Chapter 63: Ch 63: Production and Marketing
With the three legendary artifacts now in her possession, Naida did not waste a single second. She locked the doors of Tomorrow’s Apothecary, pulled the heavy curtains shut, and completely immersed herself in the divine knowledge.
Guided by the holographic projections of the [Encyclopedia of Mythic Flora,] she instantly identified that the cheap, common weeds Raidan had gathered alongside the monster cores were actually dormant, high-tier alchemical catalysts.
Channeling the profound techniques from the Book of Transcendent Alchemy, she summoned the spiritual green fire from the Codex of the Emerald Flame.
The interior of the shop bathed in a spectacular, shifting light as she burned away all impurities, leaving behind crystal-clear, flawless liquids. By the time the sun began to set, she had successfully brewed four impossible creations.
Raidan used his Inspect skill on the glowing vials lining the wooden counter. The resulting system screens were absolutely staggering.
1. Elixir of the Ascendant Flesh (Greater Healing)
[ Rarity: Epic ]
[ Purity: 100% Flawless ]
[ Ingredients Used: ] Sun-Kissed Blood Lotus (Purified), Troll’s Marrow-Core, Morning Dew of a Weeping Birch.
[ Description: ] A perfectly translucent, ruby-red liquid that hums with concentrated life force. The Emerald Flame has completely eradicated the violent, mutating properties usually found in Troll cores.
[ System Effects: ]
[ Supreme Restoration: ] Instantly restores 10,000 HP and completely seals open internal wounds within seconds.
[ Cellular Rebirth: ] Capable of regenerating severed limbs, crushed organs, and shattered bones perfectly within 60 seconds of consumption. Leaves absolutely no scarring.
2. Vial of the Titan’s Wrath (Strength Buff)
[ Rarity: Epic ]
[ Purity: 100% Flawless ]
[ Ingredients Used: ] Crushed Horn of a Mountain Minotaur, Ember-Root, Liquid Iron Catalyst.
[ Description: ] A violently bubbling, molten-gold draught. Thanks to the Book of Transcendent Alchemy, the concept of "Rage" was perfectly extracted and separated from "Madness," creating a pure physical enhancement without the usual berserker backlash.
[ Effects: ]
[ Titan’s Might: ] Increases base raw physical Attack Power by an astonishing 30% for a duration of 3 hours.
[ Unyielding Muscle: ] Grants a secondary buff of +15% Armor Penetration. Completely removes the side effect of muscle-tearing or physical fatigue normally associated with strength-enhancing potions.
3. Pill of the Weeping Saint (Curse Purifier)
[ Rarity: Legendary (Consumable) ]
[ Purity: 100% Flawless ]
[ Ingredients Used: ] Petals of a Ghost Orchid, Silver-Dust, Tears of a Light Slime.
[ Description: ] A perfectly round, pearl-white pill that emits a soft, holy radiance. By utilizing the Encyclopedia of Mythic Flora, Naida substituted the extinct Angel’s Breath herb with the perfectly cultivated Ghost Orchid, achieving the exact same divine resonance.
[ Effects: ]
[ Absolute Cleansing: ] Instantly purifies and dispels any Hex, Blight, Blood-Poison, or Curse below the Ancient grade.
[ Saint’s Ward: ] Leaves a lingering, invisible holy barrier over the user’s soul, granting absolute immunity to all mid-tier curses and mind-altering magic for the next 24 hours.
4. Ambrosia of the Moonlit Lovers (Love/Stamina Enhancement)
[ Rarity: Rare (Luxury Grade) ]
[ Purity: 100% Flawless ]
[ Ingredients Used: ] Midnight Orchid Pollen, Powdered Siren Pearl, Sweet Dream-Sap.
[ Description: ] A beautiful, shimmering twilight-purple syrup that smells intoxicatingly sweet. Unlike the crude, mind-altering aphrodisiacs sold by charlatans, this elixir enhances physical vitality and emotional resonance without clouding the user’s judgment.
[ Effects: ]
[ Midnight Vigor: ] Dramatically increases a couple’s physical stamina, sensory perception, and nightly performance by up to 50% for a full 8 hours.
[ Rejuvenation: ] Completely nullifies physical exhaustion and lactic acid buildup, ensuring both users wake up the next morning feeling entirely refreshed and energized rather than depleted.
--
Raidan scrolled through the glowing blue system screens, nodding approvingly at the epic-grade healing and strength potions. But as his eyes landed on the system description for the fourth vial [ Ambrosia of the Moonlit Lovers] he suddenly paused.
His lips curved into a naughty smile.
He then picked up the delicate crystal vial, swirling the sweet-smelling syrup so it caught the light.
"Naida, The healing elixir I completely understand. The Titan’s strength buff makes perfect sense for adventurers. But... what exactly inspired you to brew a luxury-grade, fifty-percent performance-enhancing love potion on your very first day with divine knowledge?"
Naida, who had been confidently wiping down her heavy stone mortar, froze instantly.
She blushed furiously, the redness rapidly spreading all the way down to her collarbone.
"I-It is purely a strategic commercial decision, Raidan! The encyclopedia clearly stated that the wealthy nobles of the Central District have very... demanding social lives! A grandmaster alchemist must cater to all aspects of the high-end market!"
"Ah, of course.The market. I was just wondering how we were going to prove its absolute purity to these wealthy nobles. Usually, a master alchemist meticulously tests their own creations to guarantee the quality, right?"
Naida dropped the cloth in stun. Her eyes went as wide as saucers as she stared at the purple vial in his hand, and then up at his entirely shameless teasing grin.
"R-Raidan!" she stammered, swatting his arm as she desperately tried, and failed.
"I tell you, we are not testing the Ambrosia tonight! Put that down before you spill it!"
"Relax, I am just thinking about our professional reputation, Miss Apothecary," he laughed, easily catching her flailing hand and pressing a soft, warm kiss to her knuckles.
Her blush turned hotter, but an incredibly affectionate smile broke through her embarrassment.
She gently squeezed his fingers.
"P-please! Just put the potion on the top shelf."
He didn’t want to embarrass her too much. For today, this was enough.
Next came the process of selling these products.
And if he wants shatter Master Garrick’s monopoly and put Tomorrow’s Apothecary on the map, quiet word-of-mouth simply wasn’t going to cut it.
They needed a spectacle, something so absurdly explosive that the entire Central District would be talking about it for weeks.
Raidan assumed his other persona: Verde, a crafty wildly confident rogue sporting an impeccably tailored black coat, a playful smirk, and the theatrical flair of a high-stakes ringmaster.
Instead of passing out boring paper flyers on street corners, Neo headed straight for the Mercenary Guild’s Grand Arena during peak noon hour. The arena was packed with hundreds of battle-hardened mercenaries, noble bodyguards, and eager players watching live duels.
Neo didn’t ask for permission. He casually walked right into the center of the main dueling ring, raised his hands, and let out a whistle so piercing it cut through the deafening roar of the crowd.
"Attention, esteemed killers, brawlers, and noble meatshields!
Are you tired of paying seventy-five gold coins to arrogant old hacks for bottled mud that barely closes a papercut? Are you sick of potions that taste like swamp water and leave you with a permanent stomach ache?"
Hearing him, the crowd went dead silent.
A few high-ranking mercenaries scowled, but many players in the audience began to whisper excitedly, recognizing a prime event when they saw one.
"Today, I bring you the future!" Neo announced, pulling out a glowing ruby-red vial. "This is the Elixir of the Ascendant Flesh from Tomorrow’s Apothecary. And to prove it isn’t snake oil, I need the most broken, battered veteran in this arena right now."
Ironhead Marcus stepped forward, his left sleeve pinned empty against his chest.
"I lost my arm to a Frost Wyrm three years ago, kid. If this is a joke, I’ll snap your neck with my good hand."
"Drink first, then you can chqnge your mind," Neo said, tossing the vial to him with complete indifference.
Marcus popped the stopper and downed the glowing liquid in one gulp.
For two agonizing seconds, nothing happened. Then, Marcus gasped, dropping to his knees as a brilliant, blinding crimson aura erupted from his shoulder. The crowd leaned over the stone railings, gasping in collective horror and fascination.
Bones cracked. Muscles twitched and wove together like living red silk. In less than thirty seconds, a brand-new, perfectly formed arm burst forth, complete with smooth skin and flexing fingers. Marcus stared at his regenerated hand, tears welling in his eyes as he crushed a wooden railing in half just to feel his own strength.
"My arm... BY THE LIGHT GOD, MY ARM IS BACK!" Marcus roared, laughing hysterically.
Before the crowd could even process the miracle, Neo pulled out a second vial and pointed to a skinny, scrawny teenage apprentice standing near the front row.
"You! Kid! Drink this!" Neo barked.
"Ah okat.."
The terrified boy drank the Vial of the Titan’s Wrath. Seconds later, his eyes glowed with pure golden fire. Neo gestured toward a solid granite sparring pillar weighing at least three tons. The boy sprinted forward and threw a single, frantic punch.
BOOM!
The massive stone pillar exploded into a million tiny pebbles, sending a shockwave rippling through the arena dirt.
The entire coliseum lost its collective mind. Mercenaries were jumping over the arena walls, players were screaming into their party voice chats, and noble scouts were frantically scribbling messages on carrier pigeons.
Neo dusted off his black coat, took a bow, and flashed a razor-sharp smile at the chaotic stampede forming around him.
"You can find all of this, and so much more at Tomorrow’s Apothecary in the Silver Fountain Plaza. First come, first served!"