Poisons, Traps, and a Star's Pitfall
Mu-hyuk, back in the Weibra Empire, stopped by the general store first.
"Welcome."
"Here to buy some stuff."
"What do you need?"
"Three shovels. And a hundred each of Slowness Potions and Tears of Confusion."
"Got it. Shovels are one silver each. Slowness Potions are two silvers apiece, Tears of Confusion three silvers. That'll be five gold thirty silvers total."
"Here."
He paid and stowed the items in his inventory.
Leaving the general store, he headed to the herbalist's.
"Ten bundles each of molli, creas, and bir."
"Right away."
But he wasn't done.
He went to the document shop next and picked up summon buff scrolls too.
Ten gold apiece.
Ten thousand won, gone just like that.
Finally, he rented a research room at the Alchemist Guild.
In the center was a magical cauldron. He mixed molli and creas at a 4.2 to 6.8 ratio, then added the Slowness Potion.
Molli, creas, and Slowness Potion mixed.
The magical cauldron reacts.
◈ A new poison born from molli and creas with a special additive. Slows the body on contact and deals continuous damage.
Next, he mixed molli at 1.3, creas at 2.7, and bir at 6, then dripped in the Tear of Confusion.
Molli, creas, bir, and Tear of Confusion mixed.
The magical cauldron reacts.
◈ A new poison born from molli, creas, and bir with a special additive. Causes hallucinations on contact and continuous damage. Effect ends if HP drops below a certain threshold.
Just like that, he had a hundred Slowness Poisons and a hundred Hallucination Poisons.
Plus the summon buff scrolls.
Perfect. Preparations complete.
He headed back to the orc village.
On the way, he listed ten each of the Slowness and Hallucination Poisons on the auction house as a test.
◈ A new poison born from molli and creas with a special additive. Slows the body on contact and deals continuous damage.
In truth, these poisons were just one piece of the vast knowledge Mu-hyuk possessed.
Items favored by level 100+ users, so he figured they wouldn't sell right now.
But making them convinced him: those with money would pay for the edge.
About thirty minutes passed.
As he neared the orc village...
As expected.
◈ A new poison born from molli and creas with a special additive. Slows the body on contact.
◈ A new poison born from molli, creas, and bir with a special additive. Causes hallucinations on contact and continuous damage. Effect ends if HP drops below a certain threshold.
Pure material cost was barely five silvers per vial.
Even including the guild room rental, around ten silvers tops.
And now they were climbing to thirty, forty silvers each.
Given time, they'd fetch over a gold apiece.
A thousand won investment turning into ten thousand?
Of course, the window was short—maybe two weeks max.
Thousands of alchemists worldwide would crack the ratios and additives with their skills.
He had to milk it for all it was worth in the limited time.
First things first: job change.
Then mass-produce and sell the poisons.
Krrrng...
It was then.
An orc respawned, blocking the path.
Mu-hyuk startled slightly but quickly steadied his breath and drew his sword.
Flash.
He closed the distance and unleashed a barrage.
Indiscriminate strikes.
Krrrk...
A mere level 23 orc couldn't withstand Mu-hyuk's damage.
It died pathetically after a few slashes.
He didn't even bother dissecting the corpse and pressed on.
There, in the distance: the orc great warrior.
Almost there.
Mu-hyuk pulled a shovel from his inventory.
"Hup...!"
He began digging.
Scoop, thud.
His high strength made quick work of the earth.
Ten minutes, then another ten.
Nonstop shoveling yielded a meter-deep hole.
"What the hell's he doing?"
"Digging a trap or something? Heh."
Nearby players laughed and stared, but he ignored them.
More digging, more digging.
Forty minutes later, he stopped.
"Hoo..."
Two one-meter-deep holes.
One 1.3-meter-deep hole.
Three in total.
He scanned the surroundings.
An idle orc great warrior nearby.
"Skeleton Summon. Zombie Summon."
Summons complete, he coated their weapons with Slowness and Hallucination Poisons.
Then positioned himself away from the holes.
"Zombie, forward. Hold."
He sent Golgolil at the orc great warrior.
As the distance closed, it glared and charged.
"Golgolil, retreat."
The first hole was near.
As the orc great warrior swung its greatsword at point-blank...
"Golgolil, lie down. Roll."
The greatsword cleaved empty air.
Kroooar!
Enraged, it pursued the rolling skeleton.
Splush.
Its leg sank into the first hole.
Kroar?
Mu-hyuk raised Golgolil while eyeing the confused beast.
Then ordered the zombie to attack.
The zombie's knuckle slammed into the orc great warrior's side, activating the Slowness Poison.
Its movements slowed dramatically. He directed the skeletons to attack too.
Was it the Hallucination Poison on the sword?
Leg stuck, the orc great warrior stared blankly at the sky.
"All attack!"
Solid hits landed.
Krugh, kroooar...!
Around 10% HP gone, it snapped out and swung wildly.
"Retreat."
Full retreat ordered.
"Zombie 1, left. Zombie 2, right. Golgol, Golgol-i, Golgol 3, jump."
He barked orders, luring it to the second hole.
Splush.
Leg sank again.
Sizzle.
Now he used the summon buff scroll.
Summons' Attack Power gains Additional Damage (+10).
Summons' Defense (+5) increased.
Summons' HP (+100) increased.
Duration: 5 minutes
It would last five minutes.
He had to end it within that.
"All attack!"
Summons swarmed the orc great warrior yanking its leg free.
Skeleton swords.
Zombie knuckles.
Strikes rained down.
No more hallucinations, but slowness kept it sluggish.
They dodged what would have been five hits down to four.
Buff boosted defense and HP for extra hits, plus ten flat damage, and ongoing poison ticks.
Still, the orc great warrior was tough.
Its greatsword remained devastating.
Crack.
Golgol-i shattered and despawned.
Zombie 2 too.
Kroooar!
The orc great warrior roared.
Gaining breathing room?
It freed its leg, balanced, and counterattacked properly.
Mu-hyuk wouldn't just watch.
"Retreat."
Buff had about thirty seconds left.
One trap remaining.
Poison damage ticking.
No choice. Sacrifice the buff.
Buy time for more poison damage.
"Golgolil, approach. Hold. Retreat."
He made it dance around the orc great warrior.
A razor-thin dance.
One hit would hurt.
"Duck! Zombie 1, bite!"
Golgolil's sword occasionally nicked the orc.
Slowness Poison kept tormenting it.
Without it, all summons might have despawned already.
"All back."
Time to go for broke.
Kroooar!
The charging orc great warrior fell into the final hole.
Both thighs locked.
"Focus fire!"
Nothing left for Mu-hyuk to do.
Just watch.
Tension mounted as time ticked.
Crack.
Golgolil shattered.
Zombie 1 forcibly despawned.
Only Golgol 3 left.
Kruk, krrrng...
Then the orc great warrior's eyes glazed over.
Greatsword dropped.
"Golgol 3, throat!"
Sword whistled through air.
Splurch.
Summon attack is a critical hit.
Double damage applied.
+20 additional damage applied.
The orc great warrior turned gray.
Aaah...!
He'd won.
Soloed an orc great warrior with summons alone!
"Did you see that?"
"Yeah. Insane..."
"Whoa, five summons took down an orc great warrior?"
"Must be pretty high level."
"Yeah, mid-30s at least."
Players chattered.
"But didn't that orc great warrior seem kinda slow?"
"Totally. I noticed too..."
"And those pits."
"Hoo, having fun with the game."
"Not struggling?"
"I don't get raising necro with all that hassle."
"Heh, summoning huge armies later has its appeal."
"A squad of wimpy skeletons?"
Their words fell on deaf ears.
Thrill coursed through him.
Euphoria churning his body.
"Hoo..."
He barely calmed the excitement and removed his helmet.
Felt the cooling wind dry his sweat.
This is all fake...
Incredible.
Everything he felt now, just 'virtual'.
Stay like this a bit longer?
Soak in the refreshment.
Yeah.
He stowed the helmet and turned to complete the quest.
"Wha, whoa!"
"Jackpot!"
"Hey, look over there!"
Sudden commotion.
Caused by people approaching from afar.
"That's Yura, right?"
"Damn, she's even prettier in person."
Yura.
Former idol turned MC for Illusion's World.
Mu-hyuk's first real-life sighting widened his eyes slightly.
She really is pretty.
Made sense why they cheered.
Slim figure, curvaceous lines.
Innocent face, seductive eyes.
"Hello!"
And a lovely voice.
"Nice to meet you. Mind if I ask one thing?"
"Sure!"
"Ask away!"
"Thanks. Anyone seen a solo player wandering around? Probably carrying a shield and sword..."
She was hunting the rank 1 holy knight, no doubt.
But the description...
Hmm...?
Reminded him of a certain player right nearby.
His unique hunting style must've stuck.
Anyway, players' gazes shifted—and landed squarely on Mu-hyuk.
A necromancer, yet equipped with sword and shield.
What's this vibe?
Mu-hyuk furrowed his brow.
"Excuse me."
Yura approached him.
Up close, her features sharpened beautifully.
Ugh...
Breath-catching gorgeousness.
"What's your name?"
She scanned him from bottom to top.
His gear looked mediocre.
But she didn't judge hastily.
Illusion had plenty of oddballs.
Even skilled players with poor gear.
"Not who you're looking for."
"Pardon?"
"Saw it on the show."
"Ah, I see. Still, could you tell me?"
No thanks to unwanted attention.
Though right now, nothing much to attract it.
"Pass."
"Huh?"
"Busy. Later."
He turned and walked off, ignoring her.
"H-Hey!"
"..."
"Wait a sec!"
He sensed her chasing.
Mu-hyuk veered slightly.
"Hey, just talk for a—"
Then Yura fell into a pit.
"Kyaaah!"
He glanced back.
Pitiful sight.
A beauty flailing desperately.
He wanted to rush and help, but forced his gaze forward.
"You okay?"
"Yura!"
"What are you doing? Help her!"
"R-Right!"
Ignoring the uproar behind, he kept walking.