exchange.
The Zero-Calorie Alchemist had suddenly stopped selling potions.
As everyone speculated on the reason, a new post was put up.
[General] Isn't the reason he doesn't sell potions on the Exchange this?
He only wants to do direct trades with rankers.
Since they said he traded with Lee Sol.
At first glance, that hypothesis seemed plausible.
However, rebuttals were soon posted in the comments.
ㄴIt's not like rankers don't use the Exchange, he could just list them at a high price on the Exchange
ㄴAnyway, whether it's direct trade or the Exchange, there's no difference in making money, and actually listing on the Exchange creates bidding competition among awakeners so he'd make even more money.
The rebuttal argued that if money were the goal, there was no need to go through the inconvenience of direct trading.
To that, the original poster rebutted back.
(OP) So I'm saying money might not be his goal. Isn't he trying to help rankers conquer the tower?
The bustling comment section paused for a moment.
Soon, comments flooded in again.
ㄴAs if! Lmao
ㄴHow can a non-combat-type Awakener conquer the tower? Are you an idiot?
Awakeners were divided into combat-type Awakeners and non-combat-type Awakeners.
Combat-type Awakeners conquer the tower.
In the process, they clear missions to earn points.
On the other hand, non-combat-type Awakeners do not conquer the tower.
Instead, they earn points by selling items they crafted on the Exchange.
That was common sense.
However, in this world, things that overturned such common sense occasionally occurred.
ㄴNo, but it's possible. Before, when the 54th floor was cleared for the first time, 'Obsessed Blacksmith' was on the clear roster.
ㄴㄴAh, was that guy really a blacksmith?
ㄴㄴㄴYeah, the weapon he made was recognized to have significantly impacted clearing the 54th floor, so he was put on the clear roster. I bet he even got points.
ㄴㄴㄴㄴWow, so a non-combat-type Awakener really can participate in conquering the tower.
Cases where someone significantly impacted the conquest of the tower.
In such cases, even a non-combat-type Awakener was recognized as having conquered the tower.
ㄴBut up until now, that 54th floor case was the only time that ever happened
ㄴㄴReal. And if it's a blacksmith, at least they craft weapons. Clearing with potions? Is that even possible?
Nevertheless, most of the comments reacted skeptically.
That was only natural.
A weapon was one thing, but how could potions exert such a powerful impact on clearing?
The comments discussed it for a long while, but the consensus converged on the idea that it would be difficult with potions.
Once a conclusion was reached, those who had been actively commenting lost interest and went to read other posts.
Because of that, they failed to read the comment the original poster left as time passed.
(OP) You never know. Even if potions can't, maybe if he can use elixirs, it might be possible.
10 AM.
Doyoon visited Lee Sol's house again.
Fortunately, this time the guard didn't block his way, perhaps because she had contacted the security office in advance.
Lee Sol was still sleeping in bed.
She was like this last time too; it seemed she usually slept at this hour.
Doyoon shook Lee Sol to wake her up.
Lee Sol then raised her upper body with a half-asleep face and looked at Doyoon.
"Water."
"...Yes. I'll get it for you."
Once Lee Sol finished drinking the water, Doyoon spoke to her.
"I enjoyed watching the duel. I didn't expect you to obscure his vision like that."
The duel with Jack.
Even to Doyoon, who didn't know much about duels, he couldn't help but admire her strategy of using Blizzard to block the enemy's vision.
"It's no big deal. The opponent just lacked experience."
Lee Sol said as she pushed aside the blanket covering her lower body.
At her thighs exposed beneath her dolphin shorts, Doyoon hurriedly turned his eyes away.
"So? What are you going to do now?"
Lee Sol suddenly asked while looking at Doyoon.
"Huh?"
"Those potions. You know they're not ordinary, right?"
Doyoon nodded heavily.
With related videos constantly popping up on Noutube, there was no way he couldn't know.
"Right now, no one knows you're the Zero-Calorie Alchemist, but eventually it will be revealed. When that time comes, people targeting your ability will show up too."
She was right.
Unless Doyoon was a combat-type Awakener, as long as he was a non-combat-type Awakener, there was no guarantee that no one would attack him targeting his ability.
Doyoon let out a long sigh.
"That's why I'm conflicted too. Right now, I've even put selling potions on the Exchange on hold."
At first, he only thought about making money by selling potions.
However, due to the unexpectedly strong reaction, Doyoon temporarily stopped selling potions.
Because it was difficult to predict what kind of results his activities as the Zero-Calorie Alchemist would bring.
Although identity protection on the Exchange was guaranteed, his tail could be caught without him even realizing it.
In that case, who could protect him?
"I'm considering asking the Bureau for protection, but honestly, I don't feel like it."
The Bureau was an institution established by the state to manage Awakeners.
However, because they often tried to exert control under the guise of management, Awakeners generally disliked the Bureau.
Given Doyoon's ability, the Bureau would protect him as much as possible, but he didn't know what kind of favors they would demand in return.
In the worst-case scenario, they might try to control other Awakeners using Doyoon's potions as a weapon.
That was not the outcome Doyoon wanted.
"Live here, then."
"Huh?"
Doyoon blinked.
"You're afraid someone will attack you targeting your ability, right? But this is where I live. No one will ever attack here."
"I mean... Of course no one would attack, but..."
Would there be anyone bold enough to attack the residence of Lee Sol, a top-tier ranker?
Far from an attack, they'd be fortunate if they didn't just end up as an ice sculpture handed over to the Bureau.
But the real problem was something else.
"No matter how afraid I am of an attack, living in Lee Sol-ssi's house... No matter what, I can't be such a nuisance."
Besides, even now, with her breasts showing through Lee Sol's shirt and her thighs visible beneath her dolphin shorts, he had nowhere to look; if they lived together, his sanity wouldn't hold up.
However, Lee Sol said nonchalantly:
"I never said we'd live in the exact same house though?"
"Pardon?"
"This entire floor belongs to me. You can just live in the unit next to mine."
Doyoon was rendered speechless.
Because she looked so defenseless, he had temporarily forgotten, but Lee Sol was a ranker too.
Buying an entire floor of a luxury apartment was hardly unreasonable for her.
"If you live next door to me, at least you won't have to worry about someone kidnapping you while you sleep."
Lee Sol rested her chin on her hand and continued:
"And if you want, I can protect you too."
A ranker's protection.
In short, even if someone targeting Doyoon's ability appeared in the future, Lee Sol would handle them.
'With Lee Sol-ssi, it certainly won't be a problem.'
Lee Sol was also known to hand over Awakeners who committed crimes to the Bureau.
There was no one better suited to protect Doyoon than Lee Sol, who was thoroughly experienced in dealing with Awakeners.
But if something was given, something had to be received in return.
"...In return, what do I need to do for you?"
Doyoon asked nervously.
There was no way a ranker's protection came without a price.
She surely wanted something.
Lee Sol answered:
"A contract."
"Huh?"
"Keep supplying me with potions steadily in the future. That's what I want. A sort of long-term contract."
A long-term contract.
Hearing that, Doyoon could also grasp Lee Sol's intentions to some extent.
Doyoon's Zero-Calorie Potions possessed immense value, but due to his mana limit, there was a bottleneck in supply.
By securing a long-term contract, Lee Sol wanted to receive an uninterrupted supply.
And incidentally, by keeping Doyoon nearby, she would protect him so no one else could take him away.
That was definitely her intention.
Doyoon calculated the gains and losses in his head.
It wasn't a bad deal for Doyoon either.
Because a ranker's protection was just that valuable.
If there was just one thing lingering on his mind...
"But no matter how strong Lee Sol-ssi is, you won't be able to protect me 24 hours a day."
"I figured as much, so I already warned them in advance through the interview. Don't worry."
"Huh?"
"I told you. That the Zero-Calorie Alchemist helped me."
At those words, Doyoon went 'Ah' and clapped his hands.
He thought she had said it carelessly, but was it actually a warning?
A warning that the Zero-Calorie Alchemist was on her side, so don't mess with him.
"As long as I take your side, no one will touch you."
"Certainly."
No one would want to get on the bad side of a top-tier ranker.
"So? What's your decision?"
There was no need to hesitate any longer.
"I look forward to working with you from now on, Lee Sol-ssi."
"Likewise."
Lee Sol slowly extended her hand.
Doyoon shook her hand in return.
They decided to move in three days.
In the meantime, Doyoon decided to prepare for the move at his studio apartment.
He cleaned the room and packed the belongings he would take into delivery boxes.
Thankfully, once gathered together, he didn't have that many belongings.
Well, he originally spent little time at home anyway since he often had to go out for part-time jobs.
It was only natural that he didn't have many possessions.
Right around the time he finished packing his belongings, sighs echoed from the TV.
Wondering what it was, he looked at the TV.
A female Awakener was appearing on the screen.
She was an Awakener Doyoon knew as well.
Lee Seah.
A ranker who awakened as an Archer class.
Seah was aiming her bow at a glowing ball with wings.
Doyoon knew that ball very well too.
The target of the 58th floor.
The clear condition for the 58th floor was hitting that ball with an attack.
One might think what's so hard about hitting just a single ball with an attack, but that was missing the bigger picture.
For the past several months, rankers hadn't been able to clear the 58th floor simply because they couldn't hit that single ball with an attack.
The ball's speed changed depending on the challenger.
For slow Awakeners, it moved just as slowly.
For fast Awakeners, it moved even faster.
Because it moved at a speed subtly exceeding an Awakener's limits, not a single person had cleared the 58th floor yet.
In the video, Seah fired arrows diligently, but the arrows merely grazed the ball.
Even that was a massive improvement.
When Seah first challenged it, she couldn't even aim her bow properly.
However, despite months of continuous attempts, success remained elusive.
No matter how much the rankers increased their speed, the ball only narrowly dodged every time.
In the end, Seah lowered her bow and stepped back.
She had given up on the challenge.
A scene he had already witnessed several times.
On the high floors, extremely difficult missions like this frequently appeared.
There were times when clearing a single floor took several years.
Clearing this floor didn't look possible in a short timeframe either.
However, Doyoon suddenly thought.
'Speed, huh. Does she just need to get a little bit faster?'
He summoned his status window in his mind.
Information about the newly unlocked potion floated before his eyes.
[Zero-Calorie Elixir of Agility]
Movement speed and attack speed slightly increase.
Consumed Capacity: 0
Doyoon muttered.
"If it's this, could it...?"