Chapter 5
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Translator: 8uhl
Chapter: 5
Chapter Title: Setting Up the Workshop
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Yeon Sung-hun left the Hunter Association and headed straight to a real estate office, where he rented a room.
It wasn't far from home, and it was a quiet spot where hardly anyone passed by.
The reason Yeon Sung-hun—who had vowed to heal his mother and sister—had suddenly rented a room was to create a workshop.
What would it take to heal the two of them?
Unlike in his previous life, Earth sadly had no priests capable of curing them.
There were apparently a few hunters with a skill called "Heal," but they were few and far between, and it wasn't even certain they could reliably cure the pair.
That was why, to save his family, he had decided on the potion he was most confident in.
Even just from Faust's memories, there were dozens of recipes for potions that could heal them.
And the first one that sprang to mind was none other than the Elixir.
The golden potion that cured all wounds and all illnesses.
One of alchemy's ultimate pinnacles.
The goal countless alchemists had chased but never reached.
Fortunately, Faust had created it once before.
Even he, however, had only succeeded after endless effort and meticulous preparation.
Unfortunately, the current Yeon Sung-hun was nowhere near ready.
He knew the process, but he lacked all preparation to achieve that miracle.
"What a shame. One bottle each, and they'd be right as rain."
He knew firsthand, having drunk it himself.
Not full immortality from the legends, perhaps, but close enough.
Eternal youth or a life free of sickness, that sort of thing.
In his past life, he'd only tasted it in old age, so no eternal youth for him—but at least he'd never suffered illness right up to the end.
And that after living nearly two hundred years.
"This enough for prep?"
The furniture and lab equipment he'd scouted out and bought himself were neatly arranged.
He surveyed the spotless room and grinned in satisfaction.
It was laughably crude compared to his old workshop, but leagues beyond his starter setup when he'd first delved into alchemy.
Heeek— Grinning ear to ear, Yeon Sung-hun rushed the final step to complete his workshop.
The Alchemy Circle.
As vital to alchemy as the materials themselves.
The results varied wildly based on its quality, so it wasn't exaggeration to say the workshop's completion hinged on the circle's.
In the room's center—deliberately left bare of furniture—he drew the Alchemy Circle on the empty floor.
Some alchemists obsessed over every material in their circles, but he didn't sweat it.
Maybe later. Not now.
Minor details like that, he could cover with skill.
With that, Yeon Sung-hun poured every ounce of focus into drawing the circle.
This was no hasty sketch.
The speed, concentration, and the dense patterns filling every inch.
Varies by alchemist, but his circles linked seamlessly, one to the next.
One and the whole. The whole and one.
Symbol of endless flow.
Infinity—Ouroboros.
One slip, and it was failure.
Back to square one.
Yet he never faltered.
Slow and precise.
Swift and intricate.
Not a hint of hesitation as his hand flew.
The process dragged on for hours.
"Huu..."
Yeon Sung-hun rose slowly.
Before him, the finished Alchemy Circle glowed faintly.
His circle. His partner for the long haul ahead.
Unfamiliar body caused a few hiccups midway, but he'd pulled it off.
A thrill raced down his spine, just like his first successful transmutation.
"Halfway there."
A flawless Alchemy Circle was alchemy in itself.
Unlike crude ones, it drew in ambient mana to aid the caster.
And this one? Pure Faust original—leagues beyond any other's.
No need to spell out its power.
Face flushed with excitement, Yeon Sung-hun admired his work before schooling his features.
Great to celebrate completion, but don't ignore the flaws.
Even a perfect-looking circle had its regrets.
"Didn't expect this polish from an untrained body. Wasted good materials on it."
Should've splurged on better stuff if he'd known his hands were this deft?
His oversight.
Regret gnawed at him; he clicked his tongue out of habit.
Minor gripes, really. Nothing major.
Past-life him would've scrapped it, restocked, and redone it.
But now? He knew compromise, per his old friend's advice.
He'd hoped to celebrate with a real transmutation, but no dice—no materials.
Alchemists ran on equivalent exchange.
Nothing to transmute? Even Faust couldn't conjure from thin air.
Shoving regret aside, Yeon Sung-hun left his new workshop.
"Ung..."
Yeon Sung-hun groaned softly from his bed.
He'd been glued to his smartphone awhile.
Recent splurges emptied his account?
Nah, lucky break.
"...Not a single usable material."
He was online shopping for transmutation stock—first time in ages.
Hunter-focused sites, but scanning ingredients? Zilch worthwhile.
"Makes sense. Rift byproducts mostly scooped up by Association or corps."
Sites like these peddled processed goods over raw stuff anyway.
"Hmm. Tricky."
As Faust, no such headaches.
Warehouse stocked to the gills.
Needed something rare? Tell the fanboy "disciples," and it'd appear.
Even stuff from across the continent—in half a day.
"Never thought I'd miss them this much."
Absence makes the heart grow fonder, huh?
Tongue-click. Up from bed.
Online dead end? Time to pound pavement.
"Where to?"
"Out quick!"
"Oppa! Bring treats!"
"Chicken?"
"Pizza today!"
"Roger!"
Family waved him off as Yeon Sung-hun stepped out.
Yeon Sung-hun hit the Hunter Market near the Association.
Familiar turf from gear runs, so no wandering—he scoped stores sharp.
"Hmm."
Hunter pros: variety galore.
But like online, zero hits for what he wanted.
All finished products, processed to hell.
He combed the department-store-sized space top to bottom. Nada.
Asked staff: no raw materials here.
"Should've led with that..."
Heavy sigh at the late truth.
Wasted hours gawking.
Too long since material hunts; basic checks slipped his mind.
"...Guess reprocessing finished goods it is?"
No ideal materials, but options existed.
Transmute ready-made potions as base.
Like with Lee Ha-na's rift gift.
Downside: mana hog.
His body still couldn't pump much.
Circle could offset that, but the real killer?
"Efficiency's trash."
Pour mana for seven, eight tries per real shot.
For his fragile frame—straining after a handful? Pure hell.
"...Still gotta."
No other sourcing now. Only path.
Decision made, Yeon Sung-hun hunted potion specialists in the market.
And reeled in shock.
"...Wh-what the hell?!"
Rows of red potions, neatly shelved.
Prices underneath.
Lowest grade, yet nosebleed tags—Yeon Sung-hun gaped.
"This garbage goes for that?"
Color screamed junk—no test needed.
Faust-era? Floor-smash material, yet merch.
Indescribable rage shook him.
'Ha-na just handed me one of these?'
Saved his skin, sure—but this price tag? Rethink city.
Lee Ha-na. Angel confirmed.
'Owe her big later.'
Hand out for a vial.
Shaking bad.
Apprentice-level dreck?
Ingredient pity-party trash, but needs must.
Reward cash padded the account, still sigh-worthy insanity.
Future's worth teeth-gritting buys.
Lowest-grade hopeless, so low-to-mid-low pickings.
Trash heap's "best"—barely.
Price capped him: one bottle.
No financing.
"Safe trip!"
Clerk beamed him out potion in hand.
"Come back!"
"...Not unless I'm nuts."
Grumble-grunt, inspect buy.
Circulating like this? Some hunter alchemists out there. Who birthed this?
'Hae-eun could top it blindfolded.'
Sister's basics-zero brews under his eye? Leagues better.
Workshop-bound.
Time to recycle trash into treasure.
Dead-to-life miracle tier, but faith unshaken.
Faust: miracle vet.
Goldmaker. This? Cakewalk.
Long story short: dead-raiser miracle, nailed.
Process brutal beyond dreams.
Purchase: material-murder trash.
Maker's mug haunts him.
No vendetta. Pure curiosity.
How squeeze this from that?
Talent? Twisted kind.
Half-tempted to deep-dive the brewer.
Anyhow: trash in, stellar out.
Next-phase prep: check.
Now? Hit a rift.
For his future, Yeon Sung-hun pressed on steady.